Any luxury or extravagance is a sin..

When we spend money on luxury and ostentation we are actually denuding the earth and the society of the collective means of sustenance.. We are committing a slow murder of our own kin

We have to be level headed...

We do some work which is useful to the society or pretend to do so or even indulge in some crooked activity ,

and we earn the money..

money actually is a number, an advantage give to us or earned by us..

But money is not the actual resources we have in nature, on earth, without which human life cannot be sustained..

Actually money is some right given to us to take advantages of the resources which are the community assets

.

So just because we have the advantage of numbers in terms of money, we should never become arrogant and fritter away the resources..

Of course certain amount damage to the resources and creation of waste too are necessary to keep our body and soul alive..

We cannot avoid that .

Any luxury or extravagance is a sin..

In fact it is a great charity and act of goodwill if we live our lives using resources frugally and optimally..

We need not show off our affluence to others..

It is actually meaningless vanity..

Even if we do not contribute anything to others and their welfare publicly, the act of living with minimum frittering away of resources itself will mean that we leave useful things on earth to be uses by our brothers and kin and that itself is a punyam, right act, and act of goodwill, and service to society..

If life is to be worthwhile

If life is to be worthwhile,

we have to restrict our expenditure in terms of money

and

in terms of WORDS too

It is sheer waste of time and energy

to give thoughts,

words,

make remarks, shower praises,

offer reactions,

spell out criticisms

and

any use of words on which one has no connection is not only futile but can be suicidal ..

This is the basic and realistic rule, which can be used to the benefit of one and all..

But in reality we are wasting everything.. Even the fellows who are misers with money are very generous with words..they waste words ..

What to do..?

The mangalya suthram is originally a cotton thread and thaali is actually a piece of palm leaf

The mangalya suthram is originally a cotton thread and thaali is actually a piece of palm leaf..the gold chain and the gold locket are just ornamental displays.

A charadu.. a cotton thread.with a piece of manjal tuber( turmeric) is good enough as a thaali or insignia of sumangali.

Such a product if god need not be removed from the body at any medical eventuality.

This piece will not be burnt by any radiation or induction current

And yajnopaveetham is also a cotton thread.

fate acts indirectly

 

न कालः खड्गमुद्यम्य शिरः कृन्तति कस्यचित्।

कालस्य बलमेतावद्विपरीतार्थ दर्शनम्॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे १३४८ शार्ङ्गधरपद्धति

na kālaḥ khaḍgamudyamya śiraḥ kṛntanti kasyacit|

kālasya balametāvadviparītārtha darśanam||

indiśce sprūce 1348 śārṅgadharapaddhati

We often call fate as a great taskmaster, a strict dispenser of punishment. Of course, the vagaries of fate cause great damages, and therefore the striking power of fate is indeed ominous. No dispute over that idea. However, fate never acts direct. If a person commits a serious offence, the society would punish him physically. That is the usual norm.

We know fate also would punish the wrongdoer with befitting quantum of sufferings and pains. Whereas the executioner of the State would take out a sword, and strike it hard on the neck of a murderer and cut off his head, such direct action will never be apparent when fate, the greatest executioner is in action. The fate clouds the mind of the wrongdoer, clamps physical disabilities and limitations on him, and thus the offender loses his capacity to look at things in the right perspective, and with due diligence. He commits errors that would bring miseries for him eternally. The punishment by fate is very severe and tough, but we cannot see the act of fate directly.

This is a very tough situation. If a fellow has done something wrong, he can at least know what punishment is in store for him. He can defend himself, argue in legal forums and beg for pardon and so on. However, when fate clouds the power capacity of the person to think, the wrongdoer has no other choice but to suffer

kva

A quote from Shaarngadhara padhati

(I have to point out here that the interpretations and comments given above are after understanding the literary meaning and message contained in the subhashitam, as I could understand to the best of my capacity. I give the word-by-word meaning in simple language below. That would help students of Sanskrit)

कालःthe fate, the lord and master of fate खड्गम् the sword उद्यम्य brandishing कस्यचित् of any person शिरः head न कृन्तति does not cut off विपरीतार्थ meaning of interpretation in the wrong way, opposite interpretation, clouded judgement दर्शनं showing of एतद् this हि indeed कालस्य of fate, of time बलं strength वर्तते is

the day for Karthika Deepam in Agraharam

 

All said and done whether we are Smartha, Vaishnava, or Shaiva, the deciding factor ultimately is the authority of the grama devata. The presiding deity of our place.

We do pooja for Karthika after lighting the main lamp at home using a lamp lighted specially at the temple with Vedic and agamic rituals.

We take our lamp to the temple, light it from the ceremonial Deepam kindled at our temple and bring this lamp home protecting it from wind, light the lamp at home with the Deepam brought from our temple.

So it is our rule that when our grama devata celebrates then alone we can celebrate too.

The rule is as simple as that

If my grama devata follows vaikhsnasam or pancharatram then that day is celebration for us.

If it is Siva agama for our temple, we have to 'reckon the date as per the temple rules.

We have always to remember that we landed up in our agraharam depending entirely on our grama devata. The presiding deity.

Karthika Deepam is a religious ritual and not a Vedic ritual as per any grihya sootram.

If it were a Vedic ritual then we should follow our Sakha and sootram

The man of character dies only once, but dies in glory.

 

सम्पत्सु महतां चित्तं भवेत् उत्पलकोमळम्।

आपत्सु च महाशैल शिलासङ्घातकर्कशम्॥

sampatsu mahatāṁ cittaṁ bhavet utpalakomaḻam|

āpatsu ca mahāśaila śilāsaṅkhātakarkaśam||

More than a situation, the attitude and approach of the person involved decides his fate.

The above quote underlines this fact

==========

The minds of noble men when they are affluent and in comfort would be as soft as a lotus flower. However when danger strikes the very same minds would be so tough like the huge rocks forming mammoth mountains

===============

Yes, Challenges would betray a coward. In addition, the same challenges would bring out the best in a man of character. Life is just like the flow of a river. When the water flows on even terrain, it flows so calmly, without making much fuss.

However, when there are obstructions in the way the same collection of water builds up a lot of fury, kicks away the blocks ahead, and flows.

If waters are furious when flowing along the plains or if they remain stagnant while facing impediments, they break the laws of nature and they lose their character too.

We should take a lesson or two from the behaviour of things we find in nature.

Ultimately, the river joins the ocean and loses its identity. .

However, we remember the river for what it did while it was in flow.

The man of character dies only once, but dies in glory.

The coward and unstable fellow dies many times but lives in misery

The choice is just with us.

Regards

K v ananthanarayanan

may the cows and the learned live in welfare and safety.

 

Gothram or " go thram " means the shelter where the community tended and nurtured their cows and cattle for the welfare of the community as a whole.

It was with great pride that our ancestors classified their groups in the name of cows.

Our culture always placed cows as the most beloved and mother like personages.

It is not running after cows.

It is being under the benevolent protection of the cows.

We saw the entire universe and all the gods in the form of cow.

गो had at least three established meanings ..The cow. The earth. And - the word. The source and sustenance of all knowledge.

If we try to understand the word and spirit behind the reverence for cow in that sense, we can see things better.

We believe that Lakshmi resides in the hind part of a cow and the cow dung.

gandhdwaaraam duraadharshaam nityapushtaam kareeshineem

Easwareem saevabhoothaanam taamihopauvaye sriyam..( sree sooktham).

We called our Shiva the Pashupathi and we are proud that Vishnu grew among cows and calves in Gokula and brindavanam as Krishna.

Even in our prayers we say go braahmanebhyaH shubhamastu..

may the cows and the learned live in welfare and safety.

There is nothing for us to be ashamed to say that we always tended protected depended and worshipped mother cow

if a person is not genuinely good, the bluff will reveal itself soon.

 

न कस्यचित्कश्चिदिह स्वभावाद्भवत्युदारोऽभिमतः खलो वा।

लोके गुरुत्वं विपरीततां वा स्वचेष्ठितान्येव नरं नयन्ति॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे १३४६ पञ्चतन्त्रे

na kasyacitkaścidiha svabhāvādbhavatyudāro'bhimataḥ khalo vā|

loke gurutvaṁ viparītatāṁ vā svaceṣṭhitānyeva naraṁ nayanti||

indiśce sprūce 1346 pañcatantre

A very frank and matter of fact rejoinder from Panchatantra

In this world, no one, no one with some sense, would consider any other person as generous, very lovable treating such qualities as inborn, spontaneous attainments. Nor would any sensible person treat anyone as evil and lowly by nature. A human being gets respect from others only by virtue of his exemplary character, positive attitude and generous actions which are worthy of emulation. Similarly, his aberrations in character and wayward and cruel activities will fetch him contempt and overall disapproval.

K v a

Maybe some window dressing may persuade others to believe that a person is of sterling character. However, if he is not genuinely good, the bluff will reveal itself soon.

कस्यचित् for anyone कश्चित् any other person इह here लोके in this world स्वभावात् spontaneously, automatically, by default उदारः generous अभिमतः liked one खलो despised, cursed one वा either न भवति does not become नरं a man स्वचेष्ठितानि own actions, own attitudes, own habits, own doings एव alone गुरुत्वं respectability विपरीततां contempt (opposite of respectability) वा either नयन्ति lead

Ezharassani or Sade Saath

I discussed about Ezharassani or Sade Saath of Saturn in some group.. The post took a lot of toil.. And I know the post will go into oblivion there..So just reposting here

Saturn is supposed to have its evil effects. or prominent powers in action when He occupies the twelfth house, lagnam and the second house...

Hope you can know what is meant by the number of the house.. The time of birth or the time of Prashnam would correspond to one sign in the horoscope,, the LAGNAM..

( a day is divided into twelve rasis.. named mesham rishabham etc, each of more or less two hours.. and the rasi at sunrise varies on the basis of the solar month. and the date of that month.

And the two hour slots in the rasi kundali.. are counted like this..

The first or janma house is called Lagnam.. the next house is the second house and so one and the cycle repeats after the twelfth house..

For example if the lagnam is Mesham, the second house will be Rishabham and the twelfth house will be Meenam..

For those who are born on stars Ashvathy, Bharani and first quarter of Krithika, the janma lagnam is Mesham..

So the second house is Rishabham and twelfth house is Meenam..

When saturn enters Meenam till it leaves Rishabham it is seven and half years... three times two and half years in Meenam Mesham and Rishabham.

. This is the seven and half year period of Saturn. for those born in Mesha rasi... what you call Sade saath.. and the same calculation repeats for other rasis to one after the other..

the seven fuels

 

धृतिः शमो दमः शौचं कारुण्यं वागनिष्ठुरा।

मित्राणां चानभिद्रोहः सप्तैताः समिधः श्रियः॥

महाभारते इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे 1338

dhṛtiḥ śamo damaḥ śaucaṁ kāruṇyaṁ vāganiṣṭhurā|

mitrāṇāṁ cānabhidrohaḥ saptaitāḥ samidhaḥ śriyaḥ||

mābhārate indiśce sprūce

If we can compare one’s state of remaining at the height of affluence and happiness to a well-lit and well-kindled fire that burnt at its peak of glory, then the following seven ingredients are to be considered as the dry logs or twigs that act as fuel that keeps the fire eternally alive.

1. The state of satisfaction or contentment, the realistic nature of the person

2. Calmness, unperturbed nature of the person

3. Complete control over mind and body

4. Transparency, complete honesty in all dealings, integrity

5. Compassion, empathy for fellow beings

6. Complete absence of hatred and cruelty in use of words

7. Solemn resolve, determination not to cause any harm, any prejudice to friends.

Here journey of life is compared to a prolonged fire oblation and the above seven factors are listed as the good fuels that keep that Yajna afloat.

A quote from Mahabharatham

K v a

धृतिः contentment, satisfaction, realistic nature शमः calm, unperturbed nature दमः complete control over body and mind शौचं honesty and integrity कारुण्यं compassion, empathy अनिष्ठुरा वाक् absence of hatred and cruelty in use of words मित्राणां अनभिद्रोहः resolve not to cause harm to friends एताःthese सप्ताः seven श्रियः समिधः वर्तन्ते are the fuels that kindle ones wealth and affluence.

why should we go for measuring such things?

 

Atma is not a material, which we could measure as a quantity with dimensions.

When they talk of anoraneeyaan, mahato maheeyaan.. अणोरणीयान् महतो महीयान् -smaller than the anu or larger than the biggest Mahat- they do not speak of how larger or how smaller.

Sure, there are certain things, which go beyond yardsticks or measuring instruments.

They can be only felt ..

Some by the sense organs,

Some by the peripheral mind,

Some by the inner consciousness

In addition, some can be felt by only god knows what...

Nano physics or cellular spectrometry with even laser or other tinier and more coherent waveforms, would limit us at some stage.

Then why should we go for measuring such things?

We do not measure love, friendship and often-even hatred.

The entire Hinduism hinges on the two-words ऋतम् and सत्यं

 

Question put to me

Do you really believe that sprinkling of water around food with chanting of mantra will make the food amritham? Is there any scientific proof? Then it would be the easiest way to attain immortality.

My Reply

Sir, I am sure that if a person with adequate penance and honesty can easily do that.

The entire Hinduism hinges on the two-words ऋतम् and सत्यं ।

That is a matter of faith.

However, for that matter, probity and honesty too are matters of conviction and faith. To take it or not is the individual’s choice. For me the happenings and activities beyond my faith are just make-believe matters -a drama enacted to eke out the livelihood.

However, the Divine presence and its absolute potency is real for me. That is my view and I have survived six and half decades with that conviction. In addition, that faith I believe will come with me when I depart. As a Brahmin, I sprinkle water on my food with that faith. I do that when I offer naivedyam to god too.

That is good enough for me.

Ultimately the wise and unwise all go to the same place

sprinkling some water around our food before we eat is not an empty ritual

 

We talk of tamasic food affecting us and draining off our spiritual potential. Ordinary seekers like us might face such depletion of strength.

However, take the case of sage Agastya who ate the demon Vataapi whom his brother Bilva or Bilvala cooked as curry gave the flesh a dish to the sage.

Bilva was expecting the brother to tear off the stomach of the sage Agastya and come back.

Nevertheless, vatapi just burnt to ashes in the agni in the jatara of the sage.

Moreover, the incident did not affect the sage in any way whatsoever.

You know we sprinkle the food we eat with water consecrated by Gayatri and then invoke the Lord Savita, Satyam, and riram in the forenoon, ritam, and Satyam in the evening and give a coat of amrutham to the food as we start eating.

Finally, we give coat of amrutham at the conclusion of consuming food.

In addition, we treat our body as the yajna fire and offer the food as aahuti or oblation to prana, Apana, vyana, udhana, samaana.-the five pranas- and Brahma himself.

Moreover, we treat the food we eat as partaken by the Supreme Being himself and thus granting immortality to us.

This our human body is the seat of God himself.

If we realize that then no soiled or putrid food can ever contaminate us.

Just sprinkling some water around our food before we eat is not an empty ritual

right place, right son, right spouse and right disciple

 

कुदेशमासाद्य कुतोऽर्थस्ञ्चयः कुपुत्रमासाद्य कुतो जलाञ्जलिः।

कुगेहिनीं प्राप्य कुतो गृहे सुखं कुशिष्यमद्यापयतः कुतो यशः॥

चाणक्य 

 kudeśamāsādya kuto'rthasñcayaḥ kuputramāsādya kuto jalāñjaliḥ|

kugeihinīṁ prāpya kuto gṛhe sukhaṁ kuśiṣyamadyāpayataḥ kuto yaśaḥ||

cāṇakya as quoted in a ġerman compilation ṣanksrit ḻesebec

An ever-relevant string of queries from the Master Chanakya. We know Chanakya was a great Minister, Politician and administrator, and a revered teacher too. Of course, we do not have any idea how his performance in the domestic front was, because we do not have any literature available on that issue.

Chanakya asks

If a person has chosen a region or state that is dangerously full of ruffians, wayward people who have lost all sense of propriety, how can he exist peacefully, further his business or profession, and earn his livelihood?

If one is having an evil-minded brute with no manners and with no character as his son, then how can he look forward to receive his final water oblations from that fellow. The son, if he is alive after the father would not care to do the last rites. Moreover, in many cases, other people would have already handled and finished the fellow even prior to the demise of the father.

If one has chosen to land up in a wedlock with a shrew, a violent monstrous life partner, then how can he have peace, harmony and comfort at home?

And

If as a teacher or Acharya, he had the misfortune of having accepted and idiot or moron as a disciple, how can he earn good name and fame? The greatness and talents of the teacher should reveal itself to the world through the dignified behaviour and exhibition of rich knowledge by the student who grew under the master’s tutelage. If the disciple is an imbecile that will eternally reflect on the Acharya too.

Yes, these interjections are ever relevant.

K v a

कुदेशं a bad, disturbed land filled with wayward citizens आसाद्य havei reached and inhabited अर्थसञ्चयः कुतः how can one further his profession profitably and earn and accumulate wealth ?

कुपुत्रं a son who is bad, without manners, and without character आसाद्य having been forced to rear जलाञ्जलिः कुतः how are you going to receive your final water oblations after you depart ?

कु गेहिनीं nasty, shrew-like, monstrous, wife प्राप्य having joined in wedlock गृहे कुतः सुखं how can you have any peace and comfort in your home ?

कुशिष्यं having accepted and taught or still attempting to teach an idiot, imbecile, moron आसाद्य having come by यशः कुतः how can you, or the teacher ever get any name or fame or any benefit

when the evil minded person heaps scandals a even the blmishless name and fame suffers

 

वचनैर्महतां महीयसो न खलु व्येति गुरुत्वमुद्धतैः।

किमपैति रजोभिरौर्वरैरववकीर्णस्य मणेर्महार्घता॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे २७०० शिशुपालवधे

vacanairmahatāṁ mahīyaso na khalu vyeti gurutvamuddhataiḥ|

kimapaiti rajobhiraurvarairavavakīrṇasya maṇermahārghatā||

indiśce sprūce 2700 śiśupālavadhe

A very pragmatic statement from Shishupala Vadham.

The great Mahakavyam deals with the story in Mahabharatham about the unending enmity between Lord Krishna, and his cousin Shisupala, the king of Chedi. Shishupala always found vicarious pleasure in heaping insults on Krishna, and the Lord tolerated him because he was a close kin. However, the kng of Chedi exceeded all limits and finally found his nemesis at the hands of the Lord during the course of the Rajasurya Yajna conducted by king yudhishtira.

The message of the slokam

“There may not be any genuine blemish or defect found in a person of class and dignity. But when the evil minded person heaps scandal after scandal on him, his name and fame suffers, in the same way the brilliance and value of a gem would be apparently diminished or jaded when covered with mud or dust.”

Yes, such schandals, if the victim is a man of class, dignity and of great purity, would be shortlived. However, we cannot ignore the fact that cynics and trollers can cause a lot of harm.
This was what happened Lord Krishna when he had to suffer at the hands of Shishupala. Of course, the lord gave a full stop to the continued verbal abuse by his cousin Shishupala by beheading him with Sudarshana Chakram.
K V Ananthanarayanan

उद्धतैः evil, arrogant वचनैः scandals, bad workds महीयसो महतां of dignified, classy people गुरुत्वं good name, standing, fame व्येति gets diminished, gets hit न खलु? Is it not? और्वरैः of the earth रजोभिः dust अवकीर्णस्य deeply covered मणेः the valued gem महार्घता the exalted value अपैति gets pulled down किं is it not?

threats galore

 

राजतश्चौरतः शत्रोः स्वजजनात्पशुपक्षितः।

अर्थिभ्यः कालतः स्वस्मान्नित्यं प्राणार्थवद्भयम्॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे २५९८ भागवतपुराणे

rājataścaurataḥ śatroḥ svajajanātpaśupakṣitaḥ |

arthibhyaḥ kālataḥ svasmānnityaṁ prāṇārthavadbhayam||

indiśce sprūce 2598 bhāgavatapurāṇe

Every living being, especially those who have some wealth and money, should always be afraid of and be on guard about the destructive potency of the following types

From the king and his deputies and assistants they wield the power to make and mar

From the thieves and robbers, they may just take away everything without warning

From people who are inimical to a person and are waiting on the sidelines, ever alert to pounce upon the victi.

From animals and birds

From persons who come for financial help, from beggars- there would be no limits or boundaries for their wants and if one is not careful, they may just siphon off all your resources.

From vagaries of time. -- if ones time is bad, even favourable things can turn adverse

From own actions, from the attitudes, behaviour and conduct of the individual himself

Roadblocks and threats can come in every way, in every manner.

A quote from Bhagavatham

k v ananthanarayanan

प्राणार्थवत् for living beings and for affluent persons राजतःfrom the king, government चौरतः from thieves, robbers शत्रोः from enemis स्वजनात् from own kinsmen पशु four footed animal पक्षितः from birds अर्थिभ्यः from beggars, from those approach for help कालतः from vagaries of time स्वस्मात् from oneself भयं fear संभवति happens

That feeling is true, perhaps the only truth.

 

The argumentative mind, under the prodding of reason, ego and so on tries to tempt us to present cogent views.

However, that Supreme Presence overtakes all reason, and for fleeting seconds perhaps fills us and tells us, do not worry,

I am present- I am here.

That is the only truth, the only meaning of our existence.

Name and attributes for that Presence is just in our own imagination.

However, something inside, is it brain, is it mind, is it the sense organs- we cannot know-just feels and resonates to the presence of Him, or Her or It.

That feeling is true, perhaps the only truth.

an Islamic verse in Tamil

this is part of a song on that Infinite Being..

taken from an Islamic verse in Tamil

தேடும் நேயர் நெஞ்சங்களில் குடியிருப்பவன்

தேடாத மனிதருக்கும் உணவளிப்பவன்

வாடும் இதயம் மலர்வதற்கு வழி வகுப்பவன்

வாஞ்சையோடு யாவருக்கும் துணை நிற்பவன்

அலை முழங்கும் கடல் படைத்து அழகு பார்ப்பவன்

அலையின் மீதும் கடலின் மீதும் ஆட்சி செய்பவன்

தலைவணங்கி கேட்பவர்க்கு தந்து மகிழ்பவன்

தரணி எங்கும் நிலைத்து நிற்கும் மகா வல்லவன்

He who resides in the heart of those who seek Him

He who feeds and nourishes even the non seekers and and non believers

He who relieves the pains of broken hearts and makes them happy

He who gives protection to everyone with great love and concern

He who enjoys the beauty of the ocean filled with waves, which He has Himself created

He who rules over the waves and the oceans

He who happily gives everything to those who bow their heads before Him in supplication

He who is the peerless Being who spreads over the entire universe and is ever present there..

Some of the epithets are just expressions of respect and love but the definition of the Universal Being, even above all attributes is present in these lines..

It is a question of Faith laced in the sweetness of love for that universal Father..

We can love Him or we can leave Him.. it is our choice..

Or is it ?

The realization of the Supreme at its Sublimest

न तत्र सूर्यो भाति न चन्द्रतारकं नैवा विद्युतो भान्ति कुतोयमग्निः।

तमेव भान्तं अनुभान्ति सर्वं तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति॥

इति काठकोपनिषदि २-१५

na tatra sūryo bhāti na candratārakaṁ naivā vidyuto bhānti kutoyamagniḥ|

tameva bhāntaṁ anubhānti sarvaṁ tasya bhāsā sarvamidaṁ vibhāti||

iti kāṭhakopaniṣadi 2-15

This is from Kathopanishad.. chapter 2

The powers and sources of energy of this Universe fail to have any potency in the presence of that One Supreme Being the Brahman..

The Sun, Moon and the Stars are powerless.

The lightning cannot strike..

The fire we see is absolutely bereft of power in His presence..

He, the Supreme One shines forth shedding his own light..

And all things in this Universe shine just reflecting His light..

The realization of the Supreme at its Sublimest can be felt here..

तत्र सूर्यः न भाति॥ the sun does not shine there.

तत्र चन्द्रतारकं अपि न भाति॥ the moon and the stars do not shine there

तत्र विद्युतःएव न भान्ति॥ even the powerful lightning does not work there.

अयं अग्निः कुत? where can be this fire there(how can this fire show any power there?)

तं भान्तं एव सर्वं अनुभान्ति॥ Everything shines after Him who sheds that supreme lustre..

सर्वं इदं तस्य भासा विभाति। everything around just shines reflecting the supreme lustre generated by Him

a checklist of strategies that a ruler should adopt

 

बकवच्चिन्तयेदर्थान्सिंहवच्च पराक्रमेत्।

वृकवच्चावलुम्पेत शशवच्च विनिक्षिपेत्॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे २६९५ महाभारते मनुस्मृत्यां

bakavaccintayedarthānsiṁhavacca parākramet|

vṛkavaccāvalumpeta śaśavacca vinikṣipet||

indiśce sprūce 2695 mahābhārate, manusmriti

This is how a prince should go about in warfare.

Even though the fish is swimming in the stream with great speed and taking a very zigzag path in water, the Crane sitting patiently on the banks would watch with lase-sharp concentration the location of the fish, ready to scoop away the victim at the right moment. A ruler must watch the accumulation of the wealth of his adversary with the same attitude, his eyes ever on the treasury of other rulers.

Like a lion, which although very small compared to an elephant, would find adequate strength and resourcefulness even to attack a huge elephant and subjugate it, the Prince should use his skill and ernegies to muster all his strenght and act at the right moment

When a wolf is on the lookout for his victims among flock of sheep well guarded by a sheperd, it would be hovering around stealthily, watching every movement of the entire flock and the sheperd, and discover the right moment when a solirary sheep is separate from the group for some fleeting moments. The wolf will capitalize on this momentary separation, pounce upon the prey, and make a nice supper of it. The prince bent on gaining wealth too should infiltrate and take away what he can manage, in the same manner as the wolf does.

In addition, while on a combat mission, if the enemies surround the prince from all sides, when he either is in possession of the bounties or is on the verge of capture, he should use all his speed and strategies to take flight or jump, run and move in devious paths like a hare, and should avoid getting caught.

We see a checklist of strategies that a ruler should adopt by a ruler while in warfare. We can find it in Rajadharma Chapter of Mahabharatham and Mnusmriti too.

Kva

राजा the prince बक वत् like the crane अर्थान् चिन्तयेत् should ever think and meditate upon wealth सिंहवत् like the lion पराक्रमेत् should attack वृक वत् like the wolf अवलुम्पेत watch, encircle, separate and capture शशवत् like hare विनिषिपेत् च take flight too

The theory of Karma in Hinduism is not easily understandable anyway.

 

The theory of Karma in Hinduism is not easily understandable anyway.

One explanation, the most plausible one, is that what the human mind conceives as separate compartments -like this life, earlier life, and the coming life -are all viewed by the controller as a continuum. In addition, since he sees the entire string of births, outliving it from beginning to end, there is nothing amiss in meting out punishment in one life for the misdeeds of another life. In addition, the question of immediate punishment is not really material.Our life is very short, at the most a hundred years and therefore an hour or a day may count. However, in Gods clock, a day, a year a millennium, or even bigger time-slices would appear to be too tiny in comparison to the infinite time that He deals with. In this light, it is too difficult to test God's logic with the evaluation provided by our limited minds.

If one is wondering about Gods logic, it is okay.

However, usually if one challenges Gods logic, it will not be okay for him because he is breaking his head against a huge mountain. Anyway, everything is Okay by God.

We believe by sheer faith many things, which are apparently illogical, even small things in our day-to-day life.

Therefore in respect of such great issues, we cannot do anything, just for want of adequate data and inability to possess panoramic vision too ( to cover the huge time-span)

Sadly funny.

A person can choose to be what he is, what he likes himself to be.

In addition, he should let others also be just themselves; the excessive influence of Social media often interferes too much with that.

Social media often are prod us to make funny faces, and tempt us to expect that from others too.

All the personal issues and social issues were available there even without our announcements in social media, and we were tackling them adequately.

Now we put everything to vote.

It would not be surprising, it is not surprising if I am soliciting the likes or dislikes of my social media cronies as to whether I should fart or belch.

Sadly funny.

others have little time to think of us either way, favourably or unfavourably

 

Often we plan our actions not based on what is really chellenging us but based on what we just imagine as posing threats to us.

Moreover, mostly our imagination has nothing to do with facts.

Therefore, we are miserable when we need not be, and we are happy when we should not be.

Moreover, in interactions with others we just think that everyone else is always thinking of us and our actions or inactions and mentally prepare long lists and data banks about what others think of us.

However, in reality others have little time to think of us either way, favourably or unfavourably..

They have their own lives, their own anxieties and their own kitchens to cook food.

In addition, if some fellows set aside all personal affairs and just devote all their time in poking their noses into the affairs of others, they are not worth noticing.

Firstly, their own lack of attention to their own personal affairs of greater importance would destroy them eventually.

And secondly they are wrong because no one can understand the affairs of others really well, even if he is a very close acquaintance or relative..

There are limitations even in a mother's understanding the mind of her own newly born.

a lot of noise comes from empty brain

 

मौखर्यं लाघवकरं मौनं उन्नतिकारणम्।

मुखरं नूपुरं पादे कण्ठे हारो विराजते॥

नित्यनीति॥

maukharyaṁ lāghavakaraṁ maunaṁ unnatikāraṇam|

mukharaṁ nūpuraṁ pāde kaṇṭhe hāro virājate||

nityanīti||

A very well known fact underlined in the above subhashitam. All of us know that it is true. However, we tend to ignore that and we ignore it to our own detriment.

Making loud noises makes a person appear very cheap and ordinary. Silence, on the other hand, makes the same person climb up great heights.

We tie the anklet tinkling in loud chimes to our feet. However, the silent and elegant necklace adorns the neck.

Even the best among people land up absurd and funny situations in life by talking or shouting at the wrong time and in the wrong manner. Often such words we misuse or apply inappropriately would make a lot of difference in our lives and in the lives of others too.

Often, a lot of talk do happen often where such talk is not at all necessary, and perhaps is unwarranted. If the one who spoke had just kept quiet and walked off he would have been safe and secure.

We see the phenomenon of loud and empty talk without sense, but with great wealth of nonsense, in our social media transactions. Often, we are under the illusion that we gain more popularity when we talk or do the talking through the keyboard more and more. Maybe, the loud mouth may draw initial attention but if the loud mouth draws energy from a hollow brain, the outcome can be only absurdity. Moreover, we see that happening every moment.

However, it would appear that the good god has just programmed us to talk nonsense. We fall into the trap of wagging the tongue and facing ruin.

We would never learn.

Regards

k v ananthanarayanan 27-03-2019

the glory of Rudram

 

the glory of  Rudram

स्वशाखोपनिषत् गीता विष्णोर्नाम सहस्रकम्।

रुद्रंच पौरुषं सूक्तं नित्यमावर्तयेत् बुधः॥

एकाशातं यजुः शाखाः तासु रुद्रोपनिषदाम्नायते।

शतशाखा गतं साक्षात् शतरुद्रीयमुच्यते॥

वृक्षस्य मूलसेकेन शखाः पुष्यन्ति वै यथा।

शिवे रुद्रजपाद् प्रीते प्रीता एवास्य देवताः॥

अतो रुद्रजपादेव मुक्ति भुक्ति प्रसिध्यतः॥

सूतसंहिता॥

यः शतरुद्रीयमधीते सोऽग्निपूतो भवति स वायुपूतो भवति स आत्मपूतो भवति स सुरापानाद् पूतो भवति ब्रह्महत्याद् पूतो भवति॥

कैवल्योपनिषद्

svaśākhopaniṣat gītā viṣṇornāma sahasrakam|

rudraṁca pauruṣaṁ sūktaṁ nityamāvartayet budhaḥ||

ekāśātaṁ yajuḥ śākhāḥ tāsu rudropaniṣadāmnāyate|

śataśākhā gataṁ sākṣāt śatarudrīyamucyate||

vṛkṣasya mūlasekena śakhāḥ puṣyanti vai yathā|

śive rudrajapād prīte prītā evāsya devatāḥ||

ato rudrajapādeva mukti bhukti prasidhyataḥ||

sūtasaṁhitā||

yaḥ śatarudrīyamadhīte so'gnipūto bhavati sa vāyupūto bhavati sa ātmapūto bhavati sa surāpānād pūto bhavati brahmahatyād pūto bhavati ||

kaivalyopaniṣad

The primary duty of every wise person is to  study and follow

1. The Vedic Shakha ordained to Him

2.  The Upanishad according to that Shakhaa

3.   Srimad Bhagavat Gita

4.    Vishnu Sahasranamam

5     Sri rudram.. Namakam and Chamakam

6.    The Purusha Sooktham

Each of the above is great beyond words.. Explaining each of that would  take a lot of research..

I am confining to Rudram.. Sri Rudram ..Rudropanishad.. or Shatarudreeyam.

The great Veda.. the Yajurvedam has  one hundred Shakaas or branches (  we know about Shukla, Krishna  etc..)  And in every such branch  the Upanishad of Rudra is  prescribed and partakes a glorious place.  Thus what is gloriously present in all the hundred Sakhas is called Shatarudreeyam.

Sootasamhita  Says.

Just as the branches and the huge foliage remain green and healthy when the roots of a tree is irrigated with water,  when Lord Shiva  the root cause of all divinity is praised through chanting Rudram  all the  gods and divine beings would be pleased.

Therefore, only through the worship of the Lord by chanting Sri Rudram,  one would attain all physical comforts in the world and also the emancipation from worldly bonds when he departs.

Kaivalyopanishad says..

The seeker who chants and digests  Shatarudriyam  or Sri Rudram

He becomes purified as if by a fire sacrifice

He becomes purified by the air

He becomes purified  in his vital Soul.. being cleared of all the blemishes of Karma

The sins of taking intoxicating beverages is removed from him

The sins of causing death and damages to the learned persons gets removed  from him

( Of course this is stated not to justify boozing or brahmahatya.. it is just to underline the greatness of the vedic prayer to the Lord of Lords.. Mahadeva  Shambhu  Shankara..Siva)

NamaH Shivaaya..