Biggest donor.

 Many persons are considered brave for their virtue of giving away their wealth knowledge and tried with all their might to uphold this virtue. Indian mythology gives many extraordinary instances many persons which preferred giving away their body parts and wealth in order to give more preference to “DAAN” and “Tyaag” as it is referred in Hindu Mythology tales.

But Dadhichi rishi has been raised high above them all for his “Tyaag” and “Selflessness”.

The story of Maharshi Dadhichi and what he did because of which he is considered and the most generous of all in the Ancient Hindu Mythology.

During the War between Devatas and Rakshas(Demons). Demons had clearly dominated in the Warfield and robbed the Devatas of their arms and weapons using some new black magic powers which were far behind the comprehension of the gods.

The Devatas knew for sure that if they lose the rest of their weapons, no one could save their life.

So in order to make sure that their weapons are safe, they went to the Sage Maharishi Dadhichi who agreed to keep the weapons in his protection even neglecting the danger to his own life.

The “Rakshasas”(DEMONS) used all their might to rob those weapons and hurt Maharshi Dadhichi but in Vain. A long time passed and the gods’ didn’t come to take away their weapons.

Maharshi Dadhichi couldn’t think of any way by which he could always have an eye on the weapons at all time.

Finally, one day, with his divine Powers, he put all the weapons in his sacred water pot and mixed them in the water and drank it. He was now free and he could continue his regular penance undisturbed.

A short while after this, the Devatas returned and asked Dadhichi for their weapons.

Dadhichi Maharshi replied, “I waited a long time for you to come and collect your weapons. I thought you wouldn’t return back. So I drank them away”.

Devatas went on pleading “Maharshi, we are now in a position to fight Rakshasas.

If we do not have our weapons, we will not be in a position to fight with them and to save Dharma and the universe”. Dadhichi thought about it calmly and was convinced that Devatas deserved help.

Their weapons were now more powerful than before. He said to Devatas “Alright, take your weapons back by killing me. They are presently in the form of my bones”.

Devatas refused to do so and said “We certainly do not want to commit the sin of killing a great Rishi like you. We cannot afford to do this cruel thing”.

Now the weapons were inside the hermits’ body in form of flesh and bones and it was difficult to get them out. So he created a huge fire, entered into it and reduced his own body into flames.

Devatas were in the state of bewilderment as they couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Lord Brahma suddenly appeared and converted each of the bones into various powerful weapons and gave them to the Devatas. Dadhichi’s back bone was made “THE VAJRA” and was given to Lord Indra with which he brought an end to the most powerful Rakshasas like Vritrasur.

The power of the divine virtue and powerful soul made the weapons more Lethal than ever. This great sacrifice made his name flash in golden words whenever examples are given of sacrifice and selfless attitude.

Yogakshemam vaahamy aham

 Arjunacharya and his wife were very simple and humble devotees. They lived in a small hut and everyday after his morning duties, he used to go to village and beg for alms.

As a rule he used to visit only three houses and beg alms. He used to accept just enough alms for himself and his wife to live.

He was writing a commentary on Bhagavad Gita and everyday he spent hours reading and writing.

One day he was so engrossed in it that he forgot to go to village for getting food. Since it was already late afternoon, the ladies in the village were resting and there was no spare food even in single house. So he came back empty handed.

Once more he sat to read the Bhagavad Gita. In the ninth chapter verse 22, Lord Krishna says –

ananyaash cintayanto maam ye janaah paryupaasate
teshaam nityaabhiyuktaanaam yoga-kshemam vahaamy aham

“But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental formto them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.”

Arjunacharya started thinking about the last words deeply and did not find them correct.

How could the Lord say, “vahamya aham” – I personally carry ?

He scratched the line – “yoga kshema vahaamyaham” and then he told his wife that he was going to river for a bath.

Meanwhile two boys ( Krishna and Balarama ) appeared and carried loads of rice, vegetables fruits and butter and handed it over to Arjunacharya’s wife.

She was surprised and wonder-struck by their beautiful faces and so she asked them who they were.

They introduced themselves as disciples of her husband and that they have brought these provisions as per their order.

She was very thankful and happy that now can cook something for her hungry husband,

When the boys started leaving she saw the scars on the back of their bodies, she was shocked.

She asked them: Who has done this to you oh beautiful boys?

They told her that her husband makes them work very hard and if they did not obey he used to beat them.

She was not able to believe what they said. But she felt very sad for them and applied sandal wood paste on their backs to relieve the pain and they left immediately.

When Arjunacharya returned home his wife was very angry at him. She even didint want to speak to him.

Arjunacharya asked her : Why you do not want to speak to me? Have i hurt you?

No – replied his wife you are bad person. You are hurting small children!

How? asked Arjunacharya.

When he heard what his wife told him, he was able to realize that the two boys were Krishna and Balaram.

He ran inside where his Bhagavad Gita was lying and could see that the pen marks on his shloka had vanished.

He started weeping for doubting the Lord’s word and said,”Yogakshemam vaahamy aham ! It is true.

You do come personally to save the devotees. Oh ! Please forgive me”.

His wife felt sad for not having recognized them, though she saw them face to face. But Arjunacharaya was very happy thinking how hsi wife has direct darshan of Krishna and Balarama.

Arjunacharaya consoled her and said, “Now I have understood that there is no difference between Lord Krishna and Bhagavad Gita. By scratching on Bhavgavad gita i was scratching body of the Lord Krishna. And Lord is truth , He takes care of His devotees. He personally carries what they have and provides what they lack” .

Then they began to chant and glorify the Lord.

I doubt any acharya of the south would have done this to scratch the line from the B G. 

cause and effect.

 Action has a cause and there is an effect. the effect becomes the cause of future action. there is never a fixed cause nor a fixed effect. each effect undergoes innumerable influences being transformed by them there is a cause effect cause. if the effect becoming cause can be snapped then the mind becomes free from the past.

The mind can be transformed only when it understands the whole process of itself the motives the causes etc. 

when the mind is thus freed it opens the door to immense possibilities it reveals the truth.

Dakshin Ganga.

 Gouthama was a great sage of ancient times.He was known for his great austerities.A great famine came and thousands were dying.Goutama used to sprinkle some paddy seeds before going to meditation and after his Puja he used to cut the paddy and out of the rice used to feed all the people who used to come to ashram . This was going on for months.Gods thought this was the opportunity to bring the Ganga to the South .So one day the celestials sent one maya cow to the paddy field planted by sage Gouthama .The sage Gouthama after his Puja saw the cow in the fields.He was shocked to see the cow eating all the paddy field.The sage with the intention of saving the crop threw one straw to scare the cow.The Maya cow immediately fell down and died which made the sage very sad.The sage felt unhappy for having committed Gohatya ( cow slaughter) which is a great sin in Hinduism.He consulted the wise rishis the way to atone for this sin.They said that only immersion of the dead cow in the water of the Ganga will wash away the sin of the rishi.With this advice , Gouthama rishi went on Tapasya to please the Lord Shiva who only can release the Ganga from his locks.Shiva was immensely pleased with the Rishi and appeared before him and granted his wish.Thus was born the river . The place where Gouthama did his Tapasya is on the mountain Brahmagiri near Triambakeshwar.As the water is from Ganga straight from the locks of Shiva it it called Ganga ( Still it is called Ganga in Telangana).Because its due to the efforts of Gouthama its called Gouthami .As it all happened due to a cow (Go in Sanskrit) it is also called Godavari.This is the story behind Godavari, Gouthami or Dakshin Ganga.

time timeless

 Are we just living from one day to another without contributing any thing worth mentioning?

here are a few passages which can inspire us to perform differently.

One gets power to see clearly through the intensity of attention.

every perception brings its own positive action.

there must be a revolution in the little things we do everyday that can bring about the change

there has to be a quality of freshness and newness essential to bring about a change.

say for example the river its never still it keeps going no matter what if it meets an obstacle it finds its way some how around it over it etc but it moves it acts it revolts but it moves on. one must not dash against the obstruction and break or exhausts oneself but move on. 

To see a rope as a rope needs no courage, but to mistake the rope for a snake and then to observe needs courage. doubt see search see false and then get very clear within oneself.

One must keep at it like they say keep the pot boiling infuse new ideas see the difference between brain and mind.

keep the mind innocent fresh alert and pliable. 

Imagine the vast expanse the beautiful scene and imagine the quietness around the same feeling when you see a beautiful painting 

you have all the time in the world just you and the vast expanse before you and the quiet, then the messages will flow in yes into the serene mind like an empty slate. you can now write what you want make a constructive change. the timeless within the time yes time and timeless.

Attachment

 Attachment makes separation unbearable.

All human contacts and relationships are very temporary and one should accept that parting from all these is inevitable. When concern turns into posesiveness it ties one to samsara.

To be continued.

Taj

 It is said that Jamshedji Tata was inspired to build this hotel after he was refused entry at one of the grandest hotels of British time Watson’s Hotel, which was restricted to ‘whites only. Jamsetji Tata took this as an insult to whole Indians and then decided that he would build a hotel where not only Indians but foreigners could also stay without any restrictions, and that's how India's first super-luxury hotel came into being. Now Taj is a centre of attraction all over the world. 

‘Diamond by the sea’  the Taj Mahal Palace is an architectural jewel in Mumbai. The foundation of the Taj was laid in 1898 by Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the Tata Group. The hotel opened its gates to the guests for the first time on December 16, 1902, even before the foundation for the Gateway of India was laid on March 31, 1911. Taj Mahal Palace was the first building in Bombay to be lit by electricity. The hotel is made up of two different buildings: the Taj Mahal Palace and the Tower, which are historically and architecturally distinct from each other, the Taj Mahal Palace was built at the start of the twentieth century, while the Tower was opened in 1973.

The hotel has a long and distinguished history, having received many notable guests, from presidents to captains of industry and stars of show business. Ratanbai Petit, the second wife of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, lived in the hotel during her last days in 1929; her sister-in-law, Sylla Tata, had born into the Tata family, builders and owners of the hotel. During World War I, the hotel was converted into a military hospital with 600 beds. It has been considered one of the finest hotels in the East since the time of the British Raj. The hotel was one of the main sites targeted in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Recognised As A World's strongest hotel brands

Despite many ups and downs after the 2008 Mumbai attack, the Taj luxury hotel chain scored very well on Brand Finance's 'Global Brand Equity Monitor' for consideration, familiarity, recommendation, and reputation especially across its home market of India.