Kurral:
" Kootrrudan vandhumaelvarinum kooodiyethir nirrkkum
aatrra ladhuvae padai"
Meaning:
A real army is one which stands united and fightback even if the god of death comes down
with all his fury.
Description:
The valour and teamwork have been beautifully explained here. A country builds a troop to
save itself and the ment constituting the army must live up to all challenges and be
ready to lay their lives for the sake of their nation.
The real quality of an army is to stand united and fight back even if the opponent is as
mightier as the god of death.
In this competitive world, it applies to all. Valluvar says two things you must do when
you face a mightier opponent are to never lose hope and to fight as a team, which fits
the bill of everyone.
Isn't the term 'Poyyamozhi pulavar', the poet whose words never fail, fits aptly to this
great saint.
Saturday, June 26, 2004
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Quote for a life time - 3
Kurral:
"Nunnmaann nuzhaipulam illaan ezhilnalam
mannmaann punaipaavai attru"
Meaning:
If you don't have an analytical mind, whatever you learn will be like a doll made of soil.
Description:
We may learn many languages, read all the scriptures and cram all the epics of the world, but if we don't analyse what we have learnt, then it is not useful, it is like a doll made of mud and soil. We should have that analytical ability, that curious mind to analyse and we should be able to apply our learnings to this world.
Nunnmaann nuzhaipulam - analytical ability
illaan - a man without
ezhilnalam - the learnings of a man
manmaan - made of sand
punaipaavai - a crafted doll
attru - like
"Nunnmaann nuzhaipulam illaan ezhilnalam
mannmaann punaipaavai attru"
Meaning:
If you don't have an analytical mind, whatever you learn will be like a doll made of soil.
Description:
We may learn many languages, read all the scriptures and cram all the epics of the world, but if we don't analyse what we have learnt, then it is not useful, it is like a doll made of mud and soil. We should have that analytical ability, that curious mind to analyse and we should be able to apply our learnings to this world.
Nunnmaann nuzhaipulam - analytical ability
illaan - a man without
ezhilnalam - the learnings of a man
manmaan - made of sand
punaipaavai - a crafted doll
attru - like
Saturday, June 19, 2004
The week that was
I was not able to post anything the previous week. The reason is one of our colleague's marriage at Trichy. We, a few of our project mates, planned for a trip in the context of marriage. We did some trekking, attended marriage and returned.
The trip started with all of us catching the 'Rockfort express' from Egmore at 10:30 PM IST, on 11-June, Friday. The train reached Trichirappalli at around 5:30 AM IST on 12-June, Saturday. Booked a lodge, did our morning duties and had breakfast.
The first thing on our list was to visit a place called 'Puliancholai' nearby Trichy. We started at around 9 AM from Trichy, hired a tempo traveller and reached another town called 'Thuraiyur', packed lunch and reached 'Puliancholai' at around 11:30.
It was quite a smooth experience. The place 'Puliancholai' provided just enough challenge to our softened muscles (courtesty: sitting all the day in a cushion chair). It did not proved too difficult or too easy, just apt.
It's basically a hill. Flowing stream, rocky ways and gloomy weather accompanied us through. We started trek, from there and made a two hours effort uphill. Then we camped there, had lunch and returned. Since there was a clear sign of a rain in the hills, we had to return at 2:45 PM IST. Some of our chennai friends had to be warned by people from other towns about how it will be when it rains in a hill. They are not in a mood to leave.
Then we returned to our hotel, took rest, refreshed ourselves and went for the landmark of Trichy, 'MalaiKottai' (Rockfort). We were informed by one of our friends that the rock on which the fort was built is infact a sun rock, i.e. the rock was formed when the earth was created from the sun.
We climbed the seemingly innumerable steps and it really had us pant like Calvin at his breakfast. But, the climb was worth it. We offered prayers at the temple of Lord Ganesh. From atop, it was a nice panoramic view of city Trichy. The breeze was amazing.
Then the gang dispersed at about 9:00 PM after dinner. Each group went for their favourite movies. A few of us, needing rest, returned to hotel and slept before you say 'Trichirappalli'.
Next day, we experienced a traiditional hindu marriage. Flowers and relatvies are indispensable. We spent the morning in the marriage. Wished the couples, presented our gift, had lunch and returned to hotel. Then after small rest, we packed up and hurried for the "Guruvayur express" to port us back to Chennai.
The return journey was made fun by playing charades, books etc.
Ineffect, it proved to be a very good team building exercise.
The trip started with all of us catching the 'Rockfort express' from Egmore at 10:30 PM IST, on 11-June, Friday. The train reached Trichirappalli at around 5:30 AM IST on 12-June, Saturday. Booked a lodge, did our morning duties and had breakfast.
The first thing on our list was to visit a place called 'Puliancholai' nearby Trichy. We started at around 9 AM from Trichy, hired a tempo traveller and reached another town called 'Thuraiyur', packed lunch and reached 'Puliancholai' at around 11:30.
It was quite a smooth experience. The place 'Puliancholai' provided just enough challenge to our softened muscles (courtesty: sitting all the day in a cushion chair). It did not proved too difficult or too easy, just apt.
It's basically a hill. Flowing stream, rocky ways and gloomy weather accompanied us through. We started trek, from there and made a two hours effort uphill. Then we camped there, had lunch and returned. Since there was a clear sign of a rain in the hills, we had to return at 2:45 PM IST. Some of our chennai friends had to be warned by people from other towns about how it will be when it rains in a hill. They are not in a mood to leave.
Then we returned to our hotel, took rest, refreshed ourselves and went for the landmark of Trichy, 'MalaiKottai' (Rockfort). We were informed by one of our friends that the rock on which the fort was built is infact a sun rock, i.e. the rock was formed when the earth was created from the sun.
We climbed the seemingly innumerable steps and it really had us pant like Calvin at his breakfast. But, the climb was worth it. We offered prayers at the temple of Lord Ganesh. From atop, it was a nice panoramic view of city Trichy. The breeze was amazing.
Then the gang dispersed at about 9:00 PM after dinner. Each group went for their favourite movies. A few of us, needing rest, returned to hotel and slept before you say 'Trichirappalli'.
Next day, we experienced a traiditional hindu marriage. Flowers and relatvies are indispensable. We spent the morning in the marriage. Wished the couples, presented our gift, had lunch and returned to hotel. Then after small rest, we packed up and hurried for the "Guruvayur express" to port us back to Chennai.
The return journey was made fun by playing charades, books etc.
Ineffect, it proved to be a very good team building exercise.
Friday, June 11, 2004
Way to learn religion - Swami Vivekananda
You will find many persons in this world who will say: 'I wanted to become religious, I wanted to realize these things, but I have not been able, so I do not believe anything.' Even among the educated, you will find these. Large numbers of people will tell you, 'I have tried to be religious all my life, but there is nothing in it.' At the same time, you will find this phenomenon: Suppose a man is a chemist, a great scientific man. he comes and tells you this. If you say to him, 'I do not believe in anything about chemistry, because I have all my life tried to be a chemist, and do not find anything in it', he will ask, 'When did you try?' 'When I went to bed, I repeated, "O chemistry, come to me", and it never came.' That is the very same thing. The chemist laughs at you and says: ‘Oh that is not the way. Why did you not go to the laboratory and get all the acids and alkalis and burn your hands from time to time? That alone would have taught you.' Do you take the same trouble with religion? Every science has its own method of learning, and religion is to be learned the same way.
Sunday, June 06, 2004
Quote for the lifetime - 2
This time one of the best known and often quoted Kurral (ref. my previous posting regarding Kurral).
Kurral:
"Thottanai thoorrum manarkkaeni maandharkku
katranai thoorrum arrivu"
Meaning:
Water springs from the sandy well as much as you dig likewise knowledge comes to people as much as they learn
Description:
In a muddy well, water comes on it only as good as you dig or delve deeper, the similarly knowledge springs from the mind only as much as you learn.
1) Thottanai thoorrum = Thottanaithu + Oorum
Thottanaithu - as much you dig
Oorrum - springs
2) Manarkkaeni - Sandy well
3) Maandharkku - for people
4) Katranai thoorrum - Katranithu + Oorrum
Katranaithu - as much you learn
Oorum - springs
5) Arrivu - Knowledge
Kurral:
"Thottanai thoorrum manarkkaeni maandharkku
katranai thoorrum arrivu"
Meaning:
Water springs from the sandy well as much as you dig likewise knowledge comes to people as much as they learn
Description:
In a muddy well, water comes on it only as good as you dig or delve deeper, the similarly knowledge springs from the mind only as much as you learn.
1) Thottanai thoorrum = Thottanaithu + Oorum
Thottanaithu - as much you dig
Oorrum - springs
2) Manarkkaeni - Sandy well
3) Maandharkku - for people
4) Katranai thoorrum - Katranithu + Oorrum
Katranaithu - as much you learn
Oorum - springs
5) Arrivu - Knowledge
Saturday, June 05, 2004
Dasavathara and the evolution of creatures
Avatars of the lord:
According to Sanathana Dharma, god took birth ten times in this world (referred as avatars) in our world to protect the good from evil. As the lord himself has said in Bhagavad Gita,
"Forever, whenever the evil arises, whenever the Saadhus (saints in the mode of goodness) are attacked, whenever the dharma is in danger, I will appear, to crush the evil and to re-establish faith."
The lord has taken 10 avatars (incarnations), those are in order. Also, my views about the avatar are also noted. a) and b) represent two different views.
1. Machhavatar (Fish)
a) The fish is one of the primitive form of evolution.
b) Child in mother's womb as fish is in water
2. Koormavatar (Turtle)
a) Turtle is next level of creature in water. It's an amphibian, which can live in Land and water. The creatures ventured into the land.
b) Child takes birth as water creatures became amphibians
3. Varahavatar (Wild boar)
a) Fully land animal but primitive.
b) Child is growing. He does not care about others and self-centered.
4. Narasimhavatar (man-lion)
a) Half man and half lion. Depicts the state of early man with the qualities of a man as well as an animal.
b) Humane qualities are getting in but still some rude qualiites exist in the child.
5. Vamanavatar (Dwarf priest)
a) Humane qualities have developed well but the body structure remains as dwarf. The body has not reached the full form. Might also represent those primitive species before homo erectus.
b) Learned but not grown into adult.Young adolescent.
6. Parasuramavatar (Priest with an axe)
a) A full grown man with a bend towards righteousness. He can't stand a crime. The fighting quality and the spirit for good.
b) The youth and its rage for right.
7. Ramavatar (The ideal king)
a) An ideal man. Able ruler. A shining example of how a man should live. Never in the history of the world that a man/ruler more complete than Rama has lived.
b) Man sets to live an ideal life with his family.
8. Krishnavatar
a) Man adaptable to the surroundings. Krishna was a winner is all the circumstances he faced in his life.
b) The later stage of life. He understands that he has to learn to adapt to the surroundings.
9. Buddhavatar
a) A man getting enlightenment and relinquishing from material comforts and pursuits. Preaches and practices meditation.
b) The older stage of life.
According to Sanathana Dharma, god took birth ten times in this world (referred as avatars) in our world to protect the good from evil. As the lord himself has said in Bhagavad Gita,
"Forever, whenever the evil arises, whenever the Saadhus (saints in the mode of goodness) are attacked, whenever the dharma is in danger, I will appear, to crush the evil and to re-establish faith."
The lord has taken 10 avatars (incarnations), those are in order. Also, my views about the avatar are also noted. a) and b) represent two different views.
1. Machhavatar (Fish)
a) The fish is one of the primitive form of evolution.
b) Child in mother's womb as fish is in water
2. Koormavatar (Turtle)
a) Turtle is next level of creature in water. It's an amphibian, which can live in Land and water. The creatures ventured into the land.
b) Child takes birth as water creatures became amphibians
3. Varahavatar (Wild boar)
a) Fully land animal but primitive.
b) Child is growing. He does not care about others and self-centered.
4. Narasimhavatar (man-lion)
a) Half man and half lion. Depicts the state of early man with the qualities of a man as well as an animal.
b) Humane qualities are getting in but still some rude qualiites exist in the child.
5. Vamanavatar (Dwarf priest)
a) Humane qualities have developed well but the body structure remains as dwarf. The body has not reached the full form. Might also represent those primitive species before homo erectus.
b) Learned but not grown into adult.Young adolescent.
6. Parasuramavatar (Priest with an axe)
a) A full grown man with a bend towards righteousness. He can't stand a crime. The fighting quality and the spirit for good.
b) The youth and its rage for right.
7. Ramavatar (The ideal king)
a) An ideal man. Able ruler. A shining example of how a man should live. Never in the history of the world that a man/ruler more complete than Rama has lived.
b) Man sets to live an ideal life with his family.
8. Krishnavatar
a) Man adaptable to the surroundings. Krishna was a winner is all the circumstances he faced in his life.
b) The later stage of life. He understands that he has to learn to adapt to the surroundings.
9. Buddhavatar
a) A man getting enlightenment and relinquishing from material comforts and pursuits. Preaches and practices meditation.
b) The older stage of life.
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