कला लोकरंजन ही नहीं, भावनाओं का परिष्कार भी करे

भावनाओं के विकास और परिष्कार में कला का अति महत्त्वपूर्ण उपयोग है । संगीत, गायन, वाद्य, अभिनय, नृत्य, चित्र, साहित्य आदि कला पक्ष भावनाओं को उभारने में बहुत सहायक होते हैं । इन दिनों इस पक्ष का दुरुपयोग भी बहुत हुआ है । कामुकता भडक़ाने और लम्पटता को प्रोत्साहित करने में आज के कलाकार, कलाप्रेमी और संचालक बुरी तरह जुटे हुए हैं । फलस्वरूप जन-मानस में आदर्शवादी उमंगें उठना बंद हो गई हैं और लोगों के मन मॉंसल रूप-विन्यास-श्रृंगार, यौन आकर्षण की अधोगामी चेतनाओं को अपनी आकांक्षा का केन्द्रं बनाकर शारीरिक और मानसिक स्तर पर दिनों-दिन अधिक पतनोन्मुख होते  चले जा रहे हैं । कला का यह प्रत्यक्ष दुरूपयोग ही है । इसे सरस्वती माता को वैश्या के स्तर पर ला खड़ा करने जैसी दुष्टता ही कहा जायेगा । 

कला की शक्ति महान है, वह मानवीय अन्त:करण को भाव-विभोर कर सकने और उसमें प्रस्तुत उच्च आस्थाओं एवं मान्यताओं को ऊर्ध्वनगामी बना सकने में समर्थ हैं । प्राचीनकाल में कला का उपयोग लोक-मानस में उत्कृष्टता का संचार करने वाली कोमल भावनाओं को तरंगित करने के लिए ही किया जाता था । कला भक्ति-रस के इर्द-गिर्द धूमती थी । आत्म-विज्ञान वेत्ता मनीषियों ने इसी प्रयोजन के लिए भक्ति रस का विशाल कलेवर खड़ा किया और उसके साथ कला के समस्त अंग-प्रत्यंगों को जोड़ा । मूर्तिकला, चित्रकला, कीर्तन, प्रभुस्तवन, वंदना, नृत्य, कथा, साहित्य आदि प्राचीनकाल के सारे कला प्रयास भक्तिरस का अभिवर्द्धन करने के लिए नियोजित थे । इससे अन्त:करण गुदगुदाने की भावनात्मक अभिव्यंजना का आनन्द भी मिलता था और आस्थाएँ एवं मान्यताएँ ही ऊर्ध्वहगामी बनती थीं । वास्तव में इस प्रकार के सोद्देश्य कला प्रयासों को ही सार्थक कहा जा सकता है ।

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

Art Plays Important Role in Entertainment and Refining Emotions

Art plays an important role in both the development as well as evolution of human emotions. Music (vocal  &  instrumental), dance, acting, painting, literature etc. all play a significant role in invoking an emotional response. This emotional inducing aspect is being exploited these days. Many people who are involved in any way

with the various arts are exploiting by inducing lustful feelings.  As a result people are gradually moving further away from idealistic enthusiasm. The focus is more on external beauty and this is leading to a deterioration of human values, both physically as well as mentally. This is a brutal misuse of art. It is denigrating the pure

beauty, the reverence, and the idealism of Saraswati, the goddess of art.

The power of art is immense. This power can fill our hearts with positive sentiments and it is fully capable of uplifting us to the highest level of consciousness. In the past, art was inspired by

devotional sentiments. All the spheres of art such as sculpture, painting, recitation, prayers, dance, and literature had evolved from roots of religious devotion and reverence. This connection between art and spirituality was instrumental in increasing internal satisfaction, it helped in increasing happiness, and it helped in deepening our faith and perception. Art with such objectives has great meaning.

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

Freedom of choosing Krishna

Duryodhan and Arjun both went to Shree Krishna.
Prior to the Mahabharata war both Kauravas and Pandavas wanted to keep Krishna on their side.
Duryodhan went first and due to his ego sat near his head.
Then came Arjun and because of his humbleness, sat near his feet. Shree Krishna woke up and saw Arjun.
After greeting him, He was about to ask the reason for his visit, but Duryodhan spoke in between,” I have come first so I should have the first say”.
Shree Krishna was in two minds, he said “Arjun is younger of you two so he will get the priority, but I’ll fulfill your demand also.
On one end I am there and on the other my huge army.
Say Arjun what do you want? ”. There was freedom of choice, it depended on the intelligence as to who asks what – God’s grace or His opulence.
Arjun said, “I’ll choose you, even if you don’t fight and just remain with me.”
Duryodhan was too happy to hear this ‘foolish’ decision of Arjun and his joy knew no bounds after getting Shree Krishna’s army.
Not only did immoral Duryodhan lost the battle of Mahabharata to Arjun who had Gods support and weaponless Lord Shri Krishna but was also killed along with his brothers and friends.
Qualities of those like Duryodhan who chose the wrong path and like Arjun who chose to be on God’s side are both present in a human being- one can be called vivek or righteous intellect and the other can be called immoral intelligence.
To choose among them is one’s freedom.

Picture of opportunity

Once an artist displayed his paintings.
Several rich and famous people of the town came to see it.
A girl also came to see the paintings.
She saw a man portrayed in the last painting whose face was covered with hairs and who had wings attached to his legs.
Under the painting was written in big letters “opportunity”.
The painting was not very attractive so most people would move on without noticing it.
The girl’s attention was there on the painting from the beginning.
The girl went near the artist and asked,
“Why are the hairs covering the person’s face and the wings attached to his feet in the painting?”
To this the painter replied,”Daughter, this is painting of opportunity.
Since normally people can’t recognize it so I have covered its face so that at least people become curious to know who he is.
Wings are attached to his feet because opportunity which is there today won’t be there tomorrow and thus it should be grabbed before it flies off and utilized to maximum”.
The girl got the message and got engaged in making her destiny.
Time is life. Nobody has control over time.

Whatever we have Is It less ?

A saint was explaining with intense feelings, the results of taking the shelter of God and consequences of performing bad karma.
Among the audience was a dacoit who had planned to rob the saint and other prosperous listeners after the lecture was over.
But he got shaken from inside when he heard the life transforming stories of Ajamil, Ganika, Tulsidas and Bilva mangal.
The way the stories were narrated forced him to think over his own deeds and do self-introspection.
After the lecture ended, the dacoit fell into the feet of the saint and told him all his pervious sins and asked how to correct his behavior and follow the right path.
Those instructions changed his life. From then he started living a life centered on God, and the hole he had dug up with his sins, he started covering it with selfless social service.

Properly plan where you have to go

There was a rule on a land in which a person who was chosen as king from among common people, would have to go to a lone and barren island after serving the term for ten years.

So many kings had lost their lives in this manner.

Those who ruled became concerned at the end of their terms but then it would be too late for them.

Once, a wise man became king when no one else was willing to do so.

He had future at the back of his mind. He examined the island and started planting trees, making ponds and populating with people.

In ten years, that barren island had become a very beautiful place.

After his term as the king, he went there and started living happily.

Every one gets some days in life for free choice.

In this one who plans his present and future well lives life satisfactorily and happily as the wise king.

Whatever we have Is It less ?

A saint was explaining with intense feelings, the results of taking the shelter of God and consequences of performing bad karma.

Among the audience was a dacoit who had planned to rob the saint and other prosperous listeners after the lecture was over.

But he got shaken from inside when he heard the life transforming stories of Ajamil, Ganika, Tulsidas and Bilva mangal.

The way the stories were narrated forced him to think over his own deeds and do self-introspection.

After the lecture ended, the dacoit fell into the feet of the saint and told him all his pervious sins and asked how to correct his behavior and follow the right path.

Those instructions changed his life. From then he started living a life centered on God, and the hole he had dug up with his sins, he started covering it with selfless social service.

The secret of Success!!!

There is a story about a young man, who – like all young men – wants to become a millionaire. So, he goes to see a wise guru. “Meet me at the beach tomorrow at 4 am,” says the wise guru, “And I will reveal the secret to success.”

So the next morning, the young man shows up on the beach at 

4 am, wearing a suit and tie. The guru is already in the water and reluctantly, the young man wets his feet.

“Come out further,” the guru says.
“This is an expensive suit,” the young man replies, “I came here to learn the secret to success, not the secret to swimming.”
“The secret must be told in this water. It is your choice to learn the secret or not,” replies the guru.
So the young man goes waist-deep.
“Further,” the guru says.
So the young man wades deeper, until the water is up to his neck. 
“Now tell me the secret,” the young man demands.
“Sure,” says the guru, and suddenly forces the young man’s head under the water.
The fellow resists and tries to push the guru off, but can’t. Just before the young man loses consciousness, the guru pulls him back up and asks a question:
“When your head was under water, what did you want to do?”
“I WANTED TO BREATHE,” the young man sputters.
“When you want success as much you wanted to breathe just now, then, and ONLY THEN, will you have success.”

The difference between people who are successful in life and those who aren’t can be summed up in one sentence: Successful people are always willing to get their suits wet.

A ‘suit’ is just a metaphor for your comfort zone. A belief or an idea that you hold dear. Perhaps you wanted to become an artist but you were conditioned to think: artists can never make money. To earn my living, I must be a doctor or engineer.

So that’s what you do with your life. You might make a lot of money. You might even be seen as ‘successful’ by the world. But deep inside your heart you know. This isn’t what you wanted. And if you didn’t get to live your life the way you wanted to, how the hell can it be a success? You are merely sitting on the shore, watching the waves of possibility. You accepted the role of an ‘extra’, when you could have chosen to be a star. But it’s never too late, to rewrite the script. Because the movie that’s playing out is your life. If you want success, you need to start by asking yourself some tough questions. Here are five of the most important ones.

1. How much do I really want it?
So you daydream about how your life could be or should be. But then you snap out of it and come back to ‘reality’. 
That’s not good enough. Whatever your project, your plan, your idea – it must be a burning desire. You must want it so badly that it becomes a reality – at least in your own head.

When you hold a vision of that magnitude within you, it gives you courage. The courage you need to leave the safety of the shore, and wade into the unknown.

2. How far am I wiling to go?
You have a vision in your head, that’s great. But other people don’t see what you see. Can you deal with that?
The world is full of cynics and know-it-alls (and parents) who believe that things should remain just the way they are. You will have to turn your back on them all, knowing that you know better.

You have always been rewarded for ‘good behaviour’. Now, learn to seek out and stand up for your own good.

3. How long will I hold out?
Success doesn’t come in a day, in a month, or in a year. Rishis and munis stood on the mountain tops, on one leg, until Gods descended from the heavens.

Choose your mountain and choose which leg to stand on. Then be there, with utmost devotion and sincerity, for as long as it takes. That is tapasya – the passion for your work.

One day, you will open your eyes and ‘Success’ will be standing there, in front of you.

4. How does it make me feel?
Anything worth having takes blood, sweat and toil. But anything worth having also feels very good. And I don’t mean when you actually have it, but even as you sweat for it.

A life is enjoyed in its living, and not in some distant future moment of achievement. When you lose yourself in what you do, every moment is a luminous pearl.

Success is visible when you’ve strung all those pearls together, when the necklace is ‘complete’. But the process of creation is the real miracle.

5. How much further do you want to go?
You have name, fame, money, lifestyle and ‘success’ in your chosen field. Everything you ever dreamed of has come true, now what?
Yesterday you were nobody, today you have something to lose - your market cap, your popularity, your ‘price’ in the market.
The trouble is, the more you try to hang on to things outside of you, the more they weigh you down.
Success is ultimately about lightness of being. About peace and quiet, internal joy.

6. If you were to ‘lose it all’ – can you still preserve that state of mind?
Then you too will be a wise guru, beckoning young men and women into the water. To make their millions, then look back and laugh.
Because what you thought was ‘success’ is no big deal, after all.

Rashmi Bansal, Author