Everyday Geeta

December 6, 2013 Readers of this blog know of my keen interest in role models (clicking on this link will take you to all the role models I have posted on in this blog). Here is yet another hero, Jadav “Molai” Payeng who planted a 1,360 acre forest pretty much by himself. Quote from the original story in the Times of India: It all started way back in 1979 when floods washed a large number of snakes ashore on the sandbar. One day, after the waters had receded, Payeng , only 16 then, found the place dotted with the dead reptiles. That was the turning point of his life. "The snakes died in the heat, without any tree cover. I sat down and wept over their lifeless forms. It was carnage . I alerted the forest department and asked them if they could grow trees there. They said nothing would grow there. Instead, they asked me to try growing bamboo. It was painful, but I did it. There was nobody to help me. Nobody was interested," says Payeng, now 47. Leaving his education and home

December 3, 2013 Some of my previous posts have addressed the contemporary challenge of finding solitude . Here is Abha Dawesar in a recent Ted Talk . Every digital landmark is an invitation to leave what you are doing now to go somewhere else and do something else. Are you reading an interview by an author? Why not buy his book? Tweet it. Share it. Like it. Find other books exactly like his. Find other people reading those books. Travel can be liberating, but when it is incessant, we become permanent exiles without repose. Choice is freedom, but not when it's constantly for its own sake. Abha encapsulates how even a mundane activity like reading in the digital context is an invitation to distraction. A distracted mind, hates solitude. Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

December 1, 2013 In my last post, I discussed Śrī Kṛṣṇa's masterful marketing technique as seen in the Bhagavad Geeta. Now we will continue to see how He expertly seeks to keep us on "the path of virtue, courage and wisdom" . Śrī Kṛṣṇa is never shy as He waxes lyrical about the nature of the knowledge He is set to reveal in chapter 9. In 9-2, he describes the knowledge as a “ Royal secret, the King of all Knowledge, supremely purifying” ( राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् - raajavidyaa raajaguhyaM pavitramidamuttamam.h) . He says it can be “ known by direct intuition ” (प्रत्यक्षावगमं - pratyakShaavagamaM) and “ easy to practice ” (सुसुखं - susukhaM).। There is reason to believe Śrī Kṛṣṇa because in 18-73, Arjuna declares unequivocally “ my delusion is destroyed ” (नष्टो मोहः - nashhTo mohaH). The delusion that inspired Arjuna to accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as his teacher is gone and in keeping with Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s assurance, having gained this knowledge, Arjuna knows there is not

November 29, 2013 There is an aphorism in Samskritam that says प्रयोजनमनुद्दिश्य न मन्दोऽपि प्रवर्तते (prayojanam-anuddishya na mando.api pravartate), "even a fool does not act without asking 'what do I gain from it'?" Dr Stephen Covey ’s seminal book on leadership, “The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People” is a wildly successful management best-seller. It is also one of my all-time favorite books on leadership because at its core, Dr Covey echoes the " You Change " message of the Bhagavad Geeta. According to Dr Stephen Covey, the 2nd habit that is crucial to success in Management guru is “Begin with the end in mind”. He expands further: Habit 2 is based on imagination--the ability to envision in your mind what you cannot at present see with your eyes. It is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There is a mental (first) creation, and a physical (second) creation. The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building follow

November 23, 2013 Recently, I discussed the redemption of the Vaishnava saint, Thirumangai Alwar as an illustration of Geeta 18-66. I was not satisfied that I had the right verse. I think I have now found the more appropriate verse: अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् | साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः ||९-३०|| api chetsuduraachaaro bhajate maamananyabhaak.h . saadhureva sa mantavyaH samyagvyavasito hi saH .. 9-30.. Even if the most sinful worships Me, with devotion to none else, (or with single-pointedness) , he too should indeed be regarded as 'righteous, ' for he has rightly resolved. Param Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji in his commentary on the Holy Geeta elaborates on the first half of this verse thus: Not only does the Geeta throw its gates open to the sinners, but the Singer of the Divine Song also seems to have great missionary zeal to redeem all sinners, and bless them. Even those who are given to evil ways are not debarred from entering the field o

November 17, 2013 Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi was a realized man who ceaselessly highlighted the importance of अात्म विचार (atma vichara) or Self-Enquiry. Thanks to Him, the phrase "Who Am I?" or "Naan Yaar?" (in Tamil) became quite fashionable in intellectual circles in the South. His core teachings can be seen in the publication "Who Am I?" . I came across a very nice discussion on solitude on Sri Ramana's facebook page. It goes to the core of some questions about solitude. SOLITUDE MEANS ONLY CONTINUOUS PRACTICE D: When I spent an hour or two on the hill yonder, I sometimes found even better peace than here, which suggests that a solitary place is after all more conducive to mind-control. B: True, but if you had stayed there for an hour longer, you would have found that place too not giving you the calm of which you speak. Control the mind and even Hell will be Heaven to you. All other talk of solitude, living in a forest etc., is mere prattle.

November 13, 2013 What a wonderful answer by Param Pujya Swami Tejomayanandaji to a very pertinent question? I saw this on facebook and I just had to share it.  https://www.facebook.com/SwamiTejomayananda/posts/10151976441280865:0   Question: How to achieve your dreams without the fear of somebody trying to stop you? Pujya Guruji: Really speaking, nobody can stop you. If you see a problem, you have stopped seeing the goal. If your mind remains glued to a goal, then come what may, who can pull you down? Actually, if someone is there to pull you down, there will be ten people there to lift you also. Why only see one side? See, what we lack is our own conviction, our own determination. We also expect the whole world to come and help us. It is not necessary.  I remember I read an incident in Gautama Buddha's life. He taught his disciple and then he wanted to check if the disciple was ready to teach Dharma to others. The dialogue went like this:  Buddha: When you go out to teach Dharma

November 3, 2013 In verse 18-66, Śrī Kṛṣṇa guarantees that He will redeem (or liberate) anyone who surrenders unto the Lord considering Him to be the ONLY refuge. Yesterday, Shri Raghavan, my neighbor told me the beautiful story of Thirumangai Alwar, a Vaishnava saint from Tamil Nadu who is the case study for this guarantee. सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज | अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ||१८-६६|| sarvadharmaanparityajya maamekaM sharaNaM vraja . ahaM tvaaM sarvapaapebhyo mokShyayishhyaami maa shuchaH .. 18-66.. Abandoning all dharma, of the body, mind, and intellect, take refuge in Me alone; I will liberate thee from all sins; grieve not. This verse is among the most important ones in the Bhagavad Geeta. The story of Thirumangai Alwar provides a very interesting insight into this verse. Here it as shown in the Wikipedia entry for Thirumangai Alwar. According to the traditional account, he married Kumudavalli, a Vaishnava doctor's adopted daughter at a place T

November 3, 2013 Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post <;!-- http://www.chinmayamission.com/who-we-are/swami-tejomayananda/>

October 15, 2013 Ram Dass is an American teacher of Hinduism and is the author of " Be Here Now ." His recent blog post has a very neat explanation for the famous Geeta verse that is traditionally chanted before a meal. ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् | ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ||४-२४|| brahmaarpaNaM brahma havirbrahmaagnau brahmaNaa hutam.h . brahmaiva tena gantavyaM brahmakarmasamaadhinaa .. 4-24.. BRAHMAN is the oblation; BRAHMAN is the clarified butter, etc. , constituting the offerings; by BRAHMAN is the oblation poured into the fire of BRAHMAN; BRAHMAN verily shall be reached by him who always sees BRAHMAN in all actions. This translation above is by Param Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananadaji and can often puzzle those unfamiliar with the cryptic manner of the Hindu texts. Here is how Ram Dass puts it: Now, when I bless food, the statement I say, when I say grace, is an old Sanskrit one. It means "This offering of this little r

October 2, 2013 Today is Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti. It is wonderful that earlier this year, that the Navajivan Trust released a beautiful coffee table book containing 100 Tributes to Gandhiji . According to www.mkgandhi.org , a website that is an incomparable resource for all things related to the Father of the Nation, on June 15th, 2007, the United Nations adopted a resolution that declared October 2 as the International Day of Non-Violence, aka अंतरराष्ट्रीय अहिंसा दिवस . The book itself is illustrated by wonderful pencil portraits of Gandhiji drawn by Ramesh Thaakar and the story of how this book came about is a treat in itself. I intend to get this the next time I am in India. I also came across a beautiful book, Epigrams from Gandhiji compiled by Shri SR Tikekar. One beautiful one in that relevant to us is: Let the Gita be to you a mine of diamonds, as it has been to me: let it be your constant guide and friend on life's way. Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

October 1, 2013 I find it interesting that an eminently accomplished actor such as Tom Hanks , cannot bring himself to say that it was all free-will. See question at the Tom Hanks AMA and the response by the Oscar winner who played roles such as Forrest Gump.     Click here for more Karma Chronicles posts. Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

September 26, 2013 How steep the fall! From being a nation where our ancient seers have explored the subtlety of karma in all its varied flavors, we now have this... the result of a search for "karma" that led to an ad on some site. Yes, it could be anyone's "fate" (only one of many meanings of karma) that they need a walker and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Is it really an appropriate brand name? Opinions anyone? Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

September 22, 2013 अहिंसा (ahimsa), non-violence or non-injury, is a widely misunderstood term. Mahatma Gandhi deployed ahimsa strategically to oppose the British rule in India. Gandhiji successfully inspired a mass movement of civil disobedience and in the United States, the struggle for civil rights adopted non-violence as a corner-stone. These examples conclusively prove that ahimsa is not a response prompted by cowardice. On the other hand, it is widely assumed that any display of "violence" violates the principle of ahimsa. In Geeta 2-32, Śrī Kṛṣṇa declares: यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम्। सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम्।।2.32।। yadR^ichchhayaa chopapanna.n svargadvaaramapaavR^itam.h . sukhinaH kShatriyaaH paartha labhante yuddhamiidR^isham.h .. 2-32.. Happy indeed are the kshatriyaas, O Partha, who are called to fight in such a battle, that comes of itself as an open-door to heaven. Again in 2-18 तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत (tasmaadyudhyasva bhaarata)- &quo

September 21, 2013 A fascinating article titled " This Is The New Favorite Pastime Of The Business Elite (Hint: It's Not Golf) " on the HuffPo website. Readers of this blog will have seen my earlier posts on meditation , where I have highlighted social trends indicating greater faith in meditation. I have also talked in the past about the value of role models , so if the CEOs of these big corporations motivate you to take up meditation, more power to you. I find it specially interesting that HuffPo prefers to place this under its Healthy Living site, rather than its religion website. The fear is that if something is religious, it might be bad for you. Fortunately, my dear readers never make that mistake! Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

September 20, 2013 Designed by Pujya Swami Mitranandaji . Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

September 7, 2013 In Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayanandaji's talks on Hanuman Chalisa in October 2007 in Sidhabari, Guruji described the 8-Superpowers or अष्टसिद्धि (aShTasiddhi) of Hanumanji very beautifully. I liked the reference to the Bhagavad Geeta in describing लघिमा (laghimā) or the power to become light as a feather. Pujya Guruji suggested that it was a power well-worth cultivating for all. He said, "Be light-hearted. Bhagavan says in the Geeta योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् (yogakShemaM vahaamyaham.h, see Note 1 below for meaning ). So, cease being the general manager of the universe!" To explain, Guruji quoted a story he had heard: A new salesman went on his first client call. Later that day, a senior salesman met him and asked, "How did it go?". Junior salesman: "Terrible. I feel humiliated and insulted." Senior Salesman: "What happened?" Junior salesman: "He threw me out of his office!" Senior salesman: "Really. My experience

August 29, 2013 बाँसुरी की विशेषता - परम पूज्य सवामी तेजोमयानन्दजी (English translation below) गोपियाँ तो जलती थीं इस बाँसुरी से । बोले हमारे अधिकार को छीनती है यह बाँसुरी । इन होठों पर हमारा अधिकार है । लेकिन जब तक यह बाँसुरी उनकी होठों पर लगी रहती है, तब तक हमें तो इनका अास्वादन मिलता ही नहीं । भगवान की ऐसी प्रीति है इसके ऊपर कि सदा इसे कमर में खोंस कर रखते हैं । वे इसे इधर-उधर कहीं नहीं रखते । एक ने उससे पूछा, "ऐ बाँसुरी, तूने क्या पुण्य किया था जो भगवान् तुझे अपने साथ रखते हैं?" बोले, "मैं धूप में तपती रही हूँ, तुमको पता है?" देखो बाँसुरी बनने के पहले तो वह बाँस के रूप में रहती है । बाँस का पेड़ पहले जमीन में रहता है, फिर बाहर अाकर वह सूरज की गरमी, धूप, बारिश अादि सब सहन करता है । बाँस का वृक्ष जब बढता है तो इसे सब सहन करना पडता है कि नहीं? कितना तप करता है वह । इतना तप करने के बाद फिर उसको उखाडते हैं, काटते हैं, वह सब भी उसे सहन करना पडता है । फिर उसमे छेद करते हैं । एक ही नहीं, सात-सात छेद कर डालते हैं । अब बताओ, कोई हमारे ऊपर छिद्र बनाने लगे तो हमें कैसा लगे

August 28, 2013 PS: Thank You, Chinmaya Prakashan ! If you are not on facebook, then click here . Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

August 25, 2013 A while back I had posted on "Redefining Sin". I somehow missed a very good quote in the Holy Geeta by Param Pujya Gurudev, Swami Chinmayanandaji . In Geeta 10-3, there is a discussion of one who is "freed from all sins" , सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते In his commentary on Geeta 10-3, Swamiji says: An individual is not punished for his sins, but he is punished by his sins. Sin is a self-insulting act arising out of a misunderstanding in the sinner as to his identity. When one wanders away from one's own Real Nature as the Self, identifies oneself with the happenings of the world and behaves as a mass of repulsive flesh, or a bundle of throbbing emotions, or a pack of ideas, one is in a manner, dishonouring one's Godly dignity and divine status. Such acts and thoughts chain a person down to a pursuit of the low pleasures only, never allowing him to rise above and climb the higher peaks of real Perfection. On re-discovering the nature of the Self and

August 24, 2013 Always available here ! Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

August 10, 2013 I was reminded that Mme Marie Curie would be a wonderful addition to my continuing series on role models by this post on brainpickings.org. Someday, Maria Popova, the brain behind this wonderfully curated website might herself feature in this blog. I cannot do better than what Maria Popova highlights from the New York Times obituary on July 5, 1934. Few persons contributed more to the general welfare of mankind and to the advancement of science than the modest, self-effacing woman whom the world knew as Mme. Curie. Her epoch-making discoveries of polonium and radium, the subsequent honors that were bestowed upon her — she was the only person to receive two Nobel prizes — and the fortunes that could have been hers had she wanted them did not change her mode of life. She remained a worker in the cause of science, preferring her laboratory to a great social place in the sun. The road which she and her husband had chosen she followed throughout her life, disdaining all po

August 8, 2013 भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति ||४-३|| bhakto.asi me sakhaa cheti .. 4-3.. for you are My devotee and My friend An absolutely adorable picture taken by Arvind Ramteke @ Pandharpur last month during the recent pilgrimage. The month of अाषाढ (ãṣāḍha - typically in the June-July period) is a particularly auspicious time to visit Pandharpur and have darshan of Lord Viṭhobā (विठोबा - the same form captured in this picture). The quote is something sweet that Śrī Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad Geeta. Param Pujya Swami Chinmayanandaji in his Holy Geeta commentary explains why this statement is key to the message of the Bhagavad Geeta. Mind and intellect blossom forth only in a warm climate of love and freedom, friendship and mutual understanding. Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

July 26, 2013 On my recent flight from Singapore to Mumbai, I saw Carnage , a movie starring Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet. I was blown away by this contemporary reflection on anger and the destructive power of speech. The movie is set in the background of a playground fight between two 11-year old boys. Zachary beat up Ethan with a hockey stick and broke two of his teeth. The boys' parents meet in a nice New York apartment to discuss how they should handle it like civilised parents. This clip provides the context while this tells you where these sophisticated New York parents got to. That is by no means the end of the argument. I can't count the number of times, when prompted by anger, I have said things, unintentionally revealing my ugly side. क्रोध (krodha), anger and its impact, is well laid out in verse 2-63. क्रोधाद्भवति सम्मोहः सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः | स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ||२-६३|| krodhaadbhavati sammohaH sammohaatsmR^itivibhramaH . smR^it

July 6, 2013 The verdict is in. According this HuffPo article , meditation is now mainstream and meditation is so cool, it's hot! Everyone knows that Oprah Winfrey loves meditation, so does Russell Simmons but Rupert Murdoch? These three are among 10 celebrities, business leaders, media moguls, hedge fund managers, who are public in their appreciation of meditation. According to the report, "There is a dedicated meditation room at the Vermont headquarters of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc., and CEO Robert Stiller himself is a devoted practitioner." Of course Geeta lovers know that Śrī Kṛṣṇa exhaustively discussed meditation in Chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Geeta, approximately 6000 years ago. Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

June 19, 2013 I came across Ron Finley thanks to the wonderful program on NPR's Ted Radio Hour called " Giving It Away" . It is full of wonderful stories of people who gave their time and energy to something bigger than themselves but not necessarily, something glamorous. They brought change the best way they know how. There are so many wonderful quotes for a Geeta lover - it is easy to connect these to the topic of Yajña spirit (cooperative endeavor for a higher cause) and generosity (दान). I can't resist quoting verbatim from the NPR program. RAZ is Guy Raz , the NPR presenter of the TED Radio Hour. RAZ: And his garden, it's literally in front of his house, on the sidewalk, open to the public 24/7. No formal invitation required. And in the beginning, the idea of a community garden on the sidewalk in South Central was so strange that his neighbors would mock him. They'd call him ... FINLEY: Ronny Appleseed. RAZ: Ronny Appleseed. FINLEY : I remember this ti

June 18, 2013 Pujya Swami Mitranandaji was in the Chinmaya Seva Centre recently and answered questions raised by study group members. The session got off to a fantastic start with this question. Question: Can we understand the complexity of dharma? Swami Mitranandaji: Dharma can be expressed as a formula: Right Intention + Right Action = Dharma. Right intention, wrong action is adharma and so is wrong intention, right action. Of course, wrong intention and wrong action is adharma. Suppose, Duryodhana had approached Śrī Kṛṣṇa and said, "What is the meaning of this battle? Why fight? I want to wander around like a mendicant", Śrī Kṛṣṇa would probably have said, "You are right. Do it." That is Dharma for Duryodhana. Yet, when Arjuna said the same thing, Śrī Kṛṣṇa taught him the Bhagavad Geeta because for Arjuna that was adharma. So, on the face of it, we have the same situation, same Kŗşņa, yet a different answer. Therefore, it is right that dharma is a complex topi

June 16, 2013 What a beautiful interview with AR Rahman ! In this interview, I found so many linkages to Śrī Kṛṣṇa's teaching in the Bhagavad Geeta. In the quote below, you can see shades of शरणागति (sharaNaagati - seeking refuge in or surrendering to the Lord). As the popular saying goes, "Let go and let God.." Q. While music excites you, what makes you feel low? Every time I sit for a song, I feel I am finished. It's like a beggar sitting waiting for God to fill your bowl with the right thought. In every song, I ask help from Him. Everybody around is so good, so to create music that will connect with so many people is not humanly possible without inspiration. He hints at the difference between ज्ञान / विज्ञान, knowledge & wisdom when he says: Q. Did you grudge her (his mother who adopted him) the decision of making you quit studying? At that time, from society's point of view, if you were not educated, you didn't have a life. You would probably become a

June 9, 2013 In Bhagavad Geeta 6-8, there is an interesting phrase. समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः ....to whom a lump of earth, a stone and gold are the same Literally, such a person described by this phrase could be considered a fool who is easily separated from his money. Personally, I recall my mother telling me the story of a stranger who approached my grandfather while travelling by train in India in the 60s. He claimed to be a jeweller and told that my grandfather that what he thought were diamond ear-rings were worthless. My grandfather came home to report how the kindly stranger did him a favor by offering to buy those off him for a small sum. My poor grandfather sold the earrings and never was forgiven for this by his daughters! Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayanandaji in commenting upon this verse, puts it very all in context, very simply. He says (and what follows below is not a direct quote) that this सम or sameness (now you know where the English word comes from) implies a few things: Ea

May 24, 2013 I came across a very interesting interview with Khaled Hosseini , published in the Economic Times. Q. In your new book, And the Mountains Echoed, one of the main characters is an Afghan-born physician in America, like you. He is embarrassed that he's sweating the details of his new home theatre while his countrymen are suffering. Do you have similar guilt? A. Of course. I always have. The only reason I'm not where they are is just pure luck; it's just a stupid genetic lottery. It's an unmerited gift to have this life. My books became successful way beyond any reasonable expectation and were about those people on the streets. I felt that in some way I had profited from their wretchedness. Q. Do you imagine it would have been published if September 11 had not happened? A. Who knows? You have to be honest. It opened doors. But believe it or not, as I was trying to find an agent in June 2002, I received a rejection that said, "We like your book, but we&#

May 15, 2013 Rush now to read the wonderful report on the greater wax moth in the Independent. If your jaw doesn't drop reading this, you have become too jaded. Researchers at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow have just discovered that the insect, which is found across the UK, is capable of hearing sound frequencies of up to 300,000 hertz (300kHz) – more than 100 times higher than the whiniest human voice and fifteen times the maximum frequency that can be heard by the sharpest-eared teenagers. This wonderful article also tosses several glorious tidbits of information for further exploration such as the "The jewel beetle Using an infra-red sensor under one of its legs, it can detect a fire more than 50 miles away." Click on the link , for more on the "break for glory" posts. Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

May 13, 2013 At the recent Naada Bindu Festival of Arts conducted by Chinmaya Naada Bindu at Kolwan (near Pune in Maharashtra) I was fortunate to hear "pasaayadaana" as the concluding prayer sung by Shri Damleji. The words (what little I understood of the old Marathi) and the haunting tune stayed in my mind. I remembered it today and decided that I would use this as the trigger for restarting my blog which has been in somewhat of a hiatus. While I don't have the recording by Shri Damle-ji, I did find the same haunting music sung by the inimitable Lata Mangeshkar with music by Shri Hridaynath Mangeshkar. The composition is by the incomparable Sant Jňāneśvara ,the author of the Jňāneśvari, a Marathi commentary on the Bhagavad Geeta. This is a prayer by the author at the end of the Geeta, a blessing on all concluding with a specific blessing on those who cherish the Geeta as their life ( ग्रंथोपजीविये - granthopajiiviye). Yes, it is in Marathi but in this age of infinite

April 22, 2013 Many of you have seen individual posts of my series "www.vishwarūpa.infinite - Divine Vision At Our Finger Tips". I liked developing the topic over seven posts. It was also a moment of joy when it got published as a consolidated article in the Gītā Vāņī 2013, the annual publication of the Singapore Gītā Jayanti committee. I am happy to present a consolidate set of links so that you can easily click through read the entire set at one setting. Introduction Accessing the Cosmic Vision Cosmic Form - Moving and UnMoving India's Glorious Deepavali Night Vision The Hubble Reveals the Glorious Heavens Monster Galaxy through the eyes of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Ferocious Teeth! The Lord's Pleasing, Familiar Form! PS: The picture above is titled "Dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra" sourced from the collection of the San Diego Museum of Art hosted on Flickr. It shows Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

Date April 9, 2013 Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayanandaji , provided a brilliant answer to a question at the recently concluded seminar "Management Principles from the Bhagavad Gita" in Singapore. Enjoy. Question: According to the Geeta who would be the ideal manager and what would be his qualities? Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayanandaji: मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः | सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ||१८-२६|| muktasaṅgonahaṁvādī dhṛtyutsāhasamanvitaḥ siddhyasiddhyor nirvikāraḥ kartā sāttvika ucyate 18.26 The best worker, leader, manager is one who is free from egoism and he has no attachment to any power, position, pleasure, etc. He is prepared to act according to the situation and what is required, he is prepared to do it. If he has to give up his position, he will do it, he is not attached to anything. muktasaṅgaḥ-anahaṁvādī - free from attachment & ego. dhṛti-utsāha-samanvitaḥ - endowed with great fortitude and enthusiasm. To achieve great ideas,

March 27, 2013 Recently I changed my job of 20+years. As I rode up the escalator on the day of reckoning, what do I find but this...A lady in front of me who had a tattoo <i>"and this too shall pass"</i>. As I always say, there is a Geeta shloka for every occasion. There are at least two that apply here. The easy one is: मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः | आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ||२-१४|| maatraasparshaastu kaunteya shiitoshhNasukhaduHkhadaaH . aagamaapaayino.anityaastaa.nstitikShasva bhaarata .. 2-14.. The contacts of senses with objects, O son of Kunti, which cause heat and cold, pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they are impermanent; endure them bravely, O descendant of Bharata. The need for a job, brings one to an employer assuming you have the right skill set. That job must have a start date and end date, it will have its share of joys and sorrows, highs and lows. It is only the foolish who act as if their jobs are guar