Navaratri: A Journey to the Source  

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Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Navaratri: A Journey to the Source


The festival of Navratri is celebrated with prayers and gaiety in the beginning of the Ashwin (autumn) and the beginning of Chatira (spring). This period is a time for self-referral and getting back to the Source. During this time of transformation, nature sheds the old and gets rejuvenated; animals hibernate and life emerges back afresh in the spring.

According to Vedic sciences, matter reverts to its original form to recreate itself again and again. The creation is cyclical, not linear; everything is recycled by nature - a continuous process of rejuvenation. The human mind, however, lags behind in this routine cycle of creation. Navratri is a festival for one to take the mind back to its Source.

The Mother Divine is recognized not just as the brilliance of intellect (buddhi), but also the confusion (bhranti); she is not just abundance (lakshmi), she is also hunger (shudha) and thirst (trishna). Realizing this aspect of the Mother Divine in the entire creation, leads one to a deep state of Samadhi. This gives an answer to the age-old theological struggle of the Occident. Through wisdom, devotion and nishkama karma, one can attain advaita siddhi or perfection in the non-dual consciousness.

Kali is the most horrific manifestation of Nature. Nature symbolizes beauty, yet it has a horrific form. Acknowledging the duality brings a total acceptance in the mind and puts the mind at ease.
Though Navratri is celebrated as the victory of good over evil, the actual fight is not between good and evil. From the Vedantic point of view, the victory is of the absolute reality over the apparent duality. In the words of Ashtavakra, it is the poor wave which tries to keep its identity separate from the ocean, but to no avail.

The three primordial gunas are considered as the feminine force of our magnificent universe. By worshiping the Mother Divine during Navratri, we harmonize the three gunas and elevate sattva in the atmosphere.

The inward journey nullifies our negative karmas. Navratri is a celebration of the spirit or prana which alone can destroymahishasura (inertia), shumbha-nishumbha (pride and shame) and madhu-kaitabh (extreme forms of craving and aversion). They are completely opposites, yet complementary. Inertia, deeply ingrained negativities and obsessions (raktabeejasura), unreasonable logics (chanda-munda) and blurred vision (dhoomralochan) can be overcome only by raising the level of prana and shakti, the life-force energy.

The seeker gets back to the true Source through fasting, prayer, silence and meditation. Night is also called ratri because it brings rejuvenation. It gives relief at the three levels of our existence – physical, subtle and causal. While fasting detoxifies the body, silence purifies the speech and brings rest to the chattering mind, and meditation takes one deep into one's own being.

The nine days of Navratri are also an opportunity to rejoice in the three primordial qualities that make up the universe. Though our life is governed by the three gunas, we seldom recognize and reflect on them. The first three days of Navratri are attributed to tamo guna, the next three days to rajo guna and the last three days to sattva guna. Our consciousness sails through the tamo and rajo gunas and blossoms in the sattva guna of the last three days. Whenever sattva dominates in life, victory follows. The essence of this knowledge is honored by celebrating the tenth day as Vijaydashmi.

Though the microcosm is very well within the macrocosm, it’s perceived separateness is the cause of conflict. For agyani (wise), the entire creation becomes alive and he recognizes life in everything in the same way children see life in everything. The Mother Divine or the Pure Consciousness itself pervades all the forms and has all the names. Recognizing the one Divinity in every form and every name is the celebration of Navratri. Hence, special pujas honoring all aspects of life and nature are performed during the last three days.

tintumon.com latest  

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On a romantic day Tintus's girlfriend asks him. Darling on our engagement day will you give me a ring.
Tintu mon : Ya sure, from landline or mobile

Teacher: Whom do you hate most?
Tintumon: Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Teacher: Oh God! Y do you hate him?
Tintumon: He abolished Child Marriage!!!!!!!!


Teacher : Who is kind hearted ?
Tintumon : Boys…
Teacher : Why?
Tintumon : Wen a girl cheats a boy, he suicides.Hence girls kill a LIFE.But wen a boy cheats a girl,a baby is born.Hence boys give LiFE.
so Boys r kind hearted


FATHER: How Are Your Grades, tintu?.
TINTUMON: Under Water, Dad…
FATHER: Under Water? What Do You Mean?.
TINTUMON: They”Re Below C Level


teacher- ” what is your father’s name ?
dundu mon- ” T.V Krishnan”
gundumol- ” A.C Abraham”
tintumon – ” Fridge Sasi…. ini njanayittu kurakkunnilla….


The teacher asks Tintumon if he knows his numbers.
“Yes,” he says. “My daddy taught me.”
“Can you tell me what comes after three?”
“Four,” answers Tintumon.
“What comes after six?”
“Seven,” answers Tintumon.
“Very good,” says the teacher. “Your father did a very fine job.
What comes after ten?”
“A jack,” answers Tintumon.

Tintumol Tintumonodu- ” stop looking at the girls, you are committed now. you are my lover”
Tintumon- ” oh honey, this is not fair.
u mean if i am on diet i should not even look at menu



Dundumon: What is the difference between “complete and finish”?
Tintumon: When you marry a right girl you are complete and when you marry the wrong one you are finished !!!!!


Dundumon: Why didn’t you marry?
Tintumon: I was searching for an
ideal match.
Dundumon: So, you didn’t find an ideal girl?
Tintumon: I found one.
Dundumon: Then?
Tintumon: She was also searching for an ideal match.


tintumon was late , and when he reached school at 9.30, the teacher yelled, “You should’ve been here at 9:00!”
tintumon: “Why? What happened at 9:00?”

Dundumon: I want divorce. My wife hasn’t spoken to me in six months.
Tintumon: Think about it once again. Wifes like that are hard to get!

GREAT QUOTE:
‘Hundred words of a teacher does not give pain in exam hall..
But a true friend’s silence in exam hall makes more tears in heart!!’
-Tintumon

Tintumon to kathakali artist: ulsavathinu keechaka vadham kathakali venam.
Artist:Rs.5000 avum.
tintumon:Rs.2500 taram, Vadhikkanda.. Pedippichu vittamathi..


No difference!  

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fw mail: worth reading...

20 years back - School bag.
Today - Office bag.

20 years back - Navneet Note book.
Today - HP Note book.

20 years back - Hero Ranger.
Today - Hero Honda

20 years back - Half pants.
Today - Full pants.

20 years back - Playing with plastic car running on battery and remote.
Today - Playing with metal car running on petrol and gear.

20 years back - Scared of Teachers and exams.
Today - Scared of Bosses and targets.

20 years back - Wanting to be class topper.
Today - Wanting to be 'Employee of the month'.

20 years back - Quarterly exams.
Today - Quarterly results.

20 years back - Annual School Magazine.
Today - Company Annual Report.

20 years back - Annual exams.
Today - Annual appraisals.

20 years back - Pocket money.
Today - Salary.

20 years back - Waiting for Diwali crackers.
Today - Waiting for Diwali bonus.

20 years back - Running after grades and prize cups.
Today - Running after incentives and promotions.

20 years back - Craving for the latest toy in the market.
Today - Craving for the latest gadget in the market

20 years back - Eager to watch the latest cartoon show.
Today - Eager to watch the latest blockbuster.

20 years back - Fruity.
Today - Brandy.

20 years back - Crush on class mate.
Today - Crush on colleague.



So essentially nothing has changed......

why should I not eat meat?  

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Q. God in his infinite wisdom made the world the way it is, I don’t understand why should I not eat meat? I am a born non–vegetarian and I am not able to leave non-veg.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ok. What is it that makes you crave for non-vegetarian? (The lady answered smell and taste). What brings the smell and taste to the food is spices. Ok, forget all about taste and smell and spirituality. You know, what is the latest finding of non–vegetarian food? One kg of meat is equivalent to the meals of 400 people. If only 10 percent of the world population become vegetarians, the problem of global warming will be reduced.

On this count we have to save the planet. We will have to reduce the consumption of non-vegetarian food. For the sake of the planet, so that everybody gets food, for that we must be concerned. God has given us the sense to care for others and planet also! You have eaten enough, so consume a little less so that others who have nothing to eat can have a little at least, so that more and more people gets something to eat.

We are consuming 40 -50 percent more than we produce. Plant trees, be vegetarian, it’s part of being spiritual. Spirituality is not only meditation. India had 400 cows for every 1,000 people when we got independence. Now we have less than 100 cows per 1,000 people. In 20 years, there will be only 20 cows per 1,000 people. Children will not get the basic staple diet like milk, yogurt, ghee. We have to protect the animals, and save the planet.

Ashtavakra Gita - The Song of the Eightfold Cripple  

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Watching ashtavakra CDs is a revolutionary experience for any one on the path. Ultimate form of knowledge anybody and everybody will require in the planet :).

Wiki

The story: Once upon a time there was a student of the scriptures who could not support his family. He would work hard all day every day and then read aloud the holy language of sacred verses late into the night. His wife, round of belly with their coming child, would sit beside him in the dim room, listening as her weary beloved chanted the ancient words. One late night in her eighth month a voice from inside her belly said to the father: “Sir, please be attentive - you are mispronouncing that verse.” Tired and short-tempered, without thinking why he would feel so enraged at being corrected by an unborn child, the father cursed the voice - and because the father had built up merit, his curse took hold: the child was born deformed, with eight crooks in his body. That child was called Ashtavakra, a name which means ‘eight bends’. Everyone who saw him laughed in derision. That crippled child was an enlightened master who took birth in this family to reveal in simple words the essence of mystical experience. Janaka, king of the known world, father of the bride of God, Sita, daughter of the earth, that very King Janaka became this crippled boy’s disciple. The book based on that event is called The Song of the Eightfold Cripple, or Ashtavakra Gita.

Youtube

original sanskrit text: click here

WikiSource

Tintumon Revolution  

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Couldnt resist pasting here.......enjoy!!


"DOSA
Teacher: Name the liquid which changes to solid when heated
Tintumon: Dosa

BEGGAR
Bus Cunductor: Why are you standing near the door, is your father a watchman?
Tintu Mon: Why are you always asking for “Change”, Is your father a Beggar ??

PROFESSOR
A professor to tintumon: “what is attention deficit hyperactive disorder?”
tintumon: “JIMBALAKDI BAMBA”
professor: “i dont understand anything”
tintumon: “same 2 you”

MOTHER
Father to Tintumon: Why can't you not think every woman as your mother?
Tintumon: I can, but if i did so, what will people think of you?


LKG-TINTUMON
To be is to do(Socrates)
To do is to be(Plato)
To be or not to be(Shakespeare)
Scoo be do be dooo(Tintu mon, LKG)……..

CHEMISTRY [Too Good]
Teacher : What is “Al2 O3″ ?
Ramu : Alumina.
Teacher: Tintu, What is ‘Fe2 O3″?
Tintumon : “Filomina”

DINESHAN
Teacher :What is the name of Gandhiji’s son?
Tintumon: Dineshan
Teacher :Why?????
Tintumon : Mahatma Gandhi is the father of di-neshan"

Spider fry  

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I was enjoying my first spider outside Phnom Pen market when I heard a highly agitated voice behind me: "Oh my Gaahd, what are yooouu eating?" Turning, I saw an American tourist staring at me with an understandable mixture of revulsion and fascination. Trying to sound casual, I replied: "Spider - would you like a leg?"
She stood for a couple of moments, mouth gaping soundlessly before grabbing her husband, who was busily working a flashy video camera: "Dan! Dan! The boy is eating a spider!" Working on a variant of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle - nothing exists until you video it - Dan swung his costly optics round and I obligingly stuffed the thing in my mouth while she continued to goggle. Once Dan had captured the moment for posterity they left, she still more than a little horrified.
Although my spider wasn't quite as delicious as the Americans' reactions, it was pleasant enough for something that looked like a Hallowe'en prop. My epicuriosity was piqued so I asked the spider seller about her trade. She spoke no English but a nearby taxi-bike driver did and, through him, she explained that she was a mere metropolitan outpost of arachnid cuisine; if I were serious about my spiders - or a-ping as they're known locally - I needed to head to the town of Skuon, some 55 miles north of Phnom Pen.

................. that is how a Combodian's travelog will be... read more @ http://www.rhymer.net/cutsE.htm