Chatting with Sahaj & Anand A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed! Volume 3 - Edition 5 Anand: Hey Sahaj! So how did the exam go? Did you ace it? Editorial Sahaj: No way man! That calculus exam was tough! I didn’t even have In Search of a Manual time to nish all the problems. Anand: Really? Hold on a second, did you study for the wrong exam again? I remember last time you were studying for biology the night before the calculus exam. Do you ever feel like you are stuck? Have you ever felt like you were Sahajconfused: Yeah, and you needed have a help good xing point there. But enough about me, how did Sahajsomething?: No, I actually What would didn’t studyyou do? much Grab at all.a manual I just didn’t of course! feel like For it. instance,you if youdo on were the exam?having I noticedtrouble thatwith you were the rst one done! your car, the manual for a car on average is 380 pages long; if you were having issues with your laptop, the Anandmanual: Youis about didn’t 250 “feel” pages like it?long; and if you were having problems with yourAnand cell phone,: Yeah, thethe exam manual seemed is about challenging, but I think I answered most 130 pages long! of the questions correctly. Sahaj: Well, I just wasn’t in the mood. My parents scolded me last night…theyFrom something thought as I smallwas drinking. as a calculator, to something as large as a car;Sahaj from :something Wow, I wish asI could simple be as focusedan as you when it comes to exams. I alarm clock, to something as complex as a microchip. Every item we buyeasily comes get overwhelmed with a manual. by dicultIf these questions and lose track for the rest of the exam. Anandsimple :technologies Oh, I see. But, requirewere you? such large manuals, can you imagine the size of the manual to run the human body? More importantly, what is the manual for human life? What guidelines must we live by in order to live Anand: Well, I read a recent study which stated that people who Sahaja worry-free: Of course life? not! How You can know we remain I don’t drink!joyous in our modern society? To answer these questions, this edition of Outreach will focus on The Shikshapatri - A Manual for Life meditated daily had a longer attention span when performing a given task, had an easier time adapting to changing circumstances, and handled Anand: Yeah, but then why would your parents think you were multiple tasks more eciently. drinking? A Refreshing GlanceSahaj: Meditation! That’s your secret?!A In thisManual fast-moving for world, Life who has Sahaj: Well, I was hanging out with a bunch of friends, who just so time for meditation? Besides, I have never seen you meditate. happened to be drinking. Someone saw me with them and told my parents. Now my parents think I was also drinking. They won’t let me go The Hindu culture is highlyAnand people: For ofme, all performing walks of life, pooja all castes, in the morningand all religions. is my meditation. Describing The the out anymore! esteemed for providingmorning benets time isof the the best Shikshapatri, time to put everythinghe writes, on“Only pause devotees and gather who your live mankind with a rich collectionthoughts. according to the Shikshapatri will attain spiritual and social prosper- Anand: But this isn’t the rst time this has happened,of traditional right? Thesescriptures, which ity [8].” Are we not fortunate to have in our possession the essence friends seem to be causing a lot of problems for you. Why are you still are regarded to hold theSahaj of :life Pooja? in just I thought 212 short that verses? was for old people. How does performing hanging out with them? fundamentals for living poojaa help? prosperous life. Combining for Although written nearly two hundred years ago, even today the Sahaj: It’s not like they are bad people. They get decent grades, and over a million verses, many ofAnand Shikshapatri: Did you know continues that youths to provide on average practical get about guidelines 60,000 for thoughts anyone are fun to hang out with. the scriptures (including theand hearwho about wishes 100,000 to live words a blissful in a day?! life, But regardless by doing pooja of their and prayercaste andin Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavadthe morning,religion. weIt describes can stay focused specic and guidelines channelize all individualsour thoughts ranging for the fromrest Anand: You really have to be careful who you hang out with. Let’s say Gita, and Puranas) haveof thestudents, day. professionals, householders, farmers, leaders, and saints. you see a group of people walk out of a pub. If there is a person in the survived thousands of years Also, it describes practices that everyone should refrain from group who did not drink, would you even know? No way! and continue to ourish evenSahaj performing: But I am always in order in tosuch remain a rush joyous, in the includingmorning. I gambling,have no time violence, to sit today. downadultery, to even think!smoking, drinking intoxicants, and stealing. The Sahaj: But if I am not drinking or doing anything bad, why should it Shikshapatri teaches us the most basic lessons from hygiene, dress, even matter? Why should I care what others think? Ananddiet,: Think etiquette, about it,habits, do you and have friendship, time to shower to more in the complex morning? matters Just From the vast number of Hindu scriptures, there is one scripture that standslike wesuch cleanse as nancial the dirt from dealings, our body diplomacy, by taking aeducation, shower, doing and pooja religious Anand: Staying in the company of such people will ultimately washes the dirt of the mind. By cleansing the mind every day, we can outinuence to be your very thoughts, unique. yourWritten decisions less andthan your 200 actions. years Thisago, is this why particular duties. Not only that, but it equally emphasizes the spiritual aspects study better, get good thoughts and remain stress-free in all situations. scriptureBhagwan is Swaminarayan the only Hindu has scripture written in written the Shikshapatri by Bhagwan that aHimself. person So small of life such as following religious vows, engrossing in devotion, thatshould it ts not in associate the pocket with of those our shirt,who steal, this scripturesin, or have is badcomposed habits. Overof only 212 staying in the constant association with a saint, respecting all Sahaj: You know, I can always count on you to lend me a helping hand! concisetime, the shloks activities, (or verses), mannerisms, which and are characteristicspractical in daily of your life while friends retaining will the deities and devotees, and the most spiritual lesson of all: to believe spiritualslowly become merit to a encompasspart of you. Sothe you essence should of care, all Hindu for your scriptures. own sake! This unique oneself to be Brahm and to worship Parabrahm. scripture is called the Shikshapatri, and it was written by Bhagwan SwamiAnand- : It is really Guruhari Swamiji who has given us His hand and guided us in the right path. So let us pray to Him to grace us with the narayanSahaj: Hmm,in Vadtal I never on really February thought 11, about1826. it Bhagwan that way. Swaminarayan states, The Shikshapatri is a unique scripture, which combines the customs “After thoroughly studying and understanding all Hindu scriptures, I havestrength of today’s to keep modern our ve society senses positiveas well asand the to teachings bypass negative of the thoughtsscriptures. and imbibe only positive thoughts. writtenAnand their: It is foressence this very in reasonthis Shikshapatri that our Guruhari to help Swamiji all people emphasizes attain their By dwelling into the verses and following the guidelines described aspirationto stay with [204].” people Due from to whomhis divine you cangrace always and learn unparalleled something compassion on in the Shikshapatri, we can avoid the pitfalls of society, remove mankind,positive and Bhagwan who can guideSwaminarayan you in the properbestowed direction. the Shikshapatri to help ignorance and become happy. AOn Cool The FactHorizon Lasting Thought “TheGet phaonmneal Ready! This pweor year’s of Internationalthe hmuan mnid Atmiya -- aoccdrnig Youth to rscheearch at Cmabrigde“We must Uinervtisy, follow it deosn'tthe disciplines mttaer in waht that oredr Lord the Swaminarayan ltteers in a wrod hasare, theConference olny iprmoatnt will tihng be held is taht at the Hudson frist and Valley lsat ltteer Resort, be in theNY rghit pclae. Thegiven rset can us be in athe taotl Shikshapatri. mses and you canIn order sitll raed to it continually wouthit a porbelm. grow Tihs on August 19th - 21st, 2011 in presence of our beloved socially, morally, economically and spiritually, we must abide is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?” Guruhari Hariprasad Swamiji. So mark your calenders! by the Shikshapatri.” – Guruhari Swamiji Chatting with Sahaj & Anand A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed! Volume 3 - Edition 5 Anand: Hey Sahaj! So how did the exam go? Did you ace it? Editorial Sahaj: No way man! That calculus exam was tough! I didn’t even have In Search of a Manual time to nish all the problems. Anand: Really? Hold on a second, did you study for the wrong exam again? I remember last time you were studying for biology the night before the calculus exam. Do you ever feel like you are stuck? Have you ever felt like you were Sahajconfused: Yeah, and you needed have a help good xing point there.