Heart of a Child

 "There are only three things you need to let go of: judging, controlling, and being right. Release these three and you will have the whole mind and twinkly heart of a child." 

- Hugh prather

How do Children love learning?

 "I hear and I forget I see and I remember

I do and I understand" - Confucious  

STILLNESS SPEAKS

 

“There is nothing mind can do that cannot be better done in the mind's immobility and thought-free stillness.

When mind is still, then truth gets her chance to be heard in the purity of the silence.”
― Sri Aurobindo

Ceaseless Soul

A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.

—MAYA ANGELOU

Are you a story?

 In the end,

we all become

Stories.

 - Margaret Atwood.

The Purpose of an Enterprise

While I prepared for Chartered Accountancy, we had papers on Management, Financial Management etc. The topics included what are different goals of an organisation like wealth maximization, profit maximization etc.  

The take of Jamshedji Tata shows a more responsible one:

"... the purpose of an enterprise is to serve the community..."

You know, 67% of the dividend from the group goes to community services.

Books....heal

 

"A library is a second home for those who love to read. Within its walls, ignorance is healed. Books are to the mind what bandages are to wounds. Libraries should be as common as pharmacies."

- Gloria Fuertes

Life in 3 words

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life:

It goes on.

- Robert Frost 

Market Wisdom .... from the horse's mouth

The market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.

- Warren Buffett 

Know way to Riches....even no way to Riches

".... instability is related to market's superbly orchestrated ability to attract people with a promise of effortless riches, give them a taste of such gain.... persuade them it is rewarding their financial acuity (of which they have none)."

- John Galbraith 

In his 1971 book, "Economics, Peace & Laughter.'

Markets....never flat

Once Ratan Tata said:

"Ups and downs in life are very important to keep us going, because a straight line even in an ECG means we are not alive. Be persistent and resilient in the face of challenges, for they are the building blocks of success."

Flo...

Life is like riding a bicycle 🚲.

To keep your balance,

You must keep moving.

- Albert Einstein 

Man in God vice versa...

ஒரு முறை பக்தர் ஒருவர் பகவானிடம் கேட்டார், எல்லா மனிதரிடமும் கடவுள் இருக்கிறார் என்றால் மனிதன் ஏன் துயரத்தில் கஷ்டப் படுகிறான் என்று.

பகவான் அளித்த பதில் :

"God is in all men,

But all men are not in God,

That is why we suffer."

மனித சக்தியால் இயலாத நிலையில், கடவுளிடம் அர்ப்பணித்து விடுங்கள். எல்லாம் சரியாகும்.

வாழ்க வளமுடன்.

ரௌத்திரம் பழகு.....ஆறுவது சினம்

ரௌத்திரம் பழகு ....

இது பாரதி.

அவ்வை பாட்டி என்ன சொல்கிறார்?

ஆறுவது சினம்.

ரௌத்திரம் சரியா,

இல்லை, இல்லை

சினம் சரியா?

அரிஸ்டாட்டில் (கி.மு 384)  -அரிசுட்டாட்டில் - for those who believe in மறைமலை தனித் தமிழ் - ஒரு கிரேக்க மெய்யியலாளரும் பல் துறைப் புலமையாளரும் என்ன சொல்கிறார் எனப் பார்ப்போமா:

Anybody can become angry -

That is easy,

But to be angry with 

Right person 

And to the

Right degree 

And at the 

Right time 

And for the 

Right purpose 

And in the 

Right way -

That is not 

Within everybody's 

Power 

And is NOT

EASY.

After reading this my mind went back to a story heard or read, don't remember right, aeons ago.

People from a village, those era with not any automobile, had to trek along a bushy jungle to reach the nearest town to earn their livelihood. People were scary as one ferocious snake used to frighten them. Once a very composed monk was passing through and watched the spectacle of the snake scaring the passersby. But seeing the Tejas of the Monk, strangely the snake went silent. The monk advised the snake, "Be a good fellow, it's not fair to scare any one."

Days went by.

Monk was returning and surprised to see the snake lying down with full of bruise. Monk asked the poor little creature, " come on what happened?".

The snake:

"Monkji, eversince you told me to behave myself, I gave up and away my ferociousnes completely and have been remaining silent. A few playful and mischievous boys teased me throwing stones on me. Hence all this bruise....".

Monk:

" I only told you to be fair. And not remain defenceless. It's your responsibility to defend yourself. ".

Well,

Let's wrap with a couplet:

நகையும் உவகையும் கொல்லும் சினத்தின்

பகையும் உளவோ பிற. (குறள்- 304)

பொருள் விளக்கம்:

முகமலர்ச்சியும் அகமலர்ச்சியும் கொல்லுகின்ற சினத்தை விட ஒருவனுக்கு பகையானவை வேறு உள்ளனவோ?  

— மு. வரதராசன்

பொருளதிகாரம் - It's Budget Day

2024 

"If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free. If our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed.”

– Edmund Burke

"Money is numbers and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end.”

 — Bob Marley

குறள் 754:

அறன்ஈனும் இன்பமும் ஈனும் திறனறிந்து

தீதின்றி வந்த பொருள்.

மு. வரதராசன் உரை:

சேர்க்கும் திறம் அறிந்து தீமை ஒன்றும் இல்லாமல், சேர்க்கப்பட்டு வந்த பொருள் ஒருவனுக்கு அறத்தையும் கொடுக்கும் இன்பத்தையும் கொடுக்கும்.

அருளொடும் அன்பொடும் வாராப் பொருளாக்கம்

புல்லார் புரள விடல்.

பொருள்

பெரும் செல்வமாக இருப்பினும் அது அருள் நெறியிலோ அன்பு வழியிலோ வராதபோது அதனைப் புறக்கணித்துவிட வேண்டும்.

"The business schools reward difficult complex behaviour more than simple behaviour, but simple behaviour is more effective.”

- Warren Buffett.

A layman's wish on budget day:

Pray keep it simple.  Though corporate in bourses steal the limelight, an Economist says 80% of India comprises MSMEs, and fast eroding agri sector.  Don't load to their slender shoulders and make them Hercules to  carry compliance   burden.

And remember what Lord Ram asked when Bharatha came to visit in the forest:  

"Do you keep your expenses - that of kingdom of Ayodhya - within your revenue?".

Conquer yourself...

"It is better to conquer yourself than to win a 1000 battles.  Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken away from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell."

- Buddha

அண்டத்தில் மட்டுமா, போராட்டங்கள்?!

ஒவ்வோர் உள்ளும்

எத்தனை போராட்டங்கள்,

கேள்விகள்?

கேள்வியின் நாயகரே 

இந்தக் கேள்விக்கு 

விடையேது?

தன்னைத்தான் வென்றிடின் -

Conquering Self

ஆயிரம் ஆயிரம் 

யுத்தங்கள் வென்றதற்கு

மேலன்றோ !

தன்னைத்தான் கொள்ளும்

வெற்றிக் கனியை 

ஸ்வர்க்க நரகங்கள் 

தேவர்கள் அசுர்கள் 

தான் வென்றிட இயலுமோ?

Dwell in the breath

A fixation on the past is an indication of a person's lack of confidence in the present. This is how anxiety, fear and worry creep into your heart and mind.

- Shunmyo Masuno

A Buddhist Monk, Japan in his title, 'Don't worry.'

Need a sapling?

Do you love 🌲 trees?

Need a sapling?

The problem in densely populated city is hardly any space for growing big, shade giving trees. Forget creating canopies.

Then should that dream be blown out?

What best could we do when faced with constraints?

 

The God opens up newer ways.

You can grow the saplings in pots.

Growing saplings just needs your love, not plenty of water. Even just a mug of water a day would suffice.

When they grow to about two, three feet of height, you may request schools, temples with amble spaces, with care takers to accept your tree offerings. Number of Ngos dedicate themselves to tree planting, environment protection.  You can call them up also.  They will gladly accept and grow your trees.

"Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.” 

— Kahlil Gabran

Walk Your way to robust health

Be in the open air as much as possible, and take good long walks and work hard. The muscles of the leg should be as hard as iron.

- Swami Vivekanand 

From “The East and the West,” originally written in Bengali. Complete Works, 5. 488.

Psychological First Aid

+

"We can’t heal the world today but we can begin with a voice of compassion, a heart of love, an act of kindness.”

– Mary Davis

We all talk of absence of moral education period, in this rat race world. What matters is cramming and vomiting out - garbage in garbage out, GIGO - to only score. When New Education Policy aims to shift from rote learning, all nay Sayers are up in arms. My God.

Apart from Moral education, yet another quintessential learning we fail in pedagogy is not giving even a tiny heed on "First Aid Training".  True, everywhere, be it in school campuses, buses we sport a First Aid ⛑️ Kit Box. It simply serves as another fixture in the premises.  What about training?  Is it in any syllabi?

Well,

We may not be able to heal every one so distraught. Just a holding of the one in pain and saying, "pray 🙏 for you. And everything will be alright" can serve as a ray of hope.  Hope, faith is the First step on the journey of healing.

Om Shanti.

P.s.

The title is a clinical term.

Info courtesy:

Ms Lakshmi Sankaran,

Psychiatrist,

Dy Director -

BALM

And

Chennai Express, edn 11.05.2024

PERFECTION, A MIRAGE...

 "If You Wait For Perfect Conditions To Seize An Opportunity, You'll Be Waiting Till The Day You Die."

- Mark Batterson

Always

Be kind whenever possible,

It is 

ALWAYS POSSIBLE.

- HH Dalai Lama 

AS IT IS...

 TRUTH IS NOT WHAT YOU

WANT IT TO BE;

IT IS WHAT IT IS,

AND YOU MUST BEND 

TO ITS POWER

OR

LIVE A LIE.

- MIYAMOTO MUSASHI

सत्यमेवजयते

Satyameva Jayate

- Mundaka Upanishad

Be on command

 You may not control all the events

That happen to you,

But you can decide

Not to be reduced by them.

- Maya Angelou

The Goddess....

The worst deficit

In the world is 

Not any fiscal deficit.

Insufficiency is in

Failing to respect 

The spouse.

It takes a

Bhagavan Ramakrishna

To celebrate His

Better off,

Ma Sarada Devi.

Every devotee 

of Him

Is His follower

Or 

The one 

To Toe 

His line.

தை பூசம் - 2024 குன்றக்குடி Fervour

The unfortunate thing is history isn't handed down systematically down the generations. There are scientists, technocrats, professional accountants, legal luminaries, yet only a negligible number of historians.  To chronicle the genesis, the raison d'etre and the benefits of any good, especially the spiritual, event.

Thank God.

The Gen next with all fervour carry on religiously the legacies of ancestors.  

The Pada yatra, pilgrimage to Palani and குன்றக்குடி on the eve of Thai Poosam is an annual phenomenon closely after Thai Pongal Festival in Jan-Feb.

This time 2024 as usual the devotees walked about 39000 steps, 26.5 kms from Devakottai to Kuntrakudi. Notable one was, a number of overseas residents too flew down especially for this spiritual padayatra sankalp.

Enroute raining of all goodies

The Good Samaritans encouraged the yatrikas by offering biscuits, coffee, tea, buttermilk, panakam, channa sundal, juicy oranges, cool cool cucumber, chocolates et al.  The first halt was at the campus of Sarada College. Good hearts treated the yatrikas with steamy, hot rice uppma for breakfast.

The next, a little long halt was at Managiri, 18 km away from Devakottai. To relax, as Sun ☀️ God would be at His peak during noon and afternoon.

Thank all philanthropists, the coherent community for their generous and liberal Annadanam to thousands of devotees both at Managiri and Kuntrakudi.

What made, more than anything, were the devotional high peppy songs sung by god-gifted songsters, high spirited nadaswaram - davil combo, chanting mantras, the காவடி spinning, fast movements, dancing to the tunes of the songs and playing of nadaswaram and davils.

The yatra culminated with the darsn of Lord Shanmuganatha atop the hill.

Very good feeling despite killing pains in the legs.

Looking forward to stay strong and do the yatra in all the Poosams to come,

Saranam, Saranam Shanmuganatha.