Greed Lust Addiction

by Ravi Dabral

  Notion Press

  Old No. 38, New No. 6

  McNichols Road, Chetpet

  Chennai - 600 031

  First Published by Notion Press 2019

  Copyright © Ravi Dabral 2019

  All Rights Reserved.

  eISBN 978-1-68466-368-2

  This book has been published with all efforts taken to make the material error-free after the consent of the author. However, the author and the publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author and publishers except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews and if done then this will be treated as a legal offense. The author asserts the moral right to be indemnified as the author of this work.

  Disclaimer

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses; government, statutory, constitutional institutions and positions; events, dates, incidents, locales, and places are either the products of the author’s imagination or are being used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Reforms suggested in this book are explained by taking the example of Uttarakhand State and India. Readers are free to customise these reforms as per their State or Country’s situation, conditions, and requirements. The objective of this book is to make this world a more peaceful and better place to live in through collective efforts and by awakening and empowering deprived citizens at the root level.

  This book is dedicated to the

  Farmers , who feed the world;

  Armed forces , who protect the borders;

  Teachers , who build the characters;

  Students , who are the hope of nations;

  Senior citizens, the gold mine of experiences, values, morals, and sanskars in this University of Life;

  Women , the real source of love, care and emotions – the beautiful flowers in the Garden of Life.

  Ten percent of the net profit from the sale of this book will go to the welfare fund created to prevent suicide among farmers and army personnel.

  About the Author

  R avi Dabral is a winner of “International Man of Excellence Award for Education, Corporate & Social Services.”

  Ravi has over twenty-five academic and professional qualifications.

  He is a fellow member of seven international institutes active in the field of arbitration, mediation, corporate services, cost and management accountancy, shipbroker, and so on.

  Ravi was born in Uttarakhand, famous for spiritual ashrams and known as ‘Devbhoomi’, the Abode of Deities and Gods. The influence of this land of spirituality can be seen in most of his works.

  By profession, he has been a commodity trader for over two decades and is based in Singapore.

  Ravi has obtained diplomas in ‘creative writing’ from Open Minds International, Singapore and ‘script writing & direction’ from Film & TV Technology Institute (FTTI), India. He has also done a ‘creative writing, acting and dance’ course from Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares.

  Ravi has multiple post graduate qualifications in economics, political science, laws, commerce, and so on. His keen interest in entrepreneurship, psychology, philosophy and spirituality make him a well versed and fully equipped author to write non-fiction and fiction books in the domain of ‘materialism versus spiritualism.’

  Ravi is associated with a clean environment NGO ( www.swachhparyavaran.com ) as a consultant. Ravi’s first book is the Secrets of a Healthy, Wealthy & Happy Life .

  His dream is to instil virtuous traits in the younger generation to make this world a better and more peaceful place to live in.

  Ravi is married to Sarita and has two children, Namita and Avi.

  To know more about Ravi Dabral, please visit www.ravidabral.com .

  For any feedback and suggestions, please email at info@ravidabral.com

  To spread goodness, happiness and prosperity among global citizens, you can connect with Ravi Dabral via following social media channels:

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.dabral.12

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dabralravi

  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ravidabral

  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ravi.dabral

  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravi-dabral

  Preface

  I have heard and read a lot about many famous international personalities such as Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple ) and Mark Zuckerberg (Chairman and CEO of Facebook ). They went to Uttarakhand in the Himalayas to learn spirituality under the patronage of ashram gurus and yogis, soon after which they became very successful, renowned and wealthy personalities.

  I was embarrassed to know that foreigners understood the importance of the spiritual powers of gurus and yogis in the Himalayas, but despite being a native of Uttarakhand, I never understood their role and significance.

  For around fifteen years I conducted extensive studies, research, investigation, and interacted with many Himalayan yogis and ashram gurus. Finally, I found the secrets to spiritual peace and material wealth, and the way to inculcate virtues and values, and how to eradicate vices such as greed, lust, and addiction.

  During my stay at the ashrams in Rishikesh, Haridwar and up the hills of Himalayas, I interacted with some renowned international personalities and came to know about their real-life experiences. On the condition of anonymity, they agreed to share their enlightening experiences for the benefit of global readers and citizens.

  Also, I would like to provide the readers with an incredible and mesmerising experience through these exciting stories which have a lot of twists, conflicts, romance, drama, suspense, mystery, thrill, and so on, so that it not only fascinates the readers but also keeps them engaged throughout the novel.

  I feel that after learning from these enriching experiences, together as a team, we can make this world a better and more peaceful place to live in.

  I seek your blessings, best wishes, and support during this journey of bringing material wealth and spiritual peace to the global readers and citizens.

  Enjoy your reading.

  Looking forward to your feedback at info@ravidabral.com

  Glossary of Indian Terms for Global Readers

  Anulom-vilom. Breathing exercises used in the practice of yoga.

  Ashram. A hermitage, monastic community, or a place of religious retreat.

  Ayurvedic. One of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems.

  Babas. Monks or saints.

  Badrinath. Pilgrimage place in Uttarakhand, Himalayas.

  Benami. Property in the name of a different person from the one who has paid for it.

  Bhagwad Gita. Ancient Indian text meaning “the song of the Lord” about philosophy and spirituality.

  Bhai. Brother, especially elder brother.

  Brahmastra. A weapon of last resort mentioned in the epics and Vedas.

  Buransh. Rhododendron tree with bright red flowers; Buransh is the state tree of Uttarakhand.

  Chakra. Sanskrit word used for ‘wheel.’

  Chanakya. An ancient Indian teacher, philosopher, economist, jurist, and royal advisor.

  Chanakya Niti. Compilation of principles formulated by Chanakya put together in a book.

  Chanakya’s Arthashastra. Compilation of Chanakya’s thoughts on politics and economics in a book.

  Chandragupta. The founder of t
he Maurya Empire in ancient India. He was the pupil of Chanakya or Kautilya.

  Crores. Indian Rupees; One Crore = Approx. USD140,000.

  Deodar. A tall, broadly conical tree, native to the Himalayas.

  Dhaba. Roadside (mostly on highways) eatery and also a place for travellers to take rest.

  Dhan. Wealth, money.

  Ganga. A sacred river of the Hindus which rises in the Himalayas and flows east into the Bay of Bengal.

  Gangotri. Pilgrimage place in Uttarakhand. River Ganges originates from here.

  Guru. A spiritual teacher, tutor, sage, counsellor, mentor, master.

  Haridwar. A religious and spiritual place in Uttarakhand

  Jawan. Army person

  Karma. Good or bad luck viewed as resulting from one’s actions.

  Kasturi. Musk deer that has musk or fragrance inside it.

  Kedarnath. Pilgrimage place in Uttarakhand and has a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

  Kisaan. Farmer

  Kriya Yoga. A sequence of physical and mental changes that affect the body, mind, and spirit simultaneously.

  Kundali. Linked to yoga; meaning spiral or coil inside the body.

  Lakh. Indian Rupees; One Lakh = Approx. USD1,400

  Man. Mind

  Masala movie. Bollywood movie containing action, drama, dance, song, comedy, romance, etc.

  Mataji. Mother.

  Moksha. Liberation or enlightenment.

  Mukti. Liberation or enlightenment.

  Munimji. Accountant, clerk.

  Om / ॐ A mystic syllable considered the most sacred mantra in Hinduism.

  Pandit. A Hindu scholar learned in Sanskrit and a practising priest.

  Pranayam. Breath regulating exercise in yoga

  Rishikesh. A religious and spiritual place in Uttarakhand, famous for spiritual ashrams.

  Rupees/ ₹. Indian currency; USD1.00 = Approx. ₹ 70.

  Samadhi. Bringing mind and body to a tranquil position to activate spiritual powers.

  Sanskar. Traditions, principles derived from cultural ethos.

  Satsang. A get-together for religious and cultural discourses.

  Swami. Monk, hermit.

  Tan. Body.

  Tantric. Enlightenment through mystical and magical processes performed at graveyards and cremation grounds at night.

  Uttarakhand. A hilly state in India, located on the Himalayan range, famous for tourism, pilgrimage, and spiritual places.

  Vish Kanyas. Poison girls used by Chanakya to fight against enemies.

  Yamunotri. Pilgrimage place in Uttarakhand; source of the Yamuna River

  Yoga. A Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline widely practised for health and relaxation.

  Yogis. A person who is proficient in yoga.

  1

  Idealism versus Realism

  T oday is an exceptionally important day for me. After rigorous training, I have finally been appointed as Police Inspector at the Dharampur Police Station in Dehradun, a valley which provides a spectacular view of Mussoorie, the Queen of Hills.

  Despite my physical attributes, 5ft 10inch height, being a dedicated sportsperson with various certificates and the educational eligibility of a graduate, I was unable to get the position for which I had cleared multiple entrance exams and interviews. Finally, ₹ 50 lakh to the ruling party politician worked as a catalyst.

  With the appointment letter clutched tightly in my hand, like a precious jewel, I called my parents, who live in a village overlooking the Himalayan peaks of Uttarakhand. My mother spoke with a heavy heart, “If only Suraj had been alive today, he would’ve been overjoyed at this news.” My father was working on the farm and my sister-in-law Priya was at school, so I was not able to talk to them.

  Next, I called my girlfriend Seema and my two elder sisters to share the news with them. They congratulated me and claimed that had Suraj been around, we would have celebrated this news grandly. My family’s happiness and the absence of Suraj at this moment made my eyes teary.

  My brother Suraj was an investigative journalist by profession and an idealist by nature. I remember how Suraj had high regard for farmers who feed the world; armed forces who protect the borders from enemies, and teachers, who build the characters of people, while he had abundant love and care for students, the hope of the nation.

  He believed that men or women who could not live by values, virtues, and morals in their lives were no different from wild animals who merely survived in the world. According to him, it was a person’s values, virtues, and morals that were his or her biggest jewels and weapons as well, enabling a person to fight any difficult situation in life. To me, these ideals hardly held any relevance in today’s materialistic world.

  My perspective about life was quite contrary to that of my brother’s. I firmly believed that we are given only one life, and we should reap all the benefits possible. My primary objective in life was to earn as much money as possible by hook or crook. Money was the end for me, and this end justified all means. In the present scenario, politics and police department are ideal places through which money can be accumulated.

  My priority after joining the police force was to move into a new accommodation within the protected residential police premises.

  At the present moment, I was living in a three-bedroom apartment in a private colony. Before my brother passed away, our entire family of six lived here. After Suraj’s death, we could not afford to pay the monthly loan instalments for the apartment worth ₹ 50 lakh, and the bank was insisting upon auctioning the property to recover the home loan. I was not of much help, being unemployed, and the bank kept sending legal notices to vacate the apartment. In light of this, my family decided to move back to the ancestral village, and I started my training as a police inspector.

  The task of packing up all our belongings was left to me, which seemed like an awfully tedious and time-consuming job. The existing furniture could be used in my new accommodation but what was I to do with the pile of books that my deceased brother had left behind. I scrolled through the various titles on religion, yoga, meditation, spirituality, psychology, Indian and Western philosophies, politics, economics, Bhagwad Gita, Chanakya Niti, Chanakya’s Arthashastra, to name a few. My brother was an avid reader. However, these books were of no use to me, and sadly I would have to sell them to a scrap dealer.

  While segregating the books, I came across a few diaries under the mattress in my brother’s bedroom. The diaries were marked in Suraj’s name, with the year printed on the front cover. I could not part with them, knowing that they held a part of my brother’s life, which he had kept hidden from the rest of us. I was fairly curious about the contents of these well-guarded diaries of Suraj.

  2

  Police Force Motto: ‘Just Ignore’

  I n the morning, I made my way to the police station to start my job. Needless to say, I was delighted about my first day. The first acquaintance I made was my senior, Mr. Ashok Gupta, the Police Station Head Officer. He was around six feet in height, weighing around hundred kilograms, partially bald, wearing round glasses tilted over his nose, and around fifty years of age. He sported a huge moustache which he twisted while glaring at me as if he was trying to size me up. Looking at his pot-belly, I wondered what had happened to his physical fitness that was insisted upon in our police training camp. He was very different from my image of a police inspector; he gave the impression of a pot-bellied typical traditional Munimji, sitting at the cash counter. I could tell at a glance that he was more interested in chasing bundles of cash rather than chasing criminals to the prison.

  Mr. Gupta congratulated me in a hoarse voice and asked, “Vijay, when do you plan on shifting to the police quarters? We are all expecting a celebratory drink and dinner party!”

  I smiled and said, “Within this week, Sir.”

  Mr. Gupta’s expression turned sober. “Tell me honestly Vijay, how much did you pay to get this job?”

  I replied without hesitation, “A bribe of ₹
50 lakh to the ruling party politician to get the stars fixed on my shoulders.”

  “Well, this is the current rate for this post,” said Mr. Gupta, “I guess your first objective now would be to recover this money.”

  “Of course Sir, but, could you give me your opinion on how I should go about it?” I asked.

  Mr. Gupta just gave me a wicked smile and said, “Well, all you have to do is the exact opposite of what you learnt at the police training camp, particularly the oath you took to protect the public and the nation. Remember, ‘just ignore’ is our motto. Eventually, you will learn to ignore these criminal activities and perhaps with good luck will earn as well.”

  I was horrified by his words and asked, “But what about public safety and maintaining law and order, which is the prime duty of the police force? The very basic principles to be followed by any police inspector.”

  Mr. Gupta was unaffected by my sudden passionate outburst. He continued in the same relaxed tone, “You have to keep in mind that it is not the public that line our wallets, so we do not work for them. Our main source of income is through the protection we offer to the people who run the country with their money and influence; Very Important Persons (VIPs) – politicians, business people, mafia, criminals, bureaucrats and the like. In a true sense, we are their private bodyguards.”

  I tried my best to keep up with all the information I was receiving. I curiously asked Mr. Gupta, “So, what are the avenues through which I can earn while I am with the police force?”

  “There is no shortage of opportunities, my friend,” said Mr. Gupta. “The biggest and most lucrative being the drug industry. Since Dehradun is a hub for education and tourism, it attracts a lot of rich students, foreign tourists, and VIPs. Drug peddlers take advantage of this and supply drugs to clubs and bars downtown, and also to major spiritual destinations such as Rishikesh and Haridwar which attract a lot of saints, hippies and foreign tourists.”