Thursday, October 25, 2012

Rama’s Recipe For Vijay

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE IS COURTESY OF 'THE SPEAKING TREE'

What are the criteria for ensuring success in life? Is it access to elaborate material goods or something else? Lord Rama answers these questions.

In Tulsidasa’s Ramcharitamanas, Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana, is seized with doubt when he sees Ravana enter the battlefield in a splendid chariot.  Ravana is in full battle gear and his vehicle is loaded with advanced weapons. Rama, in contrast, is barefoot and has only his bow and arrows. He is dressed in simple clothes.

Whereas Ravana is fully protected by armour, Rama has no such protection, Ravana’s army is well equipped, with caparisoned elephants, horses, chariots, and trained soldiers with war experience. Rama’s army comprises mostly of monkeys and bears who are neither trained in warfare nor armed with sophisticated weapons. They only have their claws, teeth, boulders, rocks, and trees improvised as weapons.

On seeing the stark contrast between the two, Vibhishana wonders if Rama can ever be victorious. He expresses his concern to Rama thus: “You are without  proper war gear; what to talk of a chariot, you do not have even a shield. Devoid of them how shall you conquer Ravana?”

Rama replies that victory is assured not by worldly chariots and armaments made of gross components, but by inputs of a different kind. The chances of winning a battle against evil forces is greater with valour and fortitude, the two ‘wheels’ of the chariot. Truthfulness and good and righteous conduct are the banners. Strength, discretion, control of one’s five senses and mind, and munificence are the four horses. Compassion, forgiveness, and equanimity are the ropes that connect the horses with the chariot.

Devotion to God is what drives the chariot that wins. As far as weapons are concerned, detachment acts as shield, and contentment serves as sword. Charity is the axe, wisdom and reason are lances, pikes and spears, and deep knowledge is the bow. An irreproachable and unwavering mind is like the arrow’s case. Shama or non-infatuation, continence, abstinence and restraint  -- yamas like ahimsa and pratyahar -- and various niyamas or religious and moral observations are the arrows. Devotion to one’s teacher and the learned person is the armour, protective cover like armlets, breastplate, gauntlet, helmet, shell, shield and amulet.

These, according to Rama, are the ingredients of victory. One who has all of these is assured of victory. In fact, such a one has no enemies to be won over. For he has overcome the greatest enemy of all, that is, attachment to worldly things.

Our life is a perennial battle for existence. In the battle for survival, we lose sight of our compassionate nature and become cruel and covetous. We lose sight of right and wrong. Like Ravana we become obstinate, haughty, proud, and arrogant. As a result we become selfish and egotitic and are filled with ahamkara or ego which leads us to downfall and failure.

Using the allegory of a chariot, Rama is explaining the most efficacious method of keeping ego at bay. The one who, after knowing all the pros and cons of issues he is faced with, is able to manage life’s challenges with fortitude, with a detached, serene and firm mind – to him will come success as he does not act impulsively.

Success achieved by using the above ingredients is everlasting and makes one famous whereas ‘success’ attained by dubious means is shortlived and may only bring notoriety and failure.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

What happened to 8 wealthiest people in the world?

What happened to 8 wealthiest people in the world?
“In 1923, eight of the wealthiest people in the world met. Their combined wealth, estimated, exceeded the wealth of the government of the United States. These men knew how to make a living and accumulate wealth. 25 years later.
1. President of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died bankrupt.
2. President of the largest gas company, Howard Hubson, went insane.
3. One of the greatest commodity traders, Arthur Cutton, died insolvent.
4. President of the New York Stock Exchange, Richard Whitney, was sent to jail.
5. A member of the President’s Cabinet, Albert Fall, was pardoned from jail.
6. The greatest “bear” on Wall Street, Jessie Livermore, committed suicide.
7. President of the world’s greatest monopoly, Ivar Krueger, committed suicide.
8. President, Bank of International Settlement, Leon Fraser, committed suicide.
They forgot to make a life! Just made Money!
Money provides food for the hungry, medicine for the sick, clothes for the needy, but is only a medium of exchange.
We need two kinds of education.
"One that teaches us how to make a living and one that teaches us how to live."

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

THE BIKE WHO NEVER WENT TO FIRST GEAR


Today while returning from gym..my eyes went on a corner in one of the buildings....Oh....i got fascinated by that rickety bike.....amidst all the dust nd unwanted bicycles and what all stuff...The reason is that RAJDOOT has a big history...it never ran on road.When i was kid..the owner of the bike...used to repair and start it...bt it always ran in neutral gear..On the first gear..it just used to stop. I think the owner still hope that it will start one day..nd run on its  wheels.It reminded of my childhood days when we used to say to uncle....,"Uncle..Get a new one...woh abhi dadaji ho gayi hai.."....good sweet old  memories......i just hope..it wud run 1 day..nahi toh fir...pata nahi..shayad  kabhi nahi.......

Monday, January 16, 2012

HEY.... Do u know Tommy...!!!!

I will tell u the story of Tommy... He was a partially deaf boy who was not liked by many.Even teacher sent him home from school with a note in his pocket,"Your tommy is too stupid to learn,get him out of the schhol."His mother read the note and answered ,"My tommy is not too stupid to learn , I will teach him myself."Her mother really taught him so well to be such a great great person. He is the same man who didn't give up when his lifetime achievement ..his company burnt into ashes ..and he said"There is a great value in disaster.All our mistakes are burnt up.Thank God we can start anew." Yes our Tommy is nobody but Thomas Edison ..the inventor of light bulb...who failed approximately 10,000 times while making one. And the fact is that the light bulb invented by him and what we use today are 100% same..no modifications till now.
                         SALUTE TO THE GREAT!!!!

He is watching me

V often say....He is watching us..This thing is not good....He will punish you...Ya the almighty God...He is always updating his blogs about us..But ,you know besides God there is one more person who is watching us...always.....yup always.
Here is a small story for u ...
Its the story of a sculptor who was known for his excellence and perfection.One day he was making statues for one of the temple and he was visited by one of his friend. His friend asked him,"why are you making the same statue again?
Sculptor replied,"well, buddy my first statue was not perfect..so am making the second one. After examining the statue friend said, its still perfect.. i find no mistakes in it.On this sculptor said..U have not noticed there is a small scar below it.
His friend laughing.....although the painting is going to be kept at 5 feet height..nobody is going to see it.. no neeed to toil so much.

sculptor: Ya,nobody will notice..but its me who will always notice it.. ......... Tat attitude made him the great sculptor of all time...

So there is always somebody watching u nd tats "You"

Sunday, January 8, 2012

V all are related....a new relationship

Relationships ...lasts life long.They never leave you. The day you are born to the day you die you go through many many , many bonds of life.But we are all related by one commmon word...which is every Indians blood.."CHUTIYA".It helps you to expreess your feelings,remove your frustation.We say this to our enemy,to our teachers , to our beloved friend, to the nearby shopkeeper.....and many more.Everybody give u different reactions to this word...some gals slap,some smile...some just let go..bt with men..its like a God for them...99.9% utter this word...and about 0.1%.. must be aliens.So, we all are connected by this network ...everybody says each other .."haan woh naa "CHUTIYA" hai.."..If you connect everbody ,definitly,its goin to be a big circle connecting each other.Logically, "CHUTIYA" is adjective ..."CHUTIYAPAA...CHUTIYAPANTI" is noun.."CHUTIYAGIRI" is a verb...grammatically too its strong.Dont know the origin of this word ut i htink its from ancient times...Such a old word and old relationship..still not being accepted....GOvt. has to do something for this...either pass a bill or create a law...lets start the era of "CHUTIYA"...................Lets go into this relationship....

Friday, January 6, 2012

For me....friendship is now betrayal

As everybody says ,"Time is the Best Medicine"...i hope thats really true.I need time now to forget  the moment which i have never expected.After hearing those words..its like end of the world for me.A tear rolling down my cheeks ...flashing back the past memories of our  life, sleeping and sharing dreamz on hostel roof,stealing snacks from your roomie...nd the most important thing ..i miss  ur sleepiness..i miss your sleepy face... but now i htink we missed our friendship.
      Well... remember the words of one of my friend who we used to oppose him by saying...we will take care of each other even when we are far away.He was true.I was wrong and now i know money is always right.Money changed u into a different fellow who doesnt value values,relationship...but most important thing u have hurt me..u have brought our friendship on the verge of a mountain.
       I hope u remember this line.......


           " zindagi ke safar mein kharide humne kuch pal yaadon ke...........
             aur ek samay aisa aaya ki ..un yaadon ko kharid liya unke paiso ne..."



                                                                                     Dedicated to Saumil shah...