There are many meanings of the word love in the dictionary. Many people say that love cannot be defined and some say there is no love in this universe. Love is affection. When the word affection comes to our mind, it gives the impression of motherly love to their young ones. Another meaning is fondness. It means the liking of some material objects. Some say its kindness. Through kindness, love diminishes because of dependency. Another meaning is caring—if love is only caring, then out of sight! Is it so?
The word Love is misinterpreted by the word attachment. Attachment is the most powerful weapon of binding. The first attachment starts with physical body. Then all other attachments crop up. Attachment can be compared with strong glue that affixes the mind and misinterpretation starts with love. Attachment grows when there is pleasure. Whenever there is attachment, there is infatuated love and fear. Attachment brings misery and love cannot bring misery to life as love is bliss.
Then the question comes, what love is. Love is eternal life. Love is freedom, independence and perfection. Love is trust. In every relation the meaning is the same. Mother wants her child to grow according to her choice or her family’s choice. Is it then love? That means mother wants the child to be her asset. The husband says that he loves his wife the most and protects her every moment. He does all the work and does not allow his wife to do anything. Do you think that, it’s Love? He is indirectly making his wife dependent on him. Imagine if he dies or is transferred to other place, what will his wife do then? Is it Love then? She will be in a soup then for these days. Inversely same with the love shown by wife who makes him incompetent when she is away. If parents want their child to study what they want, whether the child loves to do it or not, then in later life will he be successful or happy? If happiness disappears from life, it is not an eternal life. If there is independence and freedom in any relationship it grows in a healthy way. Some mothers do not allow their son to go abroad or any other place for better job. They do not allow son to buy a new house for his family that means there is no freedom of mind. Is this the Love then? That means mother is taking son’s freedom away and then mental miseries begin. Love lifts the person into height of success. Inner talent flourishes when Teacher trust the students.
There are many examples of real love in this world. Love is giving independence and freedom to the individual. Then the person will live to the fullest. Love is giving freedom to think independently by trusting wholeheartedly.

Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the Sun into Makara rashi (Capricorn) on its celestial path. Traditionally, this has been one of many harvest days in India.
Owing to the vast geography and diversity of culture in India, this festival is celebrated for innumerable reasons depending on the climate, agricultural environment, cultural background and location.
In Maharashtra, tilguls made from til (sesame seeds) and sugar and til-laddus made from til and jiggery are exchanged as tokens of goodwill people greet each other saying – ‘til-gul ghya, god god bola’ meaning ‘accept these tilguls and speak sweet words’. The under-lying thought in the exchange of tilguls is to forget the past ill-feelings and hostilities and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends.
Philosophically we Thank GOD for his creations and express by celebrating along with the Nature and with prayers also.
Psychologically, doing things together creates unity and prosperity. Like when standing in a circle, if our close neighbours sit while we stand, there is a mental stress, but all sitting and standing together gives a great feeling.
An incidence: Mr. Mullah came into the cabin saying “Good Morning”. I asked, “ Where is the ‘Til-gur’?” As the occasion of ‘Sankrant’ is celebrated by saying ‘Tilgur ghyaa an Gol-gol bolaa’ (have Tilgur and speak sweetly). Mullah replied, “We do not do it”. Then I asked, “What do you do on ‘Sankrant’?” He again reiterated “we do not have it”. I asked “then from where are you?”. He said, “I am from Saangli in Maharashtra”. I said, “Mr.Deokule, who is also from Saangli district, just now gave me Tilgul”. “What is the problem, we are acknowledging the climatic change, are you left out?” He replied, “It is not in our Quraan”.
I explained to him that Islaam as in Quraan took birth in the Arabian Desert with its particular culture due to its climate. So ‘Sankrant’ is Indian and we can very well be aware of the climate here and thank Allah. He started talking about One GOD and Idols. I told him Mr. Deokule is a member of Radha-Saomi and they too do not believe in Idols. He was surprised as he did not care to know about his friends and their philosophy.
I talked about the Hajj and how some of the rituals are similar to out Shiva temple, like entering the Temple (Kaabah) wearing unstitched cloth without intake of non-veg. food (Ifraad), the circumambulation of the Lingh (Hajr-al-Aswad). Also told him that relating Similarity instills closeness. Now if he does not like the climate of his village he can stay anywhere else. Best he can accept the goodness of the Festival (as in Rabbana Duaa) and be with the Main-stream  of India.

Prakash, a forty years old man lives with his wife and daughter in a small town near Parvani. He has his own business, an electronic shop. His business does not grow very well, but he is satisfied with what he has and tells his wife, “we are three members only, this is enough.”His wife Ragini is always happy with the family affair. His daughter’s name is Aditi. She is twelve years old and studying in a good school in eight standard.
Prakash lives in a bungalow with a big land around it. He planted mango tree around the land. Every year he plants one mango tree and it grows well within a year. His friend Mr. Olekar asks him,’ Tell, What is the secret of your mango tree my friend!
He smiles and says,” it’s nothing, its only love”. “Love? What are you talking asks Mr. Olekar to his friend. Prakash describes how he plants his mango tree. He takes the seed, make a thirty feet hole, put cow dung and affectionately put his warm hand on the seed and put it on the hole. After that covers it with the mud around.
Two weeks later, two tender leaves shake and appear. He waits till they grow a little. From that day he loves the tree like a child. He bathes it with water, wipes it tender care. Then when it grows little taller, he puts in more soil at the side of the plant. Every day he takes care of it, he sings song near the tree. It shakes its leaves when it hears the song. He sprinkles water as if it’s taking a bath and its father is taking care of it. After that he digs some of the soil from the side and puts some fresh soil near it. Then the tree grows almost up to waist line within two years. His joy knows no bound. Looking at the growing tree, Prakash’s eyes fills with tears
With love anything is possible. My dear friend, even with little love and care a tree grows faster. Though tree is a selfless product, it doesn’t expect anything from anyone, but it also understands the meaning of love.
Love is a state of mind or a mental expression which is very near to bliss. Showering love to anyone or anything gives happiness which cannot be achieved by any other means. Love is what you give, not what you want. Prakash feels that love can change the life of living being in this universe.
This article is for Valentine Day as Love has no boundaries

Every human  in this universe is born at a certain level. In Spirituality, it is called three Gunas— Sattva, Raja and Tama i.e. Constituents or Disposition. Everything in life is bound and dominated by these Gunas. The life, the action, the progress now or after are determined by these Gunas. These Gunas are qualities or attributes in simple language. Whatever work, every human being is doing is dominated by these qualities.

Sometimes we don’t understand the life and action. We, ignorant human being, think that those who are poor may be suffering due to their Gunas. Those who are rich are enjoying their life with abundant wealth, may be for their Gunas. The question arises in the mind that if Gunas or the qualities of material nature are the level of life, then why rich or poor feel unhappy.

May be the true happiness lies in Renunciation. What is Renunciation ?  Renunciation is an act declaring, that something is surrendered or disowned. In simple language, we can say, leaving the worldly pleasure.

One such incident, I wish to write as it is a true event. Once my friend and myself were coming from our work place. Everyday we used to discuss something about spirituality. That day she asked me about happiness. I said, happiness is the state of mind. Happiness is born from the satisfaction of a thing or idea. It cannot be acquired from the material possession or material comforts. A rich man has all the comforts, but is he happy? There is a poetic stanza, “As much is given, is less for him “. Our argument was going on and on.  By the time the bus, came to a halt. The road was totally jammed. We saw  a sandwich seller selling sandwich. When he was making and throwing out the sides of the bread, a poor man under the blanket immediately  was collecting those sides of the bread. The poor man was in a sleeping position. We really wondered and looked each other amazingly.  I told her “this is happiness. The person does not bother whether it is dirty, whether anyone will notice him. He does not bother for his house or material life. He does not bother to have clothes”. We both got down from the bus and tried to see the man. The sandwich seller said that he lives here and does not bother even if he doesn’t get anything. He always smiles and sleeps. Since two years he is selling his sandwich, but never saw him angry at anything. We left the place and knew the meaning of Happiness. Some questions are not clear in the mind of my friend till today.

I believe that, as the time passes human-being perceive the real value of life without understanding the word Gunas or attributes of material nature. When the human-being understand there is no happiness in worldly pleasure, he will realise the different levels of Mankind.

Today the world has progressed through and through. Few years back students used to write an essay on ‘Are we happier than our forefather?’ May be that time it was true in many senses, but day by day that question doesn’t arise at all. The world is progressing in the field of technology in such a way that without that world stand still.

Though growth and development are abundant, problems are immense in the mind of the people. In this condition motivation is necessary. Motivation of students is a requirement of the present century.

Motivation is innate or inborn  behaviour or as acquired from the environment. It is a psychological or internal process initiated by some need or want. Some kind of activity  satisfies these needs or wants.

In every walk of life, motivation plays an indispensable role. Human being is guided by some forces or drives. Each and every activity has some or the other motive. The act of accomplishing demand is also dependent on motivation. It is said  that the motivation is the heart of learning. Adequate motivation results in promoting attention, interest and bring enthusiasm in pupil for better learning. Learning can not be completed without consistency, persistency and purpose.

Motivation is derived from the word ‘movere’ means to move. As per physics Work is done if a thing is moved or else any amount of Energy expended is useless. It is the process of stimulating, encouraging and directing pattern of activity through energy transformations within the cells of a being. It is done through praise, encouragement, love and trust. Motivation can be stressed by some incentives i.e. reward or punishment.

According to Lowell, “Motivation may be defined more formally as a psychological or internal process initiated by some need, which leads to the activity which will satisfy that need”

Who can be Motivated

The person who has some need or wants to satisfy himself can be Motivated easily. This need gives direction to the behavior to satisfy the person to achieve his goal. The following behaviour may be motivated :

1) Desirous: Some people are very much desirous to achieve something in life. They can be motivated easily.  They  may be ready to do the work in any situation.

2) Devotion: If a person is having ardent love for anything, he achieves it  at any cost. He makes variety of efforts to achieve his goal.

3) Attention: An object of thought is clear before the mind, if attention is towards the goal. The idea of making efforts is present in attention. Interest creates attention.

4) Perseverance: If the person is having steadiness in  his work, it is easier to achieve the goal. Through motivation they show the diligence in work.

5) More energetic: When the person is motivated, he becomes more energetic to do the work faster. E.g.  the child can be motivated by telling the story of Hanumaan, he does his work faster. Activeness through right Food. Body and Mind are related.

6) Discipline: Through motivation, a person can be disciplined e.g. understanding of the value of time-table, uniform, story of Army, Air force, etc. take the person close to his goal.

7) Determination: Motivation helps to determine the person’s crave to acquire his goal.  Determination can be brought by inducing reward.

8 ) Improvement of self image: Self respect is the step towards achieving goal. Motivation helps in improving the self image. ‘I am the Best’. “Faith will move mountains”

9) Efficiency: Through proper motivation the person can be made more efficient. ‘Build-up Confidence’

10) Pleasure: The motivated person gets pleasure from success. ”Happiness is the most important thing in Life’”

‘Devotion, Determination and Discipline’ is the resolution of success.