Master Samsar Chand Koul Provided a template for spiritual progress

 

I was a Sunday of early sixties when teenage boys in the neighbourhood of Moliyar, as usual, had gathered at Vithal Bhairav Yarabal (ghat) for a leisurely swimming session in the backwater canal of the Dal Lake The sun was warm and shining on the blue sky of Kashmir The view of Shankaracharya hillock poplar and dense willow trees across the canal, planted on long straps of island was aesthetic surrounding Boys were in jovial mood, getting ready to take a dip in the canal water They were enjoying while displaying their acrobatic drills on the water surface and local aquatic games in the canal. It was an occasion of fun and frolic for these boys, when suddenly silence on their chattering fell upon on seeing my grandfather Master Samsar Chand Koul popularly known as Mastery, who, with a pleasant smile, walked down to the steps of the Yarabal to meet these budding swimmers Masterji proposed these boys to quality the test of breath-retention capacity by swimming across the canal under water to the maximum-possible distance and he would give rewards for outstanding boys.

Accordingly, the boys took up the challenge and the better swimmers were graded according to the points scored. The top-grade boys were awarded a copy of the Khir Bhawani book written by Master Samsar Chand Koul In the meanwhile many youth and adolescents trickled at the yarabal on Sundays to watch the event. House ladies, with bundles of dirty clothes, occupied the steps of the Ghat for washing these in the canal water These and other persons were the onlookers for this innovative aquatic activity of the boys. It was a happy gathering of motley neighbouring people at the temple Ghat.

While presenting books to winning boys, Masterji gave a brief to them about the growth of mental health. In his short address, Masterji explained the requirement of mental, spiritual and physical nourishment for the strengthening of a human body. He said that physical exercises improve blood circulation to reach each tissue within the body. It sharpens one's memory and enhances intelligence quotients and develops flexibility for the retention capacity in the brain and adds to physical agility in the human body One has to adhere to physical exercise a routine manner to cultivate it as a part of the daily fixture.

The other prerequisite for human body is the mental stimulant for fertilising the mental elasticity and its sharpness For that one has recourse to studies, reading books not only of course classes professional or academic material but other books of informative and idealistic contents bearing on social, ethical and philosophical values for the positive growth of mind Such practices can train and develop brain faculties in understanding, application, analysing, thinking power to perceive the issues and matters Thus gives a kind of distinct attributes in one's personality which becomes visible in one's behaviour and outlook. This is going to fillip mental alertness and broadens the canvas of imaginations and range of thinking. Professionally and academically individuals with such mental growth and vision gives confidence to achieve a goal in any field of life. Spiritual awareness is the ultimate in one's life.

Mostly, it is ignored knowingly or unknowingly while in the struggle of mundane life style Generally, spiritual awareness is being slotted to the later stage of life. But that is wrong. Spiritual strength is to be chewed simultaneously with the every-day routine of life. This is to be planted within one's psyche By putting it off to a later stage of life, say post-retirement is not going to gain in spirituality At that stage one is novice to understand the nitty gritty of spiritual practices. So, the spiritual practices should be undertaken along schooling In KP families, parents would often ask their ward to recite Mantras ten times (Dasham) and sitting for Dyan (meditation) before opening a school book after the morning routine. This shows spirituality is connected with day to-day in the way of life in families. Meditation, though, it is a very difficult process to control the cluttered thoughts in mind, yet it can be overcome by regular efforts to be made. The number of unwanted thoughts does make way in mind which rings the bells of disturbance in meditating But superfluous thoughts are to be stopped, ignored or repulsed by sifting to the focal point of meditation somehow Spirituality is to search for inner self, the consciousness which is hard to define in any form. It is the inner energy of human life realised by intense practice: The patient takes medicine for getting well as prescribed by a doctor in the same way a person who has a quench for spirituality or strong will power can search the light of spirituality Therefore, one has to have passion craving desire and thirst for spiritualism. Amber of inner self can't be ignited by ritualistic performances and religious scriptural readings. It needs committed association of noble, selfless persons who are wallowing in spiritual ecstasy Conditionally, seekers of a spiritual path should inculcate purity of thought. humbleness, egoless attitude, unbiased nature and eamest real longing for inner search, knowledge and unabated perseverance towards the objective of getting absorbed in the depth of the inner sell. This is a constant, continuous long struggle at a pre-fixed stipulated time and period till one reaches some stage of standstill of thought in mind That could pave the way for an initial step on the long path of spirituality Once, one is able to fix one's thought at some level one gains in self confidence, happiness, calmness and hones metal acumen to take up challenges of life in a positive stride.

(The writer is the grandson of Master Samsar Chand Koul)

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Courtesy:-   Surendar Koul and Koshur Samachar June 2018