philosophy of life

How To Tackle The Green - Eyed Monster _ MANI SHANKAR

2013-01-14T07:39:00.000-08:00

I am all J over the way my ex-GF is making out with another guy and burning up with rage for weeks. Can't think of anything else. Help._ A teenager.

***

I am going to make a scalpel out of my pen and harsh as it may seem, do a surgical incision. J kills. Yup. But you know that already and you seem to want exactly that - to be drowned in such stupor that you begin to die slowly inside. You get so obsessed that you secretly want all vestiges of compassion and camaraderie to get snuffed out of existence. As emotions go jealously is among the more jealous of emotions. It leaves no room for any other mood to exist. Sure it satisfies you in certain obscure ways, just as a cigarette satisfies the smoker - in some obscure way.

***

Ask a smoker exactly what pleasure he derives and he will be at a loss to explain - same with jealousy. You can't explain why at every moment your mind drifts towards morbid fantasies but you sure do get a grim satisfaction from the addiction. Make no mistake, once it takes it grip like a python coiling around a rat - it suffocates the life breath of goodness and smothers you to a horrible heart-death. You become a shell of a person with no warmth, no humour, no happiness left. Are you sure you want to get cured? Had enough?

***

Then stop feeling so self-important, stop feeling you are the centre of the universe around whom everyone should revolve. Change the fulcrum of your existence. Rise into a protecting nurturing wisdom. Grant people the right to love others, to make love to others. Grant people the right to see through you, to get fed up with you, to walk out on you. Truly nobody is your own in this world. Wow. That was very harsh, yes, and I need to say it again with a smile. Nobody is your own in this world. Just because society said the two of you are a couple doesn't take away from the other the right to think otherwise. Your real option is to free the other and set yourself free in the process.

***

You have arrived at a crossroad and two paths lie before you. The first is the smooth well traveled highway of jealous burning. If you don't take the harder road of forgiveness now, someday when the juices run dry and you shrivel up inside into a brittle twig of your former self, the truth will hit you in the face. You will understand that it was far better to have become humble, accepted your insignificance and walker away a free person than to have burnt into black toast with the raging fires of envy.

***

The smart guy knows when to fume and rage and when to shrug and walk away. The intelligent guy knows when to let pride flow into him and when to let pride flow away from him. This soft skill of handling jealously is critical and life saving, friend. Learn it well and live to love another day.

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"MANISHANKAR, THE AUTHOR, A DIRECTOR, HELPS THE YOUTH STRIKE A BALANCE IN THEIR RELATION SHIPS................"

Impatience Of The Future Makes You Miss Present... Queenie-tessential

2012-08-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

We jumped into the cab to catch the movie Total Recall. We were headed for a crowded area called Bugis Junction in Singapore. "Hurry up, please," my friends told the cab driver, "or we will miss our movie." The cab driver glanced back at us dismisively and then shook his head. "I can't go any faster than this. Can't you see the clazy (crazy) tlaffic (traffic)?" he said pronouncing his r's as l's and vice versa. "I could go zooming through if I had a Fellali," he continued. "In a Fellali I could get you there soon, could even get you to heaven." He added laughing loudly and nodding at the same time. "All luch people in a hully to go up, that's why they buy a Fellali" he let out that laugh again. "Okay, okay," said my friend who was with me getting impatient with his monologue and said that we may not make to the movie, "You drive as you like but we need to go soon and maybe if you focus on the road, we will get there."

***

He looked back at us again visibly amused. "Only a hericopter can take you through the tlaffic," he nodded "That is the way of the lich. They are not satisfied, you see. Even the Fellali becomes slow for them, and then they buy a helicopter. Soon hericopter becomes slow. Then they must have a plane. Money buys everything. Money buys love," he laughed.

***

It was obvious the man was in pain and had suffered "No money, no honey. Love cannot buy money, but money can buy love," he forced his laugh this time. "No money, No love."

***

By now, we had decided not to go for the movie and instructed the driver to take a U-turn and drop us back to where he had picked us up. I relaxed back on my seat, now no more in a rush and started talking to him. "What about your love?" I asked him. "My wife was my love," he paused for a bit as if suddenly lost. "I worked hard all day and gave her everything I had. I bought her a house. She wanted more. I gave her more. But she wanted more and more. She forgot about me. She wanted to be lich, and could not understand why she was not lich. She wanted to leach the sky. No money no honey," he said, and for the first time his tone became sad. "But now" he almost shouted "Ican buy a lot of butterfries with money. I can buy love." It took me a few moments to understand the term 'butterfries'. For a moment I argued, "That is not love." He laughed "What is it lady, what is love?"

***

No doubt, our taxi driver was a bit "touched" in the head, although our conversation was a bit crazy, there was food for thought in what he said. Suddenly, as if brought back to the present moment about time and traffic, he said, "Nothing is the same any more about people. See how impatient your friends are. Train them to be calm. Do yoga," he laughed "I drive people everyday. They are stressed about time and traffic. These things are not in their or my control." I nodded agreeing. "Look how much time you and your friends wasted telling me to hurry. So busy looking ahead that you lost the present." I could go on talking to him. We reached our destination.

***

We paid him and I knew I would never see him again. It was a most interesting journey. Even though we never reached where we were originally headed.

***

"I am happy now. I changed my way of life and allowed people who were not happy with me to leave and go to what made them happier. And now," he laughed again, "there are many butterfries to give me love," looking pleased with his ability to have found peace and clarity - so what if it was through coloured lenses?..............

Discard Mental Baggage _ Mani Shankar

2012-08-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

You want to harness the power of your mind to alter your reality, yes? That's really an invitation to chaos. Lots of people are in the market, offering quick and easy solutions. You flow into them with anticipation and excitement. You follow their prescribed formulae, their chants and utterances, wear their beads, read their books, watch their DVDs, dress as per their code, hang on to their every word, hoping, pleading, fantasizing. It's a pointless journey, just leading you deeper into delusion. Years later you find yourself at the same spot where you started - clueless, a bit confused, with a sneaky suspicion that nothing really happened outside your imagination. Your reality was never altered, you are still the same guy, and the world around you is just as it was.

***

This is the undiluted truth. There is no quick-fix solutions to altering your reality, no magic mantras you can utter. Know the frog doesn't turn into a prince with a kiss. Know the world doesn't change with the wave of a wand. Know clothes can't make you richer, wiser or luckier than you would otherwise be. The sooner you start accepting this bittersweet truth, the better off you will be.

***

I said bittersweet because there are two opposing layers inside this revelation. The first is disappointing when you finally understand that there are no quick-fix solutions. The second is elevating - when you finally understand that nobody outside you has the power to change your world, and so it's time to get acquainted with that stranger within - your mind.

***

The quality of mind is that it operates at several levels simultaneously. All you have been able to access so far is the most superficial surface. This is the world of thoughts, words, hopes, wishes, daydreams and dreams. Remember, everything you read, hear and see translates itself into mental constructs, as thoughts. What is a thought? It's a mental projection of some input you have grasped. Thoughts are the extension of your senses, they are the first line of defence you have when dealing with the world.

***

Having thoughts are very important. But there is such a thing called excess of thought. This happens when, like jungles, they take over our minds, growing wildly, completely beyond our control. Now the mind starts losing its ability to conjure a thought, consider it and then make it fade it away. Thoughts start roaming through the mind like bandits, creating havoc at will. The mind surrenders, eventually becomes a slave of its own thoughts. Add to this the chaos of the Age of marketing Madness we live in - where everyday you are exposed to a thousand needless desires, baseless fears and mental conditioning. It's enough to make a sane guy crazy. But you have already made yourself crazy, and the result is that your fears and hopes create thoughts that recur in endless loops, making you salivate, palpitate, ruminate, agitate and decimate your potential to even address your reality. Your ability to alter that reality through the mind is now a far dream.

***

The time has come to take you beyond thought, into deeper, purer levels inside yourself. The time has come to leave this chaos behind and rise into higher levels of being within. You can't do it by attaching yourself to more books and chants and shibboleths. You can only do it by gently leaving it all behind - by dropping the mental baggage, until the sheer lightness of being makes you float away.....

Does Black Magic Exist?... RAM GOPAL VARMA

2012-01-31T19:00:00.000-08:00

THE ACE FILM DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER DIGS INTO ALL THINGS GOOD, BAD AND UGLY IN REAL LIFE AND REEL LIFE......

***

I am sure fear stems from the threat of emotional or physical violence. This fear is heightened, especially if it comes from an unknown or unfathomable source.

***

If you are aware of the motivations of the threatening force, you won't be half as scared. For example, you will be chilled to the bone on being confronted by a snake but if your can recognise the species and know how its poison can affect your system, instead of being scared you will think of ways of escaping it or killing it.

***

Belief in God primarily comes out of fear. We don't trust our family, friends, the police or the government to protect us. Hence, we desperately believe in a force which will protect us. Hence, we desperately believe in a force which will protect us in every which way. In order to feel the power of God, we invent and pitch his power against a counterpoint. Thus, evil forces like demons, the devil and black magic are created.

***

Black magic is supposedly used to hurt or kill an enemy by either practicing it or hiring its practitioners. Whether it exists or not, nobody can tell, but I am stunned by the sheer number of people who believe in it despite their education and intelligence. When they cannot understand the reasons behind negative events, they start believing in black magic.

***

I know of a certain actor who was seeing a girl whom his parents disapproved of intensely. Unable to break their relationship and refusing to see the negative traits of their own son, the parents were convinced that the girl practised black magic. They were even terrified of seeing her pictures in the magazines and newspapers.

***

In the West, there is much talk about making someone you hate suffer by pricking needles and pins into a voodoo doll. In India, the most common cure happens to be a witch doctor or exorcist.

***

Now this exorcist can be different depending on the person he has to cure. There are godmen, minor and major, who will offer panaceas, paper chits and amulets and soon assume cult status.

***

In the case of rural areas and the underprivileged sections even in cities, these exorcists come with bodies covered in ash, their long hair braided and coloured. They carry small brooms, little drums and perform high-pitched prayers before the affected person. This practice has been around for centuries but I do wonder about the success ratio of these self-styled exorcists.

***

Frankly, I am shaken by fear also. On returning home after a long trip, I wonder if there is an invisible, malevolent presence in my house. On a highway when I see a truck being driven towards my car at a crazy speed, I fear that the devil may be in it, and will wipe me out from the face of the earth.

***

Mercifully, such paranoid thoughts only last for a split second. Because I know the cure. I just tell myself, "Why should you be afraid? You're quite a devil yourself."

***

Try it, it works...... RAM GOPAL VARMA....

The Power of Self... SUDHA UMASHANKER

2012-01-30T20:08:00.000-08:00

THE WRITER HAS A KEEN INTEREST IN THE STUDY AND APPLICATION OF SPIRITUALITY AND PHILOSOPHIES FOR SOLVING THE REAL-LIFE PROBLEMS OF THE MODERN WORLD...

***

All great things in life begin with a belief, a dream or vision and a never-say-die spirit. Youth is an age when one fervently believes one can change the world order and usher in a new way of doing things. It is a phase in life when one's head is full of dreams, of the peaks one wants to conquer, the goals and targets one is chasing and the unconventional choices one would like to make. Which is as it should be, for all things worthwhile begin that way. Remember Martin Luther King and his famous words? "I have a dream." And as Napoleon Hill, inspirational thinker, author of books on success, positive thinking and such subjects and who drew inspiration from his son who was born without ears but grew up to lead a normal life, said, "What the mind can conceive and believe it can truly achieve."

***

Focused, single-minded determination and the grit to keep at it even when the chips are down is what ultimately translates to the actualisation of a dream. As our spiritual masters point out, karmic patterns can be changed by hanging in there and persisting, unfazed by temporary hurdles. God helps those who help themselves.

***

The way to negate bad karma is simple - do good karma. In addition, an unshakeable belief in one's ideas, even if everyone around is sceptical or ready to write you off, is also vital. Patience is yet another virtue work cultivating. Just like Rome was not built in a day, anything worthwhile cannot be accomplished overnight. Two important and useful tools in the realisation of one's beliefs are creative visualisation and affirmation.

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As Shakthi Gawain, spiritual author says, "Creative visualisation is really nothing but using your natural imagination - the basic creative energy in the universe - to create what you want in your life. The problem is that we use it more to anticipate problems, imagine difficulties and roadblocks."

***

Let's say you are not happy in your current job. Visualise yourself in a new (read ideal) job. Picture yourself at work doing what you love and excelling at it. Add all the little details, what kind of office it is; the people you are meeting with, etc. Do it vividly in your head. If your desire and intention to make a change are clear, the chances are high that it will happen pretty soon. For creative visualisation to work effectively it is important to relax completely.

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Explaining how this happens shakti Gawain says, "When your body and mind are deeply relaxed your brain wave pattern changes and becomes slower. This deeper slower level is called the alpha level while your usual busy waking consciousness is called the beta level. Alpha level is a very healthy state of consciousness because of its relaxing effect on the mind and body." The bottom line is when you want to create real changes in life, using creative visualisation at the alpha level is more effective than operating at the beta level - thinking, worrying, planning and trying to get people around to do what you want.

***

While creative visualisation is more graphic and involves mental imagery, an affirmation on the other hand is a positive statement that something is already so. It is stating something that you want as if it has already happened. Like, "Iam attracting all the right people into my life". "I now have a wonderful new job".

***

Let go of any doubts or disbelief when you use affirmations. For as Sri Paramahansa Yogananda tells us, "Every negative thought or worry or fearful thought cuts subtle grooves in the brain cells and attracts just what we don't want. Repeat your affirmations first loudly, then softly and more slowly until your voice becomes a whisper, then only mentally."

***

As you go deeper past your subconscious, you begin to experience a sense of peace and your affirmation goes deeper into the super conscious realm and subsequently influences your conscious desire and leads to the actualisation of your dreams.

***

Refrain from running through the affirmations mechanically but state them with determination, devotion and clarity of purpose. The best time for affirmations is in the morning immediately after waking or just before bedtime. Affirmations should be used in alignment with our highest goals and purposes and for the highest good of all things. While a strong sense of self and "I" are big confidence boosters, one must realise that for affirmations to translate into reality, a strong anchorage in the higher self is an absolute must. While psychology plays a part ultimately, it's really about the power of consciousness over the body and mind.

***

"IT MAY SOUND PHILOSOPHICAL BUT WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE AND BELIEVE, IT CAN TRULY ACHIEVE..."

Derail Your Negative Thoughts... ANUPAM KHER

2012-01-30T07:54:00.000-08:00

THE RENOWNED ACTOR DECODES THE FINER NUANCES OF HUMAN PSYCHE AND BEHAVIOUR AND SHOWS THE ROUTE TO SELF-IMPROVEMENT...

***

One of the enduring issues of contemporary life is that there are too many negative things happening, and too few positives. Whether you open the news papers or watch the news on television or just look around you, you will see that the number of bad guys far outnumber the good guys. And the sad part is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the good from the bad.

***

In a world bereft of role models, where the mass media confuses rather then analyses, the negatives are coming across as more alluring and exciting; the good is looking boring. Apart from the obvious confusion of values, the other aspect is the increasing amount of people who are beginning to feel negative in their outlook.

***

Last month I met a woman in her twenties, who is in the advertising business and is typical of many people of her generation. She confessed to me that she was very negative in her attitude; about people, about relationships and about her future. It was not that she was a victim of some unfortunate circumstances; far from it. But just looking at the world around her; and at her colleagues and at the entire business of media hyping the wrong people and ignoring the right ones, and had made her sick to her gills. It had come to a stage where she could see nothing positive in anything that happened to her.

***

She is not alone. Actually, she may just be a cynic and not a negative personality. But the loneliness of the big cities, where youngsters follow dreams, is a recipe for negativism and depression to flourish. Many people I meet are consumed with depression to flourish. Many people I meet are consumed with depressive thoughts like, "Nothing good will come out of this interview." "I can never get this job... I am a born loser." Such feelings are self-fulfilling and ultimately strangulate the personality they feed on.

***

The sad part is that thoughts do not remain mere thoughts. What is little known is that our thoughts trigger off chemicals in our brains which send electrical impulses across the brain and create neural pathways. The more we keep getting such negative thoughts, the more our brain keeps getting hardwired to being receptive to such thoughts. So the trick is to break them.

***

I have already mentioned in my earlier column the concept of reciting backwards the numerals from 50 to one. Such an exercise breaks our thought process and forces us to focus on the count. Another method is to chant a poem or a hymn or a mantra to derail the negative thought. To break the negative thought process, think of the positives in your life or any happy event. Like your last vacation, or the fun-filled party you attended. Or just the happy and warm moments you shared with your family.

***

And finally, one of the most important things to do is to have a circle of positive friends who will bolster you with optimism. That is why they say, "Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you what you are!".................

TO BREAK THE NEGATIVE THOUGHT PROCESS, THINK OF THE POSITIVES IN YOUR LIFE OR ANY HAPPY EVENT.....

Unite With The Supreme Force.. MALLIKA BHATIA

2012-01-30T06:48:00.000-08:00

THE WRITER IS A COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGIST AND A HOLISTIC HEALER. HER WORK REVOLVES AROUND HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEIR FEELINGS...

***

So 2012 is here! We hope you and your loved ones have a brilliant year ahead. But tell me, what was the first thing you did today after you woke up? Did you check all the mess left behind after the party last night? Did you solemnly vow to follow all the resolutions you made? Or did you pray to God for this year to be fulfilling in all the ways that you have planned?

***

Most of us being every new event with a prayer. It could be in the form of a havan when we move into a new house or office; a simple aarti on a day we consider important and auspicious; salat five times a day, the first of which is also at the very beginning of the day or the mass on Sundays or special days or a paath.

***

There are many other forms of prayer depending on our religious and personal beliefs. Some of us like to pray with rituals, for some it is as simple as lighting a candle or incense and for some others it is just a silent conversation in our minds with our God. The fact is whatever our form of prayer is, the intention is always the same: for our prayers to be answered.

***

Our styles of praying reflect our beliefs and perceptions about God, they also reflect how we internally and externally connect with God and how we connect with ourselves. Some of us believe that God is a higher entity, somewhere up there, looking at us and our actions, some believe that God is within and we are completely one with Him. That He speaks to us and through us. Some believe that God chooses special people to speak to us - gurus, saints. Even in all these beliefs the common factors is the intent to get what we desire through varied forms of prayer.

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The important thing to focus on is what do we pray for? Do we mostly only ask for new material possessions like a new car, house or the latest version of an iPad or iPhone? Or do we ask for learning, growth, success, abundance and happiness?

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There is truly no harm in asking for material things like i-gadgets as long as we remember that the most important and common aspect of all these i-gadgets is the "I".

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If we can focus on the "I" and its growth, we will always get abundance in most aspects of our lives. Happiness will flow, satisfaction, peace and success will bow to us.

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So when you pray, make sure you choose your prayer wisely. Be careful of what you ask for because the chances that you might get it are high.

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Pray for yourself and for others. Value what you have and value the power of prayer. If you ever find yourself doubting the value of prayer, as its value to the family members of seriously ill patients. And always remember, I dram. I achieve, I pray because I am..... MALLIKA BHATIA

A LONE BATTLE AGAINST WAR...Ipsitaa Panigrahi

2012-01-29T07:55:00.000-08:00

WRITER-ACTIVIST BINALAKSHMI NEPRAM HAS NOT ONLY GIVEN WOMEN SURVIVORS OF GUN-VIOLENCE A NEW LEASE OF LIFE, BUT ALSO A NEW REASON TO FIGHT.......

***

It was Christmas Eve, the year was 2004. I still vividly remember the events of that day. The tragedy that befell the Wabgai Lamkhai village of Thoubal district in Manipur left a deep and lasting impression on my mind. I was witness to the coldblooded killing of 27-year-old Buddhi Moirangthem. Three gunmen dragged Buddhi from his car-battery workshop, and just shot him. The entire incident took place within a span of few minutes. Nobody knew why, who and what led the gunment to kill Buddhi; even his visibly-shaken wife Rebika Akram was clueless.

***

Northeast India has been facing the onslaught of ethnic-based armed conflict since the late 1940s. In fact, Rebika is not the only victim of this ethnic-based violence, the lives of thousands of women have been cut short because of the gun killings of their beloved husbands, fathers or sons, be it by state, non-state actors or unidentified gunmen.

***

During my formative years, I thought all this was quite normal. But witnessing it at such a close range, shook me hard and led me to form the Manipuri Women Gun Survivor Network (MWGSN). The formal launch of the Network took place on April 29, 2007, in Manipur's state capital Imphal.

***

I guess I was born to do something like this. I remember my father telling me that the day I was born, there was curfew in Imphal. I now joke about it with my friends, saying that even an Army curfew could not stop me from coming out into this world.

***

I grew up in the quaint little locality called Heirangoithong. The Northeast is home to more than 70 major population groups and sub-groups, speaking approximately 400 languages and dialects. Insurgency has for long engulfed this strategic region and has held development to ransom. No other region of India, South Asia or the world must have seen such a proliferation and mushrooming of militant outfits and this region has.

***

But it was only when I cam to New Delhi that I realise the enormity of the situation. I then stumbled upon a UN document that was published in 1997 titled "Trafficking in Small Arms and Sensitive Technologies". That document combined with a white paper on small arms written by the Canadian government inspired to research the origins of armed conflict and arms proliferation in my society.

***

I conducted research for over two years and in 2002 published my research findings as a book titled South Asia's Fractured Frontier (New Delhi, Mittal Publications, 2002). I found that 57 types of small arms had been identified, which have flooded Northeast India in the past few years. The weapons came from China, Pakistan, Belgium, Thailand, Russia, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Czechoslovakia, Afganistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Burma and of late, Israel. The effect of this small arms proliferation has been alarming. Various young people have taken up the path of gun violence resulting in death, decay and destruction in various fields - Socially, politically and economically. Every year 3,00,000 people are killed because of small arms.

***

MWGSN attempts to lift women from the trauma. It helps women survivors of gun violence find ways to heal the scars that decades of living under the shadow of guns has caused to the community. It is the first initiative of its kind in India. MWGSN assists women in small-scale entrepreneurial work.

***

I owe it to my parents and the Manipuri society for what I am now. I was born in Manipur's soil and despite the difficulties, my parents struggled to raise my siblings and me to do our best for the society.

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I am presently working as secretary-general of India's first civil society organisation working on conventional disarmament called Control Arms Foundation of India. However, no achievement is enough till peace and development comes to Manipur and its neighbouring states.

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It pains me to see so much conflict, infighting and bloodshed. I firmly believe that the youth of Manipur and the Northeast region can change the destiny of our region. Each one of us can contribute in our own little way and to do that, I believe in working with women and the outh. I spend time in our khungangs (locality) and far off villages to see in what ways we can all work together to help bring about a positive change. This is true even when I am abroad, say in London or New York, where I keep meeting several Manipuris who live and work there.

***

I firmly believe that youth and women have a powerful role to play in bringing about a world that is free from conflict. Through my research, writing and committed work, I live my dreams of striving for a world that is free from hunger, want and war... (as told to IPSITAA PANIGRAHI)

VOW TO CHERISH AND LOVE MYSELF BEYOND ANYTHING.. Mani Shankar

2012-01-29T06:17:00.000-08:00

Inspire myself with myself. Not with hollow words or empty gazes into vacant spaces but with the silent energy of my vital being. I am my only true friend and companion. I am both - the alpha and omega - the beginning and end of me. I know that when I am gone, this Universe I see and know shall have gone with me, yet I recklessly throw away each day without inspiring myself. Every day when I wake up, I look seemingly whole, but get broken into pieces as the day progresses. By night, I am torn and fragmented. All day I don so many masks before the many masks of others, become so many people to so many people, I sometimes don't know who I am anymore. Enough. From this day I shall not tear myself out of fear or anger, or if I do, I shall patiently re-join the fragments with love until I am whole again.

***

I shall cherish my family, honour my friends and I shall enjoy this world, but above all, I shall love myself deeply. I shall love the spirit of life that flows out of my body, the deep intelligence that created me, pumped this heart to feel the gladness pouring out of my being.

***

No. girlfriend or boyfriend, lover, husband wife, father, mother, daughter or son, no books, no website, no text messages, no news, no TV channels or columns of newspapers can ever know me as much as I know myself. They are my links to the world, but they also sometimes hook me with the bright bait of desire, they make me salivate to wants that are not my wants, make me a slave to passions that never rose from my heart in the first place. This is the primary seed of confusion, the main cause of agony. All these desires that are not my desires, these goals that are not my goals - and this madness that arises from the fear that I will never live up to the world's expectation of me.
***
I abandon the expectations of this world. I shall only live to fulfill the passions that pour out of my own heart, utter words that speak through my own voice and realise desires that bear the true signature of my being.
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I inspire myself with the rhythms of my own heart. I shall listen to what it tries to tell me in its soft beats, ask questions and wait till I hear replies in signs, songs and clues, till I feel gently awakened to the desires that flow in the deep rivers of my being. I shall follow the song of my heart from this day. I shall only do what inspires me, what motivates me, what makes me deeply happy - for that is the only way I shall be true to myself and this world.
***
The future is never a mystery to those who care to see it clearly infold in their hearts. I will see myself not only as who I am, but also always as who I want to be.
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I inspire myself with myself. Heart with mind. Action with passion. And above all, life with love deep enduring love that is the silent energy of my vital being.
***
FROM THIS DAY I SHALL NOT TEAR MYSELF OUT OF FEAR AND ANGER, OR IF I DO, I SHALL RE-JOIN THE FRAGMENTS WITH LOVE UNTIL I AM WHOLE AGAIN......

Get Out Of The Rut Of Materialistic Greed .... Queenie-tessential

2011-11-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

Roti, Kapda Aur Makaan: the three necessities of life that we take for granted. In fact, not only do we assume they will always be there, but we take them to a new level, where they no longer are a necessity, but a luxury. What happens when it is taken away from your? When you don't know where you will sleep tonight or where your next meal will come from, or if your are left with one pair of clothes to survive? Ever thought of that?

***

Rohit (Timmy) Narang challenged himself by doing a TV challenged himself by doing a TV programme where he would have none of the above. Timmy runs Ambassador Sky Catering, where they provide thousands of meals per day. Ironically, he was chasing a grain of rice not knowing when and where he would get his next meal. "We seed food on plates being wasted. None of us blink at it. We go to fancy restaurants and pay dollars for gourmet food. Imagine if you don't know when and how you will find a morsel of food," he said, narrating his recent experience. "Your attitude in life changes. Your behavior towards people change. You are in survivor mode, and all you care about it how will you feed yourself."

***

We sleep on comfortable beds in our air-conditioned rooms. We aspire for bigger homes and furniture that spell luxury. Even pillows today have their own hierarchy. "What if you really don't know where you will rest your tired body?" Timmy asked. The world of luxury has hit us like a hurricane. Clothes have to be stylish and branded, otherwise they are not up to the mark. "I probably have clothes that are lying for years in my closet with tags still on them," he laughed. "The funny thing is the more we have, the more we think about it and the more complicated our lives become."

***

The experience has changed Timmy completely. "I now worry about my driver's meal times," he said, referring to how many times we overlook the fact that those who work for us may not have eaten till late in the day.

***

"We have way more than we need. If we really reflect on our lives, we need so much less than we have. Life is so much simpler and better when you are out of this rut."

***

"But you knew the experience would be temporary?" I asked him. He paused and answered, "Yes, it was temporary, but when someone like me, who has been a stickler for nutrition and good food which I have every few hours, gets none... all this become a reality," he said.

***

"My friends mocked me when I planned on going for this," he reminisced. "Today, I feel a strength within me that is powerful. I know I can live without materialistic greed," he said to me convincingly.

***

"It's time to reflect," he said, "To give back to people who don't have all this. Not with money, but real food, clothes and shelter. Unfortunately money sometimes does not reach them," he said. "We have much more than we need. We have to prioritise and it's time for me to make people who don't have 'roti, kapda nor makaan' feel better," he said, with a positive spirit.........

Makings Of A Great Hero.... MANI SHANKAR

2011-11-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

I get up every morning and tell myself I want to enjoy life at office today. But I end up preoccupied, nervous or just plain sad. At night, I look back and realise that I failed once again. Tell me how to enjoy life. Make it a short answer, something I can hold in my heart.............. -- Divya, Age 26

***

Swami Vivekananda once famously said, "This world can only be enjoyed by Heroes." Nobody said it better. So, if you want to enjoy your life, be a Hero. That's your short answer. Hold that in your heart everyday.

***

Now, for the long explanation. For starters, "Hero" isn't gender specific. It doesn't mean a male matinee idol. It doesn't mean a sports sensation or a rock star. It doesn't mean the celebrities, the champions or the men we sometimes wished we were. A hero is none of them. Hero is actually a state of mind. It's your response to the world - your reflection of your inner-self.

***

How do you become a hero? To begin with, be on good terms with all persons, with the world, with the situation you find yourself in right now. A hero never rages against reality. She accepts her reality even as she moves to change it. Anger isn't her favorite emotion. She is calm, in the face of adversity, has the strength to smile when others feel the need to cry.

***

A hero never compares herself to others. She knows that there will always be someone better, fairer, sexier, smarter, richer, more successful than herself. She has the courage to feel good about anyone who is in that list, and has the strength not to let them shake her aim or goal.

***

A hero is interested in her own career, however humble it may seem. She knows the world has a way of putting down everyone. She will learn to ignore the world and pursue whatever she does till she does it fantastically well, for she knows that is the gateway to future success.

***

A hero is always looking for virtues in others. Even though she knows there are more frauds than good people, she is never hesitant to seek and praise goodness, greatness or any other virtue in anyone. She can do that because she is confident of herself. Her foundations are rock solid within, and this liberates her. She is nobody's fool. When she cuts someone down, it is with minimum force - done with poise and grace.

***

A hero is gentle on herself. She knows how precious her life is, how beautiful all life is. She knows she is a visitor to this planet, here on a short holiday, and it's important to have fun in every moment. So nothing really needs to be taken very seriously.

***

She is smart enough to know that if she doesn't live her present moment in happiness, she isn't likely to live the future moment either.

***

So look at yourself every morning, Divya, look at the inner self, look at the true your, till a radiant smile spreads across your face. You know you are a hero. You will live today like a hero.

***

Nothing and nobody will come in your way, for you hold the keys to your life, and your happiness is solely in your hands. Now go ahead and have a truly great day....

Don't cry over challenges ... MANI SHANKAR...

2011-09-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

ANY ONE WHO LOSES CANNOT BE CALLED A LOSER. BUT THE GUY WHO GIVES UP WITHOUT EVEN TRYING IS A REAL LOSER
When will our society arrive at a stage where people are not labelled winners and losers? Why are we always pitted against each other, made to compete for everything? Why do we make life so damn tough for others? I need to know this immediately," says 14 year-old Prithvi.
***
Despite the philosophical nature of the questions you have raised. I am quite sure that one of the three things has recently happened to you:
1. You performed badly in a test or exam.
2. Some girl you fancied told you to get lost.
3. An older sibling, a teacher or a parent scolded you or called you a "loser" for something you did or did not do.
***
Even if none of these things have happened, get the word "loser" out of your head, now and forever. It should no longer exist in your vocabulary. Here's why. There is a serious difference between losing and being a loser. Anyone and everyone who loses cannot be called a loser. In fact, no one who loses can be termed a loser. But the guy who gives up without even trying is a real loser.
***
We compete for everything because as humans, we are programmed to be eternally dissatisfied with whatever we have. It's in our nature to fight with each other all the time. But don't let that worry you. Conflict is a fact of life. Better prepare for it.
***
Don't get philosophical and start feeling sad about the world either, for only stiff competition can bring out the best in you, sharpen your mind, strengthen your sinews, make a real man out of you.
***
So whether it's the exam hall or the cineplex mall, you are going to be competing for marks, for chicks, for attention, for practically everything. You can't get soft on the world and cry about why we make life so tough for ourselves.
***
Life would be boring without the spice of challenge, without obstacles and conflicts. Imagine if every boy had a proper girlfriend and everyone was going steady all the time... yuck! Where
s the spice of getting a "look" from someone who is already "booked"? Life would be like driving a thousand miles on a road that goes straight on a plain flat countryside. Where's the scenery, where are the bends and turns, the bumps and uphill climbs?
***
If you have absolutely everything you want in life and there was nothing more to aspire for, you would die out of sheer boredom. If you have nothing in life and have given up wanting any thing, your brain would shrink and wither away. So stop snivelling about life and become tough.
***
We all need an identity for ourselves. When you grow older, you need to look back and mark the milestones of your life and say "here is where I wrote my entrance exam", or "on this day I won that trophy" or even "I was wearing this shirt when she walked out of my life", or "on this very place we lost the finals". All those milestones are nothing but obstacles you managed to overcome, or which overwhelmed you. Either way, they are great moments that defined your life.
***
So friend, forget about defeat and victory. Concentrate on being there and doing that. In life, even losing something after heroically trying is a very great achievement.
***
So stuff the philosophy and get your ass cracking. Sweat it out, bury your head in that book, get your sleeves dirty, whatever. Just get real with life......
"WE COMPETE FOR EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE ARE PROGRAMMED TO BE ETERNALLY DISSATISFIED WITH WHATEVER WE HAVE. BUT DON'T LET THAT WORRY YOU. CONFLICT IS A FACT OF LIFE."
*******************....... MANI SHANKAR.. The author, a film, director, will help the youth strike a balance in their relationships....

Allot Worry A Small Slot In Mental Circuit... ANUPAM KHER

2011-09-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

The renowned actor decodes the finer nuances of human psyche and behaviour and shows the route to self-improvement...

Anxiety has never been judged as a positive emotion. It is linked with everything that is worthy of being discarded - nervousness, worry, stress and many more. People with the anxiety syndrome are not too difficult to detect either.

***

They are tense, edgy, have a nervous look about them and they display a giveaway sometimes. Like nervously biting their nails, or even chewing a handkerchief. For them, life is a series of worries; will their child come back safely from school, will their children pass in their exams this year, do you think the maid is thinking about quitting her job?

***

And the worries are not just about the todays. They stretch into tomorrows and the days after. Will the children find suitable life partners, will the spouse remain faithful to them when they grow old, what happenes if they contract a life threatening disease?

***

In contrast, there are the what-me-care types; the people who have never known a worry. They go through life blithely, having never known what a crinkled frown is. You may think that such people are darned lucky. But pause awhile and consider the baggage that such an attitude brings.

***

They never review their lives, never look back in introspection - let alone in anger - they just coast along from day to day. Is this the correct state of bliss to be in? Certainly not.

***

So you will realise that sometimes what we perceive to be a good state of being is also fraught with a lot of pitfalls. If the worrier is caught up in his thoughts and cannot break away from them to carry on with constructive endeavours, the what-me-worry folk may not be doing any mid-course correction at all and may go on from blunders to disasters.

***

Contrary to what we are led to believe, the worrier therefore may actually be sometimes better off than someone who never worries. The ideal situation would of course be to have a blend of both; to worry just a little, not overtly.

***

Unfortunately, it is the worriers that are always noticed, not the never-worry folks. Only those close to the latter know that beneath their self-assured facade may lie a lifetime of errors.

***

What does one do to stop worrying all the while? For starters, one should consciously limit one's worrying hours. Instead of getting vexed all the time, it would be a good first step to curtail worry time to say, an hour at a fixed time. That would make the person conscious of his tendency when his mental circuitry gets into the loop.

***

Snap out of it and wait till the appointed hour. I find this method more effective than telling people to put a blanket ban on putting on their worry caps.

***

And what should those people who are without a care do? They should stop believing that they are in a state of bliss. It is time for them to wake up and get real about their life and routine. As I say, it is time to take a close look in the mirror...... ANUPAM KHER

Hope is the best miracle worker in life... Anupam Kher

2011-09-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

THE CHANGE WITHIN

I had written some weeks ago about now different people have different ways of coming to terms with the loss of a loved one. What is however infinitely more difficult than coping with death, is coping with near-death. I am referring to people who are living with terminal illnesses, like cancer, AIDS, or diseases of the autoimmune system which have no cure, as yet.

***

Not only are many such patients unable to accept reality when confronted with it, but there is a huge proportion of patients who buckle down mentally as disease destroys them slowly, ever so slowly. Therefore, to help them countenance their fate, almost all such illnesses have large support groups. That is why in such cases, there is a debate on whether the patients ought to be informed about the true state of their health or not.

***

Last week I met two survivors of the Big C at a funeral occasion. It was at the mourning ceremonies of one of the most energetic actors of yesteryear, Shammi Kapoor, who crossed the Great Divide. At the ceremony, I met the scion of one of the country's largest film production houses, who was looking paler than usual. He was one of the brightest youngsters in the industry and was working on offering entertainment on the internet and also on cellphones. Now, he had lost some weight and some of his crowning glory. I asked him what the matter was. "I am down with cancer," he said starkly. "But cancer has chosen a wrong victim... I am determined to fight back," he said,with determination in his eyes.

***
At the same place, I also met another woman who also told me about her battle with cancer. "I read your columns which are filled with hope," she said. "And now you must write about people like us, and give others who are battling such illnesses, hope..." So here I am madam.
***

And I realised then that my younger brother Raju too had successfully, and very bravely, waged a battle against cancer a few years ago. Raju was down with cancer of the urinary bladder and a stage came when the surgeons had to remove his bladder completely to save him. That entailed him to a life with a catheter sticking out of him and his fluid being collected in a pouch by his side. Not a pleasant existence for anyone. But miraculously, the surgeons managed to fashion a bladder from his large intestine, sparing him the indignity of life with a puch. Raju has been back on his feet since then, busy acting and directing television shows and doing the things he had always been doing.

***

Very often, life does not end with such illnesses. There are thousands of cases of people who have fought back and overcome such illnesses. The genius of physicist Stephen Hawking is one shining example. As I say, a bend in the road is not always the end of the road.............

****
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CASES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE FOUGHT BACK AND OVERCOME WHEN THE DOCTORS HAD WRITTEN THEM OFF..........

TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR STRIDE.. MALLIKA BHATIA

2011-07-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

BEING PROUD OF YOURSELF ISN'T SUCH A BAD THING, TAKING PRIDE IN YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS, THE VALUES AND BELIEFS THAT YOU UPHOLD IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF ONE'S PERSONALITY. OF COURSE, ONE NEEDS TO KNOW WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE TOO

***

A high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing: this is how a dictionary defines 'pride'. Clearly its meaning is quite obvious to all of us. It is what we do with it and how we let it affect us which causes all the trouble.

***

Another dictionary defines 'pride' as "a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from achievements, qualities, or possessions that do one credit". It is the same feeling; all that's changed its how we perceive it, how we react to it and yet again, how we let it affect us. The purpose is to feel pride by the second definition. Once we understand the difference between the two, it is an effortless process.

***

It is very important for all human beings to be proud of themselves, without the pride. The boundary is thin, and hence a little tricky too.

***

In general terms, a deep feeling of happiness and satisfaction on ones achievements, accompanied by a desire to learn and grow more is the appropriate balance; it is achieved when one is ready to learn from everyone regardless of his/her stature, social standing, age or education; and also from every situation, regardless of our being involved directly, indirectly, or not at all.

***

The difference comes when we cross the fine line and move to superbia from pride. Pride also has humility as an integral part, yet just by being aware of our humility we take away its purity. The mere fact that we are aware of it goes against the true nature of being humble. If we are humble, then we just are. Awareness is not a necessary part of it.

***

People can look up to you for your values, work or beliefs and would ideally make you feel satisfied with yourself as a human being. It might not be the criterion for you to define and derive your satisfaction, yet it might help. It can also motivate you to learn, refine and grow more. That's pride. On the other hand, expecting people to appreciate you because you have strong values is a reflection of your feeling of superbia or pride by the first definition.

***

Buddhism provides a definition of pride that fits best in this case, "Pride is defined as an exaggerated positive evaluation of oneself, often based on a devaluation of others. It results in a kind of attachment to oneself and aversion to others".

***

Superbia creates expectation. Expectation to be complimented, to be followed, to be praised and even to be idolised. All this may be very subtle but on introspection, it clearly hits the face. Even if your first reaction on reading this is, "I don't feel so", just peep inside once. Think objectively and be honest to yourself while doing this analysis. If you find no traces of these feelings, then please be proud of yourself as you truly do posses a quality that's commendable. And if your find even slight traces, be proud of yourself for being strong enough to admit to it and being ready to change. Only when we accept our shortcomings can we actually get down to working on them.

***

Accepting your shortcomings is another huge part of moving from superbia to pride. When we can't see our faults, we are completely blinded by negative or inappropriate pride. We keep looking for excuses outside ourselves for things going wrong. Even while trying to evaluate a given situation we would be able to effortlessly see how someone else caused us trouble, how they are the main reasons for things back-firing and not going our way. We almost seem synonymous to being victims. We are the victims, not of others but of our own inappropriate sense of pride. Another thing that pride does to us it that it creates presumptions. We we operate out of negative pride, we naturally operate out of a pre-conceived notion about ourselves, which may not be what the other person thinks of us. Like we can easily tell the difference between an actual hard worker and a person who constantly seems/looks busy, similarly in the case of pride, we may believe that our pride does not show, but it is quite evident inn our actions, reactions and perceptions. Hence, it's a huge cycle of faulty self image, presumptions followed by unreal expectations and finally what goes for a toss is, where it all started from, 'pride'.

***

Why not just value yourself for what you are. Be realistic about your characteristics, have appropriate self-esteem, right amount of dignity, correct perception of your achievements. Why not be ready to learn and change, to be willing to improve, to become better people by simply taking pride in your stride.

...... The writer is a counselling psychologist and a holistic healer

Lord Is My Shepherd ... DOMINIC EMMANUEL

2011-07-25T07:58:00.000-07:00

AFTER SHARING some of my experiences from the scenic environs of Kerala about how spiritual life without God is impossible just at tea leaves (branches) have no life without being attached to the plant; about beginning our day the way singing birds do and experiencing God's infinite care as good shepherds much the way the shepherds look after their sheep, I can't resist myself telling you how spiritually refreshed I felt by discovering a nice little brook of cool and clear water down in the valley.

***

In my last days of exploring the lush green tea gardens, listening to birds and devouring everything that came my way, in the valley I found a stream of crystal clear water at the foot of two clusters of mountains. Going that far was a tough call for someone like me who is used to city roads, but I found a well-paved path, which led to that deeper portion of the stream where the quantity of water was more.

***

As I made my way further down the stream, the unmistakable sound of the water flowing over the little rocks and pebbles forming its own dance is stark contrast to the utter stillness of the valley was much more soothing than the recorded music of meditation halls. One could sit for hours and listen to that sound feeling comforted and uplifted. I began to see and feel why the sound of water flowing as well as the sound of the ocean waves are said to be therapeutic.

***

Having sat there for quite some time, I could not but stretch my hand out to touch the water. Quite spontaneously I took the water with my bare hands and began splashing it on my face.

***

I can hardly describe in words how I actually felt doing that. But it stealthily lead me to a memory of a Hindu friend of mine who had once told me how when she lost her dear mother, he father who happened to be familiar with the Bible went to a nearby church in New York and reciting Psalm 23 meditated on it to calm him down during that sad bereavement.

***

The precious Psalm, which is frequently used by both Jews and Christians to pray and meditate upon and which has been set to music by several composers goes like this:

***

"The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. He makes me lie down in green pastures;

***

"He leads me beside quiet waters; He refreshes my soul;

***

"He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for your are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me..."

***

While churches, temples, mosques and gurdwaras provide one an opportunity to pray and worship in a more structured and systematic way, I found that for the Psalmist (Psalms were supposedly composed by King David), the presence of God in all such places and imagined that even deer and birds would find a shelter on God's altar.

***

It all suggests that, as the poems of Rabindranath Tagore amply affirm, one can commune with God right in the midst of forests, hills, rivers and everything that nature has given us. "Thanks you Lord for your beautiful creation."

______ The author, a founder-member of Parliament of Religions, is currently the director of communication of the Delhi Catholic Church. He was awarded the National Communal Harmony Award 2008 by the Government of India. He can be contacted at frdominic@gmail.com

Abbreviations and Acronyms - 784

2011-06-27T22:20:00.000-07:00

1. RSDP : It stands for Ranjit Sagar Dam Project. It was in the news in March 2001 when this Rs. 3,800 Crore project was dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister.

2. BALCO : It stands for Bharat Aluminium Company. It was in the news in March 2001, in connection with disinvestment of 51 percent of its equity to Sterlite Industries for Rs. 551.5 Crore.

3. NEAR : It stands for Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous. It was in the news in Feb. 2001, when it landed on the surface of Asteroid Eros after a five-year, 2-billion miles journey.

4. APCRH : It stands for Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive Health. It was held in Manila in Feb. 2001.

5. PMK : It stands for Pattali Makkal Katchi. It was in the news in Feb. 2001 in connection with its pulling out from NDA to join ADMK front to face forthcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

6. AA : Alcoholics Anonymous

7. AAFI : The Amateur Athletics Federation of India

8. ABC : Atomic Biological and Chemical (Warfare); Audit Bureau of Circulation

9. AC : Ante Christum (Before Christ), Alternating Current; Ashoka Chakra; Air Conditioner

10. AD : Anno Domini (in the year of our Lord)

11. ADAM : Animated Dissection of Anatomy for Medicine

12. ADB : Asian Development Bank

13. ADBS : Advanced Development Bank

14. ADC : Aide-de-camp (help or assistant)

15. AFP : Agence France0Presse

16. AG : Accountant General; Adjutant General

17. AGP : Accelerated graphics port

18. AGP : Accelerated graphics port

19. AH : Anno Hegirate (Mohammed's flight from Mecca to Medina, 622 AD)

20. AI : Artificial Intelligence; Air India

21. AICTE : All India Council for Technical Education

22. AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

23. AIFF : All India Football Federation

24. AIIMS : All India Institute of Medical Sciences

25. AINEC : All India Newspaper Editor's Conference

26. AITUC : All India Trade Union Congress

27. ALGOL : Algebraic Oriented Language.

28. AM : Ante Meridiem (before noon); Amplitude Modulation

29. AMIE : Associate Member of the Institute of Engineers

30. ANC: African National Congress

31. ANERT : Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology

32. ANN : Artificial Neural Network

33. ANZUS: Australia, New Zealand US (Pacific Pact Nations)

34. AOC: Air Officer Commanding

35. APCTT : Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology

36. APD : Automated Peritoneal Dialysis

37. APEC: Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation

38. APM : Administered Price Mechanism

39. ARPANET : Advanced Research Project Agency Network

40. ART : Assisted Reproductive Technologies

41. ASAP : as soon as possible

42. ASCII : American Standard Code for Information Interchange

43. ASEAN : Association of South East Asian Nations

44. ASEM : Asia-Europe Meeting

45. ASLV : Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle

46. ASSOCHAM : Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry

47. ASP : Application Service Provider, Association of Shareware Professionals

48. AT & T : American Telegraphic and Telephone Co. Ltd.

49. ATC : Air Traffic Control

50. ATM : Automated Teller Machine, Abode Type of Manager

51. ATP : Adenosine Tri-Phosphate

52. ATS: Anti-Tetanus Serum

53. AU: Astronomical Units.

54. AVARD: Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development

55. AVRC: Audio Visual Research Centre

56. AVSM: Ati Vishisht Seva Medal

57. AWACS: Airborne Warning And Control System

58. B2B: Busines to Business

59. B2C: Business to Consumer

60. BARC: Bhabha Atomic Research Centre

61. BBC: British Broadcasting Corporation

62. BBS: Bulletin Board Service

63. BC: Befor Christ

64. BCG: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (anti-TB Vaccine)

65. BENELUX: Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg

66. BGA: Blue Green Algae

67. BHEL: Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.

68. bhp: brake horsepower

69. BIFR: Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction

70. BIMARU : Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh

71. BIMSTEC: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand Economic Cooperation

72. BIOS: Basic Input Output System

73. BIS: Bank of International Settlement

74. BIT: Binary Digit

75. BOLT : Bombay Stock Exchange On-Line Trading; Build-Operate-Lease-Transfer

76. BP: Blood Pressure

77. BPL: Below Poverty Line

78. BPO: Business Process Outsourcing

79. BPR: Business Process Re-engineering

80. bps: bytes per second

81. BRO: Border Roads Organisation

82. BSE : Bombay Stock Exchange

83. BSF: Border Security Force

84. BSkyB: British Sky Broadcasting

85. BSNL: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited

86. C2C: Consumer to Consumer

87. C-in-C : Commander-in-Chief

88. c.v.: Curriculum vitae

89. C/0: care of

90. CA: Chartered Accountant

91. CAD: Command Area Development; Computer Aided Design

92. CADA : Command Area Development Authority

93. CAG: Comptroller and Auditor General of India

94. CAN: Calcium Ammonium Nitrate

95. Cantab: Cantabrigian (of Cambridge University)

96. CAPART: Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology

97. CAPES: Computer-Aided paper-less Examination System

98. CAS: Conditional Access System

99. CAT: Career Aptitude Test; Common Admission Test; Computerized Axial Tomography ( also called CT); Computer Adaptive Test

100. CBA: Colliding Beam Accelerator.

101. CBDT: Central Board of Direct Taxes

102. CBFC: Central Board of Direct Taxes

103. CBI: Central Bureau of Investigation

104. CBM: Confidence Building Measures

105. CBSE: Central Board of Secondary Education

106. CBU: Completely built-up

107. CCPD: Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

108. CD: Compact Disk: Certificate of deposit

109. CDAC: Centre for the Development of Advanced Computing

110. CDM: cold dark matter

111. CDMA: Code Division Multiple Access

112. CEO: Chief Executive Officer

113. CERN: Conseil European pour la Researche Nucleare (European Laboratory for Nuclear Research)

114. cert: Computer Emergency Response Team
cf compare / refer (L. Confer)

115. CFC: Chloro Fluoro Carbon

116. CFL: Compact Fluorescent Lamps

117. CFO: Chief Financial Officer

118. CFSL: Central forensic Science Laboratory

119. CGFNS: Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools

120. CGI: Common Gateway Interface

121. CGS: Chief of General Staff; Centimetre, Gram, Second

122. CIA: Central Intelligence Agency

123. CID: Criminal Investigation Department

124. cif: cost, insurance and freight

125. CIGAR: Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research

126. CII: Confederation of Indian Industry

127. CIS: Commonwealth of Independent States

128. CISC: Complex instruction-set omputing

129. CISCE: Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations

130. CITU: Centre of Indian Trade Unions

131. CKD: Completely Knocked Down

132. CMIE: Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy

133. CMP: Common Minimum Programme

134. CNC: Computerised Numerical Control

135. CNN: Cable News Network

136. CO: Commanding Officer

137. COD: Cash on delivery

138. COFEPOSA: Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Act

139. COMPS: Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System

140. COMSAT: Communications Satellite Corporation

141. CONCORD: Council of North Indian States for Co-operation and Regional Development

142. COPRA: Consumer Protection Act

143. CORBA: Common Object Request Broker Architecture

144. COSMEP: Consortium of Schools of Mathematics Experience Programme

145. Costford: Centre of Science and Technology for Rural Development

146. CPI/M: Communist Party of India / Marxist

147. CPR: Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation

148. CPWD: Central Public Works Department

149. CRIDA: Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture

150. CRIS: Centre for Railway Information System

151. CRISIL: Credit Rating Information Services of India Ltd.

152. CRM: Customer Relations Management

153. CRR: Cash Reserve Ratio

154. CRY: Child Relief and You

155. CSIR: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

156. CSO: Central Statistical Organisation

157. CT: Computerised Tomography

157. CTBT: Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

158. CVR: Cockpit Voice Recorder

159. CWC: Chemical Weapons Convention

160. Cwt: Hundredweight (112lb)

161. CYMK: Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, Kinda

162. D & C: Dilation and Curettage

163. D.Litt.: Doctor of Literature

164. D.Phil.: Doctor of Philosophy

165. D.Sc: Doctor of Science

166. DAP: Di-Ammonium Nitrate

167. DC: Direct Current; District of Columbia

168. DDT: Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane

169. DET: Directory Entry Table

170. DG: Dei Gratia (by the grace of God)

171. DHSD: Duplex-High Speed Data Service

172. DIG: Deputy Inspector General

173. DMA: Direct Memory Access

174. DMK: Dravida Munetra Kazhagam

175. DMZ: Demilitarized Zone

176. DNA: Deoxyribo-nucleic Acid

177. DPBS: Developmental Press Bulletin Service

178. DPEP: District Primary Education Programme

179. DPT: Diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (vaccine)

180. DSB: Digital Satellite Broadcasting

181. DSL: digital subscriber line

182. DSP: Digital Signal Processing

183. DTP: Desktop Publishing

184. DTS: Digital Theatre System

185. DV: Deo Volente (God willing)

186. DVD: Digital Versatile / Video Disc

187. DVI: Digital Video Interactive

188. DVS: Desktop Video-Conferencing Software

189. E & OE: Errors and Omissions Excepted

190. E-MAIL: Electronic Mailing

191. EAM: emergency action message

192. ECA: Essential Commodities Act

193. ECG: Electro Cardiogram

194. ECGC: Export credit guarantee corporation of India

195. ECOSOC: Economic and Social Council (UN)

196. ECR: Electron Cyclotron Resonance

197. EDI: Electronic Data Interchange

198. EDMS: Electronic Document Management System

199. EEG: Electro Encephalogram

200. EEZ: Exclusive Econimic Zone

201. EFTA: European Free Trade Association

202. e.g.: exempli gratia (for example)

203. EGP: Exterior Gateway Protocol

204. EIS: Executive Information System

205. EL: Electro-luminescent

206. ELINT: Electronic Intelligence

207. ELISA: Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay

208. ELT: English Learning and Teaching

209. EMI: Equated Monthly Installments

210. EMRC: Educational Media Research Centre

211. ENIAC: Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator

212. ENT: Ear, Nose and Throat

213. EOF: end of file

214. EOS: Electronic Online System International

215. EOU: Export Oriented Unit

216. EPABX: Electronic Private Automatic Branch Exchange

217. EPIC: Enhanced Proliferation Control Initiative

218. EPI: Expanded Programme of Immunisation

219. EPIRB: Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon

220. EPROM: Erasable, Programmable Ready Only Memory

221. EPS: Encapsulated Postscript

222. EPZ: Export Processing Zone

223. EQ: Emotional Quotient

224. ER&DC : Electronic Research and Development Center

225. ERM: European Exchange Rate Mechanism

226. ERNET: Educational and Research Network

227. ERNIE: Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment

228. ESA: European Space Agency

229. ESCAP: Econimic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

230. ESMA: Essential Services Maintenance Act

231. ESP: Extra Sensory Perception

232. ESR: Electron Spin Resonance

233. et al.: et alii (and others)

234. et. seq: et sequentia (& what follows)

235. etc. et: cetera (and so forth)

236. ETT: Embryo Transfer Technology

237. EURATOM: European Atomic Community

238. EUTELSAT: European Telecommunications Satellite

239. EVE: economic valuation of the environment

240. EVR: Electrovideo Recording

241. FAO: Food and Agriculture Organisation

242. FAQ: Fair Average Quality; Frequently Asked Question

243. FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation

244. FBTR: Fast Bredeer Test Reactor

245. FBW: Fly-By-Wire

246. FCI: Food Corporation of India; Fertilizer Corporation of India

247. FCNRA: Foreign Currency Non-Resident Accounts

248. FCRA: Foreign Contribution Regulation Act

249. FEMA: Foreign Exchange Management Act

250. FICCI: Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry

251. FIDE: Federation Internationale d'Echecs

252. FIFA: International Foodball Federation (Federation Internationale de Football Association)

252. FII : Foreign Institutional Investors

253. FIPB: Foreign Investment Promotion Board

254. FIR: First Information Report

255. FIRE: Fully integrated robotised engine

256. FLAG: Fibre optic Line Around the Globe

257. FLC: Foreign Legal Consultant

258. FM: Frequency modulation

259. FMCT: Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty

260. fob: free on board

261. for: free on rail

262. FOSDIC: Film Optical Sensing Device for Input to Computers

263. FPD: Flat panel display

264. FPO: Fruit Products Order

265. FRCP: Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians

266. FRCS: Fellow of the royal College of Surgeons

267. FRGS: Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society

268. FRS: Fellow of the Royal Society

269. FTII: Films and Television Institute of India

270. FYI: for your information

271. G7: Group of Seven (US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Canada) G8 includes G7 pluse Russia

272. GAAP: Generally Accepted Accounting Practices

273. GATE: Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering

274. GATS: General Agreement on Trade and Services

275. GBP: Geosphere-Biosphere Programme

276. GCC: Gulf Co-operation Council

277. GCR: Grey Component Replacement

278. GDP: Gross Domestic Product

279. GDR: Global Depository Receipt

280. GEDIS: Gateway Electronic Data Interchange Services

281. GEF: Global Environment Fund

282. GEMS: Gateway Electronic Mail Service

283. GHQ: General Headquarters

284. GI: Government Issue (American Soldiers)

285. GIS: Geographical Information System

286. GMAT: Graduate Management Admission Test

287. GMDSS: Global Maritime Distress and Safety System

288. GMO: Genetically Modified Organisms

289. GMRT: Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope

290. GMT: Greenwich Mean Time

291. GNP: Gross National Product

292. GOP: Grand Old Party (Republican Party)

293. GPS: Global Positioning System

294. GPSS: Gateway Packet Switching System

295. GRACE: Ground Rules and Code of Ethics

296. GRAM: Geo Referenced Area Management

297. GRE: Graduate Record Examination

298. GRS: Gender Reassignment Surgery (Sex Change)

299. GSI: Geological Survey of India

300. GSLV: Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle

301. GSM: Global System for Mobile Communications

302. GSP: Generalised System Preference

303. GUI: Graphical User Interface

304. GVW: Gross Vehicle Weight

305. HAL: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

306. HB: Hard Black

307. HBV: Hepatitis-B Virus

308. HDML: Hyper Devices Mark-up Language

309. HF: High Frequency

310. HFD: High Frequency Doppler

311. HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus

312. HMI: Himalayan Mountaineering Institute

313. HMV: His Master's Voice, Heavy Motor Vehicle

314. Hon: honourable, Honorary

315. hp: horse power

316. HRPT: High Resolution Picture Transmission

317. HSD: High Speed Diesel

318. HSRRSS: High Spatial Resolution Remote Sensing Satellite

319. HT: High Tension

320. HTML: Hyper Text Markup Language

321. HTR: High Temperature Reactor

322. http: Hypertext Transfer Protocol

323. HUDCO: Housing and Urban Development Corp.

324. HV: High Voltage

325. HVAC: Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning

326. HVNET: High Speed VSAT Network

327. i.e.: id est (that is)

328. IA: Indian Airlines

329. IA & AS: Indian Audit and Accounts Services

330. IAAI : International Airport Authority of India

331. IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency

332. IAMR: Institute of Applied Manpower Research

333. IARI: Indian Agricultural Research Institute

334. IAS: Indian Administrative Service

335. IATA: International Air Transport Association

336. ibid or ib.ibidem (Latin): in the same place; book or chapter

337. IBM: Internation Business Machines

338. IBRD: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

339. ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organisation

340. ICAR: Indian Council of Agricultiral Research

341. ICBM: Inter-Continental Balistic Missile

342. ICCR: Indian Council for Cultural Relations

343. ICJ: International Court of Justice

344. ICMR: Indian Council of Medical Research

345. ICPD: International Conference on Population and Development

346. ICRA: Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India

347. ICRISAT: International Crops Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics

348. ICSE: Indian Certificate of Secondary Education

349. ICSI: Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection

350. ICU: Intensive Care Unit

351. ICWA: Indian Council of World Affairs

352. ICWAI: Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India

353. IDA: International Development Agency

354. IDBI: Industrial Development Bank of India

355. IDE: Integrated Device Electronics

356. IEEE: Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers

357. IELTS: International English Language Testing System

358. IFAD: International Fund for Agricultural Development

359. IFC: Industrial Finance Corporation; International Finance Corporation

360. IFS: Indian Foreign Service; Indian Forest Service

361. IGF: India Growth Fund

362. IGIDR: Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research

363. IGNOU: Indira Gandhi National Open University

364. IIPA: Indian Institute of Public Administration

365. IISCO: Indian Iron and Steel Company

366. IIT: Indian Institute of Technology

367. ILO: International Labour Organisation

368. IMAP: Internet Mail Access Protocol

369. IMCO: Inter-government Maritime Consultations Organisation

370. IMEWS: Integrated Missile Early Warning Satellites

371. IMF: International Monetary Fund

372. in cog: in cognito (in disguise)

373. INA: Indian National Army

374. INDIPEX: Indian International Philatelic Exhibition infra dig infra dignitatum (below status)

375. I.N.R.I.: Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (Jesus of Nazareth, Kind of Jews)

376. INS: Indian Newspaper Society

377. INSAT: Indian National Satellite

378. INSDOC: Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage

379. INTACH: Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage

380. INTELSAT: International Telecommunication Satellite

381. INTUC: Indian National Trade Union Congress

382. IOC: Indian il Corporation

383. IP: Internet Protocol

384. IPC: Indian Penal Code

385. IPCL: Indian Petro-Chemicals Corporation Ltd

386. IPO: Initial Public Offering

387. IPS: Indian Police Service; Inter Press Service

388. IQ: Intelligence Quotient

389. iq: idem quod (the same as)

390. IRA: Irish Republican Army

391. IRBM: Intermediate Range Ballistic Missie

392. IRC: International Red Cross

393. IRDP: Integrated Rural Development rogramme

394. IREDA: Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency

395. IRRI: International Rice Research Institute

396. IRS: Indian Revenue Service

397. ISBN: International Standard Book Number

398. ISC: Indian School Certificate

399. ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network

400. ISI: Indian Standards Institution, Inter Services Intelligence

401. ISKCON: International Society for Krishna Consciousness

402. ISO: International Standards Organisation

403. ISRO: Indian Space Research Organisatio

404. ISSN: International Standard Serial Number

405. IST: Indian Standard Time

406. ITA: Information Technology Agreement

407. ITBP: Indo-Tibetan Border Poice

408. ITI: Information Technology Agreement

409. ITU: International Telecommunication Union

410. IUCAA: International University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics

411. IUCD: Intra-Uterine Contraceptive Device

412. IUI: Intrauterine Insemination

413. IVF: In-Vitro Fertilisation

414. IVM: In-vitro Maturation

415. I-R: Infra Red

416. JCO: Junior Commissioned Officer

417. JIPMER: Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research

418. JP: Justice of Peace

419. JPEG: Joint Photographic Expert Group

420. KG: Knight of the Garter; Kindergarten

421. KKK: Ku Klux Klan (US. Secret society-Anti-Negro, Anti-Jewish)

422. KMT: Kuomintang (Chinese National Party)

423. KRC: Konkan Railway Corporation

424. LASER: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

425. LASIK: Laser in situ Keratomileusis

426. LCA: Light Combat Aircraft

427. LCD: Liquid Crystal Display, Least Common Denominator

428. LCM: Lowest Common Multiple

429. LERMS: Liberalised Exchange Rate Management Scheme

430. LIC: Life Insurance Corporation (of India)

431. LIPS: Language Independent Programme Subtitles

432. LIS: Land Informtion System

433. LL.B.: Bachelor of Laws

434. Loc: cit Loco citato (at the place quoted

435. LPG: Liquefied Petroleum Gas

436. LSD: Lysergic acid diethylamide

437. Lt.Col.: Lieutenant Colonel

438. M: monesieur (Minister)

439. M.A.: Magisiter Artium (Master of Arts)

440. M.D.: Doctor of Medicine

441. M1: Money supply with public

442. M3: Aggregate monetary resources

443. MAD: Mutually Assured Destruction

444. MAIT: Manufacturers Association for Information Technology

445. MASER: Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

446. MBA: Master of Business Administration

447. MBBS: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery

448. MCC: Marylebone Cricket Club

449. MCLR: Medium Capacity Long Range

450. MDA: market development assistance

451. MFN: Most Favoured Nation

452. MICR: Magnetic ink character recognition

453. MIDI: Musical Instrument Digital Interface

454. MISA: Maintenance of Internal Security Act

455. Misc.: Miscellaneous

456. MIT: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US; Master Instruction Tape

457. MKS: Metre Kilogram Second (System)

458. MI: Military Intelligence

459. MLA: Member of Legislative Assembly

460. Mlle: Mademoiselle (Miss)

461. MLP: multiple line printer

462. Mme: Madame (Mrs.)

463. MMTC: Minerals and Metas Trading Corporation

464. MMX: Matrix Manipulation Extension; Multimedia extension

465. MNC: Multi-National Corporation

466. MODEM: modulator demodulator

467. MODVAT: Modified Value Added Tax

468. MOSFET: Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor

469. MOU: Memorandum of Understanding

470. MP: Member of parliament; Madhya Pradesh

471. MPEG: Motion Picture Experts Group

472. mph: miles per hour

473. MPLAD: Member of Parliament Local Area Development

474. MRA: Moral Re-Armament

475. MRCP: Member of the Royal College of Physicians

476. MRTPC: Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission

477. MS/MSS: Manuscript/Manuscripts

478. MSCI: Morgan Stanley Capital International

479. MTBE: methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether

480. MTCR: Missile Technology Control Regime

481. MVC: Maha Vir Chakra

482. NAA: National Airports Authority

483. NAAC: National Assessment and Accreditation Council

484. NABARD: Nation Bank for Agriculture and Rural Developement

485. NAFED: National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation

486. NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement

487. NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

488. NASDAQ: National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation

489. NASSCOM: National Association of Software and Service Companies

490. NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

491. NATPAC: National Transportation Planning and Research Centre

492. NAV: Net Asset Value

493. NB: nota bene (note well)

494. NC: Network Computer

495. NCAER: National Council of Applied Economic Research

496. NCC: National Cadet Corps

497. NCERT: National Council of Educational Research and Training

498. NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer

499. NCSA: National Centre for Supercomputing Applications; National Computer Security Association

500. NDA: National Defence Academy

501. NDC: National Development Council

502. NDES: New Data Encryption Standard

503. NGO: Non-Government Organisation; Non-Gazetted Officer

504. NICD: National Institute of Communicable Diseases

505. NIMHANS: National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences

506. NIV: National Institute of Virology

507. NMDC: National Mineral Development Corporation

508. NMR: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

509. NOC: No Objection Certificate

510. NPC: National Productivity Council

511. NPT: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

512. NRF: National Renewal Fund

513. N&S: Network and Systems

514. NSEI: National Stock Exchange of India

515. NSP: Native Signal Processing

516. NSUI: National Students Union of India

517. NTPC: National Thermal Power Corporation

518. NTSC: National Television System Commission

519. O & M: Organisation & Methods

520. OAPECL: Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

521. OAS: Organisation of American States

522. OAU: Organisation of African Unity

523. OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

534. OCR: Optical Character Recognition

535. ODA: Overseas Development Administration

536. ODI: Open Data Link Interface

537. OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

538. OGL: Open General Licence

539. OIC: Organisation of Islamic Conference

540. OIGS: On India Government Service

541. OK: All Correct (slang)

542. OLE: Object Linking and Embedding

543. ONGC: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation

544. OOP: Object Oriented Programme

545. Op. cit.: Opero Citato ( in the work cited )

546. OPCW: Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

547. OPEC: Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries

548. OPV: Oral Polio Vaccine

549. ORT: Oral Rehyderation Therapy

550. OXFAM: Oxford Committee for Famine Relief

551. Oxon: Oxoniensis (of Oxford University)

552. PAC: Public Accounts Committee

553. PAL: Phase Alternation Line

554. PAN: Permanent Account Number

555. PAYE: Pay as you earn

556. PC: percent; post card; Personal Computer

557. PCA: Professional Chess Association

558. PCM: Pulse Code Modulation

559. PCMCIA: Personal Computer Memory Card International Association

560. PDA: Preventive Detention Act, Personal Digital Assistant

561. PEC: Project and Equipment Corporation

562. PEN: (International club of) Poets, Playwrights, Essayists, Edutors and Novelists

563. PERT: Project Evaluation and Review Technique

564. PETA: People for Ethical Treatment of Animals

565. PGIMER: Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research

566. PGM-FI: Programmed Fuel Injection

567. PGP: Pretty Good Privacy

568. Ph.D.: Doctor of Philosophy (Philosophiae Doctor)

569. PHDCCI: Punjab, Haryana, Delhi Chamber of Commerce and Industries

570. PIB: Press Information Bureau

571. PIGS: Pre-implantation Genetic Screening

572. PIL: Public Interest Litigation

573. PIM: Personal Information Management

574. PIN: Postal Index Number

575. Pixel: Picture element

576. PLAB: Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board

577. PM: Post Meridiem; Prime Minister

578. PMG: Post Maaster General

579. PMUPEP: Prime Minister's Urban Poverty Eradication Programme

580. PNR: Passenger Name Recorder

581. POTA: Prevention of Terrorism Act

582. POW: Prisoner of War

583. PPP: Purchasing power parity; Point-to-Point Protocol

584. PPS: Post Post Scriptum (additional post script)

585. PROLOG: Programming logic

586. PS: Post Scriptum (written after); Private Secretary

587. PSLV: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle

588. PSN: Processor Serial Number

589. PTA: Parent-Teacher Association

590. PTIL: Press Trust of India

591. PTO: Please Turn Over

592. PVC: Poly Vinyl Chloride; Param Vir Chakra

593. PWD: Public Works Department

594. PZD: Partial Zonal Drilling

595. QED: Quod Erat Demonstrandum (which was to be demonstrated or proved)

596. Q Queue: qed Quod Erat Demon-Standum (that which was to be demonstrated)

597. QR: Quantitative restriction

598. QSO: Quasi-stellar object

599. qv: quod vide (which see)

600. R & D: Research and Development

601. R & M: Renovation and Modernisation

602. RABMN: Remote Area Business Message Network

603. RAC: Reservation Against Cancellation

604. RADAR: Radio Detecting and Ranging

605. RAM: Random Access Memory

606. RAPD: Random Amplified Polymorphic Deoxyribonucleic Acid

607. RAW: Research & Analysis Wing

608. RBI: Reserve Bank of India

609. RCC: Reinforced Cement Concrete

610. RD: refer to drawer

611. RDX: Research Department Explosive (Cyclotrimethylin Trinitrate)

612. REM: Rapid Eye Movement

613. RFC: Request for Comments

614. RH: Rainwater Harvest

615. RIP: Requiescat in pace (May he or she rest in peace); Raster Image Processor

616. RISC: Reduced Instruction-set Computing

617. RITES: Rail India Technical & Economic Services

618. RLO: Returned Letters Office

619. RMS: Railway Mail Service

620. RNA: Ribonucleic acid

621. ROM: Read Only Memory

622. RONW: return on net wotrth

623. RPM: Revolutions per Minute

624. RSE: Renewable Source of Energy

625. RSS: Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh

626. R.s.v.p.: Respondez S'il Vous Plait (Reply if you please)

627. RTG: Radio-isotope Thermoelectric Generator

628. SACLANT: Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic

629. SASE: Self-addressed stamped envelope

630. S & T: Science and Technology

631. SAC: Space Application Centre

632. SAIL: Steel Authority of India Limited

633. SAM: Surface to Air Missile

634. SAPTA: South Asian Preferential Trade Agreement

635. SARS: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

636. SASER: Sound Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

637. SAT: Scholastic Aptitude Test

638. SAVE: SAARC Audio-Visual Exchange

639. SCABA: Self contained Air Brathing Apparatus

640. SCI: Shipping Corporation of India

641. SCM: Supply Chain Management

642. SCSI: Small Computer Systems Interface

643. SCUBA: Self-contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus

644. SDR: Special Drawing Rights

645. SEANWFZ: South East Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone

646. SEBI: Securities and Exchange Board of India

647. SENSEX: Sensitivity Index (of Share Price)

648. SET: Secure Electronic Transmission

649. SEZ: Special Economic Zone

650. SFCI: State Farm Corporation of India

651. SGPC: Siromani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee

652. SHAPE: Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe

653. SIDS: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Crib Death)

654. SIFT: Sperm Intra-Fallopian Transfer

655. SIM: Subscriber Information Module

656. SITA: Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act

657. SITE: Satellite Instructional Television Experiment

658. SLFP: Sri Lanka Freedom Party

659. SLR: Statutory Liquidity Ratio; Single Lens Reflex

660. SLV: Satellite Launch Vehicle

661. SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

662. SNA: System Network Architecture

663. SOHO: Small Office Home Office

664. SOLAS: Safety of Life at Sea

665. SPCA: Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

666. SPECT: Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography

667. SPTM: Self-Printing Ticketing Machine

668. STAR(TV): Satellite Television Asian Region Ltd.

669. START: Strategic Arms Reduction Talks

670. STC: State Trading Corporation

671. STD: Subscriber Trunk Dialing; Sexually Transmitted Diseased

672. STP: Software Technology Park

673. STQC: Standardisation Testing and Quality Control

674. SUNFED: Special United Nations Fund for Economic Development

675. SUV: Sports Utility Vehicle

676. SVP: Saturated Vapour Pressure

677. Swift: Secure worldwide immediate fund transfer

678. SWOT: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

679. T & D: Transmission & Distribution

680. TA: Territorial Army; Travelling Allowance

681. TACAMO: take charge and more over

682. TADA: Terrorist and disruptive Activities (Prevention Act)

683. TAFE: Technical and Further Education (in Australia)

684. TAFTA: Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Agreement

685. TAPS: Tarapur Atomic Power Station

686. TB: tuberculosis

687. TBSE: Technology Bureau for Smalle Enterprise

688. TCP: Transfer Call protocol, Transmission Control Protocol

689. TDA: Trade Development Authority

690. TDMA: Time Division Multiple Access

691. TELCO: Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company

692. TERLS: Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station

693. TFT: Thin-Film Transistor

694. TIFAC: Technology and Information Forecasting and Assessment Council

695. TIFR: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research

696. TIPS: Technology Information Pilot System

697. TIPTOP: Tape input-tape Output

698. TISCO: Tata Iron and Steel Company

699. TLC: Total Literacy Campaign

700. TMO: Telegraphic Money Order

701. TNG: The Next Generation

702. TNT: Trinitro-toluene

703. TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language

704. TPM: Total Productivity Maintenance

705. TQM: Total Quality Management

706. TRACT: Transportable Remote Area Communications Terminal

707. TRIMS: Trade Related Investment Measures

708. TRIPS: Trade Related Intelectual Property Rights

709. TRYSEM: Training of Rural Youth for Self-employment

710. TSE: Test of Spoken English

711. TTC: Telemetry, Tracking & Command

712. TTE: Travelling Ticket Examiner

713. TWE: Testof Written English

714. TWT: Two Way Time

715. UCI: Universal Childhood Immunisation

716. UCIL: Uranium Corporation of India Ltd.

717. UCR: Under Colour Removal

718. UGC: University Grants Commission

719. UHF: Ultra High Frequency

720. ULEV: Ultra Low Emission Vehicle

721. UNCED: UN Conference on Environment & Development

722. UNCIP: United Nations Commission for India & Pakistan

723. UNCLOS: United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea

724. UNCSTD: United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development

725. UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

726. UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme

727. UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation

728. UNFPA: United nations Population Fund

729. UNI: United News of India

730. UNICEF: United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (now, 'United Nations Children's Fund)

731. UNIDO: United Nations Industrial Development Organisation

732. UNITA: Unionfor the Total Independence of Angola

733. UNMOGIP: United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan

734. UNOPS: UN Office for Project Services

735. UNPROFOR: UR Protection Force

736. UNRRA: United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration

737. UNU: United Nations University

738. UPA: United Progressive Alliance

739. UPS: Uninterrupted Power Supply

740. UPSC: Union Public Service Commission

741. URL: Uniform Resource Locator

742. USAID: United States Agency for International Development

743. USO: Udaipur Solar Observatory

744. USP: Unique selling proposition

745. VABAL: Value Based Advance Licensing

746. VAN: Virtual Area Network

747. VAT: Value Added Tax

748. VATIS: Value Added Technology Information Service

749. VBT: Vainu Bappu Telescope

750. VC: Vice-Chancellor, Victoria Cross; Venture Capital

751. VCR: Video Casette Recorder

752. VD: Venereal Disease (see STD)

753. VESA: Video Electronics Standard Association

754. VHRR: Very High Resolution Radiometer

755. VHS: Video Home System

756. VIP: Very Important Person

757. VIRUS: Vital Information Resources Under Siege

758. VPI: Vital Information Resources Under siege

759. VPP: Value Payable Post

760. VRML: Virtual Reality Modelling Language

761. VRS: Voluntary Retirement Scheme

762. VSAT: Very Small Aperture Terminal

763. VSSC: Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre

764. VTEC: Variable Valve Timing and Lift Telectronic Control

765. VTR: Video Tape Recovder

766. WAIS: Wide Area Information Service

767. WARDEC: Wargaming Development Centre

768. WAY: World Assembly of Youth

769. WDM: World Debt Market

770. WEF: World Economic Forum

771. WFTU: World Federation of Trade Unions

772. WG: Working Group

773. WHO: World Health Organisation

774. WIMP: Weakly Interacting Massive Particle; Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers

775. WMD: Weapons of Mass Destruction

776. WMO: World Meteorological Organisation

777. WPI: Wholesale Price Index

778. WTO: World Trade Organisation

779. WTP: willingness-to-pay

780. WWF: World Wildlife Fund, now renamed Worldwide Fund for Nature

781. WWW: World Wide Web

782. WYSIWYG: What you see is what you get

783. XBT: Expandable Bathy Thermographic

784. Xmas: Christmas

The Art Of Giving And Receiving_ PETER JONES

2011-06-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

As the Governor of the Bank of England wades into the fray, it does not seem too much to ask of bankers to make it clear that they are spending a portion of their bonuses on the Big Society. Those who already are must overcome their modestry and let us know about it.

***

Euergesia - "benefaction, philanthropy" - was a virtue of the well-born Greek. Many inscriptions and statues, erected by the euergetist to himself or by a grateful people, attest the practice. The culture spread to Rome. Over 11 years, Pliny the Younger spent two million sesterces on his home town in benefactions.

***

Discussion about the theory of giving was intense. In general, euergetism was personal and reciprocal: it served the interests of the giver - everything from patriotic display to political self-advancement - as well as that of the recipient. But in fifth-century B.C. Athens, radical democrats thought a lavish benefactor might be seeking political advantage. So they invented the leitourgia (out "liturgy"), under which the 300 richest citizens in any years were ordered to subsidise state activities. Greeks then started to argue that the generous man did not look for a return. But this meant that, if one was done a good turn, one should refuse on principle to respond. If so, did this make receiving the benefit a nuisance? Some argued it did. To get out of this bind, the Roman Stoic Seneca defined a beneficium as "an action which gives pleasure and finds pleasure in so doing, from a natural and spontaneous inclination". Seneca does agree that "everyone who serves another has thereby served his own advantage" but goes on to insist that the advantage consists not in what one gets back, but from the fact that all virtue is its own reward. Aristotle by contrast drew an analogy with the artist, who rejoices in something he has created.

***

A famous Greek benefactor, T. Claudius Atticus, offered to hand over his vast fortune to the emperor Nerva. "Keep it", said Nerva, "and use it well". Come on, you bankers, do the same: prove you are a load of euergetists. You can start with launch of www.classicsforall.org.uk.... By arrangement with the Spectator...

How Gandhi became Gandhi... GEOFFREY C. WARD

2011-06-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Some years ago, British writer Patrick French visited the Sabarmati ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the site from which Mahatma Gandhi led his salt march to the sea in 1930. French was so appalled by the noisome state of the latrines that he asked the ashram secretary whose job it was to clean them. A sweeper woman stopped by for an hour a day, the functionary explained, but afterward things inevitably became filthy again.

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But wasn't it a central tenet of the Mahatma's teachings that his followers clean up after themselves?

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"We all clean the toilets together, on Gandhiji's birthday,"the secretary answered, "as a symbol to show that we understand his message."

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Gandhi had many messages, some ignored, some misunderstood, some as relevant today as when first enunciated. Most Americans - many middle-class Indians, for that matter - know what they know about the Mahatma from Ben Kingsley's Academy Award-winning screen portrayal. His was a mesmerizing performance, but the script barely hinted at the bewildering complexity of the real man. Who was at the same time an earnest pilgrim and a wily politician, an advocate of celibacy and the architect of satyagraha, a revivalist, a revolutionary and a social reformer.

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It is this last avatar that interest Joseph Lelyveld most. Great Soul concentrates on what he calls Gandhi's "evolving sense of his constituency and social vision", and his subsequent struggle to impose that vision on an India at once "worshipful and obdurate".

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This is not a full-scale biography. Nor is it for beginners. Lelyveld assumes his readers are familiar with the basic outlines of Gandhi's life, and while the book includes a bare-bones chronology and is helpfully divided into South African and Indian sections, it moves backward and forward so often, it's sometimes harder than it should be to follow the shifting course of Gandhi's thought.

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But Great Soul is a noteworthy book, nonetheless, vivid, naunced and clear-eyed. The two decades Gandhi spent in South Aftrica are too often seen merely as prelude. Lelyveld treats them with seriousness they deserve.

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"I believe implicitly that all men are born equal", Gandhi once wrote in the midst of one of his campaigns against untouchability. " I have fought this doctrine of superiority in South Africa inch by inch".

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It actually took a long time for the Mahatma to turn that implicit belief into explicit action, lelyveld reminds us. When Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi arrived in Durban from Bombay in 1893, he was a natty 23-year-0\old British-trained lawyer, hired to help represent one wealthy Muslim Indian trader in a dreary civil suit against another, and primarily interested in matters of religion and diet, not politics.

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Initially, Gandhi was simply affronted that discriminatory laws and bigoted custom lumped educated well-to-do Indians like him with "coolies", that impoverished mine, plantation and railroad workers who made up the bulk of the region's immigrant Indian population. The non-violent campaigns he waged to bring about equality between Indians and whites over the next 20 years would lead him to advocate equality between Indian and Indian, first across caste and religious lines and then between rich and poor.

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Soon after returning to India in 1915, Gandhi set forth what he called the "four pillars on which the structure of swaraj would ever rest": An unshakable alliance between Hindus and Muslims; universal acceptance of the doctrine of non-violence, as tenet, not tactic; the transformation of India's approximately 650,000 villages by spinning and other self-sustaining handicrafts; and an end to the the evil concept of untouchability. Lelyveld shrewdly examines Gandhi's noble but doomed battles to achieve them all.

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He made a host of enemies along the way - orthodox Hindus who believed him overly sympathetic to Muslims, Muslims who saw his calls for religious unity as part of a Hindu plot, Britons who thought him a charlatan, radical revolutionaries who believed him a reactionary. But no antagonist was more implacable than Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the brilliant, quick-tempered untouchable leader who saw the Mahatma's non-violent efforts to eradicate untouchability as a sideshow at best. He even objected to the word - Gandhi coined for his people - "Harijans" or "children of God" - as patronizing; he preferred "dalits", from the Sanskrit for "Crushed", "broken".

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Sometimes, Gandhi said Indian freedom would never come until untouchablility was expunged; sometimes he argued that untouchability could be eliminated only after Independence was won. He was unapologetic about that kind of inconsistency.

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As lelyveld has written in Move Your Shadow, "Gandhi had hoped to bring about India's freedom as the moral achievement of millions of individual Indians, as the result of a social revolution in which the collapse of alien rule would be little more than a byproduct of a struggle for self-reliance and economic equality". Foreign rule did collapse, in the end, "but strife and inequality among Indians worsened".

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Gandhi is still routinely called "the father of the nation" in India, but it is hard to see what reamins of him beyond what Lelyveld calls his "nimbus". His notions about sex and spinning and simple living have long since been abandoned. Hindu-Muslim tension still smoulders just beneath the uneasy surface. Untouchability survives, too, and stand-issue polychrome statues of Ambedkar in red tie and double-breasted suit now outnumber those of the sparsely clothes Mahatma wherever dalits are still crowded together.

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Gandhi saw most of this coming and sometimes despaired. The real tragedy of his life, lelyveld argues, was "not because he was assassinated, nor becuse his noblest qualities inflamed the hatred in his killer's heart. The tragic element is that he was ultimately forced, like Lear, to see the limits of his ambition to remake his worlds."

......................... GEOFFREY C. WARD, a biographer and a screenwriter for documentary films, spent part of his boyhood in India and is currently writing a book about Partition....

GREAT SOUL CONCENTRATES ON WHAT HE CALLS GANDHI'S 'EVOLVING SENSE OF HIS CONSTITUENCY AND SOCIAL VISION', AND HIS SUBSEQUENT STRUGGLE TO IMPOSE THAT VISION ON AN INDIA AT ONCE 'WORSHIPFUL AND OBDURATE... IT IS A NOTEWORTHY BOOK... VIVID AND NAUNCED...........

TRUSTED AND TRIED... Sadguru

2011-06-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

If you draw your own map while driving your own vehicle, it is wonderful. But you may take a lifetime to cross an uncharted territory without a map.

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Let's say that you are going to Kedarnath. Somebody is driving and the road ahead is laid out for your. If you came alone and there were no proper directions, definitely you would have wished that if you had a map to tell you how to get there.

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On one level, a guru is similar to a map, a living map. If you can read the map, you know the way and you can move ahead. A guru can also be compared to a bus driver. We sit in the bus and doze off and he takes us to our desired destination; but to sit in this bus and doze off, with peace of mind, we must trust the bus driver. If with each curve on the road, we think, "Can this man take me safely? Will this man go off the road? What is his intention?", we will only go crazy.

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To live and survive, you need trust. Daily, we trust a lot of things unconsciously. Let us say you are sitting in a bus. Unknowingly, you trust this vehicle. You have placed your life in the hands of this mechanical mess. We trust the bus unconsciously, and risk our lives while traveling in it. The same trust, if it arises consciously, would do miracles for us in our lives.

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When we say trust, we are not talking about something new in life. To be here, to breathe in and out, you need trust, isn't it? Your trust is unconscious. I am only asking you to bring a little consciousness to your trust. It is not something that is impossible. Life is based on trust and nothing in this earth will exist without this....SADHGURU JAGGI VASUDEV, A prominent spiritual leader, is a visionary, humanitarian, an author, poet and internationally-renowned speaker. He can be contacted at www.ishafoundation.org.

Give Immunity to Bribe-Givers... THINKING ALLOWED... Antara Dev Sen

2011-04-27T10:09:00.000-07:00

Talk of rotten luck. Right when the government was readying to fight bribery and corruption, it was smacked silly by the ghost of bribes past. Darn! As we say, our bad luck is worst only.

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So just as Kaushik Basu, chief economic advisor in the finance ministry, stated that the government was looking at possible changes in law to give immunity to bribe-givers to help transparency, the cash-for-votes scam resurfaced with a vengeance to rock Parliament. According to a WikiLeaks expose, sneaky American diplomats in India had reported that the last United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had bribed members of Parliament (MP) to buy their votes during the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2008.

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Dr Basu, of course, was talking of more mundane cases of bribery, in the context of a policy paper being prepared to combat corruption intelligently and through critical policy changes. Right now, Indian law sees both giving and taking a bribe as offences. And under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, a bribe-giver is protected only if he does it to nab the bribe-taker. For years, many have been pointing out the unfairness of this law that further victimises the victim. Now, finally the government seems ready to break the nexus between such shifty givers and takers that would help people report corruption without fear of punishment. "Complete immunity should be available to the bribe-givers in all cases", Dr Basu said.

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And right then comes the charge revealed by WikiLeaks that the last UPA government doled out crores to buy the confidence of the House and stay in power. Now, it wouldn't do to claim that the alleged bribe-giver (i.e., the government seeking the confidence of the House) should get immunity while those who received the bribe (i.e., voting MPs including those who are supposed to have happily pocketed the dough and then not voted for the government) should be prosecuted. So "complete immunity" to "bribe-givers in all cases" may not work. Perhaps, we need to look at the mechanics of bribery and the role of compulsion.

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Compulsion does fuel most of our corruption. A study by Trace International, an anti-bribery organisation, found that 77 per cent of all reported bribes in India were out of compulsion, not real choice. Most bribes - 51 per cent - were paid to access the timely delivery of a service to which we are entitled. We have all faced this demand for chai-paani of varying lavishness, most of us have given in, the rest are probably still fighting to get their water connection installed or police case registered.

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Next came bribing as self-preservation - to avoid harm, at 16 per cent. Then there was the matter of the kickback, where 10 per cent had to be coughed up to receive your legitimate payments for services rendered. All that's compulsion, wouldn't you say? Bribing just to keep going, to live your life, to stay alive.

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Out of bribes given to gain unfair advantage, three per cent went to influence government officials, four percent to get inappropriately favorable treatment and five per cent to win new business. So only 12 per cent of bribes were paid to get an edge over others.

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"IT TURNS OUT THAT 91 PER CENT OF DEMANDS IS FROM GOVERNMENT CHAPS. CENTRAL OFFICIALS LEAD THE PACK WITH 33 PER CENT, THE POLICE A CLOSE SECOND WITH 30 PERCENT, STATEMENT AND CITY OFFICIALS COME A JOINT THIRD AT 10 PER CENT EACH."

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That bribes play a vital role in Indian business is common knowledge. A couple of years ago Transparency International did a study on countries most willing to pay bribes abroad, and apna India topped that Bribe Payer's Index. In certain areas, we have unparalleled expertise.

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From the angle of those demanding bribes in our country, it turns out that 91 per cent of demands is from government chaps. National-level government officials lead the pack with 33 per cent, the police come a close second with 30 per cent, state government and city officials come a joint third at 10 per cent each, state employees are fourth and six per cent and after most of the pie is mopped up, representatives of the ruling party can still claim two percent. And you thought government service was just about warming chairs?

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Our bribe-scape ranges from the sublime to the magnificent. Right now, trapped in an unstoppable roller-coaster of scams - from the Commonwealth Games to the 2G spectrum scam, from Adarsh apartments to bulletproof jackets, from paid news to cash for votes, among numerous others - we have a kaleidoscopic vision of how money makes the world go round. What we don't have, though, is a clear picture of how to stop it and get off.

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The Congress-led UPA government's attempt to curb corruption could bring this roller-coaster screeching to a halt, predictably with some unfortunate fall outs. But to bring in real reform, we need intelligent changes in law. And our legal system - though not beyond corruption itself - seems ready for it as well.

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This month, the Supreme Court made two significant rulings that refused to punish victims and went beyond legal statutes to deliver real justice. First, it ruled in favour of decriminalising suicide, pointing out that one who attempts suicide was in desperate need of help and punishing him would be unfair. In another case, it ruled that a woman and her family cannot be treated as an accused under the Dowry Prohibition Act for giving dowry at the time of marriage. The woman is a victim of not culpable, it said.

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As a judiciary refuses to treat victims of crime as criminals themselves, the time is ripe to push for immunity for bribe-givers who are essentially victims. I only hope that we do not get distracted by these high-profile, high-value bribery cases that shake up the national imagination.

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Even if it sounds unfair, immunity to all bribe-givers may work. If the bribe-taker knows that he can be safely put away by the bribe-giver at any time, he may be less likely to accept so graciously. The fact remains that no one can force a bribe down your throat - but a bribe-taker can indeed withhold services or endanger lives to force the giver to bribe him. The two are never on par.

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Of course, it may seem more civilised to have a case-by-case evaluation of which bribe-giver gets immunity and which does not. Sadly, that allows too much discretionary powers to decision makers. Usually, in our country, discretionary powers are not conducive to justice. They are used merely for profit.

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Why on earth did the silly old cash-for-votes scam have to erupt now? Nah, our bad luck is worst only....................... ANTRA DEV SEN is editor of The Little Magazine. She can be contacted at : sen@littlemag.com

OZONE! Global Warming Affects Us Mentally Too... sulogna mehta

2011-04-27T09:27:00.000-07:00

It now seems that climate change is not only detrimental for the planet and ultimately, to our physical well being, it affects our mental health too. Experts say that depressed and maniac people become worse with seasonal changes, while extreme climatic conditions affect people's behaviour, making them either "low" or aggressive. Scientists also point out that micro-level mutation in our genetic constitution is possible with changes in temperature, which will manifest itself over a period of time.

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Dr. V. Pramod Kumar, superintendent of Government National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), said, "Patients suffering from clinical depression get worse in winter while the condition of those suffering from mania (displaying extremes of behaviour) deteriorate in summer. These are also patients who show seasonally-affected disorder syndrome (SADS). Accordingly, we have to alter the dose of medicines and vary the treatment for these patients."

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Dr D. Keshav Rao, president of Hyderabad psychiatry society, concurs with Dr Kumar that more mania cases are admitted to hospitals during summer and mood disorders and irritability are common when temperatures are extreme. "Since dark, gloomy and cold weather leads to depression, those suffering from SADS, are subjected to photo therapy, by exposure to very bright light," says Dr Rao.

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Psychologists say that depression cases double during winter, while in temperate climates, cases of mental disturbance, mood disorders and irritability come down. Clinical psychologist and trauma therapist Seema Hingorrani says "When it's very cold cloudy or incessantly rainy, there's usually a 40-80 per cent increase in anxiety and depression cases.

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Again, thanks to global warming, the extreme heat, especially during summer, coupled with pollution and traffic snarl, leads to more incidents of road rage, hot temper, mood swings, irritability and aggressive behaviour."

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Increase in the release of green-house gases leading to global warming has resulted in unpredictable weather conditions, untimely rains or draught......

Mantras for life... V. Balakrishnan

2011-04-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

There are certain people who are always happy and contented. Sages of the past ascribe to such people certain qualities that enable them to lead pleasant life.

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Aarogyamaanrunyamavipravaasa...

Sabhirmanushyaissaha samproyoga...

Swapratyayaa vrithirabheethavaasa...

Shadjeevalokasya sukhani raajan...

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Health, freedom from liabilities, adsence of a situation that compels one to live abroad, the company of virtuous people, congenial occupation and fearless course of life are the factors that leave a person delighted and satisfied. A healthy mind is said to dwell in a healthy body. Therefore, one has to keep the body energetic and free from diseases.

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Liability of any kind is the root cause of tension and restlessness. One should never borrow money if one is not in a position to repay. Liabilities distance a person from friends and relatives and a "borrower" is looked upon with contempt and laughed at by his/her own kin and kith. Hence, our forefathers warned us against borrowing and lending.

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People leave their motherland at times of utter crisis - it may be financial or some other emergency situation. But being forced to go abroad and settle down there is a pity since one can never have peace of mind. Living away from near and dear ones, rid of the solace of one's native land and devoid of one's identity, leave people frustrated. Such a person never experiences peace of mind. Being able to live in one's own motherland is a blessing indeed.

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We all need a job to earn a means of living. But if the occupation does not satisfy our interests, it becomes a hard chore. We must enjoy our work, only then can we do justice to it. Any work which is not done full-heartedly, becomes mechanical, devoid of soul.

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True friedns or the company of good people who are concerned about our progress promote our well-being. Their words inspire us and full us with positive energy. The fellow-feeling one shares with them adds to our confidence. Hence, the sages say that the kind of people we associate with is a deciding factor in our peaceful existence.

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While prescribing norms for a joyous and peaceful life, our forefathers did not forget to warn us against the possible flaws in one's character that bring about woes and worries and against which one has to stay alert.

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Eershoorkhrinee thwasanthushta....

Khrodhamano nityasankita...

Parabhaagyopajeeveecha...

Shadethe dukhkhabhaagina.....

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The people who keep watching others make riches and fortunes and stay envious of them can never be happy.

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The sages of the past point out that six categories of people live in permanent dejection - the envious ones, the ones who cannot bear the worries of others, those discontented with what they have, the angry folk, the always-hesitant ones and those who depend on and serve the lucky ones to make a living.

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The precepts evolved ages ago from long experience and observation, remain true universally even today.___ DR VENGANOOR BALAKRISHNAN is the author of Thaliyola, a book on Hindu beliefs and rituals. He has also written books on the Vedas and Upanishads. The author can be reached at drvenganoor@yahoo.co.in

How To Develop A Good Self-Image

2011-03-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

We all tend to think too little of ourselves, and so we fail to achieve more than a fraction of our true potential.

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The self-image is the key to human personality. Change the self-image and you change the personality and the behaviour.

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We always act in accordance with our self-image, and our feelings and behaviour are always consistent with this inner picture of ourselves. This is the blue print from which our subconscious mind works.

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Be entirely positive. List only your good points. Write down the things that you can do. The things that you are better than others. The things you are proud of.

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Constantly work at the idea of a new positive attitude.

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Be sure, therefore, to picture strongly to yourself the kind of person you wish to be.

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Mentally see yourself acting with courage and determination in the given situation. Do this repeatedly and you will soon form a habit of acting courageously.

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Try to picture yourself as an outgoing, friendly person when others love to be with you.

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It is the little things you do each day - the way you react to what is happening, how you develop good feeling for others, what you are constantly thinking about yourself, and how this expresses itself through you day-by-day - that gradually builds up your self-image.

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Do you think that I will be of any use to my students in developing their personality? _Question asked by a teacher.

2011-02-22T07:34:00.001-08:00

Answer:

Certainly, you are the right person for this job. It is your good fortune that you have chosen such a noble profession. There is great praise for a teacher in our scriptures. In one of the Sanskrit hymns, the teacher is compared with Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara. Therefore, you should never forget that you are doing a great service in moulding the lives and characters of numerous students within the four walls of the classroom. Students come to you with great expectations that they will get something purposeful in life from you. Your duty is not only to teach them syllabus, but to help them in building character. Students coming out from educational institutions with character and integrity alone can build this great nation. If you can do that in your humble way, you will be doing immense service to your nation and to the youth.

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A lit candle alone can light another. Therefore, at the very outset, you must have firm conviction in the power of goodness; and it should express through your life and character. Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita (3:21). "What ever a great leader does, other persons do that very thing! Whichever standard he sets, the world follows it." Your life itself will be a great source of inspiration for the students. Teaching without practising will not produce any positive results. Modern students are very intelligent. They will watch your life and character. If they do not find those things in practice, they will not care for your words.

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If you sincerely love your students, and are really interested in their welfare, they will certainly follow your footsteps. You must develop infinite patience and forbearance. Never find fault with your students for their shortcomings and mistakes, rather highlight their good qualities and successes. Swami Vivekananda said : "If you speak kind words to boys and encourage them, they are bound to improve in time. If you can give them positive ideas, people will grow up to be men and learn to stand on their own legs. In language and literature, in poetry and art, in everything we must point out not the mistakes that people are making in their thoughts and actions, but the way in which they will gradually be able to do these things better. Pointing out mistakes wounds a man's feelings. We have seen how Sri Ramakrishna would encourage even those whom we considered as worthless and change the very course of their lives thereby! His very method of teaching was a unique phenomenon. He never destroyed a single man's special inclinations. He gave words of hope and encouragement even to the most degraded of persons and lifted them up. We, too, must follow in his footsteps and lift all up and rouse them."

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You should be able to enter into the hearts of your students. They should find in you their friend, philosopher, and guide. Then alone will they open their hearts and freely express their problems. Your approach to their problems should be positive, and you should try your utmost to help them in solving their problems, if it is within your reach. This intimacy and mutual love and affection will strengthen the relationship between the taught and the teacher. Once you put them on right track, they will grow up as real men and women of character and integrity. They will remain grateful to you throughout their lives for your great service rendered to them. For you, there will be job satisfaction bringing in peace and happiness alround. _Swami Srikanthananda

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