Category Archives: General

Mahabharata in 36 tweets!

01 Tuesday Apr 2014

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I am a big fan of Devdutt Pattanaik and the way he brings those myths to life with this narrative style and cartoons. I have read most of his books and loved his Jaya, which is the story of Mahabharata with a collection of so many unheard local folk stories. His ideas on culture comparison between the west and east, past and present makes sense and brings about a new outlook on culture and religion. I attended a talk by him in Santa Clara on culture comparisons and it was really awesome. Got to interact with him too 🙂

Here is a link to a twitter page where he has the Mahabharata in 36 tweets! Enjoy!

https://twitter.com/soumyadip/timelines/449096550476566528

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It is “About Time” you ….

29 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by in General, Inspirational Quotes

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[Spoiler alert : About Time is a movie directed by Richard Curtis and was released in 2013. This post will be discussing the plot of the movie and giving away its main theme. If you haven’t watched it yet then do your self a favor and go watch it. If you are one of those curious types that cant hold on and want to know why I did write a spoiler and what is in this post….. Wait for it….. ok.. read on :)!]

Lets say you have the ability to travel in time. Only to the past and not to the future since you haven’t yet seen what the future is. You can travel back to any place or moment in your life that you remember and have been there. You can still remember the things that have happened until your current life(which is the future for you since you have travelled to the past). And you can come back to the current life again(what an oxymoron!). The thing is if you dont disturb anything or change anything, your life will play out the same way until your current life. But if you change things then it might play out differently. The point here is what would you do if you have this ability.

Now I want you to close your eyes and think of some of those moments or places you would want to go is to imagine the places or people or the situations where you would time travel back to.

CLOSE your eyes!

It is all about LOVE for me!

It is all about LOVE for me!

You still havent??!! How do I know? because you are still reading this…

OK. Now, think about the places or situations that you went back to. IF there were happy situations or places which you wanted to relive again. Good for you.. you have so many happy things in your life that is worth going back in time for. But if you did go back to not so happy times. Situations that you wanted to handle differently like “maybe I would not have said that to her/him or I would npt do this…”. Situations in which you change things to make it better for the future. Do you have any of those? Ok have them for now. Lets talk about the movie.

The movie is about a ordinary guy,Tim, who has this extraordinary ability to travel back in time. The first time he hears about this ability from his father, his instant reaction was to use this ability to make more money. His father advises against it because his grandfather had done the same and died with no friends or family. His father says a quote which I paraphrase here.

I have never bumped into a genuinely happy rich person.

Tim uses it to get a girl friend, help his friends and sister and to relive many happy moments. There are these funny moments where he goes back to the same events multiple times because he doesn’t know how to handle women(sounds familiar?). Then comes those which act like markers in his life. Like having kids and his father’s death. Tim deals with these moments by going traveling in time and sometimes not. The whole movie is about how Tim deals with his ordinary life with this ability and the lessons he learns. The movie ends with Tim implementing a two part plan his father gave him about traveling back in time. The plan forms the core of  the message for the viewers. The plan touched me and transform me(I like to think so) in a big way.

First part of the plan is to live this ordinary life, live it day by day just like anyone else. The movie shows scenes of Tim’s normal day filled with his daily emotions. A feeling of insecurity with his boss, his sense of triviality with the vendor girl over the counter, his hurriedness to the court room, his sad senses of relief and his frustration over a commuter playing loud music, wanting to be alone.. just a normal day in anyone’s life. A life full of tensions and worries that stop us from noticing how sweet the world can be. Then comes the second part of the plan – to travel back in time and to live those same moments again. Only this time noticing the same events and to see the beauty in it and taking the time to relish in living in all these moments. The scenes shows Tim traveling back in time and re living those moments but this time taking it lightly and with humor. He smiles a lot, makes fun of himself. Enjoys every moment of it. Smiles through each one of them and lives them as though it is his last day. Now comes the point in story that I really loved. Tim furthers his father’s plan and does one thing and shares his lessons from his travels in time. He doesn’t travel in time anymore and tries to live every day as if he has deliberately come back to this one day to enjoy it as if it was the final full day of his life. The first time I heard that some thing inside me melted. I was wondering how would life be if I could live everyday like Tim did. As if I have come back in time to relive this particular moment again. I went through a series of moments myself and saw how differently I would have handled them.

Some of you might be thinking that Tim, on second living moments, could do those things because he knew how the moments had played out the first time. That is true but in our lives don’t we see this pattern – same mundane things happening again and again and again. Would we really have to travel back in time to relive those moments or can we see these moments happening to us everyday only in different places and situations with different people? I will leave that to you to figure this out. There is this beautiful quote the movie ends with.

We are all traveling through this time together. All we can do is to do our best to relish this ride.

Now lets come back to our moments that we had collected at the start. These moments came back to you because you have attached a strong sense of emotions to it. It could be a happy emotion or a sad emotion. If it is a happy one then relish it without reliving it. IF you keep holding to these moments, it creates expectations in you and you are going to compare all the moments that are lying in front of you with this particular one and in the process loose the beauty in it. If it was a sad one, the moment is in the past and if you are lucky, you will be given a chance to correct it. When your chance comes, go through it as though you have traveled back in time to live this all over again. Only this time you are not going to feel those sad emotions again. Keep practicing this.

Live every moment of your life like as though you have traveled back in time to relive it again. You will see that Life is beautiful in ways you have not noticed before.

Happy living!

Death is a choice given to you!

27 Thursday Mar 2014

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I was listening to a knowledge tape by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and heard a comment made by him on death. He says that Death is a choice that is given many times in your lifetimes and those who die choose to die at that time. It is like a choice given to you on whether you want to continue on this life time or do you want to take a break and come back later. This kind of ties in to the various stories and experiences that you read or hear from people who have survived accidents or experienced near death experiences. Most of the people have reported to have seen a tunnel of white light and then hear some voice saying that their time has not yet come. And so they return back to the same body.

Now is it the same for an enlightened master? An enlightened master is like a student who has graduated from the university. They do not have a fixed time or schedule on when to come to come or leave. They can come and go whenever they like. Once you are graduated from a college, you do not have to go to college and attend lectures or give attendance. But you can still go back to college and give lectures on your subject and help students graduate by sharing useful information. So an enlightened master is like someone who has graduated and comes back to college to help other student graduate.

Why read the scriptures when you don’t understand it?

08 Saturday Mar 2014

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If you are one of those who is a newbie in reading the scriptures of any religion, then this is one question that will linger in your mind. “I do not understand this scripture then why read it?”. I have had this question in my mind so many times reading many. I would come up with my own answers like – “one day I will get it; If I read it these many times, then it will dawn in me; Lets understand whatever I can now…”.  Then one day I read a story narrated by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar about reading the Bhagavad Gita which was forwarded by Swami Punarchaitanya. Read the story below. (Even though the story is about the Bhagavad Gita, I believe it pertains to any other holy scriptures of any religion.)

Story

An old Farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson.Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Bhagavat Geeta. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa! I try to read the Bhagavat Geeta just like you but I don’t understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bhagavat Geeta do?” The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.” The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough,” and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, “See Grandpa, it’s useless!” “So you think it is useless?” The old man said, “Look at the basket.”

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

“Son, that’s what happens when you read the Bhagavat Geeta. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Krishna in our lives.”

Welcome once again!

22 Saturday Feb 2014

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First of all, I want to apologize for the long hiatus before coming back. Thanks to all those who waited and have been waiting. I was thinking of what might be my first post after my long break. I couldn’t come up with anything better than to share what i gained during the long break and why I had to share it. My last post was about Guru poornima last year which is july 2013. Which means it has been a break of almost 6 months with out a post. So getting straight into what I had to say.  

Here are the 3 main things that I wanted to share

There is more than one truth – I had to undergo many agonizing moments with many people. Proving my self and convincing of my intentions all the times. Have you been through arguments where both the parties think they are doing the right thing? Then you know how it feels. I had to suffer this with many of my close friends. I always would introspect on why couldn’t they understand my point of view and how to make them realize what I was doing. It would just sap my energy levels pondering on these things. Then one fine day, I was listening to a talk and listened this sentence – Evolution is to realize that there is more than one more truth! I realized that every body thinks what they “know” is the right. Once you understand the depth of this, it gives you such peace in you. The situation will remain but you will act differently. It might probably save you from disaster like it did with me!

Karma exists, I know it and you should too! –  I have read a lot and heard about karma and how it comes a full circle to you. Lot of theories and lot of experiences in small ways. But recently i was hearing to a friend who went back to India and discovered a lot of things about past lives and things like that. How every event in one’s present life has reasons beyond this present life and beyond one’s fathoms! It was mind blowing in different levels. I could only imagine what effects all the emotions that we hold onto will bring. There is so much power in not holding onto your negative emotions. Remember to forgive and to let go! You will thank me later 🙂

You become whom you hate : There were a lot of things that I didnt like in many people. But there was this one person that I didnt like anything about. The more I thought about that person’s qualities, the more angry I would become. Only later did I notice that I started imbibing more of the same qualities I hated. The more I let go the more easier it became for me. So dont hate anyone – it only magnifies the same quality in you!

Now that I have said it all out, You can expect more stories, more fun stuff and surely more knowledge from Sri Sri 🙂 Welcome one and all!

MC Yogi to perform LIVE for Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Vision of Stress Free Violence Free Community

21 Thursday Mar 2013

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It has been a long time and have some good news! It is only 2 more days to go for the launch of the campaign!! And most importantly – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, my guru, will be coming HOME! It has been 5 years, a long long time, since he last visited the bay area. There is excitement in the air, tears in people’s longings, joy in their words and what not. To add on to this, MC Yogi, the famous American hip-Hop musician and yogi is going to be performing LIVE for the campaign launch. His rap on Obama and Mahatma GANDHI went viral to become chart toppers.

MC Yogi to perform LIVE for the campaign

Here is his website – http://mcyogi.com/ and here is his famous “BE the Change” Gandhi Rap.

Welcome To The Campaign –  MC YOGI!!!!

Pre-Campaign Week 3 Theme : Health and Well Being

04 Monday Mar 2013

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It is time for a new theme and new actions to be taken! I am excited! This week’s theme for all of us is Health and Well Being! With only three more weeks to go for the campaign to be launched, we have a lot of people interested in and signing up.

The theme for Pre-Campaign week 3 is HEALTH and WELL BEING!

The theme for Pre-Campaign week 3 is HEALTH and WELL BEING!

As usual we have so many ways to do our random act of kindness in here! Here is my list 

30 seconds act of kindness

  • Post an article on meditation or going vegetarian in your Facebook page to increase awareness – Here is one if you want to use 11 ways how meditation adds value to your life!
  • Call your doctor and thank them
  • Send your friend a healthy meal recipe as a surprise!

7 minutes Act of kindess

  • Practice awareness. For next 7 minutes, do whatever with complete awareness and presence even if you have to multi-task
  • Share a joke with some other and make them laugh
  • Eat a healthy snack
  • Exercise for some time before getting out

30 minutes act of kindess

  • Meditate. Here is a guided meditation if you are not a practitioner already
  • Cook a healthy meal for someone
  • Donate blood
  • Play a sport with your child or kids in the neighborhood
  • Eat a healthy vegetarian meal tonight

If you have any other interesting act of kindness, post them here!

Why we need the Stress-Free Violence-Free Community campaign?

04 Monday Mar 2013

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StressFreeViolenceFree

I got these stats from the stress free violence free campaign website and I must say – these stats are really shocking. 1 in 3 women will experience sexual abuse in their lifetime! 1 in 7 students in K-12 is a victim of bullying or a bully themselves! Workplace stress costs US employers an estimated 22 billion dollars per year! 22 veterans commit suicide each day! Each day! Here are some interesting facts on Stress.

The following statistics are from a 2009 survey conducted by the APA where during the previous month many adults reported feeling the following physical effects of stress:

  • 47% report lying awake at night
  • 45% report irritability or anger
  • 43% report fatigue
  • 40% report lack of interest, motivation or energy

To deal with stress…

  • 56% of women and 40% of men reported eating poorly
  • 43% of women and 32% of men reported napping
  • 25% of women and 11% of men reported shopping
  • 18% reported drinking alcohol
  • 16% reported smoking

These are all the more reasons we need to come together to take steps to avoid all these. And that is exactly what Art of Living foundation is doing with the StressFreeViolenceFree community campaign! This campaign provides all of us a platform to join hands and work together to effectively resolve all these issues in the society. Join the campaign for FREE @ stressfreeviolencefree.org and attend the launch event inaugurated by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar himself on March 24th at the San jose convention center!

Country names from Sanskrit

02 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by in General, Knowledge

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I was reading a knowledge sheet where Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was explaining about the violence in Afghanistan. He says that it is because of the incomplete understanding of the history and culture of Afghanistan. Afghanistan was once the center of Vedic culture since it was at a strategic location between the Middle and Far east. Something that caught my attention was the origin or meaning of the word Afghanistan. It seems it has a Sanskrit roots –  “ahi”, “gana”, and “sthan”, meaning the country of awakened people. A number of Hindu teachers and Buddhists monks of great reputation lived in Afghanistan and founded famous universities and schools of yoga and meditation there.

This got me researching on how many countries have Sanskrit roots and what they really meant. Here is what I found.

India – This is a European term derived from Greek ‘Indos’/’Indhu’ (which means the region beyond the Indus river) which in turn is taken from Persian ‘Hindu’ which is in turn taken from Sanskrit ‘Sindhu’. Other Sanskrit names for India are Bharat (Empire ruled by Bharata dynasty)/ Aryavarta (Land of Aryans).
China – This is a European term popularised by Marco polo 13th century. It is derived from Sanskrit ‘Cina’ referring to the Qin dynasty of China. The Chinese dont have a specific name for their country.It often changed with change in dynasty which ruled them.But they vaguely call it as Zhonguo (Middle Kingdom).

Indonesia – This is a European term derived from two Greek words ‘Indos’ taken from Sanskrit ‘Sindhu’ (referring to India) and ‘nesos’ (Island). Indonesia historically had a lot of Indian influence on them, hence the Europeans simply called it as ‘Indonesia’ (Indian Islands).

Malaysia – It is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Malay’/’Malayakolam’/Malayadwipa (Islands of Mountains). The Indians used to descibe the entire South East Asia as ‘Malay’.

Iran – From Old Persian ‘Ariya’ which in turn is derived from Sanskrit ‘Arya’ as in ‘Aryavarta’ (Sanskrit name for India).

Singapore – Derived from the Sanskrit term ‘Singhapura’ (Lion City).

Sri Lanka – Sanskrit for venerable Island.

Bangladesh – Sanskrit for Land of Bengalis.

Cambodia – derived from Khmer word “Kampuchea” which is in turn derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Kambujadesa’ (Land of Kambuja).

Thailand – European word derived from the Thai term ‘Ratcha Thai’ which is in turn derived from Sanskrit term ‘Raja Thai’ (Kingdom of Thai). Thailand’s other name is Siam derived from Sanskrit term ‘Suvarnabhoomi’.(Land of Gold).

Bhutan – Sanskrit for Highlands.

Brunei – Derived from Sanskrit word ‘Varunai’ (Seafarers). The word Borneo is also came from same origin.

Maldives – Derived from Sanskrit ‘Maladwipa’ ( Garland of Islands).

Nepal – From Sanskrit ‘Nepalaya’ ( foot of the Mountains) 

Interesting right? If you know any other names, post them in the comment section.