wisdom

This should be posted on every wall so that kids all over the world can read and digest these wise words.

Love him or hate him , he sure hits the nail on the head with this!
Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about eleven things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: They called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were: So before you save the rain-forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. *This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. (Do that on your own time.)

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

If you can read this...thank a Teacher.
If you can read this in English...thank a Soldier!
And for life and everything else you have...thank God!
Now....think about this and smile if you agree and please pass this on....
If you don't agree, go stick your head in the SAND and take a DEEP BREATH!

boys song

Joy in living.

mortifying mistake

Yen Palli Kondirayya

Yen Palli Kondirayya
Artist: Vasanthakokilam N C
Ragam: Raagamaalika
Thalam: Aadi
Composer: Arunachala Kavirayar
Album: Milestones
raagam: mOhanam

28 harikaambhOji janya
Aa: S R2 G3 P D2 S
Av: S D2 P G3 R2 S

taaLam: aadi
Composer: Arunaacala Kavi
Language: Tamil

Pallavi

En paLLI koNDIrayya? shrI ranganAtharE nIr
(En)

Anupallavi

Ambal pUtta shaya paruvata maDuvilE-yavadaritta iraNDATri naDuvilE
(En)

CaraNam 1

kOshikan shol kurittadarkkO? arakki kulaiyil ambu terittadarkkO?
Ishan villai murittadarkkO? parashurAmanuram parittadarkkO?
mAshillAda mithilEshan peNNuDanE vazhi naDanda iLaippO?
dUshilAda guhanODattilE gangai turai kaDanda iLaippO?
mIshuramAm citrakUTac cikarak kalmishai kiDanda iLaippO?
kAshinimEl mArIcanODiya gati toDarnda iLaippO?
OdikkaLittO dEviyai tEdi iLaittO? MarangaLezhunduLaittO?
kaDalai kaTTi vaLaittO? lankai ennum kAval mAnagarai iDitta varuttamO?
rAvaNAdigaLai muDitta varuttamO?
(En)

CaraNam 2

maduraiyilE varum kaLaiyO? mudalai vAi magaLaittarum kaLaiyO?
edir erudai perungaLaiyO? Kanrai eDutterinda perugaLaiyO?
puduvai Ana mulaiyuNDu pEyin uyir pOkkiyaluttIRO?
adira Odivarum kuruvi vAyai iraNDAkkiyaluttIrO?
tudi shei AyargaLai kAkka vENDi malai tUkki yaluttIrO?
sati shei kAlinAl kALingan maNImuDi tAkkiyaluttIrO?
Marudam shAittO? Adu mADugaL mEittO?
sakaDuruLait teittO? kanjan uyirai mAittO?
arjunanukkAga sArathiyAi tEr viDutta varuttamO?
pOrilE cakkaram eDutta varuttamO?
(En)

CaraNam 3

paDi tanilE mettavum nAnE ummai param enavE aDuttEnE
aDimai koLvIr ennaittAnE shempon aNi arangapperumALE!
taTam urainda karum pArai shApamadu taDuttu rakSittIrE!
viDa oNNAda kAkAsuranukkoru kaN viDuttu rakSittIrE!
koDumai koNDazhuda draupadaikkut tuyil koDuttu rakSittIrE!
maDuvil Anai mun ODi mudalaiyai maDittu rakSittIrE adupOl
vArum kripai kaNNAlE pArum manakkavalai tIrum
ninaitta varam tArum tArum en sAmi vaKSamEvum
mahAlakSmiyuDan perum pakSamAga ennai rakSikka ezhundirum
(En)

additional caranam.

YEn paLLi koNDIrayya? srI ranganAtharE nIr (YEn)

shankarin urai kETpathaRkkO?
Angilatthil anaivarukkum aLitthathaRkO?
pAnguDanE gaana paNditharum ithai poruL aRinthu paaDa
(maruL)nIngi rasikarellaam mana makizhvuDanE kETka
enguM um peyar olikka, bhaktar manamellaam kaLikka
ulagil umatharuL jvalikka, naanilam ellaam thazhaikka
ranga ranga enRu sa^NkaTa^NkaL nI^ngi
maantharum dEvarum makizhnthu thuthi paaDa (nIr yEn)

This song is addressed to Lord ranganAtha of SrIrangam who is reclining on AdisESa...

The composer wonders why the Lord has taken to his bed when there is so much 

suffering in the world, and tries to find reasons for his weariness in his various lIlAs.

pallaVI:

En paLLi koNDIr ayyA, SrI ranganAtharE? nIr...(En)

Oh Lord (ayyA), SrI ranganAthA (ranganAtharE), why (En) did you (nIr) [1] take to 

(koNDIr) to your bed (paLLi)?

anupallavI:
Ambal pUtta Sakya paruvata maDuvilE avadharitta iranDu ATru naDuvilE...(En)

(Why did you take to your bed that lies) in the middle of (naDuvilE) two (iranDu) 

rivers (ATru) [2] that originated (avadharitta) from a pond (maDuvilE) effloresced 

(pUtta) with water lillies (Ambal) in the Sakya mountains (paruvatam)?

caraNam 1:
kOshikan shol kurittadarkkO? arakki kulaiyil ambu terittadarkkO? 

Was is because you considered (kuraittaDarkkO) the words (Sol) of viSvAmitra (kOSikan)?

 Or was is because you struck (teRittadarkkO) an arrow (ambu) in the abdomen (kulaiyil)

 of the demoness (arakki) tATakA to fell her?
Ishan villai murittadarkkO? parashurAmanuram parittadarkkO? Was it because you

 broke (murittadarkkO) the bow (villai) of Lord Siva (ISan)? Or perhaps because you had

 to drain/destroy (parittadarkkO) the 'strength' (uram) of paraSurAmA?
mAshillAda mithilEshan peNNuDanE vazhi naDanda iLaippO? Or was it the weariness 

(iLaippO) of having walked/journeyed (naDanda) through thick-and-thin (vazhi) with 

\(uDanE) the spotless/blemishless (mASillAda) daughter (peNN) of the king of mythilA 

(mythilESan)?
dUshilAda guhanODattilE gangai turai kaDanda iLaippO? Or was it the lassitude 

(iLaippO) that beset you after crossing the river (tuRai) gangA in the boat (ODattilE)

 of guhan after he made sure that there was no dust (dUSillAda) stuck to your feet?

mIshuramAm citrakUTac cikarak kalmishai kiDanda iLaippO? Or are you fatigued 

(iLaippO) from having to have 'rested' (kalmiSai) by reclining (kiDanda) in the severe/

extreme (mISuramAm) environs of the citrakUTa peak (Sikharam)?
kAshinimEl mArIcanODiya gati toDarnda iLaippO? Or are you distressed (iLaippO)

 from having had to chase/run behind (gati toDarnda) mArica as he ran (ODiya) on 

(mEl) the forest-floor/earth (kASini)?
ODikkaLittO dEviyai tEdi iLaittO? marangaLezhunduLaittO? Is the exhaustion 

(iLaittO) from running around (ODikaLittO) searching (tEDi) for your wife sItA (dEviyai),

 or is it from having to let a single arrow pierce (tuLaittO) seven (Ezhum) trees (marangaL)

 all lined up in a row?
kaDalai kaTTi vaLaittO? lankai ennum kAval mAnagarai iDitta varuttamO? Or is it

 the ennui from having to have overcome (kaTTi vaLaittadarkkO) [3] the obstacle of the 

sea (kaDalai)? Or is it the weariness (varuttamO) of having destroyed/torn down (iDitta) 

the secure (kAval) city (mAnagarai) called (ennum) lankA (ilankai)?
rAvaNAdigaLai muDitta varuttamO? Or is it the exhaustion of having had to completely 

erase (muDitta) rAvaNa and his hordes (rAvaNAdigaLai) that has sent you to your bed

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Hayagriva Upanishad

narrated by Rama to Hanuman

The word Hayagriva means "horse necked" The term also refers to several different mythological characters found in all three major ancient Indic religions – Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

Hayagriva refers to a horse-themed avatar, also known as Ashvamukha, Ashvasirsa and Hayashirsa. In one legend, Hayagriva is the persistent horse who brought back the Vedas from asuras Madhu and Kaitabha who stole them, during the mythical battle between good and evil – a battle described in the Mahabharata. In an alternate mythology, Hayagriva refers to a demon who stole the Vedas and was slain by Vishnu in his Matsya (fish) avatar, a story presented in the Bhagavata Purana. In a third version, a mythology presented in medieval era Devi-Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu appears in a hybrid human-body, horse-headed form called Hiyagriva who battles and kills a horse-like demon also named Hiyagriva. Finally, in Pancaratra Vaishnava tradition, Hayagriva-Vishnu becomes the god of learning and one who protects, maintains the Vedas. In the Hayagriva Upanishad, the term refers to half-human horse-headed Vishnu avatar who is the teacher of humanity

The Hayagriva Upanishad has 20 verses and is divided into two chapters. It is narrated as a sermon by the god Brahma to sage Narada. The text opens with an invocation to the god Vishnu, Indra, Garuda, the Sun, and Brihaspati are also invoked for welfare of all.

Narada asks Brahma to grant him the knowledge of Brahman, which saves one from sins and grants spiritual and material wealth. Brahma declares that one who "masters" the mantras of Hayagriva learns the wisdom of the scriptures Shrutis ("heard knowledge"), Smritis (memorized knowledge), Itihasas (Hindu epics, literally "history"), and Puranas and is bestowed with wealth. Brahma then starts narrating the various mantras that are used in Hayagriva's worship.

The first mantra salutes Hayagriva as Vishnu, the ruler of knowledge. He is praised beyond the material universe and as a saviour. The second mantra identifies Hayagriva as the manifestation of the three Vedas — Rigveda, Yajurveda and Samaveda — and Om. He is, asserts the text, the symbol of all Vedas, the teacher of everything. Hayagriva is described to be radiant like the moon and holds a shankha (conch), chakra (discus) and a book in his three hands, while the fourth makes the maha-mudra hand gesture. The 29-syllabled mantra (Om srim hlaum om namo bhagavate hayagrivaya vishnave mahyam medham prajnam prayaccha svaha) and 28-syllable mantra (Om srim hrim aim aim aim klim klim sauh sauh hrim om namo bhagavate hayagrivaya mahyam medham prajnam prayaccha svaha) are then told, ending the first chapter.

The second chapter begins with Brahma telling about the one-syllable mantra (bija) of Hayagriva: Lhoum. The mantra Amritam kuru kuru svaha, asserts the text, grants control over words, wealth and the eight siddhis. Another mantra Lhoum sakala-samrajyena siddhim kuru kuru svaha through which, claims the text, in life the reciter gains pleasures and after death, salvation. This helps one realize the true spiritual meanings of the Vedic maxims (Mahavakya)

• Prajnanam Brahma (Brahman is wisdom),
• Tat tvam asi (You are that)",
• Ayam atma brahma (My soul is Brahman),
• Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman).

Four supplementary Vedic mantras are then recited, which are "Yad Vak Vadanthi ...", "Gowrimimaya...", "Oshtapidhana ..." and "Sa Sarpareeramathim ..."

In tradition of Upanishads, the Hayagriva Upanishad ends by mentioning the merits of the text. The canon declares that one who recites the Hayagriva Upanishad on ekadashi (11th lunar day, which is sacred to Vishnu) would be blessed with Hayagriva's grace and attain salvation. The text ends with a prayer that this knowledge of the Brahman may remain with the devotee.

faith and fear.

*Faith Versus Fear*

One of my favorite stories of faith and fear is the one of Krishna and Balram. It seems the duo were walking through the forests to reach somewhere, when the night fell. The silver moon filtered through the leaves and the wind blew with all its might. They decided it was best to rest till the crack of the dawn. While one would sleep, the other would watch over for wild beasts; and they would take turns. Balram insisted that Krishna rest and he would play guard. Balram was smiling to himself as he watched krishna sleep when he suddenly heard a sound, “Aaaaaa”.

Startled, he looked around and saw a demon about his height watching him with hungry eyes. Balram was scared and with a quiver in his voice, he asked, “Whhhooo aaarree yooou?” The demon laughed and said, “I am the size of your fear!” As he was saying this, he started growing bigger. Indeed, Balram was petrified. The more afraid he was, the more the demon kept growing. The more the demon grew, the more panicked Balram became. The demon was now towering – almost three times Balram’s size and he couldn’t take it anymore. Screaming, “Krishna!” he fainted.

Krishna woke up and saw Balram next to him. Assuming he was asleep, and it was now his time to watch out, Krishna reached out for his flute and was about to start playing it, when he saw the demon. The demon watched him with hungry eyes. Krishna watched him without much interest. Unable to take such apathy, the demon said, “Don’t you know who I am?” Krishna said, nonchalantly, “Looks like you are going to tell me, in any case!” The demon said, “I am the size of your fear!” Krishna laughed. And the demon started becoming small. The more Krishna chuckled to himself, the tinier and tinier the demon became, until it was the size of a miniature doll. Krishna picked him up and put him in the bag to show Balram.

The next morning when Balram woke up, he told Krishna, “Krishna, Krishna, thank God we are safe! You have no clue what happened to me last night while you were sleeping. A humongous demon came and told me he was the size of my fear!”

Krishna with a smile upon his lotus lips, removed the doll from his bag and asked, “Is this the demon?”
Balram was confused and said, “Yes – it looks like him. But he was huge. How did he become so tiny!”

Krishna said, “He looked so huge because he was able to scare you. He was the size of your fear. I couldn’t help but laugh when he tried to scare me, and he kept shrinking. He would have disappeared, but I wanted to show him to you – hence I have kept him!”

Somehow this story always makes me smile. I love listening to it. Especially sitting among hills and seekers in my annual spiritual retreat, it just seems to derive a new meaning. It makes me understand that where Faith exists, fear cannot. Of course, Faith is not that easy to find and even once found, it’s not that easy to depend upon. For sometimes it looks so impossible and you wonder if this five-letter word called Faith can actually carry you.

And yet, it can.

In fact, often, it alone can.

Especially when you have done all you could from your end.
Over the years, I have realized, it is not about who we have faith on – what is important is that we have faith. Just the way the demon grew to the size of Balram’s fear, our object of faith also grows based on the size of our faith. Faith may not happen instantly for everyone – it is a growing into. Experience by experience, it keeps growing stronger and stronger till it reaches a point when with the sheer strength of faith one can move mountains. Literally.

Just the way the room can not be dark and lit at the same time, faith and fear cannot co-exist among us. Faith is tested. It will be validated. But somehow, if we can stand strong, it carries us in the palms of its hands to the destiny awaiting us.
Faith is not for the fainthearted.“The problem with some of us is that we have faith in our doubts and doubt in our faith.” However, things can be turned around.

Considering the situation we are all facing right now – one of the best things we can do is:

1) Stop reading unnecessary information. Every time we read a word it creates a cell in our body. Awareness is a must – and this awareness can be gained from a reliable website. The unnecessary forwards, jokes, breaking news (most of which is not even verified) does nothing but create fear.

2) Strengthen your immune system. Whether it is nuts, seeds, fruits or juices – build your immune system to such a level that it is stands as a strong warrior protecting you.

3) Keep the mind relaxed. Dance, music, meditation are all wonderful ways to keep the mind in a state of peace and Silence.

4) Think good, feel good, speak good and share only good. It will create a reservoir of positive cells in you.

5) Deepen your faith. Believe that you, and everyone around you, deserves only the best of health, deepest of bliss of love and spiritual alignment. Expect good for yourself and others – and that is what we ill collectively attract.

The way fear spreads like forest fire, so does faith.
It just depends on which of the two you choose to light in your heart.

Have a fearless Life