Reaching Varanasi (Chap 3)

In the last 2 postings you have read about Kashi, my plan to visit the said holy place, how the travel got aborted initially and how the trip was miraculously saved at the last minute.
Let us proceed further.

On the early morning of Wednesday, the 30th Sept 09, parents came from my native place by bus. Mother was shivering with cold and father was pale as he could not bring required money for expenditure and the ATM card he had was long expired.

We kept our luggage as light as possible by stuffing all our items in 8 handbags. Daughters took their dress and other items in their school bags and also enthusiastically carried the bags of their grand parents.

We reached Bajpe airport by 9.45 am. I was keen to explain father and daughters, who were curious on their maiden air travel, the normal sequence of check in, filling baggage tags and collecting boarding card etc. However, I could not do so due to unusual rush and also that I needed some modification in the tickets. Frankly, I was tense due to the ongoing strike of pilots and there was no signs of its ending in the near future.

Shortly, we got the first good news that the strike in Air India has been called off. Thereafter, we proceeded to security check, got our hand bags screened and boarded IX 302 to Mumbai. My friend arranged an entire row of 3+3 seats in the plane. Shortly the flight was airborne. Father and Daughters were busy looking out. Mother was oblivious to happenings outside and was focused on her final destination. Daughters quickly observed that the land below looks like Wikimapia!. I began reading my customary “Vishnu Sahasranama” and “Soundarya Lahari” and Bharathi followed soon by reading “Lalitha Sahasranama”. Refreshments were served and soon we landed in Mumbai Sahara (as the flight had originated from Gulf). Got into a taxi and reached Kumarabhava’s quarters in Chembur Camp.

In the evening, after his return from office, Kumara bhava took us in his car for a city tour. Devi akka and Mother stayed back. Bhava showed us India Govt Mint and RBI. I respectfully bowed on sighting the Bombay Stock Exchange Building {as a mark of gratitude for whatever knowledge that I accumulated about shares}, a host of other buildings and ‘land marks’, Gate way of India, Hotel Taj, Marine Drive, Malabar Hills, Pali Hills etc.

On the morning of Thursday, Ist October, he dropped us well in time at Santacruz. Here I could give a boring lecture to father and daughters about the process of check in. We were delighted to see innumerable landings and take offs in the runway. We soon boarded IC195 which left Mumbai at 9.45am. I chanted ‘Ganapathi Atharvasheersha’, ‘Durgasooktha’, ‘Laghunyasa’, ‘Rudra’, ‘Chamaka’ ‘Devi, Medha, Brahma and Shraddha Sookthas’ enroute. There was a brief stop over at Chaudhuri Charan Singh airport at Lucknow. Our next destination was Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport at Babatpur, Varanasi. Babatpur is about 26 kms from Varanasi {towards Lucknow}.
Proceeding further, at about 1 pm we landed at Babatpur, Varanasi.
An apt verse from SHIVAAPARADHA KSHAMAPANA STOTRA
आयु: नश्यति पश्यतां प्रतिदिनं याति क्षयं यौवनं
प्रत्यायन्ति गता: पुन: न दिवसा: कालो जगद्भक्षकः ।
लक्ष्मी: तोय तरंग भंग चपला विद्युत्च्छलं जीवितं
तस्मात् मां शरणागतं करुणया त्व रक्ष रक्षाधुना ॥
[On each passing day, our longevity gets reduced and the Youth passes. The day’s bygone does not come again. Wealth is not permanent. Life is short. Therefore, O lord, kindly save me, save me]

Miraculous Revival (Chap 2)

The cherished trip with family to Kashi got aborted when we were about to start on Tuesday, 29th Sep 09. Phone from Air India informed that all flights got cancelled.
Luckily, my parents took the hindrance in their stride, as yet another addition to the innumerable setbacks they faced in life. They were philosophical, believing that the right time to visit is yet to come.
Bharathi was composed as canceling of my planned trips were not too uncommon for her.
Sri was relieved as she can prepare for her ensuing exams.
Vai derived consolation at the prospect of opening the gift box of “Kaju Katli” (Sweet made of Cashew) which I was planning to give to my colleague in Varanasi. She eagerly opened the box only to see that the sweet had started to deteriorate. Only later she became disappointed.
I was disappointed to visualize the hassles of obtaining refund of tickets, re depositing the LTC advance I drew, finding new set of suitable dates for travel, re applying for leave and advance, re planning the trip etc was certainly beyond a lazy man like me. (I must concede that I have improved in this regard. Earlier I was lazy, now lazier!)
I went to Air India ticketing office for refund. They cancelled my tickets but had no money to refund. I could not even shout at them as other irate passengers must have already done so. I offered to wait for a few days to get the money back.
News of the cancellation of our cherished trip was certainly faster than I could imagine. From the various reactions we received, we realized that:
Some were disappointed that we were not as disappointed as they imagined and
Some were happy and relieved to hear that we were absolutely composed.

I had a surprise in store in the late evening as the efficient Ms Mamatha, informed over phone that Air India plans to make alternate arrangements and desired to know whether I risk traveling the very next day. I readily said Yes, and asked Bharathi to get ready. Parents (who had gone back to the native place) were informed in the night and they were ready to join us next morning. Problem was my father had already deposited the cash he had, in the bank and there was no time to visit the Bank for drawal of cash. You mentioned ATM Card?. Yes, he was holding a card expired long back.
Thus, by god’s grace, the trip which was aborted in the morning had a rebirth in less than 12 hours.
I must quote from Bhagavad Gita, {Chap 6, Verse 40}

न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति ।

(Good deeds will never letdown anyone!)

The holy Kashi (Chap 1)

Kashi, also commonly known as Benares or Varanasi, is a city situated on the bank of the River Ganga (Ganges) and regarded as holy by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. It is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.

Varanasi is a holy city and a very sacred pilgrimage place. It has the holy shrine of Lord Kashi Vishwanath and also one of the twelve revered Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.

There is a belief that bathing in Ganga remits sins and that dying in Kashi ensures release of a person's soul from the cycle of its transmigrations. Kashi is regarded as one of the Shakti Peethas, and that Vishalakshi Temple stands on the spot where Goddess Sati's earrings fell. Hindus of the Shakti sect make a pilgrimage to the city because they regard river Ganga itself as Goddess Shakti. Adi Shankara wrote his commentaries here, leading to the great Hindu revival.

Varanasi is home to four universities: Banaras Hindu University, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies and Sampurnanand Sanskrit University.

Varanasi has nearly 100 ghats. Many of the ghats were built when the city was under Maratha control. Marathas, Shindes (Scindias), Holkars, Bhonsles, and Peshwes (Peshwas) stand out as patrons of present-day Varanasi. Many ghats are privately owned. Most of the ghats are bathing ghats, while others are used as cremation sites. Many ghats are associated with legends or mythologies.

People often refer to Varanasi as "the city of temples", "the holy city of India", "the religious capital of India", "the city of lights", and "the city of learning." Varanasi is a city of temples. Almost every road crossing has a nearby temple. Such small temples form the basis of daily local prayers and other rituals. But there are many large temples too, erected at different times through out the history of Varanasi.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple, also called Golden Temple, which in its present shape was built in 1780 by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, is located on the outskirts of the Ganga. This temple makes Varanasi a place of great religious importance to the Hindus, as Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha, the aforementioned Jyotirlinga of the Lord Shiva is enshrined here. In 1839, Punjab Kesari, the Jat-Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ruler of Punjab donated gold to cover the two domes of the temple. On January 28, 1983 the Temple was taken over by the government of Uttar Pradesh and its management was transferred to a trust. The temple was once destroyed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb who built a mosque over it. It was later resurrected at a location near the mosque.

The new Vishwanath Temple, called Birla Mandir, mainly funded by Raja Birla of the Birla family of industrialists, was built as a replica of the old Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Planned by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the temple is part of the Banaras Hindu University, and stands for national revival.

Sankat Mochan Temple is dedicated to Lord Hanuman and is very popular with the local citizens. It is a place for many yearly religious as well as cultural festivals.

Kala Bhairava Temple: It is the ancient temple of Varanasi near VishesharGanj. God KalBhairav is believed as "Kotwal Of Varanasi" , without his permission no one can stay in Kashi.

To every visitor; Varanasi offers a breathtaking experience. The temples and shrines along the banks of Ganga …soul stirring hymns and mantras …and the refreshing dip in the holy waters gently splashing at the Ghats. Varanasi – the land where experience and discovery reach the ultimate bliss.

Should you desire more info, pl visit the following among other sites.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varanasi

http://varanasi.nic.in/

http://wikitravel.org/en/Varanasi

I was planning to pay my 2^nd visit there on LTC. This time with parents, wife and daughters. On the day of departure, however, the Air India flight got cancelled.

गंगा तरंग रमणीय जटा कलापं गौरी निरंतर विभूषित वाम भागम्

नारायण प्रिय मनन्ग मदापहारं वाराणासी पुरपतें भज विश्वनाथं

ಭದ್ರಗಿರಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಅಚ್ಯುತ ದಾಸ

Last evening I attended a ಹರಿಕಥೆ by ಭದ್ರಗಿರಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಅಚ್ಯುತ ದಾಸ. It was held after facilitation to Sri Srinatha Marathe a veteran vocalist and classical music teacher of Mangalore.
Despite his ripe age of 80, ಶ್ರೀ ಅಚ್ಯುತ ದಾಸ held his audience spell bound with his mastery in the presenting the ಹರಿಕಥೆ of ಭಕ್ತ ಸುದಾಮ. There was a right mixture of quotes from Upanishads & Bhagavatha, right doses of wit and humour and very melodious voice.

He sang many ದಾಸರ ಗೀತೆಗಳು. Particularly he chose ಇಟ್ಠಾಂಗೆ ಇರುವೆನು ಹರಿಯೆ for a detailed narration.
Why should we hear Harikathe from scholars like ಶ್ರೀ ಅಚ್ಯುತ ದಾಸ ?
ನ ವಿನಾ ವಿದುಷಾಂ ವಾಕ್ಯೈ: ನಶ್ಯತಿ ಅಭ್ಯನ್ತರಂ ತಮ:
{ The inner darkness do not get removed unless one hears a true scholar}
Blessed are those who hear ಶ್ರೀ ಅಚ್ಯುತ ದಾಸ with all sincerity.

Stories of Panchatantra (for Men!) Part-2

We were recalling the gems of wisdom in the stories of Panchatantra in sanskrit prose and verse. The book in its original form is a treasure house of knowledge which are usually lost in translation.
In the previous part we read about the romancing skills of women. Here let us see how they fare subsequently as per Panchatantra.
नाग्नि: तृप्यति काष्टानां नापगानां महोदधि: ।
नान्तक: सर्व भूतानां न पुंसां वामलोचना ॥
The fire is never satisfied by putting more and more fire wood. The ocean will never be satisfied with more and more rivers merging with it. Yama raja (Lord of death) also is never satisfied by taking the lives of more and more people. Similarly, women never satisfied from any number of men!.
रहो नास्ति क्षणो नास्ति नास्ति प्रार्थयिता नर: ।
तेन नारद ! नारीणां सतीत्वमुपजायते ॥
Many women have remained chaste. The secret of their remaining chaste is due to absence of private place or time and absence of courageous men who dare to enjoy them!.
यो मोहान्मन्यते मूडो रक्तेयं मम कामिनी ।
सा तस्य वशगो नित्यं भवेत्क्रीडाशकुन्तवत ॥
If anyone foolishly believes that “This woman is loving me fully”, then he is certain live like a puppet and become a permanent slave to her.
स्त्रियं च य: प्रार्थयते सन्निकर्षं च गच्चति ।
ईषच्च कुरुते सेवां तमेवेच्छंति योषित: ॥
Women desire such men who are always plead before them, who always loiter around them and who are ever ready to do petty helps. Such men are preferred by women.
I make it abundantly clear that the above descriptions are too general in nature, exaggerated to certain extent and cannot be universally true. We must realise that there are and there will be innumerable number of honourable exceptions. The only point I emphsise is the requirement of general public to revisit our classical texts to get wholesome entertainment in its multiple faces.
Well, more shlokas in the 3rd part. Watch out this space

Stories of Panchatantra (for Men!) Part-1

For the last few months, I was reading the stories of Panchatantra {1st Tantra: Mithrabheda} in sanskrit prose and verse. Reading the book in its original form revealed many gems of wisdom which are usually lost in translation.
Please do not come to any premature conclusion that stories of Panchatantra are just for children. It contains many invaluable lessons for adults much more than children.
Here are few shlokas:
जल्पन्ति सार्धमन्येन पश्यन्त्यन्येन सविभ्रमा: ।
हृद्गतं चिन्तयन्त्यन्यं प्रिय: को नाम योषितां ॥
(Women while having romance with one man, will look to another man with love, remember another lover in her mind all at the same time. Thus no woman is completely devoted to anyone.)
Please don’t think that this one shloka cannot generalize women. Here is another shloka with similar meaning:
एकेन स्मितपाटलाधररुचो जल्पन्ति अनल्पाक्षरं
वीक्षन्ते अन्यमित: स्पुटत्कुमुदिनीफ़ुल्लोलसल्लोचनाः ।
दूरोदारचरित्रचित्रविभवं ध्यायन्ति चान्यं धिया
केनेत्थं परमार्थतोऽर्थवदिव प्रेमाऽस्ति वामाभ्रुवां ॥
(Women ,with their pleasing smile and light red lips, speak eloquently with one person, [at the same time], with their lotus eyes look discreetly to another man with passion [and at the same time] they will also fondly remember another hero or flame who is romantically popular with women. Thus, whether beautiful women have any complete love to anyone? ).
Well, if this is the attitude to romance, what would be their attitude in its climax?
Watch out for more updates in this blog.

A very useful blog

I have pleasure in suggesting an interesting blog

http://www.useful-toall.blogspot.com/

As the name itself suggests, this blog contains very useful tips to techies in particular and others in general. The blog has very interesting and novel features.Yet another reason why I liked the bolg, I must confess, is that the author Mr. Skanda happens to be my relative.

Well, the extent to which one's judgment can be clouded about relatives is very aptly described by Neelakantha Deekshitha in his classic Kalividambana Shathaka.

गृहिणी स्वजनं वक्ति शुष्काहारं मिताशनं

पति पक्शान्स्तु बहु आशीन क्शीरापां तस्करानपि

{The wife praises her relatives as moderate eaters but condemns the relatives of her husband as gluttons, milk suckers and even thieves.}

It took 41 long years....

.. to know the correct meaning and origin of the word Madhusoodana.
As providence has it, in this evening's Gita + sanskrit class, i not only got the definition and also the authority. Certainly the best gift I can hope for on my birthday and more so when earleir part of the day had more of miseries than joy!
मधुसूदनः = मधुं (तन्नामकं ) दैत्यं सूदयति इति मधुसूदनः
मधु + सूद + णिच (सवार्थे ) + ल्यु (अन)
सूदनं मधुदैत्यस्य यस्मात् स मधुसूदनः {ब्रह्मवैवर्त पुराणे -११०}

My Great Predecessors

MY GREAT PREDECESSORS [in 5 volumes] is a series of books authored by the former world chess champion Garry Kasparov. This book is not just a compilation of play of the early greats of chess. Kasparov's biographies of these champions places them in a fascinating historical, political and cultural context. Kasparov explains how each champion brought his own distinctive style to the chess board and enriched the theory of the game with new ideas.

One of the early greats of chess is American legend Paul Morphy [1837-1884]. At the end of his career, he abndoned chess, became a recluse with mental disorder.

The first official world chess champion Wilhelm Steinitz [1836-1900] ended his days in poverty and in a mental asylum on an island near New York. He went there by boat, clutching to his chest a small chess board imagining that he moved his pieces and struck down his opponents. He longed to play both with Lasker [his successor, 2nd world chess champion] and with God himself- and he was sure that he could win...

Well, how could these great intellectuals lost their thinking faculties before the physical body?

Explanation is found in classic Panchatantra stories:

आदो चित्ते ततः काये सतां संपद्यते ज़रा

असतां तू पुन: काये नैव चित्ते कदाचन
[Great people become old in their mind first and then in body. But ordinary people, even if become very old in body, will continue to be greedy and hence mind will not be old]

I admit that the translation has not been very effective. I will be grateful, if somebody can suggest better wordings. Further, errors have crept in the sanskrit words aadau and tu. Somehow, I am unable to rectify the same.

Solar Eclipse on 22nd July 09

There will be a Solar eclipse visible in Southern India on Wednesday, 22.07.2009. It begins in the early morning (before sunrise) at 05:30 am. The eclipsed sun will rise at 06:13 am and eclipse ends at 07:20 am. (Local time, Mangalore)
Though eclipses generally affect all, since it is occuring in Pushya Nakshatra, those who are born in Cancer [Karkataka], Leo [Simha], Sagittarius[Dhanu] or Aquarius[Kumbha] would be affected in particular.
Food can be taken upto 8:30 pm on 21.07.09. On 22nd, food needs to be prepared only after the conclusion of eclipse.
How to observe an eclipse is already written elsewhere in this blog.
Well, the easiest way to appear "progressive", "modern", "scientific" or "rationalist" is to critisize or ridicule the time tested practices. There is a befitting shloka told by Shukraacharya to Vrushaparva in Mahabharatha, Aadi Parva:
नाधर्म: चरितो राजन् सद्य: फलति गौरिव ।
शनै: आवार्त्यमानो हि कर्तु: मूलानि कृन्तति ।
[Oh King, if you knowingly follow Adharama, it will not give quick result like Cows. Instead, the fruits of wrong deeds will surely revisit you slowly but with deadly blow to your roots]

Exam results

I am glad to announce that I had undergone गीता प्रवेश: course conducted by Samskrita Bharathi and have passed the exam with 87%. {I admit, the score is nothing to boast about and surely due to liberal valuation}.
गीता प्रवेश: is a unique course teaching samskrit through Bhagavad Gita. The advantage is one can reap the benefit of both samskrit and Gita.
Ok. Why should one trumpet the mediocre performance in an exam when those who have scored more have kept a low profile?
स्तोतार: के भविष्यन्ति मूर्खस्य जगतीतले
न स्तौति चेत् स्वयं च स्वं कदा तस्यास्तु निर्वृति:
{In this world no one praises a fool. Hence he is forced to praise himself. But when he will be free from the self commendation?}

A minor accident.

I met with a minor accident near Bejai on 17.4.2009. I fell unconcious and was admitted to AJ Hospital which is about 2 kms away. I recovered my senses only after about 30 minutes. The doctors scanned my head for any injuries. They must have reported that there were no injuries and also no brains, a fact known only to few is now known to every body. The very fact that I have posted this article shows that I have recovered quickly.
I just recall, a good shloka about doctors and treatments:

प्रवर्थनार्थमारम्भे मध्ये तु औषध हेतवे
बहुमानार्थमंते च जिहीर्षन्ति चिकित्सकाः

{Doctors take money at the beginning for commencing the treatment,
they continue to take money in the middle, on the guise of medicinal costs,
at the end also they will take money as honourarium for having cured the patient.! Thus, they succeed in taking out the money of patients.}
This incident was not reported in the press. However, an ayurvedic doctor had pointed out in her useful blog that, persons like me could also have been admitted to an Ayurvedic Hospital nearby. I too would have liked to get into an ayurvedic treatment, given a choice. In any case, you may please visit her blog for her views on these types of incidents in particular and wealth of Ayurveda in general:
http://www.drnisharajesh.blogspot.com/

Kaarthaveeryaarjuna

ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯ is a ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯ. He is the son of ಕ್ರತವೀರ್ಯ of Chandravamsha and his name is Arjuna. He ruled Anoopa Desha also known as Haihaya. His capital was ಮಾಹಿಷ್ಮತಿ ನಗರ.
He obtained 4 'vara's from Dattatreya
(i) to beget 1000 hands and lot of wealth
(ii) to be able rule the world with righteousness
(iii) to win good people by doing good deeds and to defeat bad people with sharp weapons and
(iv) to get death only from God .

Once Lord Agni approached ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯ and said that he is hungry and sought food. ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯ was so magnanimous that he offered the entire earth to Agni as alms. Agni was thus encouraged and proceeded to burn everything on earth. When Agni began to burn sage Vasishta's hermitage, Vasishta cursed ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯ that Parashuraama will cut his 1000 hands and kill him.

Once Raavana fought with ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯ and miserably lost. He was rotting in the prison of ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯ. Finally ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯ released Raavana from the prison as per the request of sage Pulastya.

Once, when Sage Jamadagni and his 5 children were away, ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯ entered his hermitage and took holy cow Kaamadhenu by force. Parashuraama took revenge by cutting his 1000 hands and also by killing him.

{ The Chakra of Lord Vishnu once became arrogant and thought that it is stronger than Vishnu himself. Inorder to teach his weapon Chakra, a lesson, Lord Vishnu asked it to be born as ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯ and Vishnu was born as Parashuraama. Thus, by killing ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯ, Vishnu demonstrated his supremacy.}

Very useful Shloka's

1. To overcome fear of Snakes:
सर्पापसर्पा भद्रं ते गच्छ सर्प महाविष
जनमेजय यज्ञांते आस्तीक वचनं स्मर ।
[ O poisonous snake, please go away from here. You recall the promise made by your ancestors to sage Astheeka]
Sage Astheeka was instrumental in stopping the Sarpa Yagna of Janamejaya. In gratitude, all snakes promised the sage not to to hurt anyone who remembers him.

2. To find lost items:
कार्तावीर्यार्जुन: नाम राजा बाहू सहस्रावान्
यस्य स्मरण मात्रेण गतं नष्टं च लभ्यते ।
[If you remember Kaarthaveeryaarjuna, a king with 1000 hands, you will easily get lost items].

An apt quotation.

In life, unlike Chess, the game continues after checkmate.