All About Gods

GOOD MANNERS WITHOUT SINCERETY ARE LIKE A BEAUTIFUL DEAD LADY. STRAIGHT-FORWARDNESS WITHOUT CIVILITY IS LIKE A SURGEON’S KNIFE, EFFECTIVE BUT UNPLEASANT. CANDOUR WITH COURTESY IS HELPFUL AND ADMIRABLE.
(Sri Yukteswar Giri)

THINGS TAKE TIME TO RIPEN,
HASTE SERVES NO END,
THE PLANT FRUCTIFIES ON TIME,
HOWSOEVER HARD YOU TEND.
(Varind Kavi by K.C. Kanda)

IT IS NOT COMPASSION THAT SHOULD
IMPEL US TO WORK FOR OTHERS, BUT
RATHER THE IDEA OF SERVICE TO MAN,
RECOGNISING HIM TO BE THE VERITABLE
MANIFESTATION OF LORD SIVA.
(Sri Ramakrishna)

A CLEAN-HEARTED MAN OF TRUTH,
FREE FROM EVIL DEEDS,
EVEN IN THE IRON AGE,
A BLISSFUL LIFE DOTH LEAD.
(Tulsidas by K.C. Kanda)

A SAINT, A TREE, A WATER TANK,
AND A SHOWER OF RAIN,
ALL THE FOUR ARE BORN TO SERVE
WITHOUT AN EYE ON GAIN.
(Kabir by K.C.Kanda)

GOD CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS,
MAN IS WEAK AND VAIN,
GOD CAN CHANGE A MOUNT TO A HILL,
MAKE IT MOUNT AGAIN.
(Kabir by K.C. Kanda)

DEVELOP JOYFUL NATURE. ALWAYS KEEP
A SMILING AND CHEERFUL FACE. THIS WILL
GIVE YOU A GOOD PERSONALITY. PEOPLE WILL
LIKE YOU MUCH. HAVE AN AMIABLE NATURE,
A MODEST AND UNASSUMING TEMPERAMENT.

IF YOU HAVE THE BOW OF PATIENCE,
WITH THE STRING OF PATIENCE TAUT,
ON TOP AN ARROW, PATIENCE-STEELED,
GOD WILL HELP YOUR CAUSE.
(Sheikh Farid by K.C. Kanda)

ONE MUST LOVE ALL. NO ONE IS A STRANGER. IT IS GOD ALONE THAT EXISTS IN ALL BEINGS. NOTHING EXISTS WITHOUT HIM. NEVER THINK THAT YOU ALONE HAVE TRUE UNDERSTANDING AND THAT OTHERS ARE FOOLS.
(Sri Ramakrishna)
IMPROVE YOUR WORTH, ENRICH YOUR SOUL,
FORGET ABOUT THE SURFACE SHOW,
YOU CANNOT SELL A DRY COW,
EVEN IF YOU TRUMPETS BLOW.
(Varind Kavi)

THE GREAT HATE SELF-PRAISE,
HOLLOW BOAST DESPISE,
DOES THE DIAMOND EVER SAY:
MILLIONS IS MY PRICE?
(Rahim)

TO SPEAK AND ACT WITHOUT A THOUGHT,
IGNORING TIME AND PLACE,
IS SINNING ON THE GANGA BANKS,
OR SIGHING BENEATH THE BLISSFUL SHADE.
(Tulsidas)

WE ARE NONE TO INTERFERE,
GOD’S WILL PREVAILS,
THE MASTER MANIPULATES THE LYRE,
AS HE LIKES, PLAYS.
(Varind Kavi)

THERE IS SUCH A THING AS LOVING GOD
WITHOUT KNOWING WHY. IF THIS COMES,
THERE IS NOTHING MORE TO DESIRE. ONE
ENDOWED WITH DEVOTION SAYS, “O LORD,
I DO NOT WANT RICHES, FAME, HEALTH,
HAPPINESS OR ANYTHING ELSE. GRANT THAT I
MAY HAVE PURE DEVOTION TO THY LOTUS FEET.”
(Sri Ramakrishna)

ACTION LIES IN OUR HAND,
THE FRUIT RESTS WITH FATE,
WE CAN ONLY THROW THE DICE,
AND NOT PREDICT ITS SHAPE.

HOW CAN YOU EAT MANGOES
IF YOU SOW ACACIA SEEDS,
ITS A PROVEN TRUTH:
AS YOU SOW, SO SHALL YOU REAP.
(Tulsi)

MERCY LEADS TO GODLINESS,
GREED TAINTS THE MIND,
ANGER HAS THE SEED OF DEATH,
FORGIVENESS IS DIVINE.
(Kabir)

PRICELESS IS THE GIFT OF SPEECH,
PROVIDED THAT YOU KNOW THE ART;
BEFORE YOU TURN YOUR THOUGHT TO SPEECH,
WEIGH EVERY WORD IN YOUR HEART.
(Kabir)

DO GOOD EVEN TO THE BAD,
RENOUNCE REVENGE AND WRATH,
THIS WILL ENSURE GOOD HEALTH
FOR YOU, NOTHING WILL IT COST.

SWEET WORDS CAN QUIETEN DOWN
TEMPERS HOT AND RUDE, AS A DROP
OF WATER COOL, BOILING MILK SUBDUES.
(Varind Kavi)

SEEK KNOWLEDGE FROM EVERY
SOURCE, BE IT HIGH OR LOW;
EVEN IF IT LIES IN MUD,
NO ONE LEAVES THE GOLD.
(Tulsidas)

The charitable man has found the path of salvation. He is like the man who plants a sapling securing thereby the shade, the flowers and the fruit in future years. Even so is the result of charity, even so is the joy of him who helps those that are in need of assistance; even so is the great Nirvana.
(Lord Budhha)

BE CONTENT WITH PLAIN BREAD
AND SIPS OF WATER COOL,
DO NOT FEEL TEMPTED BY
THE OTHER’S SAVOURY FOODS.
(Sheikh Farid)

BUSINESS BASED ON FRAUD OR CUNNING,
CANNOT LONG SURVIVE, YOU CANNOT PUT
A WOODEN VESSEL ON THE FIRE TWICE.
(Varind Kavi)

DON’T FIND FAULT WITH ANYONE, NOT
EVEN WITH AN INSECT. AS YOU PRAY TO
GOD FOR DEVOTION SO ALSO PRAY THAT
YOU MAY NOT FIND FAULT WITH ANYONE.
(Sri Ramakrishna)

THE CROW MAKES NO DEMANDS,
NOR CUCKOO GIVES US OUGHT,
BUT CUCKOO, BEING HONEY-TONGUED,
CONQUERS EVERY HEART.
(Kabir)

GREED AND LOVE CAN’T CO-EXIST,
IT IS A RUSE, A FRAUD,
HOW LONG CAN A BROKEN SHED
BEAR THE THUNDER BLAST?
(Shaikh Farid)

ALWAYS SEEK THE COMPANY WISE,
OF PEOPLE GOOD AND GREAT,
DEPENDING UPON THE TREE IT CLIMBS,
THE CREEPER TAKES ITS SHAPE.
( Varind Kavi)

BE TRUE IN WORD AND DEED,
BOAST NOT ERE YOU ACHIEVE,
NO USE REPENTING AFTER
DOING THE DEED.
(Tulsidas)

WEIGH YOUR WORTH, ASSESS YOUR SKILL,
ERE YOU UNDERTAKE A TASK,
IT’S A SAYING, WISE AND OLD:
CUT YOUR COAT TO MATCH YOUR CLOTH.
(Varind Kavi)

ESCHEW DESIRE, CONQUER CARE,
SET YOUR MIND AT EASE,
IF YOU ARE DESIRE-FREE,
YOU ARE A KING INDEED.
(Rahim)

GREED BREEDS EVIL, ANGER INVITES
DEATH; COMPASSION IS THE SOUL OF
RELIGION; FORGIVENESS, GOD’S BREATH.
(Tulsidas)

TRUTH IS THE HIGHEST GOOD,
GREED, THE GREATEST CRIME;
KNOWLEDGE IS THE WEALTH UNMATCHED,
MIND THE SACRED SHRINE.
(Kabir)

DO NOT INDULGE IN EVIL DEEDS,
ACT LIKE A SAGE,
LOOK WITHIN YOUR HEART,
DOWNWARD CAST YOUR GAZE.
(Sheikh Farid)

PLEASANT WORDS SOUND UNPLEASANT,
IF SPOKEN OUT OF PLACE,
SOUNDS OF LOVE IN TIMES OF WAR,
UNWELCOME MUSIC MAKE.
(Varind Kavi)

BEAR UP WITH THE EVIL DAYS,
DON’T GRUMBLE OR BEWAIL,
THINGS WILL STRAIGHTEN OUT
THEMSELVES, LET BETTER TIME PREVAIL
(Rahim)