Sunday, August 22, 2010

Benefits of Brahmacharya

One of the students of Dhanvantari approached his teacher after finishing his full course of Ayurveda (the ancient Indian science of medicine) and asked: "O Bhagavan, kindly let me know the secret of health now."
Dhanvantari replied: "This seminal energy is verily the Atman. The secret of health lies in preservation of this vital force. He who wastes this vital and precious energy cannot have physical, mental, moral and spiritual development."
Veerya (seminal energy) is God in motion. Veerya is dynamic will. Veerya is soul-force. Veerya is the essence of life, thought, intelligence and consciousness. Always remember this.
The vital energy, Veerya which supports your life, which is the Prana (life-force) of Pranas, which shines in your sparkling eyes, which beams in your shining cheeks, is a great treasure to you. It is the quintessence of blood.

Celibacy is to a Yogi what electricity is to an electric bulb. Without celibacy no spiritual progress is possible. It is a potent weapon and shield to wage war against the internal evil forces of lust, anger and greed. It serves as a gateway for the bliss beyond, and opens the door of liberation. It contributes perennial joy and uninterrupted bliss. It is the only key to open the Sushumna (the chief among astral tubes in the human body running inside the spinal column) and awaken the Kundalini (the primordial cosmic energy located in the individual).

A true celibate only can cultivate Bhakti (devotion). A true celibate only can practice Yoga. A true celibate only can acquire jnana (wisdom).

Vishma pitamaha followed it all through his life and obtained an unparalled wisdom, courage and strength.He obtained iccha mrityu.
Lakshman followed it for 14 years and won hunger and thrust. When Indrajit attacked him with brahma astra, Shiva astra and Vishnu astra, all of them becam powerless in frornt of the great strength he acquired.
Krishna suggested Arjuna to follow it and within days he reached Indralok.
Lord Hanuman the greatest of all brahmacharies is known for his great wisdom, strength and courage.He acquired all siddhis and could become extremelly small or large according to his wish. He could fly to any heights.
The rishis of tapaban use to follow it and there even lions forgot hatred.
Mahavira followd it for 42 years and we know the results.
Due to Brahmacharya even the greatest dacoit became religious when he met the great sage.
Swami Vivekananda, the greatest example in modern world, won the people of America with his words and voice.It is what brahmacharya can offer us.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Vande Mataram

Lyrics of Vande Mataram
वन्दे मातरम्
सुजलां सुफलां मलयजशीतलाम्
शस्यशामलां मातरम् ।
शुभ्रज्योत्स्नापुलकितयामिनीं
फुल्लकुसुमितद्रुमदलशोभिनीं
सुहासिनीं सुमधुर भाषिणीं
सुखदां वरदां मातरम् ।। १ ।। वन्दे मातरम् ।
कोटि-कोटि-कण्ठ-कल-कल-निनाद-कराले
कोटि-कोटि-भुजैर्धृत-खरकरवाले,
अबला केन मा एत बले ।
बहुबलधारिणीं नमामि तारिणीं
रिपुदलवारिणीं मातरम् ।। २ ।। वन्दे मातरम् ।
तुमि विद्या, तुमि धर्म
तुमि हृदि, तुमि मर्म
त्वं हि प्राणा: शरीरे
बाहुते तुमि मा शक्ति,
हृदये तुमि मा भक्ति,
तोमारई प्रतिमा गडि
मन्दिरे-मन्दिरे मातरम् ।। ३ ।। वन्दे मातरम् ।
त्वं हि दुर्गा दशप्रहरणधारिणी
कमला कमलदलविहारिणी
वाणी विद्यादायिनी, नमामि त्वाम्
नमामि कमलां अमलां अतुलां
सुजलां सुफलां मातरम् ।। ४ ।। वन्दे मातरम् ।
श्यामलां सरलां सुस्मितां भूषितां
धरणीं भरणीं मातरम् ।। ५ ।। वन्दे मातरम् ।।



Translation by Sri Aurobindo
Mother, I bow to thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Dark fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.

Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.

Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands
When the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands
And seventy million voices roar
Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?
With many strengths who art mighty and stored,
To thee I call Mother and Lord!
Though who savest, arise and save!
To her I cry who ever her foeman drove
Back from plain and Sea
And shook herself free.

Thou art wisdom, thou art law,
Thou art heart, our soul, our breath
Though art love divine, the awe
In our hearts that conquers death.
Thine the strength that nervs the arm,
Thine the beauty, thine the charm.
Every image made divine
In our temples is but thine.

Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen,
With her hands that strike and her
swords of sheen,
Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned,
And the Muse a hundred-toned,
Pure and perfect without peer,
Mother lend thine ear,
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleems,
Dark of hue O candid-fair

In thy soul, with jewelled hair
And thy glorious smile divine,
Lovilest of all earthly lands,
Showering wealth from well-stored hands!
Mother, mother mine!
Mother sweet, I bow to thee,
Mother great and free!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Seven Highly Effective Ways to Kill Innovation

Innovation killer #1: Believe that innovation will “just happen.”
Innovation killer #2: Tell everyone to “think outside of the box,” hold a brainstorming session, then call it a day.
Innovation killer #3: Lay the success of innovation solely on IT’s shoulders.
Innovation killer #4: Create an obstacle course for ideas.
Innovation killer #5: View “different” and “new” as bad.
Innovation killer # 6: Hand over the good ideas to the Legal and Accounting departments.
Innovation killer #7: Be very, very afraid of failure.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Short-sightedness of HBS Alumni

I am writing my opinion on this issue based on information that I have got through a friend and which is also well known in management circles. Though it may not be entirely true, it holds true for at least a wide majority of the alumni of this prestigious institute.

Recently, one of my friends informed me that it is not an exception but almost a trend that all the HBS alumni in various organizations scout for employing their own fellows while making recruitment decisions keeping aside the meritocracy of the candidates that have applied.

There could be two reasons for it; both however compete to be worse than the other. The more I think about it, the more I realize the importance of having the long-term benefits in mind while making crucial decisions.

The first reason could be that the alumni 'genuinely' feels that candidates from their institution have an edge over others and hence would make for a better choice while selecting them as employees. This logic can be very easily refuted because amongst the top institutes it is really difficult to reach a consensus about the superiority of an average student and there is no sacrosanct ranking that distinguishes a particular B-School to be better than the other in all the parameters, across the categories and for consecutive years. Hence, it is unreasonable to believe that there is any “ingenuity” in this feeling.
Of course, there is more to than meets the eye. That brings us to the second reason and that is a hidden desire to see one’s own alumni being better off than others and having an easy way ahead into the corporate world. It would also mean building better prospects of the present batch and the future aspirants and in turn an even better reputation of your alma mater. And that could well be the ‘real’ reason, even if it is not overtly expressed or confessed even to one’s own self. I am sure the same persons would have showed a similar sense of loyalty had they been in any other equally good institution instead of the one being discussed. But, I think being a torch-bearer; the leader has to bear the brunt of critics the most even though its peers might be exhibiting similar traits of behavior.

Well, another ‘reason’ or justification could be that “others are doing it too”. As ridiculous as it may sound, this comes as a rescue for most of the executives who indulge in such behavior and have had their share of dealing with the ineffective discussions ensuing out of the first two justifications.

Ironical, but true, human tendency to chase immediate and selfish returns is far greater than the ability to think rationally in critical situations and if an institution (amongst the world’s best) cannot imbibe this ability into its fellows, it seems we still have a long way to go in terms of imparting the real wisdom (and I am not talking about ethics or morals here, purely on the basis of what best would work in the interest of the organization simply should be motivation enough to start thinking beyond individualistic gains). If there is a real sense of belonging towards the organization, it is easy to see the impact of a more responsible decision in the interest of the company as much more than the petty gains one would get in one’s lifetime by resorting to such measures.

P.S. This is my first real blog written by me on my blog page, although I have had this account for almost 5 years now. And yeah, it wasn't planned. Somehow, I just looked at a bigger picture when I contemplated this issue and was bewildered to find out how shallow can the world's most influential and highest paid individuals' minds be while deciding some of the most important decisions for an organization. And that was the trigger I was probably waiting to start off. Hopefully, I intend to continue this streak finding out more such issues and of course, more time to write. Comments and criticisms are welcome.

Food habits in Ayurved

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