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Growth of monotheist religion in India

The Growth of Monotheist Religions in the context of India

Christianity is a religion which wants death to be related to the wholeness or good that it brings. The religion itself is based on the fact that Jesus died on the cross and therefore the loss of him is because of the sins of man. To perpetuate the misery, all the edifices that Christianity has brought into this world is based on some one getting martyred for the cause. The idea is to perpetuate a feeling that is sympathetic to the cause.

We are not sure if St Peter and his remains are martyred under the St Peters Basilica in Vatican, same can be said about the lie perpetuated as St Thomas being interred in St Thomas Mount, Chennai. The idea behind the St Thomas being Martyred, does not go in grain with the fact, that no where in the written documents have there been a case of a human being martyred for espousing a cause in India. There is no history of the Christian Missionaries sent across by the Portuguese, The Spaniards or the British, French or the Danish having been received hostile. If they had, we would have some records of them having a tough time when they landed in India. Where does this story of St Thomas come from? , there is no evidence in any of the works (Christian or Non Christian) except for anecdotal evidence of the same. Anecdotes does not make them an event that took place. It is not even conjectural when it comes to the perpetuation of lies in the name of religion.

If seen from a evangelical perspective, it becomes clear, the idea is to sell a idea that was already present, something that has been there and the new evangelicals are repackaging it. And so is the Aryan invasion theory, this was also perpetuated continually so that it would provide the evangelicals a place for them to represent their new colonies. Once you are considered European, being a bretheren, it is easier to sell the idea across. When the Aryan invasion theory did not work, they switched to the Dravidans as having been opressed by foreigners and Chrisitanity is the force that would protect them. The idea was also to enforce the idea of them being superior and therefore the moral right to rule them over and to bring about economic and social emancipation to the masses. This seems to have worked as we see that the Christian denominations are more among the Fishermen folk along the coasts as well as the tribals of the North East of India.

One of the arguments for the progress (Material and Educational) of the Chrisitan community in India as an example of the beneficial effects of the evangelicals, of improving more than 2.4 percent of the Indian population (Rough percentage of Christians in India). But the other way to look at it, is the economic incentive given to them to convert would have moved them on the social ladder. To get the resources you need to move up the ladder, to get schooling, basic services, it is needed to convert to the religion of choice. This added to the fact that it was largely skewed in their favour before independence, most of the transformation happened when the resources were in the hands of the community that favoured one over the other. Given a level playing field, there would have not been much of a difference and as we all know resources targeted can atleast have the desired effect. Add to this the fact, the feeling of superiority because of religion as well as the language you attend your masses in, that is a heady concoction.The other argument is having brought together the down trodden, the lowest of low of society into a common denominator with quality. Well this does not sound that well, as we can clearly see in the Matrimonial Columns of any newspaper,does not say Christian, it says specifically Mudaliar Christian, Pillai Chrisitan, CSI Christian. The difference exists and not as claimed to the contrary.The various denominations within the Christian faith adds to the complexity of the various groups.

Some of the ways the evangelicals work is to enforce a sense of who is a better god and this works effective in among tribal populations. The idea is to bring medicine to the tribals and in the name of God treat them.One of the ways to do it is to have a medicine in front of a cross and one among the other gods and serving it to a sick to let them know as to who cures them. This is done with placebo calcium tablets versus say a paracetemol that helps them to recover from fever being an antipyretic.The effect is played out to perfection in similar moulds and you have a perfect way to convince somebody of the impotency of a God vs something else.

Money is power, to ensure that the flow of money is continuos into India, we see the evangelical organizations raising funds in the US. Since much of the money is based on the number of converts, India becomes a great place to peddle the wares. One of the ways, having talked to one of them, found that they buy a large tract of land and start a colony with a Church, the large tract is made into small plots and anybody converting to is provided a pieve of land and should visit the Church every sunday. This works great too, many do sign up for it and I also know of someone, who did this as the incentive was good enough for his to convert for convenience. There is a lock in period of say ten years, once they are done, you can dispose of the piece of lot and go laughing to the bank. The number though counts for the evangelicals, and they claim to have so many in their fold. The fact is though, it generates jobs , a bell ringer, a father at the Church all with Foreign Direct Investments. THe ultimate goal is to convert the billion heathens into God Fearing, Christians of their ilk and get salvation by getting rid of 1/6th of the population, towards salvation.

Many a times it is of importance to note that as a religion, the Christian faith though talks a lot about love, is but a religion built on feeling of guilt. It is obvious and a fact that the feeling of guilt, makes the person feeling the guilt to provide concessions in the way he sways over things that are material and spiritual. Every one is considered a sinner, a sinner that needs to report on their sins, the repurcussions for not doing so built on the fact that they are to rot in hell. The Government and Church being closely built this would have provided for a hand and the glove in maintaining order. When it did not work as was the case with witches or those practicing pagan beliefs, "death" by burning. Intimidation for not falling in line was effectively and ruthlessly applied by the Romans, when they embraced Christianity to the present day.

Evangelical work in India is a moot point of discussion, it is to be noted that India remains a bastion against the monotheist religions like ISlam and Christianity. Wherever the concept of Money and Military power could be exercised, these religions made sure that the population was swayed by the sword or economic incentives or pure genocide of the local populations. There are many cases in history that would vouch for this fact in Islamic or Christian literature (This is important from the fact that it is not written by the losing party or those slaughtered , but chest thumping by the victorious armies). Their success has been limited in Inda unlike the poor Africans, the Islanders, the North Eastern Indians or the decimated populations of the Americas (Where they were helped by Old World diseases). The reason most probably was that the Indian population has taken the onslaught of the Islamic marauders and the armies were far better than what they faced among the Africans and Americans. Once they ran over them, it was systematic murder of people - the cultural elite of the occupied nations and replacement of their traditional pagan religious places, with Churches and Mosques. This was systematic, because that was one of the effective ways the religions was built.

Visibility was important, Mecca had to be in a location where there was a pagan temple,so are many of the replacement temples that were converted to Churches in many parts of Europe. The destruction of old religious edifices to replace them with Christian/Islamic symbols is systematic and have been done over many hundreds of years. The Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore, presently is about a kilometre from the shore, this temple was destroyed by the Portuguese and the present day Santhome Basilica most probably sits on that spot. The temple is mentioned in many documents dating back to the 7th century AD , however, the present temple looks newer and most probably redone by the Vijayanagar Dynasties.

People tend to continue to congregate in older institutions. These institutions change their faces and replace the older ones. What is in a name? they continue their traditions with newer names, but the embodiment of the new faces are the old faith.

Gods and cameras

Thinking about the concept of God, it is clear that humans looked at something beyond them to ensure that there exists order in the society they lived in. This concept was paramount to the success of humans as a race and evolved into the civilization that nurtured into what we are today.

 

The concept worked fine as long as the various communities that were governed by a particular god served the purpose without much ado. The present conflicts can be seen in this context. As boundaries overlap, the concept of god overlaps and therefore the confrontation between various gods and results in conflict. Most conflicts are fought in the name of godhead. God heads might change to the concepts followed in various religions to the change of the god head into a generic term like democracy, at least the new god democracy is generic and representative of all the thousands of gods we have across the world.

 

God and religion are very important aspects in maintaining order in society. When the gods are invoked he becomes the authority to decide on the outcome. Misuse in the name is God is still prevalent and atrocities are committed in the name of God. The concept of god is needed to ensure participation of people in things that we evolve and do together. The civilization that have been built on ensures that we do not do things the way we want to do and the so called conscience is nothing but the concept of god imbibed in us that stops us in doing things that we would normally done.

 

Take the example of a child, the child's decision are based on the concept of what it feels provides it the maximum marginal satisfaction by the consumption of something, like a toy, a big bar of chocolate or more a thieving child that picks up a cookie and wants to let her mother that she never did so. The pattern of behaviour on the part of the child would be to deny it, as the consequence of the act of lying does reward her with a nice big cookie. On the same lines, the mother can counteract by saying that a omnipresent omniscient being was watching over the kid (the logical reason to believe that the kid has consumed the cookie) would work against the kid, as the being may let her mother know of the thieving child. The effect is as good when you say that the kid was looked at through a hidden camera in the room, it does not matter to her whether the being was the being or the hidden camera ( Kids with exposure to hidden camera,  television , movies know of technology as an enabler) that provides mom, with the ability to look at the video of the activities of the kid.

 

To have a simplistic explanation, it is easier to say that the the God figure can be easily replaced with a camera. You might be wondering why this is an important piece of the blog. The reason we are moving into a society that is more and more material, that questions the existence of the all pervading God needs a replacement system that is universally acknowledged and respected. The camera which does not differentiate between religions, becomes the force de jour and helps in restoring a semblance of decorum and society is back on it's foot, it is a functioning anarchy as it was before the advent of God.

Absent Employee

The boss wondered why one of his most valued employees was absent but had not phoned in sick one day. Needing to have an urgent problem with one of the main computers resolved, he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper. 'Hello ?'

'Is your daddy home?' he asked.

'Yes,' whispered the small voice.
May I talk with him?'

The child whispered, 'No .'

Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, 'Is your Mommy there?' 'Yes'

'May I talk with her?' Again the small voice whispered, 'No'

Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, 'Is anybody else there?' 

'Yes,' whispered the child, 'a policeman.'

Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, 'May I speak with the policeman?'

'No, he's busy,' whispered the child.

'Busy doing what?'

'Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the Fireman,' came the whispered answer.

Growing more worried as he heard a loud noise in the background through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked, 'What is that noise?'

'A helicopter' answered the whispering voice.

'What is going on there?' demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive.
Again, whispering, the child answered,

'The search team just landed a helicopter'

Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated the boss asked, 'What are they searching for?'

Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle...

'ME.' 

The charm of Indian English

Saturday , May 17, 2003 TODAY'S COLUMNIST Indian English has a charm and eccentricity all its own, quite unmatched anywhere in the world We Are Like This Only: Flavours Of Indian English There is a conspiracy afoot to get us to speak perfect English, going by the number of advertisements in the papers for English language training. To correct our voice and diction, get our grammar straightened out, make our sentences march in neat little lines like soldiers. Basically to take the Indian out of our English. Please stop them, someone. Indian English has a masala not found in any other English in the world. I am lobbying to let it take its place as another kind of legitimate English, not as an incorrect version of real English. Like Indian food, Indian English has real flavour. Where else would they say things like: * Don't stand in front of my back. * A cow gives milk which we drink. Therefore it is our mother. * Who took the breeze out of my cykill? * Will you have some tea-shee? biscuit-viscuit? * Why aren't you kneel-downing? * Hurry-upping ma'am. * Open the windows and let the atmosphere come in. * Open the windows and let the Air Force come in. Or the gentleman on the flight who told the stewardess: "I am vegetable but my wife is not and I will drink a Walking Johnny." Or my yoga teacher who guides us into shavasana by saying: "Now be relax. Loose your body, loose your arms, loose your face. Let the breathe come in from the nostril and look at your breathe." Or the nosey but well-meaning Punjabi couple, who within minutes, wanted to know everything about my life: "Pinky, are you married? Any issues? What does your husband do? What salary is he making? Where do you live? We live in Patel Nagar, right above Bhasin tailors, please come over. Do you like pickle, you can be having mine." Or the school Principal who gave this speech: "The school is like a garden. You are the seeds, school is the soil. We will bury you in this soil, pour water of knowledge on your heads and one day you will become great phools." And here, some more beauties collected over the years from various sources: This is an excerpt from an essay on 'The Cow' written by a candidate for the UPSC exam. He got through successfully: "THE COW: The cow is a successful animal. Also he is quadruped and because he is female, he give milk but will do so when he is got child. He is same like God, but sacred to Hindus and useful to man. But he has got four legs together. Two are forward and two are afterwards. His whole body can be utilised for use. More so the milk. What can it do? Various ghee, butter, cream, curd, whey and the condensed milk and so forth. Also he is useful to cobler, watermans and mankind generally." This speech was given by a new schoolmaster who was transferred from a rural area to a school in Mumbai: "Leddies and gentulmens, childrens. This is my first maiden speech. If small small mistakes get inside my speech, I ask pardon. I wanted to joint your school more fastly but wire-man came and gave a telegram massage for me. I got real sock when I read that my feverish and weekly mother became very dangerous. By the time I reached, she had finished. Doctor said me that, before she passed out, the pulls of hand was faster and her breadth became longer. I asked doctor if my mother was in her senses when she died. Doctor said she had sense till 9 o'clock a.m. in the night, but was non-sense by 10 o'clock.." *** This is an excerpt from The Inscrutable Americans by Anurag Mathur. This is part of a letter written by the protagonist who has just arrived in the USA: "Dear Brother, Greetings to respectful parents. I am hoping all is well with health and wealth. I am fine at my end. Hoping your end is fine too...Younger brother, I am having so many things to tell you that I am not knowing where to start. Most surprising thing about America is it is full of Americans...The flight is arriving safely thanks to God's grace and Parents' prayers and mine too. I am not able to go to bathroom whole time because I am sitting in corner seat as per revered grandmother's wish....Many foods are being served in carts but I am only eating cashew nuts and bread because I am not knowing what is food and what is meat." *** This letter, taken off the Net, was received by Ramesh Mahadevan by his bosom buddy from India: "Hey Ramesh there! Bhat man, no nooj fram you far lang time? Bhat mater eej? Hab you forgotten me? Myself, Deepak Khanna from IIT Kanpur. Same Kolege, same nolej, yaar. Hee hee...Arrey bhai, yesterday I go restaurant and they ask, what bil you hab? Cadberry? Papsee? Or one bottle Thunderbolt? Talking of alcohol, do you know there are three kinds of beer in India? One you drink, one you sleep with (called 'taddy bear') and one you having nothing to do with, since you cannot 'beer' it... I am not knowing if you are doing the understanding?" *** And this letter, displayed in the National Railway Museum, was written by an irate traveller in 1909 to the Sahbiganj Divisonal Office, West Bengal, after which train compartments came to have attached toilets: "I am arriving by passenger train from Ahmedpur Station and my belly is too much swelling with jackfruit. I am therefore went to privy. Just I doing the nuisance that guard making whistle blow for train to go off and I am running with "lotah" in one hand and "dhoti" in the next when I am fall over and expose all my shocking to man and female on the plateform. I am got leaved at Ahmedpur station. This too much bad. If passenger go to make dung that dam guard not wait train five minutes for him. I am therefore pray your honour to make big fine on that guard for public sake. Otherwise I am making big report to papers. Your faithfully servent Okhil Ch.Sen" *** So, you see what I mean. This is our English. We created it very hardly. It took us two hundred years. Please don't treat this matter laughingly. Join the lobby to save Indian English. Kindly do the needful and oblige.

Homams - The Whys of it and for what?

Hommam

 

  Homam is a special pooja It can be performed in a Yagasala or even it is performed as a puja in the home like other Hindu activities. A good Hindu Lifestyle is perform homam on hindu auspicious days and days like Birthdays, Annivesaries, before starting new venture, etc. Homams can be done on Hindu festivals. It is one among the Hindu Ceremony and considered very important among hindu beliefs and practices. In short it prime among Hindu rites. There are even Homams to get rid of s Hindu Black magic and nullify the hindu eye effect. The Homams performed by us follows strict Hindu rules. You can order any Homam for any purpose / desire / occassion / festival. We have a wide choice of Homams. 

Ganapathy Homam

Before starting any new venture or anything afresh, Ganesh Homam is must. If one is suffering from losses, when starting a new business or investments or when one is getting married, or to remove obstacles or for celebration of your or your child's birthday, Maha Ganpathy Homam is recommended.   Sudarsana Homam       Performance of the Sudarshana Homam confers health, wealth and Prosperity on the seeker (in this case the person who performs the Homam). If the seeker desires material benefit, the Chakram grants him all the riches he wants. A beautiful Chakram formation of the flames could be seen.  Navagraha homam        Navgraha Homam is recommended for all, particularly those planets are detrimental or malefic as per horoscope. Navgraha Homam shall be performed every year to ensure that you always get maximum advantage from your planets. The planets are to propitiate against their evil influences.  Ayush Homam       This Homam is performed to Lord Shiva, so that the devotee performing this homam will get longevity in life. apa mrityu, Akala Maranam etc., are terms indicating untimely and unfortunate death. The best remedy is to perform Ayushya Homam on every birthday, as reckoned by the birth star not by the English date.  Maha Lakshmi Homam       In the vedas, she called Sri. Goddess Lakshmi indicates prosperity. Worship of Lakshmi indicates an appreciation of prosperity and a sense of responsibility towards it. Depicted an extremely beautiful woman, Lakshmi stands on a lotus. She has lotuses in various stages of bloom in her two hands.   Lakshmi Kubera Homam       To go hand in hand with Lord Vishnu's act of maintenance and protection, Goddesses Lakshmi is the possessor of every form of wealth. The golden coins falling on the ground from the front left hand of Lakshmi illustrate that She provides wealth and prosperity to her devotees.   Santhana Gopala Homam       The manthras spelled during the homam glorifies Lord Vishnu as the Purusha or the primitive being with innumerable heads, eyes and feet. The lord is illustrated as the cause of all living beings. It further describes the manner in which different species occur from his various limbs. Mrithunjya Homam       Mritunday Homam is performed for Lord Shiva to protect the person suffering from the ailments. Lord Shiva represents the aspect of the Supreme Being and is considered to be the destroyer of evil and sorrow. Shiva is 'tri netra' or three eyed, and is 'neela kantha' - blue necked.

Zen Stories for your Soul

The 10 Very Best Zen Stories

 

Many teachings from Zen-Buddhism are told in short and delightful stories. They are usually designed to develop the mind and to free it from distortions and so to connect with our spirit.

Some of them are really inspiring and enlightening. It is helpful to the mind to think about them and feel the deeper meaning. Even if it is not possible to grasp them fully, the beauty and simplicity of the message usually gets through to us one way or the other.

The following 10 Zen stories are a selection of the ones I found most inspiring and really worth to ponder about. Some may be instantely understood, some others need to be thought through and recognized in oneself.

They are about the following topics: life in the present moment, different perspectives, attachment, resistance, judgment, delusion, beliefs and thought as mental concepts but not truth and unconditional love. Please feel free to post your interpretation or other stories into the comments.

After reading the first, follow it's advice to read all the others. :)

1. A Cup of Tea

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"

"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"

2. The Burden

Two monks were returning to the monastery in the evening. It had rained and there were puddles of water on the road sides. At one place a beautiful young woman was standing unable to walk accross because of a puddle of water. The elder of the two monks went up to a her lifted her and left her on the other side of the road, and continued his way to the monastery.

In the evening the younger monk came to the elder monk and said, "Sir, as monks, we cannot touch a woman ?"

The elder monk answered "yes, brother".

Then the younger monk asks again, "but then Sir, how is that you lifted that woman on the roadside ?"

The elder monk smiled at him and told him " I left her on the other side of the road, but you are still carrying her."

3. Finding a Piece of the Truth

One day Mara, the Evil One, was travelling through the villages of India with his attendants. he saw a man doing walking meditation whose face was lit up on wonder. The man had just discovered something on the ground in front of him. Mara's attendant asked what that was and Mara replied, "A piece of truth."

"Doesn't this bother you when someone finds a piece of truth, O Evil One?" his attendant asked. "No," Mara replied. "Right after this, they usually make a belief out of it."

4. The Other Side

One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river. Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier. Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river. The young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, "Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river"?

The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back, "My son, you are on the other side".

5. Is That So?

The Zen master Hakuin was praised by his neighbors as one living a pure life.

A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store lived near him. Suddenly, without any warning, her parents discovered she was with child.

This made her parents very angry. She would not confess who the man was, but after much harassment at last named Hakuin.

In great anger the parents went to the master. "Is that so?" was all he would say.

When the child was born, the parents brought it to the Hakuin, who now was viewed as a pariah by the whole village. They demanded that he take care of the child since it was his responsibility. "Is that so?" Hakuin said calmly as he accepted the child.

A year later the girl-mother could stand it no longer. She told her parents the truth – that the real father of the child was a young man who worked in the fishmarket.

The mother and father of the girl at once went to Hakuin to ask his forgiveness, to apologize at length, and to get the child back again.

Hakuin was willing. In yielding the child, all he said was: "Is that so?"

6. Maybe

Once upon the time there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically.

"Maybe," the farmer replied.

The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed.

"Maybe," replied the old man.

The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune.

"Maybe," answered the farmer.

The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out.

"Maybe," said the farmer.

7. Cliffhanger

One day while walking through the wilderness a man stumbled upon a vicious tiger. He ran but soon came to the edge of a high cliff. Desperate to save himself, he climbed down a vine and dangled over the fatal precipice.

As he hung there, two mice appeared from a hole in the cliff and began gnawing on the vine.

Suddenly, he noticed on the vine a plump wild strawberry. He plucked it and popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly delicious!

8. The Blind Men and the Elephant

Several citizens ran into a hot argument about God and different religions, and each one could not agree to a common answer. So they came to the Lord Buddha to find out what exactly God looks like.

The Buddha asked his disciples to get a large magnificent elephant and four blind men. He then brought the four blind to the elephant and told them to find out what the elephant would "look" like.

The first blind men touched the elephant leg and reported that it "looked" like a pillar. The second blind man touched the elephant tummy and said that an elephant was a wall. The third blind man touched the elephant ear and said that it was a piece of cloth. The fourth blind man hold on to the tail and described the elephant as a piece of rope. And all of them ran into a hot argument about the "appearance" of an elephant.

The Buddha asked the citizens: "Each blind man had touched the elephant but each of them gives a different description of the animal. Which answer is right?"

9. Right and Wrong

When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.

Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.

When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."

A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.

10. Nothing Exists

Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.

Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received."

Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.

"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"

Bonus 11. Teaching the Ultimate

In early times in Japan, bamboo-and-paper lanterns were used with candles inside. A blind man, visiting a friend one night, was offered a lantern to carry home with him.

"I do not need a lantern," he said. "Darkness or light is all the same to me."

"I know you do not need a lantern to find your way," his friend replied, "but if you don't have one, someone else may run into you. So you must take it."

The blind man started off with the lantern and before he had walked very far someone ran squarely into him. "Look out where you are going!" he exclaimed to the stranger. "Can't you see this lantern?"

"Your candle has burned out, brother," replied the stranger.

Finding A Groom - Phrases in Local Lingua into English

My apologies to our friends who are not familiar with the Tamil language. Yet im sure this letter will be understood by non tamil speaking friends as all the Indian languages carry the same meaning and the phrases and words are identically applied in day to day usage. ================== A letter written in the 30's ..Very interesting.. Nothing wrong with the language..It is an adaptation..South Indianised...Go on..Happy reading. Dear Ambi, All well here, hope all well there. I am glad to inform you that after rotating in many places, I have found a boy for our Ammu. The boy is a bell boy. His people are all gold people. No dowry. Enough if we put something on theear, nose and neck. Simple reception with SKC, sweet, karam, coffee. The astrologer says, all these days insufficient time for Ammu. Hereafter good time only. Come soon for help whatever be the headgoing work. Ammanji is bringing his pleasure from Bangalore. Kunjakka said she will come for help at the marriage confimation ceremony and also be there at the dining hall and make sure that the boy's  house people eat shamelessly. Along with hand she also wanted her son's thread ceremony to be performed at the marriage. Once again come soon for help whatever be the headgoing work.

Sanskrit Proverbs from Nitidvishashtika (~ 500 C.E.)

On Affection

“A creeper that has been cut can be made to grow again, but it will never look as beautiful as it used to. Similarly, an affectionate relationship that has been spoilt, can be revived again, but it will not have the same charm as it used to.” Nitidvishashtika 49

On Charity

“A noble man makes a gift of charity respectfully and without publicity. Mean men also practice charity, but they are guided by selfish motives and give away with disrespect.” Nitidvishashtika

On Good Company

“Friendship with the good grows day by day just as the sap of from top to bottom, joint by joint. Friendship of the wicked is opposite in nature to this.” Nitidvishashtika 16

On Enmity

“ Foolish people never give up enmity, just as a line drawn on a rock cannot be erased. But the wise forgive and forget, their enmity is as ephemeral as a line drawn on the surface of water.” Nitidvishashtika  64

On Fools

“Where fools pretend to be wise, the wise should pretend to be foolish. Under the spell of ignorance ridicule even the wise sayings.” Nitidvishashtika 18

“Avoid even the sight of foolish men. If one does see them, then avoid their company. If one does fall into the company of foolish men, then let him keep silent. And if one does have to speak amongst them, then let him too speak like them.” Nitidvishashtika 19

On Forgiveness

“If one is censured for a genuine fault of his, then he should endure that rebuke. And if he is censured for no fault of his, he should forgive the other person thinking that the censure did not occur at all.” Nitidvishashtika 66

“If a dog bites a man, he does not bite the dog back. Therefore, if a wicked man humiliates a virtuous one, the latter should not seek revenge.” Nitidvishashtika 68

On Friendship

“Following are the characteristics of a bad friend- making fun of their friend in public, showing friendship only as long as some benefit is obtained from the relationship, and not forgetting the bad deeds of his friend towards him.” Nitidvishashtika 46

“ One should retain formal courtesy only as long as friendship has not been achieved. Once friendship is acquired, formal courtesy is a sign of deceit.” Nitidvishashtika 53

On Knowledge

“Just as female bees gather so much honey little by little that it can fill several pots. Likewise, wise men gather knowledge, religious merit and penance little by little continuously, without ever giving up.” Nitidvishashtika 36-37

“Even old men should humbly approach younger men with reverence for clarification of their doubts, just as they would approach their teachers with respect.” Nitidvishashtika 33

“One should strive to become learned and not hanker after wealth alone. It is common to find a wealthy man, but rare indeed is he who has erudition.” Nitidvishashtika 92

On Longevity

“Of what use is a long life to those whose minds are blemished with lust and jealousy, who work inefficiently and who feel insulted at slight pretexts?” Nitidvisastika 60

On Merit

“Although dim, the rays of moon falling on the snow clad peaks of the Himalayas look resplendent and illuminate entire mountain ranges. Likewise, even a few good qualities become abundant in persons who are lofty with merit.” Nitidvishashtika 55

On the Miser

“ The wealth of a man who merely hoards riches, but does not want to enjoy them is like someone else’s wealth lying in his house. It is the like a daughter who is brought up (with love and affection), only to be given away at the time of her marriage.” Nitidvishashtika 22

“No purpose of existence and no object of human life is attained by him, who turns miserly at the sight of a needy man and turns him away.” Nitidvishashtika 23

“That man’s life along is meaningful who sustains and nourishes vast multitudes of men from his provisions. And he, who does not sustain his dependents is indeed dead, even if alive.” Nitidvishashtika 25

On Purity

“They who are pure at heart are pure even if impure externally. And they whose hearts are impure are impure even if they be clean from outside.” Nitidvishashtika 44

On Sweet Speech

“ A wise man should not speak ill of others in an assembly. Even that truth should not be uttered, which, if expressed, becomes unpalatable.” Nitidvishashtika 4

“ Why should men endowed with good sense speak harshly, when sweetness is within their own power and when sentences can be composed with sweet words?” Nitidvishashtika 6

“When a person is addressed harshly, he responds in a doubly harsh manner. There, one who does not wish to hear unpleasant words must not use such language himself” Nitidvishashtika 7

“ He is an eloquent speaker who speaks with brevity, but whose speech is sweet. One who speaks a lot but speaks with little sense is nothing but a prattler.” Nitidvishashtika 8

“ As a fire is extinguished only by water, similarly, the anger caused by harsh speech can be pacified only by the words of wisdom spoken by the virtuous.” Nitidvishashtika 11

On Virtue

“Learning, Vedic study, penances, prosperity, fame and splendor--all these in one who is devoid of good character are like the bath of an elephant (an elephant throws dust on his body after bathing)” Nitidvishashtika 38

“Pilgrimages to holy places for ablutions, gazing at the hot blazing sun as a penance, standing in water in winter--all these cannot take a man to heaven if he were devoid of good character.” Nitidvishashtika 39

“Of what use are garlands and perfumes to the man, the fragrance of whose noble qualities has permeated all the directions?” Nitidvishashtika 40

“Although born in a family of Brahmins, a man who is proud, hypocritical, harmful to others, evil-tongued, boastful and slanderous is but a lowly Chandala (outcaste)” Nitidvishashtika 43

“The following virtues are inborn and natural in noble persons- appreciation of merits of others, concealing one’s own merits and not publicizing them for fame, not criticizing the faults of men in front of others to defame them, sweet disposition and straightforward speech.” Nitidvishashtika 34

“ An ignoble man, though born of a noble lineage, endowed with eloquence, a handsome appearance and adorned with garlands is like the Palasa (Flame of the Forest) tree which blooms but does not yield any fruit.” Nitidvishashtika 32

On Virtuous Men

“A wicked man feels elated when he has hurts others with his unkind words. On the contrary, a good man repents immediately even if he makes an unkind remark out of carelessness.” Nitidvishashtika 67

“Even at times of calamity, a noble man should desist from harboring ill-will or enmity towards others. He is like the sandalwood tree that imparts its fragrance even to the axe blade that strikes it down.” Nitidvishashtika 78

“A small good done to the virtuous bears great results, while even great help extended to the wicked begets only sorrow. Behold- even grass fed to cows turns into milk, whereas if milk is fed to snakes, it becomes deadly poison.” Nitidvishashtika 109

“The anger of virtuous men is pacified easily but the wicked never give up their grieviences. After all, gold can be melted, but who can melt mere grass?” Nitidvishashtika 106

On Wicked Men

“Just as a chameleon changes colors, the low and wicked too put on three different colors. At first, he acts as relative, next as a friend and at the end, he turns out to be a enemy.”

Nitidvishashtika 47

“Even when honored, rogues do not forgo their wickedness. Does a crescent become round even after residing on the head of Lord Shiva?” Nitidvishashtika 114

On Wise Men

“The characteristic of a wise man who has knowledge and wisdom in the right measure is this- he does not become despondent in adversity, and does not become arrogant in times of prosperity.” Nitidvishashtika 85

On Wealth

“Virtuous conduct, cleanliness, patience, courtesy, sweet disposition and noble birth--all these do not shine in a person who does not possess wealth.” Nitidvishashtika 29

“Honor, self respect, knowledge, bravery, high ideals--all these are fruitless in one who does not have wealth.” Nitidvishashtika 30

REFERENCE:

Jayasree, S. (Ed.); Nitidvisastika of Sundarapandya; The Adyar Library Series- No. 113; Madras; 1984

Information Technology Consultant - A Primer

"ஏம்பா  இந்த  கம்ப்யூட்டர்  படிச்சவங்க  எல்லாம்  நிறைய  சம்பளம்
வாங்கிட்டு,  பந்தா  பண்ணிட்டு  ஒரு  தினுசாவே  அலையுறீங்களே?  அப்படி என்னதான்  வேலை  பார்ப்பீங்க ?" –
 
நியாயமான  ஒரு  கேள்வியை  கேட்டார்  ஒரு அப்பாவி அப்பா.
 
நானும்  விவரிக்க  ஆரம்பிதேன்.
 
"வெள்ளைகாரனுக்கு  எல்லா  வேலையும்  சீக்கிரமா முடியனும்.
அதே  மாதிரி  எல்லா  வேலையும்  அவனோட வீட்டுல
இருந்தே  செய்யணும்.
இதுக்காக  எவ்வளவு  பணம்  வேணுமானாலும்  செலவு செய்ய
தயாரா  இருக்கான்."
 
"அது சரி பல்லு இருக்குறவன் பக்கோடா சாப்பிடுறான்".
 
"இந்த  மாதிரி  அமெரிக்கால்-ல,  இங்கிலாந்து-ல  இருக்குற Bank,
இல்ல எதாவது  கம்பெனி,  "நான்  செலவு  செய்ய  தயாரா இருக்கேன்.
எனக்கு இத  செய்து கொடுங்க  கேப்பாங்க. 
இவங்கள  நாங்க  "Client"னு  சொல்லுவோம்.
 
"சரி"
 
இந்த  மாதிரி Client-அ  மோப்பம்  பிடிக்குறதுக்காகவே  எங்க
பங்காளிக  கொஞ்ச  பேர  அந்த  அந்த  ஊருல  உக்கார  வச்சி இருப்போம்.  இவங்க பேரு "Sales  Consultants, Pre-Sales Consultants. ...".

இவங்க போய் Client  கிட்ட பேச்சுவார்த்தை  நடத்துவாங்க.
 
காசு  கொடுகுறவன் சும்மாவா கொடுப்பான்?
 
ஆயிரத்தெட்டு  கேள்வி கேப்பான். உங்களால  இத பண்ண  முடியுமா?
 
அத பண்ண முடியுமான்னு  அவங்க கேக்குற  எல்லாம்  கேள்விக்கும்,  "முடியும்"னு பதில்  சொல்றது  இவங்க வேலை.
 
"இவங்க  எல்லாம்  என்னப்பா  படிச்சுருபாங்க"?
 
"MBA, MSனு  பெரிய  பெரிய  படிபெல்லாம் படிச்சி  இருப்பாங்க."
 
"முடியும்னு ஒரே  வார்த்தைய திரும்ப  திரும்ப  சொல்றதுக்கு
எதுக்கு MBA  படிக்கணும்?" –
 
அப்பாவின் கேள்வியில்  நியாயம்  இருந்தது.
 
"சரி  இவங்க  போய்  பேசின  உடனே client project  கொடுத்துடுவானா?"
 
"அது எப்படி?  இந்த  மாதிரி  பங்காளிக  எல்லா கம்பெனிளையும்
இருப்பாங்க. 500  நாள்ல முடிக்க  வேண்டிய வேலைய 60  நாள்ள
முடிச்சு தரோம், 50  நாள்ல  முடிச்சு  தரோம்னு பேரம்  பேசுவாங்க.
இதுல யாரு  குறைஞ்ச  நாள  சொல்றாங்களோ  அவங்களுக்கு
ப்ராஜெக்ட் கிடைக்கும்"
 
"500  நாள்ல  முடிக்க வேண்டிய  வேலைய 50
நாள்ல எப்படி முடிக்க  முடியும்?  ராத்திரி பகலா வேலை பார்த்தாலும்
முடிக்க  முடியாதே?"
 
"இங்க தான்  நம்ம  புத்திசாலித்தனத்த நீங்க
புரிஞ்சிக்கணும். 50  நாள்னு சொன்ன  உடனே client  சரின்னு சொல்லிடுவான்.
 
ஆனா அந்த 50  நாள்ல  அவனுக்கு  என்ன வேணும்னு அவனுக்கும்
தெரியாது,  என்ன  செய்யனும்னு நமக்கும்  தெரியாது.
இருந்தாலும் 50 நாள்  முடிஞ்ச பிறகு  ப்ரோஜெக்ட்னு  ஒன்ன  நாங்க deliver  பண்ணுவோம்.
அத பாத்துட்டு "ஐய்யோ நாங்க  கேட்டது  இதுல்ல,
எங்களுக்கு இது  வேணும்,  அது  வேணும்னு" புலம்ப ஆரம்பிப்பான்.
 
"அப்புறம்?" -  அப்பா  ஆர்வமானார்.
 
"இப்போ தான் நாங்க  நம்பியார்  மாதிரி  கைய  பிசஞ்சிகிட்டே
"இதுக்கு நாங்க CR raise பண்ணுவோம்"னு சொல்லுவோம்.
 
"CR-னா?"
 
"Change Request. இது வரைக்கும் நீ கொடுத்த  பணத்துக்கு  நாங்க
வேலை பார்த்துட்டோம்.
இனிமேல் எதாவது பண்ணனும்னா எக்ஸ்ட்ரா பணம் கொடுக்கணும்"னு
சொல்லுவோம்.
இப்படியே 50  நாள்  வேலைய 500  நாள்  ஆக்கிடுவோம்."
 
அப்பாவின் முகத்தில்  லேசான பயம்  தெரிந்தது.
 
"இதுக்கு அவன்  ஒத்துபானா?"
 
"ஒத்துகிட்டு தான் ஆகணும்.
 
முடி வெட்ட போய்ட்டு,  பாதி  வெட்டிட்டு வர  முடியுமா?"
 
"சரி ப்ராஜெக்ட் உங்க  கைல வந்த உடனே என்ன  பண்ணுவீங்க?"
 
"முதல்ல ஒரு டீம்  உருவாக்குவோம்.
இதுல ப்ராஜக்ட் மேனேஜர்னு ஒருத்தர் இருப்பாரு.
இவரது தான் பெரிய  தலை.
ப்ராஜெக்ட் சக்சஸ் ஆனாலும், ஃபெயிலியர் ஆனாலும் இவரு தான்  பொறுப்பு."
 
"அப்போ இவருக்கு  நீங்க எல்லாரும் பண்ற வேலை எல்லாம்
தெரியும்னு சொல்லு."
 
 "அதான்  கிடையாது.
 
இவருக்கு நாங்க பண்ற  எதுவும்யே  தெரியாது."
 
"அப்போ இவருக்கு என்னதான் வேலை?" –
 
அப்பா  குழம்பினார்.
 
"நாங்க  என்ன தப்பு பண்ணினாலும் இவர பார்த்து  கைய  நீட்டுவோம். எப்போ எவன்  குழி பறிப்பானு  டென்ஷன் ஆகி  டயர்ட் ஆகி டென்ஷன்

ஆகுறது தான் இவரு வேலை."
 
"பாவம்பா"
 
"ஆனா  இவரு ரொம்ப  நல்லவரு.
எங்களுக்கு எந்த பிரச்னை வந்தாலும்  இவரு  கிட்ட  போய் சொல்லலாம்."
 
"எல்லா பிரச்னையும்  தீர்த்து  வச்சிடுவார?"
 
"ஒரு  பிரச்சனைய  கூட  தீர்க்க மாட்டாரு.
நாங்க என்ன சொன்னாலும்  தலையாட்டிகிட்டே  உன்னோட பிரச்னை
எனக்கு  புரியுதுனு சொல்றது மட்டும்  தான் இவரோட  வேலை."
 
"நான் உன்னோட  அம்மா  கிட்ட  பண்றத மாதிரி?!"
 
"இவருக்கு கீழ டெக் லீட்,  மோடுல் லீட்,  டெவலப்பர், டெஸ்டர்னு
நிறைய அடி  பொடிங்க இருப்பாங்க."
 
"இத்தனை பேரு இருந்து,  எல்லாரும் ஒழுங்கா  வேலை செஞ்சா
வேலை ஈஸியா முடிஞ்சிடுமே?"
 
"வேலை செஞ்சா  தானே?
நான் கடைசியா சொன்னேன் பாருங்க...
டெவலப்பர், டெஸ்டர்னு,  அவங்க மட்டும் தான்  எல்லா  வேலையும் செய்வாங்க.  அதுலையும் இந்த  டெவலப்பர்,வேலைக்கு  சேரும் போதே  "இந்த  குடும்பத்தோட  மானம்,  மரியாதை உன்கிட்ட தான்  இருக்குனு"

சொல்லி, நெத்தில திருநீறு  பூசி அனுப்பி வச்ச  என்னைய மாதிரி
தமிழ்  பசங்க  தான் அதிகம்  இருப்பாங்க."
 
"அந்த டெஸ்டர்னு எதோ  சொன்னியே?
அவங்களுக்கு என்னப்பா  வேலை?"
 
"இந்த டெவலப்பர்  பண்ற வேலைல  குறை  கண்டு  பிடிக்கறது
இவனோட வேலை.
 
புடிக்காத  மருமக  கை பட்டா  குத்தம்,
கால்  பட்டா  குத்தம்  இங்குறது  மாதிரி."
 
"ஒருத்தன் பண்ற  வேலைல  குறை  கண்டு பிடிகுறதுக்கு சம்பளமா?
புதுசா தான் இருக்கு. சரி  இவங்களாவது வேலை செய்யுராங்களா.
சொன்ன தேதிக்கு  வேலைய  முடிச்சு கொடுத்துடுவீங்கள்ள?"
 
"அது  எப்படி..?  சொன்ன தேதிக்கு ப்ராஜக்டை முடிச்சி கொடுத்தா,
அந்தக் குற்ற உணர்ச்சி  எங்க வாழ்கை முழுவதும் உறுத்திக்கிட்டு
இருக்கும். நிறைய பேரு  அந்த  அவமானத்துக்கு  பதிலா  தற்கொலை
செய்துக்கலாம்னு சொல்லுவாங்க"
 
"கிளையன்ட் சும்மாவா விடுவான்?
 
ஏன் லேட்னு  கேள்வி  கேக்க  மாட்டான்?"
 
"கேக்கத்தான் செய்வான்.  இது  வரைக்கும் டிமுக்குள்ளையே
காலை வாரி  விட்டுக்கிட்டு இருந்த நாங்க  எல்லாரும்  சேர்ந்து அவன் காலை  வார  ஆரம்பிப்போம்."
 
"எப்படி?"
 
"நீ  கொடுத்த  கம்ப்யூட்டர்-ல ஒரே  தூசியா  இருந்துச்சு.
அன்னைக்கு டீம்  மீட்டிங்ல வச்சி  நீ  இருமின,
உன்னோட ஹேர்  ஸ்டைல் எனக்கு  புடிகலை."
இப்படி எதாவது  சொல்லி அவன  குழப்புவோம்.
அவனும் சரி  சனியன  எடுத்து  தோள்ல  போட்டாச்சு,
இன்னும் கொஞ்ச நாள்  தூங்கிட்டு  போகட்டும்னு  விட்டுருவான்".
 
"சரி  முன்ன  பின்ன ஆனாலும்  முடிச்சி  கொடுத்துட்டு கைய
கழுவிட்டு  வந்துடுவீங்க அப்படித்தான?"
 
"அப்படி பண்ணினா,  நம்ம  நாட்டுல பாதி  பேரு  வேலை இல்லாம
தான்  இருக்கணும்."
 
"அப்புறம்?"
 
"ப்ராஜக்டை முடிய போற சமயத்துல நாங்க எதோ  பயங்கரமான
ஒன்ன பண்ணி இருக்குறமாதிரியும்,  அவனால  அத  புரிஞ்சிக்க
கூட  முடியாதுங்கற  மாதிரியும் நடிக்க  ஆரம்பிப்போம்."
 
"அப்புறம்?"
 
"அவனே பயந்து  போய்,
"எங்கள தனியா  விட்டுடாதீங்க.  உங்க  டீம்-ல  ஒரு ஒன்னு,  ரெண்டு
பேர  உங்க  ப்ரொஜெக்ட பார்த்துக்க  சொல்லுங்கன்னு"
 
புது பொண்ணு  மாதிரி  புலம்ப  ஆரம்பிச்சிடுவாங்க."
இதுக்கு பேரு "Maintenance and  Support".
இந்த வேலை  வருஷ கணக்கா  போகும்.
"ப்ராஜக்ட் அப்படிங்கறது  ஒரு  பொண்ண  கல்யாணம்  பண்ணி  வீட்டுக்கு
கூட்டிட்டு  வர்றது  மாதிரி.
 
தாலி கட்டினா மட்டும்  போதாது,  வருஷ  கணக்கா  நிறைய  செலவு  செஞ்சு பராமரிக்க வேண்டிய  விசயம்னு"  இப்போ  தான்  கிளைன்டுக்கு

புரிய ஆரம்பிக்கும்.
 
"எனக்கும் எல்லாம்  புரிஞ்சிடுப்பா."