Who the heck is Partha?

99 Things to do While you live.....

2006-06-20T21:46:00.000-07:00

Coming from a conservative region from Southern part of India, Self is glad that his outlook towards life, Universe and everything in general has slowly evolved & changed in the past five years so much so that he could now record a list of 99 things to do, most of which he was not even aware of while he was busy educating himself on the nebulous science of electrical and electronics engineering in Chennai, India.

Again, the conservative upbringing that he was blessed with, entitled him to a path of self realization and renunciation all the while rigidly conforming to the four schools/ Ashrams in Brahmacharya, Grhastha, Vanaprastha & Sanyasa.
[For want of space & time, the reader is encouraged to find more information in any basic Hinduism texts about the afore mentioned.]

Being groomed in such a stereotyped upbringing and culture one doesn’t often fascinate & amuse oneself, leave alone think about the un-imaginable number of things that one would be missing- leading the "study_study-->get_a_job-->get_married-->have_kids->save_for_kids-->get_them_married " life.

In his humble opinion, Life is all about living not existing, traveling and trying out the million things that life has to offer; rather than living in a bucketed culture. With the above preamble, without much ado, he shall present the <99>. The 100th thing by the way is to,

100. Read and Check off of this list!

So here it goes,

1. Give your mother 31 roses on a chosen month and call her to say that you love her everyday.
2. Fall deeply in love helplessly and unconditionally.(In an arranged marriage)
3. Visit Paris full stop (.)
4. Save a human life.
5. Learn to play a new game and compete with the professionals in an event.
6. Witness the beautiful blaze of the Northern Lights, - Aurora Borealis.
7. Tell someone you love them loud and clear. (Be it a wife, GF, Mother or Grandmother:))
8. Teach someone illiterate - to read.
9. Stand on the Greenwich Meridian time line.
10. Test-drive a Ferrari at top speed in Autobahn, and then buy it right away with cash!
11. Listen to Illayaraja music all day.
12. Learn to speak a foreign language on your own and make good use of it.
13. Go Scuba diving at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
14. Spend a new years eve at Times square.
15. Cricket - Mecca of cricket at the lords featuring India & England
16. Go to Mardigras of course with your wife and also once b4 you get married.
17. Drink an Espresso anywhere in Naples, Italy.
18. Watch a launch of a space shuttle.
19. Go on a Caribbean Cruise- Visit 10 tropical Islands in 10 days.
20. Be a part of a guest list for the International film festival.
21. Attend the Noble prize ceremonies, huh, better still - Win a noble prize.
22. Visit the Seven Wonders of the World, on a honeymoon :)
23. Take a walk in a rain.
24. Fly a plane.
25. Stay at the Waldorf Astoria.
26. Get an article of yours published in a leading newspaper.
27. Have your portrait painted.
28. Do bungee jumping in New Zealand Alps Bali, Victoria Falls.
29. Learn a musical instrument, become adept at it, stand before an audience and play it.
30. Work for hourly wage at a local rest of your choice and donate earnings to charity.
31. Tell someone the story of your life without sparing any details.
32. Be an extra/part of a film.
33. Own a room with a wonderful view.
34. Taste the finest coffee in the world- Where? Go to Jamaica.
35. Grow a beard and leave it atleast for one month.
36. Cross the Sahara with a Tuareg Caravan.
37. Propose in a planetarium.
38. Get pick pocketed in one of the notorious places on Earth - Victoria Station, London.
39. Ride camel in the Sahara desert.
40. Experience weightlessness.
41. Sleep under the stars.
42. Visit a Rainforest in Honduras/Guatemala.
43. Take a shower in a waterfall (Multnomah Falls).
44. White water Raft through the Grand Canyon.
45. Learn to juggle with three/four balls.
46. See the midnight sun anywhere in Greenland.
47. Fast for a day.
48. Write your will.
49. Give to a charity - Anonymously!
50. Kayak the Fjords of Narsarsuaq, Narsaq.
51. Study all of the Kamasutra...And put them to efficient use.
52. Ask someone you just met to go out on a date.
53. Visit Portland, Oregon. :-)
54. Swim n*&^ on a secluded mountain lake, It is always more fun if there is a risk of ppl observing :-).
55. Run a marathon.
56. Get a love marriage - arranged :) or vice-versa.
57. Visit a temple everyday.
58. Find a number you like (say 11) and be obsessed with it for no reason. Cite all trivia in favor of your selection when asked to substantiate.
59. Visit, Paradise on the rocks: Palau, South Pacific - Volcanic walls, 100 foot waterfalls & snorkeling in abundance.
60. Watch a NBA championship game in floor-level seats.
61. Paragliding in Ölüdeniz, near Dalaman, Turkey's most beautifully-situated beach.
62. Bobsled - Don’t know? Do a google - Hurtle at great speeds at the Olympic site in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
63. Go to the top of the Space needle, the Sears, the Petronas & the Eiffel towers.
64. Ride in a World War II era fighter.
65. Drive on the other side of the road in England/India (?) & in the US
66. Ride on the steel dragon- roller coaster in Nagashima Spaland Mie, Japan. One of the tallest and fastest roller coasters.
67. Grow your own garden.
68. Attend a concert.
69. Take a hot air balloon ride in the North Pole.
70. Learn to ride a horse, race with a car, and win.
71. Do a parachute jump?
72. Learn to Dance - a Tango in particular.
73. Ride Underground @ the Co Chi Tunnels Vietnam
74. Write the novel of your life.
75. See a lunar eclipse.
76. Watch the Sun set and rise, no not done yet, behind the pyramids in Egypt.
77. Learn to wrap burritos.
78. Watch Wimbledon live in Wimbledon, England.
79. Get to Stromboli, Italy, to catch an eruption, Volcanic that is.
80. Figure out the 7 ingredient secret recipe of Coca cola - a closely guarded secret that only 7 ppl know. Once you know the secret, strive to no longer make it a secret.
81. Learn to hand toss pizza dough.
82. Prove Pythagoras' Theorem, Einstein's theory of relativity - wrong.
83. Attend the finals game of atleast one major sporting event.
84. Attend one of the Formula one events, preferably in Germany.
85. Visit all the 50(51?) states in the US.
86. Read a classic (book) all day.
87. Visit the World's biggest Sundial @ Jaipur, India.
88. Go to a nude beach and be the only fully clothed person.
89. Walk on hot coals.
90. Learn Photography.
91. Sit on a beach and watch the tides come in and go tirelessly.
92. Spend a whole day without checking e-mail :)
93. Cook a 7 Course dinner and eat it alone.
94. Blow up atleast 1000 dollars in a Las Vegas Casino, in bargain learn how to play.
95. Try all the 31 flavors at Baskin Robbins.
96. Do/ be involved in a stand up comedy.
97. Be in Pamplona for the running of the bulls.
98. Spend a day in a tree house.
99. Cross 5 things off this list every year and add 10 new ones :-)

Whats in a Name? .... you pointlessly ponder?

2006-06-15T11:31:00.001-07:00

The following is inspired by a forward titled, "Ambi mama wins."

Have you noticed that every Brahmin family has SOME/ALL OF the following people in their junta?

1. Ambi mama
The residential astrology expert, who is unceremoniously called upon to offer free(read cheap ) astrology comments, also gives unsolicited advice on matters ranging from today’s politics, cricket to acharams to be followed!
Note: Since Ambi mama is widely regarded as the most popular name in the clan, author points out that every small town in Tiruchy/Kumbakonam disrict will have the following variations of ambis Peria Ambi, Chinna Ambi, Gundu Ambi, Olli Ambi, Kutti Ambi etc.

2. Thambi periappa/athanga manni etc..
This is what happens when you marry first cousins/ uncles from your mother's side, All kinds of weird addressing happens thusly.

3. Komala athimber.
Notice a female name appended to a male relationship, very unique but popular form of address in Brahmin circles. If you are still wondering, title bestowed by virtue of being husband of Komala athai.

4. Vasu mama
This is your athai's son surviving on a hand to mouth existence in his Southern Railways Job.

5. Vengattu(Venkatesan->Venky->Vengattu)
This chithappa's son, jobless and waiting for his First job as an assistant to an auditor.

6. Vaidhi Athimber ( Vaidhyanathan/Vaidheeshwaran)
Self proclaimed expert in Carnatic music, who never misses even a single( free )ticket to the December music season.

7. Koki(Kokila->koki) appa
Floored again by male female association? Kokila is the eldest daughter of Mr. Venkatachalapathy, imagine plight of his dear wife who needs to call him by that ridiculous long name (why not Venky, You ask?- tsk tsk we don’t work that way)is thus christened as koki appa, by his beloved wife.

Note: Wife’s not called Koki amma, she goes by ambuli mami. (It’s a long story, forget it)

8. Paachu(Parthasarthy->Partha->Paachu->Baachu?) Periappa
The reader is challenged on this one. If the reader is unable to find a Parthasarathy in his family, do email the author, we will order one for you, there is too many surplus of Pachus in other families.
Note: Paternal called Pacha, Maternal Paachu; Yes tell me about it!!

9. Chubbini ( Subramaniam->Subbu->Chubbu->Chubbini) anna
Who spends his time bunking his Government job @ TVS to not only watch cricket but also forever criticize Indian team selection.

10. Ambujam Atthai
Awesome cook, known for her akkarai vadisal and Thachi mammu

11. Cheenu(Srinivasan Raghavan->Srini->Cheenu) thatha
Happily sipping Narasus kaapi & doing sandya vandanam regularly, whilst he is proud that his name has figured on the internet.

12. Badma/Bathuma ( Padmavathy->Padma->Badma->Bathma ) periamma
Mind bewildering permutations are possible on this one. I am not even going to start on it( see future blog on just this one)

13. Kitcha (Krishnamurthy->Krishna->Kicha->Kitcha) periappa
Also referred to as Kichaami = Kitcha + asami(person in Tamil)

14. Mylapore athimber
Poor chap was in Mylapore, in his twenties while making ends meet with a portion shared by 15 families, professes that he no longer lives there, and though he is happily settled in the US (with his Computer Engineer son) still grudgingly goes by that name.
Note: Variations include Mylapore california Athimber, but gets very hairy then!

15. Tiruchhi athai, Chicago chithi, Mylapore Mamanaar, Aduthathu Athimber
Location, you see, is very important to us.
Note abt Chicago Chithi: happily settled in Chicago, and learning to say "Cool, Wassup etc"
Aduthathu athimber- Next door neighbor, who is a Brahmin, suddenly BECOMES related now.

16. Kittu mama
I seriously don’t know abt this one, he exists in every family PERIOD. Possibly an adopted son who has changed name just to gel with the other tam Brahms.

17. Baby Chithi
Name says it all.

18. Bombay Kichanna
Variant/Transformation on number 13, due to his transfer to Bombay, and his age henceforth referred to as thus.

19. Drum Sundaram, Lorry Krishnan
Based on trade affiliations

20. Mottai Thatha, Vazhakai Vaishnavi, Mookuozhugu Mohana, Gundu Paati
You should be able to guess the nomenclature by now, Yes, by virtue of their appearances.

21. Glaxo athan, TVS periappa.
Happy that you are finally getting a hang of it? affirmative, Professional affiliations
Note: No name for TVS periappa - just his company + title

22. Vayadi Rakkamma, Cycle mani, othakann chandramouli, cheettu(miser) chellapa
Classified by their attributes.

23. Kunjamma
Originally alamaelu athai, god knows how her name got transformed to such.

24. Pappu(Pattammal->Pattu->pappu) patti
Why pappu? she makes very nice paruppunjathams: sandhi parichaya: Paruppu + sadam(sadam->chadam)

25. My favourite! Thambi anna
What is that you may ponder? an oxymoron dude!!, yes we have that too! He is your chithi's younger brother, so Thambi, and elder to you so anna thus- Thambi anna, also goes by thambi mama- but very confusing.

26. S. Ve. Shekar was kind enough to add the following series to this lists a series of "komli", "paapli", "thakli", "jillu", "dubuku" etc

27. Rounding it off are Chellapa, Ramji manni, Bhooma mami, Chakkarai(Chakrapani->Chikku->Chakka->Chakkarai) - sugar

Adiyaen,
Parthasarathy Narasimhan

The Hindu Wedding - Explained - Part 1

2006-06-11T09:56:00.000-07:00

Many of my friends and family reading this blog are folks who have recently gotten married or would be in the very near future. A humble attempt has thus been made here to explain the rituals associated with a South Indian Wedding, and rationale behind the same. This will be a series of parts, the First part concerning with the main aspects of a Hindu wedding. Explanations of which shall be dealt with in future posts....

Rationale behind the Rituals

The Hindu Wedding Ceremony has a number of rituals and customs most of which are often labelled as superstitious or time wasting. A ritual is an action on which time has set its seal of approval, a convention that is followed when more and more people in the succeeding generation repeat an action.

The Ritual of the Hindu Wedding is each symbolic of beautiful and noble sentiments. Most of the aspects have rationality, meaning and reasoning, most of which unfortunately are ignored and are performed today by many parents and couples without an awareness of the rich meaning behind them.

Aspects of a Hindu Wedding ( wherever possible comparisons drawn to Northy wedding)

JANA VASAM
GANAPATI PUJA
NANDI DEVATA PUJA
NAVAGRAHA PUJA
VRATHAM & DWITIYA YAGNOPAVITHA
KASI YATRA
VARAPREKSHANEM
VAAKU NICHYA MUHOORTHAM
EXCHANGE OF GARLANDS ( VARMALA/MALAI MATRUTHAL)
OONCHAL
PAALIKAI seeds sowing
VARA PUJA
KANYA DHAANAM(KANYA DHAN)
BRIDEGROOM's ASSURANCE (PAANI GRAHAN)
KANKANA DHARANAM
MADHUPARKA DHANAM*
DEVATHA PRARTHANA
KANYA SAMSKARAM*
KOORA PUDAVAI*
MAANGALYA DHARANAM
PAANI GRAHANAM
SAPTHA PADHI
PRADHANA HOMAM
RECITAL OF VEDA MANTHRAM
TREADING ON GRINDSTONE
SHOWING HER THE ARUNDATHI STAR
LAAJA HOMAM
SHOWERING OF AKSHADAI
GRIHA PRAVESHAM
NALANGU
NIGHT HOMAMS

SESHA HOMAMS
GANDHARVA POOJA
FALA DAANAM

THAMBOOLA CHARVANAM
MANGALA AARTHI and FINALLY!!................
SHANTHI MUHOORTHAM!!

Stay tuned for explanations in the later posts....
Just to offer a snapshot on the significance, this is the write up for EXCHANGE OF GARLANDS....

EXCHANGE OF GARLANDS
The bride and the groom are lifted to the shoulders of their respective uncles; and in that position the two garland each other thrice for a complete union. A garland worn by a person, should not be used by another, ordain our shastras. Here the exchange of garlands symbolises their unification – as one soul in two bodies. It is inward acceptance by each of the very fragrance of the other.

Wow! IS all I can say!

Seinfeld Quotes!

2006-06-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

Before we indulge in serious matters of Science Vs Religion, a response to my previous blog entry, I would like to humor you with some lines culled from the Seinfeld, lines that I have particularly enjoyed listening to/viewing/reading...

"Why don't we just put these two tables together?"
"No no, you can't do that. They're round... it makes an eight...."
- Elaine and George, who doesn't want any company on his date, in "The Visa"

"I'd rather be dating the blind. You know, you could let the house go. You could let yourself go. A good looking blind woman doesn't even know you're not good enough for her."
"I think she'd figure it out."
- George and Elaine, in "The Wink"

"So, what you are saying is that ninety to ninety-five percent of the population is undateable?"
"Undateable!"
"Then how are all these people getting together?"
"Alcohol."
- Elaine and Jerry, in "The Wink"

"You ask me to have lunch, tell me you slept with Elaine, and then say you're not in the mood for details. Now you listen to me. I want details and I want them right now. I don't have a job, I have no place to go. You're not in the mood? Well you get in the mood!"
- George, to Jerry, in "The Deal"

"What is this obsession people have with books? They put them in their houses like they're trophies. What do you need it for after you read it?"
- Jerry, in "The Ex-Girlfriend"

"All bald people look good in hats."
"You should have lived in the twenties and thirties; you know men wore hats all the time then."
"What a bald paradise that must have been. Nobody knew."
- George and Elaine, in "The Parking Spot"

"Women go after doctors like men go after models. They want someone with knowledge of the body. We just want the body."
- Jerry, in "The Heart Attack"

"Every woman on the face of the earth has complete control of my life. And yet, I want them all. Is that irony?"
- George, in "The Baby Shower"

"When you look annoyed all the time, people think that you're busy."
- George, in "The Hot Tub"

"Cleavage is like the sun, you don’t stare at it! You get a sense of it, and then you look away!"

"I've driven women to lesbianism before, but never a mental institution."
" I drive them to lesbianism and He (Kramer) brings them back.."
- George, in "The Truth"

"The guy is unconscious in a coma and you don't have the guts to kiss his girlfriend?"
"I didn't know what the coma etiquette was."
"There is no coma etiquette. See, that's the beauty of the coma, man. It doesn't matter what you do around it."
"So you're saying his girl, his car, his clothes, it's all up for grabs. You can just loot the coma victim."
"I give them twenty-four hours to get out of it. If they can't get out of it by twenty-four hours, it's a land rush."
- Kramer and Jerry, in "The Suicide"

"My whole life has been a complete waste of time."
"And there's so much more to go."
- George and Jerry, in "The Truth"

"Kramer saw me naked."
"Well, you know, it was an accident."
"Who walks into a woman's bedroom without knocking? I want to know!"
"I thought it was the closet."
- Elaine and Kramer, in "The Truth"

"Is it my imagination, or do really good-looking women walk a lot faster than everybody else?"
"We don't walk that fast."
- George and Elaine, in "The Handicap Spot"

"It's a write-off for them."
"How is it a write-off?"
"They just write it off."
"Write it off what?"
"Jerry, all these big companies, they write off everything."
"You don't even know what a write-off is."
"Do you?"
"No, I don't."
"But they do. And they're the ones writing it off."
"I wish I had the last twenty seconds of my life back."
- Kramer and Jerry, in "The Package"

Reason Vs Religion

2006-06-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

Reason and religion is one of the famous discourses delivered by Swami Vivekananda(SWVI), in England.
SWVI through this lecture tries to put forth an argument that religion and reason(Science) can co-exist and that reason should be able to explain religion and vice versa.

Every common/reasonable/scientific but religious man has this eternal conflict in his mind, discharging most of his duties through reason ( Work) and having this leap of faith( contrary to reason) to explain his religion and his practices. This work attempts to solve this puzzle, or atleast offer an explanation of how both can co-exist.

Excerpts & essence from the discourse - ( Not verbatim, bulletized to give a semblance of order)

1. In response to Sage Santakumara's inquiry to sage Narada ( Who had arrived seeking the real truth) asking him what he has studied already, Sage Narada answered that he had studied all of the Vedas, Astronomy among other things.
Santakumara during ensuing conversation replies that Vedas, Astronomy, Philosophy are all secondary, Sciences are all but secondary, That which makes us realize the Brahman was the Supreme highest knowledge.

Knowledge of the sciences covers, as it were, only part of our lives, but the knowledge which religion brings to us is eternal, as infinite as the truth it preaches.

2. SWVI explains that religion claiming this superiority have many a time looked down, unfortunately on Secular knowledge; Thus all along battles have been fought constantly between Religion: Claiming infallible authority on its side, refusing to listen to anything that secular knowledge has to say, and Science: Through its shining instrument of reason, wanting to shred to pieces everything that religion could bring forward.

3. This fight has been on and on universally for ages. Believing certain things because an organized body of priests tells him to believe, believing because it is so written in books, believing because people around him believe, the modern man knows to be impossible for him.
This fight cannot last longer without breaking to pieces the building called religion.

4. The question is Is there a way out? Is religion to justify itself through discoveries of reason, through which every other science has justified itself? Are the same methods of investigation applied to science and knowledge outside, applicable to the science of Religion?
SWVI addresses here that in his opinion this must be so, and the sooner it is done the better.
If a religion was destroyed by these investigations that it was then all the time useless, unworthy superstition ; and the sooner it goes the better.

5. He adds on that all that is dross will be taken off, no doubt, but the essential parts of religion will emerge triumphant out of this investigation. Not only will it be made scientific - as scientific atleast, as of any conclusions of physics and chemistry- but will have greater strength, since science has no internal mandate which will vouch for its truth, which religion has.

6. SWVI reiterates that people who deny efficacy of any rationalistic investigation into religion seem to be contradicting themselves. He argues that many a fight between different religions citing tenets from their respective holy books can be resolved only when we admit that there is something more universal than books, something higher than all the ethical codes of the world, something that can judge the strength of inspiration between nations. He concludes that whether we declare it boldly, clearly or not- It is evident that we appeal to something called reason.

7. He "rationalizes" that the proof of religion depends on the truth of the constitution of man, and not on any books. These books are outgoings, the effects of man's constitution; man made these books. We are yet to see the books that made man.

So, what are the two basic rules of Science that religion should confirm upon to be declared "Scientific" ?

8. The first principle of reasoning he describes is that the particular is explained by the general, the general by the more general, until we come to the universal.
What we mean by explanation is that, this one effect that has dissatisfied us ( take for example an apple falling, as in the eyes of Newton) is only one particular occurrence of a general mass of occurrences( everything falling:) ) which we designate by the word "law" ( Newton's law of gravitation)
He fashions many interesting examples of the above before drawing to the below mentioned conclusion,
The mind, it is, as it were, full of pigeon holes, where all ideas are grouped together, whenever we find a new thing the mind immediately tries to find out its type in one of these pigeon-holes. If it finds it we are satisfied, it classifies it there; if we cant find it, it is unexplained.
This is knowledge. Therefore he points out that knowledge is more or less a classification.

9. The second theory that Religion should conform to, to be declared "reasonable" is that knowledge is the explanation of a thing that must come from inside and not from outside.
Throughout modern world what is meant by science is that, the explanation of things are in their own nature, and that no external beings or things are needed to explain its existence or what's going on in the universe. Everything is connected. Ones cause is someone else's effect.
All sciences wants its explanation from the very things, inherent in its nature and religion is not able to explain this, or will it?

10. Finally before explaining his philosophy of reasoning that unites science with religion, he asks the reader the following question...

Can there be a religion satisfying these two principles.
Can it subscribe to the "specific-->general" and offer an explanation that comes from within - intrinsic to itself.

He reinstates that there can be.

What follows in the next post is his brilliant explanation.

Govindham bhaja moodamathae!

2006-05-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

Bhaja Govindham has always been my favourite musical piece in Sanskrit.
Acharya Shankara has beautifully scripted 32 verses way back when, to succinctly explain and portray the reasons for humane sufferings, how to live and lead a happy life, that would envy the bestselling self-help books of today.

Acharya Shankara, it is said, was walking along a street in Varanasi, one day, accompanied by his disciples. He heard the sound of grammatical rules being recited by an old scholar. Taking pity on the scholar, he went up to him and advised him not to waste his time on grammar at his age but to turn his mind to God in worship and adoration. The Hymn to Govinda was composed on this occasion. Besides the refrain of the song beginning with the words "Bhaja Govindam" , Shankara is stated to have sung twelve verses; hence the hymn bears the title "Dvadasamanjarika-Stotra" (A hymn which is a bunch of twelve verse-blossoms). The fourteen disciples who were with the Master, then, are believed to have added one verse each. These fourteen verses are together called "Chaturdasa-manjarika-Stotra" (A hymn which is a bunch of fourteen verse-blossoms).

To start with here’s my favourite six with actual text and purport.

11

maa kuru dhana jana yauvana garvaM
harati nimeshhaatkaalaH sarvam.h .
maayaamayamidamakhilaM hitvaa
brahmapadaM tvaM pravisha viditvaa

11: Do not boast of wealth, friends, and youth. Each one of these are destroyed within a minute. Free yourself from the illusion of the world of Maya and attain the timeless Truth.

naariistanabhara naabhiideshaM
dR^ishhTvaa maagaamohaavesham.h .
etanmaaMsaavasaadi vikaaraM
manasi vichintaya vaaraM vaaram.h

3: Do not get drowned in delusion by going wild with passions and lust by seeing a woman's navel and chest. These are nothing but a modification of flesh. Do not fail to remember this again and again in your mind.

7

baalastaavatkriiDaasaktaH
taruNastaavattaruNiisaktaH .
vR^iddhastaavachchintaasaktaH
pare brahmaNi ko.api na saktaH

7: The childhood is lost by attachment to playfulness. Youth is lost by attachment to woman. Old age passes away by thinking over many past things. But there is hardly anyone who wants to be lost in parabrahman.

9

satsaNgatve nissNgatvaM
nissaNgatve nirmohatvam.h .
nirmohatve nishchalatattvaM
nishcalatattve jiivanmuktiH

9: From Satsangh comes non-attachment, from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to self-settledness. From self-settledness comes Jeevan Mukti

25

shatrau mitre putre bandhau
maa kuru yatnaM vigrahasandhau .
sarvasminnapi pashyaatmaanaM
sarvatrotsR^ija bhedaaGYaanam.h

25: Do not waste your efforts to win the love of or to fight against friend and foe, children and relatives. See yourself in everyone and give up all feelings of duality completely. (Stanza attributed to Medhaatithira.)

4

naliniidalagata jalamatitaralaM
tadvajjiivitamatishayachapalam.h .
viddhi vyaadhyabhimaanagrastaM
lokaM shokahataM cha samastam.h

4: The life of a man is as uncertain as rain drops trembling on a lotus leaf. Know that the whole world remains a prey to disease, ego and grief

The Present, by Stephen Johnson

2006-04-23T15:56:00.000-07:00

I chanced upon this book “The Present”, by Spencer Johnson, author of the bestselling book “Who moved my cheese”. Encouraged by his previous work, I began skimming through the book in context. What follows, are my notes of what turned out to be one of my best reads in a concise neat little book. Trust me, though a tad lengthy, it will be an enlightening read.

The beauty of the book and the moral is that it re-iterates what we have learnt from books like Gita, the erroneous zones, power of now, information that we already know, but is neatly condensed into this pleasantly readable book. The book revolves around the story of an old man revealing the secret of the Gift, called “The present” to this troubled young man, through a popular form of dialogue: Question & answer.

The Present

Question- What is Present?

You already know what “The present” is, you already know where to find it, and you already know how it can make you happy and successful. You knew it best when you were younger, you have simply forgotten about it now.
The present is not the past, not the future; “The present” is this very present moment. Present is NOW.

Question – It is easy and alls well to focus on present when everything is happy and fine, but what about tough situations?

Even in the midst of the most difficult circumstances, when you focus on what IS, right now; or what is Right, now; it makes you happier.
It is important to experience and live in the painful moment & learn from them rather than try and distract yourself by thinking about something else.

Present is a Gift, that is why it is called so!

Nuggets - The present

BE IN THE PRESENT
When you want to happier and more successful,

Focus on what is Right Now.
Respond to what is important now.

The Past

Question – Why is it so hard to let go of the past?

It is hard to let go of the past, if you have not learnt anything from it. As soon as you learn from the past, let go of it and you will improve in the present.

Question – When should I live in the present, when should I think about the past?

Anytime you are unhappy in the present or feeling less successful, it is time to learn from the past, and move on & plan for the future.
Only two things can rob you of joys of the present, Guilt about the past and Worrying about the future.

Question – How do you learn from the past?

Ask these questions…

What happened in the past?
What can I / Did I learn from it?
What can I do differently now that can prevent that from happening?

You cannot change the past, but you can learn from itt, so that when the same situation arises you can think and act differently from your past experiences, and enjoy a happier life.

Nuggets-

LEARN FROM THE PAST
When you want to make your present better than the past

Look at what happened in the past.
Learn something valuable from it.
Do things differently in the present

The Future

Don’t be in the future; the only way to make future better than present is to make sure you plan for it.

Question- But, how?

No one can predict or have total control of the future, However the more you plan for it, and more you want it to happen, the less anxious you are in the present and the more the future is known to you.

Question – How do you plan?

Ask these questions,

What would a wonderful future be like?
What are my plans to make it happen?
What am I doing today to make that possible?

Nuggets-

a. PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
b. See what a wonderful Future would look like,
1. Make plans to make it happen
2. Put your plan into action in the present.

Thus the three parts of “The present” are,

Live in the present
Learn from the past
Plan for the future.

The book does not end there, it proceeds by saying that all of the above makes sense only when we work and live with purpose and respond to what is important right now.

Success is becoming who you are capable of being, and progressing towards that through Goals, though each of us define for ourselves what the goals are and what our success will be; living “The present” will make it happen.

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Vol1 Chapter1 Karma in its effect on character

2006-04-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

Excerpts from Works of Swami vivekananda.....

1. Word Karma derived from Sanskrit word - Kriti - To do
2. Karma can mean action, effect of action, or in respect to Karma yoga can just mean work.
3. Contrary to popular belief, the purpose of man's existence is knowledge, and not pleasure. It is a mistake to suppose that pleasure is the goal; for the cause of all miseries is because men & women think that pleasure is the ideal to strive for.
4. After a while man realizes that pleasure and pain are only teachers in his pursuit of knowldge, pain being more of a teacher than pleasure.
5. In a vast majority of cases it is found that misery taught more than happiness, it was poverty that taught more than wealth, it was blows that brought out the inner fire more than praise.
6. Now, this knowledge is inherent in man; what we say a man "knows"; should, in stricter sense mean what he "discovers" or "unveils"; what a man learns is really what he discovers by uncovering his soul.
7. The infinite library of knowledge is within oneself, the external world is simply a suggestion, an occasion that sets a man study his own mind, and brings it out of him.
8. How do you judge a character of a man? - Do not look at his great performances; Every fool, ordinary individual can raise to greatness on occasions, but the charecter of a man is judged by watching how he discharges his daily actions, common routines; those are the aspects that reveal the greatness in him.
9. No one can get anything until he earns it. This is an eternal law. Our karma determines what we deserve and what we deserve not. It is responsible for what we are and what we wish to be.
10. what is the use of learning how to work? The Gita says that it is doing work with cleverness and as a science ; by knowing how to work, one can obtain the greatest results.
11. But how should a man work? Should he work with the motive of getting more fame, power, money? or anything related to the above mentioned? - No
12. Man should work for work's sake. He should not care for name, fame or anything that comes out of it. The motive of name/fame brings immediate results, but unselfish work pays him the highest, and is the most ideal deed.
13. This self restraint of working for work sake is the highest manifestation of power. A man is not crippled by the effects of actions, and is thus not affected by the results of it. Work for works sake, results will come. Just as a carriage unrestrained may run down a hill, the greater manifestation of power is in the coachman curbing the same to follow a course.
14. Even the lowest forms of work cannot be despised; To work we have right, but not to the fruits there of. Leave the fruits alone, why care for the results?; A person running a 100m dash will eventually win the race only by concentrating on the next step, not by setting his eyes on the fnish line.
15. That raises a difficult question; Is intense activity necessary, What then becomes of rest, retiring renunciation and non-action?
16. The ideal man is who, amidst intense activity finds the silence and solitude of the desert, and amidst the silence and peace finds intensesest activity, he has the secret of restraint, he has learnt to control his mind.
17. We have to begin from beginning, to take up & discharge gradually works in an unselfish manner, eventually though difficult, we may all hope that as we struggle though the paths of life, there will come a time when we shall become perfectly unselfish ; and the moment we attain that, all our powers will be concentrated, & will manifest to our benefit.

For More,
Complete works of Swami vivekananda : Karma in its effect on character