Joke for the Day (Seeds of Ananda!)

Sagar Pillai went to visit his friend and he heard a terrible argument going on inside while he was standing at the latter's doorstep. He knocked and went in to find his friend all alone. He enquired about the argument. His friend laughed and replied, "I have this habit of talking to myself." Sagar was puzzled. "How come you were arguing then?" he asked. The latter replied, "Oh! I always argue with people who don't conform to logic!"

Blissful

Sometimes you need to be at the receiving end to understand matters, especially about yourself!

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Ananda's father was dying. All his relatives were standing around watching the wealthy shop owner die. Ananda had his father's head on his lap. His father asked him, "Who are the people who have assembled?" Ananda named all the family members present one by one from the oldest to the youngest. At the end, the old man cried out, "What? Are you telling me that there is no one minding the shop!"

Even in the midst of life's great dramas, the intelligent one does not lose focus on the responsibilities given to him.

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o Blissful

Jamary 18

Nithya Pathni during a fight turned to her husband and wailed, "How is it that you hate all my relatives?" "You know that's not true," the husband replied, "You know that I like your mother-in-law a lot better than mine."

Truth in its simplest form is most often unacceptable to us; when twisted and packaged, we receive it better. Such is the complexity of our minds.

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Blissful

Jamuary 19

Moti Ankur was visiting his family after many years. He greeted his nephew with the usual, "Hey! The last time I saw you, you were only so tall!" "Yes," the boy agreed, "and you were only so wide!"

At times, it helps to think twice before venturing!

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Haughty Ananda walked into the dispatch section of his sprawling office and found a boy idling. He asked him, "How much is your monthly salary?" The boy replied, "1000 rupees, Sir." Haughty thrust 1000 rupees into his hand and told him to get out. He then asked the manager why he did not take action against the idling boy. The manager replied, "Sir, I cannot take any action against him. He is the delivery boy of our vendor; he was awaiting his cheque for the goods delivered."

Especially in the haughtiest of moments, we need to bring a little intelligence and a thoughtful pause into ourselves.

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Blissful

Jamuary 21

Chanda Basu hitched a ride from a friend one day. While in the car, his friend said, "Chanda, I feel you should dress more presentably." Chanda retorted, "But I do dress well." The friend continued, "Your father was such a welldressed and stately man." Chanda exclaimed, "There you are! These are his very clothes that I am wearing!"

We all correctly misunderstand what is being told to us and it is then that we miss the Truth in life; the Truth eludes us so easily!

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Blissful

Nithya Pathni and Ananda Pathi concurred only on one point and that was being stingy. They were planning to die together in order to save money on the death proceedings. Pathni said, "I am planning to wear that grand embroidered blouse, but of course I must remember to tell them to cut out the embroidered portion so they can use it for another dress." Pathi intervened, "But, won't all the ladies comment on the missing patch?" "Oh, they wont be looking at me," replied Pathni, "You will be going without your pants!"

Man works hard at retaining wealth during his life and eventually loses his capacity to enjoy it.

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Ananda had a miserly wife. One day he took his son to his friend's house. The friend asked, "Son, how old are you?" The boy replied, "I'm normally eight, but when I am with my mother on the bus, I am five!"

Children are so pure and sure; it takes societal conditioning to spoil them.

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Blissful

Jamuary 24

Sikar Shareef was with his friends and they decided to take part in the bull fighting game in their village. They all went to a liquor shop, all except Sikar drank to their hearts' content and started out. Sikar was standing meekly. They goaded him saying, "Listen Sikar, this is going to give you a lot of courage, go ahead and drink it." He said to them, "That's just what I am afraid of!"

Man's resistance to death is so intense that he is not ready to let go and explore the latent potential in him, to discover his own powers.

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Blissful

Jamary 25

Durg Chander went out shopping with his wife. After hours of window shopping, he asked her, "Are you at least sure of what you came to buy?" She replied, "Of course! I am here to buy a flat-out handbag." "And what's that?" he asked. She explained, "When the neighbors see it, they will be flat out!"

Our self-image is built with others' opinions of us. We therefore spend our whole lives maintaining others' opinions of us! Isn't it time we nurtured our own intelligence to be our steadfast guide?

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Jamary 26

Churu Kiran was walking to his house when he got bitten by a dog. The doctor took a look and announced an advanced case of rabies. Kiran was shocked. After a while, he took a piece of paper and started writing. The doctor told him, "Its not that bad, you need not hurry on writing out your will now." "Oh no doctor!" said Kiran, "I'm making out a list of people whom I can bite."

It doesn't take much to expose the true nature of our love. True love is feeling happiness in risking everything, and asking for nothing in return.

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Blissful

Jamary 27

Little Ananda was brought in as a witness to the courtroom. In the middle of the proceedings, he looked at the Judge and said, "Sir, I don't think I can help much." The judge asked why. Little replied, "Sir, I was made to take an oath that I will speak only the truth, but every time I speak the truth, there's someone objecting."

If Truth is the sincere goal, it will be achieved. Else, it will remain hidden in its untouched splendour!

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2 Blissful

January 28

Nithya Ameeta decided to stand for a public organization's Presidential elections. She called up a friend to ask for her vote. The latter said to her, "Well, I have a question for you. Do you spend a lot of money on sarees and cosmetics?" Ameeta paused and cautiously asked, "Is this an inquiry or an invitation?"

The intelligent ones ask the right questions before answering them. After all, why give the wrong answers!

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Jamuary 29

Blissful

Barsi Rajan was a psychiatrist. He decided to release two of his patients after putting them individually through certain deciding tests. He asked one, "What would you do if you bit into a green chilli?" The patient replied, "I would immediately drink water." He released him. While going out, the patient passed on the answer to the waiting one. The waiting one came in. Barsi asked him, "what would you do if your baby cries persistently?" Prompt came the reply, "I would drink some water."

Although all of us are going towards the same goal, we are all on different paths with different questions and different answers. We need to remember this in order not to get confused.

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Be, Blissful

The mad man had his ear pressed to the wall of his room all day. He called the attendant in and whispered, "Listen!" The attendant pressed his ear to the wall and listened hard. He finally declared, "I don't hear a thing." The man gravely replied, "I know, it's been like that all day."

A mad man invents worries after being pronounced mad. The rest of us invent worries and never doubt our sanity! Worries are our dearest friends without which we cannot live!

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, Blissful

Jamary 31

Churu Kiran took his wife to a psychiatrist who examined her and finally said, "Sir, your wife's mind is almost gone." Churu replied, "I'm not surprised; she's been giving me a piece of it everyday."

Couples are so engrossed in the sculpting work of their better halves that they rarely stop to see if their work is actually paying.

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Barsi Rajan decided to conduct certain tests on a few of his mentally retarded patients. Every evening, he went up to one patient and showed him a silver coin and a gold coin and asked him to choose. The latter always chose the silver coin. His friend told the patient one day, "You know, the gold coin is more valuable." The patient replied, "Of course I know that. If I chose the gold coin, he would stop playing with me."

Often, people communicate from different planes and they simply fail to relate to each other; this is how most problems start.

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Blissful

Nithya Kanthi was training her daughter for her first dance at a party. She told her that it was important to maintain conversation during the dance. At the party, she noticed that for every song, the same boy went over to her daughter and asked for a dance. She later asked her daughter why and got the reply: "I was narrating to him a suspense serial."

This is another classic example of how people correctly misunderstand what is being told to them. The Truth slips so easily!

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Be Blissful

February 3

Nithya Ameeta declared to her friends one day that she had stopped dating the promising colleague who lived down the lane. Her friends cried out, "But why? He patiently gave you solutions to all your problems!" "Yes," replied Ameeta, "but yesterday, he gave me a bill as well."

It is always better to understand the terms and conditions before any new venture; surprises may not always be pleasant!

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Haughty Ananda died and found himself at the gates of heaven. St.Peter welcomed him in with a broad grin. Haughty sneered, "If there is no entry restriction out here, this is not the place for me."

The tough ones don't find refuge even at the gates of Heaven. That is why they come back yet another time!

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Blissful

February 5

Ananda Pathi and his friend were discussing their dentist profession. His friend said to him, "I hear you give preference to treating your wife's teeth when there are other waiting appointments." Pathi replied, "Well, that's the only opportunity I get when I can talk and she can't."

Suppression finds it own way out; sometimes, it's funny and sometimes grave.

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Blissful

Nitti Mudaliar visited the dentist to get a tooth pulled out. At the end of it, he was presented with a bill for two thousand rupees. Shocked, he exclaimed, "Doctor, this is too much." The doctor explained, "Sir, you frightened away three of my waiting patients with your screams."

Seldom are we aware that results come from our own actions. We invite the results and later question them!

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Moti Ankur decided to go on a diet. In the first few weeks, he progressively lost five, ten and fifteen pounds and in the fourth week he lost his pants!

It helps to bear the results in mind while executing a plan. Sometimes, we are so caught up in the plan that the results take us by surprise!

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Blissful

February 8

Sagar Pillai admitted his wife in the hospital for a surgery and waited impatiently outside. He saw the doctor come out of the operation theater, take a hammer and go back in. Almost immediately, he saw him come out again, take a screw driver and go back in. The third time the doctor came out and Sagar couldn't take it anymore. He begged him, "Doctor, what are you doing to my wife? Is it this serious?" The Doctor replied with a puzzled look, "But ... we are still trying to open my medical kit."

Man hardly needs tools to kindle his imagination. Imagination for self-improvement is the only welcome form of it .

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Blissful

February 9

Latur Singh and Durg Chander were discussing the latter's handwriting. Latur said, "But Durg, you have to seriously improve your writing for people to be able to decipher it." Durg replied, "Oh no! my sister used my letter as a leave request form first, then modified it a little and used it as a pass to a magic show and now plays it as a song on her piano!"

Creativity can be used as a tool or as a weapon. It depends on the person nurturing it!

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February 10

Ananda Pappaiah woke up to find himself in the hospital with his friend sitting beside him. Shocked he asked him, "What happened last night?" Sadly his friend replied, "You know Pappaiah, at last night's party, after drinking too much you declared that you were going to parachute down from the fourth floor through the window." Pappaiah exclaimed, "And why didn't you stop me you fool?" Replied his friend, "Because last night, I thought you could do it!"

Just like how liquor blurs our senses, our ignorance blurs our intelligence. We need to penetrate through this mist of ignorance in order to perceive the Truth. Meditation is the key to this!

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Blissful

February 11

A lady's car stopped in the middle of the road and Haughty Ananda was right behind her honking furiously. She tried her best but the car refused to start. Haughty was honking ruthlessly. The lady got out of her car, went up to him and said, "Sir, I'm sorry, but I am unable to start my car. You think you can get my car to start while I lean on your horn?"

Some people need to be invited for an exchange offer for them to realize the luxury they are in!

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Blissful

February 12

Sikar Shareef charged his manager saying that there was a fifty-rupee shortfall in his pay cover. The manager verified his records and said to him, "Sorry sir, but last time we seem to have paid you fifty rupees more, how come you didn't complain then?" Sikar replied, "Well, one mistake I can forgive, but not two in a row."

Honesty is often conveniently traded for wit! It is alright when done jocularly.

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lissful

February 13

Ananda Pappaiah had remained a bachelor with his mother for more than thirty years and didn't want to get married, for fear of offending her. His friends however insisted and he got married without his mother's knowledge. After keeping it away from her for a few months, he decided to let her into it. "Ma," he said, "I have a confession to make. I got married six months back without your knowledge or blessings." He hung his head in shame. His mother glared at him in disbelief. "What?" she cried out, "You mean to say that you've been married six months and I am still waking up at five to pack your food!"

Today, love is more like a business deal. Estimating it at more than that might give disappointment. True love is that which gives everything and asks for nothing!

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Be, Blissful

February 14

Durg Chander was showing his family albums to his friend. He pointed to a stately gentleman in a picture and proudly told his friend, "This is my wealthy great-grandfather." The friend asked, "What did he do?" Durg replied, "He founded the family." The friend asked again, "But what did he do?" Durg said. "I told you, he founded the family." The friend finally asked, "I mean, what did he do in day time?"

Very often, if we look back, we will find that there is nothing worthwhile mentioning about the long life that we have lived. False prestige and family pride keeps us going. We should try and serve humanity in some wav worth mentioning.

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Be, Blissful

February 15

Sagar Pillai was directing a play. He told the rather shy lead actor, "Don't think of the audience as strangers, think of them as your own family." Asked the actor, "What if the family boos?" Sagar shot back, "Who pays attention to relatives?"

Tread your path with courage of conviction. There will be every outside attempt to deter you from your path. Courage with faith in yourself and in the Truth should stand by you!

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February 16

Churu Kiran's out-house got razed to the ground in an earthguake and the insurance agent told him that he would not be able to get cash for it. The agent explained, "Sir, according to the policy, we will only build you an out-house identical to the original one." Churu was furious. However he quickly added, "Alright then, please cancel the policy on my wife immediately!"

Man when given a chance to relive life would invariably choose to live it differently. This is because he lives with preconceptions and images that never get realized. He needs to drop these, for fulfillment to exude with every passing moment!

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Do Blissful

February 17

Moti Ankur bought a car and painted it a fluorescent orange much to the disgust of his family. One cousin finally ventured, "Moti, we don't think much of the colour of your car, why don't you repaint it some other colour?" Moti replied, "Oh! At least now when I stop at signals people say, "Look at the colour of that car!" instead of saying, "Look at that fat man in that car!"

We try so hard to deceive others' minds, because our self-esteem is built with their opinions of us. When we are not able to control our own minds, how foolish we are in trying to control the minds of others !

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2 Blissful

February 18

Nithya Manu joined as an apprentice in a shoe shop. One day, when his boss entered, he told him proudly, "Sir, today a young girl came to buy shoes with only 30 rupees in her purse, but in order not to lose the order, I gave her what she wanted taking the money. She will give the remaining money tomorrow." The boss cried out, "What have you done? She will never come back, I can tell you that." Manu replied, "Sir, I guarantee you she will - I gave her two left shoes!"

A little creativity can go a long way in any walk of life!

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Ananda went back home early one morning after a hangover and his wife was waiting for him at the doorstep. He declared, "Before you start talking, I wish to say that I was baby-sitting my friend who was sick last night." The wife replied, "Oh! And what was the friend's name?" Ananda was at a loss for a few seconds but quickly came back, "He was so sick that he could not tell me."

Man is an expert in finding excuses and reasons! Excuses are convenient substitutes for ignorance and lapses.

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Part 2: Joke for the Day (Seeds of Ananda!)_English_part_2.md

Be Blissful

February 20

Ananda Pathi said to his friend, "I decided to put an end to my wife's worries and so I stopped drinking, smoking and gambling!" The friend exclaimed, "She must be so happy now!" Pathi replied, "Well actually not, because now she's at a loss as to what to worry about."

We think that the causes for our worries are external. Not at all! In reality, worry is nothing but food for our ego. If we don't have something to worry about, our ego goes unfed and insecurity sets in. Worries are our secret friends!

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Be Blissful

February 21

Ananda Pappaiah was playing billiards at the club. The opponent commended his game and asked him, "How long since you've been playing?" Pappaiah replied, "Three months." The opponent said, "Oh! You play very well for that." Pappaiah sighed, "I'd better; I took four years to learn."

If you don't learn from your first mistakes, it might be too late when you finally learn!

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Boss Ananda was at his desk when an employee approached him for a pay raise. Boss explained to him that things had to pick up in the company for him to be able to give any pay raise. The employee said to him, "Sir, I've all along been doing the work of two men and I think I deserve a raise for that." Boss exclaimed, "Two men! Show me the other one and I'll fire him right away!"

We set certain limitations upon our potential and work with them as our benchmark. Our potential is truly unlimited. The limitation comes from our mind, not from our body.

Be, Blissful

Nithya Pathni and Ananda Pathi were cleaning the house amidst the usual bickering. As always, Nithya Pathni had the final word in everything. Suddenly, the neighbor's mad dog entered their house and bit Pathi who had his back turned towards it. Pathni watched in horror. Pathi screamed out in pain: "Honey! if ever you hurt me like that again, I will get very angry with you!"

Never reign irrational supremacy over another. It can cause suppression in him and make him a dead man.

Be, Blissful

February 24

Nithya Manu was in the hospital with bandages all over him. His friend visited him and asked what happened. Manu explained, "I was on a roller coaster ride and suddenly saw a sign board on a hill very near the highest point of the ride. I tried reading it but missed it. I took another ride meaning to read it but missed it again. I took yet another ride and this time stood up to read the board, but I blacked out and found myself here after that." The friend asked, "What did the sign board say anyway?" Manu replied, "Don't stand up during the ride."

Man sometimes works with perseverance towards disaster no matter how hard Existence tries to deter him.

February 25

o, Blissful

Nithya Ameeta called up the fire department and said, "Sir, I've spent a fortune just a few months ago redoing my garden and ... " The voice asked, "where's the fire?" Ameeta continued, "and my husband is already screaming at me for not maintaining it well ... " The voice interrupted, "Madam, mavbe you want the garden service center's number?" Ameeta said, "Well, the fire is in the house next door and I don't want your men messing around my garden when they come over."

You can get so self-centered that you can fail to see the fire in the neighbor's house. Shift your focus from yourself to others and feel the beauty blossoming in you!

Blissful

February 26

Chanda Basu was teaching a girl how to drive, standing on the road and screaming out the instructions. A passerby could not contain himself and asked him why he was outside the car. Chanda screamed back, "The car is insured but I am not!"

When we don't plan well, the job on hand gets tougher and gets the better of us. Any job requires planning with forethought before execution.

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February 27

Blissful

Nitti Mudaliar dropped by at a doctor's clinic. He said to him, "Sir, I came by to thank you and tell you how much I benefitted from your treatment." The doctor looked at him rather puzzled and said, "You are not my patient and I have never treated you." Nitti replied, "You're right sir, I am not your patient but my uncle was!"

Gratitude is the greatest attitude even in the most embarrassing of moments.

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Moti Ankur was a wealthy mill owner with a sprawling area of activity. He had visitors one day and he took them around the place and showed them the various activities. At one point, the visitors had to go through a rather heavy turnstile to get to the adjoining area. Surprised, they asked him, "Sir, why is it that you are still keeping such heavy turnstiles?" Moti replied, "Well, every time someone operates it, they pump 50 liters of water into the over-head tank."

Even under the most affluent of circumstances, a truly wise man saves money where he can.

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Blissful

February 29

Boss Ananda was interviewing a young man for the post of a mechanic. He asked him, "Why did you leave such a reputed company as the one you were working in?" The man replied, "Well, Lady Luck played up." "And what does that mean?" asked Boss. "Well," replied the fellow, "I was in-charge of fixing part nineteen on the cars in sequence. Suddenly my tool slipped and by the time I bent to pick it up, I was fifteen cars behind."

It is only when we work on jobs requiring 110% precision, will we realize what is meant by perfection. Most of us feel good with just 70%.

Blissful

March 1

Latur Singh came late to office one day. His boss caught him walking in and demanded, "Why are you late?" Latur replied, "Sir, I overslept." The boss exclaimed, "You mean you sleep at home as well!"

In the name of sleep, man wastes many hours a day. In reality, man needs just a couple of hours of deep sleep to keep him more alert than ever.

March E

Little Ananda gave in to indulgence and stole a watch from a man. The man suspected him of the theft and took him to court. However, he was unable to provide enough evidence and therefore the judge was forced to free Little. He told him, "You are free to go. You are judged not guilty." Little was standing there pricked by guilt and not understanding what the judge meant. He clarified meekly, "Does that mean I can keep the watch?"

Guilt is a sure killer of intelligence! Of course, it better be - in the context of theft. Undue guilt is what needs to be dropped.

Blissful

March 3

Durg Chander was taken to court for ignoring the new neighbor's affectionate gestures. The judge asked him, "Sir, haven't you heard of the saying - Love thy neighbor?" Durg replied, "I sure have, but it has got me into a lot of trouble in the past."

There is nothing more misconstrued than 'Love' is today. It has become a watch word more than anything else. To love is to feel a deep sense of oneness with a person without any trace of lust or expectation.

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Nithya Kanthi told her husband that since he was always complaining about her big mouth, she found a plastic surgeon who agreed to make a couple of stitches in her mouth to make it half its size. Her husband said, "Well, I complain only because your mouth is always open. Anyway, how much will he charge for it?" "Hundred rupees." said Kanthi. "Alright," said he, "Here's two hundred rupees."

Bickering has become a way of life. Husband and wife need to drop their pre-conceived images of their spouses and look at each other with a welcoming attitude. This is the only way to a peaceful marriage.

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Bhilai Mansoor met up with a friend who asked him why he was not married as yet. Bhilai replied, "I am still recovering from a tragedy that happened." The friend asked, "Why? What happened?" Bhilai explained, "You know, there was this beautiful girl whom I met and got on well with. Finally one day I mustered courage to propose to her. To my delight she accepted. Unfortunately, two days later, I forgot all about the proposal and proposed again."

'Absent mindedness' is mere lack of concentration on the present moment. It is often mistaken to be a medical condition and forgiven.

March 6

Blissful

Sagar Pillai, a doctor, answered the telephone in the middle of the night and woke up his wife saying, "Listen, I need to rush now! There's someone on the phone saying that he can't live without me." The wife told him, "Calm down dear, that call must have been for me."

We need to bring a little awareness or intelligence in to whatever we hear or do. This will help us react in a balanced fashion at all times.

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March 7

Ananda was walking towards a sugarcane factory. He stopped to ask a passerby the way to it. The man said that he did not know and moved on. The man however met a friend further down and stopped to ask him if he knew where the sugarcane factory was. The friend replied, "I don't know. But wait ... could he have possibly meant the confectionery factory?" The other man said, "But of course, that was what he would've meant." Both of them screamed out to Ananda and he went up to them. "Didn't you mean the confectionery factory?" they asked him. Ananda thought for a while and replied vaguely, "Well, perhaps yes. Do you know the way to the confectionery factory?" The men looked at each other and nodded their heads, "Well, we don't know the way to that either."

In our journey, we need to ask our questions to someone who knows the answers. Most often, we miss the Master in this and follow the mass of ignorance that takes us nowhere.

March 8

Nithya Madhu took her little daughter for an interview for admission into school. The girl was falling short by a year for the age requirement, but Madhu felt that she would manage. She told the teacher, "Ma'am, I think my daughter can manage the test although she is not yet six." The teacher looked at the child and said, "Simply tell me whatever comes to your mind." The child looked at her mother and asked, "Mamma, do I have to speak cogent sentences or disjointed words?"

Children are more intelligent than grown-ups because of lesser conditioning. Only, they need to be allowed to express more freely.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

ze, Blissful

Nithya Kanthi was expecting her seventh baby and was complaining of her weak state to her friend. The friend said to her, "Kanthi, you need to stop with this one." Kanthi replied, "Well, tell me how else will I keep the last one from being spoilt?"

If our complaints are investigated deeply, they are merely consequences of our own ignorance or lack of intelligence. In a way, our troubles are our invited guests although we see them as uninvited ones!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Nithya Twinkle and Ananda Twinkle were identical twins who decided to have fun one night. They dressed up as identically as they could and went to a party. They sat together sipping from the same glass. A drunk passed by them, stopped and turned around. He rubbed his eyes and continued staring. The twins laughed and told him, "You're not mistaken, we are identical twins!" The man exclaimed, "But all four of you!"

Man is such that even when the Truth presents itself clearly to him, he sees it distorted through the mist of his ignorance. Inner intelligence alone can dispel this mist.

Blissful

March 11

Barsi Rajan was the only available doctor in his village. An old cobbler visited him one day complaining of stomach ache. He examined him and told him sympathetically, "Ayyah, you have only a month to live, your condition is beyond any medication." Two months later, Barsi was walking down the road when he saw the old cobbler happily attending to his work looking much healthier than ever before. He asked him what happened and the cobbler replied, "You told me I have only one month to live, so I decided to enjoy myself. I ate 20 of my favourite dosas and I became better after that!"

The next day, an old tailor visited Barsi with a stomach ache. He promptly advised him 20 dosas. The following day, news broke that the tailor had died. Barsi wrote in his book: 'Dosas are good for cobblers but not for tailors'.

We need to observe and hear with our intelligence, not with our mind. Then, the Truth will never elude us!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

March 12

Blissful

Nithya Manu suddenly found that his eyes were popping and his ears were ringing. He visited a doctor who examined him and suggested that he get a tonsillitis operation done. Manu agreed, but the condition prevailed even after that. He visited another doctor who examined him and said that he needs to get his teeth pulled out. His teeth were removed but the condition remained unchanged. One day, he went to the tailor to get some shirts done for himself. The tailor took his measurements and wrote down his collar as 'sixteen'. Manu intervened, "fifteen! not sixteen." The tailor said, "Sir, the correct measurement for you is sixteen." Manu insisted that he wore fifteen all along. The tailor said, "Alright Sir, we will take it as fifteen. But let me warn you, if you wear a fifteen collar, your eyes will pop and your ears will ring."

In our quest for the Truth, until we find the Master, we allow ourselves to be guided by the mass of ignorance and tread the paths that lead us nowhere.

Blissful

Nithya Madhu was driving her new car when she knocked down a cyclist. The policeman asked her, "Madam, how did you manage to knock him down in broad daylight and that too with hardly any traffic on the road?" Madhu replied, "Well, I could barely see through the safety-first stickers on my windshield."

Sometimes we talk of a matter more than getting down to doing it right. Action is ultimately more important than discussion.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

March 1

Nithya Twinkle asked her father one night, "What is the meaning of the word guaranteed?" He replied, "It means that something is made well and it will last for a long time." That night before going to sleep she called out, "Good night guaranteed father!"

The mind looks for security in all that it sees. A Master throws you upon the utter insecurity of life, because those who find nothing else will find God.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

· Blissful

March 15

Sikar Shareef declared that he was tired of his house and called up his realestate friend to give an advertisement to sell it. A week later, he called up the friend after reading his ad in the paper. "Listen!" he said, "I've changed my mind. After reading your advertisement I'm convinced that this is the dream house I've always wanted!"

All what we have IS all that we need to make us happy. However, we need reminders about this from fresh avenues and fresh perspectives. One thing - true happiness never comes from outside, it comes from inside us.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

The teacher asked her students, "Where do you think hell is?" After a while, Little Ananda raised his hand answered, "I think it is in my Dad's study room." The teacher was amused and asked him why he said that. Little replied, "Every time I go in there, Dad says - get the hell out of here!"

Children are like a sponge that seamlessly absorbs the water it is in. When in the right waters, they will expand effortlessly!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

March 17

Bhilai Mansoor was seen walking with a walking stick that was too high for him. A nephew suggested to him, "Uncle, why don't you cut off a few inches at the bottom? It would then be right for you." Bhilai replied, "Well, but it is this end that is too high!"

Our mind is so programmed that it becomes difficult to break from it and think laterally. To break free from this mental setup, we need to drop our mind first!

2 Blissful

March 18

Ananda Pathi was suddenly seen attempting to dive off a bridge. He was stopped and asked, "why are you attempting to die?" Pathi replied, "My wife ran away with my best friend, and I miss him so much!"

A wife can be a man's best friend if both of them look at each other with no foregone conclusions and no preconceived images.

o Blissful

March 19

Nithya Kanthi pointed to her husband at a party and told her psychiatric friend, "You know, my husband thinks he is a traffic light. He keeps shutting and opening one eye." The friend said, "Alright, let me go and talk to him." "Wait!" cried Kanthi, "the light is now against you!"

One who analyzes the expression behind a deep experience, will feel the same experience behind that expression.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

March 20

Nithya Madhu finally decided to get married. Her cousin came along and asked her, "So, does he look good?" Madhu replied, "You won't take a second look at him." The cousin continued, "Does he earn well?" Madhu said, "Yes, but he won't spend any of it." The cousin asked, "Does he have any bad habits?" Madhu replied, "Oh yes! He smokes and drinks." The cousin finally asked her, "If there's nothing nice to say about him, why are you marrying him?" "Well," replied Madhu, "he's always traveling and I'll never get to see him!"

Marriage needs to be a communion between two hearts, not a convenience between two people.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Ananda Pathi came home from work one day to find his wife in an awful mood. "I finally managed to train up the maid to do all the work and she has now quit!" she screamed. Pathi asked sympathetically, "For what reason?" She replied, "Well, you are the reason! She claims that you spoke so rudely to her over the telephone that she felt she needed to guard her self-respect and therefore quit." Pathi was baffled and blurted, "But I thought I was talking to you!"

Never take anyone or anything for granted. Every single thing is a gift from Existence, which needs to enjoyed with gratitude.

Blissful

Latur Singh pulled up the maid: "In spite of me telling you not to tell what time I came in last night, you have told your mistress." The maid replied, "Sir, I promise I did not tell her the time. She asked me and I told her that I was too busy cooking breakfast to see the time when you entered the house."

Some people are so simple and straight forward that they can't even be trained to speak lies! It is better to leave them undisturbed.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

March 2

Durg Chander was leaving his beautiful wife alone in the house for a week and traveling for business. Before leaving, he did all the grocery shopping, paid up all the bills and ensured that his wife would not have to leave the house for anything. He finally locked her inside the house and gave the key to his neighbor, a trusted friend. He told him, "Please do not allow anyone inside my house." The friend took charge of the key. Durg left and had traveled a few kilometers when he found the friend frantically trying to overtake him in a car. He was crying out, "You gave me the wrong key!"

There is no dearth of exploitation. But once again - Trust even if you are exploited!

Blissful

Boss Ananda was training the new boy at the store. He told him, "Remember one thing - the customer is always right!" The boy nodded and enthusiastically started the day at work. Soon, Boss noticed that customers were walking in but leaving without buying anything. He asked the boy what was happening. The boy replied, "They keep telling me that the prices are high and I tell them that they are right!"

Most often, we catch the words but miss the truth in what is told to us. It is then that the misunderstanding starts. Intelligence is needed while interpreting what we hear. Only then can we progress in our path.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Churu Kiran visited the doctor and told him, "My wife does funny things in her sleep like talking, walking and arguing!" The doctor said, "Don't worry Sir, there are appropriate medicines to cure these things." Churu exclaimed, "Oh no doctor! She is so interesting in that state, I want you to prescribe something for me to keep me awake!"

Patiently hear out a person before suggesting the solution. Else you will be wasting time in giving the wrong solutions!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

March 26

Sikar Shareef was with his two friends at a party. They made a wealthy trio and spent most of their time boasting about their wealth. Suddenly they spotted a diamond stone on the floor. One of them said, "Oh, its not mine." The second said, "It's not mine either." Sikar said, "It must be mine. I am missing a cufflink!"

It's good fun to be able to flaunt professionally, but only when it is done like a lotus in a pond - untouched by the waters although neck deep in it!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

, Blissful

March 27

Sagar Pillai went to the store to buy the latest and most sought after invisible hair nets for his wife. The girl at the store handed him a packet of them. He asked, "Are you sure these are invisible?" The girl replied, "Of course Sir! We've been selling them all day and we've been out of stock for the past one week."

Advertisements and media are dream-sellers to people, who buy these dreams and get fooled without even realizing it!

Blissful

Little Ananda got his examination answer paper in class. The teacher wanted to know if anybody had any doubts in the corrections. Little went up to the teacher with his paper and asked her, "Ma'am, what is this that you have written at the end of my paper?" She replied sternly, "I've written that you should write more clearly."

We need to remove the speck in our own eye before we see the speck in the other's. Once we start practicing this, we will all be engaged in correcting ourselves and the whole world will simply transform!

March 29

Nithya Kanthi took her little son to the eye doctor as he was complaining that he couldn't see well in class. The doctor examined him and gave him the prescription. It read, "Haircut!"

The exact solution to a problem can be perceived by very few. You are lucky if you go to them first before you go to anyone else!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

March 30

Blissful

Nitti Mudaliar went to a doctor for psychiatric treatment. The doctor asked him, "Do you ever hear just voices without anyone in the vicinity?" Nitti nodded. The doctor asked, "When does this happen?" Nitti replied, "When I answer the telephone."

In some situations, in order to get the right answer to a question, the question needs to be reviewed. Most often, the answer is reviewed!

Blissful

March 31

Boss Ananda instructed his new secretary, "My family keeps calling up and disturbing me at office. They will tell you that their call is very important. Just tell them that that's what they all say." His wife called one day and said, "I need to urgently talk to him, I am his wife." The secretary promptly replied, "That's what they all say."

It will not do if we blindly apply what we hear. We need to apply it with some intelligence to make it work for us.

Moti Ankur came to the theatre with two tickets. The man at the door looked up and asked, "Where is the other person?" Ankur replied rather embarrassed, "Well actually, I find it difficult to manage with one seat and so I bought two tickets. They are both for me." The man looked at the tickets and said, "OK Sir, but you're going to have a problem. The tickets are numbered fourteen and eighteen."

A task that is well planned but poorly executed will not bring the desired results. Execution is as important as planning.

Blissful

Nithya Twinkle and Ananda Twinkle were seen crossing the road. The former was leading the latter who had her eyes closed. One woman on the road asked Nithya if her sister was blind. She replied, "No! this is a routine for us. She keeps her eyes closed till we reach the movie theater and when we reach the theater, she opens her eyes in the dark and finds the seats for us!"

Man finds such arduous methods of training his mind and body to gel with the surroundings. All he needs to do is drop the idea that he needs to gel; he will automatically gel!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Latur Singh was a lion-tamer and his wife hated him coming back home late in the night. Latur was terrified of listening to her endless chiding. One night after working late at the circus, he was scared at the thought of going back home late. He got into the lions' cage and slept with them. The next day morning he woke up to find his wife standing outside the cage. She glared at him and snarled, "You coward!"

Human beings become more fearsome than wild animals when they lose their compassion for people. The danger is - they don't even realize it!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

April 5

Bhilai Mansoor demanded to his colleagues: "Who was it who called my wife a nasty old woman?" One of them came forward and challenged him, "It was I who said that. What do you want to do now?" Bhilai meekly replied, "I want to congratulate you. I've been holding that opinion for years and have not had the courage to tell her."

When Man needs courage only to believe in and merge with Existence, he searches for courage to sustain his very existence!

Blissful

Ananda Pappaiah was telling his friend, "You know, I had an uncomfortable train journey yesterday. I get sick in the stomach when I sit traveling backwards in the train." The friend asked, "Why didn't you exchange seats with the person sitting opposite you?" Pappaiah replied, "Well, there wasn't anyone sitting there to exchange."

Y our mind has become such a programmed device that you are unable to break free and think laterally. Drop vour mind and allow a little awareness to step in; the solutions will stand out!

Blissful

A hurricane was shaking the vicinity and Nithya Pathni and Ananda Pathi were fast asleep. Nithya woke up Ananda, "Dear, seems like our house is going to be blown away; you don't seem to be bothered." Ananda mumbled, "Go back to sleep. In any case, we are only renting it."

Worries are of different types and of different degrees. We laugh at each other's worries while the Cosmos laughs at our idea of worrying itself! After all, worry is nothing but a direction for our mind to dwell.

Churu Kiran and Chanda Basu lived together. One day, they found a cover stuck to their door which contained free passes for a movie in town. They tried guessing who might have sent the passes but couldn't. However, they went for the movie and returned, to find their house robbed of all the valuables. There was also a paper stuck at the door that read: "Now you know who!"

Anything including a crime needs to be well planned to get well executed. Of course, a crime is a crime at the end of the day; it gets no laurels for it.

Blissful

April 8

Nithya Madhu was saying bye to her weeping daughter at the latter's wedding. She told her not to cry. The daughter asked her, "Ma, why should I stop crying? After all, I am going out all alone with a man I hardly know." Madhu asked her, "Didn't I do it with your father?" The daughter shot back, "You did it with Papa, not with any stranger!"

Sometimes, we fail to see others' problems because we take them for granted. Never take anyone for granted.

Blissful

Ananda Pathi and Nithya Pathni were fast asleep when the door bell rang. Contrary to routine, Ananda Pathi woke up and answered it. He came back laughing loudly into the room. His wife asked him what the matter was. He explained, "I wore your night suit to save time and went to open the door. I got the milk from the milkman and also a kiss with it! His wife must be having a night suit just like yours!"

Sometimes, we completely miss the truth in what is being presented to us; like how people catch the priest but miss God!

Part 3: Joke for the Day (Seeds of Ananda!)_English_part_3.md

Nithya Manu was tried in court for a crime. He gave one look at the jury and declared, "Sir, I admit I am guilty." The judge exclaimed, "But the case hasn't even started!" Manu replied, "Well, I am in front of an all-woman jury. I can't even win my wife, where am I going to win 12 women!"

Getting defeated is alright. A defeatist attitude is what is not alright.

Blissful

Barsi Rajan was treating a chronic gambler. After a year of treatment he was convinced that the man had dropped the habit. He told him, "I think you have dropped the habit. We will stop the treatment here." The man replied, "Good news doctor. Shall we go out for a treat?" Barsi asked jovially, "Are you going to treat me or should I treat you?" Pat came the reply, "Get a deck of cards and we will cut for it!"

To try to change man's chronic habits, his mental setup needs to be changed. Meditation is the key to this.

Blissful

Ananda's friend got married and he presented him with a puppy dog as a gift for the wedding. Two months later, Ananda visited the friend and asked him how different life was after two months of marriage. The friend replied, "Just a small difference - when I got married, the pup used to bark and my wife used to fetch the newspaper, but now my wife barks and the pup fetches the newspaper!"

The barking starts when you realise that reality is different from the images collected and kept inside yourself. Drop your images and watch how beautiful the whole world becomes!

Three men came together to start a business. They decided to include God as a partner. They fixed a small percentage of the expected profit as God's share. The business grew and yielded unexpectedly high profit. God's share suddenly seemed too high to be given away. One of them suggested that they would place a small vessel and throw up all the money. Whatever fell inside the vessel would be God's and the rest would be their's. The second man suggested that they place a big vessel and throw up all the coins and whatever fell inside would be their's and the rest God's. The third one finally said. "No, lets do it this way. Anyway God is sitting above us. We will throw up all the money. Whatever he wishes to take let him take; whatever falls down is ours!"

Our attitude towards God or the Cosmos needs to be one of gratitude and nothing else and most definitely not a business deal!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Sikar Shareef wanted to get rid of his wife. His wife had a cat and he thought he would get rid of both. Thinking that he would start with the cat, he caught the cat, took it ten miles away, dropped it in an unfamiliar place and came back. When he reached his house, the cat was standing there waiting for him. The next day he took the cat to the other side of the town, 20 miles away. He dropped it, and within one hour he saw the cat standing in front of the house. The third day, he took the cat, put it in a gunny bag, tied it, drove for a couple of hours going all directions and reached a forest-like place. He dropped the gunny bag and started driving back. A couple of hours later, he rang up his wife, "Dear, is the cat in the house?" She replied, "The cat is here. Where are you?" The man said, "Can you please somehow find out the way back from him? I have lost my way."

Man is the only animal who has lost the connection with nature, with Existence altogether.

Blissful

Nithya Manu sat down for meditation. He barely closed his eyes when the maid walked in with noisy anklets. He screamed at her for the disturbance. The next day, he sat down for meditation again and the lady tip toed in with lesser noise this time. All the same, he opened his eyes and screamed at her. The third day, he sat down for meditation and waited to hear the anklets!

We have only our own inner state to be blamed for any disturbance felt. No outer noise can disturb us if our inner state is solid and peaceful.

Nitti Mudaliar was walking with his Master towards the city when they passed by a lake. A beautiful lady was standing near it and requested them to help her cross the river. The Master carried her across, left her there and returned. As they were nearing the city, Nitti could not contain himself and blurted out, "Master! How can you as a Master touch or carry a lady in that fashion?" The Master replied, "I left her there a long time back, why are you still carrying her!"

When we force moral conduct upon ourselves, we will only feel suppressed. It has to flower from within. Only then will it become our very nature.

, Blissful

bril 17

Worry Ananda was all alone in his apartment when his friend walked in. They started talking when his friend asked him, "Worry, you seem upset about something, what is the matter?" Worry replied, "I am just wondering what might replace automation."

Although we outwardly seem distressed at worries, in reality, worry is the food for our ego. That is why we nurture worries secretly!

Blissful

April 18

Bhilai used to sit every day in the beach from morning to evening watching the people in the beach. Another man who noticed this, went to him and asked what he was actually doing. Bhilai replied that he was searching for a woman to be his wife. The man was shocked at this reply and asked him why he had never searched in his youth. Bhilai replied that he has been searching from when he was 30 years old. The man was astonished and asked him what sort of a woman he was searching for and he replied, "I am searching for a perfect woman. I found one woman who matched what I had in mind but it didn't work out well with her." The man asked why, for which Bhilai replied, "Well, she was searching for a perfect man!"

We all collect images from media and watch 'reality' continuously hoping to find a match for these images some time. It would be a good idea to drop these images and welcome reality instead!

Nithya Manu wrote to his girlfriend: "I will bend the sky to make a bow and use the rivers as arrows using which I will pluck the moon and bring to you as a gift". The postscript at the end said, "I will meet you this Friday if it doesn't rain."

Most often, we all say things that we don't really mean. This is where the problem starts in practical life.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

April 20

Durg Chander lived without any faith in God. Suddenly one day he fell from a hilltop and found himself dangling from just the grip of a tree's root. He suddenly remembered people talking about God all the time and cried out, "Oh God! I have never had faith in you; are you really up there? Can you save me now?" God answered, "Sure son, just let go of the root that you are holding and I will hold you from beneath." Durg cried out again: "Is there anyone else out there who can help me!"

Our faith is never total Surrender. Surrender! and you will be cradled in every step of your life by the Life Force that is cradling this entire Universe.

Blissful

April 21

Haughty Ananda boarded a ferry boat that was going to the mainland. Inside the boat, he was pacing up and down. The ferryman told him to sit quietly. Haughty replied, "I have no time to sit, I have to reach quickly!"

If we Surrender to the Cosmos that is taking care of us and continue doing our work, we can unload a big burden off us. We don't do this and end up taking on undue tensions and sorrows in life.

lissful

One night, 2 drunkards were walking down a street past a halogen lamp. One of them exclaimed, "Look! the sun has come down for us!", to which the other replied, "No, it is night time, it is the moon." The first one continued, "It is yellow in colour and therefore is the sun." A third man also consumed by liquor came by them. They asked him, "Sir, please tell us whether this is the sun or the moon." The man replied, "I am new to this neighborhood; I do not know."

When you ask someone who does not know, you will either not get an answer or get the wrong answer. The source of information is very critical to our growth especially to our spiritual growth; that is why Masters appear on Planet Earth every now and then.

One day, Nitti Mudaliar was crying at his doorstep. A man came up and asked why he was crying. Nitti replied, "My grandfather has died leaving behind a wealth of fortune for me." The man was puzzled and asked why he should cry so much for that. Nitti continued, "My uncle passed away a few weeks back leaving all his wealth to me. My paternal grandmother died a month back and she too left all her wealth to me." The man was very confused by now and asked, "Why are you crying if they all left their wealth to you and departed in their old age?" Nitti replied, "I have no more relatives who will die leaving their wealth to me!"

Blissful

If you were to make a list of the things that you possess, the list would never end and it will take you by surprise. But you keep asking, 'What next.. what next ... ' All you need to do is count your blessings and feel grateful.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

a Blissful

Bhilai Mansoor lived in the middle of a desert in a small hut. One day, a young boy came by his hut and requested to allow him one night's sleep and food. He agreed and the boy stayed. The next day morning, he found out from the boy that he was a burglar by profession. He cried out loud for having given food and accommodation to a burglar after all. He suddenly heard an even louder cry from the heavens. Allah was saying, "You are crying for giving him all this for one day! Imagine me who has been giving him all this for his life time!"

We all need to understand that whether we accept it or not, whether we like it or not, it is the Cosmic Energy that is actually taking care of us every minute.

tpril 25

Blissful

In a South Hindu temple, the deity's idol was customarily brought out of the temple on the back of a donkey in a big procession around the town for people to see. On one such occasion, as the procession moved, the donkey was amazed to find people bowing low before it, performing arathi and offering sweetmeats. It was convinced that it had become a celebrity overnight. It started to swagger and looked contemptuously upon the other animals on the streets. It decided that it no more needs to carry the heavy burden on its back; It shook the idol off its back. You don't need help to imagine what happened to it after that!

Every moment, be aware that you are an instrument of the Divine. Don't let your ego get in the way. Surrender your ego and Existence will take care of you!

, Blissful

Sagar Pillai entered a restaurant and began ordering vast quantities of food. Platefuls of steaming idlis, dosas and jalebis made their way to his table. He ate with relish. After a heavy meal, he signaled to the waiter for the bill. The waiter duly returned with a lengthy bill. "What is this?" cried Sagar, baffled at the bill, "I hadn't ordered anything like this!"

We are all like Sagar - inviting pain and disease upon ourselves with our excessive life styles - only to forget about it and complain later when they actually come!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

One evening, Chanda Basu was found searching for a lost gold coin in his courtyard. His wife and practically the entire neighborhood soon joined him in his search. One young man finally asked him, "Where exactly did you drop the coin?" to which he replied, "inside the house." "Then why are you searching here?" cried the young man. Chanda explained, "Well, there are no lights inside my house and hence I thought I would search here where there are the street lights."

We are all experts at searching for the answers in the wrong places! We seek to find ourselves everywhere - in money, power and relationships, forgetting that all we need to do is to seek inwards in ourselves to find out.

Blissful

In a certain kingdom, the King came to know that everybody was depressed, because they found themselves burdened with more than their fair share of worries, while the others seemed to have no major worries. The King announced a 'Mega Worry Exchange Offer', where people could trade their worries. A giant Worry Pot was placed in the center of a vast space wherein people could happily dump their own worries and pick up the worries of anyone else. The entire kingdom gathered for the event. The event was declared open and strangers met and started talking to each other about their worries. Time passed on ... and not one worry was exchanged!

After all, who wants to drop their small familiar worries and take on unknown worries of another! Worry itself is a mere familiar dwelling pattern for the mind.

Blissful

bril 29

Bhilai Mansoor went with his family to watch a movie. Suddenly inside the cinema hall, he started groping about on the floor. His grand daughter got annoyed and asked him what he was doing. He replied, "Dear, my chewing gum has fallen down." The grand daughter snapped, "So what? Just leave it Grandpa." Bhilai replied, "Dear, my teeth are in it."

We all continue to search for material things thinking that they will bring us fulfillment; but what we are really searching for unknowingly is the Ananda or True Bliss that is the highest and only form of fulfillment.

Latur Singh was on his customary walk with his blind friend. Latur would describe to his friend the scenery and people that they passed. On that day, a very beautiful girl passed them and Latur described her physical attributes meticulously to his friend. As they passed her, his head turned to complete his description and in the event he bumped into a pole. The friend said, "You walked into a pole." Embarrassed, Latur replied, "You're right." The friend said, "You'd better hold my hand to prevent further accidents."

Life is most often a story of 'the blind leading the blind'. Just being eye-blind is no real handicap; having the intelligence blinded is the real handicap.

Blissful

May

Nithya Kanthi was on the cross-country rail and spent all her time in the observation car. An elderly lady was seated next to her and Kanthi told her that the best part of the journey was the breathtaking scenery outside. The lady sat for a while and left. A little later, she came back and sat for a while before getting up to go. The third time, she came and sat behind Kanthi. Barely a few minutes went by when she tapped her on the back and asked, "Excuse me, but do you see something that I don't?

We are surrounded by beauty. But we see only what we want to see. That is why they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Nithya Twinkle had her sister over for a few days. The two were enjoying themselves when their parents called up to say that they were driving over to spend time with them. Nithya spun into focus and thrust a duster cloth into her sister's hand to start dusting. The latter protested saying that the house was already clean. Nithya replied sharply, "This is sister clean, we will have to make it mother clean."

Man spends all his life on putting to rest others' anxiety; he gets himself anxious in the whole process! This is a phenomenon which can be broken only if intelligence blossoms in every man independently.

May 3

Durg Chander was jogging early one morning. As he passed by a man seated on the road, he asked him breathlessly, "What is the time?", but got no reply before he jogged on. The next day, during his jog, he passed by the same man. As he passed him, the man shouted, "Sorry, but it's 7am!"

Timely help when failed to be offered loses its purpose when offered later.

· Blissful

Ananda was known for his wisdom. He always told people that they should strive not to be attracted by material things. But very often, Ananda was seen in the fancy store doing window shopping. Puzzled, his friend asked him what the great idea was. Ananda replied, "It never fails to amaze me when I see the number of things in this world that I don't need!"

Enjoy the worldly things by renouncing them! This state cannot be achieved as a goal; it simply has to happen to you, somewhere in the path of inner growth.

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o, Blissful

Ananda Pathi decided to surprise his wife with a gift one day. He ordered the gift to be door-delivered with a poem of love attached to it. He told them not to put his name saying that she will know once she sees it. The gift was delivered and the agency promptly got a call from his wife. She asked them who the sender was. They said that the sender preferred not to disclose his name. She pleaded, "Please, I need to know this before my husband gets back home."

Only a radical change in our nature can convince the world that we have changed. Superficial moves will not suffice!

Blissful

May 6

The entire city was flooded and the rescue group was evacuating people from their homes. A flexible staircase was suspended from the first floor of a building to evacuate the inmates on to a waiting lorry. An elderly lady appeared and cautiously made her way down while everyone watched with bated breath. She landed safely and everyone sighed relief. She called out upwards, "It's nothing mamma, you can do it!"

Life is a great drama with no dearth of action. It is up to us whether we are going to enjoy it objectively or get involved subjectively.

o Blissful

Boss Ananda was very efficient in getting work done. He however had no idea what it was to bend his own back. He would see only the results and never tolerated shortcomings in them. One day, his secretary didn't turn up and he went without coffee for the day. His friend asked him why he didn't make coffee for himself. He replied, "Well, I had no idea how I took my coffee."

It is not enough if you master the technique of 'instructing' alone. You should also be able to get down to do the job perfectly if need be!

o Blissful

May 8

Latur Singh opened his lunch box at work and sighed, "Oh! the same old fried rice yet again." His colleague asked him, "Why don't you tell your wife to make something different?" Latur replied, "What wife? I make my own food!"

Where man is, his mind is not and that's why he suffers. When he zigs, his mind zags and in the event he gets hurt. Live in the present and much of your problems will dissolve!

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Churu Kiran took up a part-time job with a supermarket to promote a particular product. It required him to dress up as a duck. When he was on the job, a man walked up to him and asked him, "Don't you feel silly dressed up as a duck?" Churu snapped back, "You ought to feel silly talking to a duck."

Strangely, the eye that misses our own follies, never misses others'!

, Blissful

May 10

Ananda Pappaiah was called to make a reforming speech at a prison's criminal offence section. He stood up and to the horror of everyone present started by saying, "I am happy to see you all here today ... "

hur mind is always following past patterns; it is seldom in the present and this why we make mistakes.

Blissful

May 11

Nithya Ameeta came dressed in a two-piece outfit to a party. The host looked at her rather sternly and said, "I'm sorry, but my wife and I would rather not have people dressed in two-piece clothes." "Sorry sir," replied Ameeta, "which one should I remove?"

When a certain moral conduct settles down in a person, he turns dangerously blind to its shortcomings.

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May 12

Barsi Rajan taught a group of physically handicapped children how to do various things like handling electronic gadgets, repairing them etc. His greatest lesson to them was that they should have faith in their capabilities. He was thrilled when one day a boy came in with a broken toaster in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other!

The most essential thing is to have trust in our own capabilities. Most often, we trust others' capabilities more than our's!

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Blissfur

May 13

Nithya Pathni and Ananda Pathi were returning from a party one night. Nithya said she would drive as Ananda had taken a little liquor at the party. She struggled to take the car out of the crowded parking area. A policeman who was watching, came over and knocked at Ananda's window. He requested him to blow into an instant alcohol test kit. Ananda protested, "I'm not driving anyway." The policeman said, "Please Sir, do as I say." Ananda did so and the test came out negative. The policeman said, "Now Sir, could you please take the wheel and help this woman get out of this area."

We sometimes feel shy to try and therefore live life the harder way. If the results will not be upsetting, it is worthwhile to try better ways in life.

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Blissful

Nithya Kanthi had a heated argument with her husband and stormed out of the house. Her husband wasn't too concerned until twilight set in and she did not return. He made calls to a few of his friends but to no avail; there was no trace of his wife. As he was seated in despair, the door opened and Kanthi walked in. She announced: "The night's too cold out there. I will leave tomorrow morning."

All of us fight very bravely from inside four walls. Only when we are made to fight in the cold outside will we realize the security we've been enjoying thanklessly all along.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Kanthi was seated in the doctor's waiting room inflicted with depression. The lady next to her started a conversation and came to know that she was mother to 12 children. The lady exclaimed, "Twelve children and you look so young and beautiful!" Kanthi got her prescription and felt instantly better.

Most often, we fall sick because we don't hear what we wish to hear. It's amazing how we allow the outside world to influence our physical and mental health!

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Blissful

Sikar Shareef decided to take judo lessons for self-defense. Strenuous training for a month gave him tremendous confidence to tackle any surprise attack. One day, he was walking to his house in the middle of the night and he was suddenly assaulted near a bush. His judo lessons had prepared him with magnificent foot sweeps to handle such situations, to smash the assailant to the pavement. He astounded his assaulter with a knock on the head with his umbrella.

What comes naturally to a man comes with near perfection! We should therefore nurture our nature with all great virtues.

Blissful

Nithya Ameeta was busy with her house accounts when her baby was persistently grabbing her papers. She put him inside the playpen and resumed her work but the little one screamed until he was brought out of it. Ameeta thought for a moment and struck upon an idea. She gathered all her papers and got inside the playpen. The little one happily played around outside.

A little bit of lateral thinking can turn a situation around. A one-track mind will only dwell deeper into the familiar side of a situation.

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Ram Gopal was by himself in the house when his grandfather passed away. He called the doctor next door. The doctor's son answered and he told him that his grandfather was dead and that he wanted his father to come over. The son spoke slowly, "Well, Dad's good, but I don't know if he's that good."

Anything put forward should be done so with no ambiguity what so ever. Only then can we look for appropriate responses.

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Blissful

Little Ananda had a problem with remembering the words 'yesterday', 'today' and 'tomorrow'. During the evening homework session, his mother was trying to get him through with the words yet another time. She managed to get him to say 'yesterday' and 'today'. She continued, "Mamma often says, wait until . . . ?" Little's face lit up and he said, "Payday!"

A child's mind is so creative. We make a great mistake in trying to impose our patterns on it.

"Blissful

Worry Ananda and his friend went for a stage show. It was most enjoyable but the friend noticed that Worry kept looking at his watch periodically. He whispered into his ear, "Aren't you enjoying it?" Worry replied, "That's just the problem; I'm wondering how much more time is left to enjoy."

The human mind is so much in tune with worrying that it feels insecure when there is nothing to worry about!

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Gritty Gauri was in the market doing her monthly shopping. The vendors were weary of her complaining nature. She queued up to buy oranges. The lady in front of her was getting 13 oranges to a dozen. When it was her turn, the vendor carefully picked 12 large oranges and handed them over. She looked sharply and asked, "How come you gave her 13?" The vendor replied, "Ma'am, one of them was a little decayed and so I made up by giving an extra one." Gritty said, "Well, then I too want a half-decayed one." The vendor took a decayed one and put in her bag.

Comparing with others on material things takes us one step backwards in life. Every man needs to compare himself with his own barometer and forge forwards.

Blissful

Ram Gopal went to an art exhibition. After seeing all the paintings, he went to one of the painters and said, "Your's was the only ones I could admire." "Oh, thankyou!" said the painter. Gopal continued, "There were always people crowded in front of the others".

Sometimes we don't plan to be rude in what we say although we sound that way; we are lucky if people take it in the right spirit!

, Blissful

Nithya Madhu was going through the filled out application forms for the new academic year. She paused at one particular form. Against the line 'Language spoken at home' was written: Decent.

When we answer questions, we are in effect exposing our own mind-set with our own words!

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Chanda Basu was visiting the psychiatrist. After finishing his turn, he was asked to call in the next patient before he left. He called out, "Mrs.Angela, please" and walked out. After about 5 minutes of walking, a meek voice enquired from behind him, "Where are we going?"

In life, when we misconstrue the message intended for us, we easily slip into the wrong path. Intelligence alone can prevent this from happening.

Blissful

Nithya Pathni and Ananda Pathi were sending their son out on his first job to a car service center. Pathi advised, "Be careful to use goggles while welding; God gave you only two eyes." Pathni said, "And be careful about your hands while working inside the bonnet; God gave you only two hands." Pathi stepped in, "Careful about your feet sticking out when under the car; God gave you only two feet." The son nodded for everything and finally said, "Yes, and thank God, He gave me only two parents."

We just have to believe that the Life Force or Cosmos that conducts this Universe will take care of us also. Then, all our worries will dissolve and no more will surface.

Ananda walked in as a guest lecturer for a week into a particularly teasing crowd of youngsters. Before the start of the lecture, he announced, "I want each of you to write down a list of all the shortcomings in my speech as you listen. You may do so mercilessly, not sparing any observation that you might make." The crowd bustled with pens and papers. Ananda continued, "And, whoever makes the longest list will handle the session tomorrow."

Only when put under the pressure of performing will people realize their own shortcomings!

Ram Gopal was a painter by profession. He was recalling to his friend, "You know, this girl walked in with a blue-black chip and wanted me to paint a model house with the same colour. I thought I would give up my profession in trying to match it. Nothing seemed to satisfy her." The friend asked, "Did you match it?" Gopal continued, "Well, lucky for me, she got a call on her mobile and I quickly painted the chip while she was talking!"

In Life, we are constantly trying to match the images inside us with reality outside. We will never find a perfect match. If we drop these images inside us, we will find endless possibilities opening up!

Blissful

Sagar Pillai gave the first film roll to be washed from his newly bought hi-tech camera. He went to collect the prints and found the lady at the counter looking at him with an awed expression. While collecting the money from him, she ventured, "This sure is a unique technique." Puzzled, Sagar collected the prints and went home. He pulled them out and found 36 prints of his eye.

Total ignorance can be misconstrued for profound intelligence when seen from outside because extremes always look alike!

Blissful

Nithya Manu had five children. He would always reduce their ages by a couple of years when it came to purchasing tickets. His last two children were aged two and one. He stood along with his friend in the queue for procuring railway season passes, and procured only three. The friend asked him why he was purchasing only for three children. Manu replied, "Well, my last two are not officially born yet."

When we hide facts, we will need to remember what we hid in order to maintain them! Facts are best spoken as they are.

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Part 4: Joke for the Day (Seeds of Ananda!)_English_part_4.md

Sheikh Govinda went to his boss and said, "Sir, can you give me permission to take off half a day from work? My wife wants me to take her out shopping." The boss replied emphatically, "Sorry Sheikh, but most definitely not." Sheikh replied, "Thank you Sir, I knew I could depend on you for it."

A well seasoned relationship will not require outside intervention at any time or on any issue.

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Blissful

Boss Ananda owned a car workshop. He sent out his new recruit with instructions written on a card to attend to a house call. Hours passed and the boy did not return although the job required only an hour's time. He called up the client and asked to talk to the boy. The boy explained, "Sir, I have only now finished removing the engine with great difficulty." "What on earth are you removing it for!" cried Boss. The boy said, "Sir, let me read: 'Remove the engine ... ' that's exactly what is written on the card here." Boss screamed, "Turn the card over and read the rest! it says to remove the engine filter and replace!"

Messages received in one's life should be captured in its entirety and its implication understood, in order to see the desired transformation happening.

Blissful

June 1

A beggar stopped Ananda on the road and asked him, "Two years back, you used to give me 20 rupees; last year fully, you gave me only 10 rupees; for the past few months, you are giving me only 2 rupees, why?" Ananda replied, "First I was a bachelor, then I got married and now I have a baby, that's why." The beggar cried, "What! You are using my money to run your family!"

When we take things for granted, we lose some basic principles in life. The danger in this is that we are not even aware of this plight of ours.

Little Ananda went up to his grandfather and asked him, "Grandpa, are you happy with your hearing aid?" The old man replied, "Absolutely! I have already changed my will twice."

All our fears are actually nothing but the ultimate fear of death in disguise. Sometimes we are aware of this relation and sometimes not.

Blissful

Gritty Gauri was taking the last class of the academic year in Literature. She prepared a few questions to learn the feedback on her teaching and gave them to the students to answer. One of the questions was, "Have I influenced your attitude towards the subject?" One girl wrote: "No. I still like it."

The quality of education can inspire a 'liking' to become a 'passion' and make great differences between man and man.

Boss Ananda was being taken through the military posts stationed at three strategic points within a particular radius of the enemy camp. His guide whispered to him that they had reached the first post. They went a little further and the guide whispered that they had reached the second one. Boss whispered back, "Are we close to the enemy camp?" The guide whispered, "No, we have a long way to go." Boss: "Then why are we whispering?" The guide whispered, "I don't know about yourself, but I have laryngitis."

Most often, we do things with no rhyme or reason, blindly following what we hear; little do we realize the extent of our folly!

Latur Singh and his wife were teaching their 2-year-old son what to do if he accidentally locked himself inside the bathroom and didn't know how to open the door. Latur said it might be better if he removed the key and chucked it outside the window and called out to one of them to pick it up and open the door. His wife disagreed and instead taught her son that he should remove the key and push it under the door outside for someone to pick it up and open. She did it and showed it to him. Latur pointed out to her that they were all three actually locked inside the bathroom with the key pushed outside.

We are so deeply engrossed in bracing ourselves for the future that the present eludes us completely!

Blissful

Churu Kiran was called by a complaining lady in the middle of a storm. She showed him a crack in the wall through which the entire wall had dampened. Churu took one look and explained, "Ma'am, I don't see how this is going to get repaired. During rain, I anyway can't repair it and during sunshine, there won't be the need to repair it!"

Our perception of things is a reflection of our own self. We see the world as we are, not as it is.

Blissful

Sikar Shareef was hosting a party. His guests loved the food at his house although they were sick of his boasting stories. At the party, Sikar pointed to a bear skin rug and said, "You know, that was during the Hindu Safari in 1992. It was either the bear or me!" "Wise choice," sighed one of the guests, "You would've made a lousy rug."

When man operates with poor intelligence, he makes mistakes and flaunts them.

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Gritty Gauri got a call from her bank saying that she was overdrawn by rupees 1000. She promptly asked the man, "What was the balance last month?" The man replied, "1000 rupees." She continued, "and the month before that?" "Two thousand five hundred rupees," came the reply. Gritty shot back, "During those months when there was so much money in my account, did I ever call you?"

There are situations when reverse logic cannot be applied. We need to have the intelligence to understand this.

· Blissful

Nithya Pathni sent her twelve kids to school, cleaned the house and was washing the vessels with sweat on her brow when the door bell rang. She opened the door and found two men dressed in pious clothes. "Ma'am", they said, "we can show you how to live eternally." Pathni replied, "I don't think I can withstand it."

Life is almost always experienced as hardship and misery. People don't know about the Supreme Bliss that can be experienced in their Being continuously. Mere curiosity and an open mind is enough for anyone to attain this blissful state.

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Blissful

Nithya Madhu was telling her friend how disgustingly egoistic her husband was. The friend asked, "What did he say this time?" Madhu replied, "Instead of saying 'When I die', he said, 'If I die'."

Death is the only thing that man can be absolutely sure of; Everything else is fluid and changing.

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Barsi Rajan was spending time with his daughter. He was an expert at drawing and maintained a board at home to encourage his kids to draw as well. His daughter asked him how babies are born. He immediately took up a chalk and drew the female reproductive organs and explained the entire process. The little girl then said, "Now draw a horse."

Wisdom in its profundity can be successfully imparted only when the receiving end is ready for it.

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Blissful

Little Ananda went from London to the United States on a holiday. He stepped on a weighing machine in a store and exclaimed, "Ma! I weigh 30 dollars." His mother corrected him saying, "30 pounds, dear". Little replied firmly, "That was in London. Now we are in America."

The simplicity in a child can show us the complexity in our system! The pity is that man loves complexity although he doesn't realize it.

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Nithya Pathni and Ananda Pathi sat for hours with a carpet seller deciding on which carpet to buy. They couldn't make up their minds. The carpet seller was thoroughly disgusted though not demonstrative of it. Suddenly, their pet cat appeared, walked over the carpets and settled down on one of them comfortably and purred. The couple made their choice instantly.

Man is so caught up in running his life with his intellect, that he is the only animal who has lost touch with his natural instincts.

Moti Ankur decided to take his parents on a ride in his new car. The old couple sat behind while Moti drove. Through the rear view mirror he noticed that his father had his mouth open. After a while he heard him whisper to his mother, "If you keep your mouth open, the teeth don't rattle dear."

When we try not to hurt another, we take the beating upon ourselves. All of our silent suffering is a result of our own choice.

Blissful

Ananda had a friend who maintained a 20-year-old quarrel with her sister. Finally one day, his friend got news that her sister was terribly ill. She felt obliged to go and went with Ananda. The sister was in bed looking very weak. She looked up and whispered to his friend, "If I die, I want you to know that you are forgiven. But if I survive, things will remain as they are.'

Life is a gift from Existence to man. It has been given to experience the glory of Existence, not to harbor petty

Blissful

Bhilai Mansoor was serving as a judge in a village. All feuds were brought to him for justice. One man was charged of multiple thefts. Bhilai looked at him and said, "You have been charged of stealing not only money but also other valuables. What have you got to say?" The man promptly replied, "Sir, I have been told many times that money alone cannot bring happiness."

When the intelligence has not flowered enough, man fails to perceive the Truth underlying words of wisdom told to him.

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Sheikh Govinda was in his house which was blazing with fire. A fireman managed to find him and shouted out to him. Govinda said, "God will take care of me, just move on." A few minutes later, a second fireman found him and offered to rescue him. Govinda waved him off too. The walls started collapsing and soon Govinda was consumed by the fire. He reached the gates of Heaven and confronted the Lord and asked him why his undaunted faith had been let down. The Lord replied, "But I sent you two firemen. What more do you want me to do?"

Man clearly misses seeing the giving hand of Existence in his life. He fails to see that what he wants has already been given and he needs no more.

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Be, Blissful

Nithya Madhu was consulting a psychologist. She told her, "Ma'am, I am dating a 78 year old man. His brother is standing in the way of our relationship. Don't you think he is old enough to do what he wants to do?" The psychologist replied calmly, "Definitely; but is he young enough?"

Age has little to do with wisdom. Only growth of our inner intelligence can make wisdom dawn upon us.

Chanda Basu walked into a posh hotel. He walked to the registration desk, picked up the pen and asked, "What have you got for 200 rupees?" The clerk replied, "You're holding it".

A negative answer when intelligently worded can get the message across without a problem. The play of words can make a world of difference!

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Sheikh Govinda was due to give a speech at a large gathering the following day. His friend told him, "Sheikh, try this during your speech. Tell them: 'Last night I held another man's wife in my arms'. The people will sit upright. Continue saying, 'Oh, it was my dear mother!"" Sheikh thought it was a good gimmick. The next day, during the course of his speech he drawled, "Last night I held another man's wife in my arms." The people sat upright. Sheikh stammered, "Oh ... I've forgotten who she was."

Don't disregard the act of copying another's idea. One needs a certain capacity even to copy it successfully!

, Blissful

Ram Gopal was visiting his mother with his two children. While he was chatting with his mother, the children were creating a racquet and the noise level rose progressively. Finally, he shouted at them, "Will you stop that!" His mother told him, "Don't curb them like that." Gopal snapped back, "Mom, they are my children and I have the right to correct them." His mother replied, "Absolutely! and I was correcting mine."

When momentary haughtiness takes over us, we lose our intelligence also - momentarily.

Blissful

Nitti Mudaliar was sitting next to a lady at a party and narrating to her the day's events. The lady's patience was fast waning but he never got the cue. Finally, the lady turned to him and said, "You know, what you are telling me is so interesting. You must hurry now and write it down!"

Gentle words and courtesy can do a lot better than harsh words and a wry face.

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Nithya Pathni and Ananda Pathi went to an entertainment show and found a queue to get in. An announcement was made that children and those above sixty could get in first. People with children started moving. Ananda Pathi made his way towards the door but waited outside. The usher asked him why he had stopped. Pathi replied, "Well, my wife would not admit that she is over sixty and the tickets are with her."

It is most often our silly perceptions that are the stumbling blocks in our path. Drop them and watch how the path clears!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Barsi Rajan was in his consulting room when a little child walked in with a face of terror, holding his mother's hand. Barsi examined him and jovially said, "Now little master, let's take off our clothes and see how much we weigh!" The child gave him a firm look and said, "You go ahead, I don't want to."

The disparity between our thoughts and our expression is the root cause of many problems; misunderstanding stems from this.

Blissful

Nithya Madhu served as a part-time librarian. A young boy walked up and asked rather shyly, "Can you show me books on how to develop?" Madhu felt that she should not embarrass the boy any further and asked her male colleague to show the boy some books on 'males growing up'. A little later, she saw the colleague and the boy walking past carrying books on 'Photography'.

We hear only what we mean to hear, never what is really being spoken to us! And what we hear is what we are.

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Latur Singh went to the bank to exchange rupees for dollars. He read in the papers that morning that the exchange rate was 45.25 rupees to a dollar. While waiting in the bank for his turn, he saw the big dial in the bank and it showed 46.37. A few minutes later he glanced at it again and it showed 49.50. His turn came and he handed over the cash to the lady at the counter. She informed him that the exchange rate was 43. Annoyed, Latur pointed to the dial and demanded, "How come your dial says 49.8 madam?" The lady calmly said, "That's our clock, Sir."

When what we see is in tune with what we would like to see, we hate to be told that it is a dream. Reality is almost always different from our treasured dreams.

Blissful

Bhilai Mansoor was playing with his grandson when they decided to wish and toss a coin. To the child's dismay, Bhilai won the toss. Bhilai looked at his grandson's forlorn face and said, "Why are you sad? My wish was that your wish should come true!"

To be able to shift our attention from ourselves to others is a virtue that each one should possess. It is then that compassion will become our signature!

Blissful

Little Ananda was at a family dinner. He was meeting his favorite aunt for the second time and spent most part of the time with her. His parents were rather embarrassed at this because she was engaged and her fiancé was at the dinner trying to get some time alone with her. They told the child, "Little, your aunt has got a friend here who hasn't seen her in a long time, you should leave them alone now." Little shot back, "But I haven't seen her in a long time either!"

It is only when we start explaining our social laws to children, will we understand how complex the laws themselves are!

Gritty Gauri sat at the table for breakfast. Her mother was horrified that she had started eating without saying grace. Gritty explained: "There is no item here that I have not said thanks for at least once before."

Thankyou' is the greatest mantra that one can chant; It is the only prayer that one needs to say.

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Nithya Twinkle was attending college and one of her guest lecturers was her father. Her friends found it quite amusing and asked her how it felt to have her father as a professor at college. Twinkle replied, "Well, am quite used to his lectures at home. This is the first time I have had to write them down though."

Ordinary words of wisdom can load the listening mind. Words of a Master never load the mind, they always unload and clear it - of some block or the other.

o, Blissful

Nithya Kanthi was taking a class on 'motivation'. She told the students, "It is very important to feel the drive at work. Only when you are motivated, you will excel at what you are doing." She looked at a student and asked, "What is it that motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?" The student replied, "My mother."

When what you do is not what you really want to do, there will be neither joy nor motivation for you to excel in it. Identify what your Being needs - and you have arrived!

Orders were given to shoot at a war and Sagar Pillai was the only one not shooting. His commander came up to him and shouted, "Why are you not shooting?" Sagar replied, "Because if I shoot, they will know where I am and shoot back at me."

We need to remember that what is logical may not always be practical. A certain adaptability is required to link the two.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Boss Ananda was traveling and checked in at a hotel in Japan. He called the reception counter and said, "7-Up, please." The man said, "Alright Sir." The drink never came and Boss went to sleep - only to be woken up promptly on the dot of seven.

We never pay attention to our words because we take the people around us for granted. It is only when we step out of our circle, will we realize that we need to carefully choose our words in order not to be misunderstood!

Blissful

Nithya Kanthi sat while her youngest daughter was putting on her walking shoes for her. Kanthi was always depressed about her wrinkled feet and sat looking at them. The daughter suddenly commented, "Ma, you have such nice olden days' feet!" Kanthi felt suddenly relieved.

Like how the monkey dances to the tunes of the monkey trainer, our emotions sway according to others' opinions of us. When are we going to solidify with our own inner strength?

Blissful

Nithya Manu decided that he was overworked at office and decided to take leave under medical pretext. While at home, he received two cards. One of them was from his colleagues and it said, "Get well soon." The other was from his boss and it said, "Get well IMMEDIATELY."

A leader is one who says the right things at the right time in the right way and to the right people!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

Verley

Nithya Twinkle and Ananda Twinkle were identical twin girls aged two. One day, their father's friend held a mirror to Nithya's face and asked, "Who is his?" The child promptly replied, "My sister!"

In the innocence and simplicity of children lies their greatest potential. Children are closer to God than the rest of us.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

thya Madhu was working at the public library. A small boy from a poor mily used to come everyday and read a little of a particular book, keep it ck and come back the next day for it. One day, he came as usual and found e book missing. He walked up to her and enquired about the book. Madhu niled and handed him the book saying, "Here it is, in my desk. There was a dy wanting to borrow it. I knew you hadn't finished it!"

When we start being sensitive to the needs of others, we shift the attention need away from us; this can cause unimaginable growth and joy in us!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Quely

Elissfu

Churu Kiran and his friend finished painting the wall of a building and hung Wet paint' boards on it. A passerby told them that a decision had been taken to bring down the wall the following day to widen the road. Churu replied, 'That's alright, it will dry by then."

When each work is performed as a sincere meditation not looking for the results, the work and the worker get fulfillment.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

o Blissful

Moti Ankur was wobbling when he reached the queue to board the ship. People had plenty of luggage and the man at the entrance asked each of them, "Is this your luggage?" before letting them in. It was Moti's turn and the man asked him, "Is this your box, Sir?" Moti replied, "Well, it's actually my cousin's, but that's okay, I have his permission to use it for the trip."

The intelligence is in understanding the question and the context; the answer will then come even if it takes time.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Kanthi went in for plastic surgery to correct her features. At the end of t, the doctor showed her a mirror. Kanthi took a long look and said, "I quess it's alright. After all, you're only a plastic surgeon, not a magician!"

We look upon life as a great compromise. This is because we continuously look to realise our illusions. If we drop our illusions, life will become an eternal celebration!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Churu Kiran was recalling to his friend, "You know, I was painting this big illboard standing on the temporary framework. The ladder slipped and fell. I vaved as much as I could but to no avail. I finally prayed to the Lord and did big umps on the rungs of the framework and landed safely. His friend was shocked and asked, "What? You mean to say no one responded to you from t elow?" Churu said, "Oh they did. They all waved back!"

If even one out of ten people don't respond in a manner expected by us, there is something seriously wrong with our approach; It's time for a review inside ourselves.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

Nithya Pathni and Ananda Pathi were recalling their days of courtship when suddenly Pathi asked, "Tell me, the first time I saw you, I was in my police uniform and you were behind the ticket counter. Why did you ask me for my driver's license?" Pathni replied sheepishly, "Well, I've always wanted to ask a policeman for his driver's license!"

Almost all humans harbor revenge of some sort; for some it is active and obvious, while for others it is passive and subtle.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Ananda Pappaiah was telling his son, "You are old enough now. I think it will do you good to attend the lecture on 'Taking your own decisions'" The son said, "Okay dad, but can I go with my friends to the club this weekend?" Pappaiah replied, "Go ask your mother."

There is no dearth of wisdom in man; only he needs to practice it!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

· Blissful

Ananda Pappaiah was telling his son, "You are old enough now. I think it wil do you good to attend the lecture on 'Taking your own decisions'" The son said. "Okay dad, but can I go with my friends to the club this weekend?" Pappaiah replied, "Go ask your mother."

There is no dearth of wisdom in man; only he needs to practice it!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

slisstu

Nithya Ameeta fell down and fractured her wrist. She was admitted in the hospital. A young and handsome male nurse walked in with a form in his hand. He asked her the details and filled up the form. He looked up and asked, "Is there anything else we need to know about you that might be important ma'am?" Pat came the reply, "Yes, I am single."

Our words are a reflection of our inner thoughts. When we talk, we are continuously exposing our inner self.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

o Blissful

heikh Govinda was one of 13 members in the household. The rule was that hey should use the basin in the dining hall for shaving, brushing etc., instead f doing it all in the bathroom and causing delay. Invariably, someone or the ther at the basin would forget something and land up knocking on the athroom door for it. One day, Govinda rushed to the basin with his oothbrush but did a quick reverse towards the bathroom. His sister teased im, "You forgot the toothpaste!" Govinda exclaimed, "No! I forgot my teeth!"

We catch on to the outer world things that give us joy but forget the inner world things that cause the joy in us!

, Blissful

Nithya Pathni was a regular morning jogger, but she jogged in constant fear of the stray dogs. Ananda Pathi decided to accompany his wife on cycle holding a stick to ward off the animals. One day, as they were on this morning routine, a passerby saw Pathni running and Pathi following with a stick. He commented to himself: "How cruel can it get."

If you don't have the facts with you, don't pass any judgment. If you have them, let them be and don't pass any judgment! This way, the world will appear a lot brighter.

Durg Chander found himself at the brink of frustration. He had just landed at the airport and it was raining heavily; the taxis were on strike; the phone lines were out of order; there was a procession on the roads and the place was swarming with people caught in a similar predicament. He slumped into a chair when he overheard an old man saying to his grandson, "Cheer up! This is what we call Life's adventures!"

Every moment in life can be an adventure or an inconvenience; it depends on the person perceiving it.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Part 5: Joke for the Day (Seeds of Ananda!)_English_part_5.md

, Blissful

Nithya Pathni took her last five children to a restaurant. While they were dining, her husband suddenly thumped the table with his fist and screamed: "Elbows off the table!" The children silently obeyed and so did the rest of them at the restaurant.

Anything spoken with the heart is received without exception!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Boss Ananda was having a meeting to prepare for the retirement function of a long-standing employee of his company. Boss spoke, "We are talking of a man who never knew the meaning of 'giving up', who didn't know the meaning of the word 'disloyalty', who had no clue of the word, 'tired'. We need to honour him tomorrow. What do you think we should get him?" A hand went up and the voice said, "A dictionary."

The Truth always remains solid and unchanged. It is only perceived in different ways by different people.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Moti Ankur decided to take his parents on a ride in his new car. The old couple sat behind while Moti drove. Through the rear view mirror he noticed that his father had his mouth open. After a while he heard him whisper to his mother, "If you keep your mouth open, the teeth don't rattle dear."

When we try not to hurt another, we take the beating upon ourselves. All of our silent suffering is a result of our own choice.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Nitti Mudaliar was dating a girl. They went out to a party and returned to his house. The girl looked at herself in the mirror and cried in dismay, "Why Nitti! You never told me that there was an extra dab of powder on my nose." Nitti replied after a pause, "I noticed, but how would I know how you would like to wear your powder?"

While we are blind to our own faults, we somehow expect everyone around us to perform flawlessly!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be, Blissful

Nithya Manu was out with his girlfriend. The girl told him, "Manu, I wish to share all your troubles and worries." "But right now I have none!" exclaimed Manu. The girl said, "I meant after our marriage."

We are in eternal preparation to embrace worries. If they don't come, we are almost disappointed!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Bhilai Mansoor was walking down a lane when he saw a boy running out of a house, doing a funny leg-action in the air and landing on the bed of thorny roses nearby. Anxiously, Bhilai went up to him and asked him if he was alright and what it was that he had tried doing. The boy explained sheepishly: "I forgot that I didn't bring my bicycle."

The mind always looks to settle down on familiar patterns. We need to break these patterns and live unprepared, so that we will be prepared for anything.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

Chanda Basu asked his friend, "How come your relationship with your girlfriend didn't bring about marriage? Didn't you tell her about your rich uncle?" The friend replied, "I did. She is my aunt now."

In today's world, trust and love are being replaced by exploitation and greed. Yet, trust even if you are exploited!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Gritty Gauri was saying to her friend, "I think I've had enough of this man. I just need to get one more thing off my heart before I go into my next relationship." "And what is that?" asked the friend. Gauri replied, "a tattoo of his name on it."

. Love - the most powerful virtue, medicine and healing stick is sadly reduced to mere tattoos on people's hearts.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Ram Gopal opened a letter and read it out to his friend. It was a letter of threat that if he didn't stop his customary bullying of the children down the lane, the parents would take severe action against him. The friend asked, "What are you going to do about it?" Gopal replied, "Nothing much I can do; It's not been signed."

We receive so many messages from Existence to help our lives blossom, but we faithfully miss them all through the veil of our ignorance.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Nithya Madhu received a proposal from her boyfriend and she turned him down. The boy said, "I wonder if I will ever marry hereafter." Madhu exclaimed, "There are always other girls out there. Don't worry!" The boy replied, "If you won't have me, who will?"

Very often, we will find that others' opinion of us is quite different from our own of ourselves. Whatever it may be, we should strive to live to the best of the wisdom we know.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Sagar Pillai took his son to a museum. The child took a look around and told him that he would rather go for a movie. Sagar's heart tugged at the thought of paying for two movie tickets. He suddenly picked up his son and started racing around in the museum at top speed. The son screamed, "What are you doing dad?" Sagar replied, "This is motion picture. Enjoy!"

Life for each of us IS what our perceptions ARE; What a truly limited life we live!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

slissfu

Nithya meeta returned to town after ten days of absence and asked the boy at the tea shop, "My sudden disappearance must've caused a flutter across the town?" The boy replied, "Well it would have, but the same day, the temple elephant turned mad, so everyone was actually talking about that."

Man's suffering as well as his happiness are both purely relative, never absolute. The only absolute thing is Supreme Bliss.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Sikar Shareef's girlfriend looked at him and asked, "Listen, I don't think I can ever marry you. Do you know why?" Sikar thought for a while and replied, "I cant think why." She said, "That's why."

When we don't even know what we don't know, there is little hope for us; We need to know what we don't know to make a beginning.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Boss Ananda hated his daughter's suitor. However, one day the boy deserted his daughter. Boss caught him and said, "I plan to sue you for breach of promise." The boy replied, "In any case, you never approved of our engagement. I would think this would be favoring you." Boss replied, "That is sentiment son, this is business!"

Convenience has become almost a virtue today! And that too in the context of relationships.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Madhu's sister was getting engaged. The bridegroom came forward and spoke to them to strengthen bonds. He said to Madhu, "I am already a good friend of your father, my father-in-law to be!" Madhu turned to her mother and whispered, "Ma, looks like he has no social standing?"

In vanity lies profound ignorance. Sadly, the beholder is blissfully oblivious of it.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

, Blissful

Nervously, the young man approached Chanda Basu to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. He said, "Sir, may I have your daughter for my wife." Chanda replied, "Bring your wife and let me decide."

Ignorance combined with immorality keeps men in total darkness. Only a ray of intelligence from within an dispel this darkness and bring forth light.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Little Ananda was watching a wedding at a church for the first time. He came back and his mother asked him what he thought of it. He replied, "Well, I enjoyed it although that was a quick change in mind. The girl walked up the aisle with one man and walked back with another!"

Children can help us see a totally different dimension to any situation; a dimension that we have lost completely in the process of growing up!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Moti Ankur was being enquired by a friend about the black patch around his eye. Moti woefully explained, 'You know I was the best man at a wedding and I kissed the bride for which her husband punched me in the eye." The friend said, "But it is customary for the best man to kiss the bride at the wedding; why was he offended?" Moti replied, "I kissed her a year after the wedding."

Anything is applauded only when it is done at the right time in the right place in front of the right people. This is a law for peaceful co-existence.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Twinkle was at the reception desk of a hotel. A young couple approached her in their wedding clothes and booked a room. The bridegroom said, "Please don't tell anyone that we are newly weds." Twinkle promised she wouldn't. That day night at the common dinner, the couple noticed several people smiling at them. The bridegroom asked Twinkle if she had told them. Twinkle replied, "Oh no! I told them you were good friends."

If a man is able to keep a secret, he has developed a great capacity in himself!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nitti Mudaliar got married rather late in life. He and his wife were both doctors working in the same clinic. The day after the wedding night, Nitti woke up and saw his wife standing near the bed. He screamed in horror, "Why Doctor, what are you doing here!"

Man is always either in the past or in the future. The present eludes him completely. The name given to this eluding state is 'forgetfulness'.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Durg Chander took his newly wedded wife to a hotel. He had told her what a frequent visitor he was there and how they would place a bowl of honey to welcome him every time he checked in. This time, he walked in with his wife and found the honey missing. He asked the waiter, "What happened to my honey?" The waiter replied aloofly, "She left without telling, Sir."

Man often thinks that he is fooling others when in reality he is fooling himself!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

zlissful

Ram Gopal visited his aunt who wasn't one of the best cooks. She served him some pudding and said rather proudly, "I took this out of one of the recipe books." Gopal acknowledged, "You did the right thing. It shouldn't have got in there in the first place."

We often catch the words but miss the truth in what we hear. Intelligence alone can help us catch the truth.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Kanthi was knitting for long hours when her father asked her, "What are you knitting anyway?" Kanthi replied, "I don't really know. I've lost the book of instructions."

Man needs a Master to guide him in his journey, else he lives for lives together, forgetting the very purpose of his life.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Pali Patel came home one day and told his wife that he had finally insured the car and himself. His wife heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Now I don't have to go around telling you to be careful all the time."

If we deeply look into our love, we will find a vested interest somewhere in it. True love never asks, it only gives - unconditionally.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

, Blissful

Nithya Manu was seen writing letters diligently to his wife who was in her mother's house for a holiday. His friend was surprised at his otherwise lethargic friend and enquired, "Tell me, you are actually sending two letters a week to your wife; how is that?" Manu replied, "She has told me that if I don't send her a letter a week, she will come back at once. And ... I don't trust the postal system out here."

Man is all the time working hard to satisfy the ego of others. In reality, the only thing he needs to work hard for is destroying his own.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

caust 12

Nithya Madhu told her eldest daughter, "I personally feel that you would be better off with a less wealthier man." The daughter replied, "Don't worry Ma, he will be less wealthier in some more time."

Life is to be lived with a loving heart and an open mind, not with a wily heart and a scheming mind.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Latur Singh went to the shop and bought a mouse trap. He returned the next day to the shop and asked for another one. The girl at the shop asked him if the first trap didn't work well. Latur replied, "It was perfect, thankyou; it has got a rat in it!"

The resources available to us are aplenty. Only we don't know how to use them and end up asking for more.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

a Blissful

Gritty Gauri told her mother-in-law, "Its getting increasingly difficult to manage with what your son gives me every month." The mother-in-law told her, "Anybody would be able to run a household with the money that he says he gives you." Gauri replied, "Why, even I would be able to."

Inconsistency in our speech and deeds can cause a lot of trouble for others more than for ourselves.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

o Blissful

Pali Patel and his wife went out for dinner. At the hotel, they ordered for their food and Pali started reading the newspaper. His wife reproachfully told him, "You've been having that paper ever since we walked in." Pali apologized, "Sorry, I didn't realize. Waiter! Can we have another newspaper please."

We seek attention all the time. When this goes unheeded, we get depressed. Most of our depression when analysed deeply is nothing but 'attention need'.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Eugust 16

Neetu Patel was telling her friend how she gave her husband a shot with the cake bowl and caused a bump in his head. The friend asked, "But how can a cake bowl cause such a big bump?" Neetu explained, "It had one of my cakes in it."

Whether we accept it or not, there is an element of violence in each one of us; in some it is obvious while in others, subtle. Violence will dissolve when unconditional love blossoms!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

a Blissful

August 17

Haughty Ananda came in late for a 9'o clock appointment and his colleague was waiting for him. Haughty apologized: "Sorry Sir, I am late." The man replied, "That's alright, I came here myself only 10 minutes back." Haughty snapped, "How come? We were supposed to meet at 9am."

Somehow, we deem our own mistakes forgivable while others' mistakes not. This attitude is our greatest mistake.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

. Blissful

Fugust 18

His friend was searching frantically on the floor and Ram Gopal asked him what the matter was. The friend said, "I think my baby has swallowed the only match stick that was left in this box." Gopal calmly said, "Never mind, I have a lighter."

When man doesn't wake up to the moment, he is as good as dead. He needs to keep his mind alive and alert to be worthy of this life given to him.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Churu Kiran had a baby and he secretly hoped that his wife would allow the child to be named after his mother. His wife started the topic, "Let us name her Jane." Churu replied, "That's a good name, my former girlfriend's name that too!" His wife instantly declared, "Have we forgotten? We are meant to name her after your mother."

Life is nothing but a game that each of us plays; the intelligent ones play it better!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Bo, Blissful

August 20

Chanda Basu stood up yet another time to get a drink. His friend cautioned him, "This is the seventh round for you." Chanda waved his hand and said, "That's alright. I keep telling them that the drink's for you."

Strangely, man is not so bothered about himself as he is about his reputation!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

August 21

Ananda Pappaiah asked his wife one day, "Dear, if I had to go far away from you on business, would you still love me the same?" The wife replied. The farther you are, the better I will love you."

It helps to be truthful at all times. That way, the mind is free and at peace.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Pali Patel told his wife Neetu Patel, "You know, last night I was driving this beautiful car in my dream." Neetu replied without looking up, "Yes, I heard the engine."

It all depends on how we take it. We can make or break an issue with our attitude towards it.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Bo, Blissful

aust 23

Ananda Pappaiah showed his friend a gift and said, "I've worked in the same company for 20 years and they gave me this a gift." His friend replied, "Well, I've beaten you; my silver wedding's coming up next week!"

to measure ourselves by quality not by

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

"Blissful

Sagar Pillai was watching the tennis match sitting next to a first-time acquaintance. His wife came in with a friend a little later to join him. Sagar looked at them and told his companion, "Here comes my wife; some old hag she's picked up on the way." The companion coldly replied, "And here comes mine with one as well."

If we don't watch our words, others will do it for us! Our words are the outward expression of our inner selves.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Ananda Pappaiah concluded that his wife had almost a medical condition in her for cleanliness and orderliness. One day, they both were in a reflective mood and discussed their past and future. Ananda said, "After I die, I want to be cremated." His wife pointed out, "Just like you. Even after you die, you leave ash lying about."

Obsession of any sort in the material world takes away the charm of life itself - unawares that too!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

o, Blissful

August 26

Nithya Twinkle told her boyfriend, "Dear, why don't you understand? My love for my former boyfriends has only been a preparation for a higher and more divine love that I feel for you now." Her boyfriend smiled and asked, "How can we be sure that your love for me is not preparing you for a still higher love for someone else?"

Till such time we understand that love is inside us and not outside, we will continue to deceive ourselves and others.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

August 28

zlissful

Pali Patel and Latur Singh were exchanging stories about their married lives. Pali told Latur, "You know, my son thought I was a millionaire in his dream last night." Latur replied soberly, "You're lucky; mine thinks that in day time."

Never take anything for granted, especially another's money. Every penny earned needs to be spent wisely.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

August 27

Sheikh Govinda served as a Judge in a high court. He was conducting a divorce case. He asked the husband, "What do you wish to say about your wife?" The man said, "Sir, she gets her own way in everything." "That's too general a statement; how can you prove it?" asked Sheikh. The man held up a diary and said, "Sir, this is her diary; she writes it a week ahead."

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

August 29

Churu Kiran was a bus conductor. The bus was about to start when a man came up to him and asked, "Sir, can I say bye to my wife? She is standing outside." Churu looked up and replied, "That depends; how long have you been married?"

wise man sees all the possibilities before making a commitment!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

o Blissful

August 30

Neetu Patel attended driving lessons. She kept adjusting the rear view mirror despite the instructor saying that he had aligned it well enough for her. Finally she explained her difficulty to him, "Look, I can't see anything except the car behind me. That's why I'm adjusting it."

However hard Life tries to show us the right things, we turn a blind eye to it. Our ignorance takes the better of us.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

August 31

lissful

Moti Ankur called up the florist and asked, "Can I have some dahlias delivered please?" "Am afraid we have no dahlias Sir," came the reply. Moti continued, "Some lilies then?" "No lilies either," said the voice. "Alright at least some roses!" continued Moti. "Sorry Sir, no roses." Moti cried, "For God's sake, is this the florist's?" The voice replied, "No, this is the baker's." Moti paused and said, "Alright, send me some doughnuts; I'm starved anyway."

Even if we start to search for the right things, our waning perseverance makes us settle for lesser things. This is how we fail to solidify.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

September 1

Be, Blissful

Nitti Mudaliar gave his wife an ultimatum. He said to her, "If you and your brother keep blaming me like this, you will see the animal in me." The wife replied, "Don't say that; I am terrified of mice!"

Lach one is entitled to his or her opinion. Only we should not get carried away by it.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

September 2

Be Blissful

Nithya Madhu told her guest, "Don't worry Sir, please feel at home." The guest replied, "Oh, I don't want to feel at home, that's why I am here."

'Feeling at home' is in reality feeling comfortable and balanced in the mind at all times. It has nothing to do with the home itself.

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Ananda Pathi came up to the policeman and said, "Sir, my wife has gone out shopping and I've been waiting here for her for the past half an hour. Why haven't you asked me to move on?"

We desperately search for courage and wisdom outside. How will we find them when they are actually inside us?

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

a Blissful

September 4

Ananda Pappaiah was looking at a painting in an art exhibition. The girl in the picture was covered only by a few leaves placed at strategic points. His wife took him by the elbow saying, "Alright, come along, I bet you're waiting for autumn to come."

Our preconceived notions can destroy all harmony. If we drop them, we will find that Life is suddenly fresh and blossoming!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

September 5

Be, Blissful

Gritty Gauri went with her husband to a restaurant. They ordered for their deserts and the waiter brought it. No sooner had they started eating the desert, when she asked her husband, "Is your desert tasting good?" He replied, "Oh yes." "Is it too cold?" she asked. "Oh, just the right temperature," he said, "Are you enjoying it?" she asked him. He replied, "Absolutely!" She snapped, "Then why are you being so selfish? Why cant you just offer an exchange?"

If we monitored ourselves as ruthlessly as we monitored others, each of us would be the world's best man or woman!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Part 6: Joke for the Day (Seeds of Ananda!)_English_part_6.md

Ananda Twinkle's husband was sick in bed and she decided to report at his workplace for duty. He was an animal trainer by profession. The man at the workplace looked at her rather skeptically. She asked him, "Doesn't my husband manage the animals well?" "Oh sure ma'am," he replied. She smiled and told him, "You've got to come home and see how well I manage him."

The transitive relation works out in mathematics but not in practical Life!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

September 7

o Blissful

Little Ananda asked his mother, "Ma, do fairies fly?" His mother said, "Yes they do, dear." Little asked, "How come our servant maid doesn't fly? Papa called her a fairy yesterday." His mother said, "Don't worry dear, she will fly away today."

We need to nurture the capacity to take firm and quick decisions with a calm and composed demeanor. Harping on a point endlessly will yield only misery.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

September 8

Blissful

Ram Gopal told the hostel cook, "Please look for a job elsewhere. You will be relieved in another week's time. We find you not suited to us". The cook retorted, "But I have not done anything wrong. The boys simply love my food." Gopal replied, "Yes, that's just the problem."

Real quality is accomplishing a task to the point of fulfillment. Any compromise in this from outside or inside is a compromise to fulfillment.

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SoberAnanda was telling his friend that he was planning to move to another neighborhood. The friend asked why because he thought that Sober's family got on well with the neighbors'. Sober said, "Trust me, I've never even seen them. But of one thing I am clear - They are always doing things that I can't afford!"

We are most often trying to live out our desires as well our neighbors'. What a foolish attempt indeed!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

September 10

Tinku Kishen came back home after a month-long holiday at her mother's. Her husband's friend whispered to him, "So, do you now need to give an account of your whereabouts for the past one month?" The husband replied, "No, that's part of the maid's job."

The best way is to watch Life as a spectator and understand the roles of the players without getting perturbed by anything.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

September 11

Barsi Rajan paid an unannounced visit to his new neighbours. He spent over an hour talking to them, completely oblivious of their growing impatience. Finally, one of them ventured, "Sir, your family must be missing you!" Barsi exclaimed, "Oh! Thankyou for saying that. Let me call them over!"

When we fail to see the world from the other's perspective, we are missing a major dimension of coexistence.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Bhilai Mansoor was carrying three walking sticks and walking down the road. A curious passerby asked him why. Bhilai replied, "I have one which I might leave in the bus, one which I might leave in my workplace and I would still have one to use on the way back home!"

Strangely, we nurture our lacking ways with concern instead of attempting to correct them.

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Blissful

Durg Chander was driving back home from work when he tried hard to remember what it was that he had forgotten. He finally gave up and reached home. His daughter came running to the porch eagerly and cried out, "Pa!" and after a pause: "Where's Ma?"

Each one of us sees only what we want to see, never what we ought to see!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

o Blissful

Sikar Shareef had asked his wife to courier a parcel. He came back home that evening and asked her if she had done it. She hadn't. He started, "This is so typical of you." The wife apologized, "Sorry dear ... " Sikar continued, "What did you do the whole day long?" The wife started, "Actually ... " Sikar said, "Alright, give me the parcel at least." The wife finally finished, "Actually, you forgot to put the address on it."

It is always good to patiently hear the story before pointing fingers. That little patience will save a lot of face.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nitti Mudaliar came back from work and his wife decided to step out for dinner with a friend. The children were all playing and for the first time, Nitti was asked to get the children into their night suits and put them to sleep. His wife came back and asked if he had any trouble in doing it. Nitti explained, "Oh, only our cute little one - he babbled so much before I could finally get him through it." The wife peeped into the room and screamed, "Nitti! He is our neighbor's child!"

General awareness is very important, however caught up we may be in our own work.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

o Blissful

Tinku Kishen's husband didn't come home for the day. The whole night, she sat anxiously waiting for him. The next day, she sent out telegrams to a few of his friends with a message: "Is he spending the night with you? Didn't come home last night." At lunch time, her husband came home with a perfectly legitimate excuse. However, all the friends she had sent out telegrams to replied: "Yes, he was with me."

If we live a transparent life, no one and nothing can betray us. It is only when we have swept things under the carpet that we might get double-crossed.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

The doctor examined Nithya Manu and told him, "Sir, you will be alright soon. Try to live more on greens." Manu took the prescription and said, "Alright, I will play more golf than usual then. It will help won't it?"

We all correctly misunderstand what is being told to us. That is why we need to be told things more than once and in different ways.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Ananda Pappaiah arrived at work looking very shabby. His colleague noticed it and asked him what happened. Pappaiah said, "Well, I went home early this morning after working through the night and as I was undressing, my wife woke up and mumbled that I was getting ready rather early. I had no other option; I put my clothes back on and came back to work."

When you are not open to logic and reasoning, you will drive people away from you.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Ram Gopal met up with a friend who asked him, "What has happened? We don't see you in the club at all these days." Gopal replied, "Yes, I have decided to spend the evenings staying at home ... in ways my wife likes."

Most of us spend our lives trying to make others happy. This is alright if there is only joy and no silent suffering inside.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Neetu Patel was getting worried about her husband Pali arriving past midnight everyday from work. She tried telling him to change his work culture but saw no results. Finally one day, when he walked into the bedroom, she rolled over and asked, "Is that you Rohan?" The next day on, her husband came in early.

What words cannot achieve, intelligence can. Allow intelligence to blossom and you will need words no more.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Chanda Basu and his friend were discussing their respective bosses' behaviors. Chanda said, "When he is in a bad mood, I just turn a deaf ear to whatever he says." His friend replied, "Oh, when mine is in a bad mood, I listen to every word that he says. It helps later when he says something quite different."

Every opportunity presents itself equally to each one of us alike. How we use it is purely in our hands. We have no one to blame.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Ananda Pappaiah was asking his friend about his broken marriage. The friend told him that the divorce had been granted. He said, "My wife agreed to let me have our baby half of the time." Pappaiah said, "That's very nice of her. But why are you looking so exhausted?" The friend replied, "Well, she has the baby during the day and lets me have him during the nights."

Some people can see only their own convenience, never others', even in the context of love and kindness.

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elissful

Boss Ananda was reviewing his new secretary. He told her, "Miss, you have a very neat appearance." The girl blushed. Boss said, "You have a pleasing voice, my customers have mentioned that to me." The girl was overwhelmed. Boss continued, "Now can we get down to your spellings and punctuation?"

Diplomacy can very well be applied if it is going to bring positive and harmless results.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Her second son woke up Nithya Kanthi every time he heard a noise in the night. He would think it was a burglar. Kanthi told him that burglars don't make a noise. After that, the child woke her up every time the night was very still.

Until man understands the truth in what is being told, he will continue to cling on to the words that he hears.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

Neetu Patel and Pali Patel were fast asleep when a noise was heard downstairs. Neetu woke up Pali suggesting that there might be a burglar downstairs. Pali told her, "Be quiet, let us wait and see if he is able to open that window that was stuck ever since we painted the house."

I here are multiple sides to anything that we see; each one sees what he wants to see.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Dissful

Latur Singh and Sikar Shareef were catching up with old times. They spent the night together in the latter's house. Suddenly, they heard a noise beneath them downstairs. Latur froze while Sikar got out of bed and walked towards the door. Latur whispered, "Be careful, what are you going to do? Sikar whispered back, "Lock the bedroom door."

Man lives his entire life in fear of death. All his fears are in some way connected to death. Meditation alone can help him out of this fear complex.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Gritty Gauri was very possessive of everything that came from her mother's house, which was virtually everything that she had in her house. She often reminded her husband that everything was her's. A burglar broke into their house one night and Gritty woke her husband up. She said, "Dear, there's a burglar in our house, please do something about it." He replied sleepily, "Oh, there's nothing of mine down there."

Enjoy everything by renouncing it! Only then can you enjoy to the maximum without fear of losing anything.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

· Blissful

Sheikh Govinda had a doctor friend who advised him that he either stopped taking whiskey or took it only with hot water. Govinda told him that he wouldn't be able to get hot water from his wife for whiskey. The doctor said, "Tell her that you need it for shaving." A few days later, Govinda's wife visited the doctor and told him, "I am very worried about him doctor, he shaves five times a day."

If we are straight forward in our words and actions, we need not search for convoluted reasons to support them.

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alissful

Tinku Kishen was listening excitedly while the crystal gazer was predicting her future. He told her slowly, "You are going to marry an extremely handsome ... " Tinku's eyes almost popped out. The man continued, " ... but very poor man." Tinku snapped: "Take another guess."

Most of us are not searching for the real answers, but for matching answers - matching what we have already formed inside us.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Boss Ananda called for his new secretary and told her, "You have a pleasing manner, but I am concerned about your grammar and punctuation." The girl looked at him earnestly and replied, "Sir, I will try to improve my grammar but I have never been late to office till date."

You first need to know what it is that you don't know, then someone can help you!

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Blissful

Neetu Patel and Tinku Kishen were enjoying their evening gossip. Neetu casually remarked, "Wonder what men talk about when they meet up." Tinku replied, "Probably the same things as we do." Neetu exclaimed, "How awful .. .!"

Everything we say or do will seem perfect as long as we are not put through the process of getting it back in any form!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Nitti Mudaliar was looking for a girl and he met a rather smart young lady whom he instantly liked. After secretly watching her for a few days, he proposed to her. She looked him down and said, "I believe in getting a sample before I go in for something." Nitti thought for a while and replied, "Well ma'am, I can't give you a sample, but I can give you plenty of references!"

A man's true character needs only a small dent in its ego to be revealed in all of its splendor!

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Chanda Basu and his friend were chatting. Suddenly Chanda said, "You know, I had a dream last night that I was enjoying up to ten rounds of whiskey and still going strong!" His friend said, "Well that reminds me - last night I dreamt that I was with this most beautiful girl in an island by myself!" Chanda asked indignantly, "Why didn't you call me?" His friend replied, "Well, I called up and they said that you were immersed in whiskey!"

Wit is a by product of intelligence. It can do much from winning friends to saving face!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Two Chinese employees were deciphering what Boss Ananda had said that day morning. One of them said, "You know he said that plan II was in the horizon. I looked up 'horizon' in the dictionary and it said that it is an imaginary line that keeps moving further as you approach it."

Procrastination has become our very nature. We make up for it with our words, that's all.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

2 Blissful

Haughty Ananda went to a Master out of curiosity. The Master welcomed him and spoke at length. He came back and told his friend, "You know, he told me to drop the smoking habit, so I decided to drop it." The friend was amazed at what an effect the Master had had on him. He asked, "You really dropped smoking?" Haughty replied, "Of course not, I dropped him."

We are ready to applaud the Truth only if it concurs with our own thinking. Else, we simply ignore it how many ever times and in how many ever ways it is given to us.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Ameeta asked her students if anyone would tell the story of how the monkeys crossed the river in the famous Hindu epic Ramayana. One boy stood up and narrated the incident correctly. Ameeta applauded him and said, "I am happy that at least one boy has read the Ramayana!" The boy continued with an honest look, "I haven't read the Ramayana, I read this on the toffee bar's wrapper."

In Life, it is alright for each one to follow his own path, as long as the goal is the same!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Nithya Kanthi delivered a girl after six boys. Her husband and she went on a long celebration. Their friends came over and asked them, "Who does she look like? Mother or father?" The happy parents replied, "We don't really know; we haven't seen her face yet."

We continuously search for reasons to celebrate; that's when we miss the real celebration of Existence and its grandeur!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Gritty Gauri found out that some of the second graders wove their own fairy tales at home about their classes and their teachers. She wrote in their diaries one day, "Attention Parents! Just like how we don't believe anything that your child says about home in school, we request you not to believe anything that the child says about school at home."

When you say something with the right logic and reasoning, it will always be broadly accepted.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Twinkle was walking down a lane when she saw a man working hard at changing his car's tyre under the afternoon sun. When she passed by him she asked, "Changing the tyre?" The man replied, "No ma'am, I am just giving the car some rest by jacking it up."

People need our help, not our sympathy. Sympathy will only worsen and weaken the situation for the person receiving it.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be, Blissful

Ananda Pappaiah was with his friend on the road when a procession went past. Ananda watched on while his friend took off his cap and paid respect. Ananda said to him, "Hey, that was a nice gesture paying your respects." The friend replied, "Well, all said and done, we would've been married 25 years coming Thursday."

When there is no love lost between two people, at least natural courtesy should prevail.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be, Blissful

Latur Singh was a lawyer. A client stormed in one day with a bill. He asked him, "How is it that you have charged me with three visits? I have come to you only twice!" Latur replied firmly, "Sir, the third time, you came and put on the waiting room light and picked up your spectacles that you left behind."

Money matters no doubt; but a man's true character can be revealed in trifle money matters.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

2/issful

Sagar Pillai received a complaint from his son's school that he was hardly showing up for classes. Sagar told his son that evening, "You must not avoid going to classes. After all, only at this age you can learn, work hard and gain knowledge. How would it be if your text books came full of mistakes?" The boy replied, "I would blame the printer." Sagar's wife realized to her horror that Sagar already had a successor.

If you are intelligent, you will realize that most mistakes could have been averted if you had stepped in somewhere with a different move; you will then never blame others for anything.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Twinkle was determined to join the Navy. She disguised herself as a male and successfully passed the tests and realized her wish. Her friend asked her, "But tell me, you will need to take a shower with the rest of them, is it not? Won't they find out?" Twinkle replied, "Of course they will; but who'll tell!"

It is in our own approach whether we are going to see a problem in a solution or a solution in a problem.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Little Nithya knew her father's latest furniture prices by heart. She ran to open the door and there stood a man asking for her dad. She told him, "He's not well at the moment, but if you have come for the queen size bed, it's 35,000 rupees." The man said, "Actually, I want to see your father." Little Nithya continued, "Hmm.the king size bed costs 45,000 rupees." The man said, "Thank you miss, but may I see your father please." Little Nithya didn't give up; she said, "The dressing table set costs 20,000 rupees." The man finally said, "Alright Miss, you are a smart girl, let me tell you what the matter is. I want to talk to him about my daughter who insists upon marrying his son." Little Nithya was stumped; she said, "Oh ... I don't know how much he charges for my brother. You'd better meet him."

Children always persevere better than adults. Only we need to groom ourselves to be patient and give them a chance to.

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Pali Patel received a paper at his office desk which he had earlier circulated to his colleagues. He noticed that a colleague not really connected with the matter had also signed the document. He wrote on the paper and sent it back, "Sir, this document does not require your approval. Kindly erase your initial and initial the erasure."

The most delicate of matters can be handled with wit and humour better than with military instructions!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Manu was appearing for an interview to get into the most esteemed business school in the country. The panel of interviewers sat opposite him. He was asked, "Would you like several easy questions or one difficult one?" Manu said, "One difficult one, Sir." The interviewer asked, "Which came first the chick or the egg?" Manu was cornered but came back, "The egg sir." "How?" asked the questioner. Manu said, "Sorry Sir, but you said that you will ask only one difficult question!"

Lateral thinking can turn around any difficult situation. Lateral thinking is nothing but breaking free from our mental patterns and allowing fresh ideas to step in.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Sheikh Govinda and his friend were drinking to their hearts' content at the bar. Strange and funny stories emanated from them. Suddenly, the owner's cat came running and sat in the empty chair opposite them. Sheikh warned his friend, "Listen, you'd better go slow on those slimy cat stories."

It is imperative that we show concern for other animals and their sentiments. After all, this is what peaceful coexistence is all about.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Two days after Neetu Patel and Pali Patel got married, a terrible fight broke out between them. Pali was disgusted and he concluded, "I must say that men are fools to marry." Neetu shot back, "Think of the women - they have nothing else to marry!"

In a battle of words, the Truth can never surface, because it is a mere battle of words, not a battle for the Truth!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Ananda Pappaiah visited his nephew who was staying with an aunt and attending college. Pappaiah had also attended the same college staying at the aunt's house. He walked into his nephew's room and felt nostalgic. He saw the book rack and commented, "Same old book rack." He walked around and saw the clothesline and remarked, "Same old clothesline." He opened the cupboard and saw a girl standing there. The nephew said, "My project-mate." Pappaiah walked on saying, "Yes, same old story."

Somehow, man feels comfortable in seeing history repeating itself. There is a certain concurrence inside him with it, even if it is not appropriate.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Worry Ananda visited the doctor and told him, "Doctor, I am so terribly afraid of the sound of crackers. I feel silly about it; can you prescribe something for me?" The doctor told him, "Just clap both your ears with your hands and the sound will not disturb you as much. That's what I do all the time."

An ordinary man can guide you only through his limited intelligence. A Master can guide you through His infinite intelligence!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Tinku Kishen tried telling her husband that he should stop coming home drunk in the night. He never changed his ways. She finally told him that if he came home drunk, he would not be let into the house. The next day, he came drunk and Tinku stuck to her decision. He screamed from outside, "If you don't let me in, I will go out and scream to our neighbors that you are not the first lady I slept with." Tinku screamed back, "And I will come behind you and scream that you are not the only one to do that."

In the eye of society, if you are not alone in the wrong, you become right! Such is the lop-sided judgment through which it sees man.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Latur Singh decided to participate in a debate. The topic was 'polygamy'. He had no clue as to what it meant. A fellow student told him, "Plural marriage". He showed no signs of understanding. A junior shouted from behind, "Having more than one wife!" Latur's face lit up and he spontaneously started talking.

Man somehow seems to revel in anything complex, when it can be made much simpler. How much easier life would become if things were kept simple!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Little Nithya told her mother about how in her school, the teacher said that the person who stood up and admitted that they had never lied to their parents about anything would get a silver brooch pinned on their dress. She told her mother, "Would you believe it? Not even one student stood up!" Her mother asked, "Why didn't you stand up?" Nithya replied, "I wanted to, but I would have looked awful with that brooch pinned on me."

Man easily compromises the Ultimate Truth for lesser things. This is how he stalls his inward journey, time and again.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Little Ananda went to the temple with his mother to attend the customary Monday discourse. Her mother was as always weary of him getting restless. That day however, she noticed that he sat with his hands clasped and eyes fixed on them throughout the discourse. At the end of it, she whispered to him, "Good boy! You've been really listening today.' He whispered back, "Ma, that fly flew in and out of my clasped hands thirty times!"

Any task done with total commitment and concentration becomes a meditation by itself. It solidifies something somewhere inside us.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Kanthi was having her friend over when her husband came home drunk as usual, supported by two of his friends. He stood at the entrance, saw the two ladies and staggered up the stairs to his room. Her friend remarked, "Sad isn't it?" Kanthi replied, "Yes it's sad, he never greets people."

We surrender so easily to life's patterns that we lose our sensitivity in the whole process.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Part 7: Joke for the Day (Seeds of Ananda!)_English_part_7.md

Tinku Kishen told her friend, "You know I've finally found a military man whom I am going to marry." The friend excitedly asked, "what do you like about him?" Tinku replied, "He cooks so well, he makes the bed beautifully, he polishes his own shoes, what more ... ?" Her friend got concerned and asked, "Are you really going to ask him to do all that?" Tinku replied cheerfully, "Hey! he's used to taking orders!"

When a relationship is bound by love, it never falls apart: but when it is bound by convenience, there is bound to be a rift sometime.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Popularity is a natural thing that happens to you when you flower from within. Sadly, man thinks he can buy it off.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Neetu Patel was raising her first child. Every time he fell and hurt himself, she would create a big fuss in the house and rush him to the hospital. Soon, she became mother of three. One day, her third son fell down and came in with a bruised knee. She continued her knitting and asked, "What have you done to yourself?"

The world remains unchanged, only man's perception of it changes as he gets wiser.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Sheikh Govinda was backing his car when he banged into a parked car. The policeman walked up to him and gave him an accident report for him to fill out. There was a question that read, "How do you think the other person could have avoided the accident." Govinda wrote, "He could have parked elsewhere."

W ise is the man who accepts that the mistake lies entirely with him.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Barsi Rajan walked into a florist's and asked what flowers they had that could be made into a bouquet. "Roses 5 colors, lilies, orchids and ferns" replied the florist in a hoarse voice. "You've got laryngitis?" asked Barsi. She replied, "No, only what I've just told you."

There are two types in ignorance - ignorance of worldly knowledge and ignorance of knowledge of the Self. Both can be destroyed with intelligence.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Ameeta visited the farmlands to do her project on farmers and their lives. She visited a farmer's wife and asked her what her routine was. The lady eagerly explained, "I get up at 5:30, milk the cows, clean the front yard, boil the milk . . . " and she went on and on while Ameeta kept pace with her in taking down notes. She finally asked her, "What do you do in your free time?" The lady thought for a while and said, "Well, er ... I go to the bathroom."

Work spares us from great evils like boredom, vice and needs. Happy are the ones who are in love with their work!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Ananda Pappaiah sat on the chair and felt his son's spectacle bending under his weight. He scolded him, "I've told you so many times not to leave your glasses on the chair!" His second son came running in and shouted, "Pa, Ma ran over my bike in the porch!" The first son asked him, "Who asked you to leave your bike in the porch?"

There are always two sides to an issue. A closed mind sees only one side.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Three monkeys found a mango but couldn't decide how to divide it. They decided that they will plant it and eat the fruits that the tree bears. The first monkey took charge of watering it everyday, the second took charge of putting manure for it and the third took the role of watching over it. Months passed and there was no sign of the tree. They came together again to investigate the matter. The first monkey claimed that he was watering diligently. The second swore that he applied manure everyday without fail. The third monkey said, "I have been keeping a close watch over it. In fact everyday I dig in to see if it is alright!"

Any process takes time to give results. The impatient mind doesn't allow the process to happen and hence not only misses the results but also blames the process.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Sagar Pillai visited Texas. He stopped outside a farm house and asked for water. The Texan offered him water and made polite conversation while he drank. Sagar told him that he had 10 acres of land in the front and back of his house. The Texan gave a silent laugh. Sagar asked him how much land he owned. The Texan replied, "I get into the car in the morning at one end of my farmlands and start driving and reach the other end at night time." Sagar said, "I too had a car like that!"

We always perceive the Truth through our ignorance. We therefore often miss it and grasp its shadows instead.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

A little mink died and went to heaven. St. Peter was surprised to see him. He told him, "You're the first mink we're having here. Ask for a wish and we will grant it for you." The mink said, "I want a coat made of all the Hollywood movie stars."

Silent suffering is bound to explode in some form or the other. It is a question of time, that's all.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Neetu Patel noticed that her third son's appetite was increasing by the day. He came home one day and said, "Ma, the sandwiches are just not enough. Please keep some more." She kept 6 instead of 4 sandwiches. The next day he came back and said that he wanted more. She kept 8 sandwiches. The following day, he asked for still more. Neetu finally bought a long bread roll, slit it and filled it up. That day, he came back and said, "Ma, you're back to one sandwich!"

Man is so obsessed with quantity that he totally misses the quality!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Kanti decided to take her students to the village for a two-day stint. In the village, she made them sit along with the students there under a tree and gave them common questions to answer. They answered and gave her back the papers. One question was, "If a cow gave 5 litres of milk in x days, how many litres would she give in a week?" Apart from wrong answers, she found that the two groups produced two different answers as majority. She pondered for a while on this distinctly different majorities and then discovered the reason. The city students had taken 5 days to a week!

Our conditioning influences curbs our intelligence. We need to break our conditioning for our intelligence to explode in all directions.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Little Nithya went over to her father's farm to spend the weekend. The farmer's daughter showed her around. They came past a herd of cows and the girl remarked, "These are all Jersey cows." Little Nithya's eyes widened as she asked, "You know them even without their license plates?"

A cross-culture can show us how limited we are in our perceptions. It can awaken the need for our intelligence to grow.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

November 8

Little Ananda and Little Nithya were playing together one evening. They had a toffee bar with them which they were supposed to share. Ananda offered to get a knife from his mother's kitchen but cautioned Nithya, "Don't lick the bar while I'm away." Nithya nodded. Ten minutes went past and Ananda didn't return. Nithya looked longingly looked at the bar and took it near her nose to smell it. "Don't!" cried Ananda emerging from a nearby bush, " If you do, I won't go to get the knife!".

Man expects to be trusted in no time but thinks a long while before trusting others!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

November 9

o Blissful

Neetu Patel was complaining to her cousin about her husband's tantrums. She told her, "I am losing weight just co-existing with the man." Her friend asked, "Why not just leave him?" Neetu replied, "I am just waiting to reach the normal weight for my height, then I will quit."

Suffering never happens without our silent consent. THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

November 10

Boss Ananda was spending lighter moments with his employees in the office garden. He told the men to queue up in front of the building and enter the building one by one. He challenged that he would be able to tell which of them was married and which ones not. They did so and Boss was right with all except one. They asked him what the trick was and he replied, "The married ones enter after wiping their feet on the mat!"

There are only two or three of life's stories that happen repeatedly and that is why it is so easy to predict the patterns of Life.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Movember 11

Nithya Ameeta was shooting for a film and causing trouble for the director. She insisted that she be given real wine instead of water with food-colouring. The director tried his best to tell her that he would not be able to afford such demands every time from her. Ameeta stood her ground. Finally the director asked her, "Ma'am, for the poison scene, shall we get some real poison?"

An unreasonable attitude merely exposes our lack of intelligence.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

, Blissful

November 12

Worry Ananda was looking very depressed. His uncle noticed his woebegone face and enquired what the matter was. Worry replied, "Today, Philip told me on my face that I am nothing but a weakling." "Don't worry Worry," his uncle consoled him, "Philip has no opinion of his own. He simply repeats whatever everyone says."

It takes extra intelligence to hide the Truth; The Truth is so all pervasive!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Nithya Twinkle worked all day sending out letters to customers. At the end of it she was thankful it was over and left for home. On the way, she realized that she had forgotten to shut down her computer at work. She called up her office and her manager picked up the phone. She requested him to shut down her computer. Her manager said that he would do it for her. Twinkle hung up saying, Thank you Sir, Your's truly."

We always carry the past in our mind; that is why our mind fails to switch instantly to the present.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

November 14

Tinku Kishen went to the beauty parlour and enquired on weight reducing treatments. She told them, "I just have to reduce my weight. My husband's given me a wonderful gift and I am not able to get into it." The girl at the parlour said, "Don't worry, we will get you into terrific shape and you can very soon wear your wonderful dress." Tinku exclaimed, "It's not a dress, it's a car!"

For the inner world, silence will do; for the outer world, explicit words are needed, else we will be misconstrued easily!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Bo, Blissful

November 15

Chanda Basu wanted to impress upon his students that one should know the workings behind basic things in everyday life. He explained, "Take for example the light bulb and the switch, how many of us know the working behind it?" One student promptly replied, "Sir, what is there in this? We press the switch and the bulb burns!"

When we fail to allow intelligence to take over us, we won't even know what we don't know! Intelligence will help us to at least know what it is that we don't know.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

November 16

Ananda Twinkle was visiting her dentist-boyfriend on the sly. He told her, "I think you had better stop coming to see me, I'm afraid that my wife might come to know of our relationship." Twinkle asked, "But we have been going about it so discreetly all these months, how would she find out?" He replied, "Dear, but you are down to your last tooth!"

Mere lust can distort our intelligence and awareness. Until awakening happens, the distortion will never even be perceived!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Mouember 17

Little Ananda had a pet parrot which he had trained to talk in five languages. Little came home after school one day to find his parrot in a brand new cage. Horrified, he screamed at the new servant maid whom he assumed was responsible for it. He shouted at her, "Why did you put the parrot in the cage? He is very well trained and can speak up to 5 languages!" The maid replied, "But Sir, he could've told me that!"

When we are never able to see ourselves in the wrong, there will never be dearth of excuses for us.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

November 18

Blissful

Sikar Shareef was racing down the highway in his car when his friend accompanying him commented, "Looks like we've lost our way, Sikar. I'd suggest that we look up a map before proceeding any further." Sikar shouted out excitedly, "How does it matter? We're making great time!"

When man gets caught in the fury of his senses, he loses sight of his goal. It is then that he needs reminders.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

a Blissful

November 19

Nithya Ameeta dressed her little son up and sent him for the annual day function at school. She told him, "If you don't behave yourself, your class teacher has told me that she will send you back that very moment." The child nodded and went to school. Barely 15 minutes later, he came back. Ameeta saw him walk in and cried out, "I knew it! In spite of my warning, you misbehaved." The child didn't say a word but looked very angry. Ameeta continued, "Tell me, what did you do this time?" The child looked at her and said, "Ma, the function is only tomorrow."

Our preconceptions constrict our perceptions. We need to drop them to see ourselves expanding.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

November 20

slissful

Nithya Pathni and Ananda Pathi were sleeping when suddenly airplanes could be heard bombing the place. Nithya Pathni jumped out of bed and made for the door. Ananda Pathi started searching for something in the dark. "What is it?" screamed Pathni. "I am searching for my teeth!" he cried. "Never mind your teeth," she cried, "the airplanes are dropping bombs not food packets!"

If we live fully in the present, we will be ever alert and spontaneous in any situation.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be, Blissful

November 21

Ananda Pappaiah ran a cosmetic shop. One day, he was sitting on the beach when a Chinese girl came and sat next to him and smiled. He smiled back. The girl drew a picture of groundnuts on the sand. Ananda deciphered that she wanted the groundnuts that were being sold on the beach and bought some for her. Next, she drew a picture of a horse. Ananda arranged for the pony ride on the beach. She then drew a picture of lips. Ananda got up and walked away. He suspected that the girl had 'extrà sensory perception' by which she knew that he owned a cosmetic shop.

Man has honed his skills in seeing complexity in everything that is straightforward! Much of his anxiety is rooted in this capacity of his.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissfur

November 22

Sheikh Govinda went to London for a holiday. He was taking an evening walk with an English friend, enjoying the pretty walkways. Suddenly the friend remarked, "Spring in the air!" Sheikh asked, "Why should I?"

It takes intelligence to grasp the truth, else we will grasp only its shadows.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

November 23

Boss Ananda was on a two-day business trip and checked into his company guest house. The housekeeper's son helped him take the luggage to the room. Boss tipped him with five rupees. The boy took the money and murmured as he walked away, "Even his employees who come give me ten rupees." Boss shouted from behind him, "That's why they are still employees!"

A man who squanders money remains in desperate need of it.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be, Blissful

November 24

Little Nithya was watching a movie with her mother. The hero and heroine were having an argument. The hero suddenly slapped the latter and she started crying. Nithya shouted out amidst the silence, "But, why didn't she slap him back like you do Ma!"

Children can speak the truth like no adult can, because they are still so simple.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

Pali Patel visited the doctor with ill health. The doctor examined him and sat down to explain. Pali told him, "Doctor, please don't scare me with your technical terms; just tell me in plain English." The doctor said, "Ok, you're just plain lazy." Pali murmured, "Hmmm... ok, tell me the technical name now, I need to tell my family."

We often think we are fooling others when in reality we are always fooling ourselves. Awaken, before you are fully deceived!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

3/issful

November 26

In the bulletin board of his college, a notice read: "Any senior found ragging the juniors will be fined an amount of rupees one thousand." Ram Gopal read it and inserted a comma in it and it thereafter read: "Any senior found ragging, the juniors will be fined an amount of rupees one thousand."

Pauses and periods are punctuation marks when used correctly not only change the meaning of sentences but also that of our lives.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

a Blissful

November 27

Tinku Kishen joined the hostel at her college. The orientation session took place the day after she joined. The warden spoke: "Be very clear: Any boy or girl found in the other's hostel will be fined hundred rupees the first time and two hundred rupees the second time." Tinku put up her hand and asked, "Is there any season pass?"

There need be no rules if every man lived by the right scruples and logic. The earth then would be truly paradise!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

o Blissful

November 28

Sagar Pillai was making arrangements for his son's first stage show. He told his relatives that if his son's show was a hit, he would treat them for dinner at the restaurant down the lane. The show took place and it was a terrible flop. Sagar hurried to the restaurant to cancel the order. He found his uncle and nephew already there eating dinner. He exclaimed, "I said, only if the show was a hit!" They answered back, "Well, we liked it!"

The terms of any agreement have to be very explicit, else unpleasant surprises may follow!

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

November 29

Rules need to be adapted carefully to bring the desired results; else they will misfire.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

, Blissful

November 30

Moti Ankur was telling his friend how important it is to keep a pet dog physically fit. He told him. "I take my dog for a jog every morning for half an hour." The friend was not quite convinced about Moti doing this himself everyday. One day, the friend was jogging when a car passed by him rather slowly. There was Moti at the wheel looking intently at the side view mirror and behind his car was the dog jogging.

Ironically, we all the time apply our wisdom to others, never to ourselves!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

20, Blissful

December 1

Latur Singh was an actor and specialized in playing a woman. He used to walk in and out of the house in various feminine costumes and wigs. The old man who lived next door watched him regularly. One day, he was weeding the garden when the old man came up to him and asked. "How do you manage so many women without your wife knowing?" Sikar laughed and later told his wife about it. She asked him, "Didn't you tell him the truth?" He replied, "Why forego my reputation!"

Our self esteem and self confidence are both built on others' opinion of us, never on our own. That is why we need to work hard on maintaining them.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

December 2

Churu Kiran lived in a flat. After he came back from office one day, he put on the music on full volume and settled down in his easy chair. Soon, he heard a pounding on the door and he got up and answered it. It was his neighbor. He stuck his head inside and asked, "Can you hear my television?" Churu replied, "No, I can't." "Well," said the neighbor, "Neither can I."

It becomes a shame when others point out our insensitivities.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

o Blissful

Neetu Patel called up the real estate agent and asked him to look out for a piece of land. She told him, "Preferably a square piece, with a pond and a brook, and with wild flowers growing." The agent paused for a while and told her, "Ma'am, we deal with stretches of land, not stretches of paradise!"

Man searches for paradise outside of him and almost never finds it because it is inside him and he is blissfully unaware of it.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Kanthi was watching her husband at the party. He was holding a conversation with a very attractive girl for almost twenty minutes. Later that evening, she remarked, "I was very impressed watching you at the party." He asked, "About being able to hold the girl's attention for twenty minutes?" Kanthi replied, "No, about being able to hold your stomach in for twenty minutes."

Man expends his energy and time as dictated by his intelligence. The more intelligent, the more useful are his energy and time.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

December 6

Haughty Ananda lost all his wealth in gambling and got reduced to a pauper. One day, he went to a roadside hotel and sat at the table for breakfast. The waiter came to take orders and to Haughty's surprise, it was his old friend who had been as rich as Haughty was. He exclaimed, "You serve as a waiter in this sort of a hotel!" The man replied, "I'm only a waiter, I don't eat here."

A foolish man doesn't let go of his ego even when all his other defenses are taken away.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

Bhilai Mansoor checked into a hotel room and ordered for a vegetable dish and a particular newspaper. To his fury, both his orders appeared different to what he had asked for. He called up the reception. A girl's voice answered and he told her the matter. She said, "Now, you've just checked into the hotel, been given something to eat and a paper to read while you eat. Life has been kind hasn't it?" Bhilai meekly agreed and disconnected the line.

Gratitude needs to become our very nature; Life will then become a joyful experience!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Nithya Pathni came back from a long holiday and discovered her house in a mess. Her husband had apparently been too busy at work. She went about setting right the house and finally washed his car as well. She came in and announced to him, "The woman who loves you the most has cleaned your car tonight!" He looked up eagerly and asked, "My mom's here?"

Our very Being has to exude love, only then can it be felt by one and all alike!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

Nithya Madhu went to a nursery looking for a tree for her backyard. She told the girl, "I want a tree that will not spread too much, that will give shade, that will not shed its leaves and that will allow the sun to filter through it." The girl at the nursery thought for a while and said, "Ma'am, what you want is an umbrella."

Most often, others are able to read our desires clearly because while we are caught up in them, they see it objectively. Distancing ourselves from our desires helps in understanding them clearly.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be, Blissful

Bhilai Mansoor took the school children out to see the sunset. They watched spell bound as the sky changed from one colour to another like a painting in progress. At the end of it, Bhilai told them, "Now, let us give a clap to the artist behind the whole thing." The children thought for a moment and then joyfully clapped!

I he least we can do is hail the glory of Existence!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

December 11

Chanda Basu went to see his boss. The boss's secretary told him, "Sorry Sir, the boss is out." Chanda said, "But I saw him through the glass door as I was coming." The secretary replied, "He saw you too."

We need to understand fully what is actually being conveyed to us before asking foolish questions.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

December 12

Be Blissful

It was winter time and the snow had started. Little Ananda went up to his teacher and told her, "Ma'am, this is first time I am seeing snow. I am writing a poem on it." The teacher encouraged him. A couple of days later, word got around to her that Little had a lot of trouble with the snow. The next time she saw him in school and asked him if she could see his poem. He said to her, "I've torn the poem."

Life offers endless adventures to man! Whether we take it as an adventure or as an inconvenience depends entirely on our perception of it.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

· Blissful

Ananda Pappaiah told his Grandma one day, "Ma, you have lived frugally all your life at the expense of your health. You are old now and I have calculated your wealth. You have money for a comfortable living up to 110 years of age." His Grandma asked, "What will I do after that?"

The future is wider than vision and has no end; Planning needs to be done for just a few years ahead everytime.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

December 14

Sheikh Govinda and Latur Singh went fishing. They sat with their rods in water and had a bet about who was going to get the first catch. Sheikh felt a tug in his line, got excited and tumbled into the water. Latur declared, "If you are going in to fetch the fish, I am calling off the bet."

When intelligence fails us, the gravity of the situation fails us too.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Part 8: Joke for the Day (Seeds of Ananda!)_English_part_8.md

Be Blissful

December 15

iritty Gauri was watching as the men packed her house articles. She saw one f them handling her antique vase and warned him, "Please be careful, that is ver a hundred years old." The man looked at her and said, "Don't worry aaam, I will handle it like it's brand new!"

We never see things as they are. We always see them as

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

lissful

Nithya Manu got a call from the modeling school requesting him to deliver 150 cups of coffee mousse that day evening. Manu told the caller, "Madam, this is too short a notice for the quantity involved." There was a pause at the other end after which the lady asked, "You really want to miss the opportunity of seeing 150 beautiful women in one go?" The mousse was promptly delivered.

Man needs to follow his senses and not his sense organs to reach the right goals.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

December 17

Ananda was waiting for the bus when a girl came up to him and asked him the directions to get to a particular building. Ananda pointed to a tall building amongst a cluster of them and said, "Can you see that tall building there? That's the one." The girl told him, "Sir, I have seen the building from many angles since morning; I need the directions to get to it."

There are many people to show you the goal, but it takes a Master to show you the path!

Blissful

December 18

Little Nithya never learnt her lessons and performed very poorly in all her tests. Her mother told her one day, "Listen Nithya, if you actually sit and go through all your lessons properly, you will be able to do well in your tests." Nithya took her advice and diligently studied for three days before her next test. She came back from the exam and told her mother, "Ma, I need not have studied so hard, the test was so easy!"

Surmounting difficulties does not cause the real growth; realizing how we surmounted them causes the real growth.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

December 19

Pali Patel noticed that his pet dog was looking very depressed. He understood that the dog's bark had weakened and hence none of the visitors showed any of the former signs of fear, and this was causing depression in him. Pali arranged for a microphone with an amplifier to be installed inside the kennel. The dog's spirit lifted that same day!

How will we survive if we look to others for strength? We need to survive purely on our own inner strength and intelligence.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

December 20

Tinku Kishen stepped out to do some shopping, leaving behind the mending work that she was doing on the sofa. Her husband saw it and decided to finish it for her. He did a perfect job of it. Tinku returned from her shopping: The following day she asked, "So who came in yesterday while I was away?"

If we don't drop our preconceived notions, the people around us may drop us!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

December 21

Neetu Patel went to a shoe store and tried on 10 pairs of shoes and concluded that none of them was the right fit. Finally, the salesman got her the eleventh pair and watched with bated breath as she tried them on. Neetu tried them on and said, "This fits too well, I wonder if this is the right size."

he best eludes one who is determined not to recognize

Blissful

Nithya Madhu was shopping for dresses. She carried four dresses and walked to the trial room to find it locked. The girl at the shop told her that they close the trial rooms 15 minutes before close of shop. To the girl's surprise, Madhu heaved a sigh of relief and said, "You've just saved me 5000 rupees!"

Even though we know the Truth, we perceive it better when we hear it from others.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

December 23

Durg Chander purchased a new car and went off on his first ride. On and on he went, mile after mile through the city. People watched in admiration. The car finally came to a stop after colliding with a tree. A stunned passerby enquired of him, "What's wrong with you? Don't you know how to drive properly?" "Of course I do!" cried Durg, "I only don't know how to stop!"

So, would you say that Durg was driving the car or being driven by it? Before you point a finger at him, remember that you are driving a vehicle which you don't know how to stop - your MIND!

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Blissful

December 24

Bhilai Mansoor was warned not to take his car to a particular area as every car was being broken into. Bhilai went all the same, parked his car and pasted a paper on it that read: "Nothing worth picking up inside." He came back after a couple of hours to find the quarter glass smashed. There was a remark added to his note that read: "True"

The hardest but surest way is to learn from one's own experience. Of course, one needs to learn from the first experience itself!

Be, Blissful

Chanda Basu was part of a music group and sang on stage. He sported a black and a red wig alternatively for each of his songs. During the intermission, the show director told him, "Sir, you would have to wear only the red wig for the remaining part of the show." Chanda asked him why. He replied, "The people like the red haired one's voice a lot better than the black one's."

We need to drop the comparing attitude to be able to see things as they are. Our mind is so caught up in comparison that it misses the actual quality of what it sees.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

December 26

Blissful

Latur Singh was alone in the house when the doorbell rang and a saleswoman stood selling dinner sets. She took out the knife set to show to him but accidentally cut her finger and caused profuse bleeding. Latur gave her first aid and sent her away. A few minutes another lady came in selling the same things. Latur told her, "Just now there was someone here selling these items. In fact, this is her blood here at the doorstep." The lady beat a hasty retreat.

When two people relate from different wavelengths, confusions and misunderstanding are bound to prevail. At least, they should strive to clear them instead of shying away.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

· Blissful

December 27

Neetu Patel and Pali Patel were opening their wedding anniversary gifts. Neetu would exclaim for every item, "We could use these in our bedroom", or "We could display these in our drawing room." She opened a large gift box. It had a vacuum cleaner in it. "Pali," she said, "look what you've got."

When pure love blossoms from within, there will be only unconditional giving and compassion. Meditation is the kev to this.

• THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Be Blissful

December 28

Sheikh Govinda stopped by at a pump and explained that he was penniless, but badly needed fuel to get to his house. The manager took pity on him and agreed to fill in a few liters. Govinda asked, "Can you give me the money instead? The pump across the road is cheaper."

Existence will shower unconditionally on us if we understand and accept all of it with unconditional gratitude.

December 29

Little Ananda earned his pocket money by delivering newspapers. He asked a customer if he would like to renew his subscription for the newspaper. The man said, "No. I don't get the time to read the paper and anyway I take it straight from the porch to the garbage can." Little thought for a while and suggested, "I can deliver it straight to garbage can."

When we fail to see things from the receiving end, we turn dangerously insensitive to other people and their needs.

Blissful

December 30

Mansoor Bhilai was celebrating his 100th birthday. Amongst the birthday wishes, he received a greeting from his friend who was 95 years old. Mansoor exclaimed: "Oh my God! Is he still alive?"

We need to start seeing ourselves and others with the same eye and the same perspective. Only then have we matured in our perception.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

o Blissful

December 31

Sikar Shareef was suffering from shock and panic and started running towards the rear while a battle was underway. After some time, he was spotted by an officer who asked him, "Don't you know there is a big battle going on up-front? What are you doing here?" Shareef didn't answer. "Speak up man!" cried the officer. "Do you know who I am? I'm your general!" "Good heavens!" cried Shareef. "Am I that far back?"

Our actions should speak for us, not our words. Often, words become poor substitutes for missing action.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM