This artcile is from http://jadanschool.blogspot.com/ - the blog of Swami Jasraj who manages the school at the largest Yoga in Daily Life ashram in India. Near the village of Jadan, this ashram is home to many of the humanitarian initatives undertaken by Yoga in Daily Life.

It tells the story of Jambaji who was born in 1451 and the effect he had on the environment and people around him - an effect that can still be seen today!

Some of the local wildlife. Special to watch especially early in the morning. This is about 20km from our ashram. One of the boys from school has put together some history about the blackbuck pictured and the trees which are in the scenes. Environmentalists from a different era with a tradition that continues.

In the year 1451 AD during the reign of Rao Jodhaji, one of the bravest of the Rathore kings, an extraordinary child was born in the village of Pipasar. His father was the headman Thakur Lohat and his mother was Hamsadevi. The boy was called Jambaji. As a little boy, he was given the task of looking after his father’s large herd of cattle and sheep. It was great fun to take the animals out grazing, lie in the shade of blackbuck. Jambaji was fascinated by the lithe grace of this handsome antelope, and thought that there was no sight more enthralling than a fight between two well-grown stags.

When Jambaji twenty-five years old, a great disaster overtook the whole region. The small quantity of rain that used to come regularly ceased altogether. The worst sufferers were the cattle. In the first year of drought, they could eat the bajra straw scored in the houses. The second year was very bad. There was not a blade of grass left standing any where. People hacked at any trees they could find and fed the animals on the leaves, but even so there was not enough browse for all the hungry animals. And the drought continued for eight consecutive years.

The people had hacked and hacked the last bit of foliage from all the trees, which finally began to dry up. When the stored grain was exhausted people ate khejdi pods and the flour of dried ber seeds. When this too was exhausted, they tore the bark off the sangri trees and powdered and cooked it. They hunted every one of the starving blackbucks, and finally they abandoned all hope and migrated in masses. Tens of thousands of cattle perished on the way. By now the whole country was barren. There was not a tree in sight for miles together, nor a single cow, or a blackbuck. The only people to hold on were big landlords like Jambaji’s father with huge stores of bajra that somehow lasted through the difficult times.

Jambaji was much affected by this drought. Many were the nights he spent in wakefulness because of the suffering he saw around him. The dying cattle, the starving children : they haunted him day and night. And finally, at the age of thirty-four, he had a vision. He saw man intoxicated with his own power, destroying the world around him. And he decided to change it all. If life was to flourish again in this desolate land, Jambaji saw that man would have to live in a different way, and according to different tenets and beliefs. Jambaji wanted the earth to be covered once again by an abundance of khejdi, ber, ker and sangria trees, he wanted herds of blackbuck to frolic again, and he wanted men to work for this. Jambaji knew the way to achieve this, and he began to broadcast his message in the year 1485.

His message included twenty nine basic tenets. Its two major commandments were a prohibition against the cutting down of any green tree or the killing of the animal, Jambaji’s message of humanity and respect for all living things was eagerly accepted. His teachings prompted the inhabitants of hundreds of hundreds of villages to reclothe the earth with its green cover. 

Jambaji’s followers were called Bishnois or twenty-niners (bis= twenty, nou= nine) because they adhered to Jambaji’s twenty-nine precepts. They preserved the trees around their villages and protected blackbuck, chinkaras, peafowl and all other birds and animals. Gradually their territory became covered by trees, their cattle had abundant browse, their land recovered its fertility and the Bishnois became a prosperous people.

But out side their territory, all continue as before. The land was still being stripped of its green cover and the desert was spreading. The ninth descendant of Jambaji’s contemporary Rao Jodhaji now occupied the throne of Jodhpur.

Two and a half centuries have passed since this episode. Bishnois have now been guarding the trees, giving succour to the wild animals of Rajasthan, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh for nearly five centuries. Everywhere else, green cover of the Indian subcontinent has been ravaged and continues to be destroyed at an ever accelerating pace. The thousands upon thousands of blackbuck that coce roamed the Indian plains have all vanished without a trace.

But near the few Bishnoi village the greenery not only persist, but also is ever on the increase and around their villages the blackbuck roam as freely as in Kalidasa’s time near the ashram of sage Kanva. Akbar was so amazed to see these herds of fearless blackbuck near Bishnoi temples that he personally recorded his wonder at witnessing a scene from satyayuga, the age of truth, in this kaliyuga, the corrupt present.

The sight is even more astonishing for us today than it was for the emperor Akbar four centuries ago, for the Bishnois continue to hold on to their magnificent obsession to this day.

Researched by Dinesh Tiwari, 8^th class

There are two aspects to Karma Yoga - Sakam Karma and Nishkam Karma. Sakam Karma is to work with selfish expectations and your own interests in mind. Nishkam Karma on the other hand is working with unselfish/selfless motives.

You have to pay back all Karmas in this life or in future lives, good or bad. It could be good Karma, but if it is selfish it is a chain that binds you. Nishkam Karma also still binds you to the Karmic law. It doesn't matter if the chain is made of iron or gold, it binds you in same way. Good and bad, both Karmas will bind you, put you into bondage. Of course negative Karma is harder, and good Karmas are softer.

Nishkam Karma means free or without desire. Karma comes from the root word “kama” which means desires. Karma comes from the root word "kriya" which means to do. In the act of Nishkam Karma you have no selfish expectation, you are only giving. Give with love, devotion and happiness. What should we give? Whatever you can! But observe your limitations, don’t overdo it!

Nishkam Karma means doing Seva (selfless service), without the expectation of receiving acknowledgement, reward or a word of thanks. When you have even just one thought that someone should have said "Thank you", this is not Nishkam Karma. In Vedic culture there is no tradition of saying 'Thank you', only 'Blessing'.

This can be a problem for westerners when they go to India, that whatever you may do, Indians will never say thank you. But with modern education the word thank you has spread everywhere. However, when you say thank you, it means you don’t accept this Seva and you give back some fruits. Nishkam Karma leads to liberation.

Selfless service bears fruit similar to Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Gyana Yoga. The fruits of Sakam Karma will be paid for in this life and the fruit of Nishkam Karma will be returned after this life. Here you enjoy a life of luxury, but in another life you will have empty hands. What will go with you? Don’t just think of this life, think also of your future lives. Therefore, in Yoga and Indian culture there is less focus on past lives, but more on future lives.

Past is past, you no longer have any control over it. In a past life you were king and now you are a cook. Suddenly you gain knowledge of the past life when you were a king but nobody will give your kingdom back to you, instead you will be taken to a psychiatric hospital.

So, what do you get from the past? Do something for your future. Or do something for a permanent position - immortality. That’s what Mahaprabhuji has spoken in his bhajan: Guruvara Me Calu Sa Una Des….

Listen to Guruvara Mai Calu sa Una Des

The translation of this Bhajan is :

Gurudev please let me join You in Your highest world.
What other people are saying doesn't matter
Full of Vairagya I only want to follow You

In that world there is neither birth nor death
Nor Karma, nor effects
In that world one becomes Jivanmukta and gains the highest bliss

In that world there is everlasting light
There is neither moon nor sun, nor colours nor form
Oh Lord, neither a King nor a begger can reach that world without Your mercy

That world is the dwelling place of all Holy people
My adoration to them
There is flowing the nectar of your wisdom, Oh Gurudev

Sri Deep Mahaprabhuji says
I am longing to be there where one will never be born again

Welcome Dear Friends and Family,

In the Indian tradition they have an ancient saying “Vasudeva kutumbhakam” – the whole world is one family. It is a truth that if realized would solve a lot of problems. I write openly to anyone who is interested to listen with what is, in my eyes not an appeal, but an invitation to join me in being part of the amazing development unfolding here in Rajasthan.

To introduce myself I have spent the last 14 or so years in Rajasthan, India, living in the Ashram of my Guruji, Paramhans Swami Maheshwaranand Puri Ji Maharaj, and trying to do something for the people of the local area. It is a beautiful life which I enjoy very much.

In 2001 we started a school for the local village children. The school started with 140 students and went up to 5th class. It was makeshift and bodgy but it fulfilled our aim which was to give the children a better education than they get in the village.

The idea of starting a school stemmed from the realization of the poor standard of education available locally. Consider that:

o In some local schools there are 250 students and two teachers. Classes are from Kindergarden till 8th grade!

o In most Government schools the teachers have an actual attendance rate of 50%. Of course in the books they are marked present all the time.

o The Government doesn’t allow a child in a Government school to be failed in the exams until class eighth. Which means there are students in 8th class who can’t write their name!! It serves the purpose of giving better figures to UNESCO (looks good when everyone studies till 7th – on paper). Children in our school pass on merit.

o In many villages around us there are parents who are completely illiterate and sign with a thumbprint.

o For a lot of villages there is no school facilities after 8th class and to study further they have to travel by bicycle more than 10km. It’s a tough ask in the Indian summer when temperatures reach 48 degrees.

Now in 2009 thanks to the help of our Guruji, His Ashrams throughout the world and a host of generous donors from all corners of the globe we have a school that has 1350 students going up till class 12th. In November 2007 we opened a new school building where we can fit 900 students and in 2008 had to extend it! It is the only school offering science and commerce subjects in 12th class within a 20km radius with fully equipped labs and a great teaching staff.See photos of the school here.

What has been beautiful to watch over the last years is the development of the students and teachers. The standard of education has increased dramatically. The staff have become not just employees but part of the movement, offering their time and hearts for the students. But most of all the beauty is seeing students who came with nothing blossoming and succeeding. I can only share an example:

There are two girls who joined the school in 2001. They came from a village with 4 houses, no electricity and a family that was completely illiterate. Neither of them could write their name and they joined 4th class. In May 2007 they completed 8th class and sat the examinations of the Government board (8th class examinations are the first “big” examinations held across the whole state of Rajasthan, similar to the school certificate of 10th class in Australia). I don’t know how to describe the beauty of the moment they received their results. They looked ……..and looked again. Asked someone else to check. Their eyes got bigger. Joy spread across their faces. Not only had they passed but they both scored in first division! It was special – beyond their dreams- bringing tears to my eyes.

There are so many stories and experiences that one would like to share but your time is short and I have to go to school! As I said in the beginning this is an invitation to be part of the experience.

We are constantly fighting to try and fulfill the demands of the local community. Everyone is welcome to join us on the journey. For example you can help with fundraising for buses or for construction works, by donating your old laptops or with any other idea or opportunity which you may think will be helpful.

If anyone is interested to help please be in touch on my email swamijasraj@yogaindailylife.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and I will give you details of how to send donations to our charitable society in India. Alternatively you can give it to one of the Yoga In Daily Life Centres in Australia or throughout the world, giving it specifically for the Education Fund of Shree Vishwa Deep Gurukul Maheshwaranand Ashram.

They say “Bund bund se talab bhar jate he”. Drop by drop the dam becomes full. Our school is a drop in the ocean of the world's illiteracy. Each small donation is also only a drop in the dam of the cost of the school. But it all adds up. If you can help, thanks. If you feel it appropriate then please pass this site address on to a friend or put it up at your workplace. Any effort is welcome.

Enjoy,
Swami Jasraj Puri