shiva's blog

2004-03-21T23:00:00.000-08:00

Satsang
Satsang seem to be the latest fad for me. I attended one yesterday managed by the Art of Living, and conducted by Chayanna (Chayapati is his name). And it was simply fabulous.
Chayanna, as told to me , was HoD in the Physics department in R.V.College before. He has a good voice and a very humorous personality.

Importance of Satsang

"Satsang" means company (sang) of truth (sat). In the company of truth or of the one who incarnates it, so the soul gets lifted automatically.
The Master is the antenna selected through which the God Power works, the Master Power. Thus, each time the disciples get together in His name, the presence of the God Power - the Master Power - is experienced
with particular intensity.
The Master recommends that all initiates that go to such gatherings should meet weekly or even daily. All are welcome without any compromise or retribution necessary. They can listen to the teachings of the
Masters in audio or videotapes and through readings. This information promotes the spiritual comprehension and clear any doubts or misunderstandings one may have.The Masters say that satsang works like a protection cote around the holy spiritual seed, which begins to flourish and develop even with the busy lives we lead with our families, work, and our society...

Spending time with other initiates is of great benefit to our spiritual progress. In such relationships we can support one another in our ideas, since the world is usually the contrary of the Path we have chosen. Like businessman scheduling meetings among themselves, the doctors attend scientific conferences; we also have our meetings for satsang and meditation. By uniting in satsang, we gain strength and develop love
for God and for one another.

2004-03-17T20:28:00.000-08:00

Art Of Living Experience
I wanted to write my experience in the Art Of Living Basic Course, in which I learnt the Sudarshan Kriya. This morning I came across this site where explanation to the kriya was done wonderfully. So, I decided to put the content here as it is, instead of writing my experience.
I am copying the content from the site as it is, lest it gets lost. The URL is
Sudarshan Kriya - as I experienced it !!! by Allen Salkin.

Sudarshan Kriya - as I experienced it !!!

By Allen Salkin

The face of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, guru extraordinaire of the explosively
expanding yoga and meditation practice called The Art of Living (AOL), is
more lined than it appears on the covers of his dozens of books, CDs,
newsletters, Web sites, and postcards. Today the twinkly-eyed, black-bearded
"guru of love" is in New Jersey, in the bridal suite of Royal Albert's
Palace hotel, wiping his hands and waiting to be interviewed. His white
robes are made of a fine, opalescent fabric that shimmers slightly.

He begins speaking in a cheerful, slightly bleating Indian-accented voice
about his favorite subject. "Love is the only superior power on the planet;
love has the healing power. It can heal mental, physical, and spiritual illnesses."

His simple message—a light blend of Eastern religion, meditation, yogic
stretching, and breathing—is catching on big. Tens of thousands of Americans
have taken his classes that feature the breathing technique he calls
Sudarshan Kriya. Five years ago, his ashram in India was attracting about
5,000 overnight guests a year. Now, more than 25,000 annually check in for
retreats at the 60-acre center that attracts up to 5,000 visitors a day when
Shankar is there. Worldwide, more than a million people in 136 countries
have taken his introductory course. He spends about 60 days a year at his
ashram near Baden Baden, Germany, 40 days at AOL's ashram near Montreal,
Canada, and 150-odd days on the road, giving satsang (spiritual talks),
everywhere from Atlanta to Singapore. The Art of Living may be the fastest
growing spiritual practice on the planet.

"The organization is growing at such a fast rate," says Prashant Rajore, the
administrator of Shankar's ashram in India. "In India itself, we have
doubled in the past year. We have doubled the number of our teachers; we
have doubled the number of our volunteers working in the villages."

The Ashram

To understand the vastness of AOL and ponder the question of why Shankar,
why now, leave New Jersey for a moment and head to a spread of rocky hills
on the outskirts of Bangalore in South India. Here, high above a vast valley
of rice fields and banana trees, a mammoth new building is rising into the
sky. Pillars as thick as elephants swirl upward, supporting gymnasium-wide
slabs of what looks like the biggest wedding cake the earth has ever seen.
This ornate confection is made not of whipped cream, eggs, and flour, but of
concrete, gold leaf, sweat, and hard cash. When it's done, the main floor
will hold 3,500 meditators, all breathing hard and fast, then slow and deep,
for Shankar. The extraordinarily grand temple, perched dramatically on the
pinnacle of a hill overlooking the vast valley, isn't just for show. Asked
why they were building it, my ashram tour guide said simply "We have
outgrown the old one." The old meditation hall, a flat-roofed, white-walled,
one-story building, was built about a decade ago and can hold only about 400
people.

On the next hill over is the dining hall, where vegetarian meals are ladled
out. That's where, five months before my interview with Shankar in New
Jersey, I met James Latimer, a 29-year-old former British Telecom client
manager who is now a landscaper at the ashram. Latimer had taken a basic
course in England in 1994 and now is one of many Shankar followers who
believes his guru has something supernatural going on. "Someone special has
come to earth," he gushed, eyes bright. "In The Art of Living, there are
people who think this could be Krishna, this could be Jesus." You'd think
that such talk wouldn't sell well with Americans, who are wary of
charismatic gurus, familiar as we are with the well-chronicled excesses of
Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, David Koresh, Jim Jones, and Baba Muktananda. But it
does.

"Following a guru appears to be a quick way toward personal transformation,"
says Robert N. Sollod, a professor of psychology at Cleveland State
University, who has published works on the psychology of religion. "People
are looking for that."

Perhaps Shankar's growing success can be explained by the strong appeal many
spiritual searchers find in someone whose practice promises to solve all
problems. "There was a moment when he just locked on, looked me in the eye,
and stopped . . . and I went into that classic description of pure bliss,
pure peace, just everything was light," says Nancie DiSilverio, who first
heard Shankar speak in person at a satsang in Connecticut in 1992. "It
happens because he's established in being, and he runs around in unbounded
space-time. In his presence, if you can let go, that's available." What
Solland is describing is transmission, or shaktipat, a longstanding
phenomenon among gurus and their disciples.

Truman State University professor and Shankar follower Lloyd Pflueger
explains that in the Hindu tradition the main reason people see an
enlightened guru is not just to listen to words of wisdom but to actually
receive the "radiation" from the guru's presence. "Whether or not you are
noticing the sun, the sun's rays are permeating the skin and changing it.
It's like that when you're in close proximity with the source of spiritual
radiance. Just being in the presence of the master can touch something in
you beyond words, beyond logical discourse. It can be either partially or
totally decisive or transformative in your spiritual growth."

Pflueger says that Shankar's presence is a more valuable tool for
transformation than what the guru actually says. "I feel Sri Sri has a very
strong radiation. It's not constant. It's like a peacock. It's not all the
time when the peacock spreads his feathers, but when he does, you can't
ignore it. I've been around Sri Sri when the feathers are spread in various
degrees, but there are times when I've felt I would physically melt from the
spiritual radiation I was feeling from him."

Shankar's teachings are cherished by his followers, who marvel at the ease
his methods bring them. "What Shankar is emphasizing is the experiential
component of religion," says Michael E. Nielsen, Ph.D., a professor of
psychology at Georgia Southern University. "Its advantage is that you can
have the results right away. Most Western religions, Christianity and
others, have developed all these elaborate belief systems that try to
explain things in a rational way and make people feel better." According to
Nielsen, if you try to understand things through experience, the proof is in
the pudding. "You do the practice and the stress leaves you and you feel
better. It promises a very satisfying and immediate thing. You can feel
better without relying on someone else to explain it rationally and without
relying on the promise of heaven later. What Shankar is teaching is very
appealing to people for this reason. Someone could be an agnostic or an
atheist and still get something from Shankar's philosophy—that the
individual has within them a greater sense of intelligence."

The Man
Shankar was born may 13, 1956, in Tamil Nadu, India. His father, Venkat
Ratnam, was a scholar of languages and now does charitable work. Mother
Vishalaskshi died in 2000. The couple chose the name "Shankar" because May
13 is the birthday of ninth-century Hindu saint Adi Shankara. Ravi, a common
name, means "sun." In the early 1990s, Shankar met the famous sitar player
Ravi Shankar, who complained that the holy man was unfairly capitalizing on
the name the musician had made famous. Soon after, the guru added the
honorific "Sri Sri."

There are two legends about Shankar dating back to his childhood that
followers readily recite to demonstrate his divinity. As a baby, Shankar was
rocking on a large swing hanging from four iron chains. The swing suddenly
fell to the ground. His father says it was a miracle the infant wasn't
injured; physics dictates the four chains should have fallen into the center
of the swing, but they fell outward instead. Then, as a 4-year-old, Shankar
is said to have recited passages from the Bhagavad Gita, a holy text he had
never even read.

As a boy, Shankar refused to play soccer with the other children, saying,
"These feet cannot kick anybody, let alone an inanimate ball." Instead, he
spent time writing poems and plays, and studying. He graduated from St.
Joseph's College in Bangalore with a science degree and was offered a job in
a bank. He turned down the offer, following a spiritual path instead,
eventually traveling to Rishikesh to study with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the
guru famous for popularizing Transcendental Meditation (TM).

In 1982, Shankar entered a 10-day solitary period of silence, during which
he says the centerpiece of The Art of Living, the Sudarshan Kriya, was
revealed to him.

The Teachings
The centerpiece of the AOL program is the Sudarshan Kriya, a breathing
technique that promises to cleanse the body and mind, eliminate stress, and
restore focus. To find out more about the kriya—and because American Art of
Living functionaries said they wouldn't let me interview Shankar unless I
did so—I signed up for a four-day, 16-hour introductory course in Manhattan,
two months after I'd visited India. The course was taught in a Holiday Inn
conference room, not far from the original Macy's department store. My
teacher was Nancie Di-Silverio, one of the 200 or so AOL instructors in the
United States. The Southern California native was one of a dozen teachers
flown to New York after the September 11 attacks to head free AOL classes,
which normally cost $250.
DiSilverio asked us each to introduce ourselves to the other 13 students by
shaking hands, looking in each other's eyes, and pledging, "I belong to
you."

Then we men and women, ranging from dewy-eyed newlyweds to gray-haired
grandmothers, were given lessons on taking deep Ujjayi breaths and asked to
consider what each of us wanted out of life and out of the course. By hour
three of day three, we were deep into the Sudarshan Kriya, breathing like
pumping bellows through our noses, eyes closed, slightly dizzy, hearing
DiSilverio beseech us: "Put a smile on your face—even if you have to fake
it! Smile." The air being sucked in and puffed out was ice cold, flowing in
from a window open to the January chill because Shankar has dictated that
the air must be fresh when the kriya is taught. On a cassette player in the
corner, Shankar's voice intoning "so-hum" set an unrelenting breathing
rhythm: Soooooo (breathe in)-hummmmmm (breathe out ). The pace is slow at
first and then quickens like a runaway train: sohumsohumsohum . . . .

The kriya requires breathing in and out through your nose in circular
breaths without pausing in between the inhalation and the exhalation. During
the retreat, this lasts about 25 minutes and is done in time with the tape
of Shankar. The at-home instructions are to start with 20 long and slow
in-out breaths, followed by 40 medium-length breaths and 40 small, fast
ones.This 20-40-40 is done three times and lasts a total of seven to nine
minutes. After that, you let the breath do what it wants for one minute and
then finish with five long, slow "so-hums." We were told to allow our
thoughts and emotions to flow, to deny nothing. After about 25 minutes, the
breathing over, we were told to lie on our backs and then our right
sides—which felt excellent. What descended then was the quiet empty space
that meditation can bring. It was nice. Calm. But that night at home, I
developed a hammering headache. We'd been told to avoid medicines if
possible, so I resisted pills.

The headache lasted into the next day's class. DiSilverio said my condition
was probably the result of my body purging toxins. Still, after the final
class, I'd had enough detoxing and blissfully swallowed an ibuprofen, which
brought relief.

I felt cleansed and clearheaded for days afterward, and most of the other
students said they felt quite peaceful at the end. Some of them had endured
stomach problems, and a few others had headaches. That might just have been
caffeine withdrawal, but I left feeling that daily practice of the Kriya
would probably be a good thing to do. According to DiSilverio, Shankar says
you can't really see the profound benefits of the practice until you do it
for six months. What put me off the most about the idea of doing it every
day was the time commitment of it. For me, a busy New Yorker, it seemed like
too much to do. But I am glad I learned the technique, and it is possible I
will decide to try it out for a few weeks or months some time down the
line—as long as the headaches eventually go away.

But The Art of Living is not all breathing. A booklet we were given to take
home with us summarizes the Shankar credo: "One God, One Truth, One World."
Here, in just 12 easy-to-read pages, are the "Eighteen Laws of Spiritual
Life." Some are familiar self-help messages like "Stop blaming others and
yourself," "Let go of the past," and "Have confidence in yourself." Some
echo Buddhism: "Acceptance of the present moment," and "Impermanence."
Others recall Judeo-Christian principles: "Trust the supreme and infinite
intelligence which has formed this entire creation."

Dr. Frances Vaughan, author of Shadows of the Sacred: Seeing Through
Spiritual Illusions (Quest Books, 1995), says the growth of movements like
Shankar's, which borrows philosophies and practices from many Eastern and
Western religions, shows the increasing popularity of "trans-traditional"
perspectives.

"It means you honor all traditions, but you don't necessarily identify with
any one of them," Vaughan says. Shankar's success may indicate that he is
the tip of the iceberg in terms of what the new century will bring,
religionwise. As the Internet and cheap jet travel expose more and more
people to different religious traditions, people may become more willing to
cobble together a few ideas from here and a few from there to create
spiritual belief and practice systems that work for them as individuals. For
many people, the work Shankar has already done in synthesizing something
fresh from many different sources may be enough. He brings an
already-developed, easy-to-swallow, easy-to-follow system, and adds a bit of
a twist, for those who want it, of himself as the enlightened guru. One
needn't believe in his grace to find The Art of Living useful, but it's
there if you want it.

"This is what seems to be happening in terms of people's spiritual quest, a
journey that leads them to different practices and traditions," says
Vaughan. "We have these teachings available now, and we didn't used to.
People don't necessarily stick with one their whole life. They try different
sources, particularly because the opportunity is there."

The Medical Opinion
AOL teachers are quick to point out that one needn't believe Shankar has
special powers to benefit from his kriya. They eagerly point to medical
research, a subject that is the province of Ronnie Newman. Newman's
full-time job with AOL is touting the kriya's tested health benefits—for
cancer, depression, HIV, and other illnesses—to medical schools, science
conferences, universities, and whoever else will listen. She's a real pro,
in command of her material. "The study ÔMajor Depressive Disorder with
Melancholic Features' found that Sudarshan Kriya was as effective as drug
therapy," says Newman, who received a Masters in human development from
Harvard in 1980. "An EEG study found that practitioners of Sudarshan Kriya
experienced low-frequency alpha waves . . . and what's even more striking is
that the brain was also producing beta, which is indicative of sharp
concentration. The system was relaxed and simultaneously alert." These
studies were done in India; Newman hopes her lobbying will spur more
research in the United States.
At a New Delhi symposium in March on Sudarshan Kriya, pranayama, and
consciousness, organized by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr.
Richard Brown, a Columbia University psychiatrist, said the kriya's rapid
breathing causes the release of the same hormone released during sexual
activity.

"If someone's well, it helps them deal with everyday stress," said Brown,
who wrote the book Stop Depression Now (Penguin/Putnam, 1999) about
meditation and herbal treatments and who regularly refers patients and
colleagues to AOL courses. "But if someone's depressed or has post-traumatic
stress disorder, the breathing can also be astonishingly helpful." Brown
says the breathing may, scientifically speaking, be "a kind of controlled
hyperventilation" but believes "it's quite mild, which is why the side
effects [like my headache] are nothing to worry about."

But Sollod, the psychologist from Cleveland, isn't so sure. He said the
kriya may be similar to holotropic breathwork, a once-trendy
hyperventilation technique that promised psychological and physical
benefits. "For some people it uncovered buried subconscious material that
they weren't able to deal with. It was a practice that was claimed to be
natural and without risk, but it did cause casualties among some people."

The Love
Shankar's organization practices the charity he preaches. Near the Bangalore
ashram, an AOL-funded school provides 650 poor children from illiterate
families 10 years of free education and daily meals. AOL executives say they
are doing similar charitable work in some 3,000 villages. Another new
construction project at the ashram is a vocational school that will teach
villagers how to become tailors. The AOL is accredited as a nongovernmental
organization in special consultative status with the United Nations. In the
United States, the nonprofit group Prison Smart has spent roughly $250,000
in recent years teaching Shankar's techniques to prisoners.

Shankar flew into New York in January to participate in the prestigious
World Economic Forum. As an invited religious leader, he was accorded the
same status as South African Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and President
of the World Muslim Congress Abdullah Omar Nasseef. The night before his
appearance at the forum, Shankar gave a satsang at a synagogue on the Upper
West Side for 2,000 people who paid $10 each. A band played Indian songs to
warm up the crowd, and then he arrived in white flowing robes, holding
flowers and walking sprightly down the center aisle before ascending the
stage and carefully clipping on a microphone. He answered a few questions
from the audience: "Do you think gurus should be treated differently from
other people?"

"Just as a normal human," Shankar replied. "Just as a dear friend, nothing
more.""Will you ever marry?"

"I don't think I've grown up. Child marriage is prohibited. Maybe if I get
older, I'll consider it. But do you really need to get married to raise a
family? You simply have to consider the whole world your family."

A video camera caught his every utterance. Shankar speaks English, Tamil,
and Hindi fluently. He answered some questions with care and others with
playful laughs. One person asked: "Can you explain the mind-body
connection?" This is a subject Shankar has written on and talked about
extensively. But this time he answered only, "Yes, they do seem to be
connected, don't you think?" He smiled and soon announced, "Enough
questions, I think. Let's meditate, shall we?"

Afterward, I was led up to the stage to meet him. After a satsang he will
stand for hours, shaking hands, touching heads, and smiling at anyone who
waits in line. We shook hands, and I said I hoped he would find time in the
next two days for an interview. After I stepped down, I was told by a cadre
of teachers that I couldn't have an interview. Sri Sri was busy preparing
for his speech at the economic forum—and I hadn't taken the basic course yet.

The Lesson
Three months later, the medieval-looking, ash-white Royal Albert Palace was
teeming with Sri Sri followers, most of whom appeared Indian. (The Manhattan
crowd in January had appeared mostly non-Indian.) The sound of chanting and
the scent of curry wafted through the corridors, and piles of shoes filled
the corners near the main conference hall.
I was led to the bridal suite. Shankar asked how I was. I told him I was a
little hung-over and had not slept because I'd stayed up all night for my
birthday party. "Your head hurts?" he asked. "Come here." He held out his
hands. I knelt down in front of him. He put his fingertips on my temples and
the top of my head. This was a strange way to begin an interview, but why
not try an empirical test of his healing powers?

He moved his hands on my head for 15 seconds, then lifted them off.
"Better?" I backed away, then slid into the chair, trying to gauge what I
was feeling.

"I'm not sure," I said. "Do you believe you can heal people?" I asked.

"People say it makes them feel better," he replied. His brown eyes were
wide, his face open and easy to stare at. He was a very pleasant person to
be around.

I asked him if he understood that Americans are somewhat distrustful of
gurus, especially those who claim supernatural powers. Was he worried that
he'd be grouped with people like Rajneesh and Koresh? "I don't put a label
on myself," he said, moving his hand across his forehead. "I'm just an
absolutely natural and free person. I'm 100 percent free. I have no titles.
I have no labels. I have no chains binding me."

I asked him why he was celibate and wasn't he ever tempted to try sex.

"There is no such compulsion or need that has arisen. . . . This time around
on the planet I'm meant to do some work," he said. "I feel that there is so
much love all the time, vibrating; love is all the time there. There is no
need for me to find love and joy in something, an act."

I asked him how he had the patience to greet every person in the room after
a satsang. "When there is so much love, you can greet. Love always
energizes," he answered. "Why shouldn't I meet everybody if my meeting
everybody brings them some relief, some solace, makes them feel happy?"

Finally, I asked him about his strategy for winning new converts, about
whether the new meditation hall was part of that strategy, and how he felt
about the billboards of his face that were going up in India. "I've not
thought about those things," he said. "It doesn't matter."

The Exit
After shankar left the room, he was swamped by admirers. People fell to the
ground and touched his feet. They held up their babies for him to touch. A
man was led up to him by a teacher, and the man said, "I'm lost, I don't
know what to do. I'm lost. I need help." Shankar told him to take the basic
course. He looked to the teacher and told her to help the man enroll.
More and more people closed in on Shankar, but he had to leave to speak at
the evening satsang. The music was getting faster and louder and more
frantic with his expected arrival. He sauntered into a fancy walk-dance
step, snapping his fingers in the air. It allowed him, with a smile on his
face, to benignly glide through the throng and into the conference room. I
said to the event coordinator, who had sat with me through the interview,
that the dance step was an impressive move, a good way to get through the
crowd without hurting feelings. "It's so much worse in India," he said.
"It's not a life most of us would want to live." But it is the life that
Shankar believes he was born to live.

As I stood there watching him accept the adulation of the crowd, I thought
back to the last question I'd asked him when it was just the three of us.
Before I turned off my tape recorder, I said there was one more thing I
wanted to ask, a question just for myself, not something that I had to ask
him for the article. I don't believe that Shankar is a god or that he can
heal a headache with his hands, and I haven't done the Sudarshan Kriya since
I finished the introductory class. But Shankar struck me as an awfully kind
person who was teaching a form of yoga that many people believed was helping
them, and he wasn't asking them for lots of money or to do anything else for
him. After months of poring through his financial records, interviewing his
followers, and reading his writings, this reporter was ready to ask Shankar
a heartfelt question.

"Is it luck that you've found the right thing that allows you to feel like
you are at all times being your best person? Because one can go through life
and be the best person one can, and always choose the good thing to do, the
right thing to say, the compassionate thing. But at the same time, I sit at
my desk every day, and I'd like to be expressing myself from my heart always
in my writing. But I have to write some stories I don't care about to earn a
living. How do I bring together what I want to do and what I have to do?"
Shankar seemed to sharpen, more on his ground now. He summarized the sum of
my ramblings:

"Are you saying that in your business you are sometimes asked to do things
which are not right?" I thought about it.

"Basically, yes," I said.

"If you stick to truth, you won't lack for anything." he replied slowly. "I
started a school with 175 kids. People thought I was crazy. It's difficult
to feed two children in India. I had no money. I took a school that was
bankrupt, which had a loan on its head. When you have trust in God and your
spirit, I tell you this, everything will fall in line. When you think all
the time how do I feed myself, then you're in trouble, but when you do some
good job in the world, there will be a million people ready to feed you with
desserts and the whole meal.

"People who were around me, my family and friends, wondered why I was taking
the responsibility for poor children when I have no steady income at all.
Okay, they said, you have some money for two months, but what will you do
for the third month? But when we started doing, it would come right at that
moment when it was needed. Now we are running 100 charitable schools in
India. Some in tribal areas where no one else will go. Twenty years. And in
each school we have about 1000 children. It's very gratifying when you see
children who would never have had an education, and now they come up with a
good education and smiles."

The interview was over and I watched him leave the room, dancing his way
into the main hall. A chair was waiting for him on a stage with a
microphone. Thousands of people were there because they wanted to hear what
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had to say—a simple message of trust, hope, and love. I
got into my car and drove in silence all the way home through the rainy
night. When I got home, I slept like a rock.

Allen Salkin is an investigative reporter living in New York City.

2004-03-14T22:14:00.000-08:00

Take It Easy

Completed my Art of Living basic course. Course was pretty good. More importantly, met few good people. But one person made me to ponder about life. This particular person was with me in our group since day 1 and I found her to have lot of enthusiasm about life. When we went to Ashram on the final day , we went in the same car, and while returning only , I learnt that she has a problem in her heart !!! And it seems, she is having this problem since she was 16 !! She never showed any signs of disappointment or discomfort, though I am sure, she must be having trouble.
That made me think about how fortunate I am to have everything normal by Gods grace. And inspite of that, why should I be unhappy about small discomforts and pains in life ?

2004-03-10T03:54:00.000-08:00

OMG
Oh My God !! Its so tough to get back to blog once you are "out" of its "addiction" :-).
I am finally enrolled into the AOL course. I was looking forward to join it for quite some time, and now it has happened.
I am attending it for last two days, but I find it very demanding, particularly the homework part. Though I am relatively less busy in office these days, I find it difficult to devote some time and energy to do my homework. Probably it is to do with getting up at 5:00 am. Not used to getting up so early :-)
In the last one week, naming ceremony for my son happened. He is named as Ashutosh, which means "one who is easily pleased, happy, blissful, contented". (Courtesy Sulekha ). Name was not a pick from this place though. Believe me, deciding on a name is such a difficult task.

2004-02-25T04:43:00.000-08:00

I am back
After ages of seclusion, I am back!!
Last three to four months had been quite busy time for me. Lots of things on personal front as well as at work. Was busy with the house construction activities, new baby in the family, work pressure.
This has taken a toll on my Milan attending activities also. I havent' attended any Milan for more than four months now. And because of that, I gave up my responsibility as a Mukhyasikshak also. I think that was a good decision, as I would not have given due justice to the role that it demands.
And upon one of my friends insistence, I am planning to attend the AOL basic course shortly. I hope it will be beneficial.
And I also hope to write more frequently.

2003-09-15T05:28:00.000-07:00

Elingsh is a fnuny lnagauge

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl
mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.

2003-09-07T23:53:00.000-07:00

Success

To laugh often and love much;
To win the respect of intellegent persons
and the affections of children;
To earn the approbation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To give one's self;
To leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch,
or a redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm,
and sung with exultation;
To know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived....
This is to have succeeded.

2003-09-04T03:56:00.000-07:00

Job reality

I came across this 'scary' link that gives a picture of where the IT job hiring is heading towards.
A real employment ad.

And there is a related article which refers to the previous link Job opportunities in the new millennium

2003-09-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

What's better than...?

Butch Jimenez

Better than being negative

As college students, you're just about to set sail into the real world. As
you prepare for the battleground of life, you'll hear many speeches, read
tons of books and get miles of advice telling you to work hard, dream big,
go out and do something for yourself, and have a vision.

Not bad advice, really. In fact, following these nuggets of truth may just
bring you to the top. But as I've lived my life over the years , I have come
to realize that it is great to dream big, have a vision, make a name, and
work hard. But guess what: There's something better than that.

So my message today simply asks the question, What's better than...?

Let's start off with something really simple. What's better than a long
speech? No doubt, a short one. So, you guys are in luck because I do intend
to keep this short.

Now, let me take you through a very simple math exam. I'll rattle off a
couple of equations, and you tell me what you observe about them. Be mindful
of the instructions. You are to tell me what you observe about the
equations.

Here goes: 3+4=7, 9+2=11, 8+4=13, and 6+6=12. Tell me, what do you observe?

Every time I conduct this test, more than 90 percent of the participants
immediately say, 8+4 is NOT 13, it's 12!

That's true and they are correct. But they could have also observed that the
three other equations were right. That 3+4 is 7, that 9+2 is 11, and that
6+6 is 12.

What's my point? Many people immediately focus on the negative instead of
the positive. Most of us focus on what's wrong with other people more than
what's right about them. Examine those four equations. Three were right and
only one was wrong. But what is the knee-jerk observation? The wrong equation.

If 10 people you didn't know were to walk through that door, most of you
would describe those people by what's negative about them. He's fat. He's
balding. Oh, the short one. Oh, the skinny girl. Ahhh, 'yung pango. Etc.

Get the point? It's always the negative we focus on and not the positive.
You'll definitely experience this in the corporate world. You do a hundred
good things and one mistake-guess what? Chances are, your attention will be
called on that one mistake.

So what's better than focusing on the negative? Believe me, its focusing on
the positive. And if this world could learn to focus on the positive more
than the negative, it would be a much nicer place to live in.

Better than working hard

We have always been told to work hard. Our parents say that, our teachers
say that, and our principal says that. But there's something better than
merely working hard. It's working SMART.

It's taking time to understand the situation, and coming out with an
effective and efficient solution to get more done with less time and effort.
As the Japanese say, "There's always a better way."

One of the most memorable case studies I came across with as I studied
Japanese management at Sophia University in Tokyo was the case of the empty
soap box, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics companies. The
company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a box of soap that
was empty. It immediately isolated the problem to the assembly line, which
transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For
some reason, one soap box went through the assembly line empty. Management
tasked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, the engineers worked
hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two
people to watch all the soap boxes that passed through the line to make sure
they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast.

But a rank-and-file employee that was posed the same problem came out with
another solution. He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it
at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, and as each soap box passed
the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.

Clearly, the engineers worked hard, but the rank-and-file employee worked
smart. So what's better than merely working hard? It's working smart. Having
said that, it is still important to work hard. If you could combine both
working hard and working smart, you would possess a major factor toward success.

Better than dreaming big

I will bet my next month's salary that many have encouraged you to dream
big. Maybe even to reach for the stars and aim high. I sure heard that about
a million times right before I graduated from this university. So I did. I
did dream big. I did aim high. I did reach for the stars. No doubt, it
works. In fact, the saying is true: "If you aim for nothing, that's exactly
what you'll hit: nothing."

But there's something better than dreaming big. Believe me, I got shocked
myself. And I learned it from the biggest dreamer of all time, Walt Disney.

When it comes to dreaming big, Walt is the man. No bigger dreams were
fulfilled than his. Every leadership book describes him as the ultimate
dreamer. In fact, the principle of dreaming and achieving is the core
message of the Disney hit song, "When You Wish Upon a Star".

"When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are; anything your
heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in your dream, no request
is too extreme. When you wish upon a star, as dreamers do," as Jiminy Cricket
sang.

But is that what he preached in the Disney company? Dream? Imagineering.

Well, not exactly. Kinda, but not quite. The problem with dreaming is if
that's all you do, you'll really get nowhere. In fact, you may just fall
asleep and never wake up.

The secret to Disney's success is not just dreaming, it's IMAGINEERING. You
won't find this word in a dictionary. It's purely a Disney word. Those who
engage in imagineering are called imagineers. The word combines the words
"imagination" and "engineering."

In the book "Imagineers," Disney's CEO, Michael Eisner, claims that
"imagineers turn impossible dreams into real magic."

Walt Disney explained there is really no secret to their approach. They just
keep moving forward-opening new doors and doing new things, because they are
curious. And it is this curiosity that leads them down new paths. They
always dream, explore and experiment. In short, imagineering is the blending
of creative imagination and technical know-how.

Eisner expounds on this thought by saying that "Not only are imagineers
curious, they are courageous, outrageous, and their creativity is contagious."

The big difference with imagineers is that they dream and then they DO! So
don't just be a dreamer, be an imagineer.

What's better than vision You must have all been given a lecture at one time
or another about the importance of having a vision. Even leadership expert
John Maxwell says that an indispensable quality of a leader is to have a
vision. The Bible also makes it very clear that "Without vision, people
perish." So no doubt about it, having a vision is important to success.

But surprise! There's something more potent than a vision. It's a CAUSE. If
all you're doing is trying to reach your vision and you're pitted against
someone fighting for a cause, chances are you'll lose.

The Vietnam War is a classic example. Literally with sticks and stones, the
Viet Cong beat the heavily armed US Army to surrender, primarily because the
US had a vision to win the war, but the Vietnamese were fighting for a cause.

In the realm of business, many leaders have visions of making their company
No.1, or grabbing market share, or forever increasing profits.

Nothing really wrong with that vision, but take the example of Sony founder
Akio Morita. He did not just have a vision to build the biggest electronics
company in the world. In his biography, "Made in Japan," he reveals that the
real reason he set up Sony was to help rebuild his country, which had just
been battered by war. He had a cause he was fighting for. His vision to be
an electronics giant was secondary.

What's the difference bet ween a vision and a cause? Here's what sets them
apart... No one is willing to die for a vision. People will die for a cause.
You possess a vision. A cause possesses you. A vision lies in your hands. A
cause lies in your heart. A vision involves sacrifice. A cause involves the
ultimate sacrifice.

Just a word of caution. You must have the right vision, and you must be
fighting for the right cause. In the end, right will always win out.

It may take time, and it may take long. But if you have the right vision and
are fighting for the right cause, you will prevail. If not, no matter how
sincere you are, if you are not fighting for what is right, you will
ultimately fail.

The Bible, which says, "To whom much is given, much is required."

Having been given the opportunity to study in UP, no doubt, much has been
given to you in terms of an excellent education. Don't forget that in
return, much is now required of you to use that education not just for
yourself, but for others.

And as you move up and start reaching the pinnacle of success, even more
will be required of you to look at the welfare of others, of society and of
the country.

A final review:

What's better than focusing on the negative? Focus on the positive.

What's better than working hard? It's working smart.

What's better than dreaming? Imagineering.

What's better than doing something for yourself? Doing something for your
country.

What's better than a vision? A cause.

What's better than a long speech? Definitely, a short one.

Thank you and congratulations, UP Diliman graduating class of 2003

2003-08-22T05:19:00.000-07:00

Articles by Dr. Don Wetmore

Time for Email

According to USAToday, nearly 1 in 10 workers say they need two or more
days to catch up on email after a two week vacation. 56% said it would
take several hours.

And 4 out of 10 feel that email does not make them more productive with
8% claiming it makes them less productive.

With all new technology, it takes a while to develop and streamline its
use. That day will come. In the meantime, we'll have to suffer through
the process.

Resources

The three "P's" of good time management are Personal, Planning, and People.

Personal. Each day we must keep ourselves balanced in the Seven Vital
Areas of Life: Health, Family, Financial, Intellectual, Social,
Professional, and Spiritual. Like a seven-legged table, if one is out of
balance, it will upset the entire table.

Planning. "People don't plan to fail but a lot of people fail to plan."
Doing Daily Planning each night, planning out the most precious resource
at our command, the next 24 hours, will direct us to spending our time
more wisely.

People. Better than 50% of our success has to do with the good
cooperation of other people. Some will help us and others can hurt us.
We need to maintain good, positive relationships with others. "To have a
friend, be a friend."

Time Facts

The average person spends less than 2 minutes per day in meaningful
communication with their spouse or "significant other" and less than 30
seconds a day in meaningful communication with their children.

80% of employees do not want to go to work on Monday morning.

The average person uses 13 different methods to control and manage
their time.

In the last 20 years, working time has increased by 15% and leisure
time has decreased by 33%.

60% of meeting attendees takes notes to appear as if they are
listening.

80% of "Crisis Management" is preventable.

The average worker sends and receives 190 messages per day.

The average person makes over 5,000 decisions in a typical day.

Options

Always have with you important stuff to do for when you experience those
unplanned and inevitable delays in traffic, at the airport, etc.

I bring phone messages, my laptop, reading materials, and different
projects with me so that when there is the unexpected delay I have
opportunities to shift gears and maintain my productivity.

We can't always control what happens in the world but there are things
we can do to create options when they do occur so that the disruption
doesn't own us.

Positive Goals

Did you know that most people who try to attain their personal goals
fail? This is especially true of behavior changing goals such as weight
loss, smoking cessation, alcohol and drug abuse programs. When I
discovered this, I was intrigued and wanted to find out why.

For example, the majority of people who start a weight control program
and achieve their weight loss goal (so we exclude those who attempt, go
part way, and then fail) will be at or in excess of their previous
weight level one year later. There are similar failure rates for other
programs designed to control smoking, drugs and alcohol.

As I looked further into this, what was puzzling to me was that most of
these programs are technically correct. For example, if you follow what
most weight control programs suggest you will lose weight. The addiction
control programs methods are sound. So why do these goal setting
programs fail so broadly? Certainly it is not due to lack of desire on
the part of those who try these programs to achieve their personal goals.

I found at least part of the answer.

If I am in involved in weight control, I say that I want to lose
weight. If smoking is a problem, I will want to quit smoking. I may
want to stop drinking. What are lose,quit, and stop ? All negative goals.
And that's the problem.

We naturally move towards positive goals and intuitively away from
negative goals. We are pleasure-seeking organisms who seek pleasure and
avoid pain. Lose, quit, and stop are all negative goals. (The first
three letters of a diet are die.)

So why do we ever get involved in these negative goal programs in the
first place? Typically, it is a negative emotion such as fear or anger.
We fear what is happening to our health or are angry with ourselves for
what we have done and, based on that emotion, we now submit ourselves to
do these negative things such as lose, quit, and stop, much like we
would punish a child.

Then one of two things occurs. We fail and nothing more really matters.
Or we succeed. As we succeed, we start to get confident and somewhat
cocky. I haven't had a cigarette in three days! As we gain that
confidence, the negative emotions that brought us into the negative
control program in the first place start to weaken. And when those
negative emotions, the anger and the fear disappear, we go right back to
our previous behavior.

Sound familiar?

To increase our chances for achieving any goal, we need to frame it as a
positive goal with a positive outcome. Don't tell yourself you are going
to lose weight. Say, I am going to get into a size 8 dress by next
summer . Instead of quitting smoking, how about, I am going to
get fresh, pink new lungs and more money in my pocket. Rather than stop
drinking, instead see yourself waking up with a clear head, without a
frequent hangover.

We will move more naturally and comfortably toward the achievement of a
positive goal. The mind will more readily accept a positive goal and not
automatically try to find ways and rationalizations to sabotage us as
with a negative goal.

Crisis Log

Crisis Management is when the deadline overtakes you and robs you of all
choice, which is poor time management. To reduce your crisis's, run a
Crisis Management Log.

Nothing fancy. Just a pad of paper with two columns:

Date and Remarks. Every time you are in crisis, deal with it, but
then log it on the list. Run for a couple of weeks.

Then go back through the list and ask, Which of these could have been
avoided? and probably more than 50% could have been prevented. Now take
corrective action to prevent them from repeating themselves in the future.

Simple, but powerful.

2003-07-30T22:50:00.000-07:00

Discovery

Today I smiled and suddenly
Things didnt seem so bad
Today I shared with someone else
The dream of hope I had
Today I sang a happy song
And felt my heart grow light
I walked a joyful little mile
With not a cloud in sight
Today I worked with what I had
And longed for nothing more
And what before I saw as weeds
Were flowers at my door
Today I loved a little more
Complained a little less
And in the giving of myself
Forgot my weariness

2003-07-20T22:31:00.000-07:00

Of Knotty Matters

The venerable Oxford dictionary defines a Knot as "intertwining of parts of one
or more ropes , strings etc. to fasten them together". This simple definition,
however, says little to reveal the true significance of a Knot, which deserves
a few lines in its favour. This may appear to be a rather frivolous subject to
write on, apparently the desperate effort of an empty mind starved of creative
ideas and forced to clutch at mere straws. Nonetheless, the subject is as
fascinating as any other, as can be seen from the following.

The most popular and joyous context in which the Knot figures is in regard to
matrimony. Tying the Knot is an idiom signifying the act of entering into
wedlock. We do not know the origins of this usage, for the British have no
marital ceremony requiring the bride or the groom to tie a knot. When we come
to think of it, this must have been another gift of our haloed Indian heritage
to the English language, originating from the tying and knotting of the
Mangalasutra around the bride's neck by the groom during Hindu marriages.

It is this act, of adorning the girl with a knotted yellow thread, the "ThAli",
that is the high point of the entire marriage ritual, lasting for five whole
days, in days of yore. Even in the currently abbreviated versions of the
function, whatever has been given the go by, the "MAngalya dhAraNam" still
remains the centre-piece of the proceedings, with friends and relatives
showering "akshata" on the heads of the bride and groom (which mostly falls on
the head of the VAdyAr), to the accompaniment of loud and joyous strains from
wind and percussion instruments,meant to block out any inauspicious words or
sounds. Music from the Nadaswaram and the Tavil reaches a crescendo, perhaps
signifying the importance of the moment the knot is tied. It is the experience
of many a parent or sibling that this tying of the knot prompts tears of joy,
of distress at the impending separation, at the uncertainties the married
state holds out, etc.and at the sheer momentous nature of the occasion. All
the frenzied efforts spread over several days and months, involving expenditure
of stupendous and at times ruinous sums of money and effort, attain fruition at
this fine moment, when the knot is tied. As if to emphasize the importance of
the groom's sister in the future domestic scene, she too is given the
opportunity of reinforcing the knot tied by the groom. Perhaps this is advance
intimation to the bride that her "nAtthanAr" would have as much (if not greater)
say in her life, as her husband.

However, all the hype that surrounds the tying of the knot would be subject to
a heavy discount, when we learn that this practice of Tirumangalya dharanam
doesn't appear to have the sanction of the Shruti. Search as you might, in the
entire Yaju: Samhita or in the Mantra Prasna (which codifies the ritual-related
mantras meant for various occasions, auspicious and otherwise), you are unable
to find a single mantra for use during the occasion, which each bride and groom
consider to be a historic milestone in their lives. We find Mantras for the
first tender grasping of the Bride's hand by the Groom ("PANi grahaNam"), for
the Bride setting eyes for the first time on the husband's home, for the
gifting away of the apple of his eye by the bride's father to the stranger come
to take her away forever ("KanyA dAnam") and for a myriad other matters
concerning matrimony, but not the tying of the knot, which, one would assume
from current perceptions, is the high point of the entire ceremony.

Unable to find references to the matrimonial Knot in the entire Vedic
literature, we turn to the glorious Epic Srimad Ramayana, which describes in
detail not one but four marriages, of Sri Rama and His three brothers. Even if
the Vedas, in their high-flying mission of glorifying the Paramapurusha, have
omitted to cover such mundane details as Mangalya dharanam, we hope to find
some reference atleast in Ramayana, with its detailed coverage of men and
matters of that time and age.

Poring over the Sita Kalyana episode with a magnifying glass, we are still
unable to find even a stray reference to the practice of tying knots. The
immortal words of Sri Janaka, in giving his distinguished daughter in marriage
to none other than the Lord Himself, speak merely of PANigrahaNam, of Sri Rama
grasping the tender palm of Sri Mythily in His own, to the accompaniment of the
appropriate Veda mantra. Here is the beautiful sloka of Sri Valmiki, describing
the culmination of the holy wedlock-

"iyam Sita mama sutA sahadharma charI tava
prateeccha cha EnAm bhadram tE pANim grihNeeshva pANinA"

"Take charge of this beautiful damsel by grasping Her hand, to lead Her on your
righteous path. She would be a willing partner in all your lawful endeavours."
Sri Janaka thus appears to signify this holding of hands to be the culmination
of marriage procedure.

Nor are we able to find any traces of the wedding knot in the other major epic,
Sri Mahabharata. Having failed to find mention of the nuptial knot in the
Shruti, we search for some reference to it atleast in the Dravida Vedam. And
which Prabandam could we refer to but Kodai's Nacchiar Tirumozhi, which
graphically describes the vivid dream of Vishnuchitta's worthy daughter, of
entering into glorious wedlock with Sri Krishna, in all of ten pasurams
collectively known as "VAraNamAyiram". Sri Andal speaks ecstasically about the
Lord's impressive arrival, surrounded by and riding on a bevy of majestic
elephants, of His tying the knot of Pratisara bandham on the Divine Bride's
slender wrist, of His grasping Her palm tenderly amidst benediction by Vedic
scholars, of the lAja hOmam that followed, etc. Various aspects of the wedding
procedure are recounted with joy, but without a single reference to the Mangala
Sutram or the three knots.

Leave alone the Divine Dicta, even the Hindu Law recognises only the Saptapati
(the first seven steps the Bride and the Groom take together, signifying their
embarking on a voyage of companionship and camaraderie) as conclusive proof of
marriage, denying recognition to a ceremony in which the aforesaid procedure is
incomplete.

It is abundantly clear from all the notable omissions as aforesaid, that Tying
the Knot was never an approved component of the marriage procedure, leave alone
being the highlight thereof, which it now is. At what point in social history
this practice came into being, by whom it was introduced, the purpose of its
adoption etc. are shrouded in mystery, with nobody able to furnish
authoritative answers. One can therefore hazard a guess at best: the ThAli
might have been introduced to provide an instant identification to a married
woman, as a measure of affording her additional protection from the
unholy-minded. It would also be a constant reminder to the lady of her married
state and the necessity of adhering to attendant norms of conduct. Considering
the special vulnerability of women, the Mangala Sutra was possibly designed as
a protective fence, entitling ladies for special consideration and regard,
prompting nothing but the best of thoughts in the minds of the onlooker.
However, notwithstanding its being unheard of during times of yore, Tying the
Knot is very much an integral and indispensable part of the modern-day marriage,
extending also to the joyous occasions of the husband completing sixty and
eighty years of age, retaining forever the romance of the initial coming
together of the Bride and the Groom.

In contrast, there is another type of marriage, much-coveted by all who are
spiritually inclined, in which the association is considered consummated by the
removal of a knot, and not by its being tied. What marriage could this be,
which advocates the exactly opposite procedure to that prescribed for human
alliances?

Prapatti or Sharanagati is celeberated as the holiest of weddings, between the
individual soul (representing the Bride) and the Paramapurusha, who is the
Eternal Groom. Shastras recognise only the Lord as the Purusha, all others
being considered females ("pum nAmA BhagavAn Hari:" "stree prAyam itarat jagat")
. The selfless surrender of the Jeevatma at the lotus feet of the Lord,
assuring it of unending bliss in the constant company and kainkaryam of the
Paramatma and His acolytes, marking the coming together of the Magnificent
Master and His Eternal Slave, represents a marriage of souls, the Individual
(Jeevatma) and the Universal (VisvAtma). Unlike human weddings, which come to
an end when death or divorce removes the bonds of a lifetime in a trice, this
wedding is forever, with no power on earth or heaven being able to part the bride and groom ("uravEl namakku ingozhikka ozhiyAdu"). An important feature of this wedding is that the moment the Bride plights her troth to the Glorious
Groom, the stifling Knots of Karma strangling her neck are untied gently by the
latter, marking freedom from mundane shackles. The cruel Knots of Karma (forming
a dog-collar for the Jeevatma, from which is suspended the millstone of mundane
baggage) fly apart the minute the momentous marriage is consummated, leaving the
bemused bride free forever of all bondage, eternally free to act as she would
("sa: svarAt bhavati").

Are knots only for women, is a question that may arise in the minds of lady
readers. It would satisfy them to know that even men are not spared these knots,
which form an integral part of the YagyOpavItam which all traivarnikAs are
mandated to wear throughout their lives, irrespective of change in Ashramam
from BrahmachAri to GrihastthA, persisting even when one chooses to renounce
everything and become a SanyAsi. The upaveetam and the Brahma granthi (knot)
thus act as an equaliser between women and their male counterparts. Just as the
wedding knot imposes additional responsibilites of impeccable conduct and
chastity on women, so too the Yagyopaveetam, with its holy knot, obliges the
wearer to perform Sandhyavandanam thrice a day without fail and to imbibe the
wisdom of Vedic lore, apart from performing sacrifices solely with universal
welfare in mind.

As with anything relating to matters spiritual, this piece too would be
incomplete without a reference to Swami Desikan, the author of the "SubhAshita
Neevi", a scholarly work full of homilies, but discernible only to the
initiated, remaining an unfastenable knot for others. The illuminous gems
embedded in this work twinkle their eyes in derision at those lacking devotion,
for their inability to unravel the masterly knots in each of the numerous and
siginificant statements strewn throughout the masterpiece of the Acharya.

Speaking of untying knots, here is a piece of information which everybody might
know, but is still worth repetition. A "Pavitram" made of "Darbham" (sacred
grass) is to be worn on the ring-finger of the right hand as a prelude to the
performance of any ritual, auspicous or otherwise. While the knotted Pavitram
is to be worn throughout the ritual (except during Achamanam), at the end of
the same, we should remember to untie the knot of the Pavitram which holds it
in the shape of a ring. Failure to do so is irregular and requires atonement
in the form of fasting. So before you cast off an used Pavitram, do remember to
untie it.

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana
Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

2003-07-18T00:55:00.000-07:00

NEVER ENOUGH TIME

Dr. Don Wetmore

We all have too much to do, which says a lot of good things about you.Having
too much to do means many have entrusted a lot to you. But having too much to
do may cause stress as we try to get it all done.

The reality is we will never get it all done=94 because there is never enough
time for everything. But there=92s always enough time for the important things.

So, old rule: I want to get it all done=94. Get rid of that rule.
New rule: I want to get the most important things done.

2003-07-18T00:53:00.000-07:00

ASK

Dr. Don Wetmore

One of the most powerful things you can do in your Time Management life is to
ask. Add a "because", a reason for the request, and you will increase your
results.

A line of people was at the photocopier. Someone went right to the front and
asked, "Can I cut in?=94 20% of the time he was granted permission. 80% of
the time he was told to go to the back of the line.

However, when he asked, "Can I cut in BECAUSE I need these for a meeting I'm
going to now", 80% of the time he was granted permission to cut in the line
and 20% of the time he was refused.

It says a lot about human nature. People like to help and when you give them a
reason to help, their cooperation multiplies and your time is used more
effectively.

2003-07-18T00:51:00.000-07:00

THE CURSE OF PERFECTIONISM

Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

There's a rule known as the Pareto Principle. It teaches us that 20% of our
efforts produce 80% of our results. The additional 80% of our efforts will
only yield an additional 20% of results. The first thrust of effort then is
the most productive use of our time. The latter thrust is very costly.

For example, let's say you allocate 2 hours (which we'll represent as 20% of
your time) to clean a room, a basement, or a garage. Let's say that will you
will be able to get it to be 80% clean. It won't be perfect, but it will be
acceptable and a job well done. However, to squeeze out an additional 20% of
results, to make it perfectly clean, will require an additional 80% of your
time, or 8 hours. The additional results are sixteen times more costly than
the initial results from 20% of the effort, not to mention that while you're
trying to squeeze out those additional results, you are kept from doing a lot
of other more productive things.

This rule has a lot of application to you as a time manager. Ever notice if
you're in sales how 20% of your customers give you 80% of your sales and the
other 80% of your customers give you the remaining 20% of your business? Where
then should you be spending 80% of your time? With the 20% of the customers
who are giving you 80% of your business.

Ever notice how 20% of your relatives give your 80% of your headaches? It may
not always work with exact mathematical precision, but, typically, the small
chunk of input yields the biggest chuck of output or results.

Most of us benefit from this rule intuitively. When you and I approach a task
(clean a room, prepare a term paper, write up a project, etc.) we decide to
put in a reasonable amount of time and effort to achieve a reasonable result.
The result may not be perfect but it will be acceptable and this will free us
to devote our time to tackling other endeavors.

We put in a reasonable amount of time and produce a pretty decent report. It
may not be perfect, but putting in a whole lot more time to make it a little
better is not cost-effective and therefore not worth the effort.

Those who suffer from the Curse of Perfectionism do not understand this
principle. Their goal is always perfection, which, realistically, is
unattainable. For example, you cannot clean a room perfectly. As you clean it,
it's getting dirty as dust settles. Any written report can be polished and
improved upon with more time and effort. Striving for perfection is then
always stressful and frustrating.

Their overall productivity suffers as they spend an inordinate amount of time
on a few things, trying to make them perfect, rather than a lesser amount of
time on a lot of things that will multiply their results.

The curse is cured when they abandon the need to do their tasks perfectly,
when they understand that excellence in performance is attaining a degree of
perfection, not absolute perfection. This does not compromise one's standard
of excellence in performance. It enhances excellent performance with increased
results.

2003-07-18T00:41:00.000-07:00

THE 20/80 RULE

Dr. Don Wetmore

If you keep a log of your interruptions, you will find evidence of the 20/80
rule at work. The 20/80 rule is formally known as the Pereto Principle.

Pereto was an Italian economist who discovered that about 20% of the companies
in an economy would be responsible for generating 80% of the then Gross National
Product and the remaining 80% of the companies in the same economy would
generate the other 20% of the then Gross National Product.

This is not about macro economics. This is about Time Management because the
20/80 rule has a lot of application in our daily lives.

Did you ever notice, if you belong to a church or a civic organization, how 20%
of the members are there 80% of the time, doing 80% of the work and the
remaining 80% of the members are there 20% of the time? How 20% of your
relatives give you 80% of your headaches? How 20% of a typical sales force
will produce 80% of the sales and 80% of the sales force will produce 20% of
the sales?

Focus your time on the 20% of the activities that will produce 80% of your
results.

2003-07-18T00:23:00.000-07:00

Eagles

Inspiration on the "7 Principles of an Eagle" -- Author Dr. Myles Monroe

1. Eagles fly alone at a high altitude and not with sparrows or mix with other smaller birds. Birds of a feather flock together. No other bird goes to the height of the eagle. Eagles fly with eagles. Never in a flock. Even when Moses (Old Testament Bible) went to commune with God on the mountain,
he left the crowd at the foothills.

y away from sparrows and ravens. Eagles fly with eagles.

2. Eagles have strong vision, which focuses up to 5 kilometers from the air.When an eagle sites prey- even a rodent from this distance, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it. No matter the obstacle, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.

3. Eagles do not eat dead things. He feeds on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead animals but not eagles. Steer clear of outdated and old information.

Do your research well always.

4. The Eagle is the only bird that loves the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the wings of the storm to rise and is pushed up higher. Once it finds the wing of the storm, the eagle stops flapping and uses the pressure of the raging storm to soar the clouds and
glide. This gives the eagle an opportunity to rest its wings. In the meantime all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees.

We can use the storms of our lives (obstacles, trouble, etc) to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.

5. The Eagle tests before it trusts. When a female eagle meets a male and they want to mate, she flies down to earth with the male pursing her and she picks a twig. She flies back into the air with the male pursuing her. Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she lets the twig fall to the
ground and watches it as it falls. The male chases after the twig. The faster it falls, the faster he chases until he reaches it and has to catch it before it falls to the ground, then bring it back to the female eagle. The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a much higher altitude pursued by the male until she perceives it high enough, and then drops the twig for the male to chase. This goes on for hours, with the height increasing until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of picking the twig which shows commitment, then and only then, will she allow
him to mate with her!

Whether in private life or in business, one should test commitment of people intended for partnership.

6. Eagles prepare for training. When about to lay eggs, the female and male eagle identify a place very high on a cliff where no predators can reach; the male flies to earth and picks thorns and lays them on the crevice of the cliff, then flies to earth again to collect twigs which he lays in the
intended nest. He flies back to earth picks thorns and lays them on top of the twigs. He flies back to earth and picks soft grass to cover the thorns, and then flies back to pick rugs to put on the grass.

When this first layering is complete the male eagle runs back to earth and picks more thorns, lays them on the nest; runs back to get grass and rugs and lays them on top of the thorns, then plucks his feathers to complete the nest. The thorns on the outside of the nest protect it from possible
intruders. Bothmale and female eagles participate in raising the eagle family. She lays the eggs and protects them; he builds the nest and hunts. During the time of training the young ones to fly, the mother eagle throws the eaglets out of the nest and because they are scared, they jump into the nest again. Next, she throws them out and then takes off the soft layers of the nest, leaving
the thorns bare. When the scared eaglets jump into the nest again, they are pricked by thorns. Shrieking and bleeding they jump out again this time wondering why the mother and father who love them so much are torturing them. Next, mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air. As they
shriek in fear, father eagle flies out and picks them up on his back before they fall, and brings them back to the cliff. This goes on for sometime until they start flapping their wings. They get excited at this newfound knowledge that they can fly and not fall at such a fast rate. The father and mother eagle supports them with their wings.

The preparation of the nest teaches us to prepare for changes; The preparation for the family teaches us that active participation of both partners leads to success; The being pricked by the thorns tells us that sometimes being too comfortable where we are may result into our not experiencing life, not progressing and not learning at all. The thorns of life come to teach us that we need to grow, get out of the nest and love on. We may not know it but the seemingly comfortable and safe haven may have thorns; The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions they have good intentions for us.

7. When the Eagle grows old, his feathers become weak and cannot take him as fast as he should. When he feels weak and about to die, he retires to a place far away in the rocks. While there, he plucks out every feather on his body until he is completely bare. He stays in this hiding place until he
has grown new feathers, then he can come out.

We occasionally need to shed off old habits & items that burden us add no value to our lives.

2003-07-08T04:36:00.000-07:00

The Intellectual Scene in Post-Independence India

S. Gurumurthy, Text of an after-dinner talk delivered at IIT-Madras

Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003

- A critical review of strengths and weaknesses

... Defeat and anger go together. Abuse and defeat go together. So, it is in this norm and with this understanding of what an intellectual debate means, I would like to place before you some of my thoughts today. Some of may find it provocative. I am confident that the audience is competent enough to absorb this and think rather than get into the mood which all of us have got used to in the last 30-40 years abuse.

Background: India before Independence

Let us see the pre-independence background, the intellectual content of India. See the kind of personalities who led the Indian mind Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Gandhiji, Tilak- giants in their own way. Most of them were involved in politics, active politics, day-to-day politics, handling men, walking on the road, addressing meetings, solving problems between their followers. And, meeting the challenges posed by the enemy, the conspiracies hatched against them. They were
handling everything, yet, they were maintaining an intellectual supremacy, and a record and an originality which history has recorded.

Let us look at the academic side. Whether it is a P.C.Ray who wrote on Indian Chemistry in 1905 or Sir C.V.Raman who wrote about mridangam, tabala, and violin, and saw the Physics in it (this was in 1913); whether it was R.C.Majumdar or Radhakumud Mukherjee who saw greatness in the Indian Civilization; trying to bring up points, instances, historical evidence to mirror the greatness of India, to the defeated Indian race, they were all building the Indian mind brick by brick. Sri Aurobindo spoke of Sanatana Dharma as the Nationalism of India. He didn"t rank it as a philosophy. He brought it down to the level of emotional consciousness. Swami Vivekananda spoke of spiritual nationalism; it was the same Swami who spoke of Universal brotherhood. For them philosophy was not removed from the ground reality. The nation was at the core of their philosophy. Swami Vivekananda was called the "patriot monk".

Mahatma Gandhi spoke of Rama Rajya. Bankim Chandra wrote Bande Maataram. The song, the slogans in it, the mantra in it made hundreds of people kiss the gallows smilingly and many others went to jail. It transformed the life of the people; this was the intellectual scene, this was the
content. This is what powered the intellectual as well as the mass movement in India. This was the core of India, the soul of the Indian freedom movement.

The symptoms: India immediately after Independence

Imagine what happened in 1947 and after, India was able to intellectually lead not only Indians but also the whole world because of the intellectual assertion that the freedom movement brought about. Let us look at post Independence India. The persons who led post-Independence India were also trained in the same freedom movement. They went to jail, but they were not rooted in the intellectual content of the Freedom movement!

The first Prime Minister of India, he was in jail for 7 years. He was a great intellectual himself, purely in the sense of his capacity to reason, understand, read, and expound a thought. He told Galbrieth once, "I would be regarded as the last English Prime Minister of India. See the intellectual capability of the man, the enormously competent mind.

But intellectualism doesn"t exist in a vacuum. It has to be rooted in something concrete. Vivekananda"s universal brotherhood was rooted in
India"s greatness as a civilization, which proclaimed it. The concept of "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam" cannot exist without a living form, a population
which believes in it and believes in itself. You need to have a society, which believes in it.

That is why India could invite the Jews who were butchered, raped, all over the world. In 107 out of 108 countries, this race was butchered. At least they had the courtesy and the gratitude to publish a book, the Israeli govt. published a book that out of 108 countries that we sought refuge, the only civilization, the only country, the only people, the only ideology that gave us refuge was the Indian civilization. They published a book, which most Indians are unaware of.

And we invited the Muslims. The refugee Muslims first landed in Kutch. And they are called the Kutchy Memons even today but not the Memons who bomb Bombay. But the Memons who lived with us.

In the year 1917, many of you might be aware, a case went to the Preview Council, equivalent to the Supreme Court now. The Kutchy Memons went and told the Preview Council that we are Muslims in name, but we follow only the Hindu law. Please don"t impose the Shariyat on us. The Preview Council ruled that they are Muslims but the only sacred book they have is called "Dasaavathaara", it is not Koran. In fact they knew no
language other than the Kutchy language.

And in the "Dasaavathaara", nine were common between Hindus and Kutchy Memons. We call the tenth avathaara "Kalki" and they call him "Ali". The Preview Council ruled that the Shariyat law is not applicable to them. The All India Muslim League took up the case, went to the British and
told them that this finding is dangerous to Islam and requested them to pass a law which will overrule this judgement; the British Govt. passed the law in 1923, called the "The Kutchy Memons Act" which declared, " If a Kutchy Memon wants to follow the Shariyat, allow him to do so". Please
understand. It doesn"t mean a Muslim must follow the Shariyat. Between 1923-1937, before the All India Shariyat(AIS) Act was passed, not a single Kutchy Memon filed an affidavit with the plea that he wants to follow the Shariyat. That was the integration prevalent in India.

In 1937, when the AIS Act was passed, the preamble to the act mentioned that this was being passed by a demand made by the AIML leader Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Today, the Shariyat has become a part of Muslim consciousness.

The purpose behind making you aware of this background is that 99% of the people who speak about the constitutional rights of the minorities or the distinctiveness of Muslim life are unaware of the ground level facts. Till the year 1980, in Kuch Bihar district, the Shariyat law was not applicable. In 32 instances between 1923 and 1947 by legislation, the Shariyat law was not applicable to the Muslims. This is the extent of the intellectual gap in India.

Secularism: A Reversal and perversion of the Indian mind.

And now, coming to what the position is today. Everything that drove the freedom movement- everything that constituted the soul of the Freedom movement, whether it is the Raamaraajya of Gandhiji or Sanaatana Dharma as Nationalism of Sri Aurobindo or the spiritual patriotism of Vivekananda or the soul stirring Vande Maataram song, came to be regarded not only as unsecular but as sectarian, communal and even as something harmful to the country.

Thus, there was a reversal, a perversion of the Indian mind. How did it occur? Today, the intellectualism of India means to denigrate India. There are mobile citizens and there are non- citizens deriding India, go to the Indian Airlines counter, you will find people deriding India. Go to the post office, they will deride India. Go to the railway station, they will deride India. It is the English educated Indians" privilege to deride India.

When I was talking to an audience of Postal employees in Madras, in the GPO (a majority of them who heard me were women). I told them the basic facts about the Post Office. I said it is one of the most efficient postal systems in the world, one of the cheapest in the world, one of the most delivery perfect postal systems in the world. For one rupee, you are able to transport information from one end of the country to the other.

And you have a postman, no where in the world this happens the postman goes to the illiterate mother and reads out the letter, he is asked to
sit there and shares a cup of coffee and comes away. M.O.s are delivered to the last paisa. It is an amazing system, one of the largest postal systems linking one of the most populous nations, one of the most complicated nations with so many languages.

Somebody writes the address in Tamil and it gets delivered in Patna! It gets delivered to the Jawaan at warfront! When I completed my speech
many of the women were wiping their tears. I asked why are you crying, I have only praised you. They said, "Sir, this is the first time we"ve been praised, otherwise we"ve only been abused!"

You know how many people the Railway transports in India? A million people which is equivalent to the population of Australia! And we have only abuses for them!

Have we any ideas of what this country is? The best in India have compared our country with Singapore, HongKong, Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

You can walk across many of these countries in one night (laughs)! The best politicians, intellectuals, sociologists in India have compared us with them, because, we have never understood what we are and unless you do that, you can never relate us with others.

Demonising India: Projecting a negative image. This enormous intellectual failure, to the extent of being intellectually bankrupt, did not occur over night, it was no accident. There is a history behind this enormous erosion. And I told you about these mobile citizens, what they have done to us. Every country has problems. There is no country without any problem. Are you aware of what is one of the most pressing problems in America today? It is incurable according to the American sociologists; even American economists have begun to agree with them. American politicians are shaken, one third of the pregnant women are school going children. And mothers mix the anti-pregnancy pill in the food without her knowledge everyday.

But this is not the image of America. The image of America is a technologically advanced country etc. etc. Ours is the only country where the mobile citizens of India have transformed the problems of India into the image of India-its identity.

Go to any country and the same negative stereotype is echoed that India is suffering from poverty and malnutrition. India has no drinking water. Indian women are all burnt. If they are married, they are burnt, if they are widows, they are burnt. See the image that has been built about this
country. Who did this? The English educated Indian.

And one Kaluraam Meena (have you ever heard of him? Asks the audience to raise their hands if they have), only a small fraction of this large audience has heard of him. When Clinton came to India, he went to a village called Nayla where the villagers interacted with him. And one of the Panchayat board members asked him, "Sir, I am told that in the West, all of you believe that this country is a rotten country, a backward country, a poor, hungry country. Do you also think like that?"

Clinton was shaken, because he might have thought that this person might be approaching him for some favour. This is the image of India. I will relate my experience when I went to the Carter Centre in 1993. They were talking about dispute resolution and all that. I went there to meet somebody, if not Carter, somebody else at least. His Deputy, a lady, was very hesitant to receive me. "Mr.Gurumurthy", she said, "Mr. Carter is not around, anyway, I can spare seven-eight minutes for you." I said three or four minutes of your time would do. Even before I could start, she said, "Mr.Gurumurthy, we don"t have funds, we will not be able to help" (laughter from the audience). I replied, "Let us assume you have a hundred billion dollars, how much will you give me? One billion? One million?" She kept quiet, "I don"t need your money. I came here to discuss whether community living is an answer to disputes. I have come to discuss this because you have suggested electoral means to resolve problems in communities which have no damn idea of what an election is; whether community living is an answer because you don"t what that means. She sat and discussed this with me for two hours. This is the image we have projected that anybody, who comes from India, comes to beg. Ordinary Indians did not create this impression; educated Indians created it. This is the work of civil servants, NGOs. Christian missionaries during the freedom movement created this. Indians are filthy, rotten, dirty and unhealthy, advertising abroad these are the people who need to be saved. We have to Christianise them, enlighten them, and give us money. I can understand that because it is their business. But what did we do after 1947?

We repeated the same mistakes. We projected India as a country of unending problems. As I said, every country has problems. Only in India, problems become identities. How many dowry deaths take place in India in a year? Yet, India is projected as a country burning its own daughter-in-laws. And we also talk about it. Every damn newspaper will be writing about it. We believe in self-deprecation. And this goes on in the guise of intellectualism in India. And one woman, she attempted to take a film of the widows. I wrote an article, asking her to go to Lijjat Paapad. A widow brought me up. Millions of widows have worked to bring up their children. It is a nation, which believes in Tapasya. You may not believe in it but you are an exception. Compare Deepa Mehta"s attitude with Sarada Maa"s who was the wife, who became a widow after Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa"s passing away. She went to the very same place where Deepa Mehta went and saw the widows She said, "These widows are so pure, they are an illustration and an example to me." Deepa Mehta saw them as prostitutes. The widows have already been hurt once. Why are you sprinkling salt on their wounds?

I am very sorry to speak about this, but I have to, this audience is enlightened enough to understand me. Indian women are sexually unsatisfied and so they are becoming lesbians? This is one bloody story against us, about us. This is the image of Indian men and women, and this film is in English. Catherine Mayo wrote a book and Mahatma Gandhi said about it, " I have no time to read this filth. But I am under a compulsion, under pressure because this has been published abroad. The image of India has been rubbished and I have to counter it. With this introduction, he wrote about the book and said that this woman is a gutter inspector (laughs). The intellectualism in India is gutter inspection- people are of this
kind etc. Understand the level of erosion.

Indian Politics: Weaknesses and Pitfalls

Let us look at the post independence scenario from the macro level. We installed a system of governance and it postulated all the important goals for the Indian society and polity, which was gulped by the Indian academia, by the Indian intellectuals. We will have a classless society through socialism. We will have a casteless society through equality. We will have a faithless society through secularism. We will have a modern society devoid of tradition.

Instead of politics restructuring caste, caste has restructured politics today. Political parties are talking only in terms of castes. Has any Indian intellectual come to terms with caste? You must understand caste if you want to handle the Indian society. You cannot say that I want to have a very different kind of society. You have to handle the Indian sentiment, the Indian tradition, Indian beliefs. You can't clone a society of your choice in India. Social engineering has failed everywhere; the masters of social engineering have given up the communists- whether it is sociologists or economists you have to accept a society as it is. You can only increase the momentum of evolution in the society; you can't forcibly bring about a revolution today. But, Indian leaders and intellectuals, till today, keep abusing caste. They don"t know how to handle caste.

Let me narrate to you how a community in Karaikudi handled this issue. The Chettiyar community assembled top businessmen, professionals from all over the world for 3 days to discuss their culinary act, how to construct houses, what languages they use, what old adages and stories their grand parents used to tell, what clothes they used to wear; not one word of politics, mind you. This was not even published in the newspapers. Intellectuals were not even aware of it. So, caste is a very important instrument in India, you may not like it. Unfortunately, every intellectual leads a caste life inside, but outside he is casteless! He is cloning an approach outside. There is no intellectual honesty at all.

And what happened in the case of secularism? In India, any one who is not a Hindu is per se secular. In the year 1957, just 10 years had passed after the Muslim League demanded and got the country partitioned, the leader who voted for the resolution for the partition of India was Quazi Millath Ismail, (who was leading the same Muslim League on the Indian side), the Congress certified that the Muslim League in Kerala is secular and hence it can associate with them. The Muslim League outside Kerala is communal with the same President! Three hundred and fifty crores are spent today for the Haj pilgrims out of the funds of secular India every year. No one can raise an objection.

At least I can understand why politicians don't want to do that because they want the Muslim votes. But, what about the intelligentsia. What about newspaper editors and journalists? And academicians? None of them speak out. The reason is that we have produced a state dependent intellectualism in India. We don"t produce Nakkeerans anymore, our intellectualism is a derivative of the State and the State is a derivative of the polity. And in turn the polity is a derivative of the mind of Macaulay and Marx.

The Indian education system: A Legacy of Macaulay. This Macaulayian system of education is a poison injected into our system. At least I had the opportunity of schooling in Tamil and hence could withstand the corruption that this English education brings with it. This corruption begins the moment the child steps out of the house. He is told to converse in English at home. This did not happen even in pre-Independence India, even when Macaulay wrote that notorious note sitting in Ooty. How many of you know Macaulay"s formulation? Just those two or three sentences at least which form the crux " We require an education system in India which will produce a class of interpreters, who will be Indian in colour and Englishmen in taste, opinions and morals."

This is the education system, which we have been continuing with, which was earlier conceived to produce clerks for the British empire. If you have to differ from an English educated person you have to differ only through the English language. If you have to abuse somebody, even that has to be done in English! If you abuse the Anglicised Indian, he will not find fault with the blame but with the grammar in your language!

This is the extent to which a foreign language has possessed us. But, we must master English, that is needed, but why do we have to become slaves of the English language? We must use that language as a tool, but why do we consider it as a status symbol? This is the influence of Macaulay.

If you want to understand the Macaulay/Marxist mix in India, you have to go a little back to see how Marxism grew out of the Christian civilisation. I recommend that you read the Nov 27, 1999 edition of the Newsweek, which describes how the Christian idea of the end of time called the "apocalypse", influenced the entire history, art, music, prognosis, sociology, economics, and the entire attitude of the Christian civilisation towards the non-Christian civilisations.

A Christian scholar who describes how Communism grew out of Christianity has written it. In 1624, Anna Baptists, a group of Christians who believed in the basic tenets of Christianity seized power in a particular place, banned private property and use of any book other than the Bible. When Marxism came up later through the exposition of Das Capital, the Marxists began expounding their doctrine as an extension of Christianity.

The thesis, antithesis and synthesis of making Christianity acceptable to the age of enlightenment was the Hegelian way demanded rationalisation of Christianity in the days of the Protestant movement. Hegel began with a disagreement, then started interacting with Christianity and ultimately ended up accepting Christianity.

You can see the same phenomenon with Marxist postulates- "capitalism is my enemy, we have to deal with capitalism" and finally we have to find a synthesis with capitalism".

Marx on India

In fact in the year 1857, Marx wrote about India, " India was a prosperous civilisation. It had a very high standard of living. Their productivity was higher. India was an economic giant." It was so. If you look at the statistics in 1820, India"s share of world production was 19%, and England"s share was 9%, please note that Britain was deep into the industrial revolution at that time. 18% of the world trade was in Indian hands at that time whereas 8% was the figure for Britain and 1% for US. When 80% of the American population was engaged in agriculture, India had 60% of the population engaged in non-agricultural occupations. This is supposed to be an index of development. All these statistics can be found in Paul S. Kennedy"s "Rise and fall of great powers".

So, Marx says, "This was a great civilisation which had produced prosperous communities." A prosperity which went deep into the villages. In the early stages, when the East India Company came and went to Murshidabad, an unknown name today in Bengal, a district level town, the Britishers were awe struck with its prosperity and wrote that it was more prosperous than London. This is no more disputed anyway, even by Indian intellectuals. Marx acknowledges the fact that this was a prosperous country and also had equality but unfortunately, he says for 2000 years the society did not change nor did it allow any revolutionary forces to enter! In his worldview human beings cannot progress without a revolution!

In the two articles on British rule in India and the East India Company- history and results written by Marx, quoted in the New York daily, Karl Marx does grant though somewhat in a grudging manner that "materially, India was fairly industrious and prosperous even before the onset of the British rule. He said that India was an exporting country till 1830.and started importing because it had opened its trade to the British. Many of you may not be aware that the kings in India had no right to over the lands, which came under the jurisdiction of any panchayat. Whether it was Emperor Ashoka or Bhagavan Sri Ramachandra, the rule was the same. It was changed only during the British rule under the Ryotwari system, even the Mughals could not change it. It was also found that family communities were based on domestic industry, with the peculiar combination of hand-spinning, hand- weaving, agriculture etc. which gave them a supporting power.

The misery inflicted by the British on Hindusthan is of an entirely different kind and infinitely more intense than what it had to suffer before civil wars, invasions, revolutions, conquests, famines all these did not go deeper than the surface. But, England broke the entire framework of Hindusthan, the symptoms of reconstitution are yet to emerge clearly. This loss of the Old World without the emergence of a new order imparts a particular melancholy to the present misery of Hindus and Hindusthan. Marx goes on to say that the British interference destroyed the union between agriculture and the manufacturing industry. Suddenly he remarks that the English interference dissolved this semi barbarian, semi-civilised community.

He concedes that they were prosperous, that they organised their affairs well, they have a measure of independence, they have a democracy at the lowest level, all this has been conceded. Then, how does he classify us as "semi-barbarian and semi-civilised communities"?

He notes that India"s social condition remained unaltered since remote antiquity. This is important, for him revolution is the core, the soul and centre of the society. This society never had a revolution; hence it cannot be modern! There is an underlying assumption, which considers revolution as a pre- requisite for being modern.

Hence, he feels that the destruction wrought by the British is the inevitable revolution needed for the development of the Indian society. England had vested interests, violent interests in bringing about this "revolution". But, the question in focus is whether mankind can fulfill its destiny without a fundamental revolution in the social state?

Whatever might have been the crimes of England, she was the unconscious tool of history in bringing about a revolution, "whatever bitterness the spectacle of crumbling of an ancient world may evoke, from the point of history, we have to exclaim, "should this torture torment us?

Since it brings us great pleasure, were not the rule of Taimur, souls delivered without measure?" It is a creative destruction in the cause of revolution according to him. If you see Indian communism which was expounded by a man called Rajane Palme Dutt. Has anyone heard of his name? (two persons from the audience raised their hands). Two. He was born of a white woman and an Indian father in England. He was in charge of Indian communism for 25 years. He never came to India though. In his book, "India Today", he laid down the framework, the policy for Indian communists, what must be done, what is the kind of revolution needed in India, the development model etc.

In those days, even good photographs of India were not available, yet this man spoke about India sitting in London. He came to India for the first time in 1946, ten years after he wrote this book and realised that he had to revise it. He stayed for 30 days! A visitor to India was the father of Indian Communism! And from that day till date, the Indian Communist has never been with India. Not only that, they took over the Indian mind in the post- independence period. It is these Marxist/Macaulayist intellectuals who will certify whether somebody is modern or traditional, backward or secular or communal, progressive or regressive. They were running an Open Air University issuing certificates every day through the press. They have branded me as a communal man.

Labels: Tools for stultifying important debates

Labels substituted debate in India. Simply a label- communal, that is enough. Four or five editorials will appear preaching that Gurumurthy is communal and the matter must end there. No one would even discuss what communalism is! Religious fundamentalism, RSS/Bajrang Dal fundamentalism! Anyone, who exposes the Hindu cause I India is a fundamentalist! We have seen this term being used so casually and superfluously and incessantly by politicians and newspapers. Has anyone bothered to understand the meaning of religious fundamentalism going beyond these slogans?

Secularism is an intra-Christian phenomenon. It has no application outside Christianity at all. Secularism resolved the fight between two powerful persons, the King and the Archbishop who were loyal to the same faith, to the same prophet, to the same book and to the same Church. It is not a multireligious virtue.

A multireligious idea, a multireligious living, a multireligious culture, a multireligious fabric or a multi religious structure was unknown outside India. There was usually only one faith and no place for any other, not even for a variation of the same faith.

Fifty six thousand Bahais were butchered in one hour in Tehran! They believed in the same Koran, in the same Muhammad, the only difference was that they said that Muhammad might come in another form again. That was their only fault and they were all butchered.

But we have no such problem. We can play with God, we can abuse God, and we can beat God!

If I say that monotheistic religions have had a violent history, and the reply will be "you are communal." But this is exactly the same conclusion that a study in Chicago revealed, probably, the only study on fundamentalism conducted by anybody so far. This fundamentalism project brought out five volumes each volume about eight hundred to nine hundred pages. The conclusion they have reached is that, "Fundamentalism is a virtue of Abrahamic religions. It is not applicable to eastern faiths at all.

What about the Indian intellectuals? Day in and day out, they keep abusing us as fundamentalists, communalists, that we are anti-secular and it is being gulped down by everyone including those from the IITs and IIMs, lawyers and police officials, journalists and politicians. Look at this intellectual bankruptcy.

An inner revolution: The much needed change

We need a mental revolution, an inner revolution; we need to get rooted in our own soul. There is a missing element in India today and it is this. That element has to be restored otherwise Indian intellectualism will only be a carbon copy of Western intellectualism. We are borrowing not only their language and idiom but we trying to copy the very soul of the West.

So, all that we need to do is - it is impossible to share the entire depth of the subject in one evening"s lecture programme. I have only tried out point out in an incoherent way, how a completely fresh mindset has to be evolved. And unless it evolves, the Indian mind, which leads India, will be in a perpetual state of confusion, ordinary people are perfectly all right.

Consider for example how thirty years before there was a question whether Tamil Nadu will be a part of India or not. The Dravidian parties have taken over the mind of Tamil Nadu. It had virtually ceased to be a part of India. And their attack was aimed at Hinduism, the moment you attack Hinduism you attack India. This is a fact. Neither politicians nor intellectuals nor academicians realised this. But, the ordinary people did. Just three religious movements- the Ayyappa movement, the Kavadi movement and the Melmaruvatthur Adi Para Sakti movement- have finsihed the Dravidian ideology to a very great extent. It is only the outer shell of Dravidianism that remains today. Tamil Nadu has been brought back successfully by Ayyappa, Muruga and Para Sakti, not by the Congress or the BJP or any other political party.

How many people have intellectually assessed the depth and the reach, the deep influence of religion over the people? A paradigm shift in a study of India would be an intellectual approach to this subject. Or consider for example its influence on economics. Many of you by now would have studied economics in some detail. Take a look at the society in India and compare the figures for public expenditure for private purposes, which is called the social security system in the West. 30% of the GDP in America is spent for social security, 48% in England, 49% in France, 56% in Germany and 67% in Sweden. This private expenditure is nothing but what you and I do by taking care of parents, our wives and children, brothers and sisters and grandparents, widowed sisters and distant relatives. This expenditure is met by the society in India.

And there is no law in India that people should do this. We consider it as our dharma. A person went to a court and demanded a divorce from his father and mother. The American court granted it saying that the only relationship that exists between two persons of America is their citizenship. The law in America recognises no other relationship ... In the year 1978, an interesting incident occurred in Manhattan. There was a power failure for six hours. Manhattan is in the heart of New York where you find the UN building, the World Trade Centre and the head quarters of many multi-national companies. One third of the world"s health is concentrated in Manhattan. Within six hours, hundreds of people were killed, robbed and assaulted. We don"t need electricity to behave in a civilised manner. How many intellectuals in India have ever articulated from such a sympathetic approach? We have only tarnished the image of this country. We must be ashamed of this.

Conclusion

I shall conclude my speech with this example. When Sri Aurobindo came to Pondicherry in search of a new light he used to get five rupees from a friend and four persons used to live on this. A cup of tea was one of the luxuries they used to have everyday in the morning, on the Pondicherry beach.

Sri Aurobindo used to always look at a mystic called Kullachamy (Subramanya Bharati has written a poem about him). He used to behave like a madman, wandering here and there, throwing stones ... One, day he came near Sri Aurobindo, lifted his cup of tea and emptied it in front of him. Then he showed the empty cup to him, placed it on the table and went away. Sri Aurobindo"s friends were angry and wanted to chase him, Sri Aurobindo stopped them and said, " This is the kind of instruction I had been expecting from him. He wants me to empty my mind and start thinking afresh."

2003-06-30T03:51:00.000-07:00

THE BOSS QUESTION

Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

If you were the vice-president of marketing for a bank, (or any organization for that matter), you would probably want to poll your customers from time to time to determine why they chose to do business with your bank.

We can always assume why our customers do business with us but this can be risky because we may be wrong. What we think we are providing may be opposite to what customers perceive they are receiving. A good question then to ask our customers would be, How do you know when we are doing a good job for you?

The answers we receive will probably be all over the lot. Maybe customers think we are doing a good job for them when we provide products and services at the lowest price, or that we are conveniently located, or that we have a friendly staff, or combinations of these and lots of other reasons.

Some years ago, a consulting firm conducted some of this research in the legal field. They questioned attorneys about why clients came to them.
At the top of the list, in the attorneys' views, were issues of competence and skill. Clients seek me out because I am good at what I do. At the bottom of the list were soft skills, people skills, and bedside manner issues.

When the consultants polled the attorneys clients, they were surprised to discover that clients chose to go to their attorneys for the opposite reasons. Good bedside manners, people skills, communication skills, compassion and concern were among the top reasons why clients selected
their attorneys and issues dealing with the attorney's competence and skill were at the bottom of the list.

If you know why your customers and clients are seeking you out, you can emphasize more of those reasons in your marketing efforts to attract
more clients. Give them what they want, not what you think they need!

Each of us is the president and sole stockholder of a major corporation,Me, Inc.. And, in the context of this discussion, your major customer is your boss. Your boss has a lot of control over your future raises and promotions. Why not ask the Boss Question, similar to what we would ask our customers and clients, Boss, how do you know when I am doing a good job for you?

It is easy and risky for us to assume what the answers might be. For example, you may assume your boss thinks you are doing a good job when you are innovative and creative, coming up with new ideas. The boss, however, may be threatened by all that and feel more comfortable when you do not rock the boat. You may assume that the boss is comfortable with your performance when there are no complaints (no news is good news). But the boss may measure your performance on the number of unsolicited compliments he receives from others about how well you are doing your job.

Some feel uncomfortable raising the Boss Question. The problem is, it is a question that will have to be addressed sooner or later. For many,it is addressed later, at an annual review when you discover that you did not get the raise or advancement you thought you were entitled to because for the last year you had been going down a path opposite to the boss desires. Productivity and success are stolen again from you, not because you were not working hard enough but because of a miscommunication that kept you from delivering what your customer really wanted.

I thinks it's a good ideas to ask the Boss Question several times throughout the year as the boss expectations can change and we need to always be moving forward together on the same wave-length.

2003-06-24T21:55:00.000-07:00

LETTING GO

Don Wetmore

The hardest part about delegation is simply letting go. We take great pride in doing the job ourselves. "If you want a job done right, do it yourself."

My wife and I have had this discussion throughout the years. When our four children were all at home, laundry was a big item for the six of us and Nancy would do it all, spending two to three hours per day. It was not as though she did not get satisfaction from a job well done, but often times she would complain that she did not have enough time to do other things.

My response would be to delegate. Let the kids do it. Her response would be, "By the time I show them how to do it, I could just as well have
done it myself". But that is a trap. "If you give a person a fish, they feed themselves for a day. If you teach a person how to fish, they feed
themselves for a lifetime."

Then she would say, "But they'll just mess it up, putting the red jeans in with the white underwear and the underwear will come out pink." My
response was, "So what?" That is the process we all have to go through in order to learn. Imagine a new rule in life that says no three-year old can make a peanut butter sandwich until they know how to make a peanut butter sandwich!

Remember the first time you, or your child, made a peanut butter sandwich? It was not exactly a gourmet, five star delight. But some of the three-year olds today will grow up to be five star chefs at major restaurants. They will have to mess up a lot of peanut butter sandwiches along the way to get there.

2003-06-16T05:11:00.000-07:00

Upanishads and Veda Saakaas

Upanishads are found in the concluding sections of the Veda Saakaas and hence are known as Vedanta or the end of the Vedas.
There are four Veda Samhitas (Rg, Yajur, Sama and Atharva). The Yajur Vedam has two Samhitas known as the Krishna and Sukla Yajur Vedas. Hence , One can say that there are 5 Veda Samhitas, if we take into account the 2 Samhitas of Yajur Veda. Each of the 4 Samhitas referred to above has several branches or Saakaas. Each Saaka has a Karma Khanda dealing with the actions to be performed and is made up of Mantras and Btrahmanaas. Latter deals with Upasana or meditation and has Aranyakas inside them for the benefit of those who have resorted to the quiet habitat of the forest to pursue their spiritual Quest.The Upanishads are found mostly in the Aranyaka section of the Vedas .

The traditional view is that Vysa Bhagavan has classified the four Vedas into 1180 Saakaas and each of these Saakaa is associated with an Upanishad. Hence , One anticipates 1180 Upanishads. According to this view, there must have been 21 Upanishads for the 21 Rg Saakaas, 109 for Yajurveda ,1000 for Sama Veda and 50 for the Atharva Veda. Most of these Saakaas have been lost with the passage of time and we are left with 108 Upanishads today. The breakdown among the 108 Upanishads according to the 5 Veda Samhitas are as follows:

1.Rg Veda : 10

2.Sama Veda :16

3.Atharva Veda: 31

4.Krishna Yajur Veda: 32

5.Sukla Yajur Veda: 19

The 10 Upanishads belonging to the Rg Veda are the following:

1. Aitareya* 2.Kaushitaki 3.Nadabindu 4.Atmabodha 5. Nirvana 6.Mudgala 7.Akshamala 8.Tripura 9.Saubhagyalakshmi and
10. Bahvrichi.

The 16 associated with the Sama Samhita are:

1.Kena* 2.Chhandogya* 3.Arunika 4. Maitrayani 5.Maitreyi 6.Vajrasuchi 7.Yogachudamani 8.Vasudeva 9.Mahat 10.Sanyasa 11.Avyakta 12. Kundika 13.Savitri 14.Rudrakshajabala15.Jabaladarsana and 16.Jabali

The 19 Upanishads belonging to Sukla Yajur Veda are:

1.Isavasya* 2.Brahadaranyaka* 3.Jabala 4. Hamsa 5.ParamaHamsa 6.Subala 7.Mantrika 8.Niralamba 9.Trisikhibrahmana 10.Mandalabrahmana 11. Advayataraka 12.Paingala 13.Bhikshuka 14. Turiyatita 15.Adhyatma 16.Yajnavalkya 17.Satyayani 18.Tarasara and 19.Muktika .

The 32 Upanishads belonging to the Krishna Yajur Veda Samhita are:

1.Katha* 2.Taittiriya* 3.Brahma 4.Kaivalya 5.Svetasvatara 6.Garbha 7.Narayana 8.Amritabindhu 9.Amritanada 10.Kalagnirudra 11.Kshurika 12. Sarvasara 13.Sukharahasya 14. Tejobindhu 15. Dhyanabindhu 16.Brahmavidya 17.Yogatattva 18.Dakshinamurti 19.Skanda 20.Sariraka 21.Yogasikha 22. Ekakshara 23. Akshi 24. Avadhuta 25. Katharudra 26.Rudrahrudhaya 27.Yogakundalini 28. Panchabrahma 29.Pranaagnihotra 30.Varaha 31. Kalisantaranaand 32.Sarasvatirahasya .

The 31 Upanishads belonging to the AtharvaSamhita are :

1. Prasna* 2.Mundaka* 3.Maandukya* 4.Atharvasira 5.Atharvasikha 6. Brahajjabala 7. Nrsimhatapini 8. Narada Parivrajaka 9.Sita
10.Sarabha 11.Tribadvibhutimahanarayana 12.Ramarahasya 13. Ramatapini 14.Sandilya 15.Paramahamsaparivrajaka
16. Annapurna 17.Surya 18.Atma 19. Pasupatabrahma 20.Parabrahma 21. Tripuratapini 22. Devi 23. Bhavana 24. Bhasmajabala 25. Ganapati 26.Mahavakhya 27. Gopalatapini 28.Krishna 29. Hayagriva 30.Dattatreya and 31. Garuda .

In the above list of 108, those marked with the Asterik (*) sign are the ten Major Upanishads commented on by Acharyas.

Besides the major Upanishads, there are 27 Upanishads known as Samaanya Upanishads, because they deal with teachings of general (Saamanya) interest to all . There are 14 Saiva Upanishads dealing with Siva ; 8 Sakta Upanishads dealing with Sakti or Devi ; 14 dealing primarily with Vishnu and hence known as Vaishnavopanishads ; 20 Yoga Upanishads dealing with different aspects of Yoga and 17 Sanyasa Upanishads dealing with the rules and different aspects of Sanyasa or Renunciation.

The 27 Saamnaya Upanishads are: Svetasvatara(KY), Garbha(KY), Maitrayani(S), Kaushitaki (R),Subala(SY), Mantrika(SY),Sarvasara(KY), Niralamba (SY), Sukarahasya(KY), Vajrasuchi(S), Atmabodha (R),Skanda(KY), Mudgala (R),Paingala(SY), Mahat(S), Sariraka(KY), Ekakshara( KY),Annapurna (A), Surya(A), Akshi (KY), Adhyatma(SY), Savitri(S), Atma(A), Pranaagnihotra(KY) and Muktika (SY). Thus 15 out of the 27 belong to the two Samhitas of Yajur Vedam.

The 14 Saiva Upanishads are : Kaivalya(KY), Atharvasira(A), Atharvasikha (A), Brahajjabala(A), Kaalagnirudra(KY) , Dakshinamurthi (KY), Sarabha (A),Akshamaala (R), Rudrahrudaya (S), Bhasmajabala(A) ,Rudrakshajabala(S), Ganapati(A) ,Panchabrahma(KY), Jabali (S).

The 8 Sakta Upanishads are: Sita (A), Tripuratapini Annapurna (A), Devi (A), Tripura (R) , Bhavana(A), Saubhagyalakshmi (R), Sarasvatirahasya(KY) nad Bahvrichi (R).

The Dominance of Rg Vedic connection indicates the ancient nature of Sakti Worship.

The 14 Vishnava Upanishads are: Narayana(KY), Nrsimhatapini (A),Tripadvibhutimahanarayana (A), Ramarahasya(A),
Ramatapini (A), Vasudeva(S), Avyakta(S), Tarasara(SY), Gopalatapini (A), Krishna(A), Hayagriva(A), Dattatreya (A),
Garuda (A) and Kalisantarana (KY) . It is interesting to see 9 out of 14 belong to the Atharva Samhita.

Yoga Upanishads and Sanyasa Upanishads constitute 37 of the 108.

The seventeen Sanyasa Upanishads among the 37 are:Brahma(KY), Jabala(SY), Arunika(S), Paramahamsa(SY), Maitreyi(S), Nirvana(R) , Narada Parivrajaka(A), Bhikshuka(SY), Turiyatita(SY),Sanyasa(S), Paramahamsaparivrajaka(A), Kundika(S),
Parabrahma(A), Avadhuta(KY), Katharudra(KY) ,Yajnavalkya(SY) and Satyayani (SY).

The remaining 20 belong to the Yoga Upanishads. Fifteen of these 20 Upanishads belong to the two Samhitas of the Yajur Vedam . Three belong to Atharva, two to Sama and one to Rg Veda Samhita. Yoga has been defined as Karmasu Kowsalam . One wonders about the dominance of Yajur Veda Samhita among the Yoga Upanishads.

2003-06-10T22:00:00.000-07:00

Shivaji

Internet
Biography of Shivaji
Shivaji

Author - H.V.Seshadri

Introduction

The hero who escaped from the prison of the Mughal Emperor himself, to become the ruler of a kingdom devoted to Dharma and the service of the people. As a boy he dedicated himself to Hindu Dharma. He matched cunning against cunning, courage against courage; he was one of the wisest rulers as he was one of the greatest generals.

Shivaji

A small boy is seated on the throne, of curse, on a small throne bound hand and the village Patel. He had dishonoured a helpless widow; it was he is duty to protect such persons. Indeed he was a wicked Patel. In his limitless pride he did not even think that a small boy would have the courage to hold an inquiry. Yet the young prince subjected this Patel, who proudly sported a thick moustache, to a proper judicial trial. It was clear that the Patel had done wrong.

In a stern and majestic tone the young prince announced the judgement: both the hands and the feet of the Patel were to be cut off. All present were stunned at the firm devotion of the prince to justice. Not only were they wondering struck but also pleased beyond measure. The townsfolk began to say to one another: Ah! Look! How devoted to justice our young prince is He is not in the least afraid of the wicked people. He metes out fit punishment to all that do wrong. He is kind and loving towards the poor, the downfallen and the wretched. He is ever determined to help them and to protect them. What is more, he regards all women as mothers. Surely when he grows up into manhood, not only will he save our land but also will uphold our Dharma. Therefor let us all stand by him.

Don’t you wish to know who this young prince was? He was none other than Shivaji. At the time of this incident he was just fourteen. His small kingdomcomprised the few small villages that skirted the township of Poona. His father was Shahaji who served as general under the Sultan of Bijapur. The father knew only too well the nature of his son. He felt joyous when he thought of the fearless lion-like disposition of his son, which would never let him, bow down to any foreigner. How the father became aware of this fearless nature of his son is itself and interesting story.

On a certain occasion Shahaji took his son to the court of the Sultan of Bijapur. Shivaji was then not even twelve years of age. Shahaji touched the ground thrice and saluted the Sultan. He asked his son to do the same thing. But…Shivaji only retreated a few steps. He stood erect with his head unbent. His dazzling eyes seemed to carry with them his determination that he would not bow down to a foreign ruler. He walked back from the court with a lion-like gait and bearing.

Till then no one had dared to behave in that manner at the court of the Sultan of Bijapur. All were wonder-struck at the boldness of the young boy.

Did such acts of the son enrage Shahaji? They did not. On the contrary he was mightily pleased at heart. He had not been fortunate enough to be an independent ruler. He sent his son to Poona, blessing him that at least he might become an independent ruler.

You may ask. How did Shivaji acquire all these noble virtues courage, heroism, love for the motherland and love of Dharma? Even when he was a little child his mother Jijabai used to tell him stories of heroes, of saints and sages who appear in the Ramayana, the Mahabharatha and the Puranas. As Shivaji listened to these tales of heroism and Dharmic deeds, he grew more and more eager to be like Rama or Krishna, Bheema or Arjuna. He was further blessed in that he had for his teacher and guides such a great man as Dadaji Kondadev was. He was also inspired by the memories of the glorious empire of the Vijayanagara Kings in Karnataka.

A FORTRESS OF FORTRESSES: FOR THE GODDESS OF INDEPENDENCE.

Shivaji was born in the fort of Shivneri in 1630. Strangely enough, his task of building up an independent kingdom too was to be accomplished with the help of forts only. Even at the young age of sixteen he captured one of the forts. It was the fort of Toranagadh. Torana! What a beautiful name, full of meaning and significance! It was as though he had woven anauspicious garland for independence. The saffron colored sacred banner, the Banner of the Lord, ‘Bhagavajhenda’, fluttered on the fort. Shivaji ordered his soldiers to strengthen the fort, this first fort that was to lead to independence. When the ground was being dug in the fort, the diggers saw hidden treasures. Was that the first gift of the goddess of Fortune to the Goddess of Independence? Strangely, the poor diggers who came by so much wealth were not in the least move by thoughts of greed. The carried the entire treasure to Shivaji handed it over to him. They knew it was wealth granted for the struggle for independence. It belonged to the lord and they were not to touch it.

After Toranagadh Shivaji began to capture one fort after another. The news that Shivaji was capturing forts reached the Sultan of Bijapur. In order to crush Shivaji the Sultan hit upon a treacherous plan. He got Shahaji captured by deceitful means; then Shahaji was brought to the Sultan’s presence and was thrown into prison. A rumor spread that Shahaji would be tortured and executed. This news was like a thunderbolt to Shivaji who was rejoicing in the birth of an era of independence. His other Jijabai was heart-broken. She felt as if the God of Death himself was about t snatch her sacred ‘mangalya’ (The symbol of a life-long partnership with the husband). On the heels of this news came tow other bits of frightening news: one, that Fateh Khan, the valiant Sardar of Bijapur, was proceeding against Shivaji with a large army; another, that Farrad Khan yet another valiant general was attacking Sambhaji, the elder brother of Shivaji, It was clear the Sultan was posing these threats only to see that Shivaji gave up fighting and surrendered to him. If he did notsurrender, if he continued to fight, his father’s life would be in danger. Shivaji was worried, not knowing what he should do. At this juncture his fourteen year-old wife, Sayibai, said to him; “why do you worry yourself over this? See that your father is freed. See to it also that you retain this state of independence. Destroy your enemies.” She was a worthy wife of hero like Shivaji, wasn’t she?

Shivaji came to a decision.Thecommander of Purandaragadh was in the employ of the Sultan of Bijapur; Shivaji won his heart with soft-spoken, friendly words. He stationed a small army there. The soldiers of Shivaji fought against Fateh Khan who attacked the fort. This was the first test of the battle for independence. So valiant were the men of Shivaji that Fateh Khan had to retreat and run away. Elsewhere Sambhaji to broke the back of the attack of Farrad Khan.

All this was victory. But how was he to save his father? Shivaji was deeply trouble by this thought. Suddenly, like a flash of lightning, a plan occurred to him. His intellect was as sharp as his arms were supple. Shahjehan was the Emperor in Delhi at that time. So he wrote to Emperor: “My father is kept captive by the Sultan of Bijapur. As soon as he is released my father and I will willingly serve you. We are very eager”. The Sultan of Bijapur came to know of this. He knew well that theEmperor of Delhi was waiting for an opportunity to attack him. He feared what would happen to him if the Emperor decided to attack him. So with all due honor the released Shahaji. With his valor and his diplomacy, Shivaji thus overcame the first great danger to freedom Shivaji was twenty-eight. By then Kondana, Purandara, Kalyan, Raigadh and other forts numbering forty flows the flag of freedom. It was also at this time that on the West Coast the English, the Portuguese and other foreigners set foot. Shivaji was apprehensive that some day these foreign armies might occupy the whole land. Intent on containing them he began building fortresses by the sea. He began to equip himself with warships and trained the navy. Shivaji was the first among those who in their farsighted vision saw the lurking dangers of foreign domination, and acted to check such aggression.

The Terror Of The Enemies

Sultan Adilshah saw how Shivaji’s dream of Swaraj would come true, and felt both anxious and helpless. Every day he received news of some fort or the other falling into Shivaji’s hands! The Sultan had a foster mother, by name Uliya Begum. She hated Shivaji like poison. One day she herself held a Durbar. The far-famed heroes of Bijapur all attended it. At that Durbar Uliya Begum threw out the challenge to all resent: “if there is one amongst you who can capture and bring Shivaji captive here, let him accept this token gift of ‘pan’.” So saying she held out the silver platter in which was place the ceremonial ‘pan’ and betel-nut offering. A sever-foot tall robust general stood up and accepted the gift. The general was Afzal Khan. He was a Pathan general who was as brave as he was cruel and deceitful. The Sultan sent a strong force of 25,000 soldiers to help him.

Afzal Khan first proceeded to destroy Bhavani of Tuljapur, the family deity worshipped by Shivaji. His axe broke the idol of the Goddess Bhavani of Tuljapur to pieces. The Khan desecrated this idol and another in Pandharput. Shivaji was being informed of all these happenings daily. The Khan knew that as long as Shivaji was safely behind his fortresses and was in the jungle areas, it was difficult to defeat him. He hopped that Shivaji would come into the open plains and offer battle if he indulged in such desecration of temple, slaughter of cows and the molestation of women. Then it would be easier for him to defeat Shivaji.
Shivaji was not slow to understand this scheme; he knew that the Khan would overpower him if the came down from the forts and offered battle. So he made up his mind to proceed to the new fort of Pratapagadh which he had built in the forest of Javali. He then planed to attract the Khan to this place and fight him there. Just at this time he had a dream’ in this dream Goddess Bhavani appeared to them and blessed him saying that he would be victorious.

Afzal Khan wanted to make Shivaji come down from the fort of Pratapagadh and meet him on the plains. Towards this end he sent a representative of his with secret instructions. He met Shivaji and politely informed him that Afzal Khan was a great of his father and that he did not intend any harm and Shivaji should come down to meet him. In reply, Shivaji sent a flattering letter through his own representative. He wrote, ‘You are like an uncle to me. You must forgive all my crimes. You should come to Pratapagadh and uplift me and take me to the Sultan of Bijapur.” The humble and pleading tone of Shivaji’s letter deceived the Khan. And the representative sent by Shivaji praised the courage of the Khan and made fun of Shivaji’s cowardice. So the Khan was very much pleased.

The Khan arrived at the forest of Javali with all his forces. He stationed himself right at the foot of Pratapagadh. It was decided that Shivaji and Afzal Khan should meet as friends. It was also agreed that as Shivaji was a little terrified, Afzal Khan alone should meet Shivaji and the body guards of both should remain at some distance.

It was the night before this meeting. Who could sleep on such a night? Netaji, Tanaji, Kanoji and other trusted lieutenants of Shivaji came down from the fort and with their battalions, hid in the forest; they stood ready for action. They had been instructed that they should fall upon the enemy ranks and destroy them the moment they heard the booming cannon on the fort. The day dawned. As usual Shivaji bathed, and worshipped Lord Shiva. He put on a metallic helmet to protect the head and a metallic cost to protect he chest. In the scabbard at his waist were the dagger ‘Bhavani’ and a sharp knife. Meditating on Goddess Bhavani he went down from the fort, to meet Afzal Khan. They were to meet halfway down the hill; the place was hidden from view from the came of Afzal Khan. In the shamiana the Khan waited for Shivaji. He rose as soon as he saw Shivaji. Their eyes met for short while. Pretending to offer him the customary embrace of friendship, the Khan invited Shivaji. He stretched both his powerful and long arms in an act of embrace. It seemed as though it was an embrace of death itself. But whose embrace of death itself. But whose death? Shivaji too came forward and embraced him. At once the Khan drew out his sharp knife and biting his lips in anger thrust it into the side of Shivaji. Shivaji’s steel vesttore with a grating noise, Quickly Shivaji released himself from the hold of the Khan and dragging out his own sharp knife thrust it deep into the entrails of the Khan. The Khan tried to run away. But Shivaji flung his sword at him and at one stroke the head of the khan fell down severed. Shivaji stuck the severed head of the Khan on his sword and ran up the fort. Simultaneously the cannon also boomed as if it would cut open the skies. The Khan’s soldiers were rejoicing, forgetful of the situation in the thought that the Khan would have caught Shivaji. Suddenly the soldiers of ‘Shivaji pounched upon them like leopards. Godess Tulaja Bhavani was now fully avenged. The Khan’s forces were completely destroyed. Shivaji was all-victorious. He sent Jijabai a gift. Can you guess what gift was? The head of Afzal Khan! Shivaji fame as the slayer of Afzal Khan spread everywhere in our own country and abroad.

A dark and dismal gloom descended on the Sultan of Bijapur. But Shivaji did not grow careless in the joy of victory. Taking advantages of this temp of victory he proceeded to other places and annexed quite a few forts of the Sultan of Bijapur. The Sultan of Bijapur again chose another general and sent him to attack Shivaji with a force seventy thousand strong. The general, Siddi Jauhar, tried hard to capture Shivaji who was then in Panhalgadh. Even the English came to his assistance with their artillery. The attack gathered more and more strength. Shivaji hoped that the attack would lose its force and strength as soon as the monsoon set in. But in this Shivaji was disappointed. At the same time, in answer to a request from theSultan of Bijapur, the Badshah of Delhi sent his uncle Shaista Khan with an army, ahundred thousand strong, to attack Shivaji. All thought that the hopes of Swaraj and the survival were completely blotted out. During this period of great danger Shivaji’s mother Jijabai took charge of the administration in the place of her son and managed the affairs ably. In the meanwhile Shivaji came to the decision that he should few himself from this encirclements. But how? For Siddi Jauhar guarded the fort from below. Shivaji thought of the less dangerous mode of escape. He sent to Siddi Jauhar through his envoy a letter offering to surrender. He had appealed earnestly that he would surrender unconditionally the next day and that he should be given pardon. The moment news of this surrender reached thesoldiers of Jauhar they spent the whole night in great merriment. They hardly knew that such letters from Shivaji were sweet only to deceive. It was night of pouring rain, and terrible thunder and lightning. Just at that moment Shivaji and 800 of his men got down the fort and proceeded stealthily towards Vishagadh. The soldiers posted to watch the enemies were no doubt in their tents, by they were lost in merriment thinking of the surrender of Shivaji. Even the slightest suspicion would have resulted in utter destruction. Hence Shivaji’s men were anxious at every step. But Bhavani’s blessings wee with this small battalion. They were able to Escape unnoticed.

The group of Mavali soldiers carrying Shivaji in a palanquin ran faster and faster. As they ran the whole area was lit up with a large streak of lightning. One of the spies of Siddi Jauhar noticed the party and he ran to inform Siddi Jauhar of this escape. On hearing this Jauhar was thunder-struck. Still he did not lose heart. He sent for his son-in-law Siddi Masood. He was entrusted with the cavalry and was sent in hot pursuit of Shivaji. Shivaji too felt that it would be difficult to escape from this case. But once again he thought of plan. He sat in another palanquin and traveled in a different direction. There was a man in the army who was like Shivaji. These man put on the clothes of Shivaji and sat in the first Shivaji’s soldiers, captured him and proceeded to Siddi Jauhar. But when the captive was questioned it was found that he was a ‘Shivaji’ by name and was just a barber of Panhalgadh! All were put to shame. So, Siddi Masood again took up the chase. By that time Shivaji and his soldiers had already covered twenty-five miles and were now near the valley of Gajapur. Vishalgadh was a few miles from there. Five thousands soldiers of Masood raced towards the group. Shivaji had a brave lieutenant, a man strong like Bheema. He was Baji Prabhu Deshpande. He asked Shivaji to proceed to Vishalgadh taking half the force with him. With the remaining half he was their face the mighty battle on of Siddi Masood. It was a sight to see Baji Prabhu wielding two swords in both his hands.

In that narrow valley Baji Prabhu began cutting down the Pathan soldiers who rolled in again and again like waves. In the battle he too was wounded all over the body and blood was flowing out. In spite of this he gave battle till the evening. Many of his soldiers too fell in this battle. Finally Baji Prabhu fell a victim to an enemy’s sword that severely wounded him. At the same time Shivaji had overpowered the soldiers who were attacking Vishalgadh, and climbing up the fort let the cannon resound in Victory. As Bajji Prabhu lay dying, he heard this sound. He died in peace, happy that his efforts for his master had not been in vain. The valley was made scatted by the blood of this martyr. From hence this valley came to be known as Pavan Khindi or the Sacred Valley.

The news that Shivaji escaped from Panhalgadh and reached his capital fell on the ears of the Sultan of Bijapur. He felt like one who was struck by a thousand thunderbolts at once. He could not summon again the courage to attack Shivaji. But Shivaji had the other danger from Shaista Khan to attend to. How was he to free himself from this? For this Shivaji chose the month sacred to the Muslims when they observe Ramzan. It was a time when the community would fast all day and then eat sumptuously and be fast asleep at night. The day also was the anniversary of the coronation of Aurangzeb. Need it be said that on that day there would be all the revelry and merriment of a great feast? On that day Shivaji came down from Raigadh with an army of two thousand soldiers. He stationed himself at a distance of some two miles from Poona. Shaista Khan was then camping in the Lal Mahal at Poona, Where Shivaji had been brought up as a boy. In and around Poona a hundred thousand soldiers of the Moghul Emperor were stationed.
A childhood friend of Shivaji by name Babaji moved towards the Moghul camp with a small force of soldiers. Behind him proceeded Shivaji with another small troop. Babaji entered the city, chatting and shouting. The sentries stopped him and his men. But without a moment’s hesitation, Babaji said, “We too, are the Khan’s men-, we just went out to keep watch and are now coming back.” He and his men disregarded the sentries and quietly entered the city. Shivaji’s soldiers followed them. Shivaji went directly towards the gates at the rear of the Lal Mahal. From there he went to the Kitchen and cut down all who were there. From there he proceeded to the place where Shaista Khan was sleeping. He had to pull down a small wall that obstructed his entry. A servant heard the wall collapse and went to inform the Khan of what was happening. But the Khan was so sleepy ‘ that he drove the servant away saying that it must be some rat in the kitchen.

Shivaji and his men rushed in. By that time the entire Lal Mahal was never be rating with shouts which announced that the enemy had broken in. The wives of Shaista Khan hid him behind a curtain. Shivaji burst in and flung his sword. Three fingers of the Khan, one as it were for the three syllables of the name of Shivaji, were chopped off by this throw. The Khan jumped down from the window. By then the Moghul army had surrounded the Lal Mahal.In this utter confusion Shivaji and his men shouted, “Catch the enemy, cut him into piece ‘ s!” They opened the doors of the Lal Mahal and went away. They’ escaped and raced to Simhaoadh on the horses that were waiting for them in readiness, This incident convinced Shivaji’s enemies that he was not just a mountain rat’ but some sort of a fiend or demon, of superhuman powers.Aurangzeb was put to unbearable shame and even transferred Shaista Khan to Ben gal as a punishment.

To build up such a vast kingdom independently and to rule it with an army and a navy, Shivaji needed lots of money. Where could he hope to obtain so much wealth for the purpose? He decided to extract this money from Aurangzeb himself who was enjoying the wealth of this country. In those days Surat was known to be almost the city of Kubera, the God of Wealth. So he attacked Surat on one occasion and then emptied the city of its great wealth.

In The Clutches Of The Moghul Emperor

This was the limit of Aurangzeb’s patience and he was in a great fit of rage. But he checked himself from leading an army against Shivaji. He had known well how sharp the tearing nails of this $mountain rat’ were. So he thought of a plan. He decided that he should send a ‘Lion’ to overpower this lion. He chose for task the King, Raja Jayasimha. (Incidentally, ‘Simha’ means a lion.) Jayasimha was a great warrior and a hero. He was also a clever general. What a shame that a man like him should he be subservient to a foreigner who was ruling the land! Jayasimha proceeded south with his large army. He won over the Sultan of Bijapur to his side. The battle against Shivaji began. All of a sudden Shivaji wrote a letter to Jayasimha informing him that he would agree to a friendly compromise. What was more, he met Jayasimha and told him that he would remain loyal to the Badshah at Delhi. Shivaji was a lion that had grown up independently in the mountain ranges of Sahyadri. How then did he all of a sudden agree to bow down to the Badshah? All were baffled. Many thought -that there lay behind this some secret plan. It ispossible that Shivaji had planned to go to Delhi on the pretext of serving the Badshah as a dependent and then to put an end to the life of Aurangzeb in a direct encounter. This was perhaps a venture of greater heroism and sharper strategy than ever before in his life. Accordingly, Shivaji proceeded to meet the Emperor, Aurangzeb. His son Sambhaji also accompanied him. At home, in the land of freedom, all were filled with great anxiety. As the proceeded, the Hindu community welcomed him and With great respect Dowed down to him. Shivaji reached Agra in order to meet Aurangzeb. The latter too was equally tactful. He never let Shivaji approach him. He bid him stay at a distance in the court. This ‘was a great disappointment to Shivaji’s hopes. Aurangzeb also acted in a manner ‘ that insulted Shivaji. Aurangzeb did not , keep the promise that he would treat him with respect. Naturally Shivaji was greatly enraged. Ignoring Aurangzeb he left the court.
Shivaji was now in great danger. For Aurangzeb was not such a fool as to let an enemy who had come within his reach escape easily. He ordered Shivaji to be imprisoned and to be executed also.

In spite of the gravity of the situation Shivaji did not lose heart. At this critical hour his intellect and his courage shone more brightly. Suddenly Shivaji ‘took ill.’ He soon grew worse’. Shivaji begged of Aurangzeb that his Maratha soldiers might be allowed to return. Aurangzeb felt relieved ‘and permitted them to go. Shivaji began distributing sweets to the Fakirs, mendicants and ascetics of the town hoping that his ill ness may be cured. He began sending gifts ‘also to the wealthy in the town. Aurangzeb permitted all these. Even, such a very clever man as Aurangzeb had no doubts. No Vaidya or Hakim could improve Shivaji’s ‘condition’. The day of Shivaji’s execution had been fixed. On the previous day * Shivaji’s ‘illness’ grew very serious, and he lost ‘consciousness’.
As usual the baskets that would carry the sweets were brought in. Shivaji who was lying on his ‘sickbed’ suddenly jumped into one of the baskets and so did his son Sambhaji. Immediately the servants put on the lids and carried the baskets away.
The sentries who had been examining the baskets were convinced by long custom that they contained nothing but sweets. Even on that day the chief of the sentries, Polad Khan, examined a few of the baskets. They contained merely sweets. Luckily the Khan did not chance upon the baskets in which Shivaji and Sambhaji were hidden. That was by the grace of Goddess Bhavani, coupled with the forgetfulness of the Khan. He must have meant ‘Let him live’ when he said, ‘Let the baskets go.’
Inside the prison where Shivaji had been lying a little while before, a friend of Shivaji by name Hiroji lay down. He put on the royal ring, which Shivaji had given him. He lay down, with his hand, which showed this ring thrust out. The rest of the body had been covered with the blanket. Madari, an innocent looking lad, was massaging the limbs. Polad Khan used to peep in now’. and again just to find out how’ “. Shivaji fared. T W day came to a close and it was nightfall. The ‘Shivaji’ who was lying there all the time got up_ He made up the blankets and the pillows to look like a man on the couch. Putting on his usual clothes, he came out and announced to thesentries that the condition of Shivaji was very serious and that it was a matter of a few hours for Shivaji. He said he- was going to bring some medicine. So saying he went out. Madari too quietly followed him. Both went away never to return. Inside, on the couch, lay the huddled imitation of Shivaji. Outside the prison the sentries stood with swords drawn.

The day dawned. That was the day appointed for the execution of Shivaji. Polad Khan came in. There was a strange silence. He grew suspicious. As he stepped in the saw ‘Shivaji’ asleep. For a moment this sight put some comfort into his heart. But there was no movement. Thinking that Shivaji, might have died the Khan came near and pulled back the blanket. He was shocked to see just the bare bed and the pillows! Shivaji had disappeared. You can imagine the feelings of Polad Khan, and more important still, of Aurangzeb. They must have felt the agony of being stung at once by a thousand scorpions. Aurangzeb at once ordered his army to capture Shivaji and the army set out in all directions.

By this time Shivaji and Sambhaji had already mounted the horses that were kept in readiness for them and proceeded south. They dashed away at great speed. On the way they were sheltered comfortably in the Maths established by Swami Samarth Ramdas.

Like a holy man in the robes of a ‘sanyasi’, Shivaji finally reached Raigadh. For a while even his mother Jijabai could not recognize her son. But when she understood who it- was, what a shock of recognition! Who can describe the ecstasy, at such a moment, of a mother who had born such a noble son?

When the news of Shivaji’s escape from Agra reached the ears of his enemies in the south, they were all speechless and helpless. Not just that Shivaji’s fame spread all over India. Shivaji had thrown dust into the eyes of the greatest schemer and politician like Aurangzeb and had escaped from the latter’s capital where all the twenty-four hours of the day sentries stood with drawn swords. He had evaded the gaze of the Moghul soldiery for a distance of a thousand miles. The world had never before heard of such daring and cleverness.

Shivaii The Emperor -The Protector Of The Land And Its Dharma

Shivaji established an independent empire that was a source of inspiration to all the Hindus. Yet he had not been crowned in accordance with the rites of the Shastras. Many, therefore, did not feel that he was truly the - King. So a great pundit from Kashi came down south to remedy this shortcoming in the life of Shivaji. This great pundit, Gagabhatta, crowned Shivaji King by name, in accordance with the rites of the Shastras. This great event took place in 1674. Shivaji was then 44 years of age. The towering fort of Raigadh became the capital. After touching his mother’s feet and obtaining her blessings, Shivaji sat on a golden throne on the fort. Gagabhatta held over his head the golden umbrella, The symbol of Kingship, and proclaimed that Shivaji had become the Chatrapati. Women offered ‘arati’. Sages and saints blessed him. The people assembled shouted in great joy “Victory to Shivaji Maharaj!” The cannons over the forts resounded. The Sultan of Bijapur and the English acknowledged Shivaji as an independent King and sent him gifts. Samarth Ramdas sang in praise of this great event: “The land and its Dharma have been uplifted. A kingdom of bliss has arisen.

Shivaji did not just content himself with establishing an independent kingdom by defeating his enemies. He also undertook reforms to make his people happy and contented. To him the people were the gods and he would let no one harm them. His soldiers had to go far to defeat the enemies. To these soldiers he had laid down a firm rule: “No harm should come to the people whom you meet on the way. Their standing crops should not be touched.” Shivaji would always mete out severe punishment to those who disobeyed his orders. Shivaji was all affection for the poor farmers of villages. They were all, at that time, groaning under the injustice of wealthy Zamindars. Shivaji took over the land of such Zamindars and distributed them among the tillers of the soil.

Untouchability too was rampant, among the Hindus at that time as it is today. Society had branded some amongst its own members untouchables and had kept them at, a distance from the others. Shivaji loved them also. He invited them to join his army and promoted them, to high positions and offices in it. They too served Shivaji and looked up to him with great devotion. They struggled hard for the establishment of Swaraj. Many of them gave up their lives too fighting. Shivaji set an example to all Hindus that they belonging to the same faith should not hate one another.

Shivaji was also greatly interested in the education of the people. Sanskrit language had lost its glorious position. Everywhere Persian was being held up to esteem. Shivaji saw to it that Sanskrit words were substituted for Persian words.

Sometimes, Hindus who had been forced to become Muslims wished to go back. But the Hindus refused to take back such converts. Shivaji felt that this- was not right. So he reconverted all those who wished to return to their old faith. He also cast aside the foolish belief that it was sinful to undertake a journey on the seas. He undertook expeditions on the sea and established forts.
Shivaji was very angry with people who were corrupt or who worked against their
country. He hated those who betrayed the land. He would have punished even his own son if the son had turned against his country. Shivaji was an embodiment of justice. He never showed any special favors to his relatives. He always encouraged those who were virtuous and meritorious. This enabled those who were virtuous to progress and occupy high places. There was no scope for selfish contrivers in his kingdom. In this manner Shivaji revolutionized every department. of life.
This is the thrilling tale of how Shivaji won Swaraj. As we read it don’t we feel that we too should follow the example of Shivaji? Why is this so? It is because Shivaji underwent all hardships for the sake of his country, for the sake of its Dharma. He did not care for his own life and quite often entered the very jaws of death. Till his last breath he lived for his country and for the Dharma of the Hindus. It is nearly three hundred years since he died but the memory of this great man lights up the torch of inspiration.

2003-06-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

5 BEST TIME MANAGEMENT HABITS EXECUTIVES SHOULD PRACTICE

Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

For the last eighteen years, I have traveled all around sharing my Time Management and Personal Productivity principles in seminars, keynotes, and through executive coaching. There are dozens of things we all ought to do to enhance our daily success and I have included what I think are five of the more important habits. I find that most people know what it is they should be doing. A reminder list such as this may help us to better accomplish those good intentions.

1. USE THE 20/80 RULE. 20% of an effort generally accomplishes 80% of the result. To achieve an additional 20% of the result, it will take an additional 80% of the effort. We cannot create any more time, but we can leverage our time by focusing on those
things that give us "the biggest bang for the buck". Avoid getting bogged down in "majoring in minors". Direct your attention to 20% of your customers/clients who will give you 80% of your success. Give special attention to that group of 20% of the people you deal with who have the potential for delivering 80% of what you need.

2. NETWORK YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS. Identify and target those who you need to get to know. This is not an exploitive technique of "bleeding them for all they are worth". In fact, it works just the opposite. Help these people with what they need first. "To
have a friend, be a friend." "What goes around, comes around". If you give freely to them first, they will give to you what you need and want.

3. GET A GOPHER. We all have 10-20 hours per week of minutia, like getting the car gassed up, running errands, mowing the lawn, etc. It's all stuff that makes our lives work. There's nothing wrong with doing it ourselves, but if you are saying, "I don't have enough time to do the things that really count", and you are spending 10-20 hours per week on the routine items, you have a choice. Hire a high school or college kid, a "Gopher", who will "go for this and go for that", then re-allocate those hours to tasks that will enhance your career success.

4. WORK WITH A CLEAN WORK ENVIRONMENT. "Out of sight, out of mind." The reverse of that is true, too, "When it's in sight, it's in mind" and we cannot help but be distracted and drawn to the "quick" and "fun" things while the important career enhancing tasks are left undone. By working with a clean desk and work environment, not only do you allow yourself to be more focused, but you also model an important work skill that others around you will tend to follow, helping them to get more focused.

5. RADIATE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. "Fish rots from the head on down." If you display a negative attitude, if you are angry,
frustrated, anxious, overwhelmed, etc., you will send out that message and negatively infect those around you. If those who support you in your quest for career success do not have a positive attitude, your progress will be impeded.

2003-06-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

5 TIME MANAGEMENT ERRORS EXECUTIVES SHOULD AVOID

Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

Executives experience the "Time Management Crunch" as often, if not more often, than others in the workplace. In my eighteen years of conducting Time Management Seminars and individual executive coaching, I created this list of the "5 Time Management Errors Executives Should Avoid", a handy quick reference of what "not" to do. As I have shared this list with executives throughout the world, many have told me that they already knew them but for the most part, were not practicing some or all of what they knew. "Knowing and not doing is no better than not knowing."

If you would like to decrease your chances of career success,practice the following:

1. DON'T DELEGATE. "This is too important. Better let me do it.""By the time I show them how to do it, I could just as quickly get it done myself." Some have this misconception about their indispensability. The graveyards are filled with indispensable
people. If you are truly the only one who can do it, then how do you advance beyond where you are now? And taking the time to show
someone how to do something may well be more costly than what it would take for you to do it. But, if done correctly, it will pay
repetitive dividends.

2. DON'T SPEND YOUR TIME ON INDEPENDANT READING. The rules just a few years ago were, "learn a profession, and acquire the skills to do it, then use that throughout your career. Today, the rule is, "if you (and I) continue to do what we do, the way we have always done it, then, within the next five years, we will be obsolete. The world is changing rapidly. There is no more standing on the knowledge of the past. We have to take time currently and on a regular basis to stay ahead of the flood of ideas and information. There is no more standing still.

3. TAKE THE SHORT TERM VIEW. Do what makes you look good now, for this week or this quarter's results. Ignore the impact of your current actions and decisions on the long-term potential. Every action and every decision we take is like a stone thrown in the pond. The impact creates two results, the immediate splash and the ripple effects that reach all the shores. Be always conscious of the long-term effect caused by the actions and decisions that you are making or are failing to make.

4. GET OUT OF BALANCE. Our lives are made up of Seven Vital Areas. They include health, family, financial, intellectual,
social, professional, and spiritual areas. Like a seven-legged table, if one leg is too long, it causes the entire table to wobble. As we advance in our careers, it is easy to get out of balance, then divorce, health problems, and an empty lack of internal satisfaction rob us of the achievements we have made.

5. DON'T BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS. More than a "touchy-feely" good deed, better than 50% of one's success in life is dependent upon the good cooperation of other people. If you don't have the good cooperation of other people, you can reach a level of success, for sure. But you will never know what you did not have. You will never know of the networking opportunities, the social
opportunities, and the business opportunities that were never shared with you, not because you should not have received them, but because those who might have shared them with you did not have a level of positive feeling toward you to go out of their way and give them to you.

2003-05-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

STUFF

Without some pre-determined plan in your day, it is easy to fall victim to your enemy: STUFF. "Stuff" is that bottomless bucket of demands and responsibilities that we can never complete.

Upon arrival at work, the phone rings. So what do we do? We answer it! We have to. Then someone comes to us with a request or a concern. The mail arrives. There is a memo someone just dropped off. Oh, here is the boss. Drop everything; emergency meeting. Now it is lunchtime. What do we do? We eat. If we do not eat, we starve. All throughout our day. Woops! We did not get some important items done today because we got caught up in "stuff".

Plan your next day the night before. It will help you to better focus on and accomplish the more important items.

2003-05-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

Varnam

A varnam is a composition that is performed at the commencement of a concert. It is an elaborate melody, replete with emotion. The lyrics of a varnam are comparatively simple and may relate to devotion or to divine love. A varnam could even be in praise of a patron. It requires great skill, technical capacity and creative faculty of a high order to compose varnam-s. Hence, there are very few composers of varnam-s.

The constituent anga-s (parts) of a varnam are, in order, pallavi, anupallavi, mukthayiswaram, charanam and charanaswaram. A composition that relies mainly on its musicality is a kriti and one that relies mainly on its poetic content is a keertana. A keertana is verbose and directly invokes the spiritual emotion using its prose.

A varnam can be thought of a beginning keerthana except with 5 or 6 particular swaram patterns in a ragam to orient you with that
particular ragam. For instance, take the abogi varnam, evvari bodhana, that song has all three parts yes, but after the pallavi, there is a swara pattern that begins with "RGMG,MRGSRGS" and after "maruba" theres 5 swara pattenrs.This helps students learn the ragam well and orient them with the swarasthanam. Concerts always begin with a varnam, usually its an adhi tala one because thats
the easiest and it is considered a "warm up". . a keerthanas do not necessarily have these swaram patterns to follow, isntead of those you can do niravel (the traversal of one line in different swaram patterns), kalpana swarams or even raga alapana. Thats the difference.

Singing TISRAM in varnam is a simple way of mastering thala-kattu and it is a forgotten practise everywhere in concerts and for abhyasa ganam !! The best approach towards the singing of tisram is putting thakita tha- ki- ta for each count or akshara of that thalam..One practise is to write the notation in groups of 3 syallables and sing and practise..

When one begins to learn a varnam the format of singing 4 kaalams is necessarily learnt to prefect their ability in developing kaala
pramaanam!

2003-05-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

Doing the Wrong Things

There is a passage in Alice in Wonderland where Alice reaches a fork in the road. She is unfamiliar with the territory and a big, smiling Cheshire cat is nearby. She asks the cat, "Which road do I take?" and the cat inquires, "Where do you want to go?" Alice says, "I don't know" and the Cat replies, "Then take either road."

See, if you don't know where you are going you never know when you get there.

Good time management is not doing the wrong things quicker. It's doing the right things in the first place.

Decide where you want to end up on the last day of your life in each of your Seven Vital Areas: health, family, financial, intellectual, social, professional, and spiritual. Then work backwards and determine what you have to do each year, month, week and day to get to where you want to arrive at the end of your life.

When you know where you're going and what you have to do each day to get you there, you'll automatically become a better time manager.

2003-05-26T23:02:00.000-07:00

Sri Chakra

Given below are some brief description of Sri Chakra (Reference: “The Tantra of Sri-Chakra- Bhavanopanishat by Vidyalankara Prof: S.K.Ramachandra Rao, Published by Sharada Prakashana, Banglaore-53)

The Sanskrit expression ‘chakra’ usually means a ‘wheel’. The etymology of the word would suggest ‘that by which anything is done (kriyate aneana). The wheel of the cart, the wheel of the potter, the wheel-like weapon that is flung against the enemy are all called ‘chakras’. In its extended meaning, chakra also signifies a kingdom and because the wheels of the King’s chariot can roll on there without hindrance. The King of the land is thus described as ‘chakra-vartin’. The word also signifies arrangement of the army (charka vyuha) in order to fortify its position and secure victory. Sanskrit poets are found to employ characteristically circular patterns of letter of words (chakra bhandha) to convey the meaning more forcefully (if also more tortuously) than usual. Whatever the sense in which the word is employed, it invariably means a ‘power field’, an arrangement of parts so as to accomplish the desired end. The circular form which the chakra usually brings to mind denotes both comprehension and facility. It comprehends all the parts, units and details in a compact and effective manner, so that the whole form is unitary and functional.

But the form need not necessarily be circular. The idea of comprehension may be metaphorical, as in expressions like ‘rtu-chakra’ (the round of the seasons) ‘nakshatra chakra’ (the collection of stars) and ‘nadi chakra’ (the arrangement of the arteries).

The three words, Chakra, Mandala and Yantra are in fact synonymous. But in popular imagination, each connotes a characteristic feature that distinguishes it from others. For instance, Chakra suggests a circular form, while the ‘mandala’ may be figure of any shape (usually square). While both chakra and mandala are usually linear representation, Yantra a three dimensional model. It must be noted that there is also a three dimentional model of Sri-chakra, called ‘meru’. Whatever it is called, the instrument is a sphere of influence, a consecrated ground, an arena for the play of thoughts, feelings and forces both inside and devotee and outside him. It is an instrument that is employed to activate energies, stimulate thoughts, harmonize feelings and co-ordinate inner and outer forces.

The significance of the prefix ‘Sri’ in the expression ‘Sri-chakra’ denotes that the instrument employed is ‘auspicious, beneficent, salutary, conducive to prosperity. ‘Sri’ is the name of mother goddess who rules over the universe (tvam sristvam iswari). She is so called because all living beings depend upon her for being, for happiness, for the fulfillment of their destiny. The conception and employment of ‘Sri chakra’ are relevant only in the framework of an esoteric discipline, known as ‘Sri Vidya’, which is variously interpreted as ‘the vidya of the nature of Sri’ (the ultimate benefit, viz: ‘mukti’), the ‘vidya that yields ‘sri’ (prosperity) ,the vidya of ‘sri’, the vidya and sri, in the sense of path and goal. The tantrik texts speak of ten ‘vidya’ or cultic goddesses whose worship is commended for health, happiness, wealth and welfare here and liberation from phenomenal bondage hereafter. The ten divinities are classified to 1.the extra-ordinary ‘vidyas’ (maha-vidyas), Kali and Tara 2.the ordinary ‘vidyas’, Shodasi (or Tripura), Bhuvaneswari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta and Dhumavati and 3. ‘Adept vidyas’ (siddha vidyas), Matangi, kamala and Bhagalamukhi.

The extra-ordinary vidyas presuppose on the part of the devotee great rigor, austerity, persistence and detachment. The practice is filled with grave risks. The ‘adept vidyas are likewise to be propitiated by the would-be adepts and therefore involve rituals of a kind that the common man would find extremely arduous and hazardous. The ‘ordinary vidyas’ are suitable for ordinary aspirants and they are safe. Each of these vidyas has a characteristic form and particular ‘dhyana, mantra, kavacha and other details of tantrik ritual.

The Structure of Sri-Chakra: There is a two-fold way of looking at the ‘yantra’. If we start from the uter-most enclosure (avarana), which is in the form of a square (called ‘bhupura’) and move inward until the dimensionless point (bindu) is reached, the movement suggests progressive implication and contracting of the dimensions leading finally to dissolution in the point. It is described as the way of enfoldment (samhriti). If, on the other hand, we begin with the central dimensionless point (bindu) and move outward until the all-enclosing square (bhupura) is reached, this movement suggest progressive explication and expansion. It is described as the ‘way of unfoldment’ (srshti). In either case, there are NINE enclosures.

The Nine enclosures have characteristic forms, names, meanings, symbolisms and corresponds with the aspects of human constitution. If we follow the ‘way of enfoldment’, the nine enclosures-successively are;

GROUP 1. (Inner Group symbolizing absorption or ‘samhara’)

1. The central dimensionless point (bindu0 representing the transcendental aspect of the mother-goddess, denoted by the secret syllable ‘shrim’. In fact, it is this point (coloued red) that is really the ‘Sri-Chakra’. Everything else is only a manifestation of aspects thereof. The point is identified with lalitha or Rajarajeswari, the chief deity of the Tantrik cult.
2. The primary triangle with its apex downward and coloured white immediately around the central point. It may be seen that this triangle does not intersect with any other triangle and stands independent in structure. Other triangles in the yantras are formed by extending the three sides of this primary inverted triangle. The triangle is feminine in character, is said to represent the three fundamental manifestations of the mother-goddess: Kamesvari (presiding over the Kamarupa-pitha, symbolizing the moon, and representing creation), Vajreswari (presiding over Purnagiri-pitha, symbolizing the sun, and representing preservation) and Bhaga-malini (presiding over Jalandhara-pitha, symbolizing the fire and representing dissolution). The three corners of the triangle stand for the three ‘peaks’ (kuta) of the fifteen-lettered ‘mantra’. The triangle itself is regarded as the abode of the mother-goddess (kama-kala)
3. The figure of eight-corners (ashta-kona) surrounding the primary triangle consisting of eight triangles, coloured Red.

GROUP II (middle group, sumbolising presernation of sthiti)

4. The figure of ten angles (called ‘inner’ or antardasara)consisting of ten triangles, coloured blue, surrounding the eight-coloured figure.
5. Another figure of ten angles (called ‘outer’ or bahirdasara) surrounding the above, also consisting of ten triangles, coloured red;
6. The figure of fourteen angles (consisting of fourteen triangles) (called chatur-dasara) surrounding the above.

GROUP III (outer Group, symbolizing extension of srshti)

7. The ‘eight-petalled lotus’ or the circle with eight petal-like projections, red in colour, on the outside (called ashta-dala-padma) enclosing whole of Group II (which in turn encloses Group I)
8. The sixteen-petalled lotus (shodasa-patraka) or the figure with sixteen petal-like projections on the outside, surrounding the above: and
9. The square field (chaturasra) in which all the above units are positioned. It is imagined to be the ‘earth-stretch’ (bhupara), all inclusive, bound by three ramparts.

Of the above units, units 2 to 6 are regarded as Sakti-aspects and the unit 1 and the last three Siva-aspects. While the above nine constitute the main pattern of Sri-chakra, it is usual to introduce between 9 and 8, three concentric, circles (known as ‘tri-vrtta), representing the three worlds (bhu, bhuvah and svar), the three ‘gunas’ (sattva, rajas and tamas) and the basal conter (muladhara) in the living beings…..

Besides the forty-three triangles involved in the design of Sri-chakra, there are also twenty-four ‘sandhis’ (where two lines meet) and twenty-eight ‘marma-stanas’ (where three lines meet), which have their own significances. During the worship ritual, these spots also receive attention. The meeting of two lines indicates the union of Siva and Sakti, while the meeting of three lines suggests the explicit presence of harmony between Siva and Sakti (described as ‘samarasya’)

The background philosophy explains that the bindu is Sri or Maha-Kameswari, and initial manifestation is ‘nada’ or sound (half-syllable or crescent moon). Thereafter, the primary triangle (trikona) takes shape as the organ of generation of the universe (YONI). The bindu is Kamesvara, the gound of the universe: the ‘trikona’ is Kamesvari, the mother of the universe. The union of these two is Sri-chakra, which represents the entire phenomenal pattern including the underlying unitary principle.”

2003-05-20T00:19:00.000-07:00

A 20$ question

A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5 years old son waiting for him at the door.

'Daddy, may I ask you a question?'

'Yeah, sure, what is it?' replied the man.

'Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?'

'That's none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?' the man said angrily.

'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?' pleaded the little boy.

'If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour.'

'Oh,' the little boy replied, head bowed. Looking up, he said, 'Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?'

The father was furious. 'If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you're being so selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish games.'

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy's questioning.

How dare he ask such questions only to get some money. After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often.

The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.
'Are you asleep son?' he asked. 'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.

'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier,' said the man. 'It's been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here's that $10.00 you asked for.'

The little boy sat straight up, beaming. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.

The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.

'Why did you want more money if you already had some?' the father grumbled.

'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied. 'Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?'

2003-05-20T00:15:00.000-07:00

What will you do if you get $86,400 every day?

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400.It carries over no balance from day to day.Every “evening” deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day.What would you do?

Draw out every cent, of course!!!!

Each of us has such a “bank”. It’s name is TIME.Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance.
It allows no overdraft.Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours.

There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow.”You must live in the present on today’s deposits.Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health,happiness, and success!

The clock is running.Make the most of today.

2003-05-19T05:38:00.000-07:00

Sthala Purana

Swamimalai

This place is situated to the West of Kumbakonan.
It is the place where Muruga initiated his father into the Mysterious significance of the Pranava Mantra, which the latter had forgotten due to a sin owing to the killing of a Rakshasa. To represent the guru-sishya relationship, Subrahmanya's Temple is atop the hillock while Shiva's Shrine is below.

This is one of the 6 hallowed places (Padai Veedu) of Muruga. The Brahmachari icon is an imposing one.There is the 5-tier Gopuram. To reach the Sanctum, one has to climb the 60 steps from the foot of the hill. This represents the Hindu cycle of 60 years.

Indra when troubled by the demon Arikesa came here to seek Muruga's help. Later in gratitude, he presented the deity with a white elephant. This is seen instead of the usual peacock.

The Vinayaka here is called Kann Kodutha Vinayaka (facing south on the hill) as he restored vision of a blindman.

Thirukkadaiyur

This is about 12 miles South Est of Mayuram.
Sthalavrksha : Pinjilam & Vilvam
Deity : Abhirami, Amritaghateshwara.
At this place, siva came out of his Linga to save markandaya. This scene is illustrated on the Dwajasthamba . He gave Anugraha to yama on the plea of Bhooma devi.

Mythology :
When the ocean of milk was churned, the Devas forgot the customary obeisance to Vinayaka. The wrathful Vinayaka took the pot of nectar and hid it. It became a linga and hence is called Amrita + Ghata + Easwara. The Vinayaka here is called kalla Varanam. The Goddess Abirami is said to have been born out of the dhyana of Vishnu.

The God here was once worshipped by Durga, Vasuki and saptakanyakas. The 7 shakthis who went with Siva to overcome Andakasura - Brahmi Maheshwari, Karumari , Vaishnavi, VArAhi, Aindri, Chamundi.

This place is eulogised by Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar. This is the birth place of Abhirami Battar, author of the Abhirami Andhadhi. He has sung on praise of the Vinayaka. It was here that the God made Thai Amavsya into full pournami for his Bhaktha.
The Nayanars, Kungilya kalaya Nayanar and kari Nayanar are from here. Kari Nayanar was a great Tamil scholar. He gave all the gifts he obtained to the temple.

Another famous worship is on Karthikai Somavaram (Monday), 1008 Sangu abhishekam is done.

Kivalur

This is situated to the east of Tiruvarur, on the way to Nagapattinam. It is on the Southern bank of the branch of River Kaveri known as Odampokki.
The deity :Akshyalinga (Kedili Appan) Sundara Kuchambikai (Vana Mulai Nayaki)

When the ocean of milk was churned for nectar, a portion of it was dropped herein this place. This became a ber tree and then a Ber forest.Appar calls the God "Kedu ili". Navukkarasar also says. "Kediliyai Nadubavar kedilare". This is also called Kattumalai Koil or Maada koil. This is one of the Mada koils raised by Kochchengat Chola Nayanar. One has to climb several steps to reach the shrine.

The swayambhu moorthy is on a square peetam the Sanctorum. Sanctorum is made of Kanungal". The Vimana called Pushkalam is also of stone. There are several carvings on it. Towards the right of the Moolavar is the Thyagaraja Shrine.The Vimana called Kusumakara is made of stone till Kodungai. Then it is made of Sudai.

The Goddess is seen standing two upper hands hold Akshamala and flower. The lower ones have Abhayahastha & other is on the thigh (Ooruhastha). There is also a Nataraja idol. He shows his right foot darsan for (sage Agastya).Here brahma keeps tala, Vishnu plays maddala, Sarasvati on the Vina & Lakshmi is seen reckoning the Kara tala..

Tree :This is called Ilandaivana or Badari vanam.This is also called southern Badarikaranyam Anjuvattathamman, the Badrakali sannadhi is famous here. Balasubramanya is seen doing his penance here. On killing the rakshasas including Surapadman, the dosha of slaying a warrior called Veerahathis surrounded Muruga. So he made a sivalinga in Tiruchendur.The God appeared and asked him to do penance in keelvellur.Muruga reached Badarivanam, made the Saravana thirtham with his vel and prayed to akshaya Linga. Veera Hathis came there too and disturbed him. Muruga reported this to his mother, who took the form of Badrakali and protected him.Anjuvattathu Ammai is in the eesanya corner with eight hands and left hand free and right leg resting.

Nagapatnam

This place famous for its religious associations, Shaiva, shakta and Vaishnava.It is on the sea-coast, one of the sapta Vitanka stalas.
Deity : kayarohanesha, Nilayatakshi Soundararaja Perumal.

Pundarika , a baktha from Kasi came here and prayed that he must be one with the lord, who entered his body. (kaya-body, Aarohanam-entry). This kshetra is also called Shivarajadhani kshetra. There is a Mantapa called Rajadhani mantapa. All forms of Siva are found here.Adishesha worshipped the Lord here.

The deity of Thyagaraja swami is important here. The metallic figurines of pancha mukha Vinayaka / Heramba Ganapathy and sattayappa in a separate shrine on the Western area are of great sanctity.

The stone work of Ashtadikhpalakas is a fine piece of workmanship and occupies a prominent place over the sanctum of the deity. The Perumal Soundararaja gave darshan to Dhruva as Lakshmi Kanta. He is seen with his gadha (mace) Nowhere else is this pose seen.

Pulivalam / Vyagrapradhakshinam

This is situated to the south of Thiruvarur enroute to Muthupettai.
Deity : Appan Perumal Venkatachalapathy is the ursavar.The moolavar is Srinivasa Perumal.

Mythology : Once in Mount Kailash, Vyagra padha [A Sivabaktha who derives his name from his getting the feet of a tiger to climb trees to pluck the flowers for Siva. He was given darsan of Nataraja along with patanjali at Chidamabaram
He once made some insulting remarks about Vishnu. Siva was angry with him and ordered Vyagrapadha to go to the earth and circumambulate this spot.Hence it is called pilivalam or vyagrapradhakshinam.
puli/ vyagra - tiger
Valam/ Pradakshinam - Circumambulation.

This is also called Krishnaaranya .There is a Krishna Shrine facing to East on this temple. Puja is first performed in this shrine (bath morning of evening) and only then is puja performed at the Venkatachalapathy shrine.

Baalamrutha tirtha:Once sage Agastya after a holy bath in the thritha was sitting before the Krishna Shrine beneath the jack fruit tree and was offering his prayers to the Saalagramans from the basket.When he tried lifting it he could not. Then Srinivasa with Bhoodevi & Sridevi gave darsan as Venkatachalapathy (on the southern side, siva with consort anandavalli gave darsan as Dakshina Gokarneswara. This is the only place where siva and Vishnu temples are west facing and near to one another.

In the Southern bank of Balamrutha thirtha, there is a temple of Vedavalli and Vedadhrishwara.This is now known as Kaatteeshwaran koil. It is said that Sage Mrukandu was cured of his curse and got puthra santhana.

Thiruvenkadu / Shwetaranya

This place is located a few miles off Vaidheeshwaran Koil, near the Chola port Poompuhar at the estuary of Kaveri.There is a big image of (Aghora) Virabadhra.
Diety : (Aghora) Virabadhra. Brahma Vidyamba.

The principal deity is Aghoramurthy - a form of Shiva. In this form, there are two tusks one on each side. Worship of this form is supposed to give victory and riches and can even destroy sins like Brahmahatya or Brahmanicide. Special worship is made on Chaturdasi in panguni month called Aghora Chaturdasi.

Mythology :Marutvasura, son of the demon Jalandara troubled the Devas so much they lived here in disguise.When they appealed to Shiva, he sent his bull. After a fierce fight, the Asura was thrown into the sea. The Asura then prayed to Shiva and obtained his Shula. He again, appeared before the bull. The bull seeing the Shula retreated. The asura wounded the bull and cut off its horn and tail. And sculpture of the mutilated bull can be found meven now. When Shiva heard of this insult to his vaahana, he came down as Aghora and slayed the Asura.Thiruvenkattunangai, the wife of Siruthonda the Saint owes her name to this place.

Tanjavur

There was a demon called Tanjan who troubled the inhabitants, so Vishnu came as Nilamega perumal.This is the hagiology of the place. Dikshitar's stay in Tanjore was significant in the sense that the musical activity took on a technical turn. It is said that the king Serfoji invited him and that the king is referred to as a devotee of the lord in the song on Brhadeeshwara in Nabhamani.This is a disputed kriti as there is no guruguha mudra.There he is supposed to have been in touch with shyama shastri who lived at the other end of the same west main street.

It was here that he came into contact with the four dance masters, Ponnaya, Chinnaiya, Sivanandam and Vadivelu, who adopted him as their guru.Vadivelu learnt the violin from Baluswami Dikshitar.Later he was under the patronage of the Swati Tirunal the King of Travancore who was a great patron of fine arts. To the big temple(Periya Kovil) at Tanjore the four brothers were attached.Kuravanchi dance drama by devadasis was a regular feature here.

Dikshitar compiled a corpus of songs to illustrate the 72 mela scheme of the Kanakambari nomenclature and the Venkatamakhin school using raga names with katapayadhi prefixes of this school.It is said that the idea of Lalithopakhyana and Sivalalitopakhyana krithis, was conceived here.

Deities :Big Temple(Periya kovil) - Brhadeeswara, Brhannayaki Konkaneshwara and Gnanambika Vishwanatha - South Main Street.
Kamakshi-West Main Street, Varadaraja and lakshmi-South Main Street, Shweta Ganapathy - East Gate Market. Agastheeshwarar,Anandavalli-Vennar bank.Karuttangadi -Kodanda Rama, Dakshinamurthi, Krishna, Prasanna Venkateshwara
Govindaraja - Tanjore.

This temple occupies an area of 3,20,000 sq. feet in a small fort encircled by a moat. This was built by Raja Raja I. The temple has a huge tower, colossal linga and the monolithic bull.

A local legend says that the king was suffering from leprosy. His spiritual preceptor suggested that he could get rid of his disease by building a temple for shiva, in which a lingam brought from River Narmada was to he installed . He did accordingly. It took twelve years to complete the temple.After the Kumbabhishekam, the king had a bath in the tank and was cured of his leprosy. The vimana is 216 feet high and is built of Stone. The cupdic dome rests on a single block of granite slab 25 1/2 feet square estimated to weigh 80 tons. This was moved into position by means of an inclined plane starting at sarapallam a village 4 mile South.It is said that the gopura kalasam's shadow does not fall on the ground.

The figure of Nataraja is exquisite. Brhannayaki is in a separate sanctum. It is a later addition, near to main temple in the North West Corner, there is an elegant shrine dedicated to Subramanya which is an exquisite piece of decorative art of carved stone work, built by nayak rulers the patrols are guarded by huge dwarapalakas eighteen feet high, each made of single stone.

A massive monolithic Nandi is placed in a mantapam in the foremost part of the temple. This Nandi, twelve and a half feet high and nineteen and a half feet long is the second largest in India the largest being the one in Shrishailam Andhrapradesh

There are Chola Fresco paintings in the corridor. The entire wall is full of paintings of different periods of the Chola and Pandya rule narrating the various mythological and social customs of the different periods.

The important festivals observed here are

chithra Brahmotsavam

shivarathri

thai Poosam

mAsi Makam

skanda shashti

ArudrA darshanam

vinAyaka Chathurthi

Birth day of Raja Raja Cholan(Arulmozhi varman) - Aippasi Sathayam.

Thiruvidai Marudhur / Madhyarjuna.

This lies in between Mayuram and Kumbakonam. This is called Madhyarjuna from its being situated between Mallikarjuna (Srisailam, AndhraPradhesh) Sphutarjuna (Tirunelveli. TamilNadu). This holy place is watered by kaveri.It is also called campakaranyam, Shaktipuram, Marudhavanam

Deity :Mahalinga and Brihatkucamba.

The Ashwamedha Pradakshinam is important.People with mental disability come here for a cure. On the inner Gopura on the eastern side is the sculpture of chola Brahmahathi. This haunted a chola king who killed a brahmana. It left him as he visited this shrine. The pandya king varaguna pandyan was also said to have been lasted by this the sculptural representation is on the gopuram at the second entrance.

Vaidhyesshwaran koil

This place lies between Chidambaram and Maayuram.
Deity : Vaidyanatha ; Thailambal or thayyal Nayaki or Baalaambal.

The presiding deity is Vaidyanatha (Swayambu limgam) who acted as a physician to the wounded ganas of, Subrahmanya during his war with Surapadman and others. His consort carries a pot of Thailam (oil), The God is supposed to cure 4448 ailments .

Sthala Vrksha :Margosa ( Melia azadroche)
The temple faces the west.The Western Gopuram is several yards away from the central shrine. It is so constructed that the rays of the sun pass through the gopura entrance and fail on the linga in a particular part of the year for a few days.

Tank : Siddhamirtha Thirtham
The water of the tank, Siddhamirtha tirtham is sacred and in front of the Amman sannadhi, lumps of jaggery are thrown as a votive offering to cure boils and skin diseases. The tank has a dome-shaped mantapa.

The Subramanya is called Muthukumara.When Parvathi asked the six faced Skanda to assume a single face,she appeared pleased with him and presented him with a vel to slay demons.

It is said that Angaraka, Surya, Vedas, Sampathy and Jatayu worshipped the God here. The sculptural representation is seen on the eastern courtyard. The Jatayu is seen. This is Angaraka kshetra and hence his worship is sacred at this place

Story has it that Ramaswami Dikshitar and his wife were without children for a long time.They performed puja and worshipped Devi. They were blesssed with a child with the blessings of Devi.Hence the child was named after Muthukumara swamy here.

Vazhuvur.

This place is situated 5 miles to the south West of mayuram on the path from Mayuram to Thiruvarur. Vazhuvur is one of the 8 holy places called Ashta Veerasthana, ie where lord Siva displayed his heroices : The list includes.

Thiruvazhuvur ( Gajasura)

Thirukadavur (yama)

Thirukorikai (Manmatha)

Thiruppariyalur (Daksha)

Thiruvirtudi (jalandara)

Thirukkandiyur (Brahma Shiras)

Thirukkovilur (Andaka)

Thiruvathikai (Tripuras)

During the deluge, when the world sank, this place remained intact and hence the name Vazhuvur. This place is also called as Chyuthapuri or Pippalaranyam, and is eulogised as Parakailasam and Gnana Bhoomi.

Deity : Krithivasa (Swayambu) [meaning one who killed an elephant and wearing its skin on oneself.

Balangurambika/Ilankilai Nayaki.
The 5-storeyed gopuram rises to a height of 150 feet. There is a small nandi mantapa and the pond called Eesana thirtham between the main entrance and the nandimantapam. A place called Peruncheri near Vazhuvur is the Darukavanam.

Mythology : The sages there were full of pride at their karma. Shiva intended to teach them a lesson, Shiva took the form of a Bikshatana moorthy, accompanied by Vishnu as Mohini and reached there. It is said that Ayyappa / Shasta was born here. This is commemorated during Brahmotsavam when the Shasta idol rides on an elephant. On seeing the lustrous form of Bishatana & Mohini the rishis and rishipatnis were awestuck and with lust. The sagas realised their folly and the 48,000 sagas performed an evil (aabhichara) sacrifice . Out came fire, a tiger, a deed, a club, a snake and rabbits one by one from the fire then these were directed against Siva and he vanquished every one. The sages approached one Gajasura. This Gajasura had performed severe penance and was granted several boons by Brahma. But Brahma had warned him not to go near Shiva and if he did, all that he had been given would prove futile.

Gajasura attacked Siva.Siva hid from him. The enraged elephant attacked the sages themselves. They realised their ignorance and prayed to Shiva. Shiva shrunk his form and entered the elephant.The elephants body started burning. Unable to tolerate it, it dived into the pond and came but from another corner. Shiva appeared tearing its skin apart, standing on its Mathagam, he did the Vira Thandavam.The inner significance behind this story is that when the savage beast in men goes astray, god is the only recourse. There is also a Sahasra Lingeshwara Sannadhi here. This event is enacted during the Utsava in the month of Masi in the asterism maka on pournami.

The utsavam and the utsava moorthies are very special here. The Gajasamharamoorthy has 8 hands with the right leg on the head of the elephant and the left is lifted. During the utsavam, the Gajasamhara is enacted.

Vedaranyam / Thirumaraikadu

This is a historic Shrine on the sea coast near South East of Tiruvarur. This place is the scene of a second celebration of marriage of shiva of Parvathi for the sake of sage Agastya. This is also known as Adhisetu or kodikkarai Vedavanam, Maraivanam, Satyagiri.It was here that Kauselaya Rama was expiated of the sin of killing Ravana. The Vinayaka at the West entrance is called Veerahathi Vinayaka as he got rid of the Veerahathis that followed Rama. The Vedas are said to have worshipped God here.

Tank : Manikarna.
Appar and Sambandar visited this place. This was the native place of paranjyothi munivar, the author of tiruvilayadal. The Saraswathi here does not have a Veena. She does penance before the Devi who is called "Yaazhai pazhiththa Mozhiyaal".

Madurai

Madurai is the seat of Tamil culture from the days of sangam and is watered by vaigai.

Deity : Meenakshi & Sundareswarar.
The goddess incarnated as the daughter of the Pandya king reigned as the princess and married the Lord Sundareshwara who performed 64 miracles for his devotees. The temple buildings occupy an area of 847 ft x 792 ft on the massive outerwalls stand 4 towers, the tallest of which is the 169 feet high South tower with parabolic curves. It is customary to worship Devi first. Hence people enter the temple through the Ashta sakthi mantapam on the eastern side.Over the ashtashakthi mantapam is the sculptured representation of the wedding of goddess Meenakshi. This mantapam is so called after the figures of the 8 Sakthis represented on the pillars on two sides. On the walls are paintings and sculptures from scenes in thiruvilayadal puranam. Passing through the Meenakshi Naickar mantapam and mudalipillai mantapam, one comes to the golden lotus tank(Potraamarai kulam) . (This has special significance to Tamil Sangam and poetry)

The tank is surrounded by spacious corridors,the walls of which carry paintings, that depict the 64 miracle performed by lord sundareshwarar. Adjacent to the tank is the Unjal mantapam and the kilikootu mantapam. The long rows of pillars here contain delicately carved figures. Crossing the kilikootu mantapam one enters the shrine of Meenakshi in the sanctum, Devi Meenakshi the fish eyed goddess stands with a parrot and a bouquet.

After worshipping the Devi, the devotee passes through a gate surmounted by a middle gopuram. A colossal idol of vinayaka (Mukkuruni Vinayakar) is located on the way to sundareshwara's shrine. In front of the sundareshwara shrine is the Kambathadi mantapam. This contains many finely sculpted pillars and meenakshi's wedding is depicted here. Other pillars contain siva in various forms the avatars of vishnu are also represented . There is also the hall of thousand pillars(Ayiram kaal mandapam). The equestraian statue of ariyanatha mudaliyar who built this treasure house of art greets one at the entrance. On either side are the statues of kannappar, Bikshatana, Chandramathi, Kumaran and Kurathi. The Chakram carved on the ceiling denotes 60 Tamil years. The 985 pillars are so arranged that from whichever angle they are viewed, the appear in a straight line.

The images of Arjuna, Rathi, Mohini, kalapurasha, virali are magnificant carvings. A beautiful image of Nataraja is installed at the farthest end of the hall. At the outskirts of the city are the vandiyoor theppakulam also known as mariamman theppakkulam, measuring 1000 ft x 950 ft. On the island in the middle of the tank, there is a beautiful mantapam surrounded by 4 smaller ones the illuminated floating festivals on Thai poosam is a wonderful sight.

Madurai is the city of festivals. The archakas take active part in enacting the different thiruvilayaadals of Siva during the festivals. The important festivals are in the months of Chithirai, Avani and thai. The wedding of the goddess Meenakshi on chitra pournami and the procession of Alagar to vaigai (who as the brother of Meenakshi) comes to give away her hand in marriage) is famous. The city was discovered by a merchant Dhananjaya. On a somavara (Monday) he observed Indra worshipping here, the swayambu linga. He reported this to the king and he built a temple. The shape of the town is in the form of a snake (Haalasya) and suggested by Siva Himself. A serpent was sent and it helped to mark the boundary of the city.

On chitrapournami, Indra worships here to expiate the sin of incurring the displeasure of Brihaspathi.Meenakshi is identified with Raja matangi or mantrini the minister of lalitha tripura sundari.

The dhyana for this form is:
I meditate on Rajamathangi decked with precious jewels, who is in ecstasy over potations of Madhu, whose locks are adorned with kadamba flowers, who carries a veena on her lap and plays on it exquisitely, wears apparel of red colour, is adorned on her forehead with Kasturi, who has a crescent for head-wear, who wears on her ear conch-like ornaments, whose body lustre resembles that of the parrot , and who holds a parrot symbolic of all arts.. Upanga deva is Vagvadlini Pratyanga deva is Nakuli

Azhagarkoil

This Vishnu temple located twelve miles East of madurai is atop a hill.
Deity : Sundararaja Perumal. (Azhagar & Andal.)

Mythology has it that he comes to Madurai to give his sister's hand in marriage to lord sundareshwara, on Chitra pournami.Azhagar is supposed to have been graced and accepted the offering of a group of Kallar tribes there and hence he is called “Kallazhagar”. This festival is celebrated at Madurai temple also. On the 4th day, Azhagar is taken to Madurai. The marriage of Andal will Azhagar is also celebrated here

There is a fresh-water spring called Noopura Ganga two miles uphill. This is used for the daily abhishekam of the bronze image and any other water blackens the image. There are many mantapams with images and sculptures. The walls of the Vasantha mantapam have frescoes with the story of Ramayana. The Vimana is called Ashtanga Vimana.

Tirupparan Kundram

This is about seven miles south of Madurai and is a cave temple
Deity: Muruga with Deivayanai

This is one of the Arupadai Veedu(six houses) of Muruga.After quarelling with Surapadman, he was married to Indra's daughter Deivayanai. The temple is on the Northern side of a hill. The gopuram is 150 ft high and inside the temple is the kalyana mantapam with a number. of statues. The sanctum is carevd out of a rock and the lord's wedding with Deivayanai is depicted here. No abhishekam is done except to the vel. Besides Muruga there are images of Karpaga Vinayaka, Satyagiri Mathar, Durga and Vishnu. At the top of the hill is a shrine dedicated to Kasi Vishwanathar. The image of Nakkeerar the Tamil poet is seen standing with reverence.

Pazhamuthir Solai
This is also one of the Arupadai veedu of Muruga. This is at the top of the alagar hill. This is associated with the Tamil Poetess Awaiyar & the famous 'Sutta Pazham' incident. There is also Vinayaka, where Awai is seen praying.

Pazhani(Aavinankudi)
This is situated on the Pazhani hill at a height of 450 ft. There is a flight of 659 steps.
Deity: Muruga as Dandayuthapani.

Mythology:Once Narada came to Kailash with a rare fruit. An argument ensued as to who should have it, Vinayaka or Muruga and a condition was laid that it should not be cut. Siva intervened and announced that the fruit could be a prize to whoever completes a circumambulation(Pradakshinam) of the world. Muruga set forth on his peacock. Ganesha on the other hand circumambulated his parents and explained that as he extire universe rests on them, it is equivalent to going round the universe. Pleased with this reply, Shiva gave him the fruit. When Muruga returned he was disappointed he forsook the world and with a loin cloth and staff of a renunciate he came to Shivagiri. The idol is composed of Navapashanam (9 different kinds of poison) and the mixture concocted by a siddha named Bhogar.

The proportion of this mixture is unknown.It is believed that any substance that comes into contact with this is believed to acquire healing powers. The idol is in a standing posture with the staff (dhandam) in the right hand. Around the neck there is a rudraksha bead garland. The sthala Vriksha is kadamba and sthala thirtham, Saravana poigai. There are several mantapas leading to the hilltop. The abhishekams are performed with different substances including gingelly oil, rose water, panchamrutha, milk etc.,

Mythology:Once Shiva gave two hillocks, Shivagiri and Shaktigiri to Agastya to be installed in the South. The sage entrusted this task to his disciple Idumban a demon.Idumban carried the hillock hillocks on his shoulders in the shape of a kavadi. He rested for a while at palani, just at this moment the angry Muruga stood on one of the hills. Refreshed after his rest, Idumban returned and saw that one hill would not budge, he investigated , found the cause and asked Muruga to stepdown. In the fight, Idumban was knocked down unconscious .Idumban's wife pleaded to Muruga and Idumban was restored to life. He prayed that he might be allowed to stand guard over his portals as a dwarapalaka and also that whoever offered vows with kavadi would be blessed.

Rameshwaram

The town of Rameshwaram is built on an island. The temple has a majestic gopuram and a thousand feet long corridor. It stands on Gandhamadhana hill.
Deity: Ramanatha and Parvatha Vardhani.

Mythology : This temple was installed by Rama on his victorious return from Lanka. Rama wanted to install a Lingam to absolve him of the sin of killing a warrior(dosha). He sent Hanuman to bring a Lingam from Kailas, but Hanuman was late and so Sita made a Lingam out of sand.Hanuman arrived with a Lingam, he was disappointed and furious. To pacify him, Rama installed the Hanumath Lingam (Vishwa Lingam) also by the side of the Ramalinga and ordained that all pujas should first be performed for the Vishwalingam brought by Hanuman.

The abisheka for Sri Ramanatha is performed daily with water brought from The Ganges. The shrine of Parvathvardani is on the right side of Sri Ramalinga. A Srichakra can be seen here. There is a separate Shrine dedicated to Vishnu known as Sethu Madava and mode of white marble. There are 22 holy theerthams in different parts of the temples. The waters are considered to have medicinal properties. Statues of sethupathis of Ramnad, who made abundant contribution to the construction and maintenance of the temples, are installed inside the temple. About a mile and half west of Rameshwaram temple is a storeyed mantapam known as Gandha madana parvatham. Sri Rama padam is enshrined here.

Darbasayanam:
There is a Vishnu temple about seven miles from Ramanathapuram known as Thiruppullaani or Darbasayanam. This is considered to be the place where Sri Rama lay, on a bed of grass.The figures of Sri Rama lying on his bed of grass and the ocean god are seen.

Devi patham / Navapashanam: This is ten miles north east of Ramanathapuram.It has a temple to nine planets(navagrahas) installed by Rama. There is a Devi shrine here.
There are twenty four tirthas here. According to the sthalapurana,Vishnu incarnated as Sethumadhava and seduced Gunanidhi, daughter of a king .The king imprisoned him without knowing who he was. Later he realised that it was Vishnu and released him. There are various lingas installed by Hanuman, Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Sugreeva, Angada, Neela, Jaambavaan, Vibishana and Indra.

2003-05-18T23:53:00.000-07:00

PRE-TRINITY COMPOSERS OF INDIA

TIRUGNANASAMBANDAR (7th century)

Musical Background: Another of the Tevaram Trinity, he was the youngest composer ever, a child prodigy.
Region: He belonged to Tanjavur district in Tamilnadu. He is also believed to have travelled widely, singing in praise of Lord Siva, accompanied by a Yazh.
Contribution: He composed his first song when he was but a toddler of three and is believed to have written 16,000 verses. But less than 4,000 have survived today. He is said to have composed his songs in about 23 Panns (equivalent of Ragas).
Theme: The main themes he used were devotion (Bhakti) and philosophy, and like the other two members of the Tevaram Trinity, his favourite deity was Lord Siva.
Language used: Tamil.
Signature: His mudra or signature was Gnanasambandan.
Popular compositions: Todudaiya (Gambheeranata), believed to be his first composition, Kadalagi (Bhairavi), and so on.

MANIKKAVACHAKAR (14th century)

Musical Background: His original name was Vadavurar but he became famous as Manikkavachakar, which means, "One whose words are like gems". That certainly speaks volumes about the quality of his works. A learned man, he served as a minister for the King Pandyan. He had no formal training in music.
Region: He was born in Vadavur in Tanjavur district, Tamilnadu.
Contribution: He was the composer of the famous Tiruvachakam, which includes three of his works namely Tiruvembavai, Kuyirpattu and Tirupalliyezhuchi. This contains 700 songs. Besides, he was the most important composer of Tevaram in Panns that were passed orally from one generation to the other. Tiruvachakam was sung in raga Mohanam (a pentatonic scale).
Theme: His themes included both philosophical and devotional, mainly in praise of Lord Siva.
Language used: Tamil.

TIRUNAVUKKARASAR (7th century)

Musical Background: Also known as Appar, he was one of the three Saivite saints or the Tevaram Trinity. He did not have any formal training in music.
Region: He belonged to Tanjavur district, Tamilnadu.
Contribution: One of the composers of the sacred hymns known as the Tevaram, he is credited with about 40,000 verses. However, not even a tenth of these are available to us today.
Theme: His compositions were mainly devotional, his favourite deity being Lord Siva.
Language used: Tamil.
Popular compositions: Talaiye ni (Pantuvarali), Yamamani (Bhairavi), Sotrunai (Kedaragowla) etc.

SUNDARAMURTHI (7th century)

Musical Background: He hailed from a royal family but had no formal training in music.
Region: He belonged to Tanjavur district, Tamilnadu.
Contribution: The third of the Tevaram Trinity, he was also one of the acclaimed composers of the Tevaram.
Theme: Again, the theme was Bhakti (devotion) with the compositions in praise of Lord Siva.
Language used: Tamil.
Popular compositions: Tanenai (Ahiri), Ponnar meniyane (Pantuvarali) etc.

ARUNAGIRINATHAR (15th century)

Musical Background: Although in his early years he was known to have led an immoral life, he later reformed himself and spent the rest of his life in music.
Region: He hailed from Tanjavur district, Tamilnadu. He is also believed to have travelled far and wide, to visit temples, singing in praise of many deities.
Contribution: He was the creator of Tiruppugazh, which means, "praise of God" in Tamil. He was a prolific composer, who is believed to have composed 16000 songs, of which only about 2000 remain today. His Tiruppugazhs are known for their beautiful, flowing lyrics coupled with complex rhymes and rhythmic structures. His Tiruppugazhs led to the invention of a new genre of tala called Chanda Tala. Thus he earned the title,"Chanda Pavalaperuman", meaning, "unequalled master of the verse". He also composed in many of the 35 talas, 175 talas, as well as 108 talas. He was well known for the rhythmic intricacies he wove effortlessly into his compositions. His work, Bhoota Vetala Vaguppu, contains information about some Ragas, Panns, the 108 talas and percussion instruments, making it invaluable from a historical point of view.
Theme: Devotion was the main theme. Although he composed mainly on Lord Subramanya, there are Tiruppugazhs on other deities like Lord Ganesha too.
Language used: Tamil.
Signature: His mudra was Perumale
Popular Compositions: Vachana miga (Atana), Erumayileri (Hamsanandi / Mohanam), Tullumada (Hamsanandi) etc.

JAYADEVA (12th century)

Musical Background: Jayadeva, the author of Gita Govinda, is an illustrious Sanskrit composer. He became an erudite scholar early in his life.
Region: He was born at Kindubilva (also called Kenduli) in Orissa. The village Kenduli is on the northern banks of the river Ajaya, in the delta of Veerabhoomi. He refers to his birthplace in the 7th Ashtapadi: "Kindubilva Samudra Sambhava". He was an Oriya Brahmin, born to Bhojadeva and Ramadevi.
Contribution: Gita Govinda, a widely known, highly popular opera of Jayadeva is the staple of devotional singers. They constitute the Songs Celestial called Ashtapadi as each has eight steps. The 24 songs have been translated into many languages of the world. All the hymns contain mangala slokas at the end. The place where Jayadeva began and completed the hymns has since been called Jayadevapura.
Theme: Devotion through Sringara Rasa (romanticism).
Language used: Sanskrit and Oriya
Signature: He used his own name as mudra.
Popular compositions: Rase harimiha

PURANDARADASA (1484 - 1564)

Musical Background: Although Purandaradasa did not have any musical tutelage in his early years, by the grace of God, he started singing and composing songs. He is acclaimed as the Sangita Pitamaha (Great Father) of Carnatic music, owing to his unparalleled contributions.
Region: Purandaragada, Karnataka
Contribution: He formulated the basic lessons of Carnatic music by structuring Swaravalis (graded exercises), Alankaras (exercises based on the Sapta talas), apart from composing Gitas. He introduced Mayamalavagowla as the first scale to be learnt by a beginner. However, the original tunes of his compositions are unavailable. He was the one of the most prolific composers of Carnatic music. Though he wanted to compose 5,00,000 songs in his lifetime, he could compose only 4,75,000. This has been referred to in one of his own compositions.
Signature: The mudra he used was Purandara Vittala.Languages used: Kannada and Sanskrit
Theme: His devotional songs called Devarnamas, contain the essence of the Puranas and Upanishads. His songs have simple language, lofty ideas and sublime thoughts. His favourite deity seems to have been Krishna, also known as Panduranga. However, he has sung in praise of other Gods, as well.
Popular Compositions: Jagadoddharana (Kapi), Jaya Jaya (Nata), Innudaya barade (Kalyanavasantam), Venkatachala nilayam (Sindhubhairavi), and so on.

KSHETRAGNA (1600 -1680)

Musical Background: A great scholar in music, he was a contemporary of Venkatamakhi. His original name is believed to be Varadayya. He came to be called Kshetragna (or Kshetrayya), as he went from place to place, visiting temples and other sacred places.
Region: Born in Andhra Pradesh.
Contribution: He is credited with over 4100 Padams. He perfected the Padam to what it is today. He composed in several rare Ragas, which always seem to be perfect for the emotions he was conveying in the particular Padam. It is customary to start many of his Padams at the Anupallavi and then come back to the Pallavi. They are still performed in both dance and music concerts.
Theme: The simple beauty and appeal of the lyrics and the emotional quality of the music make his Padams very moving. They deal with the themes of longing for the Lord, pangs of separation, jealousy, betrayal etc., using the Nayaka-Nayaki approach of Jayadeva.
Signature: Kshetragna seems to have been a great devotee of Gopala, the presiding deity of his village. Thus, he chose the Mudra, Muvva Gopala, for his compositions. His mudra appears in any of the section of the Padam, as opposed to the usual norm where it appears in the last section.
Language used: Telugu
Popular Compositions: Ramarama (Bhairavi), Gaddari (Kalyani), Yemandu namma (Kedaragowla), Kontegadu (Surati) and so on.

MUTHUTANDAVAR (14th century)

Musical Background: He had no musical lineage but it is believed that he was blessed with the Divine vision. It is also said that he derived inspiration by listening to Sivanama kirtanas sung by a woman.
Region: He originally lived in Seergazhi but moved to Chidambaram, both in Tamilnadu.
Musical Contribution: He has composed about 60 songs and 25 Padams. He was also popularly referred to as one of the Tamil Moovar (Tamil Trinity).
Theme: Devotion to Lord Siva, with special reference to the deity in Chidambaram.
Language used: Tamil
Popular Compositions: Teruvil Varano (Khamas), a Padam, Sevikka Vendum Ayya (Andolika), Ambara Chidambaram (Surati) etc.

ANNAMACHARYA (1424 - 1503)

Musical Background: He was the eldest member of a family of composers. A great devotee of Lord Venkateswara, he started composing at the age of 16.
Region: He was from Tallapakkam, Andhra Pradesh and is said to have composed many songs while at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
Contribution: He was one of the earliest to compose in the kriti format with three sections, Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanam. He was a versatile composer who is believed to have composed about 30,000 songs, of which only a few hundreds are available. Sadly, the original tunes for these too have been lost. However, they're now being re-set to other tunes and rendered. He was the earliest composer of the Keertana and Sringara Padas in Telugu. It is believed that the latter were the inspiration for Kshetragna’s Padams. Annamacharya was given the title of "Pada Kavita Pitamaha" (the Great Father of Pada poetry). His songs, which sprang forth from his great devotion, were beautiful both in musical and lyrical content.
Theme: His compositions are in praise of Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati. Some of them are also philosophical in nature while certain others are based on Sringara rasa (romanticism).
Languages used: Sanskrit and Telugu.
Signature: He used the mudra Venkateswara with slight variations depending upon the context.
Popular Compositions: Nanatibratuku (Revati), Sriman Narayana (Bowli), Bhavamulona (Suddhadhanyasi), and so on.
Remarks: The songs of Annamacharya which were inscribed on copper plates, were stored in a cellar in the Tirupati temple and discovered recently. They are now housed in the Research Institute at Tirupati.

NARAYANA TEERTHA (1580 - 1660)

Musical Background: He was a very learned man who mastered music at a very early age. He was also well versed in Puranas, Bhagavatam and other Sanskrit works.
Contribution: Narayana Teertha was the author of an opera called Krishna Leela Tarangini. It deals with the life story of Krishna starting with his birth and ending with his marriage to Rukmini. The work is very interesting because of the various literary and musical forms he uses in it like songs, prose passages, Slokas (praises in verse), Dwipadis (couplets), etc. The lyrics are simple yet beautiful and effective. The Ashtapadis of Jayadeva were said to be his inspiration.
Signature: He used his own name, Narayana Teertha, as his mudra.
Language used: Sanskrit
Popular Compositions: Govardhana Giridhari (Hindolam / Darbarikanada), Sobhaname Sobhaname (Pantuvarali), Govindamiha (Bagesri), Puraya mama kamam (Bilahari), Kathaya Kathaya (Kalyani) etc.

BHADRACHALA RAMADAS (1620 - 1688)

Background: Named Gopanna by his parents Linganna and Kamalamba, he became known as Ramadas (Das meaning servant or slave), because of his deep devotion to Lord Rama.
Region: He belonged to Nalakondapalli, a small village Andhra Pradesh.
Contribution: He composed in the keertana form (the precursor to the Kriti form) and his songs contain multiple Charanams. Tyagaraja seems to have been a great admirer of Ramadasa’s devotion to Rama and praises him in a few of his compositions. His language is very simple and music very pleasing. His works include Manache Sloka, Dasabodha and Sundara Kandam of Ramayana.
Theme: The theme was predominantly devotion.
Languages used: Mostly Telugu and occasionally Sanskrit.
Signature: He used several mudras like Bhadrachala, Bhadradri or Bhadragiri.
Popular Compositions: Emayyarama (Kambhoji), Rama dayajudave (Dhanyasi), Paluke bangara mayena (Anandabhairavi), Nannubrovu (Kalyani) etc.

SARANGAPANI (17th century)

Musical Background: A famous composer of Padams, Sarangapani was proficient in Sanskrit as well as Telugu. He was Vidhadhikari (Minister of Education) in the court of Maharaja Venkata Perumal, who ruled Karvetinagaram and had the authority to issue Raja Sasanams (royal orders). He was a poet and an expert in music and Natya Sastra. He was held in high esteem not only by the ruler and the ruled, but also by contemporary musicians like Govindaswami and so on.
Region: Sarangapani lived in Karvetinagaram in Chitoor district, Andhra Pradesh.
Contribution: Nearly 200 padams of this composer are available in ancient fibrous paper. A study of these reveals that these padams can be divided into four categories:
1. Sringara padams
2. Desya padams
3. Janapada padams
4. Vairahya padams
Theme: Bhakti towards Lord Krishna.
Languages used: Sanskrit and Telugu.
Signature: All his compositions bear the mudra Venugopala, in praise of his 'Ishtadevata' (favourite deity) of Karvetinagaram.
Popular compositions: Padams like Mogadochi (Sahana), Pattakura (Anandabhairavi), and Upamugane (Yadukulakambhoji).

PAIDALA GURUMURTI SASTRI (17th century)

Musical Background: Gurumurti Sastri imbibed music from Venkatasubbayya. That he had unbounded love and devotion towards his preceptor, is evident from one of his Gita-s in Nata raga, where he refers to his guru as 'Gana Vidyadurandhara'.
Region: He was born in Kayatar, a village in Tirunelveli district and his family-name (inti-peru) was Paidala, to which he refers in two of his Gitas in Nata and Arabhi ragas. He was a younger contemporary of Ramaswamy Dikshitar.
Contribution: Gurumurti Sastri was a prolific composer. He composed Lakshana Gitas to illustrate the characteristic features of Janaka and Janya ragas, giving the Varja, Vakra, Graha, Nyasa and Amsa swaras. Sastri is the one of the first to attempt Gitas in praise of an Acharya or guru. Besides, Gurumurti had also composed fine kritis in rakti ragas. He played an important role in laying the foundation for making Madras an important seat of Carnatic music. He was a lakshya-lakshana Vidwan and was referred to as 'Veyigita Paidala Gurumurti' i.e. one who composed a thousand gitas, and 'naluvadi vela ragala', i.e., one who has knowledge of 40,000 ragas. He had commendable scholarship in the Sastras and was acknowledged as one of the renowned Vaggeyakaras of his times. Further, he refers to himself as 'Ghana naya desya samsthapanacharya' (one who systematized the ghana-naya and desya margas), 'Sastrajna' (master of the science of music), 'raga bheda dureena' (highly proficient in the science of raga and its varieties) and 'gita sastra parina'.
Theme: We can infer from the Sahitya of his compositions that his 'Ishtadevata' was Lord Rama. He has also sung on Krishna and Siva.
Languages used: Sanskrit and Telugu.
Signature: He signed his compositions with the mudra Gurumurti.

MARIMUTHA PILLAI (18th century)

Musical Background: He was a contemporary of Arunachala Kavi. His musical background is not known.
Region: He belonged to Tamilnadu.
Musical Composition: His first composition was the Puliyur Venba. Apart from kritis, his works include Prabandhas, Natakams, Kuravanji etc. He was also considered as one among the Tamil Moovar (Trinity).
Theme: Devotion to Lord Siva.
Language used: Tamil.
Signature: His compositions had the mudra, Tillai.
Popular Compositions: Orukal Sivachidambaram (Arabhi), Kalai tookki (Yadukulakambhoji) etc.

SADASIVA BRAHMENDRA (18th century)

Musical Background: His musical background is not known clearly. However, he was a great scholar who initially studied under Ramabhadra Dikshitar and later under the Sankaracharya of Kanchipuram.
Region: He was born in Tiruvisainallur, near Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu.
Contribution: He wrote several devotional songs, which have a simple beauty that makes them appealing. His other works include Brahma Sutra Vruddhi, Atma Vidya Vilasam and Siva Manasika Puja keertanas.
Theme: His compositions contain high philosophical ideas, in addition to being devotional.
Language used: Sanskrit.
Signature: He used the mudras Paramahamsa or Hamsa.
Popular Compositions: Bhajare Gopalam (Hindolam), Pibare ramarasam (Yamankalyani), Bhajare Yadu Natham (Peelu) and so on.

ARUNACHALA KAVI (1711 - 1788)

Musical Background: Arunachala Kavi was well versed in Tamil, Sanskrit and Telugu, but his musical training is unknown.
Region: He was born in Tillaiyadi in Tanjavur district, Tamilnadu.
Contribution: He is the author of Rama Natakam, the first musical drama in Tamil. This drama is an example of where one person writes the lyrics and another composes the music. In this case, Kavirayar wrote the lyrics and the music was composed by two of his disciples, Kothandarama Iyer and Venkatarama Iyer. This work deals with the epic, Ramayana, in the form of Daru (a story-song used in music and dance dramas) and verses. The songs contain many Tamil proverbs and sayings. That the choice of the ragas is in perfect consonance with the sentiments expressed in the songs, is what makes this an outstanding piece of work.
This musical drama was first performed at the Srirangam temple and within a short time, it became very popular. Kavirayar was honoured not only by Maharaja Tulaja, the King of Tanjore, but several other patrons of that time. He has also composed Seergazhi Sthala Puranam, Seergazhi Kovai, Hanumar Pillai Tamil, Ajomukhi Natakam and a few Keertanas.
Theme: Since he composed musical dramas, the theme was relevant to the story.
Language used: Tamil.
Popular Compositions: Yaro ivar yaro (Saveri, but more popular in Bhairavi), Kanden Kanden Sitayai (Vasanta), Ramanai Kannara Kandane (Mohanam) etc from Ramanatakam.

PACCHIMIRIAM ADIYAPPA (18th century)

Musical Background: A court musician of Tanjore, he was admired as the King of musicians. His famous disciples include Syama Sastri and Ghanam Krishna Iyer. He was a great Vina player.
Region: Tanjavur district, Tamilnadu
Contribution: Though he has composed many Kritis and Varnams, his Varnam in Bhairavi, Viriboni, set to Ata tala, the first of its kind, remains unsurpassed. He was honoured with the title of 'Tana Varna Marga Darsi', meaning, 'guide to the Tana Varnam'.
Theme: Mainly devotional.
Language used: Telugu.
Popular Compositions: His most popular masterpiece is the Bhairavi Ata tala Varnam, Viriboni.

OOTHUKADU VENKATASUBBAYYAR

Musical Background: Venkatasubbayyar was an eminent composer with many firsts to his credit like the Navavarana and the Saptaratna kritis. He had learnt elementary music from Pooranur Natesa Bhagavatar and could find none to teach him further. He ultimately found his 'manasika' guru in the Lord himself. He followed the kriti pattern of the earlier composers like Purandaradasa and Annamacharya and the Kannigal pattern of the Divya Prabandha of the earlier Alwars. Venkata Kavi is a fragrant link between Purandaradasa and Kshetragna and the Carnatic Trinity.
Region: Born to Vadula Ramachandra and Kamala Narayani, Venkata Kavi hailed from Mannargudi, a town in Tamilnadu.
Contribution: As mentioned earlier, Venkata Kavi has several firsts to his credit, having initiated the idea of composing thematic compositions like the Avarana kritis, which was followed by Muthuswami Dikshitar and Swati Tirunal subsequently. He was also the first to have composed the Saptaratna kritis, which many believe, inspired Tyagaraja to come up with the Pancharatna kritis.
His compositions reveal absolute command over Sanskrit and Tamil, with flowing ideas executed to perfection. He has used a range of musical forms beginning from jatiswaras to kritis to slokas to kavadi chindus. He was also perhaps the first to use madhyamakala sahitya prolifically. In short, his compositions have all the ingredients that puts him among the greatest of composers – soul-filling melody, command over rhythm and emotion-laden lyrics. They are also very popular among dancers. His famous works include Rudra Sabdam, Nandana Geeta, Kalinga Nartana Prabhavam, Rajagopala Nrityotsavam and Sri Krishna Ganam with a part that exclusively contain kritis, which is known as Rasa padam.
Signature: Except for a few kritis like Sankari srirajarajeswari (the eighth Navavarana in Madhyamavati), in which the words Venkata Kavi appear, his compositions don’t seem to have a mudra.
Languages used: Tamil and Sanskrit.
Theme: The theme he has adopted is basically devotional. He has composed on a variety of deities beginning from Lord Ganesha to you-name-it. But his favourite deity seems to be Krishna, on whom he has composed several songs.
Popular Compositions: Asaindaadum Mayilonru (Simhendramadhyamam), Alaipayude (Kanada), Taye Yasoda (Todi) and Kuzhaloodi manamellam (Kambhoji) etc are extremely popular.

2003-05-16T00:18:00.000-07:00

Kashmir

Was going through the internet search on PoK, and came across this very interesting link. It has several online books about the history of J&K. You might find it interesting too. And it reveals a lot of truth that otherwise is unknown.
The link is Hisory of Kashmir

2003-05-15T01:54:00.000-07:00

THE UPANISHADS, THE MYSTICS OF THE VEDAS

The history of Hinduism shows, there are several levels of thought and experience that gave rise in time to several schools of philosophy.Hinduism, the oldest of the world religion, is founded on the sacred scriptures, called Vedas. The four important phases of Vedic revelation contain Mantras, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and the Upanishads. The Mantras or Slokas are the Vedic hymns orally passed from generations to generations. The Brahmanas are the consequence of the ritualistic elements in the Mantras.They discuss rituals and sacrifices, the hymns to be sung, and the gods to be invoked. They also define the duties of the officiating priests. The Aranyakas and the Upanishads articulate the mystical elements of the Mantras.

The last phase of the Vedic revelation established the most significant thought process to the philosophy of life through the Upanishads. The Upanishads come after the Veda and therefore the philosophy is known as the Vedanta. The Upanishads, written by the teachers of Vedas, contain the universal and eternal truths of the Vedic hymns. It describes the relationship between Atman, the human soul and Brahman, the universal soul. The eleven known Upanishads are Isavasya, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka,
Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Chandogya, Brihadarnyaka, and Svetasvatara.The written verses in Sanskrit are difficult to comprehend because they contain deep insight to the problems of religion and human thought. The main objective of this article is to illustrate the essence of the Upanishads for the readers to understand and appreciate.

The Creation and Realization
The Upanishads compare God to a spider that weaves its web out of its own body and lies at the center of it. There is general agreement that the principle and source of the universe is Brahman. The resolution of the relationship between Brahman and the universe is the central theme of Vedanta, and the Upanishads. The relative standpoint is Saguna Brahman, the manifestation of Brahman by the human soul, viewed through the human spectacles. Nirguna Brahman, is the absolute standpoint, where Brahman is
God as He views Himself independently. Sankara's Advaita Vedanta explains why Brahman, individual soul (Atman), and the Universe is not different. Madhvacharya's Dvaita Vedanta describes the conception of God with the basic assumption that Brahman, individual souls, and the world are different.The Taittiriya Upanishad using the story of the enlightenment of Bhrigu, the son of Varuna explains the ideas of creation and realization. The universe has five orders of beings: material objects, living plants, conscious animals, intelligent human beings and God in bliss. The four important ingredients to realize SELF, are Annam (food), Prana (air), Manas (consciousness), Vijnana (knowledge). The goal of human life is ananda (bliss), the realization of SELF (Tat Tvam Asi).

Human being, in the scale of spiritual progression, has dual personality. They are partly animal and partly god, moving in two worlds,
the world of Nature and the world of Spirit. The Taitriya Upanishad suggests the path of spiritual progression. The path has movements from food, life, mind, knowledge, and ultimately to Brahman, the SELF. By eliminating all the limitations of the body, mind and intellect, the SELF can be realized. The human being is potentially divine, and that can overcome the world and break
the bonds, and ultimately can realize the SELF. The Mundaka Upanishad states " As the flowing rivers disappear in the sea, losing their name and form, so does a wise man freed from name and form go into the Divine Spirit greater than the great." This experience has different names at different times, as Prana, Jyotis, Akasa, Brahman, Atman, Ananda, or simply as Sah.

The Doctrine of Karma and Samsara In support of the realization of SELF, Upanishads outlines several additional explanations. The universe has the natural tendency to guide the realization by the human soul. The natural forces of the universe maintain the balance
between the material objects, living plants, conscious animals, and intelligent human beings. The transition from human consciousness into divine (transcendental) consciousness is a long and laborious process. Ordinarily, within the span of a single lifetime, it is not feasible to transit from human to divine. Life is a continuous journey, carried over and continued through the succeeding lives till the attainment of SELF realization. The Doctrine of Karma and Samsara rationalizes the role of the soul during the transition between the lives. The law of Karma rationalizes the purpose of the movement. Rebirth is dependent on moral behavior in a previous phase of existence and life on the universe is transient.

In the Upanishads, it is no longer a question of rewards and punishments meted out by an external judge. The human beings become the architect of their own spiritual fortunes, no longer subject to chance or the will of an hypothetical God. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad states that the actions of the human beings decide the outcome. The doer of good becomes good, the doer of evil becomes evil. One becomes virtuous by virtuous action and sinful by sinful action. As is his desire so is his will, as his will so is the deed, he does, and whatever deed he does, that he will reap. Ultimately, being Brahman, he goes to Brahman!

The Bhagavad Gita elaborates the doctrine of Karma-yoga, established in the Upanishads. The Karma-yoga is the solvent of the Law of Karma. It is an effective spiritual discipline for persons who seek knowledge of God or knowledge of SELF. According to this doctrine, all works done in a spirit of renunciation and sacrifice with no desire for their fruit lead not to rebirth but to moksha or Self-realization. In nature, the behavior of plants and trees is in the spirit of renunciation and sacrifice with no desire. The path to moksha, is no desire! Desires are the root cause of deaths and births. Work done without any desire for personal gain, becomes
spiritual action. Action should be natural and spontaneous, prompted by the circumstance. An excellent example of this spontaneity is the blooming of the flowers during the morning sunlight (J. Krishnamoorthy's Video Discourse). It is not the renunciation of the action itself, but renunciation of the gains from such action is important.

The Path to Self-realization - Sravana, Manana, and Nididhyasana:
What are the guidelines to reach the goal of life? What type of life one has to lead in order to realize God? The answers to these questions are not directly addressed in the scriptures. It is impossible to outline the path of Self-realization because such a possibility is a logical contradiction. Rightly, the acquisitions of knowledge, the cultivation of virtues, the development of character and the discharging of the duties of the citizen are the only true concerns of the scriptures. However, there are hints and suggestions with regard to the essential pre-requisites of spiritual illumination. It is not the knowledge of scriptures but the realization of the SELF that brings liberation to the spirit of the human being. The Sanskrit sloka " Mantravideva asmi na atmavit." illustrates the true
perspective in the quest for knowledge. Infinite knowledge on Mantras does not lead one to Self-realization.

Vedanta, the philosophy of life derived from the scriptures, is an elaboration of the path to Self-realization. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad discusses the essence of Vedanta in greater depth. The discussion between Rishi Yajnavalkya and his wife, Maitreyi elaborates the essence of Vedanta.The three recognized states to the path of Self-realization are: Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana. Sravana is the study of scriptures under a qualified Guru. Manana means constant reflection upon what has been learnt so that intellectual conviction may be produced in the mind. Finally, Nididhyasana implies meditation that helps to cause a direct realization of the unity of things in God. Knowledge should lead to experience, intellectual conviction should result in perception. That is why meditation comes in the last stage of the spiritual journey. Again the scriptures insist that
successful completion of the states are neither necessary nor sufficient for Self-realization.

Patanjali, the greatest authority on Yoga, discusses the different kinds of meditation techniques from the scriptures. Yoga, the practice of meditation is deep thinking. Human beings meditate in their daily work to get knowledge and power. The Yogi practices yogas with a specific goal in life. A genuine yogi has no interest in the enjoyment of powers because they are barriers to Self-realization. The scriptures discuss the true form of meditation, the path to Self-realization. The Upanishads outlines the
details of Upasanas, the preliminary steps of meditation. The Upasanas include the choice of symbol or object to represent SELF, the mystic syllable AUM, and other key elements. Prana (breath), Asana (posture), Pratyahara (training of mind for detachment), Dharna (concentration of mind to specific part of body), and Dhyana (get the power to think) are the critical elements
of the upasanas. The last part of meditation is Samadhi, the total absorption. In this state of the mind, the yogi rejects the external part, the object of meditation, and contemplates only its essence.

The word AUM is primordial and uncreated sound. The mystics absorbed in contemplation, when their minds and senses are withdrawn from the world heard the sound AUM. AUM, often written OM (to rhyme with home), is the most sacred word in the Gayatri mantra, which contains the essence of Vedanta. This is an effective symbol of Brahman. The Upanishads describe AUM as the symbol of the Atman, or individual soul, in its various aspects. The unique sound of A, U, and M represents the Atman free from the experiences of the relative world, Turiya, the pure consciousness.

States of Consciousness and Transcendental Consciousness:
There are four states of consciousness, waking, dream, dreamless sleep, and Turiya, (self-realization). The state of waking consciousness contains the impressions derived directly from the objects presented to the senses. The state of dream consciousness fills with impressions not directly from the objects but from the images of objects stored in the memory. At the state
of dreamless sleep, not only the senses and but the mind is quiescent. Here there are no impressions and the mind is a temporary cessation of normal consciousness. Finally, the fourth state of consciousness, Turiya, where the subject is permanently free from the principle of objectivity. The person has the positive experience of Atman, the liberated spirit and this experience is not within the experience of ordinary persons. This state according to Mandukya Upanishad is neither cognitive nor non-cognitive, it cannot be seen, cannot be described, and cannot be designated. This is the state of the realization of Atman, the knowledge of oneness of the SELF, where the world ceases to exist!

All creatures seek happiness, and most of them seek the lowest quality and for the shortest duration. True happiness consists in expanding our souls in every direction and reaching out in brotherly union with other souls, to that universal spirit who is the perfection of knowledge, beauty and love. This path to true happiness is Pravritti Marga. The acquisition of knowledge, the worship of beauty, and the thrilling experience of love is only knowing the different phases of knowing the SELF. This is Nivritti Marga, the path of concentration. The internal world and the external world needs equal attention to reach the transcendental consciousness. The
Bhagavad Gita says, " He who sees that the way of renunciation and the way of works are one, he sees indeed."

Conclusion
Sharma, in his book, The Upanishads-An Anthology, states "It may be remarked that this aspect of the Upanishadic teaching, bearing on what is now called Nature mysticism, as well many other aspects, is either lost sight of or is reduced to a cold hardened doctrine in most of our later scriptures, without the warm enthusiasm and the profound mystic insight of the original seers."
Parthasarathi, a well known scholar of Vedanta, in his book Vedanta Treatise, states " The goal of all religions is one and the same. To unveil your real Self. To discover your true nature. To draw out the divinity in you." The Upanishads with the Gita contains the essence of VEDANTA: the thoughts on creation, the creator, and the salvation. The stories of Nachiketas in Katha, of Bhrigu in Taittiriya, Janaka in Brihadaranyaka, and of Satyakama, Upakosal, Svetaketu and several others in Chandogya are good
illustrations of Vedanta.

Bibliography

Sharma, D. S. The Upanishads - an anthology, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, 1975.

A. Parthasarathy, Vedanta Treatise, Vedanta Life Institute, Bombay, 1984.

Swami Nikhilananda, Hinduism, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Madras, 1968.

McCormick, Alvena, The Mystery of Creation, Central Chinmaya Mission Trust,Bombay, 1986.

2003-05-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

VEER SAVARKAR VINDICATED

A reply to a Marxist Calumny - J. D. Joglekar

Frontline published an article under caption "Far from Heroism : The tale of Veer Savarkar' "in its issue of April 7,1995 vilifying Veer Savarkar Shri J.D. Joglekar prepared a rejoinder to it refuting all allegations made in it and showing its hallowness. There after we sent it to Frontline hoping it would be published. Prof. Awadhoot Shastri editor of Dharmabhaskar monthly felt that it was better not to depend on Frontline for publication, but to publish it ourselves for vindicating Veer Savarkar Accordingly he published the reply in English in the May 1995 issue of Dharmabhaskar and its Marathi version is being published in June 1995 issue. We strongly felt that in future students and researchers would find this letter a good and easy reference work about the life of Veer Savarkar and decided to publish it in book-let.

We are thankful to Prof. Awadhoot Shastri for undertaking the printing work of this book-let. We hope that devotees of Savarkar school of thought will find the book-let useful

22nd May 1995.
Pandit Bakhale
Secretary,
Swatantryaveer Savarkar Rashtriya Smarak,
Mumbai- 400 028

Veer Savarkar Vindicated

The Editor,
Frontline,
Kasturi Buildings,
Madras 600 002

Sir,

This refers to the article under the caption 'Far from heroism : The tale of Veer Savarkar', written by Messrs Dubey and Ramakrishnan, which appeared ill the column 'Reappraisal' of Frontline dated April 7, 1995.

The article is an attempt to denigrate Savarkar and thereby condemn Hindutva. It therefore calls for a rejoinder

After Veer Savarkar's death, a great many leaders issued condolence messages about him. Mrs. Gandhi, the late Prime Minister of India, said 'Savarkar's death removes a great figure of contemporary India. Describing his name-as a by-word for daring and patriotism, she further said that he was cast in the mould of a classic revolutionary and countless people drew inspiration from him." (Keer - Veer Savarkar- p 548)

I think these few lines are sufficient refutation of three-page colossal effort of your research scholars to denigrate Savarkar.

But for enlightenment of your readers I will give information about Savarkar which throws light upon his life and shows how illustrious it was.

The authors have quoted Savarkar's letters to show how unnerved he became, how his spirit was broken, and how he made an abject surrender. If this was really the position, revolutionaries themselves would have turned their backs on him. This does not seem to be the case. Mr Sanyal, Mr Parmanand, Mr Aiyar, Bhagatsingh, Rajguru and others, socially came to see him in Ratnagiri where he was interned. The authors of the article are not aware that his two followers, who remained devoted to him till the end, were invoiced in terrorist activities. One was Mr Wamanrao Chavan, who shot at a sergent in Dhobi Talao, and was jailed for 7 years. It is to be noted that after this shooting incident, Savarkar was detained in jail for two weeks as Mr Chavan hailed from Ratnagiri. The other was Mr. Gogate who shot at the Acting Governor of Bombay Mr. Hotson. Mr. Gogate was sentenced to imprisonment of 8 years.

Bhai Parmanand was sentenced to death. But later his sentence was committed and he was sent to the Andamans. Mr Ashutosh Lahiri was also sent to the Andamans. Both were in the Andamans at the time Savarkar was there. Your readers would be interested to know that Bhai Parmanand became the president of size Hindu Mahasabha and Lahiri was its General Secretary and both were valued colleagues of Savarkar during the period of his Hindu Mahasabha Presidency from 1937 to 1943.

Incidentally Mr Achyut Patwardhan of '1942 Quit India' fame and Mr S. M. Joshi, leader of the Socialist Party, met Savarkar, when he was released from his internment in Ratnagiri in 1937 and requested him to join their Socialist Party. Strange that Patwardhan and Joshi should have felt that Savarkar, whose spirit, as your beamed authors say, was broken, should join their party!

Your authors have made wonderful discovery. They write, 'One warning from the Government, and his concern for the so-called welfare of the Hindus had disappeared into thin air.' Your readers should read the chapter 'Social Revolution' from Keer's biography of Savarkar or Balarao Savarkar's volume Hindu Samaj Sanrakshak Swa. Veer V. D. Savarkar (Ratnagiri Parva) to find out for themselves what tremendous social transformation he effected in Ratnagiri during his internment there and thereby earned encomiums from several reformers of Maharashtra. The great Social Reformer Mr. Shinde was moved to say that God should give the remaining years of his life to Savarkar And be it noted that Gandhiji, always hard- pressed for tune found it worthwhile to meet Savarkar to discuss social problems with him in 1927 when he was on a tour of Ratnagiri. He also praised Savarkar's sacrifice and patriotism. And yet your authors hare the temerity to pen the above words. Only blind hatred could have produced these words.

In the same article, in a box item, under the caption 'Contrasting approaches.' the authors have mentioned Motilal Nehru's six months sentence. This should not have been done. No one denies Motilal's sacrifice. But can six months jail in 1930 be compared with 50 years' sentence in 1911? In 1930 the Government had become mellow. Provincial autonomy was 7 years away and Swarajya was 17 years away. But in 1911 the British Indian Government was harsh. When Savarkar was jailed, Gandhiji was in South Africa, Jawaharlal Nehru was in London. Motilal Nehru was more with the liberals than with the extremists in the Congress. What kind of life Savarkar had to face in the jail in lice Andamans? History ticket of Savarkar tells the story. Here are few notings :

(I) 6 months solitary confinement;
(II) Seven days standing handcuffs
(III)Absolutely refusing to work, Ten days cross bar fetters imposed.
(Source material for a history of the freedom movement in India Vol. II,. Bombay Government publication : pp- 478/479)

How many top leaders of the Congress had to suffer such punishments?

There is a following noting on page 464 of the above book. (Xerox copy attached)

'He is always suave and polite but like brother, he has never shown any disposition to actively assist Government. It is impossible to say what his real political views are at the present time.'

Your authors write, 'What is clear from a study of these documents, many of them available with the National Archives, New Delhi, is that Savarkar sought his release from British prisons not merely by giving an undertaking not to engage in political activity but also by acknowledging that he had had a fair trial and a just sentence.' Now, one does not have to go to the archives to read the contents of these letters. Savarkar in his book 'My Transportation', has narrated on various pages what talks he had with Sir Reginald Craddock in 1913, with members of Jail Commission, and with the Governor and what restrictions he would accept for his release from the Jail. (Samagra Savarkar Wangmaya, Vol 1,-pp 448/620,690).

Savarkar did not believe in Satyagraha. So jail going was not an important pall of his political activities. If he was caught, he thought it legitimate to give any undertaking to secure his release. He was a disciple of Shivaji. One should read Shivaji's letter to Aurangzeb. To secure his release, Shivaji made many promises in that letter But when he escaped these promises evaporated in thin air (Xerox copy attached).

Why judge Savarkar by Gandhian principles? We may, if we want, judge him by Leninist standards. Did not Lenin accept the offer of 'Sealed Car' from the Kaiser's German Government- a capitalist government? He came in that train to lead the Bolshevik Party and to seize power in Russia. Stalin made a pact with Hitler, his arch enemy. But what is laudable in Lenin and Stalin becomes condemnable in Savarkar. To a jaundiced eye everything looks yellow.

'In contrasting approaches' your authors write, 'The desperate telegram from Hailey in which he explained the old man's determination and character in some detail, forced the issue and Motilal Nehru was released on September 8, 1930- unconditionally. He died five months later, on February 6, 1931 in Lucknow, with Jawaharlal Nehru and Gandhiji at his bedside.' How could Gandhi and Nehru be at his bedside? Because 'On January 25th Viceroy, Lord Irwin, ordered the unconditional release of Gandhi and the members of the Congress Woking Committee, including Nehru.' (Frank Moraes- Jawaharlal Nehru- p 171)

Mr Nehru's wife, Kamala, went to Europe for treatment. Mr Moraes writes 'On September 4, 1935, Nehru was suddenly discharged from Almora, five and half months before his term was to expire ... On the same afternoon he set out by Air for Europe......... On the evening of September 9th he reached Badenweiler.' [p- 246]

No one grudges this sympathetic treatment to Nehru. One only wishes that people should know that Savarkar brothers met their family members only once in the Andamans. And in this meeting Savarkar's elder brother came to know that his wife had died earlier Here are real contrasting approaches.'

Now how was Savarkar treated in the jail in the Andamans? the following three excerpts show it :-
(I) Bombay Government do not recommend any remission of the sentences passed upon Ganesh Damodar Savarkar and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar [p. 467]
(II) 'Government of India agree that the Savarkar brothers should not be released under the Royal Amnesty.'
This is dated 8th december 1919. P.[469]
(III) 'The Government of Bombay by their letter No. 1106/36, Home Department, dated 29th February 1921, informed the Government of India that the Governor in Council was not in favour of the transfer of the Savarkar brothers from Andamans to a jail in the Bombay Presidency, as that would lead to a recrudescence of agitation in their favour.' (p.477-478)
(Source material for a history of the freedom movement in India.)

Your readers should carefully read the marked lines. They showed the Government's worry and public sympathy for Savarkar.

Your authors have said that Savarkar and his family showed increasing tendency to mollify the British authorities. What was wrong in that? Any family would do that. It is natural; moreover, the British Government was not sympathetic, tender and accommodating to Savarkar brothers, as it was with Gandhi and Nehrus, I will illustrate :

While sentencing Gandhiji in 1922 to six years imprisonment Sir Robert Broomfield observed:
'I should like to say that if the course of events in India should make it possible for the Government to reduce the period and release you, no one will be better pleased than I'. (Tendulkar- Mahatma- Vol II- p 134)

Government on medical advice released Gandhiji in 1924. (Mahatma Vol. II p-163)

The same consideration was extended to Mr Nehru. Mr Moraes writes, 'On the night of August 11th Nehru was brought from Dehra Dun under police escort to Allahabad and there informed that he was to be temporarily released in order to see his ailing wife. He was to be at liberty for eleven days.' (Jawaharlal Nehru p. 237)

Mr Moraes further writes : 'Nehru had given the Government no undertaking when he came out of jail, but he fell it would be improper to engage in political activities during the respite they had allowed him.' (p.238). The Government was sure that he would not take part in politics and hence did not impose condition. However in Savarkar's case, the Government imposed the condition that he should, not engage in political activities. How can it trust a man who jumped the ship at Marseilles?

Your authors have written about Savarkar's surrender, etc, It would have served the cause of history better if they had inquired into what was happening in tile Congress camp. Writing about the settlement, Gandhi- Irwin pact, Mr Moraes writes,

'Glancing at it, Nehru noticed that Gandhi had accepted the principle of self-Government with reservations or safe-guards. He was numbed by the discovery, being literally shocked into silence.'

'As Nehru lay in bed that night, his mind travelled back to the saga and sacrifices of the non-violent movement. Were all these sacrifices to be frittered away in this temporary provisional compromise? How could Gandhi have brought himself to surrender the position when victory seemed within his grasp? ?Were all their brave words and deeds to end in this? Nehru wept. He was distressed beyond measure, and his grief and embitterment found vent in tears (p-181)

Comments are superfluous!
Your authors have laboured hard to show that Savarkar's spirit was broken. They should have read the following paragraph from 'The struggle for Freedom.'

Dr Majumdar writes :
"By that time the individual civil Disobedience 'was dead like a door nail.' Referring to the commencement of the New Year, 1934, the official history of the Congress records : 'The progress of events in the line of Civil Disobedornce was none too satisfactory, The prisoners who were released were fagged. The provincial leaders who had promised at Poona Conference to lead their provinces if Mass Civil Disobedience were given up and individual civil disobedience continues did not carry out their pledges, except in a few cases. Those who were released from jails found themselves unable or unwilling to face another conviction. 'Slowly and silently the movement faded away, and during the upheaval caused by the great earthquake at Bihar on 16 the January, 1934, it passed away unnoticed into the limbo of oblivion."
(Struggle for Freedom : Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Publication -p. 525)
This should show whose spirit was really broken.

In 1937, when all restrictions imposed on Savarkar were removed and Savarkar became free, Subhashchandra Bose, Jawaharlal Nehru and M. N. Roy welcomed him to full freedom. Your authors say, 'Although Savarkar's conditional release was not much of a secret at the time, when it occured it was criticised by sections of the press.' And yet Bose, Nehru and Roy thought it wise to welcome him. Who is more sensible? Bose, Nehru and Roy or your authors?

Your authors have stated - '.........Vinayak Damodar Savarkar who was one of the founders of the Hindu Mahasabha and is considered to be the father of the Anti-Muslim Hindutva ideology....' This statement reveals their colossal ignorance. For Hindu Mahasabha was founded in 1915 when Savarkar was in jail. According to Dr Majumdar - 'The great leaders of Hindu Mahasabha, to begin with, were Swami Shraddhananda, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and Lala Lajpat Rai. Rajendra Prasad, too, presided over the special session in 1923. Then came Dr B. S. Moonje and Bhai Parmananda, and last of all the great revolutionary, Veer Savarkar, who gave it a militant character. During the whole of this period the Hindu Mahasabha really constituted a political organisation to fight for the interests of the Hindus to which the Congress leaders were indifferent and even hostile.' (- Struggle for Freedom - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Publication pp - 988/989)

As regards the charge of anti- Muslim Hindutva let me quote a few lines from Savarkar's Hindutva, He says, 'It may be that at some future time the word Hindu may come to indicate a citizen of Hindusthan and nothing else !' Does this not show that Savarkar visualised that a time would come when Muslims would be included in the fold of the Hindus? If this is so, how can Hindutva be anti-Muslim? But when ignorance parades as research, it becomes limitless.

The last heroic thing that Savarkar did was to give up his life voluntarily. No man who has lost his nerves can do this. How many leaders, accept Vinoba Bhave, have shown this courage? Any way, Savarkar has departed from this world in 1966 with his reputation unsullied. No amount of research will tarnish it. He was father of Hindutva-Hindu Nationalism. Now Hindutva has gathered its own momentum. No denigration of Savarkar will stop the growth of Hindutva.

It would have served the cause of National integration better if your authors had made research to find out why Indian nationalism failed and why Pakistan was created and why Muslim separatism still persists.

2003-05-14T23:54:00.000-07:00

Savarkar's 'firsts'

Here is brief summary of just Savarkar's 'firsts'. These excerpts are from 'Veer Savarkar' by Dhananjay Keer. Incidentally Mr. Keer was conferred Padma Bhushan in 1971 for this and other biographies. Mr. Keer worked with Savarkar on the first Pan-Hindu temple in Ratnagiri.

Veer Savarkar By Dhananjay Keer, Sangam Books Ltd, London, 2nd Ed, 1988, 569 pages ISBN 086132 182 0

Please note the real title is Swatantrya Veer -Hero of the freedom struggle and not just Veer.

Savarkar - The crown prince of revolutionaries, has many firsts to his credit, here is the list:

He was the first Indian political leader to call for Swadeshi,and the first Indian leader who publicly performed a bonfire
of foreign clothes (1906). (MANY YEARS BEFORE GANDHIJI)

He was the first Indian student who was rusticated from a hostel of an institution aided by British Govt (reason was the bonfire).

He was the first Indian leader of India to daringly proclaim absolute political independence of India as her goal (EVEN BEFORE
LOKMANYA TILAK called Swaraj a birth right)

Savarkar was the first barrister who was refused the degree on account of his political line of thought by the British Government.

He was the first graduate to lose the degree from an Indian University (Bombay University) for his love of independence. (The same University rescinded its 1911 decision after 49 years in April 1960 and reconferred the degree. Meanwhile Pune and Nagpur
had conferred honorary Doctorates on Savarkar).

Savarkar was again the first Indian leader to invest the problem of Indian independence with international importance.

Savarkar was the first Indian leader who cleared the myth British historians propagated and showed that 1857 war of independence was not a mutiny of sepoys in few regiments but a revolt of Indian population against the British sustained over for 2 years. He also highlighted the cruelty of British Generals during that period who slaughterd outright ordinary Indians on flimsiest pretexts. He was the first Indian leader to celebrate 50 th anniversary of 1857.

Savarkar was the first Indian leader to organize revolutionary movement in the 'enemy's camp' right in the heart of London.

He was the first author whose work was proscribed by the governments of two countries (India & UK) even before it was printed or published. (his book 'War of Independence of 1857' which was published clandestinely in US and India Thanks to Dr.Kurien, an Indian christian)

Savarkar was the first rebel leader of India who refused to recognize the authority of the British Court of Law.

He was the first political prisoner in the history of world the issue of whose arrest was fought out in the International Court at the Hague.

Savarkar was the first political prisoner in the political history who was sentenced to 50 year's transportation.

Savarkar was the first poet in the world, who deprived of pen and paper, composed and wrote his poems on the prison walls with thorns and pebbles, learnt with Vedic tenacity more than ten thousand lines of his poetry for years till they reached his country thru the mouth of others, and showed how since dawn of humanity sacred Vedas were kept circulating from generation to generation.

Savarkar also designed the first Indian flag to be unfurled overseas (by Madam Cama, in Stuttgart Germany, on August 22, 1907 at the International Socialist Congress, where Britsh and French socilaists moved a resolution to call India an oppressed country).

He was the first Indian political leader to build a pan-Hindu temple where former 'untouchable' was a priest.

He was the first president of Marathi Sahitya Parishad (Council of all Marathi writers and poets)

He was the only Hindu leader honored by SGPC (Sikh religious body)

Veer Savarkar - The Eternal Hero

Savarkar at the age of 15 took a vow in front of Goddess Durga to drive out British from his Motherland to make her free and great once again.

At age 14 he wrote ballads of Tanaji Malusare and Shivaji.

At the age 17 he started a Mitra mela which in four years sprouted into Abhinav Bharat Society, the foremost revolutionary group, which later led to a web of revolutionaries in Bengal, Punjab and other states.

It was on Lokmanya Tilak's recommendation that got Savarkar a scholarship by India House (by Shri Shyamji Krishna Varma who later became Savarkar's follower)

During his stay in London, Savarkar shipped bomb recipes and pistols in books with hollow cavities carved out from the pages.

Unlike Gandhi and Nehru who were given Class A prisoner status,Savarkar was given Class C and was made to drive an oil mill. He had to make mulch coir and make ropes out of it with bare hands. Even in prison forcible conversions of poor Hindus to Islam were takning place. Savarkar fought for the prison reforms and put a stop to these conversions. He eliminated untouchability among Hindu prisoners in the Andamans.

After the arrest of his brother, who also was given a life term in Andamans, and banning of his books in 1909, the British confiscated all his family's personal property. The utensils, clothes were thrown out on the street. His family's belongings were nothing
but the clothes they were wearing at the time. All this while he was in Europe. This victimization of his family made him return to London where he was arrested.

On this sacrifice Savarkar's poetic words are;

We have not taken this vow to go "Sati", to jump into the burning fire knowing the pain it may cause, blindly. This enlightened
sacrifice comes naturally to Hindus. (Many thousands of Hindu women committed Jouhar and many many Hindus have donned kesariya before).

Many youths those days had this poem of Savarkar and the preface his book on Mazzini by heart, and they used to recite it every day. (One such then youth is Rev. Pandurang Shastry Athavale, Leader of Swadhayay movement, a parivar of 6 million plus Hindus).

Savarkar wrote Mazzini's biography, The history of 1857 war of independence, epic poems Kamla, he wrote news reports from UK,
he wrote Hindutva - a unique contribution to Hindu philosophy he wrote novels, he wrote plays, he wrote a grand study of Indian history. He wrote songs, he wrote 'stotras'. One of his song " praise of Godess Liberty " is in 10 th grade texts in Marathi. Unfortunately for us, Savarkar's manuscript on Sikh history was lost and was never found.

Savarkar's followers in London also worked with the Gadhar Party in USA mobilising American support for Indian independence movement. Theyorked worked with other European leaders also. The 1912 demands by Wilhem Kaiser's German govt from the British included that India be given independence.

In 1960 Savarkar exhorted India to make atomic bombs.

Savarkar is the only author who tried to put "Kundalini' and sapta chakra experience of a yogi in modern medical terms.
Flag Savarkar designed for Hindus has the lotus Kundlini and kripan (a sword) for the defence

The book Savarkar worked the longest on is 'Six Gloriuos Epochs of Indian History'- This book has nearly thousand references.
This is the true Indian history, not the canned 'british' version of history. If you are a Hindu, you should atleast read this book to know your side of the history. Judge the man by his words and his actions before you pass an opinion based on British/Nehru inspired rumors passed on by the nitwits and their followers the netwits.

Veer Savarkar: The Eternal Hero

Savarkar's political realism and foresight has proved to be correct and unfailing.

In 1925 Savarkar predicted that the separation of Sindh from Bombay province for appeasing Moslems would be disastrous precedent, would destory Sindh Hindus and would pique the appetite of Pan-islamists.We know it snow balled into creation of Pakistan. Plight of Hindus in Sindh keeps getting even worse.

Savarkar foretold (in his speech on Aug 2, 1942 a week before the start of Quit India movement) that the political leadership of Gandhi
and Nehru which according to him lacked historical perspective, would end up dividing India on the basis of religion. It came true.

Savarkar said that if once Pakistan came into being it would raise an army and always disturb the peace, industrialisation and the progress of India. It came true.

3 wars with Pakistan. We have Punjab, Kashmir terrorism supported by Pakistan, Bombings in Bombay at sensitive strategic
locations. It is still coming true.

He said in January 1954, that Mao hoodwinked Nehru over Tibet and China would pull down the pillars of Panchsheel any moment.
(He also commented "In the very six years (after 1947) we criminally wasted, China had equipped her whole nation with most modern and upto date arms and without caring the least for feelings of India, had completely overrun Tibet and destroyed the only buffer state.") (Only oyther Indian leader to protest vehemantly against China's take over of Tibet was Dr.Ambedkar).It came true and China invaded India in 1962.

He warned in 1941 about Moslem infiltration to Assam from East Bengal. It came true and is coming true even now. We have 15 to 20 million illiegal Moslems (100,000 of them in Bombay itself is acknowledged by the Maharashtra Govt). Thanks to Sayyad Shahbuddin and Ghani Khan Choudhari, Kishan Ganj, Malda districts of Bihar and Bengal are open havens for BD Moslems who are being made into voters of India overnight. Lately Hiteshwar Saikia is after Moslem voters in Assam, ad you know more voters for Congress can be created by importing Moslems from across the border.

In 1910, on the way to Andamans to India Savarkar envisioned a naval base guarding this southeastern gate of India.
Guess what Chinese are getting active at a nearby port in Burma.

In 1937 Savarkar expressed fear that Congress would one day throttle Vande Mataram. Within a few years Congress did sacrifice Vande Mataram to appease Moslems (prior to Partition).

Savarkar sounded a warning about the fate of kashmir in 1938. We have paid for ignoring his warnings in the 3 wars, 300,000 Kashmiri
who are made refugees in their own country are paying for it now.

Veer Savarkar The Eternal Hero

Savarkar was a rebel and revolutionary to the last breath (Times of India, Feb. 27, 1966)

Savarkar was the first Indian leader to give the message of absolute political independence and unity to the nation. But the tragedy of
Savarkar was that although he was a secularist to the backbone, a great lover of science and a sturdy nationalist, he was cruelly represented as an orthodox leader by those partial to Gandhi and Nehru. (Savarkar said in June 1963 that it was rediculous and irrational to follow astrology when Russians and Americans are striving to land on the Moon and Mars. Earlier Savarkar refused to consider a cow as holy and chose to call it only as a very useful animal). Savarkar was the first India n leader to give India the message of secularism and modernism before the advent of Nehru and MN Roy. Savarkar was more rational than Gandhi, Cripps or Jayprakash Narayan and as rational As Nehru and Roy. He was an epic poet and a great rationalist. He was a great author and the Demoshenes of his age in India. His political realism and foresight proved to be correct and unfailing

Great men are sometimes obsessed with one idea. Likewise Savarkar was obsessed, his critics say, with the idea of Hindu Militarisation. He was not an imperialist or a militarist. It was his sincere desire that having suffered slavery often, India should not fall a prey to any militarist and aggressive country. So many times in the history the holy land of Hindus was devastated and sacked by hoards of barbarians (Huns, Scythians, etc ), so inferior to them in language, religion, culture, philosophy, mercy and all the soft attitudes of man and God; but superior to them in strength alone- the strength that summed up in two words - Fire and Sword! It is in this sense Savarkar wanted Hindus to militarise so never again shall their country be devastated.

Savarkar was the foremost Indian leader to welcome the machine age and he undertood that economic equality is the inevitable outcome of the machine age. As regards the social equality, none of his great contemporaries except Dr.Ambedkar, not even Jawaharlal Nehru fought orthdoxy with such ruthlessness as did Savarkar.

Savarkar was dubbed a communalist because he said that the principle of one man one vote should be followed (then opposed to by Muslim leadership) and because he opposed Muslim Mauliavis and Christian Missionaries trying to convert illiterate, ignorant and poor Hindus.

In every age the nation that had access to superior force defeated the nations that did not have that advantage. Savarkar was the
only leader in India who openly said that India should have accession to a superior device, weapon or force. Savarkar held that justice
would go down if not backed by a superior force. A nation, however tolerant, just and cooperative would go down if it did not go
match (approximate) the power of surrounding nations (Lesson taught to India by China war the hard way). India should believe
in noble principles for the progress of humanity but keep her superior weapon ready for her own survival. This was the message of
Savarkar to India.

Also beautifully worded by National poet Ramdharisingh "Dinkar" 'Kshamaa shobhati oos Bhujang ko Jis ke paas garal ho'
forgiveness befits only that Cobra that still carries the venom.

Savarkar on revolution (Nov.1909) - "Whenever the natural process of national and political evolution is violently suppressed by the forces of wrong, then revolution must step in as a natural reaction and therfore ought to be welcomed as the only effective instrument to reenthrone Truth and Right. You (the British) rule by bayonets and under these circumstances it is a mockery to talk of constitutional agitation when no constitution exists at all. But it would be worse than a mockery, even a crime when there is a constitution that allows the fullest and freeest developement of a nation. Only because you (British) deny us a gun, we pick up a
pistol. Only because you deny us light, we gather in darkness to compass means to knock out the fetters that hold out Mother down."

Swatantrya-Veer Savarkar - The Eternal Hero

Rajagopalachari -Savarkar to him was a national hero, a symbol of courage, bravery and patriotism , an 'abhitirth' in the long battle
for freedom.

Subhash Chandra Bose wanted Savarkar to join the Congress after Savarkar' s release in 1937.

M.N.Roy wanted Savarkar to devote his life again to the emancipation of India on Savarkar's own line of thinking.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dr.Radhakrishanan, YB Chavan felicited Savarkar on Dec.1960

S.M.Joshi (the socialist leader) said he was inspired by Savarkar's call for absolute political independence.

General Cariappa India's first Commander in Chief (C-in-C) in Dec. 1962 after the defeat of Indian Army in the China war said " Had India listened to Savarkar and adopted his policy of militarization and prepared herself she would not have been placed in this predicament.

Gyanpith award winner V.S.Khandekar said that Savarkar was great not only the field of politics but also in the fields of poetry, courage literature. His greatness had the colors of the rainbow. We are all Lilliputians before Savarkar.

On Feb 3. 1966 Savarkar decided to surrender to death and simply stopped taking any food or drink other than water. He had stopped taking any medicine a month before that.

Congress MPs Violet and Joachim Alva (on Feb 5, 1966) wrote to Savarkar "We humbly salute your unforgettable daring achievement - Swimming the ocean and regaining freedom- will be long cherished in the pages of freedom struggle"

Among the people who wrote concerned about his health were Jagjivan Ram and then home minister Gulzarilal Nanda.

After 22 days on barely 5 to 6 teaspoonfuls of water a day, on February 26 1966, Savarkar happily surrendered to Death whom he had challenged since his youth. He was conscious to the last hour and did not suffer any serious complications whatsoever.

S.A.Dange (Chairman of the Communist party) said of Savarkar " He was one of the great anti-imperialist revolutionary".

PM Indira Gandhi said " Savarkar was a great figure of contemporary India and his name is by-word for daring and patriotism. He was cast in a mould of a classic revolutionary and countless people drew inspiration from him."

Defence minister YB Chavan " Savarkar displayed a unique combination of nationalism, bravery and social unity ".

Haribhau Pataskar ex Gov. of MP and congress leader said " Savarkar was India's bravest son, a great literary genius, an inspiring poet and a great orator."

M.C.Chagla (the then Education minister) said " Savarkar was a great patriot and an illustrious son of India" he added " anyone living in this country who loved and drew inspiration from the great heritage of India and was loyal to India was a Hindu. Revolutionaries like
Savarkar created an atmosphere which made it possible for Mahatma Gandhi to succeed. It would be unpatriotic if the people of India
failed to give Savarkar a prominent place in the history of India". (By the way 'Muslim' Chagla's definition of Hindu is close to Savarkar's definition of a Hindu).

Savarkar in his will asked that nobody should observe hartal or close his business to mourn over his death. This to avoid inconvenience to common people.He was cremated in electric crematorium per his wish because he considered it more clean, efficient (eco-friendly in modern terms).

2003-05-14T23:20:00.000-07:00

Why We Disagree

Swami Vivekanada - 15th September 1893

I will tell you a little story. You have heard the eloquent speaker who has just finished say, 'Let us cease fro abusing each other,' and he was very sorry that there should be always so much variance.

But I think I should tell you a story which would illustrate the cause of this variance. A frog lived in a well. It had lived there for a long time. It was born there and brought up there, and yet was a little, small frog. Of course, the evolutionists were not there then to tell us whether the frog lost its eyes or not, but, for our story's sake, we must take it for granted that it had its eyes, and that it every day cleansed the water of all the worms and bacilli that lived in it with an energy that would do credit to our modern bacteriologists. In this way it went on and became a little sleek and fat. Well, one day another frog that lived in the sea came and fell into the well.

'Where are you from?' 'I am from the sea.' 'The sea! How big is that? Is it as big as my well?' and he took a leap from one side of the well to the other. 'My friend,' said the frog of the sea, 'how do you compare the sea with your little well?' Then the frog took another leap and asked, 'Is your sea so big?' 'What nonsense you speak, to compare the sea with your well!' 'Well then,' said the frog of the well, 'nothing can be bigger than my well; there can be nothing bigger than this; this fellow is a liar, so turn him out.'

That has been the difficulty all the while.

I am a Hindu, I am sitting in my own little well and thinking that the whole world is my little well. The Christian sits in his little well and thinks the whole world is his well. The Mohammedan sits in his little well and thinks that is the whole world. I have to thank you of America for this great attempt you are making to break down the barriers of this little world of ours, and hope that, in the future, the Lord will help you to accomplish your purpose.

2003-05-14T23:19:00.000-07:00

OUR DUTY TO THE MASSES

Swami Vivekananda's letter to His Highness the Maharaja of Mysore (23 June 1894).

Shri Narayana bless you and yours. Through your Highness' kind help it has been possible for me to come to this country. Since then, I have become well known here, and the hospitable people of this country have supplied all my wants. It is a wonderful country and this is a wonderful nation in many respects ...

Nowhere on earth have women so many priveleges as in America. They are slowly taking everything into their hands; and, strange to say, the number of cultured women is much greater than that of cultured men ... they require more spiritual civilization, and we, more material.

The one thing that is at the root of all evils in India is the condition of the poor. The poor in the West are devils; compared to them ours are angels, and it is therefore so much easier to raise our poor. The only service to be done for our lower classes is to give them education to develop their lost individuality. That is the great task between our people and princes. Up to now, nothing has been done in that direction. Priest-power and foreign conquest have trodden them down for centuries, and at last, the poor of India have forgotten that they are human beings. They are to be given ideas; their eyes are to be opened to what is going on in the world around them; and then they will work out their own salvation.

Every nation, every man, and every woman must work out their own salvation. Give them ideas - that is the only help they require, and then the rest must follow as the effect. Ours is to put the chemicals together, the crystallization comes in the law of nature. Our duty is to put ideas into their heads, they will do the rest. That is what is to be done in India. I could not accomplish it in India, and that was the reason of my coming to this country.

The great difficulty in the way of educating the poor is this. Supposing even your highness opens a free school in every village, still it would do no good, for the poverty in India is such, that the poor boys would rather go to help their fathers in the fields, or otherwise try to make a living, than come to the school. If the poor boy cannot come to education, education must go to him. There are thousands of single-minded, self-sacrificing Sanyasins in our country, going from village to village, teaching religion. If some of them can be organized as teachers of secular things also, they will go from place to place, from door to door, not only preaching, but teaching also.

Suppose two of these men go to a village in the evening with a camera, a globe, some maps, etc. By telling stories about different nations, they can give the poor a hundred times more information through the ear than they can get in a lifetime through books. This requires an organization, which again means money. Men enough there are in India to work out this plan, but alas! they have no money. lt is very difficult to set a wheel in motion; but when once set, it goes on with increasing velocity. After seeking help in my own country & failing to get any sympathy from the rich, I came over to this country through your Highness' aid.

The Americans do not care a bit whether the poor of India die or live. And why should they, when our own people never think of anything but their own selfish ends? My noble Prince, this life is short, the vanities of the world are transient, but they alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive. One such high, noble-minded and royal son of India as your Highness can do much more towards raising India on her feet again and thus leave a name to posterity which shall be worshipped. That the Lord may make your noble heart feel intensely for the suffering millions of India, sunk in ignorance, is the prayer of -- Vivekananda.

2003-05-11T21:21:00.000-07:00

MAINTAINING DAILY BALANCE

Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

1. Take Time for Your Health. There are many programs available to maintain your personal health. Select the ones that are
appropriate for you. Whatever you chose, they will all have one common ingredient: Time. Take the time to care for yourself.
Schedule exercise and give it the same priority you would give to a business meeting or a social engagement. Plan to eat correctly.
Listen to music and enjoy a laugh. If we don't take time for health and fitness today, we have to take time for sickness and
illness tomorrow. It's not a question of "whether or not" we will spend time in this area. The question is "where".

2. Give Your Family What They Deserve. A Funeral Director friend of mine told me that never met a widow who complained that her
late husband spent too little time at work. Schedule "special time" with your children. Bring home a surprise rose. Leave a note under someone's pillow. Send a recent snapshot of you to a long distance relative. Plan regular phone contact with those you don't see so often. Be a proactive family leader as good as you are a proactive business leader. The actions we take today form the memories we will re-live and enjoy tomorrow.

3. Take Control of Your Financial life. If you take one hour per day of independent study, in less than four years, you can become a world-class expert in the topic of your choice or develop a successful home-based business, or create an investment plan that will give you financial freedom so that work is no longer a "have to" but a "want to" and is no longer a necessity for your personal financial survival. Maybe take the time from some of that TV time that doesn't enhance our future all that much and re-direct it as an investment in our future.

4. Develop Your Intellectual Area. Half of what is known today, we did not know fifteen years ago. If you and I continue to do what we do, the same way, in five years, most of us will become obsolete. I work with many "downsized" employees who lost their employment not because they were not working "hard enough", but because they failed to take some of their current time to improve
their skills and talents in this fluid world and soon their employer and the world did not need what they did so well.

5. Enjoy a Quality Social Life. Seek out and make friends with the people who will have positive effects in your life. Don't just settle for who is around you. Now, I believe everyone deserves our love and respect but our friendship and time belong to those whom we are free to choose.

6. Maximize Your Professional Life. Don't just do the job for a paycheck, as a way of trading your time for money. Make whatever
you do personally fulfilling and satisfying, no matter where you are and what you do. One very successful businessperson told me
he never held a "job", he had always held a "position". He understood right from the beginning of his career, when he was parking cars, then waiting on tables that these were always opportunities to advance to the next level if through every assignment he sought to make the world a little bit better.

7. Enjoy Your Spiritual Area. This area involves not only formal religious practice but also our relationships to one another, our
communities, and our environment. It would be sad to believe we were put here only to survive and then die. What is your special
role in this Universe?

2003-05-08T22:30:00.000-07:00

WHY HAS IT BECOME SO COOL TO HATE INDIA?

Arindam Banerji, the author of this *unpublished* article, took the usual route of going from the IITs, through a Ph.D in the US, to finally working in sundry research labs. Currently, he is a scientist of some repute, you know the kind whose ideas actually get used by people, and an entrepreneur, with, he says, not much success. Some day, he says, he’ll go back to India, but for now, as time permits, he is a writer and political thinker on South Asian geo-political issues. Last week, he wrote about creating a positive "Brand India".

Saturday morning, last week was a bad one for me – the first thing I read, was an article from Dilip D’Souza. He pontificated,
“Then what do we say about those who might plot against the obscenity that blights their land, as Stauffenberg did, who fight to free India of it? Are they patriots? If so, what if they welcomed a force from abroad that toppled this hypothetical regime, as many Iraqis did? Are they still patriots?” – rediff.com

I was stunned. D’Souza a recognized and very visible journalist, was insinuating and subtly recommending a foreign invasion of India to get rid of the current government; pretty much like the US did in Iraq. Let’s be sure of one thing- I will die defending D’Souza’s right to criticize, fight legally against, decry or vote out of office the current Indian government – but, calling for foreign invasion?? Now, that’s beyond hate.

All this, when I was just beginning to get over the fact that after the Indo-Pakistani thaw had been announced, Praful Bidwai gleefully
announced that India “must give up its inalienable right to Kashmir”. No word on strategic goals for India, nothing about not rewarding terrorism.

When did this happen? Leading journalists, openly publishing anti-India, hate-India propaganda in Indian dailies, and not a word is said – not a single editorial, no public criticism, nothing? When did it become so cool to hate India?

Before we sink into the rhetoric of calling me a scoundrel for bringing up the patriotism issue, let us look at what’s really happening.

Blame India first

Immediately, after the Nadimarg massacre of 24 Indians, including women and children, Farzana Versey wrote a scathing article, criticizing the Kashmiri Pandits, blaming them for leaving the valley – essentially the they-asked-for-it point-of-view. Times of India editorials and Kuldeep Nayar came out and blamed the Government of India. Mind you, not a word – not one word, criticizing either the Pakistani generals or the LeT. Akhila Raman blamed India directly and of course, a columnist in Greater Kashmir blamed the Pandits for it all.

All these people, subtly yet completely undermined the case the GOI was trying to build in international media on the persistent and genocidal nature of Pakistani terrorism. In essence, these Indians equated the victims with the perpetrators, and made the case on behalf of Pakistan.

After all, nobody in international media would cast any doubt on “Indian” writers, when they place the blame on GOI and the Pandits for such a heinous massacre.

The jury had declared their verdict – the ever-so erudite Hafeez Sayeed who postulated “Killing Hindus is the way to move forward” came out looking lily-white, while 4-year old Suraj, who died in his mother’s arms was found guilty – he was an Indian, you see.

Remember, the Chitisingpora incident where 35 Sikhs were killed – some Indian journalists even those writing in international publications, declared that the GOI was to blame. It took an American, Bobby Bearak of NYTimes to chase the whole thing down and visit the home of one of the perpetrators in Pakistan.

No matter what happens and how it happens, it is India that is at fault, Indians are responsible. Journalists tell me that they must remain balanced. That word again?

The whole balance thing – never allow any good news on India.This balance thing, happens not just about the Hindu-Muslim issue or
India-Pakistan issues. Let me give you another example from a different area - Mr. Vishal Thapar’s article on the LCA/Tejas in the Hindustan Times. As you may have heard about the LCA was renamed to Tejas, yesterday. Here is how it was projected in one of the most widely distributed national newspapers in India:

"For those ecstatic at the projection of the Tejas' , this all means that the 'Made in India' tag as a symbol of indigenous capability, a
sobering thought. Its engine is American, its avionics a combination of French, Israeli and Swedish components, and its carbon composite wings Italian.

Given that the three basic components of an aircraft are the engine, airframe and avionics, 'swadeshi' pride gets a dose of reality."
In spite, of the fact, that a simple internet search, would have given Mr. Thapar access to all possible details on LCA – he either chose not to do so or prefers to remain balanced. So, let us take each of his facts one by one.

What he did not tell you was the GE engine is a test engine, to be replaced soon by an India’s Kaveri. Another fact, the most advanced fourth generation fighter called Grippen, also uses the same GE engine, but nobody calls the Swedish Grippen non-indigenous. It also turns out that the new fifth generation aircraft from the US (F/A22) uses Israeli avionics. Truth is, that apart from a few measly displays, almost everything else in the LCA’s avionics- Mission Computers, Radar, Display Processors, Avionics LRU's, databus associated control equipment -is Indian[Nitin, BRF]. The composite wing technology was co-developed with the
Italians – in fact, some of the associated software was sold by INDIA to Airbus.

No mention of the most-advanced Fly-by-Wire technology in a fourth-generation aircraft, no mention of the sale to Airbus – simply the balanced approach to hide India’s accomplishments.

Remember, the Americans cherish their flights to the moon, in spite of the fact, that many of the leading scientists were Nazi Germany’s rocket scientists. They cherish their jet aircraft which was helped tremendously by Nazi German designs of jet aircraft.

So, why was it so important for us to sound balanced – was it important enough to hide the facts and true achievements? Note - not a single clarification issued by the Hindustan Times either. It is fair to point out however, that the Hindu carried a much more positive article on LCA on the next day.

Of course, not to be left behind the ever so-prolific India hater, Praful Bidwai writes “India . . . ranked 54th of 55 countries in an IT survey by International Data Corp. Its score is 871, compared with China's 915, or the US's 5041. (The highest is Sweden's 5062, the lowest Pakistan's 719.) The penetration of Indian households by PCs is under one-fifth the world average. Today, it stands at three machines per 1000 people."

Probably true – but, no mention of the fact that the Indians are designing some of the most advanced routers in the world, they are at the fore-front of telematics technology and developed the first products on web services, which has now become a $50B technology. So, why the lack of balance on this issue? Would not serve our purpose to make India look good, would it, now.

Protest and you get called Names

Everybody has heard about the Bangladeshi infiltration into India. Most people do not know that large parts of the border areas are now run, owned and practically ruled by Bangladeshis. I have nothing against Bangladeshis – but, when they come to my country, ethnically cleanse Indians out of large areas, happily help the ISI and demand sovereignty for areas that they are squatting on, I have a problem. However, the fact that I have said the above, labels me a Hindu Fascist and supremacist. Never mind, that in the last 17 years in the US, I’ve never visited a temple – never, mind that I’ve probably spent more time in a catholic church in my life-time than a Hindu temple – I’m still a fascist.

The recommendations from the Farooquis, Pamelas and Bidwais is very clear – let the flow of Bangladeshis continue. Imply they, that there is nothing wrong in the steady arabization of most of the border areas and even secession is fine – whatever happens, we must not listen to the fascists. I’m sorry this is not OK with me – I’m concerned about the great Indian culture – the one that includes Syrian Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Muslims, as much as it does Hindus. Unfortunately, we become fascists for trying to stem the tide of Bangladeshi Taliban from entering our country, the same people who for long had an “enemy property act”, essentially treating minorities as enemies.

Not only, will many news dailies prevent the publication of anything that is strongly pro-India or happens to protest anti-India activities;
but, the name calling against the pro-India crowd definitely gets published. All of you must have heard about the slanderous IDRF campaign, but how many of you got to read the excellent de-bunking done by the Friends of India – very, very few. This seems to happen more and more frequently these days –

protest against subsuming India within groups and academic departments that call themselves South Asian (not Indian) – you’re a fanatic

protest against Romila Thapar’s writings – you’re a Hindu supremacist

protest against stopping charity to innocent Indian kids through false and unproven allegations – you’re RSS, VHP or worse

Openly anti-India activities

Kamal Mitra Chenoy, a professor from JNU, actually testified before the USCIRF on Gujarat, with the sole purpose of having sanctions declared on India. While, what happened in Gujarat was vile and reprehensible, how does it make sense to help other countries declare sanctions on India? Who does it hurt most? As a Friend of India member wrote, “In other words, here was an Indian zealously participating in a charade meant to impose hardship on his own country, collaborating with a wing of a government that his own comrades are given to routinely denouncing as "imperialist" and hegemonist.”

Canvassing for anti-India acts are the norm now. The Indian Muslim Council, in the US, very rightfully concerned about what happened in Gujarat, is openly courting and canvassing congressmen and congressional staffers on “Hindu fanaticism”. Very thoughtful, but how do we expect the US Congressmen to help? Take action against India!!

Mind you - I’m happy to join their protests in front of the Indian embassy, if they spend an equal amount of time, protesting the killing of twice as many Indians (as killed in Gujarat) every year by Islamic terrorists. Or, will they please tell their US legislators, that India
actually has minorities, but minorities have for the most part vanished in the rest of South Asia (Bangladesh has gone from 33% to 7%). Will they please tell, the Americans that from negligible numbers, Andamans now have 60% Christians? Why not present the whole picture – who does it help not to do so?

Everyday in the Bay area, Indian speakers are feted by large crowds of Indians and Pakistanis, for claiming how bad India is? How the Hindus are killing all the Muslims? Association of words like genocide, fascist and fundamentalist with India are common. Not a word on the Islamic terrorism that kills thousands every year, not a word on state support for it, not a word on the complete ethnic cleansing that has happened in the rest of South Asia (3% minorities in Pakistan, down from 20%) – no, that would offend our Pakistani friends.

Our own, Arundhati Roy, who feels compelled to go all over the world and announce that “India is an artificial state”, recently along with some other anti-India stalwarts attended a meeting to remember Marxist-Leninist separatist Naxals. Mind you, these are the same Naxals who recommend partitioning the country and happily extort and kill innocent Indian citizens. The Bidwais, Pandeys and Roys had to honor them, but, would they ever visit the families of soldiers who died at Kargill? Nope, and nobody called them on it – no protests, no editorial scolding.

Our politicians outdo all this. While Congress and the left encourage anti-India elements to settle in India, the right has proposed sundry localized sun-of-the-soil theories. All this just to win a few votes. Who does this hurt? You, me and India. I’m not suggesting that all Indian politicians become honest – that would be a stupid expectation. But, where is our press? Where are the national scolds, which are handed out so readily when we dare to kill a terrorist or two, without reading them their rights? Never surprises me that, more people jumped up to help the professor who facilitated the Parliament attack; than ever did to help the Sikh widows of the 1984 riots.

National Lack of Confidence

I’m keenly aware of the impact of history on national psyche and attitudes – let’s face it, at least in the recent centuries, we Indians have been raped, massacred and indoctrinated with gay abandon. But, history in itself is not an acceptable excuse – where are our leaders? Leadership means breaking the mold – not just our politicians, but our managing editors and our news outlet owners – they just standby, they don’t feel the need to direct their ire.

I have come to believe that our educational institutions have a role here. Passing through the IITs, nobody ingrained in me or my friends, the arrogance to believe that we could do intellectual work better than the best in the world. Result – we all end up believing, like Mr. Vishal Thapar above, that Indians cannot do the kinds of things that the Anglo-Saxons can – how could they? Other educational institutions are worse – try holding a pro-India, anti-Pakistan program in JNU – chances are you’ll get beaten up. Writes Vrin Parker, an American who has spent time in India,“After having been forced to learn a lot misinformation about India in
American schools I became fed up … I began my own research and soon discovered that it was the Indians themselves … who are at the root of all the nonsense taught about Hindus in the West.”

Acceptance as Normal

It isn’t what D’Souza said that has surprised me – it is that this has become accepted behavior in India. Nobody protests, when Arundhati makes up stories that make the Gujarat incidents much worse than they actually were (and they were bad enough), nobody blinks when Bidwais of the world spew their anti-India venom day in and day out, nobody cries foul when anti-India groups are feted by prominent/respected Indians within India and nobody editorializes when Indians go around canvassing foreign governments to take actions against India and Indians. When did this happen? When did it become so acceptable to hate-India openly?

Please do not get me wrong – we Indians have our faults. Our caste-system, our riots, corruption, fundamentalism, most of our politicians, extreme poverty and our apathy to all this. Protest against all this, change it, elect someone else, expose it, and write about it – that’s all patriotic. But asking for foreign invasion, supporting secessionists, canvassing for US sanctions, inviting arabized Bangladeshis into India, absolving Pakistani terrorism or minimizing Hindu deaths is NOT – it’s anti-India.

Remember, that there is a lot of good – ask the Tibetians who have taken refuge in India, ask the Chakma Buddhists, ask the Bangladeshi Hindus, ask the Pakistani Hindus, ask the Afghans who’re being treated and taught by Indians, ask the CEOs of the top five technology corporations in the world and ask the Bangladeshis who remember. Let’s not hide all this or minimize it, but let’s not be satisfied with it, either.

2003-05-08T21:44:00.000-07:00

MY HANDS WERE BUSY

Anonymous

My hands were busy through the day.

I didn't have much time to play.

The little games you asked to do,

I didn't have much time for you.

I'd wash your clothes. I'd sew and cook.

You'd ask and I'd read from your book.

I'd tuck you in all safe at night,

And hear your prayers; turn out the light.

Then tiptoe softly by your door,

I wish I'd stayed a minute more.

For life was short, the years rushed past,

A little boy grows up so fast.

No longer is he at my side,

His precious secrets to confide.

The picture books are put away.

There are no longer games to play.

No Teddy Bears or misplaced toys

No sleepovers with lots of boys.

No goodnight kiss, no prayers to hear.

That all belongs to yesteryear.

My hands, once busy, now are still.

The days are long and hard to fill.

I wish I could go back and do

The little things you asked me to do.

2003-05-08T00:25:00.000-07:00

Never Forget

Your presence is a gift to the world,
You're unique and one of a kind.
Your life can be what you want it to be -
Take it one day at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles,
And you'll make it through what comes along.
Within you are so many answers,
Understand, have courage, be strong.

Don't put limits on yourself,
Your dreams are waiting to be realized.
Don't leave your important decisions to chance -
Reach for your peak, your goal, and your prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying -
The longer a problem is carried, the heavier it gets.
Don't take things too seriously -
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way -
Remember that a lot goes forever.
Remember that friendship is a wise investment,
Life's treasures are people... together.

Have health and hope and happiness,
Take the time to wish on a star.
And don't ever forget for even a day...
How very special YOU are!

2003-05-08T00:21:00.000-07:00

Hinduism

> Could you please explain what is Gayatri mantra.

Gayatri is actually a Vedic meter (chanda) and does not refer to a particular mantra. There are numerous mantras that fall into the category of Gayatri. Practically every deva has a unique Gayatri mantra. There is a Gayatri mantra for Surya, for Ganesha, for Durga, and even a Nandi gayatri for Lord Shiva's bull.

The Gayatri mantras are to be recited at least three times a day, corresponding to the three sandhyas or transitions of the day.
Generally when people refer to Gayatri mantra they are refering to the Surya gayatri, which begins with "om bhur bhuvah svah...", etc. This mantra is very powerful for increasing mental abilities, but there are many rules and regulations for chanting it.

Among mantras, the nama-mantras (mantras made of the names of a deity) are easier to chant and bring about much quicker results. The nama-mantras do not have so many rules and restrictions for chanting, and are therefore open to all people. Examples of the nama-mantras are "sri rama jayam", "hare krishna mantra", etc. Ultimately all mantras receive their power from the names of the deities, thus many people choose to directly recite the sahasra-namas (thousand names of the deity) instead of a particular mantra.

> Who is the founder of Hinduism?

Hinduism actually has no single founder as far as the modern history is concerned. The ancient scriptures of India claim the religion is
originally established by God Himself (dharman tu sakshad bhagavat pranitam).

From the scriptural viewpoint, this religion or dharma, manifests after every creation by the will of the Lord. After the present cyclical creation, the Supreme Lord Narayana instructed the first living entity within the universe, Brahma, in the matters of religion.
Brahma in turn instructed this same science to his son, Narada, who in turn passed this knowledge on to his disciple Vyasa Mahamuni. In this way the ancient religion has been passed down in a chain of disciplic succession directly from God for countless millions of years.

This Vedic religion is therefore known as sanatana dharma, or the "eternal religion", for it predates all man-made conceptions of time
and space. We should not confuse this sanatana dharma with any sectarian religious faith, for the true sanatana dharma is the very
function of the soul, as inseparable as liquidity from water.

The modern word "Hinduism" is a term developed approximately 700 years ago by the Muslim invaders of India. There was a river by the name Sindhu, which was mispronounced by the invaders as Hindu. All people living beyond that river, regardless of their religious beliefs, were called as Hindus. Thus some may mistakenly conclude that it is possible to trace out the historical origins of the ancient religion of India based on the historical use of this word.

We should know that in the ancient "Hindu" scriptures we will not find the word Hindu mentioned even a single time, but instead we will find the words sanatana-dharma (eternal religion), vaidika-dharma (religion of the Vedas), bhagavata-dharma (religion of God), etc. This dharma is ever fresh and eternal. It is stated in the Vedic scriptures that whenever this message of dharma is lost, God Himself will incarnate to reestablish it:

yada yada hi dharmasya

glanir bhavati bharata

abhyutthanam adharmasya

tadatmanam srijamy aham

"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion - at that
time I descend Myself to reestablish it." (Bhagavad Gita 4.7)

One such incarnation of the Supreme was that of Lord Krishna, who appeared 5,000 years ago to reestablish dharma by speaking the
Bhagavad Gita on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.In the Vedic history, there are countless saints who have come and propagated the ancient teachings found in the Vedic literatures, but none can be called as the founder. Each one was a disciple of another
guru, and each one was passing on the same knowledge as had been taught to him by his guru. This is the Vedic system - there is no founder, because everyone is first and foremost a disciple. Dharma cannot be man-made, for it is defined as the direct instructions of God - dharman tu sakshad bhagavat pranitam.

Bhaktivedanta Ashram & Bhaktivedanta International Charities

2003-05-08T00:09:00.000-07:00

BOUQUET OF PRAYERFUL THOUGHTS

O! The merciful Lord! Make our aesthetic sense, majestic.

Make our affection, bounteous.

Make our ambitions, reasonable.

Make our anger, tolerant.

Make our anxieties, short living.

Make our appetite, human-like.

Make our approach, truthful and intent.

Make our aspirations, noble.

Make our attitudes, positive and lofty.

Make our base nature, utterly shattered.

Make our behavior, matchless.

Make our body, agile.

Make our brain, sharp.

Make our brilliance, gigantic.

Make our calculations, precise.

Make our character, chaste.

Make our coarseness, tender.

Make our conscience, clear.

Make our consciousness, alert.

Make our convictions, firm.

Make our courage, inspiring.

Make our dealings, direct.

Make our desires, abated.

Make our diet, nourishing.

Make our diction, resourceful.

Make our divinity, awakened.

Make our dwelling place, salubrious.

Make our education, life sustaining.

Make our efforts, sincere.

Make our elders, healthy & delightful.

Make our emotions, moving.

Make our enemies, harmless.

Make our enthusiasm, persistent.

Make our expressions, lucid and vivid.

Make our eyes, unclouded.

Make our faith, indomitable.

Make our fellow beings, warm-hearted.

Make our freedom, eternal.

Make our friends, understanding.

Make our gestures, gentle.

Make our goal, specific.

Make our good habits, imperishable.

Make our hearing, intelligible.

Make our hearts, fair.

Make our humor, amiable.

Make our ideas, practical.

Make our ideals, imposing.

Make our imaginations, colorful.

Make our intimacy, remarkable.

Make our interests, unbiased.

Make our joys, rewarding.

Make our judgements, honest.

Make our kinship, universal.

Make our language, flowing.

Make our laziness, impermanent.

Make our learning, useful.

Make our life's journey, memorable.

Make our lives, meaningful.

Make our loads, unburdened.

Make our loyalty, truthful.

Make our manners, pleasing & refined.

Make our minds, pure.

Make our moods, blissful.

Make our morality, expressive.

Make our movements, youthful.

Make our nation, integral.

Make our oaths, fulfilled.

Make our patience, overbearing.

Make our patriotism, intense.

Make our personalities, perfect.

Make our philosophies, pursuable.

Make our plans, well designed.

Make our practices, steady.

Make our prayers, whole-hearted.

Make our progress, uninterrupted.

Make our reading, joyous.

Make our reasoning, reliable.

Make our renunciation, fiery.

Make our route, distinct.

Make our simplicity, well shaped.

Make our singing, soulful.

Make our sleep, sound.

Make our smiles, guileless.

Make our solitude, peaceful.

Make our speech, flawless.

Make our spiritual nature, uniquely unfolded.

Make our strength, unbound.

Make our talk, interesting and tuneful.

Make our talents, artistic.

Make our tastes, first rated.

Make our teachers, flourishing.

Make our traits, regal.

Make our truthfulness, unyielding.

Make our thoughts, clear-cut.

Make our understanding, faultless.

Make our uprightness, complete.

Make our virtues, enhanced.

Make our walk, graceful.

Make our wanderings, purposeful.

Make our wants, limited.

Make our weaknesses, retiring.

Make our will power, thoroughly live.

Make our works, neat & skillful.

Make our worldliness, checked.

Make our worship, fruitful.

Make our wisdom, active.

Make our youngsters, enlightened.

And above all make our devotion

To Thee: unceasing, un-diminishing and undying.

2003-05-08T00:02:00.000-07:00

Philosophy

You must constantly lose your temper not on others, but on yourself, when you feel you could have done better.

You should be sincerely ashamed of yourself, when you do a deed not permitted by your conscience.

You must get very angry and upset with yourself, if you are not motivated to do well in thought, word or deed.

You must curse yourself if you are not inspired and prompted to do a good turn every day.

You must frequently look behind, to see if you have left any footprints on the sands of time or not.

2003-05-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Maya and Freedom

Swami Vivekananda

"Trailing clouds of glory we come", says the poet. Not all of us come as trailing clouds of glory however; some of us come as trailing black fogs; there can be no question about that. But every one of us comes into this world to fight, as on a battle-field. We come here weeping to fight our way, as well as we can, and to make a path for ourselves through this infinite ocean of life; forward we go, having long ages behind us and an immense expanse beyond. So on we go till death comes and takes us off the field-victorious or defeated, we do not know. And this is Maya.

Hope is dominant in the heart of childhood. The whole world is a golden vision to the opening eyes of a child; he thinks his will is supreme, As he moves onward, at every step nature stands as an adamantine wall, barring his future progress. He may hurl himself against it again and again, striving to break through. The further he goes, the further recedes the ideal till death comes, and there is release, perhaps. And this is Maya.

A man of science rises, he is thirsting after knowledge. No sacrifice is great, no struggle too hopeless for him. He moves onward discovering secret after secret of nature, searching out the secrets of her innermost heart, and what for? What is it all for? Why should we give him glory? Why should he acquire fame? Does not nature do infinitely more than any human being can do?-and nature is dull, insentient. Why should it be glory to imitate the dull, insentient? Nature can hurl a thunderbolt of any magnitude to any distance. If a man can do small part as much, we praise him and laud him to the skies. Why? Why should we praise him for imitating nature, imitating death, imitating dullness, imitating insentience. What glory is there in imitating the insentient? Yet we are all struggling after that. And this is Maya.

The senses drag the human soul out. Man is seeking pleasure and for happiness where it can never be found. For countless ages we are all taught that this is futile and vain, there is no happiness here. But we cannot learn; it is impossible for us to do so, except through our own experiences. We try them, and a blow comes. Do we learn then? Not even then. Like moths hurling themselves against the flame, we are hurling ourselves again and again into sense-pleasures, hoping to find satisfaction there. We return again and again with freshened energy; thus we go on, till cripples and cheated we die. And this is Maya.

So with our intellect. In our desire to solve the mysteries of the universe, we can not stop our questioning, we feel we must know and can not believe that no knowledge is to be gained. A few steps, and there arises the wall of beginningless and endless time which we cannot surmount. A few steps, and there appears a wall of boundless space which cannot be surmounted, and the whole is irrevocably bound in by the walls of cause of and effect. We cannot go beyond them. Yet we struggle, and still have to struggle. And this is Maya.

With every breath, with very pulsation of the heart, with every one of the heart, with every one of our movements, we think we are free, and the very same moment we are shown that we are not. Bound slaves, nature's bond-slaves, in body, in mind, in all our thoughts, in all our feelings. And this is Maya.

There was never a mother who did not think her child was a born genius, the most extra-ordinary child that was ever born; she dotes upon her child. Her whole soul is in the child. The child grows up, perhaps becomes a drunkard, a brute, ill-treats the mother, and the more he ill-treats her, the more her love increases. The world lauds its unselfish love of the mother, little dreaming that the mother is a born slave, she cannot help that. She would a thousand times rather throw off the burden, but she cannot. So she covers herself with a mass of flowers, which she calls love. And this is Maya.

We are all like this in the world. A legend tells us how once Narada said to Krishna, "Lord, show me Maya". A few days passed away, and Krishna asked Narada to make a trip with him towards a desert, and after walking for several miles, Krishna said, "Narada, I am thirsty, can you fetch some water for me?" "I will go at once, sir, and get you water". So Narada went. At a little distance there was a village in search of water and knocked at a door, which was opened by a most beautiful young girl. At the sight of her, he immediately forgot that his Master was waiting for water, perhaps dying for the want of it. He forgot everything and began to talk to the girl. All that day he did not return to his Master. The next day, he was again at the house, talking to that girl. That talk ripened into love, he asked the father for the daughter, and they were married and lived there and had children. Thus twelve years passed. His father-in-law died, he inherited the property. He lives as he seemed to think, a very happy life with his wife and children, his fields and his cattle, and so forth. One night the river rose until it overflowed its banks and flooded the whole village. Houses fell, men and animals were swept away and drowned, and everything was floating in the rush of the stream. Narada had to escape. With one hand he held his wife, and with the other two of his children; another child was on his shoulder, and he was trying to ford this tremendous flood. After a few steps he found the current was too strong, the child on his shoulder fell and was borne away. A cry of despair came from Narada. In trying to save that child, he lost his grasp upon one of the others, and it was also lost. At last his wife, whom he clasped with all his might, was torn away by the current, and he was thrown on the bank, weeping and wailing in bitter lamentation. Behind him there was a gentle voice, "My child, where is the water? You went to fetch a pitcher of water, and I am waiting for you; you have been gone for quite half an hour," "Half an hour!" Narada exclaimed. Twelve whole years have passes through his mind, and all these scenes had happened in half an hour! And this is Maya.

In one form or another, we are all in it. It is the most difficult and intricate state of things to understand. It has been preached in every country, taught everywhere, but only believed in by a few, because until we get the experiences ourselves we cannot believe in it. What does it show? Something very terrible. For it is all futile. Time, the avenger of everything, comes and nothing left. He swallows up the saint and the sinner, the king and the peasant, the beautiful and the ugly; he leaves nothing. Everything is rushing towards that one goal, destruction. Our knowledge, our arts, our sciences, everything is rushing towards it. None can stem the tide, none can hold it back for a minute. We may try to forget it, in the same way that persons in a plague-stricken city try to create oblivion by drinking, dancing, and other vain attempts and so becoming paralyzed. So we are trying to forget, trying to create oblivion by all sorts of sense-pleasures. And this is Maya.

Two ways have been proposed. One method which everyone knows, is very common, and that is, " It may be very true, but do not think of it. 'Make hay while the sun shines,' as the proverb says. It is all true, it is a fact, but do not mind it. Seize the few pleasures you can, do what little you can, do not look at the dark side of the picture, but always towards the hopeful, the positive side." There is some truth in this, but there is also a danger. The truth is that it is a good motive power. Hope and a positive ideal are good motive powers for our lives, but there is a certain danger in them. The danger lies in our giving up the struggle in despair. Such is the case with those who preach, "Take the world as it is; sit down as calmly and as comfortably as you can, and be contended with all these miseries. When you receive blows, say they are not blows but flowers; and when you are driven about like slaves, say that you are free. Day and night tell lies to others and to your own souls, because that is the only way to live happily." That is what is called practical wisdom, and never was it prevalent in the world than in this nineteenth century; because never were harder blows hit than at present time, never was competition keener, never were men so cruel for their fellowmen as now; and therefore, must this consolation be offered. It is put forward in the strongest way at the present time; but it fails, as it always must fail. We can not hide a carrion of roses; it is impossible. It would not avail long; for soon the roses would fade, and the carrion would be worse than ever before. So with our lives. We may try to cover our old and festering sores with cloth of gold, but there comes a day when the cloth of gold is removed, and the sore in all its ugliness revealed.

Is there no hope then? True it is that we are all slaves of Maya, born in Maya and live in Maya. Is there no way out, no hope? That we are all miserable, that this world is really a prison, that even our so-called trailing beauty is but a prison-houses, have been known for ages upon ages. There has never been a man, never been a human soul who has not felt this sometime or other, however he may talk. And the old people feel it most, because in them the accumulated experience of a whole life, because they cannot be easily cheated by the lies of the nature. Is there no way out? We find that with all this, with this terrible fact before us, in the midst of the sorrow and suffering even in this world where life and death are synonymous, ever here there is a still small voice ringing through all ages, through every country and in every heart: "This Maya is divine, made up of qualities, and very difficult to cross. Yet those that come unto Me, cross the river of life". This voice comes to men when everything seems to be lost and hope has fled, when's men's dependence on his own strength crushed down, and everything seems to melt away between his fingers, and life is a helpless ruin. Then he hears it. This is called religion.

2003-05-07T23:57:00.000-07:00

Stressed up ? Rest and Relax !!

All The Stressed Up People In The World Must adopt immediately..........
Master this skill and move on......

A lecturer was giving a lecture to his student on stress management. He raised a glass of water and asked the audience, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?" The answer ranged from 20gm to 500gm. "It doesn't matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it is ok. If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance. It is the exact same weight,but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

"If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier. What you have to do is put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again We have to put down the burden periodicaly, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on. When you return home from work, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it into your home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Rest & Relax...

2003-05-07T23:55:00.000-07:00

More Is Not Enough

The Stone Cutter

There was once a stone cutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life. One day he passed a wealthy merchant's house. Through the open gateway, he saw many fine possessions and important visitors. "How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the stone cutter. He became very envious and wished that he could be like the merchant.

To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever imagined, but envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. Soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a high official!"

Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around. It was a hot summer day, so the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. "How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!"

Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. "How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a cloud!"

Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. "How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the wind!"

Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, feared and hated by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it - a huge, towering rock. "How powerful that rock is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a rock!"

Then he became the rock, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the hard surface, and felt himself being changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the rock?" he thought.

He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stone cutter.

2003-05-07T23:53:00.000-07:00

NEVER GIVE UP

When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, he tried over 2000 experiments before he got it to work. A young reporter asked him how it felt to fail so many times. He said, "I never failed once. I invented the light bulb.It just happened to be a 2000-step process."

Wilma Rudolph was the 20th of 22 children. She was born prematurely and her survival was doubtful. When she was 4 years old, she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with a paralyzed left leg. At age 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to walk without it. By 13 she had developed a rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a
miracle.That same year she decided to become a runner. She entered a race and came in last. For the next few years every race she entered, she came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running.One day she actually won race. And then another. From then on she won every race she entered.Eventually this little girl, who was told she would never walk again, went on to win three Olympic gold medals.

In 1962, four nervous young musicians played their first record audition for the executives of the Decca recording Company.The executives were not impressed. While turning down this group of musicians, one executive said, "We don't like their round. Groups of guitars are on the way out." The group was called The Beatles.

In 1944, Emmeline Snively, director of the Blue Book Modeling Agency, told modeling hopeful Norma Jean Baker, "You'd better learn secretarial work or else get married." She went on and became Marilyn Monroe.

In 1954, Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry,fired a singer after one performance. He told him, "You ain't goin' nowhere....son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck." He went on to become the most popular singer in America named Elvis Presley.

When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, it did not ring off the hook with calls from potential backers. After making a demonstration call, President Rutherford Hayes said, "That's an amazing Invention, but who would ever want to use one of them?"

In the 1940s, another young inventor named Chester Carlson took his idea to 20 corporations, including some of the biggest in the country. They all turned him down. In 1947 - after seven long years of rejections! He finally got a tiny company in Rochester, New York, the Haloid company, to purchase the rights to his invention an electrostatic paper-copying process. Haloid became Xerox Corporation we know today.

The Moral of the above Stories:

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision
cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved. You gain strength, experience and confidence by every experience where you really stop to look fear in the face.... You must do the thing you cannot do. And remember, the finest steel gets sent through the hottest furnace.

And even the GOLD is tested against fire. A winner is not one who never fails, but one who NEVER QUITS! We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, "Why did this happen to me?"unless we ask the same question for every moment of happiness that comes our way.

2003-05-07T23:49:00.000-07:00

Attitude

Harvard and Stanford Universities have reported that 85% the reason a person gets a job and gets ahead in that job is due to attitude; and only 15% is because of technical or specific skills. Interesting, isn't it?

You spent how much money on your education? And you spent how much money on building your positive attitude? Ouch. That hurts.

Now here's an interesting thought. With the "right" attitude, you can and will develop the necessary skills. So where's your emphasis?
Skill building? Attitude building? Unfortunately, "Neither" is the real answer for many people. Perhaps if more people knew how simple it is to develop and maintain a positive attitude they would invest more time doing so. So here we go.

Five steps to staying positive in a negative world:

1. Understand that failure is an event, it is not a person. Yesterday ended last night; today is a brand new day, and it's yours. You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win, and then you can expect to win.

2. Become a lifetime student. Learn just one new word every day and in five years you will be able to talk with just about anybody about anything.When your vocabulary improves, your I.Q. goes up 100% of the time, according to Georgetown Medical School.

3. Read something informational or inspirational every day. Reading for 20 minutes at just 240 words per minute will enable you to read 20 200-page books each year. That's 18 more than the average person reads! What an enormous competitive advantage . . . if you'll just read for 20 minutes a day.

4. The University of Southern California reveals that you can acquire the equivalent of two years of a college education in three years just by listening to motivational and educational cassettes on the way to your job and again on the way home. What could be easier?

5. Start the day and end the day with positive input into your mind. Inspirational messages cause the brain to flood with dopamine and
norepinephrine, the energizing neurotransmitters; with endorphins, the endurance neurotransmitters; and with serotonin, the feel-good-about-yourself neurotransmitter. Begin and end the day by reading or doing something positive!

Remember: Success is a process, not an event. Invest the time in your attitude and it will pay off in your skills as well as your career.
Think of it.......

2003-05-07T23:45:00.000-07:00

Always Attitude Matters

One evening a Swamiji of Sri Ramakrishna Mutt was addressing the participants on the concept of work culture. One of the
participants asked the following question to the Swamiji:

"I am a senior manager of Materials Department and I joined this organization 25 years ago as an Engineer Trainee and over the last 25 years I have gone through every experience in the organization and I am now the senior manager looking after the material function independently. During the initial part of my career, the job was very challenging and interesting. Every day was exciting and I looked forward to each day with lot of interest.However, all those exciting days are gone since I do not find my joy any more interesting because there is nothing new in my job.

As I have seen and handled every conceivable situation there is no more challenges in my work. I am now feeling bored because I am doing a routine job. However, Swamiji, I am living in the same house for over forty years, I am the son for the same parents for over forty five years, I am the father for the same children for the past ten years and the husband for the same lady for the past twenty years.

In these personal roles I do not feel bored and the passage of time has not taken away the zeal from me. Please tell me why I am bored of the routine in the office and not in the house?"

This was a very interesting question and we were all very anxious and curious to know what the Swamiji had to say!! The response from him was very interesting and convincing. He asked the executive the question:

"Please tell me for whom does your Mother cook?". The executive replied that obviously the mother cooks for others. Then the Swamiji said that the mother "Serves" others and because of this service mindedness, she is not feeling tired or bored. But in an office, we "Work" and not "Serve". Anything we consider, as service will not make us feel bored. That is difference between Serving and Working. He asked the executive to consider his work as service and not merely a work !!

This was a very interesting analysis !! Whenever you put a larger context around your work and see a broader meaning for your work, you will take interest in your work.

An awareness of larger purpose of your job and an appreciation of its importance will make a very big difference in your internal energy. You should believe that you are here for a purpose.

Always Attitude Matters !!!

2003-05-07T23:41:00.000-07:00

Pleasure

Pleasure is a freedom song,

But it is not freedom.

It is the blossoming of your desires,

But it is not their fruit.

It is a depth calling unto a height,

But it is not the deep nor the high.

It is the caged taking wing,

But it is not space encompassed.

Ay, in very truth, pleasure is a freedom-song.

And I fain would have you sing it with fullness of heart; yet I would not have you lose your hearts in the singing.

Some of your youth seek pleasure as if it were all, and they are judged and rebuked.

I would not judge nor rebuke them. I would have them seek.

For they shall find pleasure, but not her alone:

Seven are her sisters, and the least of them is more beautiful than pleasure.

Have you not heard of the man who was digging in the earth for roots and found a treasure?

And some of your elders remember pleasures with regret like wrongs committed in drunkenness.

But regret is the beclouding of the mind and not its chastisement.

They should remember their pleasures with gratitude, as they would the harvest of a summer.

Yet if it comforts them to regret, let them be comforted.

And there are among you those who are neither young to seek nor old to remember;

And in their fear of seeking and remembering they shun all pleasures, lest they neglect the spirit or offend against it.

But even in their foregoing is their pleasure.

And thus they too find a treasure though they dig for roots with quivering hands.

But tell me, who is he that can offend the spirit?

Shall the nightingale offend the stillness of the night, or the firefly the stars?

And shall your flame or your smoke burden the wind?

Think you the spirit is a still pool which you can trouble with a staff?

Oftentimes in denying yourself pleasure you do but store the desire in the recesses of your being.

Who knows but that which seems omitted today, waits for tomorrow?

Even your body knows its heritage and its rightful need and will not be deceived.

And your body is the harp of your soul,

And it is yours to bring forth sweet music from it or confused sounds.

And now you ask in your heart, "How shall we distinguish that which is good in pleasure from that which is not good?"

Go to your fields and your gardens, and you shall learn that it is the pleasure of the bee to gather honey of the flower,

But it is also the pleasure of the flower to yield its honey to the bee.

For to the bee a flower is a fountain of life,

And to the flower a bee is a messenger of love,

And to both, bee and flower, the giving and the receiving of pleasure is a need and an ecstasy.

Be in your pleasures like the flowers and the bees.

2003-05-07T04:05:00.000-07:00

How Software Engineers should manage their time

- Watts Humphrey

In writing this column, I plan to discuss various topics of interest to software professionals and managers. In general, I will write about issues related to engineering productivity, quality and overall effectiveness. Occasionally, I will digress to write about a current hot item, but generally I will be pushing the process improvement agenda. Because my principal interest these days is getting organizations started using the Personal Software ProcessSM (PSPSM) and Team Software ProcessSM
(TSPSM), readers should know that a not-so-hidden agenda will be to convince them to explore and ultimately adopt these
technologies.

*Why Does Software Work Take So Long?

Have you ever started what you thought was a two-or three-day job and have it stretch into a week or two? Before deciding you are
just bad at estimating, look at how you spent your time. You will find you spend much less time on projects than you imagine.
For example, on one project, several engineers used time logs to track their time in minutes. They averaged only 16 to 18 hours a
week on project tasks. They were surprised because they all worked a standard 40-hour week. This information soon turned out
to be helpful. They were on a critical project and were falling a behind. When they looked at the data, they found the design
work took 50% longer than estimated.

They knew they had a choice: either do the tasks faster, or put in more time. While there was pressure to race through the
design, skip inspections, and rush into coding, the team resisted. They knew this would probably result in many errors and a lot of test time. To meet their schedule, they needed to average 30 task hours a week. They all tried valiantly to do this, but after Christmas, they realized that just trying harder would not work. They went on overtime and are now starting early in the morning, working late some evenings, or coming in on weekends.

While they now average 30 task hours a week, they have to work over 50 hours a week to do it. They are also back on schedule.
Because this team had detailed time information, they could recognize and address their problem in time to save the project.
The data identified the problem and pointed them toward the solution. Without good data on where your time goes, your
estimates will always be inaccurate and you won't know how to improve.

Working harder

When people say they are working harder, they actually mean they are working longer hours. Barring major technology changes, the time it takes to do most tasks is relatively stable. The real variable is the time you spend on the tasks. But to manage the
time you spend, you have to track it, and practically nobody does.

Consider the following:
1. Our lives are filled with interruptions.
2. Software people do many kinds of tasks, and only some contribute directly to our projects.

3. Our processes are often informal and our working practices ad hoc.

4. Even if we wanted to, it is hard to do demanding intellectual work for long uninterrupted periods.

Interruptions

One engineer told me she had recently started to track her time and found she was spending much more time on interruptions than on her real work. For exmple, on one task of 108 minutes, her interruption time was over 300 minutes. This lost time, however, was not in big hour-long blocks but from an incessant stream of little 5- and 10-minute interruptions.

Interruptions come from many sources:

telephone calls

other engineers asking for help

a coffee or rest break

supply problems (i.e., printer or copier out of paper)

equipment problems (the network dies)

a power failure or a snow storm (everybody leaves)

Every interruption breaks your train of thought and takes time away from your work. With unplanned interruptions, you lose your
place in the work and, when the interruption is over, you have to reconstruct where you were.

This also causes errors. For example, when I am in the middle of a design, I am often working on several things at the same time.

While thinking through some logical structure, I realize that a name is misleading, a type must be changed, or an interface is
incomplete. If I am interrupted in the middle of this, I often have trouble remembering all these details. While I have been
unable to control the interruptions, I have found that maintaining an issue log helps me remember what I was working on
when interrupted.
Non-project work

non-engineering tasks. Examples are

handling mail

setting up or updating their computing systems

going to meetings

looking for some specification, process, standard, or manual

assisting other engineers

attending classes

Few software development groups have adequate support. No one sets up or maintains his or her development system, few have groups to handle product packaging and release, and there is no clerical or secretarial support for mail, phone, or expense
accounts. What is more, even when they have such support, many engineers don't know how to use it. This means that most of us spend more time on clerical and support work than on our principal development tasks. And every hour spent on these tasks is an hour we can't spend on development.

Lean and mean organizations

Often our organizations pride themselves on having very small support staffs. An almost universally accepted management axiom is that overhead is bad and should be eliminated. In the resulting lean and mean organizations, the engineers do their own clerical work. This is not an effective way to use scarce and expensive software talent. By cutting overhead, management also eliminates the support staffs that funds in the overhead budget support. While some of these groups are not the least bit interested in supporting the engineers, many are. Eliminating them can have enormous costs. Among these costs is the time every engineer must spend sorting through email, answering the phone, getting supplies, doing expense accounts, and filing mail and documents. In addition to the lost engineering time, this also means that most mail is not answered promptly if at all, phones go unanswered, supplies are wasted or overstocked, and little if anything is properly filed or can be quickly found when needed.

Perhaps most expensive and annoying, every software engineer in such "lean and mean organizations" must set up and maintain his or her personal computing environment. Just because we have the skills to do this doesn't mean we should. Most of us could repair our cars or paint our houses if we chose to, but it would take us longer than using someone who does this for a living.
And we have other things to do. Why should we have to handle our own computing support? The principal reasons that engineers spend less than half their time doing the tasks they were trained and hired to do is that, without adequate support, they have to support themselves.

What is more, few engineers enjoy or are very good at being part-time clerks and technicians.

Ad-hoc working and planning

When one has taken the time to define and document the organization's practices and methods, they must be maintained informally. When you come to a task that you haven't done before or at least not recently, you look around to see how it should be done. It takes time and a lot of interruptions to find someone with the right experience and get their help. While this is vastly preferable to bulling ahead without exploring prior experience, it does cut into the working week. A related but slightly different problem concerns planning. When projects don't make detailed plans, and when engineers don't know precisely where they fit into these plans, they must do what I call continuous planning. In continuous planning, the key tool is not the PERT chart or Microsoft Project, it is the coffee machine. When you finish a task, you go to your continuous planning tool to have a cup of coffee. While there you decide what to do next. In the process, you talk to any other engineers who are also doing continuous planning and see what they think. You will usually get some good ideas, but if you don't, you can always interrupt someone. The common view is that planning takes too much time. By not planning, engineers can immediately start on their programming work. While this immediate progress will feel good, you won't know where you are. Like driving in a strange country without a map, you have to stop at every turn and decide where to go next.

All these short stops will take far more total time than aproperly thought-out plan would have taken in the first place.
You also need an occasional break.

Finally, creative development is hard work. When designinga product or a system, we need uninterrupted time. But we cannot
design complex products for more than a few hours at a time. The same is true of testing, reviewing, inspecting, coding,
compiling, and many other tasks. One laboratory decided to set up a dedicated group of experts to inspect a large and important
product in final test. Every module that had test problems was sent to this group. For a while, they cleaned up a lot of
defect-prone modules. Then, one of them later told me, they could no longer see the code they were inspecting Everything
began to blur. They even saw source code in their sleep. Designing, coding, reviewing, inspecting, and testing are
intensely difficult tasks. To have any hope of producing quality products, we must occasionally take breaks. But, to be
reasonably efficient, and to do high-quality work, we need to control our own breaks, not take them when the phone rings or
when somebody barges into our office or cubicle. Studies show that when engineers spend all their time on their principal job,
their performance deteriorates. Some reasonable percentage of time on other tasks such as planning, process improvement,
quality analysis, or writing papers can improve engineering performance. You will get more and better work done in the
remaining 75% of your time than you would have accomplished in 100% of dedicated time.

1. So, keep track of your time: To manage your personal work, you need to know where your time goes. This means you need to track your time. This is not hard, but it does require discipline. I suggest you get in the habit of using a time
recording log. When doing so, enter the tasks and the times when you start and stop these tasks, and also keep track of
interruption times. If you do this, you will soon see where your time goes. Then you can figure out what to do about it.

2. Manage interruptions: Interruptions are a fact of life, but there are many ways to deal with them. Use "DO NOT DISTURB"
signs and establish an ethic where everybody (even the managers) respects them. Forward phone calls or even unplug or turn off
the phone. Also consider getting permission to work at home for a day or two a week. Another way to manage interruptions is to
get in the habit of using an issue-tracking log.

Then, when you think of something you need to do, make a note of it in the log so you will remember to do it later and you won't
forget it when the phone rings. While you will still have to handle these issues, you are less likely to forget them and you
can do them at a planned time. Also, use this same principle with interruptions. When someone calls in the middle of a design
problem, tell them you'll get back and then make a note on a sticky so you don't forget.

3. Learn to use administrative support: Learn how to use support. While few engineers have a support staff to help them,
many who do don't know how to use them. If you have a support person, think about every clerical-type task before you do it.
Can this person do it for you? Even though it may take longer at first, use them whenever you can. At first the result may need
to be redone. But be patient and help the support people understand your problems with their work. It will pay off in the
long run.

4. Plan every job: Perhaps most important, learn to plan. Plan your own work and urge your teammates and the project leader to
start planning. Proper planning takes time, but it can save much more time than it costs. You will end up planning anyway, but it
is much better to do it in an orderly way, and not at the coffee machine. Vary your work You can do demanding work only for so
long. I lose my ability to do intense creative work after an hour and a half to two hours. I need to stop for a break or even
to switch to some other kind of work. Further, during these intense sessions, frequent short interruptions offer no relief.
It then takes an extra effort to reconstruct my thought process. What I suggest is to intersperse various kinds of work throughout
your day. Do creative work when you are most fresh and productive and then switch to your email or an administrative
task. Then perhaps do a design or code review possibly followed by a process-improvement task or data analysis. By varying the
task types, your creative work will be of higher quality and you will actually get more done.

5. Define and use a personal process When you regularly make plans, a defined process will save a lot of time. The process
provides a framework for gathering historical data and a template for making plans. And, by using historical data, your estimates
will be more accurate. Get and use historical data Finally, if you don't have administrative or technical support, use your time
log to see what this lack costs you. Then tell your managers and show them your data. It might help them see the cost advantages
of adequately supporting their engineers.

Remember that the amount of work you produce is principally determined by two things:

1. the time the tasks will take
2. how much time you have available for these tasks
To manage your work, you must know where your time goes. Only then can you judge how much work you can do and when you will
finish it.

Acknowledgements In writing papers and columns, I make a practice of asking associates to review early drafts. For this column, I
particularly appreciate the helpful suggestions I received from Dan Burton, Alan Koch, and Bill Peterson. In closing, an
invitation to readers In these columns, I plan to discuss software issues and the impact of quality and process on
engineers and their organizations. I am, however, most interested in addressing issues that you feel are important. So
please drop me a note with your comments and suggestions. I will read your notes and consider them when I plan future columns.
Thanks for your attention and please stay tuned in.

Watts S. Humphrey
watts@sei.cmu.edu

Notes
1. For a brief discussion of this issue, see my book "Managing Technical People, Innovation, Teamwork, and the Software Process,
Addison Wesley, 1997, page 186.

A more complete discussion is in Donald C. Pelz and Frank M. Andrews, Scientists in Organizations:
Productive Climates for Research and Development, Wiley, 1966, pp. 56, 65.

2. Recording Log, see my book A Discipline for Software Engineering, Addison Wesley, 1995.

This log is also discussed in Introduction to the Personal Software Process, also by me and published by Addison Wesley in
1997.

2003-05-07T03:09:00.000-07:00

Are you a carrot, an egg, or coffee?

Anonymous

A daughter complained to her father about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In one he placed carrots, in the second he placed eggs, and the last he placed ground coffee beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

The daughter sucked her teeth and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. In about twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them a bowl. Then he ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her he asked. "Darling, what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. She humbly asked. "What does it mean Father?"

He explained that each of them had faced the same adversity, boiling water, but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. But after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" he asked his daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" Are you the carrot that seems hard, but with pain and adversity do you wilt and become soft and lose your strength? Are you the egg, which starts off with a malleable heart? Were you a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a divorce, or a layoff have you become hardened and stiff. Your shell looks the same, but are you bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and heart?

Or are you like the coffee bean? The bean changes the hot water; the thing that is bringing the pain, to its peak flavor reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water gets the hottest, it just tastes better. If you are like the coffee bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and make things better around you.

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg, or coffee?

2003-05-07T03:05:00.000-07:00

Succeed

-Anonymous

To laugh often and love much;
To win the respect of intelligent persons
and the affections of children;
To earn the approbation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To give one's self;
To leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch,
or a redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm
and sung with exultation,'
To know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived-

This is to have succeeded,

2003-05-07T03:03:00.000-07:00

The Starfish boys

- Adapted from an old folk story

One morning at dawn, an elderly man went for a walk on the beach. Up ahead, he noticed two young boys stooping down to pick up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Finally, catching up with the boys, the old man asked what they were doing.

The boys answered that the stranded starfish would die immediately unless they were returned to the water.

"But the beach goes on for miles, and there are millions of starfish, " protested the man. "How can what you're doing
make any difference?"

One boy looked at the starfish in his hands and then threw it to safety in the waves.

"It makes a difference to this one, " he said.

2003-05-07T02:59:00.000-07:00

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

The associations we keep play a very large role in our lives. If we want to be an inwardly calm person but associate with nervous, loud, uncentered people we will lose our calmness. If we want happiness but only associate with persons who stress the negative in everything, we probably will have a hard time understanding true happiness. If we want to pursue our dreams but only have people around us who put our dreams down-usually out of jealousy at not having the courage to follow their own dreams-we might soon see our dreams fade away.

Most of us need and crave the support of others. We learn from our mentors and role models, whether we are two years old or one hundred and two. What if you wanted to be the best carpenter you could be? Would you go to a carpenter who does poor quality work? Would you go to a carpenter who cheats or lies or steals? No, you would search out the best carpenter you could find and develop your skills through his or her example. You would associate with trades people who knew their stuff and encouraged you in your dream.

Seek out those who have the personality, skills and knowledge to support you rather than knock you down. What are your values? Identify them and then surround yourself with those who share them. Do not live life in a vacuum and do not settle for less than you know you can be just because someone laughed at, or insulted, or belittled your dream. Bless them and leave them. Many will support you and value you for whom you are. Have the courage to seek them out. You deserve it!

2003-05-07T02:52:00.000-07:00

TOP FIVE TIME MANAGEMENT MISTAKES

Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

In my thirty years as a Time Management speaker and consultant, I have observed a lot of what we can and should not do to increase
our daily results. Time management is not necessarily working "harder", but rather, "smarter".

And to accomplish significantly more in our days, we need not increase our efforts. As an example, in a horserace, the first horse may earn a $50,000 purse and the second horse may earn a $25,000 purse. The first horse gets twice as much money as the second horse, not because it ran twice as far or twice as fast. It was only a "nose ahead" of the competition.

So it is with our daily results. We need not run twice as fast or put in twice the effort to significantly increase our daily success. We only need to be a "nose ahead" of where we already are. We are all productive in our days. We would not survive the demands of this world if we were not. The real challenge is how much more productive can we become?

A lot of our Time Management has to do more with what we are not doing rather than what we are doing. Sometimes our mistakes and omissions will keep us from running at a full pace.

Here are the Top Five Time Management Mistakes we should all avoid to help us to increase our daily success both on and off
the job, in less time and with less stress.

1. Start your day without a plan of action. You will begin your day by responding to the loudest voice (the squeaky wheel gets
the grease) and spend it in a defensive mode, responding to other people's and events' demands. The tail will wag the dog. If there
is a void of leadership in your Time Management life, someone will fill that void, not that others are bad people, but others will take all of your time if you let them. You will have worked hard but may not have done enough of right things. Time Management is not doing the wrong things quicker. That just gets us nowhere faster. Time Management is doing the right things.

2. Get out of balance in your life. Our lives are made up of Seven Vital Areas: Health, Family, Financial, Intellectual, Social, professional, and Spiritual. We will not necessarily spend time every day in each area or equal amounts of time in each area. But, if in the long run, we spend a sufficient quantity and quality of time in each area, our lives will be in balance. But if we neglect any one area, never mind two or three, we will eventually sabotage our success. Much like a table, if one leg is longer than the rest, it will make the entire table wobbly. If we don't take time for health, our family life and social life are hurt. If our financial area is out of balance, we will not be able to focus adequately on our professional goals, etc.

3. Work with a messy desk or work area. Studies have shown that the person who works with a messy desk spends, on average, one
and a half hours per day looking for things or being distracted by things. That's seven and a half hours per week. ("Out of sight-out of mind." And the reverse of that is true too, "In sight, in mind"). And, it's not a solid block of an hour and a half, but a minute here and a minute there, and like a leaky hot water faucet, drip, drip, drip, it doesn't seem like a major loss, but at the end the day, we're dumping gallons of hot water down the drain that we are paying to heat. If you have ever visited the office of a top manager, typically, that person is working with a clean desk environment. Many would attribute this practice to that person's access to other staff members. While there may be some truth in that conclusion, in most cases, if we went back some years in that person's career, they probably were working with a clean desk back then which gave them the focus they needed to become promoted to where they are today.

4. Don't get enough sleep. Studies show that nearly 75% of us complain on a regular basis, all throughout our days, that we are flat-out tired. For most people, they get the quantity of sleep, but they lack the quality of sleep. Their days are filled with so much stress, they are out of control, working harder but maybe not smarter, that it's difficult to get a full night's sleep. (For some, they simply do not allow for a sufficient quantity of sleep.) If you will plan your day, then work your plan, you will get more done, feel a higher sense of accomplishment, and experience less stress and enjoy a more restful night's sleep.

5. Don't take a lunch break. Many do not take a lunch break, working through that time period in the hope that it will give them more time to produce results. Studies have shown it may work just the opposite. After doing what we do for several hours, we start to "dull out". Sure, we can work through lunch and be productive, but that is not the issue. The issue is "how much more" productive we can be. A lunch break, even a short fifteen-minute break, gives us a chance to get our batteries all charged up again to more effectively handle the afternoon's challenges. We are then less likely to procrastinate a few of those difficult tasks that, in the long run, will make a positive difference in our personal productivity.

2003-05-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

PROCRASTINATION POINTERS

By: Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

Procrastination is one of the biggest enemies we have to our Personal Productivity. Thinking about doing something and planning to do it are fine, but what if we fail to move ahead?

Procrastinating the unimportant items in our day is a useful talent. The problem for many, however, is that we are procrastinating the important and crucial items in our day, reducing our personal productivity and increasing our stress levels.

Here are five pointers to help you to better overcome procrastination. (You can implement them now or perhaps tomorrow.or better yet, next week.)

1. Daily planning the night before. "People don't plan to fail but they sometimes fail to plan". Without a plan of action in place before you arrive for work it is real easy to get caught up in "stuff". The phone rings, someone drops by and you direct your time responding to the loudest voices demanding your attention rather than to the most important priorities on your plate. A plan of action, prepared the night before is like a roadmap for the next day. You know what your next step ought to be to get you into productive action and away from procrastination.

2. Work with a clean desk. "Out of sight, out of mind." The reverse of that is just as true. When it's in sight, it's in mind and most of us cannot help but be distracted and our time is then directed to the less important and easier tasks causing us to put off the more important tasks. Working with a clean desk or clean work environment permits us to have only the most important task before us so that we can focus all of our attention on that task without other visual distractions.

3. Reduce large projects to bite-sized pieces. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Tomorrow you plan to work on a three-hour project. The problem is, many of us do not get three hours to work on any one item. We have to contend with interruptions, meetings, etc. (I don't know that I even have an attention span that lasts for three hours!) And we often wind up procrastinating working on this task because "there's not enough time to get this done". So, instead of scheduling the entire three-hour project for tomorrow, schedule a small bite, a step or two that might take 20 or 30 minutes. Then put the next step on the next day's To Do list and the next step after that on that next day's list, etc. It may take several days, but you will get that elephant eaten up, one bite at a time.

4. Plan around interruptions. Interruptions tend to occur in identifiable patterns. I get most of my interruptions early in the day versus later in the day. I get most of my interruptions early in the week versus later in the week. So, if I plan a big project first thing Monday morning, I'm creating stress because as soon as I begin, interruptions arrive and re-focus my attention causing me to procrastinate what I really wanted to do. It is so much easier swimming downstream with the current rather than bucking the tide. Therefore, I plan those larger projects for later in the day and later in the week when I tend to get fewer interruptions.

5. Assign deadlines. Have you ever failed to achieve a New Year's resolution? If so, that probably happened because you did not set
a deadline. Deadlines move us to action. Without a deadline, things wind up in our "as soon as possible" pile, a "Never Never Land" where items will get attended to "someday", "when I get the time". Create a deadline and you will be moved to action.

2003-05-05T04:10:00.001-07:00

Footprints

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he saw two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to him and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He found that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noted that it happened at the most difficult and saddest times in his life.
This really disturbed him and he questioned the LORD thus “LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me at all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you most, you would leave me”

The LORD smiled and gently replied, “ My precious, precious child I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only once set of footprints, I carried you in my arms”.

2003-05-05T04:10:00.000-07:00

The Ant Philosophy

Jim Rohn

Over the years I've been teaching kids about a simple but powerful concept - the ant philosophy. I think everybody should study ants. They have an amazing four-part philosophy

First part: ants never quit.

That's a good philosophy. If they're headed somewhere and you try to stop them, they'll look for another way. They'll climb over, they'll climb under, and they'll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What a neat philosophy, to never quit looking for a way to get where you're supposed to go.

Second, ants think winter all summer. That's an important perspective. You can't be so naive as to think summer will last forever. So ants are gathering in their winter food in the middle of summer. An ancient story says, "Don't build your house on the sand in the summer." Why do we need that advice? Because it is important to be realistic. In the summer, you've got to think storm. You've got to think rocks as you enjoy the sand and sun. Think ahead.

The Third part of the ant philosophy is that ants think summer all winter. That is so important. During the winter, ants remind themselves, "This won't last long; we'll soon be out of here." And the first warm day, the ants are out. If it turns cold again, they'll dive back down, but then they come out the first warm day. They can't wait to get out.

And here's the last part of the ant philosophy.
How much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All that he possibly can. What an incredible philosophy, the "all-that-you-possibly-can" philosophy.

Never give up, look ahead, stay positive and do all you can.

2003-05-05T04:05:00.000-07:00

Essence of "The Gita"
And the Lord Krishna explained the Truths of Right and Wrong to his beloved desciple, Arjuna, as he stood confused on the battle-field of Kurukshetra, opposite his own cousins and elders. He flung down his bow and arrow in extreme anguish...Then Krishna chastised him, and told him about Truth and Dharma....

1. Why is your mind engaged in fruitless and useless thoughts? Whom do you fear in vain? Who can kill you? Atma (The Soul) neither takes birth, nor dies.

2. What happened in the past, was well and good. What is happening in the present, is still good. What would happen in the future, must be good. Do not lament the past. Do not bother about the future, and the present too will go on in its own way.

3. What have you lost that you are crying for? What precious things did you bring with you that you have lost? What have you given life to by yourself? You did not bear anything when you came in this world. What you have taken was from this place, whatever you have given, you have given back to this world. Whatever you have received, is from Me, whatever you have offered , has also come to Me. You come to this world with empty hands, and you depart with empty hands. The things you believe to be of your own, was someone else's property yesterday, and the day after tomorrow it will be some other's property. You think you are the proud owner and you rejoice. Alas! these surpassing beliefs and enjoyments are the cause of sorrows and sufferings in life.

4. Change is the eternal law of the world. Try to understand the word `Death'. In fact, that is the real life. Within a moment you can be the owner of millions, and at the next moment you can be a pauper. Clear out all the evil thoughts in your mind, of the high and the low, the big and the small, and the concept of mine and yours. Each step should be taken by judging what is real and would last forever, and what is unreal and will decay. And only then will you realise that you are for others and others for you.

5. Try to understand the difference between the Body and the Soul. You are not the owner of your body. You, i.e. your Soul (Atma) lives in a house which is made of fire, water, air, clay and space. When the house collapses, all these five elements go back to their original form, but the Soul remains as it was before and as it would be. So where is your individuality? You must take My refuge, and that is the best solution because there is no difference between you and Me. He who knows this is totally free from fear, sorrows, anxities and all the other sentiments of life.

6. Whatever you do, do it remembering Me, and offer it to Me. And only in this way, you will enjoy the real happiness of life.The freedom of life within life will then lead you along the right path to the Almighty, or the Eternal Power.

2003-05-05T04:03:00.000-07:00

ON THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH AND HAPPINESS

Acknowledgement : the writings of Swami Shivananda

A man who has all he wants is still unhappy. He forgets that to be without some of the things he wants, is an indispensable part of happiness.

What is success? Is it material prosperity or something else? Success is of two kinds, worldly and spiritual . Similarly life is also of two kinds, life in Matter and life in Spirit (Atma) or pure Consciousness. We should not ignore the life in the physical plane of matter. Matter is God's (Brahma's) expression of His own Consciousness (Lila). Matter and Spirit are inseperable, like heat and fire, cold and ice, flower and fragrance. According to the Vedas, life in the physical plane is a preperation for the eternal life in Heaven, in union with Brahma . The world represents our scope for the development of various divine virtues such as mercy, forgiveness, tolerance, universal love, generosity,nobility, courage, magnanimity, patience, strong will etc.The central teaching of all religions is " Be in the world, but be out of it." Give up the merely physical, materialistic involvements with life (tamasik britti), and assert the divine qualities. A life of renunciation and self-sacrifice would help you to obtain Self-realisation, the highest goal of a human being. However, this must not mean that we may negate our duties or responsibilities in life. The Vedas say that `gyan', `karma' and `bhakti' ie. knowledge, work and devotion together leads us to the path of Truth. We must learn to lead both our material and spiritual life in search of this Truth.

Scientists have explored the physical world. They say that there is only one substance in this world, that is the electron and matter is of energy. Energy is the supreme reality for scientists. They have found out methods to control the physical forces of nature. Yet, the deepest mysteries of life all point to a power greater than that of mere science. "Where science ends, religion begins". What is that intelligence which moves nature? Who is the primum mobile? Can scientific inventions enlighten the basic mysteries of life and thus make us really happy? If not, what are the ways to achieve success in both the worlds, material and spiritual?

Let us think about that 'Light of the Lights', about that all-pervading Intelligence or Consciousness who is the Inner Ruler of this body and mind and who governs this Universe and keeps it in perfect order. In the Vedas, He is 'Brahma', who is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent. This supreme power Has been named as 'God'by human beings. He is, "Sat-Chid-Ananda" ie. Existance Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, and Bliss Absolute.

There are some definite ways of attaining success, for leading a happy and contented life, for finding power, strength, health and energy. There are some definite paths instructed by our spiritual masters, for attaining this unending joy and unfading splendour and glory in our present life. Being asked to clarify this, Yudhisthira (in the Mahabharata) replied, " The journies experienced by the Great Spiritual Men are called 'The Paths'. (Mahajono jeno gato-oh sa pantha-ha).In every age these spiritual seekers have tried to find out what is Truth, and not to stick to blind, traditional belief. A vedic hymn reveals, " One ignorant of the land asks of one who knows it. He travels forward, instructed by the knowing guide." The inner meaning of another is " The man who knows the land, tells the direction to the man who asks."

Spiritual search is the basic of all cultures. Culture means refinement or education. `Spiritual' means that which relates to the inner Self, the Atman or the Brahma. Spiritualism does not deal with ghosts, planchette, or spirit in medium. Meditating on the Self (Atmachinta), contemplation, absorbing noble thoughts and ideas from the learned persons and sages, reading books on preachings like the Bible, the Koran,the Vedas and the Upanisadas etc. together constitute spiritual search. An earnest desire to know the Self will increase the basic qualifications in humans to search for the ultimate Truth.These are four in number:

1. Power of discrimination between the real and unreal (Viveka).
2. Indifference to sensual enjoyments herein and here after (Vairagya).
3. Six fold virtues (Gyana).
- Tranquility of mind (Sama), which results in the eradication of desires.
- Restrain of the senses (Indriyas) (Dama).
- Renunciation of works (Uparati) satiety or sannayasa.
- Endurance (Titiksha).
- Faith in the books and works, faith in the words and preachings of the learned persons (Shraddha).
- One pointed mind (samadhana).
4. Intense longing for liberation from the cycle of birth and death (Mumuksha).

Silent repetition of Hymns or Mantras like 'Om' will be of great help in improving the spiritual culture at first. During this time, one must feel "I am part of the Immortal Self in all. I am the living Truth. I am all-prevading light, Intelligence or Pure Consciousness."

The practice of concentration should go hand in hand with the memory and will cultures. When a desire is controlled, it is transmuted into will force. Fewer the desire, stronger is the will. No will culture is possible without ' Brahmacharya'. Brahmacharya means celibacy or purity in thoughts, words and deed. Attention, power of endurance, overcoming aversion, dislikes and irritations, fortitude in suffering, all pave the way to development of the will. Never complain against bad environment. Do not try to run away from unfavourable situations. Live in your own mental world.Nothing can upset your mind.Try to live happily in any place, under any condition.

Interest develops memory. A strong man who has an acute sight, a keen perception, a good power of observation and hearing, will have very good memories. A man may die, but his character remains. It is the character that gives real force and power to a man. It is like a sweet flower whose fragrance wafts far and wide. Building up of characters is building up of habits. Non-violence in thoughts, words and deeds (Ahimsa), truthfulness, self-reliance, patience and perseverance, sincerity and honesty, punctuality, and above all, contentment, are very important virtues which build up a sound character.

Dear readers, the subject of 'iradication of negative qualities' need a long discussion. Please get rid of these vices to become a perfect man.

India ia a land of saints, sages, and philosophers famous for their supreme spiritual knowledge. All this knowledge is stored in texts called "The Vedas" which form the basis of Hinduism. Our religion teaches us, " Let the Noble Thoughts come to us from everyside" (Aa-no bhadra kratabo yantu viswata-ha). ' no'= us (Wrik Veda). 'An ounce of practice is a thousand times better than tons of theories. When we love others, we love ourselves. Happiness lives in simplicity, happiness lives in love. Non-violence is the highest of all the virtues (Ahimsha paromo dharma). They also teach us: speak the truth and do virtuous actions. Be kind, be good, do good (satyam bado, dharmang ch'aro).

Know that this Self is the store-house for all knowledge, bliss, power, beauty, peace and joy. Truth is one. Only, sages call it by different names (Ekong sad viprah bahudha vadanti). You should live, work and breathe for the realisation of Truth and God alone.

2003-05-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

What I call Living....

Edgar A. Guest

The miser thinks he's living when he's hoarding up his gold;

The soldier calls it living when he's doing something bold;

The sailor thinks it's living to be tossed about at sea,

And upon this vital subject no two of us agree.

But I hold to the opinion, as I walk my way along,

That living's made of laughter and good fellowship and song.

I wouldn't call it living always to be seeking gold,

To bank all the present gladness for the days when I'll be old.

I wouldn't call it living to spend all my strength for fame,

And forego the many pleasures which today are mine to claim.

I wouldn't for the splendor of the world set out to roam,

And forsake my laughing children and the peace I know at home.

Oh, the thing that I call living isn't gold or fame at all!

It's good fellowship and sunshine, and it's roses by the wall;

It's evenings glad with music and a hearth fire that's ablaze,

And the joys which come to mortals in a thousand different ways.

It is laughter and contentment and the struggle for a goal;

It is everything that's needful in the shaping of the soul.

2003-05-05T03:54:00.000-07:00

Gayatri MantraA scientific view

-Dr Tanmaya

Gayatri mantra has been bestowed the greatest importance in Vedic dharma.This mantra has also been termed as Savitri and Ved-Mata, the mother of the Vedas.

The literal meaning of the mantra is: O God! You are Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Almighty. You are all Light. You are all Knowledge and Bliss. You are Destroyer of fear, You are Creator of this Universe, You are the Greatest of all. We bow
and meditate upon Your light. You guide our intellect in the right direction.

The mantra, however, has a great scientific importance too, which somehow got lost in the literary tradition. The modern astrophysics and astronomy tell us that our Galaxy called Milky Way or Akash-Ganga contains approximately 100,000 million of stars. Each star is like our sun having its own planet system.

We know that the moon moves round the earth and the earth moves round the sun along with the moon. All planets round the sun. Each of the above bodies revolves round at its own axis as well. Our sun along with its family takes one round of the galactic centre in 22.5 crore years. Our All galaxies including ours are moving away at a terrific velocity of 20,000 miles per second. And now the alternative scientific meaning of the mantra step by step:

(A) Om bhur bhuvah swah:
Bhur the earth, bhuvah the planets (solar family), swah the Galaxy. We observe that when an ordinary fan with a speed of 900 RPM (rotations per minute) moves, it makes noise. Then, one can imagine, what great noise would be created when the galaxies move with a speed of 20,000 miles per second.This is what this portion of the mantra explains that the sound produced due to the
fast-moving earth, planets and galaxies is Om. The sound was heard during meditation by Rishi Vishvamitra, who mentioned it to other colleagues. All of them, then unanimously decided to call this sound Om the name of God,because this sound is available in all the three periods of time, hence it is sat (permanent). Therefore, it was the first ever revolutionary idea to identify formless God with a specific title (form) called upadhi. Until that time,everybody recognized God as formless and nobody was prepared to accept
this new idea. In the Gita also, it is said, "Omiti ekaksharam brahma", meaning that the name of the Supreme is Om, which contains only one syllable (8/12).

This sound Om heard during samadhi was called by all the seers nada-brahma (a very great noise), but not a noise that is normally beyond a specific amplitude and limits of decibels suited to human hearing. Hence the rishis called this sound Udgith musical sound of the above, i.e., heaven. They also noticed that the infinite mass of galaxies moving with a velocity of 20,000 miles/second was
generating a kinetic energy = 1/2 MV2 and this was balancing the total energy consumption of the cosmos. Hence they named it Pranavah, which means the body (vapu) or store house of energy (prana).

(B) Tat savitur varenyam:
Tat that (God), savitur the sun (star), varenyam worthy of bowing or respect.Once the form of a person along with the name is known to us, we may locate the specific person. Hence the two titles (upadhi) provide the solid ground to identify the formless God, Vishvamitra suggested. He told us that we could know (realize) the unknowable formless God through the known factors, viz.,
sound Om and light of suns (stars).

A mathematician can solve an equation x2+y2=4; if x=2; then y can be known and so on. An engineer can measure the width of a river even by standing at the river bank just by drawing a triangle. So was the scientific method suggested by Vishvamitra in the mantra in the next portion as under:-

(C) Bhargo devasya dheemahi:
Bhargo the light, devasya of the deity, dheemahi we should meditate. The rishi instructs us to meditate upon the available form (light of suns) to discover the formless Creator (God). Also he wants us to do japa of the word Om (this is understood in the Mantra). This is how the sage wants us to proceed, but there is a great problem to realise it, as the human mind is so shaky and restless
that without the grace of the Supreme (Brahma) it cannot be controlled.Hence Vishvamitra suggests the way to pray Him as under:

(D) Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat:
Dhiyo intellect, yo who, nah we all, prachodayat guide to right direction. O God! Deploy our intellect on the right path.

Full scientific interpretation of the Mantra:
The earth (bhur), the planets (bhuvah), and the galaxies (swah) are moving at a very great velocity, the sound produced is Om, (the name of formless God.) That God (tat), who manifests Himself in the form of light of suns (savitur) is worthy of bowing/respect (varenyam). We all, therefore, should meditate (dheemahi) upon the light (bhargo) of that deity (devasya) and also do
chanting of Om. May He (yo) guide in right direction (prachodayat) our (nah) intellect (dhiyo).

So we notice that the important points hinted in the mantra are:-

(1) The total kinetic energy generated by the movement of galaxies acts as umbrella and balances the total energy consumption of the cosmos. Hence it was named as the Pranavah (body of energy). This is equal to 1/2 mv2 (Mass of galaxies x velocity2).

(2) Realizing the great importance of the syllable Om, the other later date religions adopted this word with a slight change in accent, viz., amen and ameen.

(3) The God could be realized through the saguna (gross) upasana (method), i.e.,

(a) by chanting the name of the supreme as Om and
(b) by meditating upon the light emitted by stars (suns).

2003-05-05T03:44:00.000-07:00

WORK AND ITS SECRETS

Delivered by Swami Vivekananda at
Los Angles,California, January 4, 1900

One of the greatest lessons I have learnt in my life is to pay as much attention to the means of work as to its end. He was a great man from whom I learnt it, and his own life was a practical demonstration of this great principle. I have been always learning great lessons from that one principle , and it appears to me that all the secret of life is there; to pay as much attention to means as
to the end. Our great defect in life is that we are so much drawn to the ideal , the goal is so much more enchanting so much more alluring, so much bigger in our mental horizon, that we lose sight of the details altogether. But whenever failure comes, if we analyse it critically, in ninety nine percent of cases we shall find that it was because we did not pay attention to the means. Proper attention to the finishing, strengthening of the means is what we need. With the means all right, the end must come. We forget that it is the cause that produces the effect; the effect cannot come by itself; and unless the causes are exact, proper, and powerful, the effect will not be produced. Once the ideal is chosen and the means determined, we may almost let go of the ideal, because we are sure it will be there, there is no more difficulty about the effect . The effect is bound to come. If we take care of the cause, the effect will take care
of itself. The realization of the ideal is the effect. The means are the cause attention to the means, therefore, is the great secret of life. We also read this in the Gita and learn that we have to work, constantly work with all our power ; to put our whole mind in the work. Whatever it be, that we are doing.

At the same time, we must not be attached. That is to say, we must not be drawn away form the work by anything else; still, we must be able to quit the work whenever we like. If we examine our own lives, we find that the greatest cause of sorrow is this : we take up something, and put our whole energy on it -

perhaps it is a failure and yet we cannot give it up.We know that is hurting us, that any further clinging to it is simply bringing misery on us; still, we cannot tear ourselves away from it. The Bee came to sip the honey, but its feet stuck to the honey pot and it could not get away. Again and again, we are finding ourselves in that state. That is the whole secret of existence. Why are we here? We came here to sip the honey, and we find our hands and feet sticking to it. We are caught, though we came to catch. We came to rule; we are being ruled. We came to work; we are being worked. All the time, we find that. And this comes into every detail of our life. We are being worked upon by other minds, and we are always struggling to work on other minds. We want to enjoy
the pleasures of life; and they eat into our vitals. We want to get everything from nature, but we find in the long run that nature takes everything from us -

depletes us , and casts us aside.

Had it not been for this, life would have been all sunshine. Never mind! With all its failures and success. With all its joys and sorrows, it can be one succession of sunshine, if only we are not caught. That is the one cause of misery: we are attached, we are being caught.Therefore says the Gita: Work constantly; work, but be not attached; be not caught.Reserve unto yourself the power of detaching yourself from everything, however beloved, however much the soul might yearn for it, however great the pangs of misery
you feel if you were going to leave it; still, reserve the power of leaving it whenever you want. The weak have no place here, in this life or in any other life. Weakness leads to slavery. Weakness leads to all kinds of misery,physical and mental. Weakness is death. There are hundreds of thousands of microbes surrounding us, but they cannot harm us unless we become weak, until the body
is ready and predisposed to receive them.There may be a million microbes of misery, floating about us. Never mind! They dare not approach us, they have no power to get a hold on us, until the mind is weakened.

This is the great fact:strength is life, weakness is death.

Attachment is the source of all our pleasures now. We are attached to our friends, to our relatives; we are attached to our intellectual and spiritual works; we are attached to external object, so that we get pleasure form them.

What, again, brings misery but this very attachment? We have to detach ourselves to earn joy. If only we had the power to detach ourselves to earn joy. If only we had power to detach ourselves at will, there would not be any misery. That man alone will be able to get the best of nature, who having the power of attaching himself to a thing with all his energy, has also the power to detach
himself when he should do so. The difficulty is that there must be power to attachment as that of detachment. There are men who are never attracted by anything. They can never love, they are hard hearted and apathetic; they escape most of the miseries But the wall never feels misery, and the wall never loves, is never hurt; but it is the wall, after all. Surely it is better to be attached and caught, than to be a wall. Therefore the man who never loves, who is hard and stony, escaping most of the miseries of life, escapes also its joys. We do not want that. That is weakness, that is death. That soul has not been awakened that never feels weakness, never feels misery. That is a callous state. We don't want that. At the same time, we not only want this mighty power of love, this mighty power of attachment, the power of throwing our whole soul upon a single object, loosing ourselves and letting ourselves be annihilated, as it were,for other souls which is the power of gods. The perfect man can put his whole soul upon that one point of love, yet he is unattached. How come this?

There is another secret to learn. The beggar is never happy. The beggar only gets a dole with pity and scorn behind it, at least with the thought behind that the beggar is a low object.He never really enjoys what he gets. We are all beggars. Whatever we do we want
a return. We are all traders. We are traders in life, we are traders in virtue,we are traders in religion. And alas! we are also traders in Love. If you come to trade, if it is a question of give and take, if it is a question of buy and sell, abide by the laws of buying and selling. There is a bad time and there is a good time; there is a rise and a fall in prices: always you expect the blow to come. It is like looking at the mirror. Your face is reflected: you make a grim face there is one in the mirror; if you laugh, the mirror laugh. This is buying and selling, giving and taking.

We get caught. How? Not by what we give, but by what we expect. We get misery in return for our love; not from the fact that we love, but from the fact that we want love in return. There is no misery where there is no want. Desire,want, is the father of all misery.Desire are bound by the laws of success and failure. Desires must bring misery. The great secret of true success, of true happiness, is this: the man who asks for no return, the perfectly unselfish man, is the most successful. It seems to be a paradox. Do we not know that every man who is unselfish in life gets cheated, gets hurt? Apparently, Yes. "christ was unselfish, and yet he was
crucified." True, but we know that his unselfishness is the reason, the cause of a great victory the crowning of millions upon millions of lives with the blessings of true success.

Ask nothing; want nothing in return. Give what you have to give; it will come back to you but multiplied a thousand fold but the attention must not be on that. Yet have the power to give: give, and there it ends. Learn that the whole of life is giving. that nature will force you to give. So give willingly. Sooner of later your will have to give up. You come into life to accumulate. With clenched hands
you want to take. But nature puts a hand on your throat and makes your hands open. Whether your will it on not, you have to give. The moment you say, "I will not". the blow comes; you are hurt. None is there but will be compelled, in the long run, to give everything. And the more one struggles against this law, the more miserable one feels. It is because we dare not give, because we are not resigned enough to accede to this grand demand of nature, that we are miserable. The forest is gone, but we get heat in return. The sun is taking up water from the ocean, to return it in showers. Your are a machine for taking and giving: you take, in
order to give. Ask, therefore, nothing in return; but the more you give, the more will come to you. The quicker it will be filed up by the external air; and if you close all the doors and every aperture, that which is within will remain, but that which is outside will never come in, and that which is within will stagnate,degenerate, and become poisoned. As river is continually emptying itself into the ocean and is continually filing up again. Bar not the exit in to the ocean. The moment you do that , death seizes you.

Be, therefore, not a beggar; be unattached. This is the most terrible task of life!
You do not calculate the dangers on the path. Even by intellectually recognizing the difficulties, we really don't know them until we feel them. From a distance we may get a general view of a park; well, what of that? We feel and really know it when we are in it. Even if our every attempt is a failure and we bleed and torn asunder, yet, through all this, we have to preserve our heart we must assert our God head in the midst of all these difficulties. Nature wants us to react, to return blow for blow, cheating for cheating, lie for lie, to hit back with all our might.Then it requires a super divine power not to hit back, to keep control, to be unattached.
Every day we renew our determination to be unattached. We cast our eyes back and look at the past object of our love and attachment, and feel how every one of them made us miserable. We went down into the depths of despondency because
of our "love"! We found ourselves mere slaves in the hands of others, we were dragged down and down! And we make a fresh determination: "Henceforth, I will be master of myself; henceforth, I will have control over myself." But the time comes, and the same story once more! Again the soul is caught and cannot get out. The bird is in a net, struggling and fluttering; This is our life.
I know the difficulties. Tremendous they are, and ninety percent of us become discourage and lose heart, and in our turn, often become pessimists and cease to believe in sincerity, love, and all that is grand and noble. So , we find men who in the freshness of their lives have been forgiving, kind,simple, and guileless, become in old age lying masks of men. Their minds are a mass
of intricacy. There may be a good deal of external policy, possibly. They are not hot headed they do not speak, but it would be better for then to do so; their hearts are dead and, therefore, they do not speak, They do not curse, not become angry;but it would be better for them to be able to be angry; a thousand times better , to be able to curse. They cannot. There is death in the heart, for cold hands have seized upon it, and it can no more act, even act, even to utter a curse, even to use a harsh word.

All this we have to avoid; therefore I say, we require super divine power.Super human power is not strong enough. Super divine strength is the only way, the one way out. By it alone we can pass through all these intricacies, through these showers of miseries, unscathed. We may be cut to pieces , torn asunder, yet our hearts must grow nobler an nobler all the time. It is very difficult , but we can overcome the difficulty by constant practice. We must learn that nothing can happen to us, unless we make ourselves
susceptible to it. I have just said, no disease can come to me until the body is ready; it does not depend alone on the germs , but upon a certain predisposition which is already in the body. We get only that for which we are fitted. Let us give up our proud
and understand this, that never is misery undeserved, There never has been a blow undeserved: there never has been evil for which I did not pave the way with my own hands. We ought to know that every blow you have received, came to you because you prepared yourselves for it. You did half, and the external world did the other half: that is how the blow came. That will sober us down. At the
same time, from this very analysis will come a note of hope, and the note of hope is: " I have no control of external world, but that which is in me and nearer unto me, my own world, is in my control. If the two together are required to make a failure, if the two together are necessary to give me a blow, I will not contribute the one which is in my keeping; and how then can the blow come? If I get real control of myself, the blow will never come."

We are all the time, form our childhood, trying to lay blame upon something outside ourselves. We are always standing up to set right other people, and not ourselves. If we are miserable, we say, "Oh, the world is a devil's world."We curse others and say, "What infatuated fools!" But why should we be in such a world, if we really are so good? If this is a devil's world, we must be devils also;
why else should we be here? "Oh, the people of the world are so selfish!" True enough, but why should we be found in that company, if we be better? Just think of that.