Letter # 63 "Happy Birthday!"

The photo to your left is of Mahara-ji Tarlochan Das.

I'm Jas Bhopal, a medical doctor, now a specialist in psychiatry. During my time as a family doctor, I had the exciting and scary privilege of delivering about 30 babies in my medical career.
The first shriek of a newborn relieves the immense tension in the delivery room. The parents become overwhelmed with joy. The nurse, anxious to note the exact time of birth, glances at the clock, but the clock is likely to be out a minute or two. It’s all an estimation. We define birth from the first breath.
In the Vedic wisdom prana or breath is life. All life forms might not have lungs but they respire, even plants. As we look around, it’s plain to see that life begets life. While the science of biology is yet to explain how life first began, the ancient poetic texts have an answer:
“In the cycle of material activities, the material body resembles the wheel of a mental chariot. The ten senses [five for working and five for gathering knowledge] and the five life airs within the body form the fifteen spokes of the chariot’s wheel. The three modes of nature [goodness, passion, and ignorance] are its center of activities, and the eight ingredients of nature [earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence,and false ego] comprise the rim of the wheel. The external material energy moves this wheel like electrical energy (‘vidyut”). Thus the wheel revolves very quickly around its hub or central support, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul and the ultimate truth. We offer our respectful obeisances unto Him.” SB 8:25:28.
The above text explains that at the centre of the this wheel is The Being, the Unborn. Since only that which is born can die, by definition the Unborn can’t die. The Unborn is Eternal. Where can we see that Unborn? We can’t see the Unborn with our material eyes, only through the Eye of devotion, or the “Third Eye.” Srila Prabhupada states, “The Lord appears in Kali-yuga as a devotee.” SB 8:5: 28 p173. Guru Nanak sings, “Brahm giani anath ka nath; Brah giani ka sabh upar hath.” This verse means: “The knower of God is the helper of the helpless; the knower of God holds his hand over all (in protection).”
To remember the devotee is to remember the Unborn Lord. And to remember continuously, from one moment to the next, is the Celebration of His “Birthday”. Otherwise, we default to become like those that the Koran speaks of: “When a messenger of God comes to them confirming what was already with them, some of those to whom the scripture was given cast the Book of God behind their backs, as if they did not know it.” 2:101.
Now, let's get back to the wailing newborn. Kabir sings: “Jab tu ayo jagatme, log hase tu roye, Karni aisi kar chalo, tu hase jag roye”, which means "When you were born, you were crying and those around you were laughing; Do such deeds in life that when you die, you go laughing but those around cry.” What a fine message!
I wish to pay my obeisances to my ever-smiling Maharaj-ji Tarlochan Das [see http://sachkhandnanakdham.com/index.html] who enlightens me. Maharaj-ji, it is your birthday today, and I wish you a very happy one and many more!