duties

Duties of varan ashrama. as prescribed in the vedic books are to be followed. but what about that extra mile that we all have to put in. As no longer we are following the pure duties assigned to our class of people we have moved into other areas say for example Brahmins were supposed to do a certain duty so to a vaisha etc but because we have interchanged the system to suit our selves we have to inculcate all the duties performed by that varan ashrama. we have each to contribute 10% of take home salary to a worthy cause a donation to support the social system. most people do not do so on a systematic basis. we have to perform this duty as a basic duty then the society will improve. let us not try and blame others for some systems not working properly etc. if we all take it upon ourselves and do our duty consciously we can dream of  a sparkling future.
to be continued.

blue moon.

The term has traditionally referred to an 'extra' moon, where a year which normally has 12 moons has 13 instead. The 'blue moon' reference is applied to the 3rd moon in a season with 4 moons,^[1] thus correcting the timing of the last month of a season that would have otherwise been expected too early. This happens every two to three years (seven times in the Metonic cycle of 19 years).^[2] The March 1946 issue of Sky & Telescope misinterpreted the traditional definition, which led to the modern colloquial misunderstanding that a blue moon is a second full moon in a single solar calendar month with no seasonal link.

Owing to the rarity of a blue moon, the term "blue moon" is used colloquially to mean a rare event, as in the phrase "once in a blue moon".^[3][4]

One lunation (an average lunar cycle) is 29.53 days. There are about 365.24 days in a tropical year. Therefore, about 12.37 lunations (365.24 days divided by 29.53 days) occur in a tropical year. In the widely used Gregorian calendar, there are 12 months (the word month is derived frommoon^[5]) in a year, and normally there is one full moon each month. Each calendar year contains roughly 11 days more than the number of days in 12 lunar cycles. The extra days accumulate, so every two or three years (7 times in the 19-year Metonic cycle), there is an extra full moon. The extra moon necessarily falls in one of the four seasons, giving that season four full moons instead of the usual three, and, hence, a blue moon.

Future world leaders are to be Indians.

As per records 65 %  of the worlds under 35 years are Indians. 12 graders in education are the worlds highest in India. Can you then imagine what our responsibility is then we have to help nurture the young the teen agers who are to be the future leaders of the world. i am sure you will all agree that the young today are showing their skills at multi tasking and are able to focus and achieve what we thought was impossible for someone so young. they handle situations like professionals. it was only yesterday that a fourteen year old a daughter of a friend of ours played the violin so well she played south indian classical, music followed by four seasons then Vivaldi and also a film song she tells us just by listening to the song once she would be able to play it again. and mind you she is a piano player and fiddles with the violin cause she learnt it earlier and possesses one of her own.
it reminds me of my earlier post the tortoise and hare. most countries in the world today have ageing population  the young are so caught up with their carers that they fail to see the responsibility they have to their nation yes it is each individuals pay back to their country that the bring forth good responsible citizens for the next gen. we have overtaken China too the future is going to see Indians ruling the world for all its corners and places. wising the young a bright prosperous future and reminding the   brethren their responsibility let each one of us face our daily work as a prayer to the Divine.

LET US WORK AS WE PRAY FOR WORK INDEED IS THE BEST PRAYER TO THE DIVINE.

emotions and their workings. contemplations.

'Tis impossible for the mind to fix itself steadily upon one idea for any considerable time ; nor can it by its utmost efforts ever arrive at such a constancy. But however changeable our thoughts may be, they are not entirely without rule and method in their changes. The rule, by which they proceed, is to pass from one object to what is resembling, contiguous to, or produe'd by it. When one idea is present to the imagination, any other, united by these relations, naturally follows it, and enters with more facility by means of that introduction. The second property I shall observe in the human mind is a like association of impressions. All resembling impressions are connected together, and no sooner one arises than the rest immediately follow. Grief and disappointment give rise to anger, anger to envy, envy to malice, and malice to grief again, till the whole circle be completed. In like manner our temper, when elevated with joy, naturally throws itself into love, generosity, pity, courage, pride, and the other resembling affections. 'Tis difficult for the mind, when actuated by any passion, to confine itself to that passion alone, without any change or variation. Human nature is too inconstant to admit of any such regularity. Changeableness is essential to it. And to what can it so naturally change as to affections or emotions, which are suitable to the temper, and agree with that set of passions, which then prevail ? 'Tis evident, then, there is an attraction or association among impressions, as well as among ideas ; tho' with this remarkable difference,


that the pleasure, which we receive from praise, arises from a communication of sentiments, we shall find, upon examination, that these objections, when taken in a proper light, will serve to confirm it. Popular fame may be agreeable even to a man, who despises the vulgar ; but 'tis because their multitude gives them additional weight and authority. Plagiaries are delighted with praises, which they are conscious, they do not deserve ; but this is a kind of castle-building, where the imagination amuses itself with its own fictions, and strives to render them firm and stable by a sympathy with the sentiments of others.
to be continued.

Discipline and Humility.

Story of the hare and tortoise

I am sure most if not all have heard of the story of the hare and tortoise. This story is simple yet teaches us important values. I shall give a twist to the story to examine the values we can learn from it.

Once upon a time there lived in Animal Land two kinds of animals, the hare and tortoise. The hare population has long been looking down on the tortoise population. In addition to that, the hare population has been bullying the tortoise population slowly taking up the tortoise population's territory. One day, the hare population got together for a meeting to discuss of a plan to get rid of the tortoise population from Animal Land for good.

The hares have long known the tortoises to be slower animals than them. So, the hares decided to use their advantage of being the faster animal to challenge the tortoises to a race that will decide who gets to stay in Animal Land. The animal who win the race will get to stay in Animal Land while the other animal has to leave. Thus, a race challenge was issued from the hares to the tortoises. Each of the animals, hares and tortoises will select their best runners to compete in this race which will determine who gets to stay in Animal Land for good.

The tortoises after receiving news of the race challenge, got together to discuss things. Many of the tortoises disagree to taking part in the race. Most were saying, "We have always been known to be much slower than the hares and taking part in this race will only mean losing it and getting ourselves kicked out of the land." There were others who expressed their concerns, "If we do not take part in this race, we will be laughed at by the hares and further looked down and bullied by them." One of the tortoise finally stood up and said, "I will take part in the race. I may not be the fastest among all of you. But, I know the hares too well that they are proud and lazy creatures, lacking discipline. Even if they can run fast, we may not lose the race if we are humble and disciplined enough to persevere through the race."

After much reluctance, the tortoises finally agreed among themselves to take part in this race. On the race day, many hares came to support their best runner they have chosen. The hares kept their heads high praising their best runner that he will surely win the race without much effort. Many tortoises also came to support the tortoise runner who had volunteered to take part in this race. However, they were mostly silent among themselves and were worried, lacking confidence in their runner.

The race started. The hare runner ran as fast as he could. As he was running, he kept thinking to himself that this slow tortoise is so slow that even when he finishes the race, the tortoise may not even complete a quarter of the race. When the hare had completed half of the race, he happened to see a big tree by the track and took a rest. He sat down thinking, "This slow tortoise will never catch up with me. He is just so slow. Since I have already ran half of the race and is tired, I shall take a short nap under this nice big tree while waiting for that slow coach to catch up with me. Anyway, when I wake up, he will still be far behind me."

As the hare took a nap under the tree, the tortoise was still persevering on. He had only one thought in mind, and that is to win the race and save his people. He understood that he had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders and so he pressed on with this discipline to ignore the tiredness he was facing while pushing ahead with steady steps.

Eventually, the tortoise came to the big tree and saw that the hare was still sleeping. The tortoise continued going forward. Despite being tempted to take a rest just as what the hare had done, he still chose to discipline himself to press on. After sometime, the tortoise was nearing the finishing line. The hare had now woken up and found that he had been sleeping for a very long time. He started to panick and ran forward as fast as he could. However, just when the hare finally saw the tortoise from a distance, the tortoise had just finished the race.

The hare was angry and disappointed with losing the race. The other hares around kept their heads down and were sad that they had to leave Animal Land for good now that they had lost the race. At that instant, the tortoise runner said to the hares, "I was lucky enough to win the race because your runner took a nap and gave me this chance to win. Otherwise, I was certainly not able to win. We had been bullied by you people for long. Why can't we be at peace with each other? If we can allow you hares to stay with us in Animal Land, can we be good neighbours with each other for good?" The tortoises around also agreed to let the hares stay with them in Animal Land for good and will not chase them out because they had lost the race. As such, the hares continued to stay in Animal Land with the tortoises and their relationships got better with each passing day.

The hares also learnt from the tortoises the values of being disciplined, humble and forgiving. One day after the race, the hare runner visited the tortoise runner and said, "Let's have another friendly race. This time I will not be proud and lazy but will be humble and disciplined to persevere to complete the race." However, the tortoise runner laughed out loud exclaiming, "I took part in the race last time precisely because I knew I will have a good chance to win the race since you were proud and lazy once. Now, with your determination and good values of humility, discipline and perseverance, I will not be stupid enough to compete you for a race. However, we can still run together regularly to keep ourselves fit. I can also take this chance to train myself up to challenge you the next time when you start to become proud and lazy again." At this speech, both the hare and tortoise laughed together and they became the very best friends in Animal Land. 

Perseverance overcomes all obstacles.

Perseverance is an active patience, a patience that marches on. you will need time, you will need patience. You will need much endurance, much perseverance and courage and an untiring goodwill. Look and see if you are capable of having all this, and then start. But once you have started, it is finished, there is no going back any more; you must go to the very end.
And the most essential quality is perseverance, endurance, and a... what shall I call it?—a kind of inner good humour which helps you not to get discouraged, not to become sad, and to face all difficulties with a smile.
For a happy and effective life, the essentials are sincerity, humility, perseverance and an insatiable thirst for progress.
Perseverance breaks down all obstacles.

What you are not able to do today, you will achieve tomorrow. Persevere and you shall conquer.   

It is by persevering that one conquers difficulties, not by running away from them.One who perseveres is sure to triumph. Victory goes to the most enduring. Always do your best and the Lord will take care of the results.

(M)

A child's thought of God. (EBB)

They say that God lives very high;
But if you look above the pines
You cannot see our God; and why?

And if you dig down in the mines
You never see him in the gold;
Though from him all thats glory shines.

God is so good he wears a fold
Of heaven and earth across his face
Like secrets kept for love untold.

But still I feel that His embrace
Slides down by thrills through all things made,
Through sight and sound of every place.

A Musical instrument. (EBB)

What was he doing the great god Pan,
Down in the reeds by the river?
Spreading ruin and scattering ban, 
Splashing and paddling with hools of a goat.
and breaking the golden lilies afloat 
with a dragon fly on the river.

He tore out the reed, the great god pan,
From the deep cool bed of the river
The limpid water turbidly ran
And the broken lilies a dying lay,
And the dragon fly had fled away,
Ere he brought it out of the river.

He cut it short, did the great god Pan
How tall it stood in the river,
Then drew the pith like the heart of a man,
Steadily from the outer ring
And notched the poor dry empty thing
In holes as he sat by the river.

This is the way, laughed the great god Pan
Laughed while he sate by the river.
the only way since gods began
To make sweet music, they could suceed
Then, dropping his mouth to a hole in the reed,
He blew in power by the river.

Sweet sweet sweet O Pan!
Piercing sweet by the river!
Blinding sweet, O great god Pan!
The sun on the hill forgot to die,
And the lilies revived, and the dragon fly
Came back to dream on the river.

Yet half a beast is the great god Pan,
to laugh as he sits by the river,
making a poet out of a man
The true gods sigh for the cost and pain
For the reed which grows never more again
As a reed with the reeds in the river.

(The reed is never the same again though made by half man half beast){The reed compares with man and the divine music with the divine characteristic of man}[all things bright and beautiful he makes them all he is every where only we have to consciously notice the divinity in every action every deed every way of life]
once the divine music has flown through you there is no looking back you are from the selected lot, may such revelations grow in every one and all collectively evolve.

Niyama.

1.Hri.
Allow yourself the expression of remorse being modest and showing shame for misdeeds. recognise your errors, confess and make amends. Sincerely apologise to those hurt by your words or deeds. resolve all contention before you sleep. Seek out and correct your faults and bad habits. welcome correction as a means to bettering yourself. do not boast shun pride and pretension.
2. Santosha.
Nurture contentment, seeking joy and serenity in life. be happy smile and uplift others. Live in constant gratitude for your health, your friends and your belongings. do not complain of what you donot possesses. Identify with the eternal you rather than mind body or emotions. Keep the mountain top view that life is an opportunity for spiritual progress.
3. Dana.
Be generous to a fault, giving liberally without thought or reward. donate one tenth of your income dashamamsha to temples ashrams and spiritual organisations. approach temples with offerings, visit gurus with gifts donate religious literature. feed and give to those in need. Bestow your time and talents without seeking praise. treat guests as God.
4. Astikya.
Cultivate an unshakable faith. Believe firmly in God. trust in the words of the masters, the scriptures and traditions. Practice devotion and sadhana to inspire experiences that build advanced faith. Be loyal to your lineage satguru. shun those who break your faith by argument and accusation.
5. Ishvara Pujan.
Cultivate devotion through daily worship and meditation. set aside a room or place as God's shrine at home. 0ffer food fruits and flowers daily.  Learn simple pooja and chants and recite them daily. Worship with devotion and clear the channels for the guru and gods grace to flow through you.
6. Siddhanta Shravana.
Eagerly hear the scriptures, study their teachings and listen to the wise of your lineage. choose a Guru follow the path he directs. Revere and study the revealed scriptures the Vedas and agamas.
7. Mati.
Develop a spiritual will and intellect through Guru's guidance, strive for knowledge of God to awaken the light within. Discover the hidden lesson in each experience to develop a profound understanding of life and yourself. through meditation cultivate intuition by listening to the still small voice within, by understanding the subtle sciences inner worlds and mystical texts.
8. Vrata.
Embrace religious vows, rules and observances and do not waver in fulfilling them. Honour vows as spiritual contracts with your soul, your community, your Guru, and god. Take vows to harness the instinctive nature. Fast periodically, Pilgrimage yearly, uphold vows strictly be they marriage, monasticism, non addiction, tithing, loyalty to lineage vegetarianism or non smoking.
9. Japa
Chant your holy mantra daily. reciting the sacred sound, word or phrase given by the Guru. Bathe first quiet the mind and concentrate fully to let the Japa harmonise purify and uplift you. heed to instructions and chant the prescribed repetitions without fail. Live free of anger so that the Japa strengths your higher nature. let the japa quell the emotions and quiet the rivers of thought.
10. Tapas.
Practice austerity, serious disciplines, penance and sacrifices. Be ardent in prayer worship meditation and pilgrimage.

Ankiyanat plays (w)

Ankiya Nata—The Dramas of Sankaradeva

Ankiya Nata (Aṅkiyā Nāṭa) is a form of religious theatre created by Sankaradeva. Ankiya means ‘act’ or ‘episode’ and Natameans ‘drama’. Thus, Ankiya Nata means a ‘one-act drama’ composed in a particular form. Sankaradeva created Ankiya Nata and wrote many popular plays as a means of spreading and maintaining the tenets of Vaisnavism among his people. Like the Ramalila and Rasalila of the various north Indian states, the Bhagavata Mela of Tamil Nadu, Krishnattam of Kerala and the Prahlada Natakam of Orissa, the Ankiya Nata too is Vaisnavite in content and character. It is one of the oldest of its kind.

Contents

• Ankiya Nata—The Dramas of Sankaradeva
  • A Sacrosanct Medium
  • The Performance of the Play
    • The Inimitable Sutradhara
    • Drums, Dances, Music and Masks
  • Uniqueness of Ankiya Nata

A Sacrosanct Medium

This medium is held to be so sacrosanct that the composition of at least one Ankiya Nata became a criterion for assuming the office of the Sattradhikara (religious head of a Sattra). Over the centuries, this cultural masterpiece of Sankaradeva has been preserved and carefully nurtured by the Sattras. The Ankiya Nata of today still retains the pristine purity of the Medieval times.

In this it is unlike the Jatra of Bengal which has survived and grown primarily because it was willing to give up the traditional Vaisnava content.

The Performance of the Play

Performances of the Ankiya Nata usually take place within the confines of the prayer halls orNama-ghara. The Nama-ghara, which doubles up as a theatre-hall, is a roofed structure open at the side. The acting area is a long narrow corridor marked off by ropes running down the center the length of the building. Usually, audiences sit on the ground or stand at the back facing each other while the players make their way up and down the narrow acting corridor. At times, scenes are played behind one side of the audience, literally enfolding them in the dramatic action.

At the one end of the prayer-hall is the Manikuta which houses the sacred throne , Guru Āsana, in which the sacred text (usually, the Bhagavata Purana) is placed, symbolizing the presence of Lord Krishna and of the Guru, his words, his teachings. Entrances are made at the (open) end opposite the Guru Asana and the players progress down the passageway in a slow ritual dance toward the sacred text to begin most performances.

A performance event usually begins around 9 pm and continues, sometimes, until sunrise. Usually, companies consist of around 15 amateur actors, either made up of the bhakats and other lay devotees or artists who take particular pride in portraying the stories of Rama and Krishna. Earlier, the Ankiya Natas were men-only productions and women did not participate in the performances. But, in the productions of today, there are no such restrictions.

The Inimitable Sutradhara

Shimmering white costumes are worn by the large orchestra of musicians which provide a hypnotic musical background during the overture and throughout a show. Leading characters wear colorful costumes and crowns to symbolize their particular station in life.

Perhaps the most striking character is that of theSūtradhara or the stage manager who is dressed in a white long-sleeved coat with a full, gathered skirt, rather like that of a figure from a Mughal miniature. He also wears a white turban and elaborate ornaments.

Drums, Dances, Music and Masks

Performances begin with an elaborate ritual of drumming, songs and dances commencing at the archway of lights (agni-gaḍa) constructed on the acting area, opposite the sacred room. Special songs are sung in praise of Krishna. At last, the Sutradhara makes a spectacular entrance from behind a curtain at the archway accompanied by fireworks (sometimes) and dancing. A stately dance ensues during which he offers his humble respects to Krishna before the Manikuta. Then he recites a verse from the play to be staged or enacted and concludes with a song. A red curtain is held up and Krishna makes his entrance by dancing majestically towards the Manikut. Only then does the actual drama begin.

Throughout the action which follows, the stage manager stands near the actors. He inserts the necessary directions to the musicians and comments to the audience when need be to interpret the action of the play.

Then there are the giant effigies made of bamboo and covered with papier-mache painted to represent demons and animals. In some productions, the figures are at least 15 feet high and must be manipulated by several actors at once. Masks of birds, snakes, monkeys and bears are worn whenever a particular play demands the presence of such fanciful characters.

Scenes of conflict between the forces of good and evil highlight an evening of Ankiya Nata. Brief songs and dances close the performance in the wee hours of the morning.

The description given above pertains to the performance of the dramas within the confines of the Nama-ghara. The Ankiya Natas of modern times are, however, enacted on stage in the theater halls and other public places as well. Although the same (elaborate) rituals are followed, certain (minor) changes sometimes have to be incorporated in the stage-version of the plays in order to adjust to the different ambience. But, of course, the content is left untouched.

In this context, it is quite interesting to note that in the medieval times, many plays were, in fact, open-air performances. Sankaradeva’s first theatrical performance, the legendary Cihna Yatra, is believed to be a stage performance, not an indoor one.

Uniqueness of Ankiya Nata

The Ankiya plays have some characteristics which are not found in other plays of India, especially the Sanskrit plays. The presence of the character of the Sutradhara, for instance. Moreover, the entire play is enacted from beginning to end, without any intervening break between the scenes, the Sutradhara filling in the potential gaps with his own brand of dialogue.

Scenes which connect well with the simple rural folk like that of eating, killing, etc which certainly do not find a place (or are deprecated) in the more ‘sophisticated’ Sanskrit plays, appear time and again. The drama or Nata contains many songs and dances as well. Thus, the Ankiya Nata or one–act play represents the ‘hybridisation of media’ for which Sankaradeva’s Neo Vaisnavite Movement is so famous.

The strength of the Ankiya Nata is its close links to the religious beliefs of the Assamese people, particularly the devotees of Krishna. It has sustained itself for centuries because it is prominent among the religious minded Hindus of the state. It does not seem to have changed drastically over time, even though the state (itself) has undergone many dramatic changes in its economic and social organization in recent times.

you can't catch the sun beam in your hand.

Come to think of it you can not catch the sun beam in your hand.
it might be the best moment of your life but that too will pass.
to be continued.