An Endless Book

Creativity

2011-08-12T08:32:00.000+05:30

Well what is creativity. I for one do not believe in outright creativity. Their is ALWAYS some source of inspiration, be it from nature or somewhere else.

Even our minds are God's creation through which we create, so what is original and what is fake?...

Random Thought

2009-10-25T06:16:00.000+05:30

If something is not allright it is not the end,

If it is allright, it is the end :)

Science Vs Religion

2009-10-07T21:44:00.000+05:30

This is truly perplexing. What to follow? Science or Religion. Living our day to day life, Science teaches us many things. But Religion gives us greater and more satisfactory teachings.

Whatever be, there will always be fight b/w the two. But I guess the better way would be to take the middle path, i.e follow both?

I guess Science as an art should be learned with full flare and respect but should be kept outside and Religion be taken over when required :)

A Simple Equation

2009-10-01T10:26:00.000+05:30

Jai Shri Ram

2009-10-01T04:49:00.000+05:30

Jai Hanuman

Well Deepawali is just abt. to arrive. It's a festival of lights. It is ccelebrated as Shri Ram after slaying demon Ravana returned to his home Ayodhya.

People welcomed their beloved son by lighting up Deepas, lots and lots of it.

This tradition is followed till date :)

Jai Shri Ganesh

Jai Shri Ram

Jai Hanuman

Jai Mata Di

Page 9

2009-09-22T12:51:00.000+05:30

Jai Mata Di

Happy Nava Raatri to all. These are very auspicious days in the Hindu calender. Each day is worshipped with different forms of Mata. Buying new things are ideal in this period.

These days are followed by Dusshera and then Diwali. Which is triumph of Good over Evil.

May the Goddess of Power & Prosperity always illuminate our life with happiness and progress

Podi Podi Chad de Jao,

Jai Mata Di Karde Jao.

Jai Mata Di

Page 8

2009-09-21T05:00:00.001+05:30

Taking versus Giving

According to the vedanta vision, one should always adopt a givers attitude and not takkers or grabbers.

Heres a story to demonstrate what I'm trying to say

Few ladies in a neigbourhood used to have a get together. (Which is always better, as your mind gets preoccupied, moreover, if Indian, you would know the phrase - "Khalee dimag shaitaan ka ghar" or I suppose in English that would be - "Empty mind is devils house ". Also provided that there conversations are meaningful, constructive and healthy, and not just criticizm and other negative stuff.)

Each of the ladies were supposed to bring various dishes themselves. However there were two ladies totally in contrast with respect to each other. One of them never used to bring anything, and the other, out of pure love and passion for cooking, usually brought more than one dish.

Then one fine day, the ladies decided and said to the worksherker - " You do not bring anything. Henceforth you shall have to bring two dishes, else your membership stands cancelled !"

and to the other lady they replied - " You need not bring any dish for our next meeting...".

So in the end, the lady with the givers attitude benifitted.....

Now the most important part of givers atitude is that is REDUCES your desires..

For instance if you are a foodie like me, sharing your meal among others is a givers attitude, which obviously leads to lesser consumption, and decreases your desire of eating...

Page 7

2009-09-21T04:58:00.000+05:30

Manifestation

The story goes like this....

A venamous snake used to bite the villagers. The villagers were terrified.

One fine day, a sage passed through that village. The villagers requested

the sage to see into this matter and save them from the evil snake.

The sage said - " O.K. I'll see what I can do. ".

Another day the sage passed through the forest. He met with the snake there.

The snake payed his homage to the great sage. (Evenevil people respect great people, like duryodhan

respected and prayed to Shri Krishan.)

Sage asked him not to bite the villagers. The snake agreed.

Months later, the sage passed through the same village. He was shocked to see the snake

in a battered condition. What Happened? - asked the great sage.

The snake replied - "Sir, this is your prasad". You told me not to bite anybody, But see now they

are not afraid of me and have beaten me black and blue.

"You fool. I told you not to bite. But. I did not tell you yo stop hissing" - replied the Sage.

I hope you understood the meaning of the above story.

Another topic...

Love

versus

Obligation.

Now we know that we should have oneness with all. So u'll try to love everyone. But theres obligation to your family first

and then towards other, if you are capable. People often get confused in this regard. (One who have purity of heart, or strive

for achieving one)

- As said on Astha Channel By Smt. Jaya Row

Srimad Bhagvad Gita Chaptetr 08

Page 6

2009-09-21T04:35:00.000+05:30

Golden, silver and iron Shackles

Garima Mathur, HT Media

There was once a prince, a minister's son and a treasrer's son who were all very good friends. All three set out on a long journey to distant lands. On the way they happened to arrive at a royal palace where the king of that land was absent, but his daughter, the princess, was staying with her two closest friend; one the minister's daughter and the other the treasurer's daughter.

It wasn't long before the three young men proposed to those three damsels. But they hesitated, as it was the custom to get permission from their parents for the marriage. However, they decided to marry without further delay, according to the old saying "anything auspicious should be hastened."

So their marriage were solemnised. Thereafter when the king, with his minister and treasurer, came back he was shocked that the princess and her two friends were chatting with the three strangers. Hearing that those three men had trespassed into the royal palace, only to flirt with the girls and talk them into an illegal marriage, the king ordered there arrest.

The girls begged their fathers for mercy. However, the king did not release the young husbands, but ordered that proper respect should be shown to the prince by binding him with golden shackles, wheres the son of the minister was given silver shackles, and the treasurer's son bound with iron shackles. They were freed only after they submitted to the king's mercy.

What's the message here?

The Supreme Lord binds up all living entities similarly in the three types of shackles. The bondage of goodness may be compared to golden shackles that of passion to silver shackles and entanglement in ignorance to iron shackles.

Whatever might be the elements or metals with which the shackles are made, they are simply meant for imprisonment. Unless and until one goes beyond these three material modes or entaglements, one can never be considered free and liberated. Only one who has completely surrenders to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord unconditionally may be delivered from such bondage.

Page 5

2009-09-21T04:33:00.000+05:30

Bubbles & the Sea

An Example...

Think of the bubbles and the sea.

With respect to the bubbles, there is a lot happening (uthal-puthal). But w.r.t the sea, more or less is static.

What happens when one bubble tries to grow bigger and bigger than the other ?

It eventually bursts. However w.r.t the sea, nothing at all has happened. Bubbles are fomrmed and destroyed, sea remain calm and quiet.

Same is the thing with us. We try to grow bigger and bigger with the wrong attitude.

A doubting self leads to devastation.

Page 4

2009-09-21T04:29:00.000+05:30

The Nintendo Nani

Alzheimer or AD as it is known begins slowly with mild forgetfulness, trouble remembering recent events (like combing your hair, brushing upteeth etc.)The lady thought "protect me from this disease!"

I had just turned 64 and was feeling slightly paranoid. I wanted to test my memory. My gtandson Madhav came running to me with his portable gaming system, "Nintendo". It keeps him occupied for hours together. He used to play "Super Mario". But I realised there were other great educational games too, like "Brain Training", meant to improve memory. I learned to play this game from Madhav, my grandson and soon got the hang of it.

I do realise this is an expensive item. However the big lesson I learnt from this game is "Be engaged". The cheapest and best way to save oneself is to be active, physically and mentally. Possessing a religious bent of mind, I attend weekly shloka classes.

Instead of sitting at home like a couch potato, we can lead an active life and ward off losing our faculities.

Taken from HT media,

By Lakshmi Subramaniam

Page 3

2009-09-21T04:27:00.001+05:30

These thoughts are my compilation, as said by Smt. Jaya Row on Srimad Bhagvad Gita. She is the ambassador of Vedanta vision.

A person is driven in this world by the net resultant of his desires, but one should always consult his intellect for making decisions. Security and safety are really important.

Set yourself a higher goal and work towards that goal. A higher goal means something different, away from your self-centered, selfish interests.

We have various desires like physical, intellectual, spiritual etc. These desires create a bondage b/w the Desiree and the desire. If we get deprived from them, we feel sad.

For instance, if we someone has strong desire of eating, he may eat anything of his likings, in any quantities. But when deprived, it makes him feel sorrow, sad.

However, the spiritual desire differs itself from other desires. It does not create any kind of bondage.

One feels happy for a very small amount of time and the feeling passes away almost instantly.

The feeling of oneness should always be present. We should not look upon others as inferior or compete with others, lacking spirit. When however done with competition, hatred, it degrades ur own performance.

Look upon others with love, does not mean face wrong doings, but be polite, gentle, pure hearted etc.If u possess these qualities, everything falls in place for u.

Hate the sin, not the sinner. Always remember, hatred is a slow poison. It destroys you.

Page 2

2009-09-21T04:10:00.000+05:30

Love And Attachment

When we do something we have some motivation. It should remain upto that only. If we start expecting things in return, a bondage is created btw. the desire and the desiree.

So if we don't get it, we feel sad/despressed. So what is the way out.

Well, do selfless service :) Or as is said in Bhagvad Gita, Karma Karte Jao, Fal Ki Isha Mat Karo. This way no bondage is created. Just try it :)

Also if u r spiritual and have love for God and u have bhakti, u can love God and there will be no Bondage :) This is real happiness. :)

In short, love selflessly to avoid creating bondage. Tho easy said than done

According to the vedanta vision, or as said in our holy Gita, an attached person, though shows concern and love, but, expects something in return.

But in true love, you don't expect anything.

Well easy said than done.

Beware, once attached of anything in life you are bound to lose it....

Page 1

2009-09-17T17:35:00.000+05:30

What does it take to become a successful investor? Brilliance or Smartness?

Neither, Success in investing doesn't correlate with I.Q. Once you have ordinary intelligence, what you need is the temperament to control the urges that gets other people into trouble in investing.

When do you deicide to invest in a firm?

The best thing that happens to us is when a great company gets into temporary trouble. We want to buy them when they're on the operating table. (Mr. Buffett bought Coke when it had its biggest fiasco after launching New Coke; he bought American Express when it went through a loss making phase in the early 60's)

What do you look for in people when they come to sell their firms to you?

I don't look for the usual credentials such as an MBA, a pedigree (Harvard, Wharton), or cash reserves or market cap of their firm. What I look for is just a passion in their eyes; I think that's the key. A person who is hungry will always do well. I prefer it when people even after selling stay on and work for the firm; they are people who can't wait to get off their bed to get to work. Passion is everything; there is no replacement for innate interest.

Mr. Buffett, you told us that Berkshire Hathaway has $ 45 Billion in cash. Why aren't you investing?

Up until a few years back I had more ideas than money. Now I have more money than ideas.

When do you plan to retire?

I love my job; I love it so much that I tap dance to work. Mrs. B, the founder of Nebraska Furniture Mark worked until she was 104, she died within 6 months of her retirement, that's a lesson to all my managers, don't retire! I personally am going to work 6-7 years after I die, probably that's what they mean when they say- "Thinking out of the Box"!!

Why do stock market crashes happen?

Because of human nature for greed and insecurity. The 1970s were unbelievable. The world wasn't going to end, but businesses were being given away. Human nature has not changed. People will always behave in a manic-depressive way over time. They will offer great values to you."

What are the things that are taught wrong in Business school and the corporate world?

I like such open ended questions, I think Business schools should refrain from teaching their wards about profit making and profit making alone, it gives a sense of 1 dimensional outlook to the young students that loss is a curse. In reality, in the corporate world, failure and loss making are inevitable. The capital market without loss is like Christianity without hell. I think they should teach the student on how to buy a business, how to value a business? Not just on how to determine the price of a business. Because price is what you pay, value is what you get.

Do you still hate Technology stocks?

With Coke I can come up with a very rational figure for the cash it will generate in the future. But with the top 10 Internet companies, how much cash will they produce over the next 25 years? If you say you don't know, then you don't know what it is worth and you are speculating, not investing. All I know is that I don't know, and if I don't know, I don't invest."

How to think about Investing?

The first investment primer was written by Aesop in 600 B.C. He said, 'A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.' Aesop forgot to say when you get the two in the bush and what interest rates are; investing is simply figuring out your cash outlay (the bird in the hand) and comparing it to how many birds are in the bush and when you get them."

How do you feel after donating $ 40 Billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation? You are a hero to us!

I feel nothing. I haven't sacrificed anything in life. I have had a good life. I donated after I turned 75. I think I admire those people who sacrifice their time, share their food and home, as the people to be emulated not me. Besides, what is money before a man's life?

What do you think are the pitfalls in donation?

I have never donated a dime to churches or other such organizations; I need to believe in something before I end up doing that. I have been observing the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation for years now and I am confident they will do a fantastic job of making use of the money. I am a big believer in Outsourcing, others believed in me as an Investor and gave their hard earned money to invest. I believe in Bill Gates, he is a better donor than me.

Why do you work from Omaha and not Wall Street, New York?

Wall Street is the only place where people alight from Rolls Royce to get advised by people who use the Public transportation system.

You seem to be so well read, tell us how it all started.

My father was a stock broker, so we had all these financial books in our library. He introduced me to those classics and I got into them. I am lucky that my father was not a fan of Playboy! Reading is the best habit you can get. Well, you can learn from teachers too, and have mentors but there are so many constraints attached- they will talk fast, talk slow, they might talk like a pro or they might be terrible communicators. Books are a different animal altogether, I love reading! The beauty about reading and learning is that the more you learn the more you want to learn.

People who join Berkshire Hathaway seldom leave. How do you get along well with all your executives?

I try to get quality people. I always say - Hire someone in your organization who is better than you are. If you do that, you build a company of giants. If you get people worse than yourself, you build a company of dwarfs. And do not try to do everything yourself. Delegate the jobs and look out of the window. The results will come. That's how you build institutions.. It happens only when you empower others, believe in others. Iam an investor, Iam very secured at that, I have no clue how to make Coca-Cola or how to dole out credit cards (Mr. Buffett owns 8% of Coca-Cola and 13 % of American Express). I understand the wisdom of the aphorism that you cannot please all the people all the time. Of Course, you will always find qualities that you don't like in people around you, but if you observe carefully the love of the work unites you both. There is no point in being obsessive about a bad quality in a person, whom you otherwise respect.

I am a small time businessman from Dallas, Texas, what do I need to do to hit big time?

Be patient, Achieving your financial goals and dreams will not happen overnight. As much as we would all really love to accomplish our goals in a few years, this is an ongoing process. Defining your financial goals is not a one-time task; you need to keep adding new plans at different stages in your life. We all admire the skills of Olympic ice skaters, pro golfers, and concert pianists. But do we remember that they didn't acquire their skills overnight? They had to practice hours on end for years to achieve their dreams. The key to success is to continue learning throughout your life with a voracious appetite.

I think it is marvelous that you have had a golden run with investing, how did you do that ?

My rule is to be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. Besides, I call investing the greatest job in the world because you never have to swing. You stand at the plate; the pitcher throws you General Motors at 47! U.S. Steel at 39! And nobody calls a strike on you. There's no penalty except opportunity lost. All day you wait for the pitch you like; then when the fielders are asleep, you step up and hit it. Stay dispassionate and be patient. You're dealing with a lot of silly people in the marketplace; it's like a great big casino and everyone else is boozing. If you can stick with drinking Coke, you should be OK. First the crowd is boozy on optimism and buying every new issue in sight. The next moment it is boozy on pessimism, buying gold bars and predicting another Great Depression, most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is. The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can't buy what is popular and do well.

Mr. Buffett you have seen so many crashes and recessions, your take on facing recessions and stock market crashes ?

If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians. Every scenario is different. But always remember, Tough times do not last. Tough people do.

What is the biggest advice you would impart to a young investor like me ?

Think for a moment that you are given a car and told this is the only car you would get for the rest of your life. Then you would make sure that you car is taken care of well, it is oiled and detailed every now and then. You would make sure that it never gets rusted, and you would garage it. Think of yourself as that car. You just get 1 body, 1 mind and 1 soul. Take care of it well. Invest in yourself that would be my advice.

You personally know many of the Financial executives who are engineers of the current turmoil in the financial world, surprisingly even after record losses, those executives receive astronomical salaries and bonuses and arrogantly declare that they deserve it, why dint you advice them from making such decisions and what's your view on their justification for their pay ?

I like sharing my ideas but don't like imposing my ideas on anybody. It doesn't make sense and is a waste of time. If somebody has decided that they know everything that is there to know, nobody can help them. The best way to learn and succeed is to know that we know nothing. There is an entire universe out there and still some of us think we can know everything. In the world of investing a few people after making some money tend to imagine they are invincible and great. This is the worst thing that could happen to any investor, because it surely means that the investor will end up taking unnecessary risks and end up losing everything - arrogance, ego and overconfidence are very lethal. Personally I don't feel too comfortable with too much extravagance, because I always think like an investor. My thought process doesn't see a lot of value in a fancy car or a designer suit. Thinking like an investor always is very important to bring in a sense of discipline and focus. Before reading balance sheets and investing you need to make sure your outlook and mindset is that of an investor. Never let ego, arrogance and over-confidence control you - not just as an investor but also as a human being. You will never have internal peace if you are unable to look at everybody around you with love, compassion and understanding. Irrespective of who the person is, he or she can teach you something you don't know. I have learnt so much from people all around me and I wouldn't have been able to learn all these wonderful things if I had not spoken to them with a smile. To quote Sir Isaac Newton- If I have seen farther than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants..

Preface

2009-09-17T17:14:00.001+05:30

Preface

Well I am a human being living on planet Earth. To be more presise i am atman.

We are considered Kings in the hierarchy of animal kingdom. Why?

Because of our brain and ability to think, distinguish between wright and wrong. :)

Our Mind is such a complex organ that it is still unconquered by the modern day science .

You guys will find thoughts emerging from my mind, or other useful, inspiring articles I liked.

Note: Everyone has his/her own mindset and I fully respect that. So please don't take anything personal.

In the end I would like to say: This is just a beginning withoun an end :)

Thank You.