Tuhin's Blog

বুড়ো ব্রাহ্মণ

2015-02-02T07:14:00.001-08:00

একগ্রামে এক বুড়ো ব্রাহ্মণ ছিলেন। তাঁর নাম ছিল ভবানীচরণ ভট্রাচার্য। গ্রামের ছেলেদের সঙ্গে তাঁর খুব ভাব ছিল। তাঁরা তাঁকে বলত ঠাকুরদাদা। তাদের কাছ থেকে শিখে দেশসুদ্ধ লোকেও তাঁকে ঐ নামেই ডাকত।
ছেলেরা ঠাকুরদার কাছে খুবই আদর পেত, আর তাঁকে জ্বালাতন করত তার চেয়েও বেশি। ঠাকুরদা ভারি পণ্ডি আর বুদ্ধিমান ছিলেন। খালি এক বিষয়ে তাঁর একটা পাগলামি ছিল। পেয়াদার নাম শুনলেই তিনি ভয়ে কেঁপে অস্থির হতেন। ছেলেরা সে কথা খুবই জানত আর তা নিয়ে ভারি মজা করত।
ঠাকুরদা রোজ তাঁর চণ্ডীমণ্ডপের সামনে বসে পুঁথি লিখতেন। সেই সময়ে মাঝে মাঝে পাড়ার এক-একটা দুষ্ট ছেলে দাড়ি পরে, লাল পাগড়ি এঁটে, মালকোচ্চা মেরে লাঠি হাতে এসে ঘরের আড়াল থেকে গলা ভার করে বলত, ‘ভওয়ানী ভটচাজ কোন হ্যায়?’ ঠাকুরদা তাতে বিষম থতমত খেয়ে ঘাড় ফিরিয়েই যদি লাল পাগড়ির খানিকটা দেখতে পেতেন, তবে আর সে পাগড়ি কার মাথায় সে কথার খবর নেবার অবসর তাঁর থাকত না। তিনি অমনি এক দৌড়ে বাড়ির ভিতর গিয়া একেবারে দিদিমার কাছে হাজির হতেন। ছেলেরা বলে যে, তখন নাকি প্রায়ই ঠাকুরদাকে স্নান করতে হত। কিন্তু সে বোধ হয় তাদের দুষ্টুমি।
যা হোক, এমন বিষম ভয়ের কাণ্ডটা যে ছেলেদের কাজ, এ কথা মুহুর্তের তরেও ঠাকুরদার মাথায় আসত না। তিনি ছেলেগুলিকে বাস্তবিকই খুব ভালবাসতেন। তাঁর কুলগাছটিতে কুল পাকলে তাদের সকলকে ডেকে ডেকে একটি-একটি করে কুল প্রত্যেকের হাতে দিতেন, কাউকে বঞ্চিত করতেন না- একটি বেশিও কখন কাউকে দিতেন না। সেই পরগণার ভিতরে এমন মিষ্টি কুল আর কোথাও ছিল না। কাজেই, একটি খেয়ে ছেলেদের যেমন ভাল লাগত, আর খেতে না পেলে তাদের অমনি কষ্ট হত।
তবুও এমন কথা শোনা যায় নি যে, ঠাকুরদার দেওয়া ছাড়া আর-একটি কুল কেউ কখনো তাঁর গাছ থেকে খেতে পেরেছে। তাঁর চণ্ডীমণ্ডপ থেকে সেই কুল গাছটি পরিস্কার দেখা যেত। সেদিকে কাউকে যেতে দেখলেই তিনি ‘কে-রে-এ বলে এমন বিষম হাঁক দিতেন যে কি বলব! তখন আর হাত-পা সামলে ছুট দেবারও উপায় থাকত না। দু মাইল দুরে থেক লোকে বলত, ‘ঐ রে! ঠাকুরদা তাঁর কুল আগলাচ্ছেন।’
খালি একবার ছেলেরা ঠাকুরদার কাছ থেকে একপোয়া সন্দেশ আদায় করেছিল। ঠাকুরদা চন্ডীমণ্ডপের সামনে বসে একমনে পুঁথি লিখছিলেন। তিনি দেখতে পান নি যে, এর মধ্যে ও পাড়ার বোসেদের বানরটা কেমন করে ছুটে এসে সেখানে উপস্থিত হয়েছে, আর তার পঁয়ত্রিশ বছরের পুরনো বাঁধানো হুঁকোটি নিয়ে গাছে উঠেছে। তারপর তামাক খেতে গিয়ে দেখেন, কি সর্বনাশ! বানরটিকে তিনি কত ঢিল ছুঁড়ে মারলেন, কত লম্বা লম্বা সংস্কৃত বকুনি বকলেন, কিছুতে তার কাছ থেকে হুঁকোটি আদায় করতে পারলেন না। লাভের মধ্যে সে বেটা তাঁকে গোটাদশেক ভেংচি মেরে হুঁকোসুদ্ধ পাশের বাড়ির আমবাগানে চলে গেল।
সেদিন ছেলেরা না থাকলে ঠাকুরদার আবার তাঁর হুঁকোর মুখ দেখবার কোন আশাই ছিল না। তিনি তাদের সন্দেশ কবুল করে অনেক কষ্টে তাদের দিয়ে বানরের হাত থেকে হুঁকোটি আদায় করালেন। তার পরদিনই নিজে গিয়ে বেচু ময়রার দোকান থেকে তাদের জন্যে এক পোয়া সন্দেশ কিনে আনলেন। সে সন্দেশ খেয়ে নাকি তারা মুখ সিটকিয়েছিল। ঠাকুরদা তার কারণ জিজ্ঞাসা করতে তারা বলল, ‘সন্দেশটা বড্ড মিষ্টি।’ ঠাকুরদা তখন খুব গম্ভীরভাবে মাথা নেড়ে বললেন, ‘তাই ত, আমি জানতুম না যে তোমরা তেতো সন্দেশ খাও। আমি মিষ্টি সন্দেশই কিনে এনেছি।’
পরসা খরচ নিয়ে কিন্তু ঠাকুরদার একটু বদনাম ছিল। ঐ যে হুঁকোর খাতিরে ছেলেদের একপোয়া সন্দেশ কিনে খাইয়েছিলেন, তা ছাড়া আর তাঁর জীবনে তিনি কখনো কাউকে কিছু কিনে খাওয়ান নি। লোকে বলত, তাঁর ঘরের ভিতরে তিন-জালা টাকা পোঁতা আছে। কিন্তু নিজে তিনি এমনভাবে চলতেন যেন অনেক কষ্টে তাঁর দুটি খাবার জোটে, সেও বুঝি-বা একবেলা বই দুবেলা নয়। একদিন দিদিমা ডাল রাঁধতে গিয়ে তাতে একটু বেশী ঘি দিয়ে ফেলেছিলেন। সেই অপরাধে নাকি ঠাকুরদা দুমাস তাঁর সঙ্গে কথা কন নি।
ছেলেরা তাঁর সেই সন্দেশ খেয়ে অবধি তাঁর উপর কম চটে ছিল না। না চটবেই বা কেন? সেই হতভাগা বানরটার কাছ থেকে হুঁকো আদায় করতে গিয়ে কি তারা কম নাকাল হয়েছিল? কুড়ি জন মিলে তিনটি ঘন্টা ধরে তারা সেদিন কত গাছই বেয়েছে, কত ছুটোছুটি করেছে, কত কাদাই লাগিয়েছে, কত বিছুটির ছ্যাঁকাই খেয়েছে। তার পুরস্কার কিনা অমনিতর একপোয়া সন্দেশ!
তখন ছিল পুজোর সময়। কুমোরদের বাড়িতে অনেক ঠাকুর গড়া হচ্ছিল, তার তামাশা দেখবার জন্যে সকালে বিকালে ছেলেদের প্রায় সকলেই সেখানে যেত। সেইখানে তাদের একটা মস্ত মিটিং হল। ঠাকুরদাকে জব্দ করতে হবে। তিনি যেমন সন্দেশ খাইয়েছেন, তাঁকে দিয়ে কিছু বেশী হাতে টাকা খরচ করাতে পারলে তবে তার দুঃখটা মেটে। কিন্ত এমন লোকের পয়সা ত সহজে খরচ করানো যেতে পারে না, তার কি উপায় হতে পারে।
কতজনে কত কথা বলতে লাগল, কেউ বলল, ‘চল ঠাকুরদার কুলগাছ কেটে ফেলি।’ কেউ বলল, ‘তার হুঁকো লুকিয়ে রাখি।’ কিন্তু এ-সব কথা কারুর পছন্দ হল না। এমন কুলগাছটা কাটলে ভারি অন্যায় হবে। হুঁকো লুকিয়ে রাখলেও শেষটা তাঁকে ফিরিয়ে না দিলে চলবে না। তা ছাড়া, এ-সব করলে তাঁকে আর টাকা খরচ করানো হল কই? ঠাকুরদাকে ছেলেরা আসলে ভালবাসত, নাহক তাঁর লোকসান করাতে কারো ইচ্ছা ছিল না। কাজেই এ-সব কথায় সকলের অমত হল। এমন ভাবে তাঁকে দিয়ে টাকা খরচ করাতে হবে যে সেটা তাঁর ক্ষতির মধ্যে ধরা না যেতে পারে।
ছেলেরা দেখল, কাজটি তেমন সোজা নয়। বুড়ো কুমোর এর মধ্যে এসে বুদ্ধি জুগিয়ে না দিলে তাদের পক্ষে এর একটা মতলব ঠিক করাই ভার হত। বুড়ো যে যুক্তি বলল, সে ভারি চমৎকার। ছেলেরা তার কথায় যার পর নাই খুশি হয়ে ঘরে চলে গেল। ঠিক হল, পরদিনই সেই কাজটি করতে হবে।
রাত থাকতেই ঠাকুরদার ঘুম ভাঙ্গে, তখন তিনি শুয়ে শুয়ে সুর ধরে শোলোক আওড়ান। তারপর ভোর হবার একটু আগে উঠে, স্নান তর্পণ সেরে, শেষে গিয়ে চণ্ডীমণ্ডপের সামনে বসেন। সেদিনও দোয়েল ডাকবার আগেই তিনি জেগে সবে বলেছেন, ‘ব্রহ্মামুরারিস্ত্রিপুরান্তকারী’-অমনি বাইরে কে যেন ডাকল, ‘ভওয়ানী ভট্চাজ ঘরমে হ্যায়?’
আর ঠাকুরদা শোলোক আওড়ানো হল না। স্নান আহ্নিক আজ তিনি খিড়কির পুকুরেই সারলেন। চণ্ডীমণ্ডপের সামনে বসে পুঁথি লেখার কাজটিও আজ বন্ধ রইল-তার চেয়ে দিদিমার রান্নাবান্নার খবর নেওয়াই বেশি দরকার মনে হয়েছে। এমনি ভাবে দুপুর অবধি কেটে গেল। এরপর যখন আর কেউ ‘ভওয়ানী ভটচাজ’ বলে ডাকল না, তখন ঠাকুরদা সাহস পেয়ে ভাবলেন, একটু বাইরে গিয়ে দেখে আসি না কেন!
এই বলে আস্তে আস্তে বাইরে এসে ঠাকুরদা দেখলেন-কি সর্বনাশ! কি চমৎকার! তার মণ্ডপের মাঝখানে দূর্গা প্রতিমা ঘর আলো করে বসে আছেন। ঠাকুরদার আর পা সরল না। তিনি সেইখানেই মাথায় হাত দিয়ে বসে ভাবলেন-হায়, হায়! কোন্ শয়তান এমন কাজ করল! এই প্রতিমা আমার ঘরে রেখে গেছে, এখন একে পূজো না করলে মহাপাপ হবে। আর পূজো করতে গেলেও যে তিনশোটি টাকা’র কম লাগবে না। বাবা গো, আমি কোথায় যাব!
যা হোক, ঠাকুরদা কৃপণ হলেও অতি ধার্মিক আর পণ্ডিত লোক ছিলেন। তিনি তখনই ভাবলেন-আর দুঃখ করে কি হবে? ঘরে টাকা রেখেও আমি সেবায় হেলা করেছিলাম, তাই দেবতা আমাকে শিক্ষা দিয়েছেন। ভালোই হল, এখন থেকে আমি ফি-বছর দুর্গোৎসব করব।
ততক্ষণে ছেলেদের দুটি একটি করে প্রাণপণে হাসি চাপতে চাপতে এসে উপস্থিত হয়েছে। কাজটি ত তাদেরই, তারাই ঠাকুরদাকে পেয়াদার ভয় দেখিয়ে বাড়ির ভিতর পাঠিয়ে সেই অবসরে প্রতিমাটিকে এনে মণ্ডপের ভিতরে রেখে গেছে। তাদের মুখের দিকে চেয়ে ঠাকুরদারও আর সে কথা বুঝিতে বাকি রইল না। তখন তিনি বললেন, ‘ভালই করেছ দাদা, বুড়ো পাপীর সুমতি জন্মিয়ে দিয়েছ। তোমরা বেঁচে থাকো। আমি খালি ভাবছি-এত বড় ব্যাপার, আমার লোকজন কিছু নেই, আমি কুলোব কি করে?’
ছেলেরা ভেবেছিল, ঠাকুরদা লাঠি নিয়ে তাদের তাড়া করবেন। তার বদলে তিনি এমন কথা বলবেন, তা তারা মোটেই ভাবে নি। তারা তাতে ভারি খুশি হয়ে বলল, ‘তার জন্য চিন্তা কি, ঠাকুরদার? আমরা সব ঠিক করে দিচ্ছি। আপনি শুধু বসে বসে হুকুম দিন।’ অমনি ঠাকুরদার মুখ ভরে হাসি ফুটে উঠল, তাঁর চোখ দুটি বুজে এল। ছেলেদের মাথায় হাত বুলিয়ে, গাল টিপে আর নাকে চিমটি কেটে তিনি তাদের বিদায় করলেন।
এবারে ঠাকুরদা যে সন্দেশ এনেছিলেন, তা খেয়ে আর কারো নাক সিটকাতে হয় নি।

The Holy Quran (In Several Languages)

2012-11-20T07:17:00.000-08:00

The Quran (literally meaning "the recitation"), also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God (Arabic: الله‎, Allah). It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language. The Quran is divided into 114 suras of unequal length which are classified either as Meccan or Medinan depending upon their place and time of revelation.
To Read The Holy Qur'an Online Click Here
To Download The Holy Qur'an In Your Language Click Here

Muslims believe the Quran to be verbally revealed through angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) from God to Muhammad gradually over a period of approximately 23 years beginning in 610 CE, when Muhammad was 40, and concluding in 632 CE, the year of his death. Muslims further believe that the Qur'an was precisely memorized, recited and exactly written down by Muhammad's companions (Sahaba) after each revelation was dictated by him.

Shortly after Muhammad's death the Quran was compiled into a single book by order of the first Caliph Abu Bakr and at the suggestion of his future successor Umar. Hafsa, Muhammad's widow and Umar's daughter, was entrusted with that Quranic text after the second Caliph Umar died. When the third Caliph Uthman began noticing slight differences in Arabic dialect, he sought Hafsa's permission to use her text to be set as the standard dialect, the Quraish dialect now known as Fus'ha (Modern Standard Arabic). Before returning the text to Hafsa, Uthman made several thousand copies of Abu Bakr's redaction and, to standardize the text, invalidated all other versions of the Quran. This process of formalization is known as the "Uthmanic recension". The present form of the Quran text is accepted by most scholars as the original version compiled by Abu Bakr.

Muslims regard the Quran as the main miracle of Muhammad, the proof of his prophethood and the culmination of a series of divine messages that started with the messages revealed to Adam, regarded in Islam as the first prophet, and continued with the Suhuf Ibrahim (Scrolls of Abraham), the Tawrat (Torah or Pentateuch) of Moses, the Zabur (Tehillim or Book of Psalms) of David, and the Injil (Gospel) of Jesus. The Quran assumes familiarity with major narratives recounted in Jewish and Christian scriptures, summarizing some, dwelling at length on others and in some cases presenting alternative accounts and interpretations of events. The Quran describes itself as a book of guidance, sometimes offering detailed accounts of specific historical events, and often emphasizing the moral significance of an event over its narrative sequence

eBook: The Bible, The Qur'an & Science

2012-11-19T21:53:00.000-08:00

The Bible, The Qur'an & Science

By - Dr. Maurice Bucaille

The Bible, the Qur'an, and Science is an objective study of the Old Testament, the Gospels and the Qur'an. This book seeks to spiritually unite by highlighting similarities in the texts. It sheds new light and dispels many preconceived ideas in separating what belongs to Revelation from what is the product of error or human interpretation.

To Read This Book Online Click Here

To Download The PDF file Click Here

Dr. Maurice Bucaille

Author Biography:

Dr. Maurice Bucaille (19 July 1920 in Pont-L'Eveque, France- 17 February 1998), son of Maurice and Marie (James) Bucaille, was a French medical doctor, member of the French Society of Egyptology, and an author. Bucaille practiced medicine from 1945–82 and was a specialist in gastroenterology. In 1973, Bucaille was appointed family physician to King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. Another of his patients at the time included members of the family of then President of Egypt, Anwar Sadat.

Introduction of Main Book:

Each of the three monotheistic religions possess its own collection of Scriptures. For the faithful-be they Jews, Christians or Muslims-these documents constitute the foundation of their belief. For them they are the material transcription of a divine Revelation; directly, as in the case of Abraham and Moses, who received the commandments from God Himself, or indirectly, as in the case of Jesus and Muhammad, the first of whom stated that he was speaking in the name of the Father, and the second of whom transmitted to men the Revelation imparted to him by Archangel Gabriel.

If we take into consideration the objective facts of religious history, we must place the Old Testament, the Gospels and the Qur'an on the same level as being collections of written Revelation. Although this attitude is in principle held by Muslims, the faithful in the West under the predominantly Judeo-Christian influence refuse to ascribe to the Qur'an the character of a book of Revelation. Such an attitude may be explained by the position each religious community adopts towards the other two with regard to the Scriptures.

Judaism has as its holy book the Hebraic Bible. This differs from the Old Testament of the Christians in that the latter have included several books which did not exist in Hebrew. In practice, this divergence hardly makes any difference to the doctrine. Judaism does not however admit any revelation subsequent to its own.

Christianity has taken the Hebraic Bible for itself and added a few supplements to it. It has not however accepted all the published writings destined to make known to men the Mission of Jesus. The Church has made incisive cuts in the profusion of books relating the life and teachings of Jesus. It has only preserved a limited number of writings in the New Testament, the most important of which are the four Canonic Gospels. Christianity takes no account of any revelation subsequent to Jesus and his Apostles. It therefore rules out the Qur'an.

The Qur'anic Revelation appeared six centuries after Jesus. It resumes numerous data found in the Hebraic Bible and the Gospels since it quotes very frequently from the 'Torah' [ What is meant by Torah are the first five books of the Bible, in other words the Pentateuch of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy).] and the 'Gospels.' The Qur'an directs all Muslims to believe in the Scriptures that precede it (sura 4, verse 136). It stresses the important position occupied in the Revelation by God's emissaries, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, the Prophets and Jesus, to whom they allocate a special position. His birth is described in the Qur'an, and likewise in the Gospels, as a supernatural event. Mary is also given a special place, as indicated by the fact that sura 19 bears her name.

The above facts concerning Islam are not generally known in the West. This is hardly surprising, when we consider the way so many generations in the West were instructed in the religious problems facing humanity and the ignorance in which they were kept about anything related to Islam. The use of such terms as 'Mohammedan religion' and 'Mohammedans' has been instrumental-even to the present day-in maintaining the false notion that beliefs were involved that were spread by the work of man among which God (in the Christian sense) had no place. Many cultivated people today are interested in the philosophical, social and political aspects of Islam, but they do not pause to inquire about the Islamic Revelation itself, as indeed they should.

eBook: Holy Bible - Old & New Testaments

2011-11-20T06:45:00.000-08:00

The Bible (from Koine Greek τὰ βιβλία ta biblia "the books") refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books (Biblical canon), their contents and their order vary among denominations. Mainstream Judaism divides the Tanakh into 24 books, while a minority stream of Judaism, the Samaritans, accepts only five. The 24 texts of the Hebrew Bible are divided into 39 books in Christian Old Testaments, and complete Christian Bibles range from the 66 books of the Protestant canon to the 81 books of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Bible. The Hebrew and Christian Bibles are also important to other Abrahamic religions, including Islam and the Bahá'í Faith, but those religions do not regard them as central religious texts.

To Download The Holy Bible Click Here

The Jewish Bible, or Tanakh, is divided into three parts:

(1) the five books of the Torah ("teaching" or "law"), comprising the origins of the Israelite nation, its laws and its covenant with the God of Israel;

(2) the Nevi'im ("prophets"), containing the historic account of ancient Israel and Judah focusing on conflicts between the Israelites and other nations, and conflicts among Israelites – specifically, struggles between believers in "the Lord God" and believers in foreign gods, and the criticism of unethical and unjust behavior of Israelite elites and rulers; and

(3) the Ketuvim ("writings"): poetic and philosophical works such as the Psalms and the Book of Job.

The Christian Bible is divided into two parts. The first is called the Old Testament, containing the (minimum) 39 books of Hebrew Scripture, and the second portion is called the New Testament, containing a set of 27 books. The first four books of the New Testament form the Canonical gospels which recount the life of Christ and are central to the Christian faith. Christian Bibles include the books of the Hebrew Bible, but arranged in a different order: Jewish Scripture ends with the people of Israel restored to Jerusalem and the temple, whereas the Christian arrangement ends with the book of the prophet Malachi. The oldest surviving Christian Bibles are Greek manuscripts from the 4th century; the oldest complete Jewish Bible is a Greek translation, also dating to the 4th century. The oldest complete manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible (the Masoretic text) date from the Middle Ages.

During the three centuries following the establishment of Christianity in the 1st century, Church Fathers compiled Gospel accounts and letters of apostles into a Christian Bible which became known as the New Testament. The Old and New Testaments together are commonly referred to as "The Holy Bible" (τὰ βιβλία τὰ ἅγια). Many Christians consider the text of the Bible to be divinely inspired, and cite passages in the Bible itself as support for this belief. The canonical composition of the Old Testament is under dispute between Christian groups: Protestants hold only the books of the Hebrew Bible to be canonical; Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox additionally consider the deuterocanonical books, a group of Jewish books, to be canonical. The New Testament is composed of the Gospels ("good news"), the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles (letters), and the Book of Revelation.

The Bible is the best-selling book in history with approximate sales estimates ranging from 2.5 billion to 6 billion

eBook: Bhagavad Gita For Busy People

2011-11-20T06:29:00.000-08:00

Bhagavad Gita For Busy People

by - SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

“Life is very complex in these days. The struggle for existence is very keen. Man finds no time to study big philosophical and religious books, or the whole of the Gita. Here is an abridged edition of the Gita, which contains its quintessence for the use of students, doctors, advocates and busy people.

That man who merely studies daily even a few Slokas is not stained by Karma. He obtains perfect wisdom, Supreme Peace and eternal Bliss and Immortality. Then what to speak of him who lives and acts according to the spirit of the teachings of the Gita?

He who reads even a quarter of a Sloka is freed from great sins and fear of death.

The Gita is your benefactor and constant companion. The Gita is your Teacher and Guru. The Gita is your real Father and Mother. The Gita is your solace, support and prop. The Gita is an embodiment of nectar. Drink this nectar daily and attain Immortality. May the Gita guide you!”

To Download The Free PDF File Click Here

eBook: 'The Mahabharata', The Great Hindu Epic

2011-11-20T05:40:00.000-08:00

The Story of the Mahabharata Briefly

In some ways, the entire story of the Mahabharata is an explanation of how our world, the world of the Kali Yuga, came into being, and how things got to be as bad as they are. The Ramayana has its share of suffering and even betrayal, but nothing to match the relentless hatred and vengeance of the Mahabharata. The culmination of the Mahabharata is the Battle of Kurukshetra when two bands of brothers, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, the sons of two brothers and thus cousins to one another, fight each other to death, brutally and cruelly, until the entire race is almost wiped out.

To Read The Whole Story Online Click Here

The five sons of Pandu, the Pandavas, are the heroes of the story. The eldest is Yudhishthira, the King. Next is Bhima, an enormously strong fighter with equally enormous appetites. After Bhima is Arjuna, the greatest of the warriors, and the companion of Krishna. The last two are twins, Nakula and Sahadeva. These five brothers share one wife, Draupadi (she became the wife of all five of them by accident, as you will learn).

The enemies of the Pandavas are the Kauravas, who are the sons of Pandu's brother, Dhritarashtra. Although Dhritarashtra is still alive, he cannot manage to restrain his son Duryodhana, who bitterly resents the achievements of his cousins, the Pandavas. Duryodhana arranges for his maternal uncle to challenge Yudhishthira to a game of dice, and Yudhishthira gambles everything away, even himself. The Pandavas have to go into exile, but when they return they engage the Kauravas in battle. Krishna fights on the side of the Pandavas, and serves as Arjuna's charioteer. The famous "Song of the Lord," or Bhagavad-Gita, is actually a book within the Mahabharata, as the battle of Kurukshetra begins. When Arjuna faces his cousins on the field of battle, he despairs and sinks down, unable to fight. The Bhagavad-Gita contains the words that Krishna spoke to Arjuna at that moment.

The Pandavas do win the battle. Duryodhana is killed, and the Kaurava armies are wiped out. But it is hardly a happy ending. Yudhishthira becomes king, but the world is forever changed by the battle's violence. If you are familiar with the Iliad, you might remember how that epic ends with the funeral of the Trojan hero Hector, a moment which is utterly bleak and sad. The same is true for the Mahabharata. There are many truths that are learned in the end, but the victory, such as it is, comes at a terrible price.

eBook: ‘The Ramayana’ World's Most Loved Tales

2011-11-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

The Ramayana is undoubtedly the most popular and timeless Indian epic read and loved by all. The term 'Ramayana', literally means "the march (ayana) of Rama" in search of human values. As a literary work, it combines "the inner bliss of Vedic literature with the outer richness of delightfully profound story telling."
This story of Shri Rama by the great wise Valmiki is referred to as the Adi Kavya or original epic. About the Valmiki Ramayana, Swami Vivekananda has said: "No language can be purer, none chaster, none more beautiful, and at the same time simpler, than the language in which the great poet has depicted the life of Rama."

To Download The PDF File Click Here

Valmiki

About the Poet
Universally acclaimed and accepted as the first among Sanskrit poets, Valmiki was the first to discover a metrical expression of epic dimension and vision to match the emotional ecstasy of the story of Rama. According to a legend, Valmiki was a robber who one day met a hermit who transformed him to a virtuous being. Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom was believed to have assured the sage to stand by his side and guide him to visualize the events of Ramayana, and eulogize them with epic dignity and secular simplicity.

A Brief Outline of the Plot of Ramayana
Ramayana is the immortal tale of Shri Rama that teaches us the values of ideology, devotion, duty, relationships, dharma and karma.

Rama & Sita: The ideal Royal Couple

Rama & Sita

Rama, the prince of Ayodhya and his wife Sita are the ideal royal couple. Rama is brave, wise and dutiful, and Sita is beautiful, generous and saintly. Sita gets introduced to Rama at a ceremony called ‘Swayamvara’, organized by her father Janaka, the king of Mithila to identify a suitable bridegroom for her lovely daughter. Princes from various kingdoms are invited and challenge to string a giant bow. Only the mighty Rama could lift the bow, string it and even break it into two halves. This leads Sita to garland Rama as her husband.

Intrigues in the Royal Family

Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya, had three wives and four sons. Rama was the eldest and his mother was Kaushalya. Bharata was the son of his second and favorite wife, Kaikeyi. The other two were twins, Lakshmana and Shatrughna from his third wife Sumitra. While Rama is all set for coronation, his step-mother, Dasharatha’s second wife, Kaikeyi, wants her son, Bharata, to become king. Before the aged king could hand over his crown to his eldest son Rama, Dasaratha is destined to die. And instead of being crowned king of Ayodhya, Rama is sent into exile in the forest for fourteen year by an intrigue in the palace and a quirk of fate.

Rama is Banished for Fourteen Years

Rama, Sita & Lakshmana

Rama goes to the forest, accompanied by wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, and they live as recluses among the hermits that lead a life of meditative retreat in the deep woods. Bharata, whose mother's evil plot won him the throne, goes to meet Rama in the forest and pleads him to return to the capital. As Rama declines to break his vow given to his deceased father, Bharata is compelled to go back to Ayodhya with his sandals, which he places on the throne as the symbol of Rama’s continuing monarchy.

Rama Fights Ravana, Rescues Sita

While Rama, his wife and brother are living a simple yet happy life in the forest, tragedy strikes! Henceforth, the plot revolves around the abduction of Sita by the demon king Ravana, the ten-headed ruler of Lanka, and Rama’s pursuit to rescue her, aided by Lakshmana and the mighty monkey-general Hanuman. Sita is held captive in the island as Ravana tries to persuade her to marry him. Rama assembles an army of allies comprising mainly of monkeys under the brave Hanuman. They attack Ravana’s army, and after a fierce battle, succeed in killing the demon king and freeing Sita, reuniting her with Rama.

Rama Regains His Kingdom, Sita Returns to Mother Earth

After fourteen years, Rama and Sita return to Ayodhya and are warmly welcomed back by the citizens of the kingdom, where they rule for many years, and have two sons – Luv and Kush. Unfortunately, Sita’s chastity during her period of capture by Ravana comes under scrutiny, and she has to go through trial by fire to prove her purity. But queen, who emerged from the earth at her birth, invokes Mother Earth to take her back into the earth, and the saintly Sita returns to her Mother, never to reappear again.

Largest Living Animal of Land!

2011-11-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

The name ‘elephant’ comes from a Greek word meaning ‘ivory.’ This largest of the land animals lives 70 years or longer. The parents must wait 22 months for the birth of their baby but it weighs in at 260 pounds! Eventually the calf will reach an average of six tons and ten feet tall at the shoulders about the age of 13. Last time we looked at the amazing cooling mechanism that God gave the elephant, his ears. But people are most fascinated with his nose or trunk. African elephants are equipped with two fingerlike projections at the tip of their trunk, while Asians have only one.

1. Did you know there are only three species of elephant living today? They are: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant and the Asian elephant (also known as the Indian elephant). All other species are extinct.

2. Elephants are the world’s largest land animals now living. The largest elephant ever recorded was shot in Angola in 1956. This male weighed about 24,000 lb (11,000 kg), with a shoulder height of 3.96 meters (13.0 ft), a metre (yard) taller than the average male African elephant.

3. The elephant’s gestation period is 22 months, the longest of any land animal. At birth it is common for an elephant calf to weigh 120 kilograms (260 lb). They typically live for 50 to 70 years, but the oldest recorded elephant lived for 82 years. Healthy adult elephants have no natural predators, although lions may take calves or weak individuals.

4. With a mass just over 5 kg (11 lb), elephant brains are larger than those of any other land animal. A wide variety of behaviors associated with intelligence have been attributed to elephants, including those associated with grief, making music, art, altruism, play, use of tools, compassion and self-awareness.

5. Elephants live in a structured social order. The social lives of male and female elephants are very different. The females spend their entire lives in tightly knit family groups made up of mothers, daughters, sisters, and aunts. These groups are led by the eldest female, or matriarch. Adult males, on the other hand, live mostly solitary lives.

6. The tusks of an elephant are its second upper incisors. Tusks grow continuously; an adult male’s tusks grow about 18 cm (7 in) a year. Tusks are used to dig for water, salt, and roots; to debark trees to eat the bark; to dig into baobab trees to get at the pulp inside; and to move trees and branches when clearing a path. In addition, they are used for marking trees to establish territory, and occasionally as weapons.

7. The proboscis, or trunk, is a fusion of the nose and upper lip, elongated and specialized to become the elephant’s most important and versatile appendage. African elephants are equipped with two fingerlike projections at the tip of their trunk, while Asians have only one. The elephant’s trunk is sensitive enough to pick up a single blade of grass, yet strong enough to rip the branches off a tree. The trunk is also used for drinking. Elephants suck water up into the trunk—up to 14 liters (15 quarts) at a time—and then blow it into their mouths. Elephants also suck up water to spray on their bodies during bathing. On top of this watery coating, the animals will then spray dirt and mud, which dries and acts as a protective sunscreen. When swimming, the trunk makes an excellent snorkel.

8. Elephants swim well, but cannot trot, jump, or gallop. They do have two gaits: a walk and a faster gait that is similar to running.

9. African elephants, are currently found in 37 countries in Africa. They are distinguished from Asian elephants in several ways, the most noticeable being their much larger ears. Also, the African elephant is typically larger than the Asian elephant and has a concave back. In Asian elephants, only males have tusks, but both males and females of African elephants have tusks and are usually less hairy than their Asian cousins.

10.Elephants are herbivores and spend up to 16 hours a day eating plants. Their diets are highly variable, both seasonally and across habitats and regions. Elephants are primarily browsers, feeding on the leaves, bark, and fruits of trees and shrubs, but they may also eat considerable grasses and herb.

Top 10 Expensive Pens In The World!

2011-11-12T20:50:00.000-08:00

Writing pens have a long history. Humankind has invented so many of them that no pens collector can have a complete collection. The world’s most expensive pens are limited in number and those who possess them can be called really lucky. Here’s the list of these amazing pens that are not just writing instruments but a real obsession for the rich.

10. CREW 60TH White Gold – Tibaldi fountain pens

Price: $43,000

TIBALDI Pens CREW 60TH are a landmark in pen making history with Bentley, the automobile giant creating its own handcrafted pen sets in association with the world’s best Italian luxury designer pen maker, Tibaldi.

These expensive Tibaldi for Bentley pens have a two-tone 18-carat yellow gold nib covered in rhodium and ruthenium. The pen’s barrel has the fine finish identical to Bentley’s dashboard. This finish was first used in Bentley’s earliest car with a technique called engine tuming. The pen’s cap and upper and lower barrel parts are knurled for a good grip while writing for the executive. You can see the level of ink through the transparent window of the Tibaldi for Bentley pens. A handmade tie shaped clip on the pen marks Tibaldi’s signature.

The Tibaldi for Bentley Crewe 60th white gold fountain pen collection is a limited edition of 40 solid white gold fountain pens

9. Gaia High Luxury – Omas Fountain Pens

Price: $43,000

Gaia high Luxury fountain pens and rollerball pens by Omas are a glimpse into the dark and deep recesses of the earth. The impenetrable inner core of the earth has inspired wonder, curiosity and interest in man since creation. A miscellany of precious materials such as the white and yellow 18K gold, the Onyx, the Crystal rock, the hematite and the vegetal resin has been utilized into the making of this mystic model by Omas.

Gaia High Luxury fountain pens and rollerball pens are a presentation in the celebration of Jules Verne’s futuristic vision of the world. It also commemorates the one hundredth death anniversary. Depicting geographical wonders of the world, the pen absolutely differs from pens that reflect the classic essence of history. The dark grey color of the metal that it is made of, symbolizes the trip to the dark interior of the earth. The body of the pen from top to toe features the engraved images of gigantic spiders, carnivorous plants, and water beasts. The blend of fear and wonder in the engraving of these horrors makes this particular model different from a range of pen collections.

8. MARTE – Omas Fountain Pen

Price: $43,000

Omas Fountain Pen MARTE is part of the Viaggi dell’Uomo, Travel of Man, Masterpieces collection of custom design fountain pens, rollerball pens and pen sets. The Marte (Italian for Mars) is actually a map of Mars made from classic rose gold to represent the pink-red hue of the planet. Deserts, mountains and craters all feature on the barrel of this pen and four rubies mark the landing points of the Russian and American probes. The cap is encrusted with 2K of small diamonds reminiscent of the polar ice caps and the clip details astronomer Tycho Brahe’s Mural Quadrant. Even the rose gold nib is engraved with a representation of the Greek God Mars! There are just 30 of these fountain pens in circulation, so they are perfect for the pen collector to add to his expensive pen collections, or for the executive who enjoys writing with designer pens.

7. Visconti – The Forbidden City H.R.H. Fountain Pen

Price: $50,500.00

The Visconti brand is known for best quality, style and creativity. This distinguished Visconti pen is the Forbidden City H.R.H. Limited Edition fountain Pen. Made of black resin, 18K gold and diamonds and boasting of Power Filler innovative filling system invented by Visconti, it is sold for $50,500.00.

6. Visconti – Alchemy H.R.H. Fountain Pens

Price: $ 57,000

The beautifully handcrafted Alchemy HRH by Visconti is part of the HRH collection of handmade fountain pens and rollerball pens from this fine pen maker. This luxury pen, unlike other fountain pens, has two nibs, two ink reservoirs and is trimmed with two different metals ï¿½ exquisite gold and silver vermeil. Both nibs are of the best 18K gold and come in different sizes to suit every writing style. Even those used to writing with rollerball pens will love using the Alchemy.

The body is made from a classic, rich, red resin and the gold and silver trim is decorated with expensive 4K diamonds and rubies. One cap has gold trim, the other silver, and these trims interlace to create a cosmic map with alchemic symbols – stunning!

5. Visconti – Ripple H.R.H. Fountain Pen

Price: $ 57,000

One of the most remarkable Visconti pens is Ripple H.R.H. Limited Edition fountain pen. Made of 18K white gold and diamonds and with two-tone 18K gold nib, it costs $57,000.00. It has double reservoir filling system and is sold in two variations – white gold and black.

4. Omas Phoenix Platinum – Fountain Pen

Price: $60,000

With overwhelming price tag of $60,000, this truncated cone shaped pen is a true embodiment of fact and fancy. Made with 950 platinum and yellow Enamel, with considerable length and diameter, 18K gold rhodiated engraving nib.

3. La Modernista Diamonds – Caran d’Ache

Price: $265,000

La Modernista Diamonds was made by the Swiss company Caran d’Ache in 1999 in homage to Antonio Gaudi (1852-1926), the most famous of Modernist architects. This amazing fountain pen was sold in Harrods, London, for $265,000, becoming the most expensive pen in GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS in 2001. La Modernista Diamonds is made of rhodium-coated solid silver components. It boasts of an 18-carat rhodium-coated gold nib and is set with a total of 5,072 Wesselton diamonds weighing in at 20-carats, as well as and 96 rubies totalling 32-carats. The pen was hand-made by master jeweler Robert Perron and it took him six months to complete this true masterpiece of writing instruments.

2. Mystery Masterpiece – Mont Blanc and Van Cleef & Arpels Limited Edition

Price: $730,000

To commemorate the centenary of these two renowned brands, Montblanc and Van Cleef & Arpels have collaborated on this fine, limited editions Mystery Masterpiece. Three individual editions, each set with either rubies, sapphires, or emeralds, will be crafted. Using the “Mystery Setting” technique for the gemstones, these intricate writing instruments are set to stun with their extravagant design, and equally-extravagant price: at US$730,000 each, they are truly a fitting homage to a century of each brands’ respective history.

1. Aurora Diamante fountain pen

Price: $1,470,600

The Aurora Diamante is the most expensive writing instrument till date. Only one is for sale per year. The Aurora Diamante contains over 30 carats of De Beers diamonds on a solid platinum barrel. It has a two-tone, rhodium-treated, 18KT solid gold nib and is personalized with a coat of arms, signature or portrait. Aurora Pens says it is the only over 30 carat pen in the world.

Source: http://www.skitzone.com/2010/top-10-most-expensive-pens-in-the-world/

Most Expensive Fountain Pen in The World!

2011-11-12T20:42:00.000-08:00

Believed to be worth one million euros (more than 1.4 M dollars), the Aurora Diamante fountain pen is instantly the most expensive pen the world has ever seen! What made this pen so precious is its bicolour, rhodium-treated, 18K solid gold nib, a platinum barrel covered with 30 carats certified De-Beers diamonds and its limited production- only 10 of these masterpieces will be sold!

Renowned for manufacturing exquisite, distinctive and luxurious writing instruments, Aurora of Italy has never failed to impress fountain pen collectors with its recent writing-piece. Whether you are fond of the charming nightfall or the glowing dawn, Aurora Diamante pen has something for you. You may choose from its two versions, one representing the first light of the morning and the other, the last ray of the day.

With fewer people using pens these days, especially one as costly as Aurora Diamante, why produce such a luxurious item? Perhaps to celebrate beauty in workmanship, obviously seen in this pen's timeless elegance, personalization and sentimentality.

Multiple Babies Or Polyzygotic Siblings

2011-11-12T10:39:00.000-08:00

A multiple birth occurs when more than one fetus is carried to term in a single pregnancy. Different names for multiple births are used, depending on the number of offspring. Common multiples are two and three, known as twins andtriplets. These and other multiple births occur to varying degrees in most animal species, although the term is most applicable to placental species.

Multiple birth siblings are either monozygotic or dizygotic. The former result from a single fertilized egg or zygote splitting into two or more embryos,
each carrying the same genetic material. Siblings created from one egg are commonly called identical. Since identical multiples share the same genetic material, they are almost always the same sex.

Dizygotic or fraternal multiples instead result from multiple ova being ripened and released in the same menstrual cycle by a woman's ovaries, which are then fertilized to grow into multiples no more genetically alike than ordinary full siblings.

Multiples called polyzygotic represent some combination of fraternal and identical siblings. For example, a set of triplets may be composed of identical twins from one egg and a third sibling from a second egg.

Terminology:
Monozygotic – multiple (typically two) fetuses produced by the splitting of a single zygote
Dizygotic – multiple (typically two) fetuses produced by two zygotes
Polyzygotic – multiple fetuses produced by two or more zygotes

Terms used for the order of multiple births in human beings are largely derived from the Latin names for numbers. Two offspring (twins) is the most common form, eight (octuplets) is the largest number ever successfully carried to full term with all children surviving.

Two offspring – twins
Three offspring – triplets
Four offspring – quadruplets
Five offspring – quintuplets
Six offspring – sextuplets
Seven offspring – septuplets
Eight offspring – octuplets
Nine offspring – nonuplets
Ten offspring – decaplets
Eleven offspring – undecaplets
Twelve offspring – duodecaplets
Thirteen offspring – tridecaplets
Fourteen offspring – quadecaplets
Fifteen offspring – quindecaplets
Sixteen offspring – sexdecuplets
Seventeen offspring – sepdecuplets
Eighteen offspring – octdecuplets
Nineteen offspring – nondecuplets
Twenty offspring – icosuplets

World's Highest & Biggest Bridges!!

2011-11-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

These bridges, some of the world’s highest, would certainly take my breath away.

The Royal Gorge Bridge – Colorado

Royal Gorge Bridge. Photo by michaelwm25.

The Royal Gorge Bridge near Canon City, Colorado, is 1053 feet above the Arkansas River. It was built in 1929 with the intention of being a tourist attraction, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The wooden walkway of the bridge is made of 1292 planks, and a railroad runs below at the bottom of the Royal Gorge. It is the highest bridge in the world.

The Millau Viaduct – France

Millau Viaduct. Photo by Eugene Regis.

The Millau Viaduct in southern France boasts the highest road deck in the world, at 890 feet over the Tarn River. Built in 2004, its highest mast is taller than the Eiffel Tower.

The Perrine Bridge – Twin Falls, Idaho

Perrine Bridge. Photo by Stupid Dingo.

The only bridge in the United States where BASE Jumping is allowed year-round without a permit. When the original bridge was opened in 1927, it was the highest bridge in the world. The bridge was replaced in 1974 and now stands 486 feet above the Snake River.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge – North Vancouver, British Columbia

Capilano Suspension Bridge. Photo by hardeep and gurminder.

230 feet above the Capilano River and originally built in 1888, the bridge has been upgraded and replaced several time and now attracts over 800,000 people a year.

The Crooked River High Bridge – Oregon

Crooked River High Bridge. Photo by Fuzzy Gerdes.

This bridge was completed in 1926 in Oregon. When the old bridge was unable to keep up with traffic demands, a new bridge was built nearby, but the old bridge remains open to pedestrians, 295 feet above the Crooked River Gorge.

The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge – New Mexico

Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. Photo by maryatexitzero.

The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is a cantilever truss bridge over the Rio Grande, in New Mexico, 650 feet below. It was completed in 1965 and was once named Most Beautiful Steel Bridge in the Long Span category by the American Institute of Steel Construction.

The Glen Canyon Bridge – Arizona

Glen Canyon Bridge. Photo by tjk.

The Glen Canyon Bridge is just downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam which creates Lake Powell at Page, Arizona. Complete in 1964, it carries U.S. Route 89 700 feet above the canyon.

The Navajo Bridges – Arizona

Navajo Bridges. Photo by CanyonCountry

The Navajo Bridges are near-twins over the Colorado River’s Marble Canyon in Arizona, 464 feet high. The original bridge was completed in 1929 and is open to pedestrian and equestrian traffic, while its newer counterpart was opened in 1995 and carries U.S. Route 89A.

The Foresthill Bridge – California

Foresthill Bridge. Photo by psd.

The Foresthill Bridge stands 730 feet over the American River in California. It is the tallest bridge in California. Also called the Foresthill-Auburn Bridge or Auburn Bridge, it was opened in 1973. Pedestrians can walk from end to end.

The New River Gorge Bridge – West Virginia

New River Gorge Bridge. Photo by meadowsa.

The New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville, West Virginia stands 876 feet over the New River. Completed in 1977, it was for many years the longest steel-arch bridge in the world. Until 2004, it was the longest vehicular bridge in the world. It is featured on the West Virginia state quarter that was issued in 2005.

The Golden Gate Bridge – California

Golden Gate Bridge. Photo by Bernt Rostad.

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA, 200 feet above the water, is one of the most-photographed places in the United States. Open to both traffic and pedestrians, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world when it opened in 1937.

The Brooklyn Bridge – New York

Brooklyn Bridge. Photo by Global Jet.

The Brooklyn Bridge in New York City is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. It was opened in 1883 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1964. It’s 135 feet above the East River at its highest point, and just over a mile long. It is open to both vehicle traffic and pedestrians.

The Seven Mile Bridge – Florida

Seven Mile Bridge. Photo by phault.

The Seven Mile Bridge to the Florida Keys isn’t as high, rising only 65 feet above the water, but what it lacks in height it makes up for in length, at nearly seven miles long. The original lanes were built in the early 1900′s, and the now-used parallel section was opened in 1982.

Lailatul Qadr : The Night of Power

2011-08-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

Qadr means honour and dignity. Lailatul Qadr means the night of honour and dignity. It is this night in which the first Divine Revelation came to the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasallam, when he was in prayer in the cave of Hira. Since this night enjoys the honour of having the first revelation brought to the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasallam, it has been named Lailatul Qadr. This is one of the holiest and most blessed nights, which is likely to occur on one of the odd nights on the last ten days of Ramadhan and most likely to be the 27th.
The reward of worship on this night is better than the worship of a thousand months of worship, equivalent to a person's lifetime. So, on this night one should pray nafil namaz, recite the Quran, do Tasbih, Zikr, Duas, etc as much as possible.

This night had already opened its gates of treasures when the angel for the first time had come with the Divine Message in the cave of Hira, but its auspiciousness has continued to be with us permanently. Every year in the month of Ramadhan, this night is given to the Ummah. Muslims engage in prayers, recitation of Quran and praying to Allah, as the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasallam said: "The person who offered prayers to Allah in the night of Dignity with faith and with hope of reward from Allah, all his past sins have been forgiven." (Bukhaari).

As the rainy season is suitable for farming, similarly for the attainment of nearness to Allah, specific times , specific days and specific nights are most suitable, e.g. the time of Tahajjud prayers, Friday prayers, month of Ramadhan, the Day of Arafah, etc. So also the Night of Power is the most suitable night for attaining nearness to Allah. In the Hadeeth, we have been asked to seek it in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadhan. Hazrat Aa'ishah radhiyallahu anhaa narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallalahu alayhi wasallam has said, 'Seek the night of Dignity in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadhan'.(Bukhaari).

By odd nights, the reference is made to the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th night of the month of Ramadhan. No one night has been fixed so that the yearning to find it may increase and people may spend more nights in worshipping Allah. From this aspect, the importance of `Itikaaf (seclusion) during the last ten days of Ramadhan is clear.

Some special prayers and Zikr for Laitul Qadr:

1. Seeking Forgiveness. Hazrat Aa'ishah radhiyallahu anhaa asked the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasallam that if she happened to get the night sublime what prayer should she say. The Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasallam replied that she should say the following prayer :

"Allahumma innaka afuwwun kareemun tuhib-bul af-wa fa-afo anni"

(O Allah, You are the One who grants pardon for sins, loves forgiving, so forgive me.)

2. Reciting Astaghfar. The following should be recited as much as possible:

"Astaghfirullah hallazi la-ila-ha illa huwal Hayyul Qayyumo wa atu-bu ilaihe"

(I seek forgiveness from Allah, the Almighty, there is no God but He. He is self-Existent, the Eternal and I return to Him)

3. Reciting Surah `Inna anzalnahu...'

"Inna anzalnahu fee lailathil Qadr, Wa maa adraka maa lailatul Qadr.

Lailatul Qadri khairum min alfi shahr. Tanazzalul malai-katu var-roohu

fee ha bi izni Rabbihim min kulle amr. Salaamun heya hatta matla-il fajr."

4. Do Salatul Tasbih.

5. Do Afzul Zikr i.e. La ilaha illallah
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Collected Article:Ref: http://www.kingstonmosque.org.uk/LailatulQadr.htm