THE LITTLE SQUIRREL WHO HELPED

🐿️ The Little Squirrel Who Helped Build Ram Setu 🙏✨

When Lord Rama’s mighty Vanara army was building the bridge to Lanka, huge boulders were being carried and placed across the ocean. Among these powerful warriors was a tiny squirrel who also wished to contribute.

Unable to lift heavy stones, the little squirrel found its own way to help. It dipped itself in the ocean, rolled in the sand, and carried tiny grains to fill the gaps between the massive rocks.

Some Vanaras laughed at its small effort, but Lord Rama lovingly reminded them that every contribution made with sincerity and devotion has great value. He gently stroked the squirrel’s back, and according to popular tradition, the three stripes seen on squirrels today are believed to be the marks of Lord Rama’s divine touch.

✨ A beautiful reminder: No act of devotion is ever too small when it comes from the heart. 🙏❤️

KUNTI'S PRAYER

Kunti's Prayer Is Almost Disturbing Until you Understand What She Is Really Asking

In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Kunti says to Krishna:

विपद: सन्तु ता: शश्वत्तत्र तत्र जगद्गुरो । भवतो दर्शनं यत्स्यादपुनर्भवदर्शनम् ॥ २५ ॥

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvattatra tatra jagad-gurobhavato darśanaṁ yat syādapunar-bhava-darśanam

"May those calamities come again and again, O Teacher of the universe, because in those moments we obtain Your darshana; and seeing You means no longer seeing repeated birth." - Bhagavat Purana 1.8.25

Read that slowly. A woman who had already received more suffering than most people could bear asks for vipadah - calamities - again.

She is standing before Krishna, and instead of asking Him to ensure that nothing painful ever touches her family again, she asks for the very circumstances from which everyone else would beg to be protected. 

But Kunti is not in love with pain. 

The centre of the verse is not vipadah. 

It is bhavato darshanam - seeing You. 

Her attention is on what happened to her consciousness every time life became impossible: everything else fell away, and Krishna became undeniable.

Kunti Was Not Speaking About Suffering From the Safety of a Palace

Kunti knew what suffering meant. She remembers the attempt to poison Bhima, the burning house of lac,encounters with dangerous beings, the humiliation surrounding the dice game, years of exile, the great war, and the weapons that threatened what remained of her family. Her prayer was spoken after life had repeatedly shown her how quickly security could collapse. That is why we should never reduce her words to the shallow idea that "suffering is good". Suffering can break people. It can confuse, traumatise, embitter and exhaust. Sanathana Dharma does not require someone in pain to pretend that pain feels beautiful.

Kunti's insight arose from something much more intimate: she had looked backward at her own life and noticed who had remained present whenever everything else became uncertain.

When the palace failed, Krishna remained. When political protection failed, Krishna remained. When powerful relatives could not guarantee safety, Krishna remained. Calamity had repeatedly stripped life of its false guarantees until one relationship became clearer than everything surrounding it. Kunti was remembering the One whom suffering had made impossible for her to forget.  Difficulty did not create Krishna; it destroyed her illusion that she could live independently of Him. The Divine had not been absent during comfort. Her dependence had simply become easier to forget. Calamity tore through that forgetfulness

Kunti Was Asking for Something Far Greater Than Relief

The second half of her verse is where the prayer becomes extraordinary: apunar-bhava-darshanam.

She is no longer thinking merely about surviving the next danger. Her vision has moved toward punarbhava - repeated becoming, repeated birth, the entire cycle in which we keep entering identities, desires, attachments and loss.

Ordinarily, when suffering arrives, our prayer is : "Make this situation disappear so I can return to my old life." Kunti's prayer has crossed that threshold. She has begun asking whether returning unchanged to the old life is really salvation. If the danger disappears but the same unconscious attachment, fear and forgetfulness return, then the outer problem ends while the deeper cycle continues. This is the seed hidden inside her prayer. She does not merely want Krishna to rearrange circumstances. She wants the kind of remembrance that changes the one experiencing those circumstances because a difficulty that returns you to the same unconsciousness has only ended temporarily; a difficulty that awakens you may leave something behind that the difficulty itself cannot take away.

Do No Ask For Suffering - But Do Not Waste It When It Comes

Kunti's prayer is not permission to seek pain, remain in harmful situations, or believe that avoidable suffering should be tolerated because it is "spiritual." Dharma still asks us to protect life, seek help, leave what is destructive, heal what can be healed and prevent suffering where possible. Her prayer belongs to a deeper question: when suffering arrives despite everything you did to prevent it, what will it do to your consciousness?

She was not asking: "Krishna, hurt me."

Her prayer was closer to: "Krishna, never let any condition of my life become powerful enough to make me forget You."

Perhaps, that is one of the deepest forms of bhakthi, when we stop asking the Divine only to protect the life we have built - and begin asking Him to protect our remembrance of Him, even when that life begins to change.

CREDIT: KAIVALYAPADAM ❤️ 🌹

PIC CREDIT: KRISHNASTAMI POOJA BY SUMITHA MAHESH BANGALORE.

SACRED OFFERING

The Virtue of Prasāda (Sacred Offering) - The Linga Purana

We live in a world where eating has largely become a transactional task. We grab a quick bite at our desks, mindlessly scroll through our phones at dinner, or view food strictly through the lens of calories and macros. 

But what if we took a step back and looked at eating through an entirely different lens?

The Linga Purana, an ancient Sanskrit text, offers a beautiful concept that can completely shift our relationship with what we consume: the practice of Prasāda.

Traditionally, Prasada refers to food that is first prepared with care, offered to a deity in devotion, and then shared among people as a sanctified gift. 

While it sounds deeply ritualistic, the core psychological and spiritual teaching behind it is incredibly practical for modern life. It is all about the spiritualisation of consumption.

Shifting from Consumer to Receiver

When we treat food as Prasāda, eating stops being just a biological necessity or a selfish indulgence. It turns into a conscious act of receiving grace.

Think about the psychological shift that happens when you offer your food up in gratitude before taking the first bite. By pausing to acknowledge that this meal required soil, rain, sunshine, and human labor to reach your plate, you strip away the illusion of absolute ownership. 

You realize that you do not just "own" this food because you bought it; rather, you are being nourished by a vast, interconnected system.

This simple habit purifies the act of consumption. It anchors you in the present moment, transforming a routine daily chore into a meaningful sacrament. It teaches us to live with a deep sense of thankfulness, reminding us that every form of nourishment is ultimately a gift from a higher source.

Changing How We Consume Everything

The beauty of this philosophy is that it does not have to stop at the dinner table. We consume constantly in the modern digital age—not just food but also media, information, trends, and material goods.

If we apply the wisdom of Prasāda to our entire lives, we start asking ourselves better questions: Am I consuming this out of mindless habit, or am I receiving it with intention? 

Does this nourish my mind and spirit, or is it just noise? When you approach life with this level of awareness, you naturally stop overconsuming and start appreciating what is right in front of you.

Daily Reflection: 

Transform consumption into a sacrament. Offer what you have with genuine gratitude, and receive all nourishment as a direct act of grace.

Today, try to take just ten seconds before your next meal to pause, breathe, and mentally say thank you. Notice how that tiny shift alters the way the food tastes, how fast you chew, and how connected you feel to the world around you.

Courtesy:REGHU KARTA

GOOD HABITS

Modern medicine can save lives, but don't underestimate the quiet habits that help prevent illness in the first place.

The body heals best when it's given what it truly needs: movement, restful sleep, nourishing food, sunlight, fresh air, meaningful relationships, gratitude, and moments of stillness. These simple practices may seem ordinary, yet they have the power to strengthen both the body and the mind.

Take your prescribed medicine when you need it, but never forget the daily habits that no pill can replace. The healthiest life is built one small choice at a time, and those choices become the foundation of lasting well being.

A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

We spend so much of our lives chasing more that we forget the quiet blessings we already have.

A peaceful home. A warm meal. A clear conscience. The freedom to live without constant drama, comparison, or conflict. These are not ordinary things. They are the foundation of a truly meaningful life.

Happiness rarely comes from having everything. It comes from appreciating enough. The more we simplify our lives, the more space we create for peace, gratitude, and joy. Sometimes, the richest life is simply living calmly, loving deeply, and expecting little.

PROTECT YOUR PEACE

Protect your peace as carefully as you protect your health, because without inner peace, everything else begins to lose its value.

Not everything that demands your time deserves your energy. Some relationships, environments, and habits quietly drain your spirit until you no longer recognize yourself. Pay attention to how you feel after every conversation, every commitment, and every place you spend your time. Peace is often the clearest sign that you're moving in the right direction.

Choose the people who inspire you, the work that gives you purpose, and the habits that strengthen your mind. Life becomes lighter when you stop chasing what exhausts you and start embracing what helps you grow. Protecting your peace isn't selfish. It's one of the wisest decisions you can make.

TODAY NIRJALA EKADASI

The Pandava Nirjal Ekadasi Menu:

Srila Prabhupada’s suggestion for Bhima ekadasi (Pandava nirjal ekadasi)

Everyone can fast according to degree of health.

NirjalA EkAdasii:

During the hottest season (northern hemisphere), if one can perform upavasa without water one is performing a great feat. One may take only charanamrta and achamana water. Bhima the mighty warrior of the Pandava dynasty requested one vrata day by which he could obtain the fruits of all the other days of vrata that he was incapable of observing. Vyasadeva advised him to follow this difficult vrata.

One should worship the Lord in the evening by bathing him in milk.

On the dvadasi one should give full pots of water to brahmanas and feed them before breaking one’s fast.

SAMVATSARASYA YA MADHYE EKADASYO BHAVANTI HI

TASAM PHALAM AVAPNOTI PUTRA ME NA ATRA SAMSAYAH

ITI MAM KESAVAH PRAHA SANKHA CAKRA GADADHARAH

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/25 from PADMA PURANA Vyasadeva speaks to Bhimasena)

Oh son, Lord Keshava, Who holds the club, disk, conch and lotus flower in His hand, personally told me that all of the merit achieved by fasting on whatever EkAdasis fall in one year can be attained by fasting on this one EkAdasii (nirjalA EkAdasii). Of this, there is no doubt.

ATMADROHAH KRTASTES TU YAIR ESA NA HY UPOSITA

PAPATMANO DURACARA DUSTAS TE NA ATRA SAMSAYAH

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/33 from PADMA PURANA Vyasadeva speaks to Bhimasena)

Anyone who does not fast on this particular EkAdasii (nirjalA EkAdasii), they should be understood to be sinful, corrupted and suicidal person without a doubt.

The Story of PANDava NirjalA EkAdasii:

PANDava NirjalA EkAdasii – Jyeshtha-shukla EkAdasii – from Brahma-vaivarta PurANam.

Once Bhimasena, the younger brother of Maharaja Yudhisthira, asked the great sage Shrila VyAsadeva, the grandfather of the PANDavas, if it is possible to return to the spiritual world without having observed all the rules and regulations of the EkAdasii fasts.

Bhimasena then spoke as follows, “Oh greatly intelligent and learned grandfather, my brother Yudhisthira, my dear mother Kunti, and my beloved wife Draupadi, as well as Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva, fast completely on each EkAdasii and strictly follow all the rules, guidelines and regulative injunctions of that sacred day. Being very religious, they always tell me that I should also fast on that day too. But, Oh learned grandfather, I tell them that I cannot live without eating, because as the son of VAyudeva – Samanaprana, (the digestive air) hunger is unbearable to me. I can give widely in charity and worship Lord Keshava properly with all manner of wonderful upacharas (items), but I cannot be asked to fast on EkAdasii. Please tell me how I can obtain the same merits result without fasting.”

Hearing these words, the grandsire of Bhima, Srila VyAsadeva said, “If you want to go to the heavenly planets and avoid the hellish planets, you should indeed observe a fast on both the light and dark EkAdasiis.”

Bhima replied, “Oh great saintly intelligent grandfather, please listen to my plea. Oh greatest of munis, since I cannot live if I eat only once in a day, how can I possibly live if I fast completely? Within my stomach burns a special fire named Vrika, the fire of digestion. Agni the fire-god, descends from Lord Vishnu through BrahmA, from BrahmA to Angirasa, from Angirasa to Brihaspathi, and from Brihaspathi to Samyu, who was Agni’’ father. He is the gatekeeper in charge of Nairritti, the south-eastern direction. He is one of the eight material elements, and Parikshit MahArAja, he is very expert at examining things. He examined MahArAja Shibi once by turning into a dove (for further information on this incident see Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s Srimad Bhagavatam commentary to 1:12:20. Purport.)

Agni is divided into three categories; DavAgni, the fire in wood, JatharAgni, the fire in the digestion in the stomach, and VadavAgni, the fire that creates fog when hot and cold streams mix in for example the ocean. Another name for the fire of digestion is Vrika. It is this powerful fire that resided in Bhima’s stomach.

Only when I eat to my full satisfaction does the fire in my stomach become satisfied. Oh great sage, I might possibly be able to fast only once, so I beg that you tell me of an EkAdasii that is worthy of my fasting and that includes all other EkAdasiis. I shall faithfully observe that fast and hopefully still become eligible for liberation’s release.”

Shrila VyAsadeva replied, Oh king, you have heard from me about the various kinds of occupational duties, such as elaborate Vedik ceremonies and pujas. In the Kali-yuga, however, no one will be able to observe all these occupational, functional duties properly. I shall therefore tell you how, at practically no expense, one can endure some small austerity and achieve the greatest benefit and resultant happiness. The essence of what is written in the Vedic literatures known as the PurANas is that one should not eat on either the dark or light fortnight EkAdasi is.” As stated in Srimad Bhagavatam (Mahabhagavat PurANam) 12:13:12 and 15.) the Bhagavat PurANam is itself the essence or cream of all VedAnta philosophy (sara-vedAnta-sAram), and the Srimad Bhagavatam’s unequivocal message is that of full surrender to Lord Sri Krishna and the rendering of loving devotional service to Him. Observing EkAdasii strictly is a great aid in that process, and here Shrila VyAsadeva is simply stressing to Bhima the importance of the EkAdasii vratam. “…One who fasts on EkAdasiis saved from going to the hellish planets.”

Hearing Shrila VyAsadeva’s words, the son of VAyu, Bhimasena, the strongest of all warriors, became frightened and began to shake like a leaf on a banyan tree in a strong wind. The frightened Bhimasena then said, “Oh grandfather, what should I do? I am completely unable and ill equipped to fast twice in a month throughout the year! Please tell me of the one fasting day that will bestow the greatest benefit upon me!”

VyAsadeva replied, “Without drinking even water, you should fast on the EkAdasii that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha (May-June) when the sun travels in the sign of Taurus (Vrishabh) and Gemini (Mithun), According to learned personalities, on this day one may bathe and perform Achamana for pratiprokshana purification. But while performing Achamana one may drink only that amount of water equal to a drop of gold, or that amount it takes to immerse a single mustard seed. Only this amount of water should be placed in the right palm for sipping, which one should form to resemble a cow’s ear. If one drinks more water than this, he might as well have drunk wine – despite the soaring heat of summer (in the northern hemisphere and cold in the southern hemisphere).

“One must certainly not eat anything, for if he does so he breaks his fast. This rigid fast is in effect from sunrise on the EkAdasii day to sunrise on the DwAdashii day. If a person endeavours to observe this great fast very strictly, he easily achieves the result of observing all twenty-four other EkAdasii fasts throughout the entire year.

“On DwAdashii the devotee should bathe early in the morning. Then, according to the prescribed rules, guidelines and regulative injunctions, and of course depending on his ability, he should give some gold and water to worthy brAhmaNas. Finally, he should cheerfully honour prasAdam with a brAhmaNa.

“Oh Bhimasena, one who can fast on this special EkAdasii in this manner reaps the benefit of having fasted on every EkAdasii during the year. There is no doubt of this, nor should there be. Oh Bhima, now hear the specific merit one gets by fasting on this EkAdasii. The Supreme Lord Keshava, who holds a conch, discus, club and lotus, personally told me, ‘Everyone should take shelter of Me and follow My instructions.’ Then He told me that one who fasts on this EkAdasii, without taking even drinking water or eating, becomes free of all sinful reactions, and that one who observes the difficult nirjalA fast on Jyeshtha-shukla EkAdasii truly reaps the benefit of all other EkAdasii fasts.

“Oh Bhimasena, in the Kali-yuga, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy, when all the principles of the Vedas will have been destroyed or greatly minimised, and when there will be no proper charity or observance of the ancient Vedik principles and ceremonies, how will there be any means of purifying the self? But there is the opportunity to fast on EkAdasii and become free of all one’s past sins.

“Oh son of VAyu, what more can I say to you? You should not eat during the EkAdasiis that occur during the dark and light fortnights, and you should even give up drinking water (nir = no jalaa= water) on the particularly auspicious EkAdasii day of Jyeshtha-shukla EkAdasii. Oh Vrikodara (veracious eater), whoever fasts on this EkAdasii receives the merits of bathing in all the places of pilgrimage, giving all kinds of charities to worthy persons, and fasting on all the dark and light EkAdasiis throughout the year, in one go. Of this there is no doubt.

Oh tiger among men, whoever fasts on this EkAdasii truly becomes a great person and achieves all manner of opulence and wealth, grains, strength, and health. And at the fearful moment of death, the terrible YamadUtas, whose complexions are yellow and black and who brandish huge maces and twirl mystic pAsha ropes in the air for binding their victims, will refuse to approach him. Rather, such a faithful soul will at once be taken to the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu by the Vishnu-dUtas, whose transcendentally beautiful forms are clothed in gorgeous yellowish garments and who each hold a disk, club, conch and lotus in their four hands, resembling Lord Vishnu. It is to gain all these benefits that one should certainly fast on this very auspicious and important EkAdasii, even from water.”

When the other PANDavas heard about the benefits to be gained by following Jyeshtha-shukla EkAdasii, they resolved to observe it exactly as their grandfather Srila VyAsadeva had explained it to their brother, Bhimasena. All the PANDavas observed it by refraining from eating or drinking anything, and thus this day is also known as PANDava NirjalA DvAdashii (technically it is a Maha-DvAdashii).

Shrila VyAsadeva continued, Oh Bhimasen, therefore you should observe this important fast to remove all your past sinful reactions. You should pray to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna in this way making your sankalpa declaration, ‘Oh Lord of all the devas (demigods), Oh Supreme Personality of Godhead, today I shall observe EkAdasii without taking any water. Oh unlimited Anantadev, I shall break fast on the next day, DwAdashii.’ Thereafter, to remove all his sins, the devotee should honour this EkAdasii fast with full faith in the Lord and with full control over his senses. Whether his sins are equal in volume to Mount Sumeru or to MandarAchala Hill, if he or she observes this EkAdasii, the sins that have been accumulated all become nullified and are burned to ashes. Such is the great power of this EkAdasii.

“Oh best of human beings, although a person should also give water and cows in charity during this EkAdasii, if for some reason or other he cannot, then he should give a qualified brAhmaNa some cloth or a pot filled with water. Indeed, the merit achieved by giving water alone equals that gained by giving gold ten million times a day.

“Oh Bhima, Lord Sri Krishna has said that whoever observes this EkAdasii should take a Holy bath, give charity to a worthy person, chant the Lord’s Holy names on a japa-mAla, and perform some kind of recommended sacrifice, for by doing these things on this day one receives imperishable benefits. There is no need to perform any other kind of religious duty. Observance of this EkAdasii fast alone promotes one to the supreme abode of Sri Vishnu. Oh best of the Kurus, if one donates gold, cloth, or anything else on this day, the merit one obtains is imperishable.

“Remember, whosoever eats any grains on EkAdasii becomes contaminated by sin and verily eats only sin. In effect, he has already become a dog-eater, and after death he suffers a hellish existence. But he who observes this sacred Jyeshtha-shukla EkAdasii and gives something in charity certainly achieves liberation from the cycle of repeated birth and death and attains to the supreme abode. Observing this EkAdasii, which is merged with DwAdashii, frees one from the horrible sin of killing a brAhmaNa, drinking liquor and wine, becoming envious of one’s spiritual master and ignoring his instructions, and continually telling lies.

“Furthermore, Oh best of beings (Jivottama), any man or woman who observes this fast properly and worships the Supreme Lord JalshAyi (He who sleeps on the water), and who on the next day satisfies a qualified brAhmaNa with nice sweets and a donation of cows and money – such a person certainly pleases the Supreme Lord Vasudeva, so much so that one hundred previous generations in his family undoubtedly go to the Supreme Lord’s abode, even though they may have been very sinful, of bad character, and guilty of suicide, etc. Indeed, one who observes this amazing EkAdasii rides on a glorious celestial airplane (vimAna) to the Lord’s abode.

“One who on this day gives a brAhmaNa a waterpot, an umbrella, or shoes surely goes to the heavenly planets. Indeed, he who simply hears these glories also attains to the transcendental abode of the Supreme Lord, Shri Vishnu. Whoever performs the Shraddha ceremony to the forefathers on the dark-moon day called amAvasya, particularly if it occurs at the time of a solar eclipse undoubtedly achieves great merit, but this same merit is achieved by him who simply hears this sacred narration – so powerful and so dear to the Lord is this EkAdasii.

“One should clean his teeth properly and, without eating or drinking, observe this EkAdasii to please the Supreme Lord, Keshava. On the day after EkAdasii one should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form as Trivikrama by offering Him water, flowers, incense, and a brightly burning lamp. Then the devotee should pray from the heart, ‘Oh God of gods, Oh deliverer of everyone, Oh Hrishikesha, master of the senses, kindly bestow upon me the gift of liberation, though I can offer you nothing greater than this humble pot filled with water.’ Then the devotee should donate the waterpot to a brAhmaNa.

“Oh Bhimasena, after this EkAdasii fast and donating the recommended items according to his ability, the devotee should feed brAhmaNas and thereafter honour prasAdam silently.”

Shrila VyAsadeva concluded, “I strongly urge you to fast on this auspicious, purifying, sin-devouring DwAdashii in just the way I have outlined. Thus you will be completely freed of all sins and reach the supreme abode.”

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Jyeshtha-shukla EkAdasii, or Bhimaseni-nirjalA EkAdasii,from the Brahma-vaivarta PurANa.

COURTESY:GrihasthaLife