Understanding India and Making A Foreigner Understand India

I saw this cool video where an non-Indian is watching a scene from "Namastey London" where Akshay Kumar gives a fitting reply to an abusing Britisher.  

A must for all Indians and Non-Indians to get a glimpse of what India is all about.   See how the guy reacts to the video.   You would love it and finally you would love your Mother Land - India.  

So, if you have anyone talking ill about India, show them this video. 


-Jai Hind

Cricket and Bhagavat Gita

There is an interesting analogy between Cricket and Bhagavat Gita.

A player comes to to field with a bat to play.   Another player is ready to bowl.   Both face each other professionally.  So far so good, nothing wrong about this because this is one-to-one and is justified.    Why are ten players surrounding one player?   Why did they come?   Its simple.  To get rid of the batsman.   You may call this decently in cricketing terms as "Fielding".   There is an important life lesson to be understood here

"There are 10 harmful eyes waiting to be-little you and they are around you.  So, you better watch them out carefully and be aware of them"

Continuing our analogy, 

We have 10 players, a batsman and a bowler which is great,  but why did 10,000 people assemble there?   What are they doing here ?  Just shouting 4s, 6s, OUTs and having fun.  The batsman who is in the limelight is celebrated and criticized back-n-forth.   Nevertheless, the best batsmen make merry by scoring a century without giving too much importance to these.    Another important life lesson to be understood here

"Life is all about criticisms and celebrations when there are ups and downs.  Do not loose focus on your primary goals"

Continuing our analogy,

While the match is in progress, suddenly the crowd shouts "OUT OUT OUT"  while the batsman is actually not out.   He knows that he is not out, but restlessly waits for the umpire's decision while the crowd continues to shout being unaware of what really happened.   The umpire (The Single Strong Man!) is in a responsible position to take the right decision and unleash the truth without getting carried away by the crowd.   If the umpire takes the right decision (NOT OUT in this case),   all ten thousand voices are silenced by one solitary signal.  There is an interesting analogy here.

"One Truth is more powerful than one thousand Lies"

Mahatma Gandhi showed us the path to truth and wisdom while he was taking over the mighty British empire.  Thousands of people followed him to the path towards success. 
Another interesting quote here...

"Truth Always Triumphs"

This is an eternal philosophy.

Continuing with our analog,

We talked about the batsman, we talked about the bowler, we talked about ten thousand people all waiting to get rid of the batsman.   Well, the fact is we don't need any of these to get rid of the batsman,  the co-batsman (or the runner up) is good enough to get rid of him.   How?   If the other batsman makes mistakes while running between the wickets, there is every possibility that the batsman would get out.  We have seen great batsmen getting out without scoring runs due to the mistakes by the co-batsman.   So what does that teach us in life?  

It is not always that our foes who are against us, sometimes our own people whom we trust may go against us.   

or  in other words

There aren't permanent foes and friends in life.   Life oscillates between friends and foes.

Finally, if one carefully notices the game of cricket, one would realize that every ball bowled is with an intention to out the batsman.   Attitude, focus and skill of the batsman turns the ball of failure to the ball of success.  If we understand this, we also can realize that

When the world throws balls at us with malicious intents,  play them with good attitude and sane intentions that would help convert them to century making balls.  Nobody can defeat you as long you are in the right path with good intention.   This is the secret behind successful life.

Do not worry about failures,  because they are the pathway to success.    


Life is all about doing our duty (Karma), playing through our strengths, helping and being happy.


-Jai Hind

(Translated from a Tamil speech rendered by Solvendar Suki Sivam)






 

Padma Vibhushan To Dr. Shanta

Government Of India recently conferred Padma awards on different people who have played significant role in their areas over many many years.  While there have been controversies on people selected for the award, here is one awardee who needs no justification at all.  

Dr. V. Shanta, Chairperson of Adyar Cancer Institute, has been conferred with Padma Vibhushan which is the second highest civilian award in our country. 
 

Coming in the family of Noble Laureate, Sir C.V Raman and S. Chandrashekar,  Dr. Shanta dedicated her life treating cancer patients for the last 60 years with care and compassion.   She is a very down to earth person and easily approachable.

This is probably an excellent example of who should be given a Padma award!   

Here is a short film on one of her achievements

Proud to be an Indian!


Jai Hind!

Young Colors Of India

I created this on the occasion of the 67th Republic Day of India depicting colors of Indian Children - different culture, different tradition, but one goal - "TO MAKE INDIA THE GREATEST COUNTRY ON THE PLANET".

Proud to be an Indian

-Jai Hind

The Power And Greatness Of Gayathri Mantra

He who stops chanting Gayathri Mantra for 3 generations seizes to be a Brahmin.  He cannot enter Brahmanism thereafter. That is the power and richness of Gayathri Mantra.   Gayathri Mantra is like a spark which should not be ignored.  A spark is not useful by itself, but gets immense power when it becomes a fire.  At the time of Brahmopadesa during Upanayanam, the Brahmin boy (Vatu) is bestowed with this spark by narrating the Gayathri Mantra into his ears by the Guru.  Through this narration, the spark enters the mind of the Vatu and remains there for ever.  It the duty of the Vatu to keep the spark ignited at all times.  That is done by reciting the Gayathri Mantra regularly.  In order to realize the power of this mantra, the feeble spark has to become fire and then a mighty flame.  This is possible by chanting Gayathri Mantra many many times.  

The Gayathri Mantra purifies our mind and the inner soul.  It is our responsibility to keep the mind clean and fresh.  In order to keep the body and mind pure, it is important to completely eliminate junk food.   The power of Gayathri Mantra could be realized only when the magical mantra resides in a purified non-contaminated mind.  Once you have started chanting Gayathri Mantra, it is important to stop eating junk food and outside food. 

"Sahasra Paramadevi Shatha Madhya Dasavara", means -  It is extremely auspicious to chant this mantra 1000 times (1008 precisely),  it is good to chant 100 times (108 precisely) and it is wise to chat atleast 10.  There is a difference between auspicious, good and wise.  Do chant 100 to 1000 times on Sundays and other holidays if you do not have time during the weekdays. 

Trikala Sandhya Vandhanam is a must for all Brahmins.  Chanting 10 Gayathri Mantra each time will enable you to chant 30 times daily.   Prathah Sandhya at dawn is the time when life is rising.   The mind is peaceful during that time. Sayam Sandhya (Dusk) is the time when we have completed our day job.  The mind is relaxed during this time too.   Madhyanmigam (noon) is the time when the position of the sun is at the center (on top of our head).  If you notice carefully, our mind is relaxed during this time too.  So, chanting Gayathri Mantra during these three periods gives the maximum benefit to our inner soul.

The Gayathri Mantra unifies the power of all Veda Mantras.  It gives the power to other Mantras too.  If it is not chanted,  there is no point in chanting other Veda Mantras.  We have heard about hypnotism in this material world.  Through hypnotism the mind is manipulated and controlled.  One who hypnotizes gains absolute control over other's mind.  Gayathri Mantra is the tool to hypnotize your mind in order to attain Moksha or Mukthi.  It is self-hypnotism.  It enables you to control your anger and greed from this materialistic world and helps you attain the real Moksha.  The more you blow this spark, the more bigger it becomes which gives better enlightenment.  When the fire becomes a mighty flame,  it becomes very difficult to diffuse it.  That is the time you attain Moksha.

In Sandhyavandanam, Argyam and Gayathri are the most important ones.  The importance of Argyapradhanam is described during the Kurukshetra war.   It is said that during war time, due to lack of water, the soldiers did Argyapradhanam using sand.   Such is the importance of Argyam.   So, while performing Trikala Sandhyavandanam, it is very important to perform Argyapradanam and Gayathri Mantram.  It is the karma of every Brahman. 

Kanchi Mahaswami describes the importance of Gayathri Mantra in a beautiful way.  When someone is affected by fever which is an indication of a problem in our body, it is important to take medicine to get cured.  Similarly, when we are born in this materialistic world, we are engulfed with another form of fever, the fever of greed and ego.  The only medicine prescribed for this fever is Gayathri Mantra.  It takes long time for us to get rid of the fever of greed and ego.  That is why one should continue to chant Gayathri Mantra for ever.

While other Mantras might need regular practice and hard work to understand, Gayathri Mantra is fairly easy and needs no physical exercise to practice.  It has been made easy for everyone to practice at ease.  All you need is little water for Argyapradanam.   Gayathri Matru Roopaya - The Vedas depict Gayathri in form of mother.  We would not have been what we are without our Mother.  She is the most merciful and most lovable for all of us.  Gayathri Mantra is given similar status equal to our mother. 

-Translated by Krishnan, Hosur

Winning And Being Successful

Winning and being successful are not one and the same.   The difference may not even be subtle.   Winning could be a short-term achievement, but being successful might need more than one wins with a mark of difference.

Today, I heard that the country's badminton pride, Sania Nehwal gifted her silver medal winning racquet to Modiji.  While I see no negative intent in she doing this and we should be proud of her achievements as a fellow citizen,  there is a key learning for high achievers here.

Winning and being successful are two different things.  You may win competitions through hard work, regular practice and devotion.  You may even see big and momentary successes.  If you want to create a legacy around you,  you need to do something different.   It has to be noticeable.  It has to be different.  So different that it creates visibility.

If that visibility can create a future that is secure even after you stop winning or stumble, you probably have created a mark for yourself.

India Has Lost Her Son - A People's President - Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam

 

I don't have the age and maturity to appreciate Kalamji.    I had the rare opportunity to see him in person when he visited a school near Hosur, Tamilnadu.  

The man who envisioned a developed India in 2020 is no more.   He orbited the sun 84 times and then reached heaven.   Our country has lost the most beloved president of all times.  So, how can I describe Dr. Kalam.  The following would be minimal to describe him

Great human-being
Great Statesman
Beloved friend
Excellent Leader
Great philosopher
Eminent Scientist
Down-to-earth person
Highly respected
Extremely hardworking
Loved by All
Excellent Orator
Postive Thinker
Writer
Poet
Social Reformer
Highly knowledgeable
Very skilled
Passionate
Above religion and politics
Very humorous
Highly spiritual
Very Strong
Affectionate
Visionary


I was listening to his interview he gave at Wharton School of management.  According to him any leader should demonstrate 6 traits

1.  A leader must have "Vision"
2.  A leader must be able to travel in an unexplored path
3.  A leader must know how to manage and own failures 
4.  A leader must have courage to take decisions
5.  A leader should have nobility in management and be transparent
6.  A leader should demonstrate Integrity

Dr. Kalam believed in youth power.  He had a dream.   Dream to see our country flourish,  dream to see our children prosper, dream to see technological and social advancement.   A dream where every citizen in this country could leave peacefully with love.

Jai Hind!

-Krishnan