pure joy.

A little boy wanted to meet God.  He knew it was a long trip to where God lived. So he packed his suitcase with a bag of potato chips and a
six-pack of Soft Drink and started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old
man.  He was sitting in the
park, just staring at some pigeons.  The boy sat down next to him and opened his
suitcase.  He was about to take a drink from his Bottle when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him some chips. He gratefully accepted it and
smiled at him.

His smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a
soft drink.  Again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted!  They sat there all
afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word...

As twilight approached, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave;
But before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug. He gave him his
biggest smile ever...

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was  Surprised by the look of joy on his face.  She asked him, "What did you do
today  that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added,
"You know what?  He's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home.  His son was Stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked, "dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied "I ate potato chips in the park with
God."  However, before his son responded, he added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Hitopadesa.

Maxim on learning

Learning to a man is a name superior to beauty;
learning is better than hidden treasure.
Learning is a companion on a journey to a strange country,
learning is strength inexhaustible.
Learning is the source of renown
and the fountain of victory in the senate.
Learning is a superior sight,
learning is a livelihood;
a man without learning is as a beast of the field.

—Hitopadesa

Compassion

As your life to you is dear,
So is his to every creature.
The good have compassion for all,
By comparison and analogy with their own nature.

—Hitopadesa Book 1 
The work is to encourage proficiency in Sanskrit expression (samskrita-uktishu) and knowledge of wise behaviour (niti-vidyam). This is done through the telling of moral stories in which birds, beasts and humans interact. Interest is maintained through the device of enclosed narratives in which a story is interrupted by an illustrative tale before resuming. The style is elaborate and there are frequent pithy verse interludes to illustrate the points made by the various speakers. On account of these, which provide by far the greater part of the text, the work has been described as an anthology of (sometimes contradictory) verses from widespread sources relating to statecraft.
The Hitopadesha is organized into four books, with a preface section called Prastavika. The opening verse expresses reverence to the Hindu god Ganesha and goddess Saraswati. There are several versions of the text available, though the versions are quite similar unlike other ancient and medieval era Hindu texts wherein the versions vary significantly. The shortest version has 655 verses, while the longest has 749 verses. In the version translated by Wilkins, the first book of Hitopadesha has nine fables, the second and third each have ten, while the fourth has thirteen fables.

Book 1 Mitralabha: How to gain a friend

The Book 1 is introduced with the statement that wise and sincere friends may be poor or destitute, but it is they who may help one achieve successes in life. The book recommends that the good find good friends, they are like a vessel in which one deposits both joys and sorrows of life, and it is not words that define a friend but their behavior and actions.

The pigeons, the crow, the mouse, the tortoise and the deer

The deer, the jackal and the crow.

The blind jackal, the cat and the birds.

The history of Hiranyaka the mouse.

The old man and his young wife.

The huntsman, the deer, the boar, the serpent, and the Jackal

The rajah's son and the merchants wife.

The jackal and the elephant.

Book 2 Suhrdbheda: How to lose a friend

The Book 2 is introduced with the statement that great friendships can be destroyed by the cruel and envious beings who envy such friendship. The book states that misinformation creates wedge between friends, as does a focus on disagreements, rash action without due investigation and a lack of communication.

The bull the two jackals and the lion.

The ape and the wedge.

The thief the ass and the dog.

The lion the mouse and the cat.

The poor women and the bell.

The adventures of Kanadarpaketu.

The farmers wife and her two gallants.

The crow the golden chain and the black serpent.

The lion and the rabbit.

The partridges and the sea.

Book 3 Vigraha: War

The third book presents a series of fables wherein war is described as a consequence of greed, criticism of others, wicked people and their ideologies, cruel and ungrateful leader, lack of restraint, lack of preparation, poor fortifications, weak military, weak diplomacy, and poor counsel.

The geese and the peacock.

The birds and the monkey.

The ass dressed in tigers skin.

The elephants and the rabbits.

The goose and the crow.

The Varttaka and the crow.

The wheelwright and his wife.

The blue jackal.

The man who sacrificed his own son.

The barber who killed a beggar.

Book 4 Sandhi: Peace

The fables in Book 4 state that it is always better to seek peace with seven types of people: the truthful, the virtuous, the just, the strong, the victorious, those with many brothers, and the self-destructing worthless. Peace can be achieved, states Hitopadesha, if one examines one's own behavior and one's own seeking as much as that of the opponent, pays attention to the counsel of one's good friends, treats the opponent with respect and understanding that is in tune with the opponent's character, forms one or more of sixteen types of treaties, reciprocal assistance and cooperative ventures between the two sides thereby enabling the pursuit of truth.

The geese and the peacocks/ 2.

The tortoise and the two geese.

The three fishes.

The merchant and his artful wife.

The boobies and the weasel.

The mouse and the hermit.

The booby and the crab.

The Brahmin who broke the pots and pans.

The two giants.

The Brahmin and his goat.

The camel the crow the tiger and the jackal.

The old serpent and the frog.

The brahmin and the weasel.

The text ends with the following

May peace forever yield happiness to all the victorious possessors of the earth,
May just men forever be free from adversity, and the fame of those who do good long flourish,
May prudence, like a glorious sun shine continually on your breasts,
May the earth, with all her vast possessions, long remain for your enjoyment.

— Hitopadesa, 

Translator: Charles Wilkins

ragas timely

The park bench.

The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read.
Beneath the long, straggly branches of an old willow tree.
Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown,
For the world was intent on dragging me down.

And if that weren't enough to ruin my day,
A young boy out of breath approached me, all tired from play.
He stood right before me with his head tilted down
And said with great excitement, "Look what I found!"

In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight,
With its petals all worn - not enough rain, or too little light.
Wanting him to take his dead flower and go off to play,
I faked a small smile and then shifted away.

But instead of retreating he sat next to my side
And placed the flower to his nose
And declared with overacted surprise,
"It sure smells pretty and it's beautiful, too.
That's why I picked it; here, it's for you."

The weed before me was dying or dead.
Not vibrant of colors: orange, yellow or red.
But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave.
So I reached for the flower, and replied, "Just what I need."

But instead of him placing the flower in my hand,
He held it mid-air without reason or plan.
It was then that I noticed for the very first time
That weed-toting boy could not see: he was blind.

I heard my voice quiver; tears shone in the sun
As I thanked him for picking the very best one.
You're welcome," he smiled, and then ran off to play,
Unaware of the impact he'd had on my day.

I sat there and wondered how he managed to see
A self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree.
How did he know of my self-indulged plight?
Perhaps from his heart, he'd been blessed with true sight.

Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see
The problem was not with the world; the problem was me.
And for all of those times I myself had been blind,
I vowed to see the beauty in life,
And appreciate every second that's mine.

And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose
And breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose
And smiled as I watched that young boy,
Another weed in his hand,
About to change the life of an unsuspecting old man.

by Cheryl L. Costello-Forshey

Keep it green.

Find your birthday and then find your tree.
This is really cool and somewhat accurate.
Felt it was quite spot on..

 Jan 01 to Jan 11 - Fir Tree
 Jan 12 to Jan 24 - Elm Tree
 Jan 25 to Feb 03 - Cypress Tree
 Feb 04 to Feb 08 - Poplar Tree
 Feb 09 to Feb 18 - Cedar Tree
 Feb 19 to Feb 28 - Pine Tree
 Mar 01 to Mar 10 - Weeping Willow Tree
 Mar 11 to Mar 20 - Lime Tree
 Mar 21 (only) - Oak Tree
 Mar 22 to Mar 31 - Hazelnut Tree
 Apr 01 to Apr 10 - Rowan Tree
 Apr 11 to Apr 20 - Maple Tree
 Apr 21 to Apr 30 - Walnut Tree
 May 01 to May 14 - Poplar Tree
 May 15 to May 24 - Chestnut Tree
 May 25 to Jun 03 - Ash Tree
 Jun 04 to Jun 13 - Hornbeam Tree
 Jun 14 to Jun 23 - Fig Tree
 Jun 24 (only) - Birch Tree
 Jun 25 to Jul 04 - Apple Tree
 Jul 05 to Jul 14 - Fir Tree
 Jul 15 to Jul 25 - Elm Tree
 Jul 26 to Aug 04 - Cypress Tree
 Aug 05 to Aug 13 - Poplar Tree
 Aug 14 to Aug 23 - Cedar Tree
 Aug 24 to Sep 02 - Pine Tree
 Sep 03 to Sep 12 - Weeping Willow Tree
 Sep 13 to Sep 22 - Lime Tree
 Sep 23 (only) - Olive Tree
 Sep 24 to Oct 03 - Hazelnut Tree
 Oct 04 to Oct 13 - Rowan Tree
 Oct 14 to Oct 23 - Maple Tree
 Oct 24 to Nov 11 - Walnut Tree
 Nov 12 to Nov 21 - Chestnut Tree
 Nov 22 to Dec 01 - Ash Tree
 Dec 02 to Dec 11 - Hornbeam Tree
 Dec 12 to Dec 21 - Fig Tree
 Dec 22 (only) - Beech Tree
 Dec 23 to Jan 01 - Apple Tree

 TREES (in alphabetical order)

 Apple Tree (Love) -- quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal, and attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous, sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, needs affectionate partner.

 Ash Tree (Ambition) -- extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, needs love and much emotional support.

 Beech Tree (Creative) -- has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.).

 Birch Tree (Inspiration) -- vivacious, attractive, elegant,friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.

 Cedar Tree (Confidence) -- of rare strength, knows how to adapt, likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined, often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

 Chestnut Tree (Honesty) -- of unusual stature, impressive,
 well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.

 Cypress Tree (Faithfulness) -- strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give but doesn't necessarily like it, strives to be content, optimistic, wants to be financially independent, wants love and affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to
 gain knowledge, needs to be needed.

 Elm Tree (Noble-mindedness) -- pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.

 Fig Tree (Sensibility) -- very strong minded, a bit self-willed, honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, hard worker when wants to be, loves life and friends, enjoys children and animals, sexually oriented, great sense of humor, has artistic talent and great intelligence.

 Fir tree (Mysterious) -- extraordinary taste, handles stress well, loves anything beautiful, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them, hard to trust others, yet a social butterfly, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work, rather modest, talented, unselfish, many friends, very reliable.

 Hazelnut Tree (Extraordinary) -- charming, sense of humor, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.

 Hornbeam Tree (Good Taste) -- of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition,  very good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, extraordinary partner and parent , looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner,  can go to extreme lengths for persons whom they care ,unusual dreams ,   honest , pure minded  and very  conscientious.

 Lime Tree (Doubt) - intelligent, hard working, accepts what life dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones, hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to
 use them, great leadership qualities, is jealous at times but extremely loyal.

 Maple Tree (Independence of Mind) -- no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.

 Oak Tree (Brave) -- robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the  ground, person of action.

 Olive Tree (Wisdom) -- loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.

 Pine Tree (Peacemaker) -- loves agreeable company, craves peace and harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write poetry, not fashionbvc conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally soft, low self esteem, needs affection and reassurance.

 Poplar Tree (Uncertainty) -- looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously.

 Rowan Tree (Sensitivity) -- full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.

 Walnut Tree (Passion) -- unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise.

 Weeping Willow (Melancholy) - likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding.
Sent from my iPhone

panchakshari

Panchakshari Stotram *
*Nagendraharaya Trilochanaya, bhasmangaragaya Maheswaraya, Nityaya Shuddhaya digambaraya, Tasmai nakaraya, Namashivaya!
 He who wears the snake as a necklace, he who has three eyes, who is smeared with ashes, who is ever pure and sky clad, who is the Lord of All, to him, the mantra Namashivaya, which starts with the letter “na.”
 *Mandakini salila chandana charchitaya, nandiswara pramatha natha Maheswaraya, Mandarapushpa bahupushpa supuchitaya, Tasmai makaraya Namashivaya!
 He who is anointed with the sandal powder, wetted with the water of the Mandakini river, he the Lord of All,who has the bull Nandi as his foremost servitor, who is offered worship with the white Mandara flowers, to him, the mantra Namashivaya, of which the second letter is “ma.”
* Shivaya Gauri vadanabja vrinda-suryaya dakshadwaranashakaya, SriNeelakantaya vrishadwajaya, Tasmai shikaraya namasivaya!
The blue-throated one who sits on his bull vehicle along with his consort Gauri, who destroyed the yaga of Daksha, to him, the mantra Namashivaya, of which the third letter is “shi.” *Vasishtakumbhodbhava Gautamarya, munindra devarchita shekharaya, Chandrarka vaishwanara lochanaya,Tasmai vakaraya Namashivaya!
He whose three eyes are the sun, moon, and fire, who is worshipped by the great sages, like Vasishta, Gautama and many others, to him, the mantra Namashivaya, of which the fourth letter is “va.” *Yajnaswaroopaya jatadharaya, pinakahastaya sanatanaya, Divyaya devaya digambaraya, Tasmai yakaraya Namashivaya!
The ancient divine, sky-clad god who is the very form of all sacrifices, with matted hair, wielding the bow, to him, the mantra Namashivaya, of which the fifth letter is “ya.”
**Panchaksharamidam punyam ya padeth Shiva sannidhau, Shivalokamavapnothi Shivena saha modate.
If this most holy five-lettered mantra of Shiva is chanted in his presence, he will be very pleased and will take the devotee to his divine abode.




*Nagendraharaya Trilochanaya, bhasmangaragaya Maheswaraya, Nityaya Shuddhaya digambaraya, Tasmai nakaraya, Namashivaya!

*Mandakini salila chandana charchitaya, nandiswara pramatha natha Maheswaraya, Mandarapushpa bahupushpa supuchitaya, Tasmai makaraya Namashivaya!

* Shivaya Gauri vadanabja vrinda-suryaya dakshadwaranashakaya, SriNeelakantaya vrishadwajaya, Tasmai shikaraya namasivaya!

*Vasishtakumbhodbhava Gautamarya, munindra devarchita shekharaya, Chandrarka vaishwanara lochanaya,Tasmai vakaraya Namashivaya!

*Yajnaswaroopaya jatadharaya, pinakahastaya sanatanaya, Divyaya devaya digambaraya, Tasmai yakaraya Namashivaya!

**Panchaksharamidam punyam ya padeth Shiva sannidhau, Shivalokamavapnothi Shivena saha modate.

kalajnana.

A science without mystery is unknown.
A religion without mystery is absurd.
However far the scientific method may penetrate the spiritual world
there will always remain a region to be explored by a scientific faith.

No single fact in science has ever discredited a fact in religion.

If purification of religion comes from science the purification of science in a deeper sense shall come from religion.

Religion has probably always suffered more from those who have misunderstood than from those who have opposed it.