Dust

Good morning, my dear!

If you ask me, who I am addressing today, it is you - my reader! 

My dear mind, I have not forgotten about you too. You are also my dear friend! Every time I talk about memory, desire, want and do not want, like and do not like, please understand that I mean you, my der mind. These are your affairs and I can not do anything without you.

Common sense is reminding me, that it is not very good to spend time in writing like this during my working yours, but because you keep reading this, I want to keep your attention going.

Some 5 centuries ago there was one pure soul born in Muslim community. Due to his good learning and sharp intelligence he was chosen by Muslim king to be his minister of internal affairs. King himself was spending most of the time in conquering other countries and all the duties to look after welfare of his kingdom was left to Dabir Khas, that was his name at the time. As pure soul, he was attracted to devotional lifestyle and decided to spend extra time studying scriptures and associating with holy people. he wrote to king Husain Shah that he can not continue his work and take sick leave. I do not want to write anything to my boss yet, since I am doing my main duties more less, but following good example of this honest and pure soul I also spend some time in studies and associating with people, who also are on the same path od cleansing their hearts.

You may ask again, what is the title all about? Please listen with undivided attention. i will give two examples to make my point.

Few days ago, I was in our country house and there is roads crossing each other just next to the house. Those who are not been there, you are welcome to visit, others - please come again. So, one of these roads are not covered with tar and every time some car or tractor passes, there is more dust every day, since weather is dry. That dust covering everything around and it is hardly possible to see more than 5-6 meters, what to say about nice scenery and blooming flowers in fields close by. There was one old newspaper left outside, which after month was covered with layer of dust so thick, that no one can recognize a letter, unless the dust is removed.

The same day we talked with my mother about her experiences while cleaning a house. There are matter not as bad as with newspaper, but she likes to keep her room and kitchen clean and she is doing that just before she is leaving house for city. When she comes back, she feels happy and satisfied, because on arrival, everything is clean and it feels like a home. Still, the cleaning itself takes a lot of her time and energy. Doing cleaning at the age of 78 is not an easy task. Also, she realized: "When I look at my room after 2 hours of intense work, it looks almost same. Any person (add I just can guess, she meant also me) will not see the difference, but for me it is so different. I feel better." 

To round up my dusty topic I will quote first verse from Shri Shikshashtakam - eight step instruction poem, which from Sanskrit also can mean eight step pats for one , who wants to follow.

Glory to the Sri Krishna Sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.

As old proverb goes - Cleanliness is next to godliness. This was quoted even by rat in great animation movie Ratatouille, while he was sniffing garbage to check it for poison.

I humbly ask all my readers to consider for yourself. If the newspaper is unreadable in so short while, how we can see things clear, using our mind, which we did not care to dust off for such along time. you say it is not dusty? I will answer by words of Voldemort: "He is not dead, because I did not kill him!" If you did not make endeavor to clean your mind, it IS dusty. Everything in this world gets stale and degrades. Let’s start form cleanliness of our environment - places we go, places we live. When we are in habit have clean environment - look at your friends! man is known by company he keeps. Go on be friends, just observe - how clean habits they have. Next will be cleaning of your own habits, 

Inner life starts, when you start to feel need to clean up your mind - want and not want, like and not like, clean your memories, dust them off, put in new order. Gradually you will star to feel a need to clean your intention, good and bad and why. That means you have come to clean your intelligence.

When some day you ask your self - who am I, why am I here, what is my purpose, this will indicate, that you reached the doorstep of your soul.

Happy journey on this path to all of you, my dear readers.

Your servant on this path

Atmarama dasa.

P.S. Please do not tell anyone about your reading or your inner cleaning process – you are doing it for their good anyway. They will feel de difference even without telling them. They will not blame you for being self-centered. They will know the inner gravity of yours. They will want to become your mind readers and it will keep them gessing, so your life will not be boring ever again.