DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COACH AND GURU/ TEACHER?

This post is dedicated to my Kalaripayattu Guruji - Guru Murugan as this difference was cleared by him.

Almost an year back from now, I was having a discussion with Guruji at his Marma treatment center in Mayur Vihar- III. Discussing on few issues, Guruji started discussing about this difference.

As per my Guruji,

"Guru/Teacher is one who develops his students in a field in which he/she can excel. He keeps watching his student's special abilities and help him more in that area so that student specializes in that area more as every student is special in some thing or the other.

But Coaches have a syllabus to finish. They are not much concerned about whether he/she can help his student develop in particular area in which he/she specializes. They will be focused more on completing the syllabus so that they can justify their Job. Actually Coach teaches just for his/her job/business and in return earning for the same, while Guru teaches for actually improving his student. "

Do remember earning for living is a necessity of today's life which every student must take care of but Guru's teaching is not dependent just on the fees. In other words, Money cannot buy knowledge from Guru. Even if one can afford to give huge money to a Guru, this does not mean Guru will teach him in return for that. Knowledge can only be gained by pure heart and devotion to Guru.

GURU meaning:

To explain the meaning of Guru so that you can easily differentiate between coach and Guru, I would like to bring one statement of Kabir Das ji.

Doha...

Gu Andhiyari Janiye Ru Kahiye Parkash

Mite Agyan tab Gyan te, Guru Naam k Taas

Explanation of above Doha..

Guru is a Sanskrit term which is a combination of two words "Gu + Ru". Gu means Darkness/ Ignorance, Ru means Light/ Knowledge. So Guru is one who takes his disciples/ students from ignorance towards knowledge which Guru has gained. In other words, student becomes knowledgeable under the Guidance of able Guru.

In my early journey of Martial arts, i thought everyone who teaches us or helps us in gaining knowledge is a teacher/ Guru. But then I ended up with getting betrayed by them, disheartened and frustrated by their ignorant attitude towards others and life. This frustration came as I simply considered myself a student of them and wanted to learn a lot from them but afterwards I saw them to be not following a real Martial artist path. But now I know this difference. 

One must learn from everyone whether below his level or above his level, from small as well as big, from a child as well as from a teacher but everyone is not a Guru/ Teacher. Some are helpers, some are Coaches/ Tutors and rare of the rare is a Guru who holds a very special place in Student's heart. Guru is really a one who takes his student from ignorance towards Knowledge and make his student as himself.

But hey not to forget everyone whether Coach, Tutor, Helper, everyone needs to be respected as they have helped you in gaining something or the other but still teacher is special of all.

Namaste

Ranjit Mishra

Martial Warriors Academy

www.martialart-warriors.in

Email- ranjitmishramartialarts@gmail.com

Sardar....12 Baje and the Martial arts relation

If you are laughing at the posts headline and thinking that this blog will be a joke, then please take your teeth inside your mouth because this posts will tell you the truth that you never know.

Many of you (and not me) makes fun of Sikhs for 12 o'clock by saying Sardaar k 12 Baj gae. But have you ever thought how this 12 o'clock concept came. Because I know if you ever knew the story behind this, then you would have felt proud of your Sikh Brother. I felt too when I came to know about this story few years back and it sent shivers inside me as many times I read this story. But still I never cracked this joke on them as I was a Martial artist before reading this story too and Martial artist never crack jokes on anyone for letting anyone feel down.

To understand the joke, we have to go back to the time of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Guru of Sikhs. During 17th Century, when India was ruled by Mughals, Hindus including other religion were humiliated and deprived of any right to conduct their religious practices. Mughals treated the Hindu women as their own property and were forcing all Hindus to accept Islam and even used to kill the people if they refused to accept.

Guru Tegh Bahadur ji:

During that time, Ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, came forward, in response to a by request some Kashmir Pandits (Hindu Priests) to fight against all these cruel activities. Guru Ji told the Mughal emperor that if he could succeed in converting him to Islam, all the Hindus would accept the same.

But, if he failed to do so, he should stop all of his oppression. The Mughal emperor happily agreed to the challenge and invited Guru Ji to Delhi. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was tortured for five days, he was made to sit on hot iron plates, and thrown into a cauldron of boiling water. 

Right in front of Guru Ji, his companion Bhai Mati Dass was sawed in two and Bhai Sati Dass was wrapped in cotton, and hot oil was poured on his body and set on fire. 

Guru Ji was boiled in hot water and subjected to many more tortures in the hope that he would cave in and accept Islam. Guru Ji however did not even scream once, he was a true devotee of God and had been meditation on God for decades. 

                                      This is a power and beauty of meditation

After extreme tortures when Aurengzeb failed to convert Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji to Islam, he beheaded the Guruji in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. Thus Guru Ji sacrificed his life for the protection of Hindu religion. Can anybody lay down his life and that too for the protection of another religion? This is the reason he is still remembered as "Hind Ki Chaddar", Shield of India. For the sake of whom he had sacrificed his life, none of the them came forward to lift his body, fearing that they would also be assassinated.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji:

Seeing this incident the tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji made a resolution that he would convert his followers to such human beings who would not only be the devotees of God but in order to protect their religion and the right of worship for others they would be warriors as well. (This is what a real Martial arts warrior are like. When devotion and the Warrior spirit is combined into one person, real Martial artists are born).

Here I would like to bring one of the proverb of Guru Gobind Singh ji:

Chirion se main baaz turaun, Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun

It is when I make sparrows fight hawks that I am called Gobind Singh

Gidderon se main sher banaun, Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun

It is when make I lions out of wolves that I am called Gobind Singh

Nichon se main ucch banaun, Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun

It is when I make the lowly rise that I am called Gobind Singh

Sawa lakh se ek laraun, Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun.

It is when I make one fight a hundred thousand that I am called Gobind Singh)

"Oh My God, iam filled with fearlessness, boldness whenevner i read this. Each time I have Goosebumps i read this".

In 1739 Nadir Shah, King of Persia, crossed the frontier and swept down towards New Delhi, India. He was the first invader who was here only to plunder and kill, with no intention of staying. His troops reached Delhi, where they killed 150,000 people, both Hindus and Sikhs. He looted India and was carrying lot of Indian treasures and nearly 2200 Hindu women along with him. The news spread like fire and was heard by Sardar Jassa Singh who was the Commander of the Sikh army at that time. Sikhs were very few in numbers while the army of Mughals was in hundreds of thousands. Sardar Jassa Singh decided to attack Nadir Shah's army at midnight. He did so and rescued all the Hindu women and they were safely sent back to their homes. It didn't happen only once but thereafter whenever any army from Afghanistan or Iran attacked and looted an Indian city and were trying to carry the treasures and women in order to sell them in Arab markets, the Sikh army although fewer in numbers but brave hearted attacked them at midnight, 12 O'clock, and rescued the women along with the treasure.

Whenever there was a similar incident, people started to contact the Sikh army for their help and Sikhs used to attack the raiders at midnight, 12 O'clock. Sikhs did so because they were fewer in number and could use the darkness to their advantage. It continued and became a known fact that at midnight, nearly at 12 O'clock, it is very difficult to fight against Sikhs as the Sikhs mastered the art of fighting at night. 

(Just think about what kind of art of fighting this can be...!!! Will tell you about this style of Martial arts in last of my posts)

Thus the 12 o'clock joke was born. Initially, instead of being grateful for their heroism, some people would say that the Sikhs are in their senses only at night. Today people say that they get mad at midnight.

Just think about the women's would have been facing if Sikhs would not had been there. Also every Sikhs should be proud of the 12 o'clock incident instead of getting annoyed. It is just because of them the dignity of India was restored after Nadir Shah's invasion; one of the most terrible act of war ever to be perpetrated in India.

So what do you think now. Sardaar k baarah Baj gae ya aapke baarah baj gae....!!!

Reference taken from below links:

1) http://www.realsikhism.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1248986373&ucat=5

2) https://www.scoopwhoop.com/story-behind-sardars-12-o-clock-joke/#.zrfqy5m19

3) Images taken from Google Images. I do not have any copyrights on images in this blog.

Relation with the Martial arts:

I think you must have got a little bit how this is related to Martial arts. Any ordinary person without Martial arts background cannot fight such a long army. 

So it was the Martial skills and Martial spirit of Guru Gobind Singh ji, Sardar Jassa Singh ji and all the Sardars and Guruji's who were part of these war that led them to fight against Mughals.

It was Martial skills of them that made them humble towards other religion people.

It was Martial skills of them that led them to help weaker people.

It was Martial skills of them that led them to bear extreme tortures.

It was Martial Skills of them that made them fearless and immortal. Yes immortal as they are still not dead. They are in every Sardar's heart. They are in every followers spirit including me.

Martial arts style of these Warriors:

It has been said/known from very long time that Sardar's Martial arts style has been Gatka. One of the Martial arts expert Guru Nidar Singh ji claims that "SANATAN SHASTAR VIDYA" is the actual style of Martial arts that they knew. Gatka is the show off or flowerly style of this Vidya.

Being from Martial arts background from very long time, I can easily say that Sanatan Shastar Vidya seems more practical style to me than Gatka. In history lot of Indian Martial arts style has exchanged ideas with each other style by practicing with each other. In few places Sanatan Shastra Vidya looks similar to Kalaripayattu. I can make out this similarity as I am practicing Kalaripayattu from very long time.

Sardar ji, we are proud of you....

Thanks for reading..

Namaste... Satsriakaal...

Ranjit Mishra

Martial Warriors Academy

www.martialart-warriors.in

Email- ranjitmishramartialarts@gmail.com

HAVE YOU OR YOUR CHILD GAINED ANYTHING MORE THAN AGGRESSION FROM MARTIAL ARTS DOJO/GYM?

Referring to the posts headline, this is one of the most important thing that you need to know or watch in yourself or your child while you are learning Martial arts. If your child is becoming aggressive (filled with anger) in everyday life and is not gaining anything else like Focus, Concentration, Confidence, Fearless, Relaxation, Discipline, Energetic, Good hearing ability, Good talking ability, Respect towards Women's, Love for everyone etc. etc, then it's the time you say Bye Bye to that Gym. Actually by practicing Martial arts, student's whole personality get's changed. But do remember too these changes will be visible after sometime. Do not expect right from the another day your child enters the Dojo. Time will be around 1 month (may be less) upto 1 year. Some may take years specially love for every being in the planet. But yes your child is definitely going to change if he/she is learning from the right teacher.

I have seen a lot of changes and development inside me which i was not able to develop in schools. Martial arts is the best way to develop physically, internally, Mentally and spiritually too. My whole personality has changed after learning Martial arts.

BEWARE: Parents need to be beware of those teachers who instead of developing there students in a positive direction, develop them in a negative direction. This is just because these teachers are passing the same thing what they had learnt from their life and their teachers. In this Martial arts journey, I have personally seen students from other dojo's who are filled with Anger, Ego, very disrespecting towards Women's, lusty, Greedy, Abusive etc. which is an insult to a Martial arts. If you ever find this in any teacher, straight away run from that teacher's dojo if you care for your child or even yourself. Do not wait and dream like these negative qualities of the teacher will not pass in your child. Because kids are just like the earthen pot which takes the shape as they are given. So if you want them to be a good shaped Pot, look for good teacher who himself is developed atleast mentally and spiritually.

Ranjit Mishra
Martial Warriors Academy
www.martialart-warriors.in
Email- ranjitmishramartialarts@gmail.com

WILL I HIT YOU IF I AM LEARNING A MARTIAL ARTS?

I know posts headline is little sarcastic and i am laughing too while thinking about this topic.

So i am writing this just because whenever I met my friends who came to know that I am a Martial artist, the very first statement they will Say -

"O Bhai..Tujhse to bach k rehna padega. Kahi maar waar na de" (O Brother, I need to be beware of you. I do not want to get hit by you)

There are few questions to these persons. Do you think iam an Animal or do you think that there are horns on my head and I will hit you with the horns.... Seriously this is funny to think.....

Now here is the answer.

Martial artist can be one of the best persons with whom you can have a relation. Relation can be of friendship, Brother, Sister, Teacher, Student, Husband, Wife, Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Son in Law, Daughter in law, etc.

(Point to be noted here is just like any other good human being, Martial artist is trying to perform his best in his/her relations but may or may not be best in every relation according to other persons view. And if any relation is not good, then also Martial artist do not have any hard feeling for that particular person with whom he/she has his/ her bad relation. May be God just wanted to be this relation like that way only. But to keep trying that relation to be good is definitely in hand of Martial artist and is always his choice)

This is because an experienced Martial artist will, definitely, be developed Mentally and spiritually and can handle you easily. They can even handle your harassment with a smile. Yes i am experienced in this. They can hear your every Logical/ Rubbish things, irrespective of your age and can answer you back with logical reasoning, if he is knowledgeable in that particular area too. I put this condition because Martial artist may or may not be aware of all the worldly things just like any other human being. However they can definitely answer you in Knowledge of self. They can hear your all the problems for whole day and can help you in finding the solution. Point to be noted is Martial artist will definitely help you in FINDING and may/may not be the solution to your problem.

Oh I just got a feeling that I have praised myself a lot...:-)

BEWARE:

To complete the topic, important point to note is one should definitely be beware of Fighters (Martial artist with no mental and spiritual training,i.e with no values). One should be beware of talking rubbish or be arguable with them. Because fighters do not hear a lot. They are egoistic and do not have patience. They just want a light spark to explode on you. They will definitely hit you and put you to sleep if you do not hold back. Most of the time they feel like hitting someone and keep on finding a reason.

Don't worry i am not just a fighter, I am a Martial artist.

Last but not a least... Like anyone, Martial artist can also fail sometimes but to stand again and start trying again to win self is a real Martial artist nature.

Thanks for reading.

Namaste...

Ranjit Mishra
Martial Warriors Academy
www.martialart-warriors.in
Email- ranjitmishramartialarts@gmail.com

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MARTIAL ARTS AND KARATE/TAEKWONDO/ MUAY THAI/KALARIPAYATTU

I am writing this posts because I met a lot of people (Parents, Students, Martial artist, Non Martial artist) in my Martial arts journey who do not know about this difference. And I think this is the basic difference everyone should know especially students who wants to learn and parents who wants to make their child learn or who wants to talk about Martial arts.

First of all sorry to those who knows that this posts headline is wrong. My all intention was to drag those people here who do not know, so that I can explain the difference between Martial arts and Karate/Taekwondo/Muay Thai/Kalaripayattu.

Now those who do not know why I said sorry for the posts name, would like to tell you that there is no difference between Martial arts and Karate/ Taekwondo/ Muay Thai/ Kalaripayattu.

I usually explain this to people by an example. Example is...

God is a common name that people of all religion knows. So if you ask me, Do you believe in God. I say yes. Then you say, which God do you believe..!!! Then I answer Shiva or Krishna or Jesus or Allah etc etc.

Another example can be:

Dance. You ask to someone do you know Dance? He/she says yes. Then you ask which particular style do you know. He/she answers: Bboying/ Break Dance/ Kathakkali/ Bharatnatyam/ Bhangra etc etc.

(On a lighter note: If you ask me about Dance. I will say I know Desi Shaadi Dance. Hehehe..)

Same applies with Martial arts. Martial arts is just a common name for any art style like Karate or Taekwondo or Muay Thai or Kalaripayattu etc. There are lot of Martial arts styles being practiced in this world. I will try to cover those names in different page.

So next time whenever you meet any Martial artist. You question them like this.

Are you a Martial artist? He/she says yes. Then you ask Which Martial arts style do you practice. Then you will get the correct answer. My answer will be I practice Kalaripayattu and Muay Thai. I had practiced Kung Fu (combat) for 5 years and I know a bit of Sanshou too. I also practice PIMS system (My mix martial arts system) in which I have mixed all the arts I know.

Thanks for reading....

Namaste.

Ranjit Mishra
Martial Warriors Academy
www.martialart-warriors.in
Email- ranjitmishramartialarts@gmail.com

MARTIAL ARTS- A JOURNEY AND DIFFERENT PHASES OF MARTIAL ARTS

MARTIAL ARTS- A JOURNEY:

Most of the people including the martial artist are often confused with what Martial arts actually is...!!!

Most of the people confuse it with a kind of self defense (and not fighting) which is just a 'Part of 1/4th part' of the Martial arts. People often confuse it with Gym culture which is not at all close to Martial arts way of living style. 

So you might be thinking what Martial arts is all about..!!! Martial arts is a Journey. Yes it's a journey to your Mental and spiritiual upliftments by mastering your Physical Body and Internal body. Martial artist are actually a Yogi. For a Martial artist, right from waking up in the morning till you sleep in the night is a Martial arts. Whether one is at home, school, College, office or anywhere in the world one can apply Martial arts.

Anything done with awareness by keeping up the Martial arts values is a Martial arts. I mean to say awareness of self and our surrounding. For example, if you are at office and you are doing your office work with total awareness, i.e with total Dhyana and by sticking to your martial values, this is a martial arts. Same applies if you are at home or you are anywhere in the world where you are doing anything with total awareness and not compromising with your Martial arts values. This is real martial arts.

For knowing values of a Martial artist, please visit my upcoming blog "VALUES OF A MARTIAL ARTIST".

DIFFERENT PHASES OF MARTIAL ARTS: 

Below are the different phases of Martial arts which will help you to know more about it. I am able to know this differentiation just because of one of my teacher "Sensei Michael Rajchandran". He is best spiritual Martial artist I have come through in my life till now.

1) PHYSICAL MARTIAL ARTS – Physical Martial arts is mainly related to all kinds of physical self defense, physical strength exercises to toughen the body, flexibility exercises, Gymnastics stunts, etc. In short, it is an art of mastering your physical body.

2) INTERNAL MARTIAL ARTS – Internal Martial arts is mainly related to Breath/Chi/Prana control in body to remain Disease free. This is also used for conditioning/ hardening the physical body. Internal martial arts is mainly responsible for your long life. At higher level, this Prana flow can be diverted to different parts of the body at one's own will to achieve super human conditioning or to hit someone without even touching. I know this sounds funny but luckily there are few masters even in India from Kalaripayattu art who can do this.

3) MENTAL MARTIAL ARTS- Mental martial arts mainly consists of meditation, Upasana and mental strength building exercises. This is one of the most important part of Martial art to remain focused in any part of one’s life. This can be used in the ring fights, street fights, studies, professional work. There are lot of things that break you in your life. Mental martial arts teaches you how to overcome all the obstacles in life.

Some kinds of meditation to be mentioned, but not limited to following, can be

• Effortless Meditation- Simply sit and do nothing.
• Mantra Meditation- Main Mantra is "AUM". However there are lot of other scientific mantras to meditate.
• Open Eye Meditation- In this you sit or stand and focus on any object for long period of time. You can start noticing the benefit of this meditation in 2 days of practice. However continuous practice is needed to have a very sharp focus/ concentration in life. This is the meditation which is best used in physical self defense.
• Closed Eye focus Meditation- In this meditation one has to focus on their breath or any part of the body so that Prana/ Chi can be circulated in that part of the body.

Many people are confused by word Meditation. They think that meditation is something like standing/ siting in some posture and then meditating. However that is just one part of meditation. Meditation must be done on 24 hour basis. Meditation can be done while walking, running, practicing anything, in schools, offices etc. One who knows how to meditate anywhere and anytime is a real meditator and knows meditation.

Not to forget my Kalaripayattu Guru Murugan word about Meditation. He says Meditation should only be done when one wants to achieve Samadhi. According to him one should do Upasana rather than doing Meditation. Upasana is a way of achieving/ doing things by totally concentrating on what we are doing in the present moment. According to me this is also a one kind of meditation which is said as Upasana in Kalaripayattu.

4) SPIRITUAL MARTIAL ARTS- This part of martial arts is the most important part of Martial arts. Every martial artist journey should be to achieve Enlightenment with the help of Martial arts.

As per me, martial arts is the most practical way to develop spiritually. Each and every physical, internal, mental concepts of Martial arts can be linked directly to Spiritual martial arts if one has knowledge to link it. Also each and every part of Martial arts is needed to develop spiritually. Though there are other methods too to develop spiritually but Martial arts is the most effective as it strengthens the physical body, controls the internal body to make one mentally strong so that one can easily develop spiritually. Spiritual martial arts is needed to understand our self, to understand life and its purpose, to understand relation between GOD and us. Spiritual Martial arts makes us strong enough to control all the negative traits in us. These are Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment, Ego. To control all these is lifetime journey of a Martial artist. Best Martial arts is where Enemy of your's becomes your friend. Just like Buddha and Ungalimaal Daaku story. This is highest level of Martial arts.

I hope you have got what Martial arts is all about..!!! 

Namaste.............

Ranjit Mishra

Martial Warriors Academy

www.martialart-warriors.in

Email- ranjitmishramartialarts@gmail.com