Tending a tender plant

                                          Tending a Tender plant


             Everyone possesses a kind of inner force that guides him to his life ' path and goal for which he is born. Each one is born with some talent. Some develop slowly. Some when given proper environment, bloom. Some manifest the talent suddenly. Talent may be inborn in some cases where even without proper surroundings, blooming is seen . Precociousness in a child is due to his storage of talent in memory carried from his previous births . Indian philosophy advocates karma ( deeds ) and rebirth  . According to it, man reaps good and bad fruits in this life ( pleasure and pain ) what he has sowed in his previous births ( in accordance with his good and bad actions done by him in his previous births). But human intelligence and reasoning, his unique possession endows him with free-will and limited freedom which gives him mental strength to overcome the bad situations with his personal efforts.So talent can be cultivated. With learning and effort, talent can be developed. Learning can do wonders for people's self-confidence .

As a seed needs rich soil, water and sunshine to grow into a healthy plant giving flowers and fruits.Taking out weeds around is also equally important to accelerate its healthy growth. So does a child needs care and protection from bad company . The capacity to learn is essential in any field. The home is the real school and the parents are the real teachers. In addition to learning in school, parents should provide children with opportunities to learn, explore and identify things in a wider perspective. The child's mind is very pure and unsullied. So it has the capacity to retain the impact of good and bad things that lasts for ever. Visiting museums and sacred places like temple, church and others helps the child to develop a broader outlook towards life in this impressionable age. They create an atmosphere where learning and higher pursuits of life are seen and valuable. Exposure to stimulating surroundings like science exhibition, zoo, flower-show, games, music concerts, trekking, nature-walk, trips to historical places, library especially book-stores will fill his or her memory with useful facts, ideas and interest. Sometimes dormant interest in the child gets awakened . When a child is exposed to a variety of books on different subjects and topics, some may attract the child's interests.instances are not rare. In many cases , children develop interest in geography, history and languages. Sometimes these impressions embedded pave way for choosing a fitting career by the person on his own. Many became famous players in the field of Tennis, Chess, Football etc were inspired by watching their fathers practising and playing in the field in their childhood. Those days and even now apprentices would learn the trade by watching their masters and imitating them as closelyas possible. When Marie curie was four years old she wandered into her father's study and was inspired by all kinds of laboratory instruments for chemistry and physics experiments. She dreamt imagining all sorts of experiments she could conduct with those instruments. This childhood obsession paved way for her career as a researcher on the discovery of radium which won her nobel prize. Thus it seen that the environment sparks a curiosity that is deep. This inward learning connects one to the innate for force and provide clarity and the person will find his way to his career path. In order to master a field, you must love the subject and feel a profound connection to it. Your interest must transcend the field itself. Then the creativity and innovations will become a natural product on its own. Every moment of life will be new and thrilling.


Infact, learning starts when a child is in the womb of his mother. In Indian society, when the child is in the womb itself, pregnant women are exposed to classical music especially stringed instruments, Veena in particular



Scientific researches prove that as a baby develops in the womb , the rudimentary ears appear within a few weeks of conception. By four and a half months, the ears are complete and functional.. Thus for half of its time in the mother's womb, the baby can hear well and respond to sounds, especiall music. Relaxation sessions to melodious music for mother and unborn baby are encouraged. Hearing forms the fundamental basis for learning. The entire ancient scriptures like the vedas were learnt, developed and preserved through listening only.

Hearing in the early months of life is vitally important. In the weeks after birth also, as the young baby detects each sound especially for the first time, it moves its eyes rapidly ( REM, rapid eye movements ) and turns its head, attempting to locate the source of the sound. Even at this early stage, evidence shows that sounds are stored in the brain's auditory memory bank, providing resources for physical and mental co-ordination and intellectual development in later life.

According to Padma purana, Prahlada, the son of Hiranyakashipu , the demon was a learned brahmin and a devotee of Lord Vishnu in his previous birth, and when he was born as the son of Hiranyakashipu, he ( Prahlada ) still retained his ardent devotion to Vishnu.

According to the epic Mahabharata, when Abhimanyu was in the womb of his mother Subhadra, he happened to hear his father Arjuna explaining the art of entering and breaking through Padmavyuha( a peculiar battle array in the form of a lotus ) to Subhadra. Among the Pandavas  Arjuna only knew the art of breaking into that vyuha, killing the enemies and coming put of it unhurt. During the Mahabharata war , when the Kauravas at the advice of Drona formed this difficult vyuha, hoping that Arjuna was away at that time, none of the Pandavas would be able to break through it. Abhimanyu, the brave young boy assured his uncles that he was ready to try, if they only assisted him.He reconnected immediately with his knowledge received when he was in the womb and accordingly entered the vyuha, killed many warriors on the Kaurava side , but could not hold out long against fearful odds, and was atlast overpowered and slain as he learnt only one part of Knowledge namely breaking into the array and not the other part of coming out unhurt from that from his father.

In short, a child is a precious gift from God . An opportunity to tend a child, nourish him with proper surroundings, watch him grow into a healthy, responsible citizen of the world is a blessing and a unique joy in itself. So a child a rare treasure to be cherished.

Wisdom bytes

                                 Wisdom bytes

• God exists since mathematics is consistent, and the Devil exists since we cannot prove it.
• Music can name the unnamable and communicate the unknowable.
• Be the master of your will and the slave of your conscience.
• The greatest charity is to enable the poor to earn a living.
• In any free society where terrible wrongs exist, some are guilty-all are responsible.
• Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it.
• The world is a narrow bridge. The key to crossing it is not to be afraid.
• When brains are needed, muscles won't help.
• Don't send a cat to deliver cream.
• That's what life is: a collection of rare and unusual moments, like an array of gems set out before you.

Do You know?

                  Do you know ?


            Flip a coin


Flipping a coin is an ancient way of deciding a point. Even now it is followed in many cases like games and in deals involving two parties. People believed that when they flipped a coin it was the gods who would be deciding the winner as the coin turned over and over in the air on its way to the ground. Later, Fate or Lady Luck made the decision.
The idea " heads you win, tails you lose " comes from Julius Caesar's day, when the emperor's head was on coins. If his head came up when you called it, the decision was made once for all- Caesar always won.



           Earrings


Generally Earrings are considered simply as ornament. But throughtout history, Earrings have been effective amulets against the evil eye and were worn by both men and women.
Kings, poets, and sailors all wore earrings for superstitious reasons. Sometimes only one was worn on one ear,sometimes they were worn on both the ears.

Sailors believe that wearing earrings protects them from drowning, and that it helps their eyesight.

In ancient times the ear was thought to be the center of intelligence. The custom of pulling a child's ear to make him remember his school lessons comes from that ancient belief.


 
                   Birthday cake


Thanks to the Greek goddess Artemis, the goddess of the moon, we have such things as birthday cakes. It is said that Artemis's birthday was celebrated with moon-shaped honey cakes with candles on top.
Holy books from many religions say that if a phrase is written upon a piece of food, and the piece is eaten, the person will gain the power in the phrase.thus we say, " Happy Birthday !".
The superstition connected with birthday cakes actually has to do with the candles. Blow them all out on your first puff and you will get your wish.
                             


          ,            

The Human body - a marvel

       
                            The Human body - a marvel
                   ( From the Archives of the Puranas )


Of all the created beings, human being is considered to be the best. It is a perfect unit of physical body, mind and intellect.
The mysterious human body, the temple of God, is a marvelous place for the immortal soul ( the Consciousness ), the indweller. The body is supposed to be a product of the parabdha karma ( actions done in the previous births ) of the individual. It is the most marvellous and delicate machine in the world. It has the in-built system of working and taking rest at times whenever needed. It is said when things are placed in their proper ,fitting place, only then they look beautiful. The appropriate placement of hair, teeth, nails, the flexibibility of the limbs, coverage of the organs by the layer of the skin add aesthetic beauty to the body. Structurewise also it is beautiful. Its mechanism is highly complex. The structure and working mechanism of the human body still fascinates the researchers throwing new light on it every now and then.

Ancient thinkers were aware of the intricate structure and functions of the human body ver well. The details of the physiology are vividly depicted in various puranas like Agni Purana, Markandeya Purana, Garuda Purana, Shiva Purana, Skanda Purana and others.
Information regarding the structure and formation of the foetus and its developments is very striking in details. The soul in the foetus is surrounded by the fluid in the womb and is in the form the male seed up to the first two months. In the third month it starts getting the various limbs. He acquires subtlety, the faculty of hearing from the sky. From the wind, he takes the faculty of touch, coarseness, activity and faculty of heat. He takes the faculty of sight from light. From water, he absorbs taste, coolness, the faculty of being drenched and that of softness. From the earth, he gets smell and weight. The basis of the body is formed mainly from the contributions of the five elements of nature only.
In the third month , the soul gets the throbbing quality. If the pregnancy-desire of the would - be - mother is not satisfied the foetus may develop faults, deformity or even death. Hence whatever the woman desires in the period of pregnancy should be given. In the fourth month the foetus gets limbs settled. In the fifth month blood is formed in it, in the sixth month, strength, color, hair and nails are generated. In the seventh month , the mind starts functioning, the hair and nails get fully developed.
In the eighth month, the skin gets developed and settled and there is development of memory also. It is said in the scriptures that a child born in the eighth month does not survive. In the ninth month, the child comes out naturally by the force of the inner winds that cause the delivery.
In the living body there are 108 vitals and 300 bones. In the head, there are 7 sherds ( kapalani ) and on the body there are three and a half crores of hairs. From the heart shoot 72 thousand arteries ( nadis ) called ' Hita '. Among them the one called Shashiprabha is the main. It is said that skin, flesh, blood and the intestines are from mother's side, while the nails, teeth, bones, penis ,speech, head and the manly seed are from the father's side. The body is generally described as being formed from the five elements. From the element of Earth come skin, bones, nadi ( artery ), hair and flesh . From that of Water come the saliva, urine, semen, blood and marrow. From Tejas ( Fire ) come hunger, sleep, thirst, lustre and sluggishness. From Wind come the faculty to run, breath, contraction and expansion, control, passion, hatred, shame and coyness, fear and swoon and from Sky come sound, serenity, hearing and all - possessiveness. There are ten nadis, namely, Ida,Pingala, Sushumna, Gandhari, Gaja-jihva, Pusha, Yasha, Alambusha, Kuhu, and Shankhini. There are ten winds in the body - Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, Vyana,Naga, Kurma, Krkara, Devadatta and Dhananjaya. They all stand for different functions in the body. Prana residing in the heart is responsible for inhalation, exhalation, digestion of eaten food and water and separation of waste matter ( food in the form of excreta and water as sweat and urine ) and conversion of juice into semen etc.The function of  the Apana vayu is to remove the waste matter from the body and is responsible for the movement of back, knees and thighs. Samana vayu operates from the navel to the heart. Its duty is to carry the digested juice to all organs and nerves. Udana operates from the neck to the head. The body gets support from this. Through this wind only the contact between the subtle and physical body takes place. Yogis only through this vayu come out of the physical body and roam in different worlds. Vyana's main place is on the top of the organ of generation. It takes blood to all the organs. Naga is the cause for sneezing. Kurma is responsible for the action of contraction in the body movements. Krkara functions in hunger and thirst. Devadatta vayu is responsible for lethargy, sleep etc. Dhananjaya vayu promotes nourishment of the body.
About the function of various vital fluids in the body leading to the formation of semen, which causes the foetus,the macrocosmic life-principle is closely associated with the microcosmic life-breath. It is said that the fire is the life-breath of the day, while the life-breath of the fire is Madhusudana Vishnu himself. Further it is said that the fluids in the body controlled by the life-breath become the blood ; from the blood is produced flesh ;from the flesh comes fat, and therefrom the bones ; from the bones comes the marrow and from the marrow is produced semen, from the semen is produced the foetus(in the womb of the woman), even in the foetus, the five elements of Nature combine. Further, in semen reside the aspects of the moon and the sun-fire. The semen dwells in the phlegm, while in the bile the blood. Phlegm stays at the heart, while the bile is in the navel. The heart is said to be the place of the mind, and at the navel stays the fire. Mind is the god Prajapati. Phlegm is Soma and bile is the fire. The belief is that the whole world comprises only two main elements namely the fire and the Soma. The body is also shared by these two elements. The body, like the universe is said to be comprised of five major elements. The relationship is beautifully brought out. It is said that when the vital breath leaves the body, the latter is burnt at the pyre. From the smoke that comes from it is formed the cloud. From the cloud water is released in the form of rain, which showers on the earth. From her is produced the odor; from the odor is created the fluid; from the fluid corn, from the corn the semen, from the semen new life. Thus goes on the circle. In the body also the fluid generates the body-fire which nourishes the body. The bodily fire requires food and water. If sufficient food and water is not provided, the bodily fire subsist on blood, which condition leads to the body suffering from tuberculosis. If there be more fluid and water, the bodily fire gets weak and that too leads to ill health. The fire stays at all parts of the body, at the neck, back, joints and at all other parts. If the fire is well fed, but not controlled, there is the generation of passion, which being uncontrollable leads to destruction. The element of wind in the body helps separate the food taken in, into digested and non-digested.It is then function of this wind to shower the bodily water on the fire to quench and satisfy it with food. Being bellowed by the wind, the bodily fire causes the food to be digested heating the water, taken along with it. The non-digested food (kitam) is left in the body in then form of twelve kinds of dirt, namely from the ear, eyes,nose, tongue, teeth, lips, generative organ,the anus,phlegm,perspiration,urine and excreta . These elements of dirt, if not let out, restrict the nadis (vital veins ) in the body.In that case, the wind places the fuid at their mouth to work.The food gets changed into many-phased vital material, the best being the semen.When the semen is released in the womb of a woman, it carries with it an aspect of jiva ( life ) of a person, along with its previous actions.Then the foetus is developed into a human body.
The general physical condition is indicated by the type of dreams a person gets,and by the features of the body.It is said that a person who is very slender, has very thin hair, is unstabe, talkative and has irregular hunger, dreams that he is wafted up in the air, he has the vata-prakrti ( predominated by wind element ).
A person who has become old prematurely is given to wrath, always perspiring, fond of sweets, sees bright things in the dream, he is said to have pitta-prakrti (bile-predominating ).
A person with a firm body, steady mind, full of lustre, having glistening and emollient hair, dreams of clear water, he is said to have kapha-prakrti (phlegmatic ).
It is said that blood and bile (pitta) get heightened due to sexual intercourse and great stress of work. The same is the case when the food not properly cooked is taken, or when there is long march on the road. The bile gets heightened by fear, and the same is the resut when to much water is taken in or when one sleeps just after food.Phlegmatic humour increases in the case of idle persons , giving rise to gases. Breaking of bones ( namely breaking sound ), tawny color of the mouth, dryness of the mouth, yawning, excitement are indications of vata (gout ). Yellowness of the nails, eyes and the veins, bitter taste, thirst and heat are the indications of pitta (bile ).
The human body, like that of other such creatures has nine openings-two ears, two eyes, two nostrils, mouth, the anus and the generation organ. The tenth is the brahma-randhra at the scalp, which is very soft at birth and gets hardened. Now when a person dies, his vital breaths are believed to shoot out from any one of these openings. The navel-pit is said to be the limit for the upper eight openings and the lower two. It is said that the vital breaths of righteous persons pass away through any of the upper openings, and those of the sinful from either of the lower ones.

The uniqueness of the human body is that it is blessed with mind and intellect. Structurewise, they are inert. It is the consciousness pervadind in the body is the substratum for all its activities like electricity pervading in a bulb or fan for its functioning.
The various organs are designed for doing various kinds of actions. The body has an in-built capacity of recharging itself through rest and sleep. The body with its mind and brain has enormous energy to accomplish great works.The fatigue and exhaustion due to works can be overcome by the body. Even prayer, meditation and dedication to work, selfless service to humanity deposit the feeings of hope, love, openness and serenity, spreading a sensation of warmth and calmness slowly all over the body. In a short time, one can return to one's busy schedule feeling refreshed, refocussed and recharged. This indicates that our well-spring of enjoyment lies in our own inner self. The Supreme Power is within us only and not outside. In the words of Thomas Moore -
' The soul is a garden enclosed, our own perpetual paradise where we can be refreshed and restored.'
The act of meditation or trying to look within, calming the mind can take one to a brief pilgrimage to tranquil places within. It is said-
' Here in the body are sacred rivers, here are the sun and moon as well as the pigrimage places. I have not encountered another temple as blissful as my own body.'
We should realize the relationship with our body which is always with us, which is our best friend beyond the limits of our physical characteristics. At the center of our being lies the soul. This inner spiritual light represents all our beauty, strength and other psitive qualities. It is not troubled by physical shortcomings or limitations. By learning to inhabit our body more consciously and in a kinder way, we can build a base for a wiser and healthier relationship with our physical body and with inner life.
     The entire Nature and the various objects created in it are for the enjoyment and benefit of human beings. The human being is a link in the chain of Nature. All are inter-connected. Destruction of one in the chain breaks the entire delicate net-work. The organs of action of human body are meant for various activities of the body. The sense organs are provided for its enjoyment of objects in the world, but within limits. Eyes are meant to see and enjoy good things, ears to hear good , likewise all organs are designed to absorb only the good things and feel the presence of divine glory everywhere. Scriptures state that the tendency of sense-organs is going outward. That should be controlled by the mind and intellect.Mind is the base for emotional health and intellect for discrimination and wisdom. Man is provided with body, mind and intellect so that they can work in equilibrium for leading a well-balanced , enjoyable life. Any disturbance in this will lead to miseries only.The scriptures describe this in a beautiful manner. The senses are the horses, the mind is the reins for holding the horses, intellect is the charioteer, the body is the chariot and the owner of this chariot is the soul. If the charioteer controls the horses with reins from straying away from here and there (from the alluring sense objects), he can reach his destination safely with his chariot. The goal of human life is meant for a higher purpose namely realizing the divinity in one's own self and the same in others also. This is called the highest state of peace and bliss.
For achieving this state the chariot (body ) has also to be in a good condition. The body requires food to live and thrive. For that the cherished treasures of Nature are available to him. A wise man should avail himself of that like the sun-shine, pure water, air, seasonal vegetables and fruits and utilizing body for exercise and good actions. He should observe the laws of eating,drinking and sleeping. It is the sound health of the body that is important. When the body is healthy, the mind will also entertain good and positive thoughts. The mind and intellect are provided with ,so that man can think and conduct himself and so lead a pure life as laid down in the scriptures.He who lives in tune with Nature and regular in prayer, meditation, who develops purity of mind freeing himself from negative thoughts like jealousy, pride, hatred, he leads a healthy, long and useful life. We should keep our unique body-machinery in perfect working order. Maintaining our vigorous health and strength will help us to discharge our duties in a satisfactory manner and secure a speedy spiritual evolution to developing divine qualities efficiently for the attainment of the final beatitude or Moksha.
It is clear that our body and its structure equips us to live up to our highest potential. In fact, eachone is created with a specific purpose to serve the society in his own capacity and attain the goal of life. The body is the vehicle to carry out the mission. It is sacred. we should realize that not only our body but that of every other one's is a rare and cherished gift of creation.We have to honor and protect it. The same divine spark is in all.
By harming us and others, we are proving that we are unworthy of this body, a precious gift of the Supreme who has been kind enough to bestow this on us for our own benefit. We are no less than a donkey who does not know the worth of the sandolwood it carries on its back. Still worse like a monkey who when offered a beautiful garland of flowers, not only does not know its worth but alsoknows only to crush it.

Ponder a while

         
                                    Ponder a while

Thirty spokes share the wheel's hub ; It is the centre hole that makes it useful. 

Shape clay into a vessel ; it is the space within that makes it useful.

Cut doors and windows for a room ; it is the holes which make it useful. 

Therefore profit comes from what is there and usefulness from what is not there.

• If you are bitter at heart, sugar in the mouth will not help you.
• If your heart is a rose, then your mouth will speak perfumed words.
• As soon as your cart is turned over, everyone reaches to give you advice.
• One can get sick of cake, but never of bread
• Truth and oil come to the surface.
• Call the bear uncle till you are safe across the bridge.
• When a king makes a mistake, all people suffer.
• Needle is small, but it sews expensive garments .
• Aim high in your career but stay humble in your heart.
• If you cannot serve, you cannot rule .
• Stubborn men make lawyers.
• The darkness of night cannot stop the light of morning.
• What is wrong today won't be right tomorrow.
• The world exists on three things : Truth, justice and peace

Small things matter

       
                                     Small things matter


           Man is always in a hurry. While doing great works the man is in such a hurry that he ignores and neglects small small things which lead to a heavy loss. And this realization dawns on him when it is too late.
A small leakage in a water pipe if neglected, can flood the entire area around. A small hole can sink a big ship.A small spark of fire if ignored, can turn into a big fire creating a great havoc. Similarly, cold or cough however trivial it may look, can lead to diseases. The texts on politics point out that even an enemy, however small he may be,should not be ignored in the interest of the country. A small weed allowed to grow in the garden will usurp the nutrients of the soil and affect the growth of healthy plants.
In the same fashion, small things in fact, add value and glory to the accomplishments. Seasoning to the dishes in cooking, garnishing the salads with spices and herbs, toppings to the ice creams, cakes not only give treat to our palate but also to our eyes. Little learning something good and new everyday grows into a vast store house of knowledge. Small drops of water ultimately fill up a bucket full. Small savings done regularly accumulate into a huge wealth in due course. Steps though small, taken continuously lead ultimately to the desired destination.
Sometimes a little planning devoting little time can pave way for huge success in life. Getting up early morning half an hour earlier than usual, allotting  five  minutes for prayer or meditation, then twenty minutes for a breakfast in a relaxed manner , enjoying dinner with the members of the familyand before going to sleep lying down in a relaxed position glistening to a soothing music or doing a prayer or remembering some happy incidents, will go a long way in maintaining good health and balance between inner self and outside world by decongesting the negative thoughts and promoting the positive aspect of the mind. Slowly and steadily this brings discipline and efficiency in routine works . Then one will find joy in every small thing. Big tasks can be achieved easily. And this will give capacity to turn more works in less time.Such a small step taken daily will evolve into a joyous and sublime spiritual journey which will make you feel always relaxed and fresh.

There is a beautiful story which depicts how negligence of small things due to hurry causes annoyance and heavy loss .
Once upon a time, a merchant sold all of his merchandise at a fair and filled his money bags with gold, silver and jewels. He wanted to go back home and sleep in his own bed. So he packed his riches in his trunk and put it on his horse and rode away.
At noon he rested in a town. When he wanted to move on, a stable boy brought out his horse and said, " Sir, a nail is missing in the shoe of its near hind foot " .
" Oh, don't bother me with these little things."
" The shoe will  certainly stay on for the six miles I have still to go. I am in a hurry."
In the after noon, when he once more climbed on his horse and had the animal fed, another stable boy
Running towards him ,said, " Sir, a shoe is missing from your horse's near hind foot. Shall I take him to a blacksmith ? "
" No ", answered the merchant -" The horse can well hold out for the couple of miles that remain. I am in a big hurry."
So,he continued, but before long the horse began to limp. Then it stumbled, fell down and broke its leg .
The merchant was forced to leave the horse where it was,unbuckle the trunk, take it on his back and go home on foot. The trunk was very heavy and he had to put it down in between and rest for a while. Soon it became very dark. He saw a band of robbers coming on the road. Sensing danger, he dropped the trunk there and ran away in a different , unknown direction to save his life.

Wit and Wisdom

                                      Wit and Wisdom

• The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core strength within you that survives all hurt.
• Desperation is sometimes as powerful as inspirer as genius.
• It is the experience of living that is important, not searching for meaning. We bring meaning by how we love the world.
• The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science.
• Never invest your money in anything that eats or needs  repairing.
• Advertising is eighty five percent confusion and fifteen percent commission
• If we could sell our experience for what they cost us, we'd all be millionaries.
• Labor is craft, but perfect rest is an art.
• The most important thing in communication is to hear what is not being said.
• You can wash your hands but not your conscience.
• You cannot be anything if you want to be everything
•          Despise not any man, and discard not anything, for there is not a man who has not his hour and there exists not a thing which has not its place.