iLog

Memory Allocation/Segmentation in C/C++

2012-02-14T21:45:00.002+05:30

Memory Allocation/Segmentation in C/C++

=========
| stack |
| vv |
| |
| |
| ^^ |
| heap |
=========
| bss |
=========
| data |
=========
| text |
=========
address 0

Segment	Description
Code – text segment	Often referred to as the text segment, this is the area in which the executable instructions reside. For example, Linux/Unix arranges things so that multiple running instances of the same program share their code if possible. Only one copy of the instructions for the same program resides in memory at any time. The portion of the executable file containing the text segment is the text section.
Initialized data – data segment	Statically allocated and global data that are initialized with nonzero values live in the data segment. Each process running the same program has its own data segment. The portion of the executable file containing the data segment is the data section.
Uninitialized data – bss segment	BSS stands for ‘Block Started by Symbol’. Global and statically allocated data that initialized to zero by default are kept in what is called the BSS area of the process. Each process running the same program has its own BSS area. When running, the BSS data are placed in the data segment. In the executable file, they are stored in the BSS section. For Linux/Unix the format of an executable, only variables that are initialized to a nonzero value occupy space in the executable’s disk file.
Heap	The heap is where dynamic memory (obtained by malloc(), calloc(), realloc() and new for C++) comes from. Everything on a heap is anonymous, thus you can only access parts of it through a pointer. As memory is allocated on the heap, the process’s address space grows. Although it is possible to give memory back to the system and shrink a process’s address space, this is almost never done because it will be allocated to other process again. Freed memory (free() and delete) goes back to the heap, creating what is called holes. It is typical for the heap to grow upward. This means that successive items that are added to the heap are added at addresses that are numerically greater than previous items. It is also typical for the heap to start immediately after the BSS area of the data segment. The end of the heap is marked by a pointer known as the break. You cannot reference past the break. You can, however, move the break pointer (via brk() and sbrk() system calls) to a new position to increase the amount of heap memory available.
Stack	The stack segment is where local (automatic) variables are allocated. In C program, local variables are all variables declared inside the opening left curly brace of a function body including the main() or other left curly brace that aren’t defined as static. The data is popped up or pushed into the stack following the Last In First Out (LIFO) rule. The stack holds local variables, temporary information, function parameters, return address and the like. When a function is called, a stack frame (or a procedure activation record) is created and PUSHed onto the top of the stack. This stack frame contains information such as the address from which the function was called and where to jump back to when the function is finished (return address), parameters, local variables, and any other information needed by the invoked function. The order of the information may vary by system and compiler. When a function returns, the stack frame is POPped from the stack. Typically the stack grows downward, meaning that items deeper in the call chain are at numerically lower addresses and toward the heap.

Example code:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int f1;         //bss (where is data(variable&constant) stored)
int f2=0;       //bss
int f3=1;       //data
static int f4 = 0;    //bss
static int f5 = 1;    //data
int main ()
{
int a[2];       //stack
int b1;          //stack
int b2 = 0;     //stack
int b3 = 1;     //stack
char b5[]= “abc”;      //stack
static int c[2];      //uninitialized static, bss (initialized to 0 by default)
static int d1;         //uninitialized static, bss (initialized to 0 by default)
static int d2 = 0;     //zero initialization = uninitialized, bss
static int d3 = 1;     //nonzero init, data
static int d4 = 1;     //nonzero init, data
const int e1 = 0;      //stack
const int e2 = 1;      //stack
char *p1 = “abc”;      //p1: stack, *p1 (“abc”): data
char *p2 = “abcd”;      //p2: stack, *p2 (“abcd”): data
static int *p3 = &b1; //p3:bss
static int *p4; //p4:bss, *p4: 0;
int *p5 = NULL; //p5: stack, *p5: 0
static int *p6 = NULL; //p6:bss, 0
int *p7;               //p7: stack,
static char * p8 = “abc”;    //p8:data, *p8 (“abc”): data, same as *p1
int b4 = 1;
static int * p9 = &b4; //p9:bss
d1 = 1;    //d1: bss
int *p10 = (int*)malloc(sizeof(int));   //p10: stack, *p10:heap
*p10 = 1;
static char *p11 = (char*)malloc(sizeof(char)); //p11: bss, *p11:heap
*p11 = ‘a’;
printf(“Local variables:\n\n”);
printf(“int a[0]: %d (stack)\n”,a);
printf(“int a[1]: %d (stack)\n”,a+1);
printf(“int b1: %d (stack)\n”,&b1);
printf(“int b2=0: %d (stack)\n”,&b2);
printf(“int b3=1: %d (stack)\n”,&b3);
printf(“char b5[]=\”abc\”: %d (*b5 \”abc\”, stack)\n”,b5);
printf(“const int e1=0: %d (stack)\n”,&e1);
printf(“const int e2=1: %d (stack)\n”,&e2);
printf(“char * p1=\”abc\”: %d (p1, stack)\n”,&p1);
printf(“char * p2=\”abc\”: %d (p2, stack)\n”,&p2);
printf(“int * p5 = NULL: %d (p5, stack)\n”,&p5);
printf(“int * p7: %d (p7, stack)\n”,&p7);
printf(“\n”);
printf(“int *p10 = (int *)malloc(int): %d (p10,stack)\n”,&p10);
printf(“\n”);
printf(“static int c[0]: %d (bss)\n”,c);
printf(“static int c[1]: %d (bss)\n”,c+1);
printf(“static int d1: %d (bss)\n”,&d1);
printf(“static int d2=0: %d (bss)\n”,&d2);
printf(“static int * p3 = &b1: %d (p3, bss)\n”,&p3);
printf(“static int * p4: %d (p4, bss)\n”,&p4);
printf(“static int * p6 = NULL: %d (p6, bss)\n”,&p6);
printf(“static int * p9 = &b4, b4=1: %d (p9, bss)\n”,&p9);
printf(“d1 = 1: %d (bss)\n”,&d1);
printf(“static int *p11 = (int*)malloc(int): %d (p11,bss)\n”,&p11);
printf(“\n”);
printf(“static int d3=1: %d (data)\n”,&d3);
printf(“static int d4=1: %d (data)\n”,&d4);
printf(“\n”);
printf(“static char * p8 = \”abc\”: %d (p8, data)\n”,&p8);
printf(“char * p1=\”abc\”: %d (*p1 \”abc\”, data)\n”,p1);
printf(“static char * p8 = \”abc\”: %d (*p8 \”abc\”, data)\n”,p8);
printf(“char * p2=\”abcd\”: %d (*p2 \”abcd\”, data)\n”,p2);
printf(“\n”);
printf(“static int * p4: %d (*p4, 0)\n”,p4);
printf(“int * p5 = NULL: %d (*p5, 0)\n”,p5);
printf(“\nHeap:\n”);
printf(“int *p10 = (int *)malloc(int): %d (*p10:1,Heap)\n”,p10);
printf(“static char *p11 = (int*)malloc(int): %d (*p11:’a',Heap)\n”,p11);
printf(“\n\nGlobal variables:\n”);
printf(“int f1: %d (bss)\n”,&f1);
printf(“int f2=0: %d (bss)\n”,&f2);
printf(“static int f4: %d (bss)\n”,&f4);
printf(“\n”);
printf(“int f3=1: %d (data)\n”,&f3);
printf(“static int f5=1: %d (data)\n”,&f5);
system(“pause”);
return 0;
}

Result:

Local variables:
int a[0]: 2359152 (stack)
int a[1]: 2359156 (stack)
int b1: 2359148 (stack)
int b2=0: 2359144 (stack)
int b3=1: 2359140 (stack)
char b5[]=”abc”: 2359136 (*b5 “abc”, stack)
const int e1=0: 2359132 (stack)
const int e2=1: 2359128 (stack)
char * p1=”abc”: 2359124 (p1, stack)
char * p2=”abc”: 2359120 (p2, stack)
int * p5 = NULL: 2359116 (p5, stack)
int * p7: 2359112 (p7, stack)
int *p10 = (int *)malloc(int): 2359104 (p10,stack)
static int c[0]: 4468840 (bss)
static int c[1]: 4468844 (bss)
static int d1: 4468856 (bss)
static int d2=0: 4468872 (bss)
static int * p3 = &b1: 4468888 (p3, bss)
static int * p4: 4468904 (p4, bss)
static int * p6 = NULL: 4468920 (p6, bss)
static int * p9 = &b4, b4=1: 4468936 (p9, bss)
d1 = 1: 4468856 (bss)
static int *p11 = (int*)malloc(int): 4468952 (p11,bss)
static int d3=1: 4452360 (data)
static int d4=1: 4452364 (data)
static char * p8 = “abc”: 4452368 (p8, data)
char * p1=”abc”: 4456448 (*p1 “abc”, data)
static char * p8 = “abc”: 4456448 (*p8 “abc”, data)
char * p2=”abcd”: 4456452 (*p2 “abcd”, data)
static int * p4: 0 (*p4, 0)
int * p5 = NULL: 0 (*p5, 0)

Heap:
int *p10 = (int *)malloc(int): 212064 (*p10:1,Heap)
static char *p11 = (int*)malloc(int): 212168 (*p10:’a',Heap)

Global variables:
int f1: 4468752 (bss)
int f2=0: 4468756 (bss)
static int f4: 4468776 (bss)
int f3=1: 4452352 (data)
static int f5=1: 4452356 (data)

Reference: http://alenblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/memory-allocation-segmentation-in-cc-language

Eclipse - Cut Copy Paste Not Working

2011-10-22T08:00:00.000+05:30

PROBLEM

If in an editor :

when you try to copy text and paste it, nothing happens.
when you try to cut text and paste it, nothing happens or eclipse creates mess

SOLUTION

For my problem, I had to go to Window > Preferences > Java > Editor > Typing, and uncheck "Update imports"

Android Secret Codes

2011-10-10T11:42:00.006+05:30

*#*#4636#*#* phone information
*2767*3855# hard reset
*#*#7780#*#* factory reset
*#*#7594#*#* change end call/power option
*#*#197328640#*#* service mode
*#*#273283*255*663282*#*#* file copy screen (backup media files)
*#*#526#*#* wlan test
*#*#232338#*#* shows wifi mac address
*#*#1472365#*#* gps test
*#*#1575#*#* another gps test
*#*#232331#*#* bluetooth test
*#*#232337#*# shows bluetooth device address
*#*#8255#*#* gtalk service monitor

*#*#0283#*#* packet loopback
*#*#0*#*#* lcd test
*#*#0673#*#* melody test
*#*#0842#*#* device test (vibration test and backlight test)
*#*#2663#*#* touch screen version
*#*#2664#*#* touch screen test
*#*#0588#*#* proximity sensor test
*#*#3264#*#* ram version codes to get firmware version information:

*#*#4986*2650468#*#* pda, phone, h/w, rfcalldate
*#*#1234#*#* pda and phone
*#*#1111#*#* fta sw version
*#*#2222#*#* fta hw version
*#*#44336#*#* pda, phone, csc, build time, changelist number

Warning: be carefull, use Android secret codes with your own risk :

If already pressing Hard Reset code, it will process immediately, there is no Cancel option. Hard Reset will remove all the files & settings on the internal memory, or equal to reformat the firmware.
The Factory Reset just delete accounts and configuration in system & application settings.

"IF" statement test condtions in Shell Script

2011-07-28T14:40:00.002+05:30

Following are some "IF" Statement constructs to test conditions provided by the shell:

-b file = True if the file exists and is block special file.
-c file = True if the file exists and is character special file.
-d file = True if the file exists and is a directory.
-e file = True if the file exists.
-f file = True if the file exists and is a regular file
-g file = True if the file exists and the set-group-id bit is set.
-k file = True if the files' "sticky" bit is set.
-L file = True if the file exists and is a symbolic link.
-p file = True if the file exists and is a named pipe.
-r file = True if the file exists and is readable.
-s file = True if the file exists and its size is greater than zero.
-s file = True if the file exists and is a socket.
-t fd = True if the file descriptor is opened on a terminal.
-u file = True if the file exists and its set-user-id bit is set.
-w file = True if the file exists and is writable.
-x file = True if the file exists and is executable.
-O file = True if the file exists and is owned by the effective user id.
-G file = True if the file exists and is owned by the effective group id.
file1 –nt file2 = True if file1 is newer, by modification date, than file2.
file1 ot file2 = True if file1 is older than file2.
file1 ef file2 = True if file1 and file2 have the same device and inode numbers.
-z string = True if the length of the string is 0.
-n string = True if the length of the string is non-zero.
string1 = string2 = True if the strings are equal.
string1 != string2 = True if the strings are not equal.
!expr = True if the expr evaluates to false.
expr1 –a expr2 = True if both expr1 and expr2 are true.
expr1 –o expr2 = True is either expr1 or expr2 is true.

'Type' example in Shell Script

2011-07-26T21:31:00.001+05:30

Here we are calling functions directly using 'type' after parsing them in SUB_CMD through command line:

##############################################
PROG_NAME="$(basename $0)"
SUB_CMD="$1"
retval=0
if [ "$(type -t "${SUB_CMD}")" == 'function' ] ; then
    ${SUB_CMD}
    retval=$?
else
    echo "Invalid command '${SUB_CMD}'"
    usage
    retval=1
fi
exit ${retval}
##############################################

Spiral Traversal of Matrix

2011-07-26T21:28:00.000+05:30

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int mat[4][3] = {{1,2,3}, {4,5,6}, {7,8,9}, {10,11,12}};

void print_spiral(int mat[4][3], int m, int n, int k) {
if (m <= 0 || n <= 0)
    return;
if (m == 1) {
    for (int j = 0; j < n; j++)
      cout << mat[k][k+j] << " ";
    return;
}
if (n == 1) {
    for (int i = 0; i < m; i++)
      cout << mat[k+i][k] << " ";
    return;
}
// print from top left
for (int j = 0; j < n - 1; j++)
    cout << mat[k][k+j] << " ";
// print from top right
for (int i = 0; i < m - 1; i++)
    cout << mat[k+i][k+n-1] << " ";
// print from bottom right
for (int j = 0; j < n - 1; j++)
    cout << mat[k+m-1][k+n-1-j] << " ";
// print from bottom left
for (int i = 0; i < m - 1; i++)
    cout << mat[k+m-1-i][k] << " ";

print_spiral(mat, m-2, n-2, k+1);
}

int main()
{
    int m = 4;
    int n = 3;

    print_spiral(mat, m, n, 0);
    return 0;
}

Syslog Example

2011-04-07T14:00:00.003+05:30

What is Syslog

Syslog is a standard for logging program messages. It allows separation of the software that generates messages from the system that stores them and the software that reports and analyzes them. It also provides devices which would otherwise be unable to communicate a means to notify administrators of problems or performance.

Syslog can be used for computer system management and security auditing as well as generalized informational, analysis, and debugging messages. It is supported by a wide variety of devices (like printers and routers) and receivers across multiple platforms. Because of this, syslog can be used to integrate log data from many different types of systems into a central repository.

Messages refer to a facility (auth, authpriv, daemon, cron, ftp, lpr, kern, mail, news, syslog, user, uucp, local0, ... , local7 ) and are assigned a priority/level (Emergency, Alert, Critical, Error, Warning, Notice, Info or Debug) by the sender of the message.

Configuration allows directing messages to various local devices (console), files (/var/log/) or remote syslog daemons. Care must be taken when updating the configuration as omitting or misdirecting message facility.level can cause important messages to be ignored by syslog or overlooked by the administrator. Logger is a command line utility that can send messages to the syslog.

Configuring Syslog

Syslog has 8 configurable log files that are available for the programmer to use. These log files are referred to as LOG_LOCALx where x is an integer from 0 to 7.

Configure syslog with LOG_LOCALx by adding following line in /etc/syslog.conf file :

local0.* /var/log/testlog
This tells syslog that any logs written to the LOG_LOCAL0, should be written in '/var/log/testlog' file.

After updating /etc/syslog.conf, restart the syslogd daemon :

/etc/init.d/syslog restart

Log using Syslog

Now as we have configured the LOG_LOCAL0. We can write debugging information to our log file through syslog, as shown below in test program :

#include <syslog.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <sys/types.h>
int main()
{
   openlog ("Test", LOG_CONS | LOG_PID | LOG_NDELAY, LOG_LOCAL0);
   syslog (LOG_INFO, "Program started by User %d", getuid() );
   syslog (LOG_ERR, "ERROR!");
   closelog ();
}

The openlog function initiates syslog for our program. We just need to use once during the initiation of our program. Several options can be used to control the logging behavior, below is the explanation of the options used in the example above.

   Option Meaning
LOG_CONS When syslog fails to submit a message, it writes the message to system console
LOG_PID   Inserts the calling process' Process ID (PID) into the message
LOG_NODELAY Open and connect to syslog
LOG_LOCAL0   Where to write the logs

The syslog call writes messages to our syslog facility LOG_LOCAL0. The first argument (LOG_INFO, LOG_ERR) specifies the log level or priority. This allows more fine tuning for example by specifying different logging files (or actions) for each logging level. See man -S3 syslog for the full list of debugging levels.

The format of the log messages is :
DATE TIME MACHINE-NAME PROGRAM-NAME[PID]: MESSAGE

Output :
Apr 7 21:36:41 centos-osp Test[20304]: Program started by User 0
Apr 7 21:36:41 centos-osp Test[20304]: ERROR!

glibc detected : double free or corruption (fasttop)

2011-03-28T22:24:00.000+05:30

While running a code after building it using glibc, if you get this error :

glibc detected : double free or corruption (fasttop)

To fix this error export "MALLOC_CHECK_" environment variable :

export MALLOC_CHECK_=0

Then, try running the program. It worked in my case.

eXtensible Access Method (XAM)

2011-03-21T14:29:00.001+05:30

The XAM (eXtensible Access Method) Interface specification “defines a standard access method (API) between Consumers (application and management software) and Providers (storage systems) to manage fixed content reference information storage services. XAM includes metadata definitions to accompany data to achieve application interoperability, storage transparency, and automation for ILM-based practices, long term records retention, and information security. XAM will be expanded over time to include other data types as well as support additional implementations based on the XAM API to XAM conformant storage systems.”

The SNIA XAM standard access method is designed to benefit storage vendors, software developers and the end user community. It provides:

Interoperability : applications can work with any XAM conformant storage system, information can be migrated and shared.

Compliance : integrated record retention and disposition metadata.

ILM Practices : a framework for classification, policy, and implementation.

Migration : the ability to automate migration process to maintain long-term readability.

Discovery : application-independent structured discovery avoids application obsolescence.

XAM anticipates that objects will migrate from one storage medium to another during their lifetimes. For instance, 10-year-old medical images stored on tape are now being migrated to disk. Ten years from now, images in disk-based archives may wind up on a storage platform that hasn’t been invented yet.

XAM relies on a flat address space that isn’t tied to a specific storage device. XAM also assigns each object (for example, an e-mail message) a unique identifier that exists for the lifetime of the object. The identifier doesn’t change even if the object is moved from one storage system to another, making it findable and able to be traced to any XAM-enabled device.

XAM also has a language to express metadata about the object. This metadata will provide key information about each object that can be used to apply policies, such as a retention period, without the need for the app that created the information to access the object.

XAM has standardized the language for expressing metadata, and work is ongoing to create standard formats for different content types. For instance, likely metadata formats for e-mail will include sender, recipient, and subject. The creators of the standard had an eye on electronic discovery. XAM can search metadata, a key requirement for legal discovery and internal corporate investigations.

To meet the industry challenges, the storage industry requires a set of standard interfaces to enable more functional and sophisticated products. These interfaces need to allow multiple vendors to provide different classes of hardware and software products that store, retrieve, and manage reference information reliably and seamlessly.

XAM Approach

XAM provides an application programming interface (XAM-API) that allows XAM applications to store data in a fashion that does not depend on the specific storage system. XAM provides the following important functionality to applications and storage systems:

Reference information is associated with a globally unique name. By binding reference information to a unique name, an application can efficiently manage the reference information without concern for the data’s actual location. Location independence provides a mechanism for implementing Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) practices within a XAM-based storage system itself.

Metadata is raised to the same level of importance as the reference information itself. By bundling together data and metadata (contextual data about the information being stored), applications can more easily manage and share reference information, which facilitates ILM.

Storage systems are accessed via a standard, pluggable architecture. By standardizing the architecture, customers can add and remove storage products without impacting applications. The XAM architecture is a software framework that allows XAM-enabled applications to interface with XAM-compliant vendor devices in order to store and retrieve reference information in a vendorindependent and location-independent manner.

A standard XAM storage provider interface. XAM Storage System vendors can plug their systems into the XAM API by creating a provider for the Vendor Interface Module API (VIM API). XAM also provides a standardized set of management disciplines and semantics for fixed content, such as retention, expiration, etc.

XAM Architecture

The XAM architecture is a software framework that allows XAM-enabled applications to interface with XAM-compliant vendor devices. The goal of this architecture is to allow applications to take advantage of the XAM API (Application Programming Interface) to store and retrieve reference information in a vendor-independent and location-independent manner.

A primary requirement of the architecture is the ability to support access to multiple vendors’ XAM Storage Systems and multiple versions of the same vendor’s XAM Storage System. That is, different versions of the XAM specification must be able to access the same XAM Storage System, or, the same version of the XAM specification must be able to access different versions of a XAM Storage System. The architecture also allows multiple applications to access the same XAM Storage System.

The XAM architecture provides a mechanism for XAM Storage System vendors to create Vendor Interface Modules (VIMs) that act as bridges between the XAM standard APIs and the vendor’s XAM Storage Systems. How the VIMs connect to their respective devices (for example, TCP/IP, SCSI, or a file system) is transparent to the XAM standard API and the application. The connection is completely encapsulated by the VIM; the applications should be unaware of the VIM’s existence and functionality.

XAM Approach, Object Model

Three software modules (Toolkit, XAM, and VIM APIs) are defined within the XAM architecture. The XAM architecture uses these software modules to create a logical view of the XAM Storage System. This logical view defines a set of objects that are arranged hierarchically, providing a consistent abstraction that is independent of a variety of implementation approaches.

XAM has three primary objects: the XSet, the XSystem, and the XAM Library:

An XSet is the unit of data that an application can commit to persistent storage within XAM… An XSet is the addressable unit of storage in the XAM architecture from the application’s perspective. For an application to store data in an XSystem, the application must create an empty XSet, populate the XSet fields with its data, and then commit the XSet to persistent storage. If the commit is successful, the application is given a name for the XSet, called a XUID. The application can use the XUID to access the data it stored, exchange the XUID with another application so that it can retrieve the XSet, use it to create application-specific relationships between XUIDs, or use it for other purposes.

An XSystem is a logical container of one or more XSets. An XSystem may provide additional capabilities for data storage management, which may ultimately influence XSet data access and data management. These capabilities, such as resource, security, migration, virtualization, resiliency, and performance, are outside the scope of XAM. XAM accommodates these XSystem capabilities by providing an XSet abstraction that obligates the XSystem to the mutually agreed-to data storage management behavior and rules.

The XAM Library enables an application to discover and communicate with multiple XAM Storage Systems. The XAM Library allows applications to create and manage XAM Sessions, to connect to and manipulate XSystems. Besides these capabilities, the XAM Library also presents a number of fields (properties or XStreams), which are pertinent to the XAM Library, and describe its capabilities, configuration, and other characteristics… An XSystem may map to a single storage array supplied by a storage vendor, or maybe to a physical or logical partition of this array. It may also map to an aggregation of several arrays, or several partitions residing on the same or different arrays, supplied by the same or different vendors. The implementations of these arrays may include different types of storage hardware and media, e.g. Fibrechannel or SATA disk drives, or optical disks or tape drives.

Data can be attached to any of the primary objects. XAM defines the unit of data that can be attached to a primary object as a field, of which there are two kinds: properties and XStreams. Properties are used to contain simple kinds of data (strings, integers, etc.), and have a simple set/get style API. XStreams are used to contain larger and potentially more complex data (JPEGs, XML files, or binary data) and are accessed as a stream of data through a read/write style API. Regardless of the object to which the field is attached, the same XAM field-manipulation APIs are used; they are scoped to the appropriate object on which they operate (XAM Library, XSystem, or XSet).

XAM Query Language Grammar

The XAM Query Language (XAM QL, or XAMQuery) is modelled on the SQL select statement. Two parts to the statement allow the application writer to control the contents of the query. The first part (the select clause) specifies that the application is requesting a list of XUID values. Unlike SQL, the return value “.xset.xuid” is required, and shall be the only allowable value. The second part (the where clause) allows specification of a subset of XSets to be returned in the results. For XAM 1.0, the select clause shall be present and contain only the keyword “select .xset.xuid”. The second part of the query, the where clause, is optional and provides the greatest amount of application control.

XAM query should not be confused with the more general-purpose SQL relational databases. XAM query is not intended to provide the same performance guarantees seen in a mature relational database management system. XAM Storage Systems are generally designed to be archives of data, rather than relational databases. Example uses of query include locating the following types of records:

Archived medical data records for a patient.
A collection of telephone data records referencing some phone number.
A computer backup data set containing a named file.

Refinements of these basic searches can be extended using the XAM query relational operators to narrow the search.

Good Style of Programming

2011-03-21T14:26:00.000+05:30

Here are few tips to program your C / C++ code in good style :

Break

Using break is ok in loops. Ideally, the loop should be structured to iterate in the most straightforward way. The break in the body can detect the exceptional case that comes up during the iteration.

for (i = 0; i < length; i++ )

{

if (<found>) break;
…

}

while (current != NULL)

{

if (<found>) break;
…

}

While

while (TRUE) types loops are fine if they are really necessary. Often you need this for the loop-and-a-half-type situation where you need to first do some processing before you are able to test whether you need to exit the loop. If the first statement of a while (TRUE) loop is the test, then you should just put the test directly into the while statement. If the bounds of iteration are known, then a for loop is preferable.

Return

A return in a place other than the end of a function body is potentially vulgar. The early return can be used nicely if it detects and immediately exits on an exceptional case-for example, a recursive base case or an error case right at the beginning of a function. Sometimes return can be used like a break inside a loop when some condition becomes true. Be careful with return in the bodies of your functions- experience shows they are responsible for a disproportionate number of bugs. The programmer forgets about the early-return case and assumes the function runs all the way to its end.

Increment Operators ++, –

Nice obvious uses of these are fine, but nesting it inside something complicated is just asking for trouble. Find a more useful outlet for your cleverness.

for (i = 0; i < length; i++) … // Ok

while (–length) … // Ok

while (*t++ = *s++) … // Sick

Switch

If you ever exploit the fall-through property of cases within a switch, your documentation should definitely say so. It’s pretty unusual. !=, ==

This is just a minor readability issue, but it’s nice to put in what you are really testing for, rather than rely on the anything-non-zero-is-true property. Even though the code may compile to exactly the same thing, it reads a little nicer.

if (*current) more clearly is if (*current != ”)
if (current) more clearly is if (current != NULL)
if (!count) more clearly is if (count == 0)

Boolean Values

Boolean expressions and variables seem to be prone to redundancy and awkwardness. Replace repetitive constructions with the more concise and direct alternatives. If you have a boolean value, don’t use additional != or == operators on it to test its value. Just use its value directly or inverted. Also, watch for if-else statements that assign a variable to true or false. The result from evaluating the test can go right into the variable. A few examples :

if (flag == TRUE) more succinctly is if (flag)
if (matches > 0) more succinctly is found = (matches > 0);
found = TRUE;
else
found = FALSE;
if (hadError == FALSE) more succinctly is return !hadError;
return TRUE;
else
return FALSE;

Constants

#define-d constants should be independent; that is, you should only need to change one #define to change something about a program. For example :

#define RectWidth 3
#define RectHeight 2 /* WARNING: problem */
#define RectPerimeter 10

is not so hot, because if you wanted to change RectWidth or RectHeight, you would also have to remember to change RectPerimeter. A better way is :

#define RectWidth 3
#define RectHeight 2
#define RectPerimeter (2*RectWidth + 2*RectHeight)

Ultimate Dictionary

2011-03-21T14:00:00.000+05:30

I use online dictionary a lot in my work, so here I’m sharing with you an amazing online dictionary tool :

Ultimate Dictionary, a complete collection of dictionaries with which you can look up words right on your Windows desktop. Ultimate Dictionary includes a huge collection of dictionaries that enable you to look up definitions, synonyms and translations to a bunch of different languages.

The program features a very simple, minimalist interface with two main areas: on the left side, you can choose to have either the list of available dictionaries or the list of word results as you search. On the right, you’ll see words’ definitions and/or translations. You can also enable the “Scan” mode in Ultimate Dictionary, which makes the dictionary follow the mouse and displays a pop-up window with the definition of the word right below the cursor.

Ultimate Dictionary is easy to use and performs very fast searches. You can also customize the order in which dictionaries appear, so that you can have your most frequently ones on top of the list.

With Ultimate Dictionary you can look up any word in more than 30 dictionaries at the same time, right from the desktop.

Pros

Large variety of dictionaries
Special “scan” mode to translate words under the mouse
Fast searching

Cons

Large installation file
You can’t add new dictionaries

Search People on Web

2011-03-21T13:52:00.002+05:30

There are various reasons why we might need to search for people, we may need to find a lost relative, an old flame, a classmate or a business contact – but if we are using a search engine such as Google or Yahoo to search for people, we have probably realized by now that it might work in some cases but in most cases it won’t.

How come the best search engines fail so miserably when it comes to people search? The answer lies in a little known but very important part of the web called “the deep web“.

Also known as “invisible web”, the term “deep web” refers to a vast repository of underlying content, such as documents in online databases that general-purpose web crawlers cannot reach. The deep web content is estimated at 500 times that of the surface web, yet has remained mostly untapped due to the limitations of traditional search engines.

Since most personal profiles, public records and other people-related documents are stored in databases and not on static web pages, most of the higher-quality information about people is simply “invisible” to a regular search engine.

Some of the site with Deep Web content are :

Deep Web query-engine find content on deep web pages that cannot be found on regular search engines. Unlike a typical search-engine, they are designed to retrieve information from the deep web, its bots interact with searchable databases and extract data, contact details and other relevant information from personal profiles, member directories, scientific publications, court records and numerous other deep-web sources.

It is not just about finding more results, it uses advanced language-analysis and ranking algorithms to bring us the most relevant bits of information about a person in a single, easy-to-read results page.

Some of such good people search engines are :

http://www.pipl.com
http://www.spock.com
http://www.wink.com
http://www.peekyou.com
http://www.123people.com
http://www.biznar.com for business professionals
http://www.mednar.com for medical professionals

AUTO IT

2011-03-21T13:46:00.003+05:30

AutoIt is a free BASIC-like scripting language designed for automating the Windows GUI and general scripting. It uses a combination of simulated keystrokes, mouse movement and window/control manipulation in order to automate tasks in a way not possible or reliable with other languages (e.g. VBScript and SendKeys). AutoIt is very small, self-contained and runs on all versions of Windows out-of-the-box with no annoying “runtimes” required!

AutoIt is a stand-alone application with no external .dll files or registry entries required making it safe to use on Servers. Scripts can be compiled into stand-alone executable with Aut2Exe.

Also there is a combined COM and DLL version of AutoIt called AutoItX that allows to add the unique features of AutoIt to our favorite scripting or programming languages!

Features :

Basic-like Syntax and Rich Function Set

AutoIt has a BASIC-like syntax which means that most people who have ever written a script or used a high-level language should be able to pick it up easily.

Built-in Editor with Syntax Highlighting

AutoIt comes with a customized “lite” version of SciTe that makes editing scripts easy. Users can also download a complete version of SciTe that includes additional tools to make things even easier.

Standalone and Small

AutoIt is a very small and standalone application with no reliance on massive run times like .NET or VB. All you need to run AutoIt scripts are the main AutoIt executable (AutoIt3.exe) and the script. Scripts can also be encoded into standalone executable with the built-in script compiler Aut2Exe.

International and 64-bit Support

AutoIt is fully Unicode aware and also includes x64 versions of all the main components!

Key and Mouse Simulation

Much time has been spent optimizing the keystroke and mouse simulation functions to be as accurate as possible on all versions of Windows. All the mouse and keyboard routines are highly configurable both in terms of simulation “speed” and functionality.

Window Management

You can expect to move, hide, show, resize, activate, close and pretty much do what you want with windows. Windows can be referenced by title, text on the window, size, position, class and even internal Win32 API handles.

Controls

Directly get information on and interact with edit boxes, check boxes, list boxes, combos, buttons, status bars without the risk of keystrokes getting lost. Even work with controls in windows that aren’t active!

Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)

AutoIt provides facility to create some complex GUIs – just like those below :

Old Version of Softwares / Applications

2011-03-04T15:45:00.000+05:30

Old is Gold, Looking for old version of your favorite Software or Utility

Upgrading to a newer version is a good thing. But, your computer may not be compatible with the new version, the new version is bloated, or all the options you liked are no longer available. Often newer versions are more complicated to use and we understand that it is hard to find older, more user-friendly versions of popular software. Many software providers do not include older versions of their software on their sites. Well here are some of the sites providing us the old versions of our favorite software or utilities.

Firefox’s Temporary Internet Files

2011-03-04T15:05:00.000+05:30

Are you searching where Firefox stores its temporary internet files (cache) ?

Well there is no need to go anywhere, solution lies within the Firefox browser.

Follow the below given steps and you can access all the files stored by Firefox :

Open a new tab.
In the address bar, write “about:cache” and press enter.
Following page will come up like shown in image below :

This page shows all the cache maintained by the Firefox browser.
For Temporary Internet Files, we need to go for “Disk Cache“.
Click on the link given for Disk Cache on the about:cache page.
Following page will come up like shown in image below :

This page will list all the files being cached by the Firefox.
Using find utility of Firefox search for the file you are looking for.
After the finding that file click on the link given for that file as shown in above image.
Following page will come up like shown in image below :

This page will have link and all the details about that file.
Right click on the link given for that file and select “Save link as” option.
A Save File dialog box will pop up, asking for the location to save the file.
Select the location and click save. File will be saved on your desired location.

This is applicable for any type of file whether it is flash (.swf ), audio (.mp3, etc ), video ( .wmv, etc ) or any image ( .jpg, etc ) file.

Tum mujhko karna maaf priye – Poem By Dr. Kumar Vishwas

2011-03-04T14:33:00.000+05:30

Lyrics :

O kalp-vraksh ki son-juhi, O amal-tas ki amar kali
Dharti ke aatap se jalte, Man par chaayi nirmal badli
Main tumko madhu-sad-gandh yukt, sansaar nahi de paunga !
Tum mujhko karna maaf priye main pyar nahi de paunga !!

Tum kalp-vraksh ka fool aur Main dharti ka adna gayak
Tum jeewan ke upbhog yogya Main nahi adhuri gazal shubhey
Tum saam-gaan si pawan ho Himshikharon par sehsa kaundha
Bijuri si tum man bhawan ho Isliye vyarth shabdo wala, vyapar nahi de paunga !
Tum mujhko karna maaf priye main pyar nahi de paunga !!

Tum jis shaiya par shayan karo, Veh sheer sindh si pawan ho
Jis aangan ki ho maul-shree Veh aangan kya vrandawan ho
Jin adhron ka chumban pao Veh adhar nahin ganga tat ho
Jiski chaya ban saath raho Veh vyakti nahin vanshi-vat ho
Par main vat jaisa saghan chaaon ,vistaar nahin de paunga !
Tum mujhko karna maaf main pyar nahi de paunga !!

Main tumko chand sitaron ka Saupun uphar bhala kaise
Main yayavar banjara sadhu sur-sansar bhala kaise
Main jeewan ke prashno se nata Tod, tumhare saath shubhe !
Barudi bichi dharti par kar loon Do pal pyar bhala kaise
Isliye vivash har aanson ko, satkaar nahi de paunga !
Tum mujhko karna maaf tumhe main pyar nahi de paunga !!

~ Dr. Kumar Vishwas

Pagli Ladki – Poem By Dr. Kumar Vishwas

2011-03-04T12:53:00.000+05:30

Lyrics :

Amawas ki kaali raaton mein dil ka darwaja khulta hai,
Jab dard ki pyaali raaton mein gum ansoon ke sang hote hain,
Jab pichwade ke kamre mein hum nipat akele hote hain,
Jab ghadiyan tik-tik chalti hain, sab sote hain, hum rote hain,
Jab baar baar dohrane se saari yaadein chuk jaati hain,
Jab unch-neech samjhane mein mathe ki nas dukh jaati hain,
Tab ek pagli ladki ke bin jeena gaddari lagta hai,
Aur us pagli ladki ke bin marna bhi bhari lagta hai.

Jab pothe khali hote hain, jab har sawali hote hain,
Jab gazlen raas nahin aatin, afsane gaali hote hain.
Jab baasi feeki dhoop sametein din jaldi dhal jaata hai,
Jab suraj ka laskhar chhat se galiyon mein der se jaata hai,
Jab jaldi ghar jaane ki ichha mann hi mann ghut jaati hai,
Jab college se ghar laane waali pahli bus chhut jaati hai,
Jab beman se khaana khaane par maa gussa ho jaati hai,
Jab lakh mana karne par bhi paaro padhne aa jaati hai,
Jab apna har manchaha kaam koi lachari lagta hai,
Tab ek pagli ladki ke bin jeena gaddari lagta hai,
Aur us pagli ladki ke bin marna bhi bhari lagta hai.

Jab kamre mein sannate ki awaj sunai deti hai,
Jab darpan mein aankhon ke neeche jhai dikhai deti hai,
Jab badki bhabhi kahti hain, kuchh sehat ka bhi dhyan karo,
Kya likhte ho dinbhar, kuchh sapnon ka bhi samman karo,
Jab baba waali baithak mein kuchh rishte waale aate hain,
Jab baba humein bulate hain, hum jaate hain, ghabrate hain,
Jab saari pahne ek ladki ka ek photo laya jaata hai,
Jab bhabhi humein manati hain, photo dikhlaya jaata hai,
Jab saare ghar ka samjhana humko fankari lagta hai,
Tab ek pagli ladki ke bin jeena gaddari lagta hai,
Aur us pagli ladki ke bin marna bhi bhari lagta hai.

Didi kahti hain us pagli ladki ki kuchh aukat nahin,
Uske dil mein bhaiya tere jaise pyare jasbat nahin,
Woh pagli ladki nau din mere liye bhooki rahti hai,
Chup-chup saare vrat karti hai, par mujhse kabhi na kahti hai,
Jo pagli ladki kahti hai, main pyar tumhi se karti hoon,
Lekin mein hoon majboor bahut, amma-baba se darti hoon,
Us pagli ladki par apna kuchh adhikar nahin baba,
Yeh katha-kahani kisse hain, kuchh bhi to saar nahin baba,
Bas us pagli ladki ke sang jeena fulwari lagta hai,
Aur us pagli ladki ke bhin marna bhi bhari lagta hai

~ Dr. Kumar Vishwas

Quotations II

2011-03-04T12:50:00.000+05:30

Here are some of the finest quotes :

“Failures are divided into two classes – those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought”
“Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence”
“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former”
“Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. THAT’S relativity”
“A good speech is like a miniskirt – short enough to be interesting, long enough to cover the essentials”
“There’s a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased that line”
“Math was always my bad subject. I couldn’t convince my teachers that many of my answers were meant ironically”
“Never ruin an apology with an excuse”
“America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between”
“If we think we hear, we no longer listen If we think we see, we no longer look If we think we know, we no longer search”
“There are two ways of constructing a software design. One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies. And the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies”

Quotations I

2011-03-04T12:49:00.000+05:30

Here are some of the finest quotes :

“I certainly don’t regret my experiences because without them, I couldn’t imagine who or where I would be today. Life is an amazing gift to those who have overcome great obstacles, and attitude is everything!”
“When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things.”
“Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects”
“In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is”
“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education”
“The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do”
“He used statistics the way a drunkard uses lampposts – for support, not illumination”
“A women’s dress should be like a barbed wire fence, serving its purpose without obstructing the view”
“Diplomacy: The art of letting someone have your way”
“He was a wise man who invented God”
“For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong”
“When the world says, “Give up”, Hope whispers, “Try it one more time”
“When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on”
“Politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularly and for the same reason”
“Time is what prevents everything from happening at once”

C++ Questions II

2011-03-04T12:43:00.000+05:30

Q11. Should I use NULL or 0?

Ans.

In C++, the definition of NULL is 0, so there is only an aesthetic difference. I prefer to avoid macros, so I use 0. Another problem with NULL is that people sometimes mistakenly believe that it is different from 0 and/or not an integer. In pre-standard code, NULL was/is sometimes defined to something unsuitable and therefore had/has to be avoided. That’s less common these days.

Q12. How are C++ objects laid out in memory?

Ans.

Like C, C++ doesn’t define layouts, just semantic constraints that must be met. Therefore different implementations do things differently. Basically, C++ constructs objects simply by concatenating sub objects. Thus

struct A

{

int a , b ;

} ;

is represented by two ints next to each other, and

struct B : A

{

int c;

} ;

is represented by an A followed by an int; that is, by three ints next to each other.

Virtual functions are typically implemented by adding a pointer (the vptr) to each object of a class with virtual functions. This pointer points to the appropriate table of functions (the vtbl). Each class has its own vtbl shared by all objects of that class.

Q13. What’s the value of i++ + i++?

Ans.

It’s undefined. Basically, in C and C++, if you read a variable twice in an expression where you also write it, the result is undefined. This is not a good practice. Another example is:

v[i] = i++ ;

Related example:

f ( v[i] , i++ ) ;

Here, the result is undefined because the order of evaluation of function arguments are undefined.

Having the order of evaluation undefined is claimed to yield better performing code. Compilers could warn about such examples, which are typically subtle bugs (or potential subtle bugs).

Q14. What is a function object?

Ans.

A function object is a more general concept than a function because a function object can have state that persist across several calls (like a static local variable) and can be initialized and examined from outside the object (unlike a static local variable). For example:

class Sum

{

int val;
public:

Sum ( int i ) : val ( i ) { }
operator int () const { return val ; } // extract value

int operator () ( int i ) { return val += i ; } // application

} ;

void f ( vector <int> v )
{

Sum s = 0 ; // initial value 0
s = for_each ( v.begin(), v.end(), s ) ; // gather the sum of all elements
cout << “the sum is ” << s << “\n” ;

// or even:
cout << “the sum is ” << for_each ( v.begin(), v.end(), Sum(0) ) << “\n” ;

}

Note that a function object with an inline application operator inlines beautifully because there are no pointers involved that might confuse optimizers. To contrast: current optimizers are rarely ( never? ) able to inline a call through a pointer to function.

Function objects are extensively used to provide flexibility in the standard library.

Q15. Why can’t I resume after catching an exception?

Ans.

In other words, why doesn’t C++ provide a primitive for returning to the point from which an exception was thrown and continuing execution from there?

Basically, someone resuming from an exception handler can never be sure that the code after the point of throw was written to deal with the execution just continuing as if nothing had happened. An exception handler cannot know how much context to “get right” before resuming. To get such code right, the writer of the throw and the writer of the catch need intimate knowledge of each others code and context. This creates a complicated mutual dependency that wherever it has been allowed has led to serious maintenance problems.

If you want to check to see if you can fix a problem before throwing an exception, call a function that checks and then throws only if the problem cannot be dealt with locally. A new_handler is an example of this.

C++ Questions I

2011-03-04T12:42:00.001+05:30

Q1. What is the output of printf ( “%d” ) ?

Ans.

%d helps to read integer data type of a given variable.
When we write ( “%d”, x ) compiler will print the value of x assumed in the main but nothing after ( “%d” ) so the output will be a garbage value.

Q2. Explain the need for a virtual destructor.

Ans.

Destructor for the base parts are invoked automatically.
We might delete a ptr to the base type that actually points to a derived object, if we delete a ptr to base then the base class destructor is executed and the members of the base class are cleared up. If the object is a derived type then the behavior is undefined. To ensure that the proper destructor is invoked the destructor must be virtual in the base class.

Q3. What is Mutable keyword ?

Ans.

Mutable keyword is the key to make exceptions to const objects.
Mutable data member is allowed to change during a const member function.
Mutable data member is never a const even when it is a member of a const object.
A const member function may change a mutable member.

Q4. Why is the size of an empty class not zero?

Ans.

To ensure that the addresses of two different objects will be different. For the same reason, “new” always returns pointers to distinct objects. Consider:

class Empty { };
void f()
{
Empty a, b;
if (&a == &b) cout << “impossible: report error to compiler supplier”;
Empty* p1 = new Empty;
Empty* p2 = new Empty;
if (p1 == p2) cout << “impossible: report error to compiler supplier”;
}

There is an interesting rule that says that an empty base class need not be represented by a separate byte:

struct X : Empty {
int a;
// …
};
void f(X* p)
{
void* p1 = p;
void* p2 = &p->a;
if (p1 == p2) cout << “nice: good optimizer”;
}

This optimization is safe and can be most useful. It allows a programmer to use empty classes to represent very simple concepts without overhead. Some current compilers provide this “empty base class optimization”.

Q5. Why are member functions not virtual by default?

Ans.

Because many classes are not designed to be used as base classes. Also, objects of a class with a virtual function require space needed by the virtual function call mechanism – typically one word per object. This overhead can be significant, and can get in the way of layout compatibility with data from other languages (e.g. C and Fortran).

Q6. Why are destructors not virtual by default?

Ans.

Because many classes are not designed to be used as base classes. Virtual functions make sense only in classes meant to act as interfaces to objects of derived classes (typically allocated on a heap and accessed through pointers or references).

So when should I declare a destructor virtual? Whenever the class has at least one virtual function. Having virtual functions indicate that a class is meant to act as an interface to derived classes, and when it is, an object of a derived class may be destroyed through a pointer to the base. For example:

class Base {
// …
virtual ~Base();
};

class Derived : public Base {
// …
~Derived();
};

void f()
{
Base* p = new Derived;
delete p; // virtual destructor used to ensure that ~Derived is called
}

Had Base’s destructor not been virtual, Derived’s destructor would not have been called – with likely bad effects, such as resources owned by Derived not being freed.

Q7. Why don’t we have virtual constructors?

Ans.

A virtual call is a mechanism to get work done given partial information. In particular, “virtual” allows us to call a function knowing only an interfaces and not the exact type of the object. To create an object you need complete information. In particular, you need to know the exact type of what you want to create. Consequently, a “call to a constructor” cannot be virtual.

Techniques for using an indirection when you ask to create an object are often referred to as “Virtual constructors”.

For example, here is a technique for generating an object of an appropriate type using an abstract class:

struct F { // interface to object creation functions
virtual A* make_an_A() const = 0;
virtual B* make_a_B() const = 0;
};

void user(const F& fac)
{
A* p = fac.make_an_A(); // make an A of the appropriate type
B* q = fac.make_a_B(); // make a B of the appropriate type
// …
}

struct FX : F {
A* make_an_A() const { return new AX(); } // AX is derived from A
B* make_a_B() const { return new BX(); } // BX is derived from B
};

struct FY : F {
A* make_an_A() const { return new AY(); } // AY is derived from A
B* make_a_B() const { return new BY(); } // BY is derived from B
};

int main()
{
FX x;
FY y;
user(x); // this user makes AXs and BXs
user(y); // this user makes AYs and BYs

user(FX()); // this user makes AXs and BXs
user(FY()); // this user makes AYs and BYs
// …
}

This is a variant of what is often called “the factory pattern”. The point is that user() is completely isolated from knowledge of classes such as AX and AY.

Q8. Can I call a virtual function from a constructor?

Ans.

Yes, but be careful. It may not do what you expect. In a constructor, the virtual call mechanism is disabled because overriding from derived classes hasn’t yet happened. Objects are constructed from the base up, “base before derived”.

Consider:

#include<string>
#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

class B {
public:
B(const string& ss) { cout << “B constructor\n”; f(ss); }
virtual void f(const string&) { cout << “B::f\n”;}
};

class D : public B {
public:
D(const string & ss) :B(ss) { cout << “D constructor\n”;}
void f(const string& ss) { cout << “D::f\n”; s = ss; }
private:
string s;
};

int main()
{
D d(“Hello”);
}

the program compiles and produce

B constructor
B::f
D constructor

Note not D::f. Consider what would happen if the rule were different so that D::f() was called from B::B(): Because the constructor D::D() hadn’t yet been run, D::f() would try to assign its argument to an uninitialized string s. The result would most likely be an immediate crash.

Destruction is done “derived class before base class”, so virtual functions behave as in constructors: Only the local definitions are used – and no calls are made to overriding functions to avoid touching the (now destroyed) derived class part of the object.

It has been suggested that this rule is an implementation artifact. It is not so. In fact, it would be noticeably easier to implement the unsafe rule of calling virtual functions from constructors exactly as from other functions. However, that would imply that no virtual function could be written to rely on invariants established by base classes. That would be a terrible mess.

Q9. Is there a “placement delete”?

Ans.

No, but if you need one you can write your own.

Consider placement new used to place objects in a set of arenas

class Arena {
public:
void* allocate(size_t);
void deallocate(void*);
// …
};

void* operator new(size_t sz, Arena& a)
{
return a.allocate(sz);
}

Arena a1(some arguments);
Arena a2(some arguments);

Given that, we can write

X* p1 = new(a1) X;
Y* p2 = new(a1) Y;
Z* p3 = new(a2) Z;
// …

But how can we later delete those objects correctly? The reason that there is no built-in “placement delete” to match placement new is that there is no general way of assuring that it would be used correctly. Nothing in the C++ type system allows us to deduce that p1 points to an object allocated in Arena a1. A pointer to any X allocated anywhere can be assigned to p1.

However, sometimes the programmer does know, and there is a way:

template<class T> void destroy(T* p, Arena& a)
{
if (p) {
p->~T(); // explicit destructor call
a.deallocate(p);
}
}

Now, we can write:

destroy(p1,a1);
destroy(p2,a2);
destroy(p3,a3);

If an Arena keeps track of what objects it holds, you can even write destroy() to defend itself against mistakes.

It is also possible to define a matching operator new() and operator delete() pairs for a class hierarchy.

Q10. Does “friend” violate encapsulation?

Ans.

No. It does not. “Friend” is an explicit mechanism for granting access, just like membership. You cannot (in a standard conforming program) grant yourself access to a class without modifying its source. For example:

class X {
int i;
public:
void m(); // grant X::m() access
friend void f(X&); // grant f(X&) access
// …
};

void X::m() { i++; /* X::m() can access X::i */ }

void f(X& x) { x.i++; /* f(X&) can access X::i */ }

SRI CHANAKYA NITI SHASTRA

2011-01-19T15:08:00.000+05:30

THE POLITICAL ETHICS OF CHANAKYA PANDIT

CHAPTER ONE

1. Humbly bowing down before the almighty Lord Sri Vishnu, the Lord of the three worlds, I recite maxims of the science of political ethics (niti) selected from the various satras (scriptures).

2. That man who by the study of these maxims from the satras acquires a knowledge of the most celebrated principles of duty, and understands what ought and what ought not to be followed, and what is good and what is bad, is most excellent.

3. Therefore with an eye to the public good, I shall speak that which, when understood, will lead to an understanding of things in their proper perspective.

4. Even a pandit comes to grief by giving instruction to a foolish disciple, by maintaining a wicked wife, and by excessive familiarity with the miserable.

5. A wicked wife, a false friend, a saucy servant and living in a house with a serpent in it are nothing but death.

6. One should save his money against hard times, save his wife at the sacrifice of his riches, but invariably one should save his soul even at the sacrifice of his wife and riches.

7. Save your wealth against future calamity. Do not say, “What fear has a rich man, of calamity?” When riches begin to forsake one even the accumulated stock dwindles away.

8. Do not inhabit a country where you are not respected, cannot earn your livelihood, have no friends, or cannot acquire knowledge.

9. Do not stay for a single day where there are not these five persons: a wealthy man, a brahmin well versed in Vedic lore, a king, a river and a physician.

10. Wise men should never go into a country where there are no means of earning one’s livelihood, where the people have no dread of anybody, have no sense of shame, no intelligence, or a charitable disposition.

11. Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune.

12. He is a true friend who does not forsake us in time of need, misfortune, famine, or war, in a king’s court, or at the crematorium (smasana).

13. He who gives up what is imperishable for that which is perishable, loses that which is imperishable; and doubtlessly loses that which is perishable also.

14. A wise man should marry a virgin of a respectable family even if she is deformed. He should not marry one of a low-class family, through beauty. Marriage in a family of equal status is preferable.

15. Do not put your trust in rivers, men who carry weapons, beasts with claws or horns, women, and members of a royal family.

16. Even from poison extract nectar, wash and take back gold if it has fallen in filth, receive the highest knowledge (Krsna consciousness) from a low born person; so also a girl possessing virtuous qualities (stri-ratna) even if she were born in a disreputable family.

17. Women have hunger two-fold, shyness four-fold, daring six-fold, and lust eight-fold as compared to men.

CHAPTER TWO

1. Untruthfulness, rashness, guile, stupidity, avarice, uncleanliness and cruelty are a woman’s seven natural flaws.

2. To have ability for eating when dishes are ready at hand, to be robust and virile in the company of one’s religiously wedded wife, and to have a mind for making charity when one is prosperous are the fruits of no ordinary austerities.

3. He whose son is obedient to him, whose wife’s conduct is in accordance with his wishes, and who is content with his riches, has his heaven here on earth.

4. They alone are sons who are devoted to their father. He is a father who supports his sons. He is a friend in whom we can confide, and she only is a wife in whose company the husband feels contented and peaceful.

5. Avoid him who talks sweetly before you but tries to ruin you behind your back, for he is like a pitcher of poison with milk on top.

6. Do not put your trust in a bad companion nor even trust an ordinary friend, for if he should get angry with you, he may bring all your secrets to light.

7. Do not reveal what you have thought upon doing, but by wise counsel keep it secret, being determined to carry it into execution.

8. Foolishness is indeed painful, and verily so is youth, but more painful by far than either is being obliged in another person’s house.

9. There does not exist a pearl in every mountain, nor a pearl in the head of every elephant; neither are the sadhus to be found everywhere, nor sandal trees in every forest.[Note: Only elephants in royal palaces are seen decorated with pearls (precious stones) on their heads].

10. Wise men should always bring up their sons in various moral ways, for children who have knowledge of niti-sastra and are well behaved become a glory to their family.

11. Those parents who do not educate their sons are their enemies; for as is a crane among swans, so are ignorant sons in a public assembly.

12. Many a bad habit is developed through over indulgence, and many a good one by chastisement, therefore beat your son as well as your pupil; never indulge them. (“Spare the rod and spoil the child.”)

13. Let not a single day pass without your learning a verse, half a verse, or a fourth of it, or even one letter of it; nor without attending to charity, study and other pious activity.

14. Separation from the wife, disgrace from one’s own people, an enemy saved in battle, service to a wicked king, poverty, and a mismanaged assembly: these six kinds of evils, if afflicting a person, burn him even without fire.

15. Trees on a riverbank, a woman in another man’s house, and kings without counsellors go without doubt to swift destruction.

16. A brahmin’s strength is in his learning, a king’s strength is in his army, a vaishya’s strength is in his wealth and a shudra’s strength is in his attitude of service.

17. The prostitute has to forsake a man who has no money, the subject a king that cannot defend him, the birds a tree that bears no fruit, and the guests a house after they have finished their meals.

18. Brahmins quit their patrons after receiving alms from them, scholars leave their teachers after receiving education from them, and animals desert a forest that has been burnt down.

19. He who befriends a man whose conduct is vicious, whose vision impure, and who is notoriously crooked, is rapidly ruined.

20. Friendship between equals flourishes, service under a king is respectable, it is good to be business-minded in public dealings, and a handsome lady is safe in her own home.

CHAPTER THREE

1. In this world, whose family is there without blemish? Who is free from sickness and grief? Who is forever happy?

2. A man’s descent may be discerned by his conduct, his country by his pronunciation of language, his friendship by his warmth and glow, and his capacity to eat by his body.

3. Give your daughter in marriage to a good family, engage your son in learning, see that your enemy comes to grief, and engage your friends in dharma. (Krsna consciousness).

4. Of a rascal and a serpent, the serpent is the better of the two, for he strikes only at the time he is destined to kill, while the former at every step.

5. Therefore kings gather round themselves men of good families, for they never forsake them either at the beginning, the middle or the end.

6. At the time of the pralaya (universal destruction) the oceans are to exceed their limits and seek to change, but a saintly man never changes.

7. Do not keep company with a fool for as we can see he is a two-legged beast. Like an unseen thorn he pierces the heart with his sharp words.

8. Though men be endowed with beauty and youth and born in noble families, yet without education they are like the palasa flower, which is void of sweet fragrance.

9. The beauty of a cuckoo is in its notes, that of a woman in her unalloyed devotion to her husband, that of an ugly person in his scholarship, and that of an ascetic in his forgiveness.

10. Give up a member to save a family, a family to save a village, a village to save a country, and the country to save yourself.

11. There is no poverty for the industrious. Sin does not attach itself to the person practicing japa (chanting of the holy names of the Lord). Those who are absorbed in maunam (silent contemplation of the Lord) have no quarrel with others. They are fearless who remain always alert.

12. What is too heavy for the strong and what place is too distant for those who put forth effort?

13. What country is foreign to a man of true learning? Who can be inimical to one who speaks pleasingly?

14. As a whole forest becomes fragrant by the existence of a single tree with sweet-smelling blossoms in it, so a family becomes famous by the birth of a virtuous son.

15. As a single withered tree, if set aflame, causes a whole forest to burn, so does a rascal son destroy a whole family.

16. As night looks delightful when the moon shines, so is a family gladdened by even one learned and virtuous son.

17. What is the use of having many sons if they cause grief and vexation? It is better to have only one son from whom the whole family can derive support and peacefulness.

18. Fondle a son until he is five years of age, and use the stick for another ten years, but when he has attained his sixteenth year treat him as a friend.

19. He who runs away from a fearful calamity, a foreign invasion, a terrible famine, and the companionship of wicked men is safe.

20. He who has not acquired one of the following: religious merit (dharma), wealth (artha), satisfaction of desires (kama), or liberation (moksa) is repeatedly born to die.

21. Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, comes of Her own accord where fools are not respected, grain is well stored up, and the husband and wife do not quarrel.

CHAPTER FOUR

1. These five: the life span, the type of work, wealth, learning and the time of one’s death are determined while one is in the womb.

2. Offspring, friends and relatives flee from a devotee of the Lord: yet those who follow him bring merit to their families through their devotion.

3. Fish, tortoises, and birds bring up their young by means of sight, attention and touch; so do saintly men afford protection to their associates by the same means.

4. As long as your body is healthy and under control and death is distant, try to save your soul; when death is imminent what can you do?

5. Learning is like a cow of desire. It, like her, yields in all seasons. Like a mother, it feeds you on your journey. Therefore learning is a hidden treasure.

6. A single son endowed with good qualities is far better than a hundred devoid of them. For the moon, though one, dispels the darkness, which the stars, though numerous, cannot.

7. A stillborn son is superior to a foolish son endowed with a long life. The first causes grief for but a moment while the latter like a blazing fire consumes his parents in grief for life.

8. Residing in a small village devoid of proper living facilities, serving a person born of a low family, unwholesome food, a frowning wife, a foolish son, and a widowed daughter burn the body without fire.

9. What good is a cow that neither gives milk nor conceives? Similarly, what is the value of the birth of a son if he becomes neither learned nor a pure devotee of the Lord?

10. When one is consumed by the sorrows of life, three things give him relief: offspring, a wife, and the company of the Lord’s devotees.

11. Kings speak for once, men of learning once, and the daughter is given in marriage once. All these things happen once and only once.

12. Religious austerities should be practiced alone, study by two, and singing by three. A journey should be undertaken by four, agriculture by five, and war by many together.

13. She is a true wife who is clean (suci), expert, chaste, pleasing to the husband, and truthful.

14. The house of a childless person is a void, all directions are void to one who has no relatives, the heart of a fool is also void, but to a poverty-stricken man all is void.

15. Scriptural lessons not put into practice are poison; a meal is poison to him who suffers from indigestion; a social gathering is poison to a poverty-stricken person; and a young wife is poison to an aged man.

16. That man who is without religion and mercy should be rejected. A guru without spiritual knowledge should be rejected. The wife with an offensive face should be given up, and so should relatives who are without affection.

17. Constant travel brings old age upon a man; a horse becomes old by being constantly tied up; lack of sexual contact with her husband brings old age upon a woman; and garments become old through being left in the sun.

18. Consider again and again the following: the right time, the right friends, the right place, the right means of income, the right ways of spending, and from whom you derive your power.

19. For the twice born the fire (Agni) is a representative of God. The Supreme Lord resides in the heart of His devotees. Those of average intelligence (alpa-buddhi or kanista-adhikari) see God only in His sri-murti, but those of broad vision see the Supreme Lord everywhere.

CHAPTER FIVE

1. Agni is the worshipable person for the twice born; the brahmana for the other castes; the husband for the wife; and the guest who comes for food at the midday meal for all.

2. As gold is tested in four ways by rubbing, cutting, heating and beating — so a man should be tested by these four things: his renunciation, his conduct, his qualities and his actions.

3. A thing may be dreaded as long as it has not overtaken you, but once it has come upon you, try to get rid of it without hesitation.

4. Though persons be born from the same womb and under the same stars, they do not become alike in disposition as the thousand fruits of the badari tree.

5. He whose hands are clean does not like to hold an office; he who desires nothing cares not for bodily decorations; he who is only partially educated cannot speak agreeably; and he who speaks out plainly cannot be a deceiver.

6. The learned are envied by the foolish; rich men by the poor; chaste women by adulteresses; and beautiful ladies by ugly ones.

7. Indolent application ruins study; money is lost when entrusted to others; a farmer who sows his seed sparsely is ruined; and an army is lost for want of a commander.

8. Learning is retained through putting into practice; family prestige is maintained through good behaviour; a respectable person is recognised by his excellent qualities; and anger is seen in the eyes.

9. Religion is preserved by wealth; knowledge by diligent practice; a king by conciliatory words; and a home by a dutiful housewife.

10. Those who blaspheme Vedic wisdom, who ridicule the life style recommended in the satras, and who deride men of peaceful temperament, come to grief unnecessarily.

11. Charity puts and end to poverty; righteous conduct to misery; discretion to ignorance; and scrutiny to fear.

12. There is no disease (so destructive) as lust; no enemy like infatuation; no fire like wrath; and no happiness like spiritual knowledge.

13. A man is born alone and dies alone; and he experiences the good and bad consequences of his karma alone; and he goes alone to hell or the Supreme abode.

14. Heaven is but a straw to him who knows spiritual life (Krsna consciousness); so is life to a valiant man; a woman to him who has subdued his senses; and the universe to him who is without attachment for the world.

15. Learning is a friend on the journey; a wife in the house; medicine in sickness; and religious merit is the only friend after death.

16. Rain which falls upon the sea is useless; so is food for one who is satiated; in vain is a gift for one who is wealthy; and a burning lamp during the daytime is useless.

17. There is no water like rainwater; no strength like one’s own; no light like that of the eyes; and no wealth more dear than food grain.

18. The poor wish for wealth; animals for the faculty of speech; men wish for heaven; and godly persons for liberation.

19. The earth is supported by the power of truth; it is the power of truth that makes the sunshine and the winds blow; indeed all things rest upon truth.

20. The Goddess of wealth is unsteady (chanchala), and so is the life breath. The duration of life is uncertain, and the place of habitation is uncertain; but in all this inconsistent world religious merit alone is immovable.

21. Among men the barber is cunning; among birds the crow; among beasts the jackal; and among women, the malin (flower girl).

22. These five are your fathers; he who gave you birth, girdled you with sacred thread, teaches you, provides you with food, and protects you from fearful situations.

23. These five should be considered as mothers; the king’s wife, the preceptor’s wife, the friend’s wife, your wife’s mother, and your own mother.

CHAPTER SIX

1. By means of hearing one understands dharma, malignity vanishes, knowledge is acquired, and liberation from material bondage is gained.

2. Among birds the crow is vile; among beasts the dog; the ascetic whose sins is abominable, but he who blasphemes others is the worst chandala.

3. Brass is polished by ashes; copper is cleaned by tamarind; a woman, by her menses; and a river by its flow.

4. The king, the brahmana, and the ascetic yogi who go abroad are respected; but the woman who wanders is utterly ruined.

5. He who has wealth has friends. He who is wealthy has relatives. The rich one alone is called a man, and the affluent alone are respected as pandits.

6. As is the desire of Providence, so functions one’s intellect; one’s activities are also controlled by Providence; and by the will of Providence one is surrounded by helpers.

7. Time perfects all living beings as well as kills them; it alone is awake when all others are asleep. Time is insurmountable.

8. Those born blind cannot see; similarly blind are those in the grip of lust. Proud men have no perception of evil; and those bent on acquiring riches see no sin in their actions.

9. The spirit soul goes through his own course of karma and he himself suffers the good and bad results thereby accrued. By his own actions he entangles himself in samsara, and by his own efforts he extricates himself.

10. The king is obliged to accept the sins of his subjects; the purohit (priest) suffers for those of the king; a husband suffers for those of his wife; and the guru suffers for those of his pupils.

11. A father who is a chronic debtor, an adulterous mother, a beautiful wife, and an unlearned son are enemies ( in one’s own home).

12. Conciliate a covetous man by means of a gift, an obstinate man with folded hands in salutation, a fool by humouring him, and a learned man by truthful words.

13. It is better to be without a kingdom than to rule over a petty one; better to be without a friend than to befriend a rascal; better to be without a disciple than to have a stupid one; and better to be without a wife than to have a bad one.

14. How can people be made happy in a petty kingdom? What peace can we expect from a rascal friend? What happiness can we have at home in the company of a bad wife? How can renown be gained by instructing an unworthy disciple?

15. Learn one thing from a lion; one from a crane; four a cock; five from a crow; six from a dog; and three from an ass.

16. The one excellent thing that can be learned from a lion is that whatever a man intends doing should be done by him with a whole-hearted and strenuous effort.

17. The wise man should restrain his senses like the crane and accomplish his purpose with due knowledge of his place, time and ability.

18. To wake at the proper time; to take a bold stand and fight; to make a fair division (of property) among relations; and to earn one’s own bread by personal exertion are the four excellent things to be learned from a cock.

19. Union in privacy (with one’s wife); boldness; storing away useful items; watchfulness; and not easily trusting others; these five things are to be learned from a crow.

20. Contentment with little or nothing to eat although one may have a great appetite; to awaken instantly although one may be in a deep slumber; unflinching devotion to the master; and bravery; these six qualities should be learned from the dog.

21. Although an ass is tired, he continues to carry his burden; he is unmindful of cold and heat; and he is always contented; these three things should be learned from the ass.

22. He who shall practice these twenty virtues shall become invincible in all his undertakings.

CHAPTER SEVEN

1. A wise man should not reveal his loss of wealth, the vexation of his mind, the misconduct of his own wife, base words spoken by others, and disgrace that has befallen him.

2. He who gives up shyness in monetary dealings, in acquiring knowledge, in eating and in business, becomes happy.

3. The happiness and peace attained by those satisfied by the nectar of spiritual tranquillity is not attained by greedy persons restlessly moving here and there.

4. One should feel satisfied with the following three things; his own wife, food given by Providence and wealth acquired by honest effort; but one should never feel satisfied with the following three; study, chanting the holy names of the Lord (japa) and charity.

5. Do not pass between two brahmanas, between a brahmana and his sacrificial fire, between a wife and her husband, a master and his servant, and a plough and an ox.

6. Do not let your foot touch fire, the spiritual master or a brahmana; it must never touch a cow, a virgin, an old person or a child.

7. Keep one thousand cubits away from an elephant, a hundred from a horse, ten from a horned beast, but keep away from the wicked by leaving the country.

8. An elephant is controlled by a goad (ankusha), a horse by a slap of the hand, a horned animal with the show of a stick, and a rascal with a sword.

9. Brahmanas find satisfaction in a good meal, peacocks in the peal of thunder, a sadhu in seeing the prosperity of others, and the wicked in the misery of others.

10. Conciliate a strong man by submission, a wicked man by opposition, and the one whose power is equal to yours by politeness or force.

11. The power of a king lies in his mighty arms; that of a brahmana in his spiritual knowledge; and that of a woman in her beauty youth and sweet words.

12. Do not be very upright in your dealings for you would see by going to the forest that straight trees are cut down while crooked ones are left standing.

13. Swans live wherever there is water, and leave the place where water dries up; let not a man act so — and comes and goes as he pleases.

14. Accumulated wealth is saved by spending just as incoming fresh water is saved by letting out stagnant water.

15. He who has wealth has friends and relations; he alone survives and is respected as a man.

16. The following four characteristics of the denizens of heaven may be seen in the residents of this earth planet; charity, sweet words, worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and satisfying the needs of brahmanas.

17. The following qualities of the denizens of hell may characterise men on earth; extreme wrath, harsh speech, enmity with one’s relations, the company with the base, and service to men of low extraction.

18. By going to the den of a lion pearls from the head of an elephant may be obtained; but by visiting the hole of a jackal nothing but the tail of a calf or a bit of the hide of an ass may be found.

19. The life of an uneducated man is as useless as the tail of a dog, which neither covers its rear end, nor protects it from the bites of insects.

20. Purity of speech, of the mind, of the senses, and a compassionate heart are needed by one who desires to rise to the divine platform.

21. As you seek fragrance in a flower, oil in the sesamum seed, fire in wood, ghee (butter) in milk, and jaggery (guda) in sugarcane; so seek the spirit that is in the body by means of discrimination.

CHAPTER EIGHT

1. Low class men desire wealth; middle class men both wealth and respect; but the noble, honour only; hence honour is the noble man’s true wealth.

2. The lamp eats up the darkness and therefore it produces blackened lamp; in the same way according to the nature of our diet (sattva, rajas, or tamas) we produce offspring in similar quality.

3. O wise man! Give your wealth only to the worthy and never to others. The water of the sea received by the clouds is always sweet. The rainwater enlivens all living beings of the earth both movable (insects, animals, humans, etc.) and immovable (plants, trees, etc.), and then returns to the ocean where its value is multiplied a million fold.

4. The wise who discern the essence of things have declared that the yavana (meat eater) is equal in baseness to a thousand candalas (the lowest class), and hence a yavana is the basest of men; indeed there is no one more base.

5. After having rubbed oil on the body, after encountering the smoke from a funeral pyre, after sexual intercourse, and after being shaved, one remains a chandala until he bathes.

6. Water is the medicine for indigestion; it is invigorating when the food that is eaten is well digested; it is like nectar when drunk in the middle of a dinner; and it is like poison when taken at the end of a meal.

7. Knowledge is lost without putting it into practice; a man is lost due to ignorance; an army is lost without a commander; and a woman is lost without a husband.

8. A man who encounters the following three is unfortunate; the death of his wife in his old age, the entrusting of money into the hands of relatives, and depending upon others for food.

9. Chanting of the Vedas without making ritualistic sacrifices to the Supreme Lord through the medium of Agni, and sacrifices not followed by bountiful gifts are futile. Perfection can be achieved only through devotion (to the Supreme Lord) for devotion is the basis of all success.

10. There is no austerity equal to a balanced mind, and there is no happiness equal to contentment; there is no disease like covetousness, and no virtue like mercy.

11. Anger is a personification of Yama (the demigod of death); thirst is like the hellish river Vaitarani; knowledge is like a kamadhenu (the cow of plenty); and contentment is like Nandanavana (the garden of Indra).

12. Moral excellence is an ornament for personal beauty; righteous conduct, for high birth; success for learning; and proper spending for wealth.

13. Beauty is spoiled by an immoral nature; noble birth by bad conduct; learning, without being perfected; and wealth by not being properly utilised.

14. Water seeping into the earth is pure; and a devoted wife is pure; the king who is the benefactor of his people is pure; and pure is the brahmana who is contented.

15. Discontented brahmanas, contented kings, shy prostitutes, and immodest housewives are ruined.

16. Of what avail is a high birth if a person is destitute of scholarship? A man who is of low extraction is honoured even by the demigods if he is learned.

17. A learned man is honoured by the people. A learned man commands respect everywhere for his learning. Indeed, learning is honoured everywhere.

18. Those who are endowed with beauty and youth and who are born of noble families are worthless if they have no learning. They are just like the kimshuka blossoms ( flowers of the palasa tree) which, though beautiful, have no fragrance.

19. The earth is encumbered with the weight of the flesh-eaters, wine-bibblers, dolts (dull and stupid) and blockheads, who are beasts in the form of men.

20. There is no enemy like a yajna (sacrifice) which consumes the kingdom when not attended by feeding on a large scale; consumes the priest when the chanting is not done properly; and consumes the yajaman (the responsible person) when the gifts are not made.

CHAPTER NINE

1. My dear child, if you desire to be free from the cycle of birth and death, then abandon the objects of sense gratification as poison. Drink instead the nectar of forbearance, upright conduct, mercy, cleanliness and truth.

2. Those base men who speak of the secret faults of others destroy themselves like serpents that stray onto anthills.

3. Perhaps nobody has advised Lord Brahma, the creator, to impart perfume to gold; fruit to the sugarcane; flowers to the sandalwood tree; wealth to the learned; and long life to the king.

4. Nectar (amrita) is the best among medicines; eating good food is the best of all types of material happiness; the eye is the chief among all organs; and the head occupies the chief position among all parts of the body.

5. No messenger can travel about in the sky and no tidings come from there. The voice of its inhabitants is never heard, nor can any contact be established with them. Therefore the brahmana who predicts the eclipse of the sun and moon, which occur in the sky, must be considered as a vidwan (man of great learning).

6. The student, the servant, the traveller, the hungry person, the frightened man, the treasury guard, and the steward: these seven ought to be awakened if they fall asleep.

7. The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child, the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought not to be awakened from sleep.

8. Of those who have studied the Vedas for material rewards, and those who accept foodstuffs offered by shudras, what potency have they? They are just like serpents without fangs.

9. He who neither rouses fear by his anger, nor confers a favour when he is pleased can neither control nor protect. What can he do?

10. The serpent may, without being poisonous, raise high its hood, but the show of terror is enough to frighten people — whether he be venomous or not.

11. Wise men spend their mornings in discussing gambling, the afternoon discussing the activities of women, and the night hearing about the activities of theft. (The first item above refers to the gambling of King Yudhisthira, the great devotee of Krsna. The second item refers to the glorious deeds of mother Sita, the consort of Lord Ramachandra. The third item hints at the adorable childhood pastimes of Sri Krsna who stole butter from the elderly cowherd ladies of Gokula. Hence Chanakya Pandita advises wise persons to spend the morning absorbed in Mahabharata, the afternoon studying Ramayana, and the evening devotedly hearing the Srimad-Bhagvatam).

12. By preparing a garland for a Deity with one’s own hand; by grinding sandal paste for the Lord with one’s own hand; and by writing sacred texts with one’s own hand — one becomes blessed with opulence equal to that of Indra.

13. Poverty is set off by fortitude; shabby garments by keeping them clean; bad food by warming it; and ugliness by good behavior.

CHAPTER TEN

1. One destitute of wealth is not destitute, he is indeed rich (if he is learned); but the man devoid of learning is destitute in every way.

2. We should carefully scrutinise that place upon which we step (having it ascertained to be free from filth and living creatures like insects, etc.); we should drink water, which has been filtered (through a clean cloth); we should speak only those words, which have the sanction of the satras; and do that act which we have carefully considered.

3. He who desires sense gratification must give up all thoughts of acquiring knowledge; and he who seeks knowledge must not hope for sense gratification. How can he who seeks sense gratification acquire knowledge, and he who possesses knowledge enjoy mundane sense pleasure?

4. What is it that escapes the observation of poets? What is that act women are incapable of doing? What will drunken people not prate? What will not a crow eat?

5. Fate makes a beggar a king and a king a beggar. He makes a rich man poor and a poor man rich.

6. The beggar is a miser’s enemy; the wise counsellor is the fool’s enemy; her husband is an adulterous wife’s enemy; and the moon is the enemy of the thief.

7. Those who are destitute of learning, penance, knowledge, good disposition, virtue and benevolence are brutes wandering the earth in the form of men. They are burdensome to the earth.

8. Those that are empty-minded cannot be benefited by instruction. Bamboo does not acquire the quality of sandalwood by being associated with the Malaya Mountain.

9. What good can the scriptures do to a man who has no sense of his own? Of what use is as mirror to a blind man?

10. Nothing can reform a bad man, just as the posteriors cannot become a superior part of the body though washed one hundred times.

11. By offending a kinsman, life is lost; by offending others, wealth is lost; by offending the king, everything is lost; and by offending a brahmana (Brahmin) one’s whole family is ruined.

12. It is better to live under a tree in a jungle inhabited by tigers and elephants, to maintain oneself in such a place with ripe fruits and spring water, to lie down on grass and to wear the ragged barks of trees than to live amongst one’s relations when reduced to poverty.

13. The brahmana (Brahmin) is like a tree; his prayers are the roots, his chanting of the Vedas are the branches, and his religious acts are the leaves. Consequently effort should be made to preserve his roots for if the roots are destroyed there can be no branches or leaves.

14. My mother is Kamala devi (Lakshmi), my father is Lord Janardana (Vishnu), my kinsmen are the Vishnu-bhaktas (Vaisnavas) and, my homeland is all the three worlds.

15. (Through the night) a great many kinds of birds perch on a tree but in the morning they fly in all the ten directions. Why should we lament for that? (Similarly, we should not grieve when we must inevitably part company from our dear ones).

16. He who possesses intelligence is strong; how can the man that is unintelligent be powerful? The elephant of the forest having lost his senses by intoxication was tricked into a lake by a small rabbit. (This verse refers to a famous story from the niti-sastra called pancatantra compiled by the pandit Vishnusharma 2500 years ago).

17. Why should I be concerned for my maintenance while absorbed in praising the glories of Lord Vishwambhara (Vishnu), the supporter of all? Without the grace of Lord Hari, how could milk flow from a mother’s breast for a child’s nourishment? Repeatedly thinking only in this way, O Lord of the Yadus, O husband of Lakshmi, all my time is spent in serving Your lotus feet.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

1. Generosity, pleasing address, courage and propriety of conduct are not acquired, but are inbred qualities.

2. He who forsakes his own community and joins another perishes as the king who embraces an unrighteous path.

3. The elephant has a huge body but is controlled by the ankusha (goad): yet, is the goad as large as the elephant? A lighted candle banishes darkness: is the candle as vast as the darkness. A mountain is broken even by a thunderbolt: is the thunderbolt therefore as big as the mountain? No, he whose power prevails is really mighty; what is there in bulk?

4. He who is engrossed in family life will never acquire knowledge; there can be no mercy in the eater of flesh; the greedy man will not be truthful; and purity will not be found in a woman or a hunter.

5. The wicked man will not attain sanctity even if he is instructed in different ways, and the nim tree will not become sweet even if it is sprinkled from the top to the roots with milk and ghee.

6. Mental dirt cannot be washed away even by one-hundred baths in the sacred waters, just as a wine pot cannot be purified even by evaporating all the wine by fire.

7. It is not strange if a man reviles a thing of which he has no knowledge, just as a wild hunter’s wife throws away the pearl that is found in the head of an elephant, and picks up a gunj (a type of seed which poor tribals wear as ornaments).

8. He who for one year eats his meals silently (inwardly meditating upon the Lord’s prasadam); attains to the heavenly planets for a thousand crore of years. ( Note: one crore equals ten million)

9. The student (brahmacari) should completely renounce the following eight things — his lust, anger, greed, desire for sweets, sense of decorating the body, excessive curiosity, excessive sleep, and excessive endeavour for bodily maintenance.

10. He alone is a true brahmana (dvija or “twice-born”) who is satisfied with one meal a day, who has the six samskaras (or acts of purification such as garbhadhana, etc.) performed for him, and who cohabits with his wife only once in a month on an auspicious day after her menses.

11. The brahmana who is engrossed in worldly affairs, brings up cows and is engaged in trade is really called a vaishya.

12. The brahmana who deals in lac-die, articles, oil, indigo, silken cloth, honey, clarified butter, liquor, and flesh is called a shudra.

13. The brahmana who thwarts the doings of others, who is hypocritical, selfish, and a deceitful hater, and while speaking mildly cherishes cruelty in his heart, is called a cat.

14. The brahmana who destroys a pond, a well, a tank, a garden and a temple is called a mleccha.

15. The brahmana who steals the property of the Deities and the spiritual preceptor, who cohabits with another’s wife, and who maintains himself by eating anything and everything s called a chandala.

16. The meritorious should give away in charity all that they have in excess of their needs. By charity only Karna, Bali and King Vikramaditya survive even today. Just see the plight of the honeybees beating their legs in despair upon the earth. They are saying to themselves, “Alas! We neither enjoyed our stored-up honey nor gave it in charity, and now someone has taken it from us in an instant.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

1. He is a blessed grhasta (householder) in whose house there is a blissful atmosphere, whose sons are talented, whose wife speaks sweetly, whose wealth is enough to satisfy his desires, who finds pleasure in the company of his wife, whose servants are obedient, in whose house hospitality is shown, the auspicious Supreme Lord is worshiped daily, delicious food and drink is partaken, and who finds joy in the company of devotees.

2. One who devotedly gives a little to a brahmana who is in distress is recompensed abundantly. Hence, O Prince, what is given to a good brahmana is got back not in an equal quantity, but in an infinitely higher degree.

3. Those men who are happy in this world, who are generous towards their relatives, kind to strangers, indifferent to the wicked, loving to the good, shrewd in their dealings with the base, frank with the learned, courageous with enemies, humble with elders and stern with the wife.

4. O jackal, leave aside the body of that man at once, whose hands have never given in charity, whose ears have not heard the voice of learning, whose eyes have not beheld a pure devotee of the Lord, whose feet have never traversed to holy places, whose belly is filled with things obtained by crooked practices, and whose head is held high in vanity. Do not eat it, O jackal, otherwise you will become polluted.

5. “Shame upon those who have no devotion to the lotus feet of Sri Krsna, the son of mother Yasoda; who have no attachment for the descriptions of the glories of Srimati Radharani; whose ears are not eager to listen to the stories of the Lord’s lila.” Such is the exclamation of the mrdanga sound of dhik-tam dhik-tam dhigatam at kirtana.

6. What fault of spring that the bamboo shoot has no leaves? What fault of the sun if the owl cannot see during the daytime? Is it the fault of the clouds if no raindrops fall into the mouth of the chatak bird? Who can erase what Lord Brahma has inscribed upon our foreheads at the time of birth?

7. A wicked man may develop saintly qualities in the company of a devotee, but a devotee does not become impious in the company of a wicked person. The earth is scented by a flower that falls upon it, but the flower does not contact the odour of the earth.

8. One indeed becomes blessed by having darshan of a devotee; for the devotee has the ability to purify immediately, whereas the sacred tirtha gives purity only after prolonged contact.

9. A stranger asked a brahmana, “Tell me, who is great in this city?” The brahmana replied, “The cluster of palmyra trees is great.” Then the traveller asked, “Who is the most charitable person?” The brahmana answered, “The washer man who takes the clothes in the morning and gives them back in the evening is the most charitable.” He then asked, “Who is the ablest man?” The brahmana answered, “Everyone is expert in robbing others of their wives and wealth.” The man then asked the brahmana, “How do you manage to live in such a city?” The brahmana replied, “As a worm survives while even in a filthy place so do I survive here!”

10. The house in which the lotus feet of brahmanas are not washed, in which Vedic mantras are not loudly recited, and in which the holy rites of svaha (sacrificial offerings to the Supreme Lord) and swadha (offerings to the ancestors) are not performed, is like a crematorium.

11. (It is said that a sadhu, when asked about his family, replied thusly): truth is my mother, and my father is spiritual knowledge; righteous conduct is my brother, and mercy is my friend, inner peace is my wife, and forgiveness is my son: these six are my kinsmen.

12. Our bodies are perishable, wealth is not at all permanent and death is always nearby. Therefore we must immediately engage in acts of merit.

13. Arjuna says to Krsna. “Brahmanas find joy in going to feasts, cows find joy in eating their tender grass, wives find joy in the company of their husbands, and know, O Krsna, that in the same way I rejoice in battle.

14. He who regards another’s wife as his mother, the wealth that does not belong to him as a lump of mud, and the pleasure and pain of all other living beings as his own — truly sees things in the right perspective, and he is a true pandit.

15. O Raghava, the love of virtue, pleasing speech, and an ardent desire for performing acts of charity, guileless dealings with friends, humility in the guru’s presence, deep tranquillity of mind, pure conduct, discernment of virtues, realised knowledge of the sastras, beauty of form and devotion to God are all found in you.” (The great sage Vasistha Muni, the spiritual preceptor of the dynasty of the sun, said this to Lord Ramachandra at the time of His proposed coronation).

16. Kalpataru (the wish fulfilling tree) is but wood; the golden Mount Meru is motionless; the wish-fulfilling gem chintamani is just a stone; the sun is scorching; the moon is prone to wane; the boundless ocean is saline; the demigod of lust lost his body (due to Shiva’s wrath); Bali Maharaja, the son of Diti, was born into a clan of demons; and Kamadhenu (the cow of heaven) is a mere beast. O Lord of the Raghu dynasty! I cannot compare you to any one of these (taking their merits into account).

17. Realised learning (vidya) is our friend while travelling, the wife is a friend at home, medicine is the friend of a sick man, and meritorious deeds are the friends at death.

18. Courtesy should be learned from princes, the art of conversation from pandits, lying should be learned from gamblers and deceitful ways should be learned from women.

19. The unthinking spender, the homeless urchin, the quarrel monger, the man who neglects his wife and is heedless in his actions — all these will soon come to ruination.

20. The wise man should not be anxious about his food; he should be anxious to be engaged only in dharma (Krsna consciousness). The food of each man is created for him at his birth.

21. He who is not shy in the acquisition of wealth, grain and knowledge, and in taking his meals, will be happy.

22. As centesimal droppings will fill a pot so also are knowledge, virtue and wealth gradually obtained.

23. The man who remains a fool even in advanced age is really a fool, just as the Indra-Varuna fruit does not become sweet no matter how ripe it might become.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

1. A man may live but for a moment, but that moment should be spent in doing auspicious deeds. It is useless living even for a kalpa (4,320,000 *1000 years) and bringing only distress upon the two worlds (this world and the next).

2. We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be anxious about the future; men of discernment deal only with the present moment.

3. It certainly is nature of the demigods, men of good character, and parents to be easily pleased. Near and distant relatives are pleased when they are hospitably received with bathing, food, and drink; and pandits are pleased with an opportunity for giving spiritual discourse.

4. Even as the unborn babe is in the womb of his mother, these five are fixed as his life destiny: his life span, his activities, his acquisition of wealth and knowledge, and his time of death.

5. Oh, see what a wonder it is! The doings of the great are strange: they treat wealth as light as a straw, yet, when they obtain it, they bend under its weight.

6. He who is overly attached to his family members experiences fear and sorrow, for the root of all grief is attachment. Thus one should discard attachment to be happy.

7. He who is prepared for the future and he who deals cleverly with any situation that may arise are both happy; but the fatalistic man who wholly depends on luck is ruined.

8. If the king is virtuous, then the subjects are also virtuous. If the king is sinful, then the subjects also become sinful. If he is mediocre, then the subjects are mediocre. The subjects follow the example of the king. In short, as is the king so are the subjects.

9. I consider him who does not act religiously as dead though living, but he who dies acting religiously unquestionably lives long though he is dead.

10. He who has acquired neither virtue, wealth, satisfaction of desires nor salvation (dharma, artha, kama, moksa), lives an utterly useless life, like the “nipples” hanging from the neck of a goat.

11. The hearts of base men burn before the fire of other’s fame, and they slander them being themselves unable to rise to such a high position.

12. Excessive attachment to sense pleasures leads to bondage, and detachment from sense pleasures leads to liberation; therefore it is the mind alone that is responsible for bondage or liberation.

13. He who sheds bodily identification by means of knowledge of the indwelling Supreme Self (Paramatma), will always be absorbed in meditative trance (samadhi) wherever his mind leads him.

14. Who realises all the happiness he desires? Everything is in the hands of God. Therefore one should learn contentment.

15. As a calf follows its mother among a thousand cows, so the (good or bad) deeds of a man follow him.

16. He whose actions are disorganised has no happiness either in the midst of men or in a jungle — in the midst of men his heart burns by social contacts, and his helplessness burns him in the forest.

17. As the man who digs obtains underground water by use of a shovel, so the student attains the knowledge possessed by his preceptor through his service.

18. Men reap the fruits of their deeds, and intellects bear the mark of deeds performed in previous lives; even so the wise act after due circumspection.

19. Even the man who has taught the spiritual significance of just one letter ought to be worshiped. He who does not give reverence to such a guru is born as a dog a hundred times, and at last takes birth as a chandala (dog-eater).

20. At the end of the yuga, Mount Meru may be shaken; at the end of the kalpa, the waters of the seven oceans may be disturbed; but a sadhu will never swerve from the spiritual path.

21. There are three gems upon this earth; food, water, and pleasing words — fools (mudhas) consider pieces of rocks as gems.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

1. Poverty, disease, sorrow, imprisonment and other evils are the fruits borne by the tree of one’s own sins.

2. Wealth, a friend, a wife, and a kingdom may be regained; but this body when lost may never be acquired again.

3. The enemy can be overcome by the union of large numbers, just as grass through its collectiveness wards off erosion caused by heavy rainfall.

4. Oil on water, a secret communicated to a base man, a gift given to a worthy receiver, and scriptural instruction given to an intelligent man spread out by virtue of their nature.

5. If men should always retain the state of mind they experience when hearing religious instruction, when present at a crematorium ground, and when in sickness — then who could not attain liberation.

6. If a man should feel before, as he feels after, repentance — then who would not attain perfection?

7. We should not feel pride in our charity, austerity, valour, scriptural knowledge, modesty and morality for the world is full of the rarest gems.

8. He who lives in our mind is near though he may actually be far away; but he who is not in our heart is far though he may really be nearby.

9. We should always speak what would please the man of whom we expect a favour, like the hunter who sings sweetly when he desires to shoot a deer.

10. It is ruinous to be familiar with the king, fire, the religious preceptor, and a woman. To be altogether indifferent to them is to be deprived of the opportunity to benefit ourselves, hence our association with them must be from a safe distance.

11. We should always deal cautiously with fire, water, women, foolish people, serpents, and members of a royal family; for they may, when the occasion presents itself, at once bring about our death.

12. He should be considered to be living who is virtuous and pious, but the life of a man who is destitute of religion and virtues is void of any blessing.

13. If you wish to gain control of the world by the performance of a single deed, then keep the following fifteen, which are prone to wander here and there, from getting the upper hand of you: the five sense objects (objects of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch); the five sense organs (ears, eyes, nose, tongue and skin) and organs of activity (hands, legs, mouth, genitals and anus).

14. He is a pandit (man of knowledge) who speaks what is suitable to the occasion, who renders loving service according to his ability, and who knows the limits of his anger.

15. One single object (a woman) appears in three different ways: to the man who practices austerity it appears as a corpse, to the sensual it appears as a woman, and to the dogs as a lump of flesh.

16. A wise man should not divulge the formula of a medicine which he has well prepared; an act of charity which he has performed; domestic conflicts; private affairs with his wife; poorly prepared food he may have been offered; or slang he may have heard.

17. The cuckoos remain silent for a long time (for several seasons) until they are able to sing sweetly (in the Spring) so as to give joy to all.

18. We should secure and keep the following: the blessings of meritorious deeds, wealth, grain, the words of the spiritual master, and rare medicines. Otherwise life becomes impossible.

19. Eschew wicked company and associate with saintly persons. Acquire virtue day and night, and always meditate on that which is eternal forgetting that which is temporary.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

1. For one whose heart melts with compassion for all creatures; what is the necessity of knowledge, liberation, matted hair on the head, and smearing the body with ashes?

2. There is no treasure on earth the gift of which will cancel the debt a disciple owes his guru for having taught him even a single letter (that leads to Krsna consciousness).

3. There are two ways to get rid of thorns and wicked persons; using footwear in the first place and in the second shaming them so that they cannot raise their faces again thus keeping them at a distance.

4. He who wears unclean garments, has dirty teeth, is a glutton, speaks unkindly and sleeps after sunrise — although he may be the greatest personality — will lose the favour of Lakshmi.

5. He who loses his money is forsaken by his friends, his wife, his servants and his relations; yet when he regains his riches those who have forsaken him come back to him. Hence wealth is certainly the best of relations.

6. Sinfully acquired wealth may remain for ten years; in the eleventh year it disappears with even the original stock.

7. A bad action committed by a great man is not censured (as there is none that can reproach him), and a good action performed by a low-class man comes to be condemned (because none respects him). Just see: the drinking of nectar is excellent, but it became the cause of Rahu’s demise; and the drinking of poison is harmful, but when Lord Shiva (who is exalted) drank it, it became an ornament to his neck (nila-kantha).

8. A true meal is that which consists of the remnants left after a brahmana’s meal. Love, which is shown to others, is true love, not that which is cherished for one’s own self. To abstain from sin is true wisdom. That is an act of charity, which is performed without ostentation.

9. For want of discernment the most precious jewels lie in the dust at the feet of men while bits of glass are worn on their heads. But we should not imagine that the gems have sunk in value, and the bits of glass have risen in importance. When a person of critical judgement shall appear, each will be given its right position.

10. Sastric (scriptural) knowledge is unlimited, and the arts to be learned are many; the time we have is short, and our opportunities to learn are beset with obstacles. Therefore select for learning that which is most important, just as the swan drinks only the milk in water.

11. He is a chandala who eats his dinner without entertaining the stranger who has come to his house quite accidentally, having travelled from a long distance and is wearied.

12. One may know the four Vedas and the Dharma-sastras, yet if he has no realisation of his own spiritual self, he can be said to be like the ladle (spoon) which stirs all kinds of foods but knows not the taste of any.

13. Those blessed souls are certainly elevated who, while crossing the ocean of life, take shelter of a genuine brahmana, who is likened unto a boat. They are unlike passengers aboard an ordinary ship that runs the risk of sinking.

14. The moon, who is the abode of nectar and the presiding deity of all medicines, although immortal like amrta and resplendent in form, loses the brilliance of his rays when he repairs to the abode of the sun (day time). Therefore, will not an ordinary man be made to feel inferior by going to live at the house of another?

15. This humble bee, which always resides among the soft petals of the lotus and drinks abundantly its sweet nectar, is now feasting on the flower of the ordinary kutaja. Being in a strange country where the lotuses do not exist, he is considering the pollen of the kutaja to be nice.

16. (Lord Visnu asked His spouse Lakshmi why She did not care to live in the house of a brahmana.She replied:) “O Lord a rishi named Agastya drank up My father (the ocean) in anger; Brighu Muni kicked You; brahmanas pride themselves on their learning having sought the favour of My competitor Sarasvati; and lastly they pluck each day the lotus which is My abode, and therewith worship Lord Shiva. Therefore, O Lord, I fear to dwell with a brahmana”.

17. There are many ways of binding by which one can be dominated and controlled in this world, but the bond of affection is the strongest. For example, take the case of the humble bee, which, although expert at piercing hardened wood, becomes caught in the embrace of its beloved flowers (as the petals close at dusk).

18. Although sandalwood is cut, it does not forsake its natural quality of fragrance; so also the elephant does not give up sportiveness though he should grow old. The sugarcane does not cease to be sweet though squeezed in a mill; so the man of noble extraction does not lose his lofty qualities, no matter how pinched he is by poverty.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

1. The heart of a woman is not united; it is divided. While she is talking with one man, she looks lustfully at another and thinks fondly of a third in her heart.

2. The fool (mudha) who fancies that a charming young lady loves him, becomes her slave and he dances like a shakuntal bird tied to a string.

3. Who is there who, having become rich, has not become proud? What licentious man has put an end to his calamities? What man in this world has not been overcome by a woman? Who is always loved by the king? Who is there who has not been overcome by the ravages of time? What beggar has attained glory? Who has become happy by contracting the vices of the wicked?

4. A man attains greatness by his merits, not simply by occupying an exalted seat. Can we call a crow an eagle (garuda) simply because he sits on the top of a tall building.

5. The man who is praised by others as great is regarded as worthy though he may be really void of all merit. But the man who sings his own praises lowers himself in the estimation of others though he should be Indra (the possessor of all excellences).

6. If good qualities should characterise a man of discrimination, the brilliance of his qualities will be recognised just as a gem, which is essentially bright, really shines when fixed in an ornament of gold.

7. Even one who by his qualities appears to be all knowing suffers without patronage; the gem, though precious, requires a gold setting.

8. I do not deserve that wealth which is to be attained by enduring much suffering, or by transgressing the rules of virtue, or by flattering an enemy.

9. Those who were not satiated with the enjoyment of wealth, food and women have all passed away; there are others now passing away who have likewise remained unsatiated; and in the future still others will pass away feeling themselves unsatiated.

10. All charities and sacrifices (performed for fruitive gain) bring only temporary results, but gifts made to deserving persons and protection offered to all creatures shall never perish.

11. A blade of grass is light, cotton is lighter, and the beggar is infinitely lighter still. Why then does not the wind carry him away? Because it fears that he may ask alms of him.

12. It is better to die than to preserve this life by incurring disgrace. The loss of life causes but a moment’s grief, but disgrace brings grief every day of one’s life.

13. All the creatures are pleased by loving words; and therefore we should address words that are pleasing to all, for there is no lack of sweet words.

14. There are two nectarine fruits hanging from the tree of this world: one is the hearing of sweet words (such as Krsna-katha) and the other, the society of saintly men.

15. The good habits of charity, learning and austerity practised during many past lives continue to be cultivated in this birth by virtue of the link (yoga) of this present life to the previous ones.

16. One whose knowledge is confined to books and whose wealth is in the possession of others, can use neither his knowledge nor wealth when the need for them arises.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

1. The scholar who has acquired knowledge by studying innumerable books without the blessings of a bonafide spiritual master does not shine in an assembly of truly learned men just as an illegitimate child is not honoured in society.

2. We should repay the favours of others by acts of kindness; so also should we return evil for evil in which there is no sin, for it is necessary to pay a wicked man in his own coin.

3. That thing which is distant, that thing which appears impossible, and that which is far beyond our reach, can be easily attained through tapasya (religious austerity), for nothing can surpass austerity.

4. What vice could be worse than covetousness? What is more sinful than slander? For one who is truthful, what need is there for austerity? For one who has a clean heart, what is the need for pilgrimage? If one has a good disposition, what other virtue is needed? If a man has fame, what is the value of other ornamentation? What need is there for wealth for the man of practical knowledge? And if a man is dishonoured, what could there be worse than death?

5. Though the sea, which is the reservoir of all jewels, is the father of the conch shell, and the Goddess of fortune Lakshmi is conch’s sister, still the conch must go from door to door for alms (in the hands of a beggar). It is true, therefore, that one gains nothing without having given in the past.

6. When a man has no strength left in him he becomes a sadhu, one without wealth acts like a brahmacari, a sick man behaves like a devotee of the Lord, and when a woman grows old she becomes devoted to her husband.

7. There is poison in the fang of the serpent, in the mouth of the fly and in the sting of a scorpion; but the wicked man is saturated with it.

8. The woman who fasts and observes religious vows without the permission of her husband shortens his life, and goes to hell.

9. A woman does not become holy by offering charity, by observing hundreds of fasts, or by sipping sacred water, as by sipping the water used to wash her husbands feet.

10. The hand is not so well adorned by ornaments as by charitable offerings; one does not become clean by smearing sandalwood paste upon the body as by taking a bath; one does not become so much satisfied by dinner as by having respect shown to him; and salvation is not attained by self-adornment as by cultivation of spiritual knowledge.

11. The eating of tundi fruit deprives a man of his sense, while the vacha root administered revives his reasoning immediately. A woman at once robs a man of his vigour while milk at once restores it.

12. He who nurtures benevolence for all creatures within his heart overcomes all difficulties and will be the recipient of all types of riches at every step.

13. What is there to be enjoyed in the world of Lord Indra for one whose wife is loving and virtuous, who possesses wealth, who has a well-behaved son endowed with good qualities, and who has grandchildren born of his children?

14. Men have eating, sleeping, fearing and mating in common with the lower animals. That in which men excel the beasts is discretionary knowledge; hence, indiscreet men who are without knowledge should be regarded as beasts.

15. If the bees that seek the liquid oozing from the head of a lust-intoxicated elephant are driven away by the flapping of his ears, then the elephant has lost only the ornament of his head. The bees are quite happy in the lotus filled lake.

16. A king, a prostitute, Lord Yamaraja, fire, a thief, a young boy, and a beggar cannot understand the suffering of others. The eighth of this category is the tax collector.

17. O lady, why are you gazing downward? Has something of yours fallen on the ground? (She replies) O fool, can you not understand the pearl of my youth has slipped away?

18. O ketki flower! Serpents live in your midst, you bear no edible fruits, your leaves are covered with thorns, you are crooked in growth, you thrive in mud, and you are not easily accessible. Still for your exceptional fragrance you are as dear as kinsmen to others. Hence, a single excellence overcomes a multitude of blemishes.

Looking for a Dll ???

2011-01-19T14:23:00.000+05:30

AllDll.net is the biggest catalog of .dll files. Most of times we end up with a problem of missing dll in our system for a software or an OS. Well, AllDll.net has a good collection of Dlls. You can certainly find the dll file that you need, they have all the necessary dll files ordered alphabetically. Its quite easy to find a dll at AllDll.net by either looking for its first letter or by using the search option given on their site.

iPod Touch work as Phone

2011-01-19T14:21:00.001+05:30

Don’t get amazed, now we can call around the world from a device that isn’t a phone. Apple Inc’s iTunes store has few applications which can make this true, as long as we’re in a Wi-Fi hot spot.

These applications require the second-generation iPod Touch and are completely free to download, making calls to other people using these apps won’t cost you anything.

Truphone and Fring, are the two apps which will let us make free calls to Google Talk users and type instant messages to friends online. Both automatically queue up a list of buddies from different services we might have, including Gmail chat, AIM and MSN Messenger, once we log in.

Truphone has a pay feature which makes it a phone. TruPhone charges to make calls to landlines or regular cell phones, but generally at better rates than most wireless carriers. And it’s upfront about what we pay.

Fring uses a Skype account. The calls on these services sound pretty good, a little tinny but clearer than regular cell phone connection.

For all this we need Apple’s ear buds that have a tiny microphone on the back of the volume control along the cord or some other earphone or headphone with a speaker.

While the iPhone uses network providers wireless network to provide Internet access anywhere, on the iPod Touch we need to stick to Wi-Fi hot spots.

The terminal server has exceeded the maximum number of allowed connections

2011-01-01T15:20:00.000+05:30

If you are using Microsoft’s Remote Desktop utility over a network to connect to other remote Windows machines then you must have encountered an error message while connecting to the machine -

“The terminal server has exceeded the maximum number of allowed connections”

This problem usually occurs due to following reasons :

In Windows, normally only 2 users at time can connect to the same remote windows machine, thus if a third user wants to connect to the same remote windows machine then he will get this error.
After using the remote desktop connection on a remote windows machine, users normally disconnects the remote connection just by clicking on the cross button coming up on their screen. This practice only closes the remote desktop window opened on the user’s screen but it doesn’t closes the session made on that remote windows machine for the user. Thus, user’s session is still running although he has closed the window. This leads to a situation where no user is currently accessing the remote windows machine but when anyone try to connect to it, we get the above error. We should always log off form the remote machine instead of just clicking the cross button.

Even in this situation, Remote Desktop Connection utility have a mechanism to connect remotely to the windows machine, kill the existing remote connections and even do our work on that remote system. Executing the Remote Desktop Connection utility with some parameters provides a third connection to the remote windows system :

mstsc -v: x.x.x.x /f -console

Replace the x.x.x.x with the IP Address of the remote system and execute the above command through Start -> Run.