Saturday, 16 February 2013

SILENCE YOUR MIND

There once was a farmer who discovered that he had lost his watch in the barn. It was no ordinary watch because it had sentimental value for him.

After searching high and low among the hay for a long while; he gave up and enlisted the help of a group of children playing outside the barn. He promised them that the person who found it would be rewarded.

Hearing this, the children hurried inside the barn, went through and around the entire stack of hay but still could not find the watch.

Just when the farmer was about to give up looking for his watch, a little boy went up to him and asked to be given another chance. The farmer looked at him and thought, "Why not? After all, this kid looks sincere enough. So the farmer sent the little boy back in the barn.

After a while the little boy came out with the watch in his hand! The farmer was both happy and surprised and so he asked the boy how he succeeded where the rest had failed.

The boy replied, "I did nothing but sit on the ground and listen. In the silence, I heard the ticking of the watch and just looked for it in that direction.

MORAL:

* A peaceful mind can think better than a worked up mind. *

*Allow a few minutes of silence to your mind every day, and see, how sharply it helps you to set your life the way you expect it to be...! *

Monday, 4 February 2013

Ancient Greatest Indians

ARYABHATT
(476 CE) MASTER ASTRONOMER AND MATHEMATICIAN


Born in 476 CE in Kusumpur (Bihar), Aryabhatt's intellectual brilliance remapped the boundaries of mathematics and astronomy. In 499 CE, at the age of 23, he wrote a text on astronomy and an unparallel treatise on mathematics called 'Aryabhatiyam.' He formulated the process of calculating the motion of planets and the time of eclipses. Aryabhatt was the first to proclaim that the earth is round, it rotates on its axis, orbits the sun and is suspended in space - 1000 years before Copernicus published his heliocentric theory. He is also acknowledged for calculating p (Pi) to four decimal places: 3.1416 and the sine table in trigonometry. Centuries later, in 825 CE, the Arab mathematician, Mohammed Ibna Musa credited the value of Pi to the Indians, 'This value has been given by the Hindus.' And above all, his most spectacular contribution was the concept of zero without which modern computer technology would have been non-existent. Aryabhatt was a colossus in the field of mathematics.

BHASKARACHARYA II
(1114-1183 CE) GENIUS IN ALGEBRA


Born in the obscure village of Vijjadit (Jalgaon) in Maharastra, Bhaskaracharya's work in Algebra, Arithmetic and Geometry catapulted him to fame and immortality. His renowned mathematical works called 'Lilavati' and 'Bijaganita' are considered to be unparalled and a memorial to his profound intelligence. Its translation in several languages of the world bear testimony to its eminence. In his treatise 'Siddhant Shiromani' he writes on planetary positions, eclipses, cosmography, mathematical techniques and astronomical equipment. In the 'Surya Siddhant' he makes a note on the force of gravity: 'Objects fall on earth due to a force of attraction by the earth. Therefore, the earth, planets, constellations, moon, and sun are held in orbit due to this attraction.' Bhaskaracharya was the first to discover gravity, 500 years before Sir Isaac Newton. He was the champion among mathematicians of ancient and medieval India. His works fired the imagination of Persian and European scholars, who through research on his works earned fame and popularity.

ACHARYA KANAD
(600 BCE) FOUNDER OF ATOMIC THEORY


As the founder of 'Vaisheshik Darshan'- one of six principal philosophies of India - Acharya Kanad was a genius in philosophy. He is believed to have been born in Prabhas Kshetra near Dwarika in Gujarat. He was the pioneer expounder of realism, law of causation and the atomic theory. He has classified all the objects of creation into nine elements, namely: earth, water, light, wind, ether, time, space, mind and soul. He says, 'Every object of creation is made of atoms which in turn connect with each other to form molecules.' His statement ushered in the Atomic Theory for the first time ever in the world, nearly 2500 years before John Dalton. Kanad has also described the dimension and motion of atoms and their chemical reactions with each other. The eminent historian, T.N. Colebrook, has said, 'Compared to the scientists of Europe, Kanad and other Indian scientists were the global masters of this field.'

NAGARJUNA
(100 CE) WIZARD OF CHEMICAL SCIENCE


He was an extraordinary wizard of science born in the nondescript village of Baluka in Madhya Pradesh. His dedicated research for twelve years produced maiden discoveries and inventions in the faculties of chemistry and metallurgy. Textual masterpieces like 'Ras Ratnakar,' 'Rashrudaya' and 'Rasendramangal' are his renowned contributions to the science of chemistry. Where the medieval alchemists of England failed, Nagarjuna had discovered the alchemy of transmuting base metals into gold. As the author of medical books like 'Arogyamanjari' and 'Yogasar,' he also made significant contributions to the field of curative medicine. Because of his profound scholarliness and versatile knowledge, he was appointed as Chancellor of the famous University of Nalanda. Nagarjuna's milestone discoveries impress and astonish the scientists of today.

ACHARYA CHARAK
(600 BCE) FATHER OF MEDICINE



Acharya Charak has been crowned as the Father of Medicine. His renowned work, the 'Charak Samhita', is considered as an encyclopedia of Ayurveda. His principles, diagoneses, and cures retain their potency and truth even after a couple of millennia. When the science of anatomy was confused with different theories in Europe, Acharya Charak revealed through his innate genius and enquiries the facts on human anatomy, embryology, pharmacology, blood circulation and diseases like diabetes, tuberculosis, heart disease, etc. In the 'Charak Samhita' he has described the medicinal qualities and functions of 100,000 herbal plants. He has emphasized the influence of diet and activity on mind and body. He has proved the correlation of spirituality and physical health contributed greatly to diagnostic and curative sciences. He has also prescribed and ethical charter for medical practitioners two centuries prior to the Hippocratic oath. Through his genius and intuition, Acharya Charak made landmark contributions to Ayurvedal. He forever remains etched in the annals of history as one of the greatest and noblest of rishi-scientists.

ACHARYA SUSHRUT
(600 BCE) FATHER OF PLASTIC SURGERY


A genius who has been glowingly recognized in the annals of medical science. Born to sage Vishwamitra, Acharya Sudhrut details the first ever surgery procedures in 'Sushrut Samhita,' a unique encyclopedia of surgery. He is venerated as the father of plastic surgery and the science of anesthesia. When surgery was in its infancy in Europe, Sushrut was performing Rhinoplasty (restoration of a damaged nose) and other challenging operations. In the 'Sushrut Samhita,' he prescribes treatment for twelve types of fractures and six types of dislocations. His details on human embryology are simply amazing. Sushrut used 125 types of surgical instruments including scalpels, lancets, needles, Cathers and rectal speculums; mostly designed from the jaws of animals and birds. He has also described a number of stitching methods; the use of horse's hair as thread and fibers of bark. In the 'Sushrut Samhita,' and fibers of bark. In the 'Sushrut Samhita,' he details 300 types of operations. The ancient Indians were the pioneers in amputation, caesarian and cranial surgeries. Acharya Sushrut was a giant in the arena of medical science.
 
VARAHAMIHIR
(499-587 CE) EMINENT ASTROLOGER AND ASTRONOMERA


Renowned astrologer and astronomer who was honored with a special decoration and status as one of the nine gems in the court of King Vikramaditya in Avanti (Ujjain). Varahamihir's book 'panchsiddhant' holds a prominent place in the realm of astronomy. He notes that the moon and planets are lustrous not because of their own light but due to sunlight. In the 'Bruhad Samhita' and 'Bruhad Jatak,' he has revealed his discoveries in the domains of geography, constellation, science, botany and animal science. In his treatise on botanical science, Varamihir presents cures for various diseases afflicting plants and trees. The rishi-scientist survives through his unique contributions to the science of astrology and astronomy.

ACHARYA PATANJALI
(200 BCE) FATHER OF YOGA


The Science of Yoga is one of several unique contributions of India to the world. It seeks to discover and realize the ultimate Reality through yogic practices. Acharya Patanjali, the founder, hailed from the district of Gonda (Ganara) in Uttar Pradesh. He prescribed the control of prana (life breath) as the means to control the body, mind and soul. This subsequently rewards one with good health and inner happiness. Acharya Patanjali's 84 yogic postures effectively enhance the efficiency of the respiratory, circulatory, nervous, digestive and endocrine systems and many other organs of the body. Yoga has eight limbs where Acharya Patanjali shows the attainment of the ultimate bliss of God in samadhi through the disciplines of: yam, niyam, asan, pranayam, pratyahar, dhyan and dharna. The Science of Yoga has gained popularity because of its scientific approach and benefits. Yoga also holds the honored place as one of six philosophies in the Indian philosophical system. Acharya Patanjali will forever be remembered and revered as a pioneer in the science of self-discipline, happiness and self-realization.  

ACHARYA BHARADWAJ
(800 BCE)  PIONEER OF AVIATION TECHNOLOGY


Acharya Bharadwaj had a hermitage in the holy city of Prayag and was an ordent apostle of Ayurveda and mechanical sciences. He authored the 'Yantra Sarvasva' which includes astonishing and outstanding discoveries in aviation science, space science and flying machines. He has described three categories of flying machines: 1.) One that flies on earth from one place to another. 2.) One that travels from one planet to another. 3.) And One that travels from one universe to another. His designs and descriptions have impressed and amazed aviation engineers of today. His brilliance in aviation technology is further reflected through techniques described by him:
1.) Profound Secret: The technique to make a flying machine invisible through the application of sunlight and wind force.
2.) Living Secret: The technique to make an invisible space machine visible through the application of electrical force.
3.) Secret of Eavesdropping: The technique to listen to a conversation in another plane.
4.) Visual Secrets: The technique to see what's happening inside another plane.
Through his innovative and brilliant discoveries, Acharya Bharadwaj has been recognized as the pioneer of aviation technology.
 
ACHARYA KAPIL
(3000 BCE) FATHER OF COSMOLOGY



Celebrated as the founder of Sankhya philosophy, Acharya Kapil is believed to have been born in 3000 BCE to the illustrious sage Kardam and Devhuti. He gifted the world with the Sankhya School of Thought. His pioneering work threw light on the nature and principles of the ultimate Soul (Purusha), primal matter (Prakruti) and creation. His concept of transformation of energy and profound commentaries on atma, non-atma and the subtle elements of the cosmos places him in an elite class of master achievers - incomparable to the discoveries of other cosmologists. On his assertion that Prakruti, with the inspiration of Purusha, is the mother of cosmic creation and all energies, he contributed a new chapter in the science of cosmology. Because of his extrasensory observations and revelations on the secrets of creation, he is recognized and saluted as the Father of Cosmology.

Saturday, 26 January 2013

64th Republic Day on 26th January 2013

India celebrates its 64th Republic Day on 26th January 2013.  The Republic Day in India is celebrated as the day India's own constitution came into effect on 26th January 1950.

While India gained independence from the British on 15th August 1947, it continued to be governed by the Government of India Act 1935, which was a relic of the British era. Thus, the Republic Day, is seen as the day India broke all ties from the British-empire, especially since it was amongst the Commonwealth countries that refused to recognise the British Queen as their head of state after independence. Other countries like Australia and Canada, continue to have the British Monarch as their head of state till date.

Republic Day India commemorates the date that the Constitution Of India was enacted and became the document that governed the country. On January 26, 1950, the Indian Assembly's 308 members signed two handwritten copies of the new Constitution, an English and a Hindi version, and two days later the Constitution became the law. Drafted by a committee headed by B R Ambedkar, the Constitution replaced the Government Of India Act Of 1935 that had previously governed colonial India, and declared the country a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic.

Thursday, 8 November 2012

The Mind!! Something Interesting

Adi Sankara was walking with his disciples.

They saw a man dragging a cow by a rope.


Sankara told the man to wait and asked his Disciples to surround them.

“I am going to teach you something” and continued...

“Tell me who is bound to whom?

Is the cow bound to this man or The man is bound to the cow?


The disciples said without hesitation,

“Of course the cow is bound to the man!

The man is the master. He is holding the rope.

The cow has to follow him wherever he goes.

The man is the master and the cow is the slave.”

“Now watch this”, said Sankara and cut the rope.


The cow ran away from the master, And the man ran after his cow.

“Look, what is happening”, said Sankara

“Do you see who the Master is?

The cow is not at all interested in this man.

The cow in fact, is trying to escape from this man.”

This is the case with our MIND.

All the non-sense that we carry inside Is not interested in us.

WE ARE INTERESTED IN IT,

We are keeping it together somehow or the other.

We are going crazy trying to keep it all together Under our control.

The moment we lose interest in all the garbage

Filled in our head, and the moment we understand the

Futility of it, it will start to disappear.

Like the cow, it will escape and disappear.”

We can allow disappearing, all the unwanted things In our mind and feel relaxed.

Friday, 12 October 2012

Be a Doctor Yourself

CURE FOR ACIDITY
 

Acidity, it is said, is worse than Cancer. It is one of the most common dis-ease people encounter in their daily life. The home remedy for Acidity is  Raw Grains of Rice.

The Process:

1.     Take 8 - 10 grains of raw uncooked rice

2.     Swallow it with water before having your breakfast or eating anything in the morning

3.     Do this for 21 days to see effective results and continuously for 3 months to eliminate acidity from the body

The Cure:

Reduces acid levels in the body and makes you feel better by the day.
   

CURE FOR CHOLESTEROL:

Cholesterol problem accompanies with Hypertension and Heart Problems. This is also one of the common problems in people who have High Blood Pressure and Diabetes. The home remedy for Cholesterol problem is  RAW SUPARI .

The Process:

1.     Take Raw Supari (Betel Nut that is not flavoured) and slice them or make pieces of the same

2.     Chew it for about 20 - 40 minutes after every meal

3.     Spit it out

The Cure:

When you chew the supari, the saliva takes in the juice that is generated and this acts like a Blood Thinner. Once your blood becomes free flowing, it brings down the pressure in the blood flow, thereby reducing Blood Pressure too.


CURE FOR BLOOD PRESSURE:

One of the simple home remedy cure for Blood Pressure is  Methi Seeds or Fenugreek Seeds.

The Process:

1.     Take a pinch of Raw Fenugreek Seeds, about 8 - 10 seeds

2.     Swallow it with water before taking your breakfast, every morning

The Cure:

The seeds of Fenugreek are considered good to reduce the blood pressure.



CURE FOR DIABETES:

There are 2 home remedies for Diabetes. One is Ladies Finger and the other is Black Tea.

BLACK TEA: Due to high medication, the organ that is worst affected is the Kidney. It has been observed that Black Tea (tea without milk, sugar or lemon) is good for the Kidney. Hence a cup of black tea every morning is highly advisable.


The Process:

1. Boil water along with the tea leaves (any tea leaves will do).

2. Drink the concoction  without adding milk, sugar or lemon.

The Cure:

Black Tea will help in enhancing the function of the kidney, thereby not affecting it more.


LADIES FINGER or OKRA:

Ladies finger is considered to be a good home medicine for diabetes.


The Process:

1. Slit the ladies finger into 2 halves vertically and soak it in water overnight.

2. The next morning, remove the ladies fingers and drink the water, before eating your breakfast.

The Cure:

After the ladies fingers are soaked overnight in the water, you can observe that the water becomes sticky in the morning. This sticky water is considered to be good for people who suffer from Diabetes.


OIL PULLING:


The Process:

1. Take one spoon of refined oil in the mouth on an empty stomach early in the morning, before eating or drinking anything.

2. Without much effort or speed, slowly suck and pull the oil through the teeth. Gargle the oil within closed mouth for 15 - 20 minutes.

3. During this process, the oil becomes liquid and white like milk. Spit the liquid out and wash your mouth thoroughly, preferably with warm water..

4. DO NOT SWALLOW the oil as it contains toxins and harmful bacteria drawn from the body through the saliva. Continue this process everyday for better results.

The Cure:

The process of Oil Pulling can give relief and cure Headaches, Asthma, Bad Breath, Nose Block, Tooth Pain, Acidity, Ulcers, Cracked Feet, Joint Pains, Stomach Problems, Problems related to Lungs, Liver & Nerves.

Who can practice this:

Oil Pulling can be practiced by all from the age of 5 years onwards for any type of health problems. People who are in a habit of taking a lot of medicines should try this, as it will release a lot of toxins from the body.

Which Oil to be Used:

Any cooking oil can be used, but the most preferred is the Sesame Oil.

Wednesday, 19 September 2012

Open your mouth thoughtfully

Once an old man spread rumors that his neighbor was a thief. As a result, the young man was arrested. Days later the young man was proven innocent. After being released he sued the old man for wrongly accusing him. 
 
In the court the old man told the Judge: "They were just comments, didn't harm anyone."
 
The judge told the old man: "Write all the things you said about him on a piece of paper. Cut them up and on the way home, throw the pieces of paper out. Tomorrow, come back to hear the sentence." 
 
Next day, the judge told the old man: "Before receiving the sentence, you will have to go out and gather all the pieces of paper that you threw out yesterday." 
 
The old man said: "I can't do that! The wind spread them and I won't know where to find them." 
 
The judge then replied: "The same way, simple comments may destroy the honor of a man to such an extent that one is not able to fix it. If you can't speak well of someone, rather don't say anything." 
 
"Let's all be masters of our mouths, so that we won't be slaves of our words. "

Sunday, 16 September 2012

Happy Improvement - Japanese Style

A hotel group had invited Mr. Masai Imai from Japan to hold a workshop for its staff. The staff were very skeptical- the hotel is doing excellent business, this person from Japan has no exposure to hotel industry- what exactly is he going to teach? 

But everybody as planned gathered for the workshop in the conference hall sharp at 9 am. Mr. Masai was introduced to them- a not so impressive personality, nor the English all that good; spoke as if he was first formulating each sentence in Japanese and then translating it into rather clumsy English. 



“Good morning! Let’s start work. I am told this is a workshop; but I see neither work nor shop. So let’s proceed where work is happening. Let’s start with the first room on the first floor.” Mr. Masai, followed by the senior management, the participants, the video camera crew trouped out of the conference room and proceeded to the destination. That happened to be the laundry room of the hotel. Mr. Masai entered the room and stood at the window, “beautiful view!” he said. The staff knew it; they need not invite a Japanese consultant to tell them this! 



“A room with such a beautiful view is being wasted as a laundry room. Shift the laundry to the basement and convert this into a guest room.” Aa Haa! now nobody had ever thought about that! The manager said, “Yes, it can be done.” 



“Then let’s do it.”, Mr. Masai said. 



“Yes sir, I will make a note of this and we will include it in the report on the workshop that will be prepared.” Manager 



“Excuse me, but there is nothing to note down in this. Let’s just do it, just now.” Mr. Masai. 



“Just now?” Manager 

“Yes, decide on a room on the ground floor/basement and shift the stuff out of this room right away. It should take a couple of hours, right?” Mr. Masai.


“Yes.” Manager. 



“Let’s come back here just before lunch. By then all this stuff will have got shifted out and the room must be ready with the carpets, furniture etc and from today you can start earning the few thousand that you charge your customers for a room night.” 

“Ok, Sir.” The manager had no option.


The next destination was the pantry. The group entered. At the entrance were two huge sinks full of plates to be washed. Mr. Masai removed his jacket and started washing the plates. 

“Sir, Please, what are you doing?” the manager didn’t know what to say and what to do.
“Why, I am washing the plates”, Mr. Masai.
“But sir, there is staff here to do that.” Manager
Mr. Masai continued washing, “I think sink is for washing plates, there are stands here to keep the plates and the plates should go into the stands.”


All the officials wondered – did they require a consultant to tell them this? 



After finishing the job, Mr. Masai asked, “how many plates do you have?’ 

“Plenty, so that there should never be any shortage.” Manager.


Mr. Masai said, “We have a word in Japanese-‘Muda’. Muda means delay, muda means unnecessary spending. One lesson to be learned in this workshop is to avoid both. If you have plenty of plates, there will be delay in cleaning them up. The first step to correct this situation is to remove all the excess plates.” 



“Yes, we will say this in the report.” Manager. 

“No, wasting our time in writing the report is again an instance of ‘muda’. We must pack the extra plates in a box right away and send these to whichever other section of Taj require these. Throughout the workshop now we will find out where all we find this ‘muda’ hidden.”


And then at every spot and session, the staff eagerly awaited to find out muda and learn how to avoid it. 



On the last day, Mr. Masai told a story. 



“A Japanese and an American, both fond of hunting, entered a jungle with guns. In the pursuit of game they entered deep jungle and suddenly realized that they had run out of bullets. Just then they heard a lion roaring. Both started running. But the Japanese took a short break to put on his sports shoes. The American said, “What are you doing? We must first get to the car.” 

The Japanese said, “No. I only have to ensure that I remain ahead of you.” All the participants engrossed in listening to the story, realized suddenly that the lion would stop after getting his victim!

“The lesson is competition in today’s world is so fierce, that it is important to stay ahead of other even by just a couple of steps. And you have such a huge and naturally well endowed country. If you remember to curtail your production expenditure and give the best quality always, you will be miles ahead as compared to so many other countries in the world.”, Mr. Masai. 



HAPPY IMPROVEMENT...