friendship

Friendships are under enormous strain everywhere.This is due to the prevailing atmosphere of suspicion,scepticism,purposelessness and deceit everywhere.People have become fickle and opportunistic.The 'use and throw' culture has permeated every aspect of life.
In any relationship,there will always be ups and downs.Trust and sincerity are indispensable qualities to keep a relationship going.One has to be patient and charitable with a friend.No relationship based on economic factors can last.To be lasting, friendship has to be built on shared values and loyalties.
A self-righteous and condescending attitude prevents a relationship from growing.Humility,patience and continuous dialogue between friends can do wonders for a relationship.
In the present times,one has to be extremely cautious in the choice of friends.If one associates people who are disciplined,focused and determined,it automatically creates an atmosphere of goodwill.

Margaret Thatcher

When Maggie became PM,England was in dire straits.Unemployment,inflation,crime,racial tension and social discord had reached alarming levels.The people's morale was at an all time low.Businesses were closing and a large number of people had started leaving Britain for greener pastures.
Maggie had an unerring insight into the problems bedevelling Britain.The people had become lazy and immoral due to the existing state of affairs.
Gorbachev was the General Secretary of the Soviet Union and he was also trying to dismantle the command-control structure prevailing in the Soviet Union.Maggie promised all support to Gorbachev from NATO and Great Britain in his endeavour to bring freedom and prosperity in the Soviet Union.

Within a decade,Maggie introduced sweeping reforms in the economic policies and completely dismantled the socialistic pattern of society.She encouraged enterprise,private initiative,new ideas and tried hard ti improve relationships with Asian,Latin American and African countries.Putting "All eggs in one basket can be risky" was her favourite adage.When she left office,Britain had once again become a strong,purposeful and disciplined nation.

chhatrapati shivaji maharaj

What Cromwell did for England Shivaji did for India.He was the first man in recorded history to give the concept of "Swaraj-self determination' to the people. He instilled a sense of purpose,discipline and cohesiveness among the Marathas.
His uniqueness amongst all medieval Indian rulers was his total adherence to the Dharma..before Shivaji,India had for various reasons become weak

and stagnant.The poor and the infirm were feeling insecure and miserable.Women were being molested and humiliated everywhere by the zamindars and the local rulers.
Jizabai was a very strong and independent woman.She realized that her son Shivaji was a man of destiny and she and her husband Shajiraje arranged matters so that Shivaji could be educated in matters of warfare and politics.
Shivaji soon realized that given the circumstances and paucity of resources,he would have to resort to guirella tactics.Shivaji raided Surat,a commercial port and got huge amounts of precious stones and gold from the local merchants.As his strength and influence started growing,Aurangzeb and the Bijapur Sultan decided to cut him down to size.Afzalkhan was sent with a huge army to destroy Shivaji but Shivaji was able to kill Afzalkhan and rout his army.
Shivaji had realized that without the support of the Rajputs,it would be extremely difficult to realize his dream of Swaraj.He made many attempts in that direction but they had become so used to the status-quo that they could not see the writing on the wall.Shivaji was above religion,language or culture and recruited strong and sturdy youth in his army.He had enormous respect and affection for women and wanted them to be self-reliant and independent.Even the women of the enemy camp respected Shivaji for his bravery and sterling qualities of character and helped him in his moments of distress.

In many respects,Shivaji laid the foundation for a strong,united and prosperous India.

hour of god

The Hour of God

There are moments when the Spirit moves among men and the breath of the Lord is abroad upon the waters of our being; there are others when it retires and men are left to act in the strength or the weakness of their own egoism. The first are periods when even a little effort produces great results and changes destiny; the second are spaces of time when much labour goes to the making of a little result. It is true that the latter may prepare the former, may be the little smoke of sacrifice going up to heaven which calls down the rain of God's bounty. Unhappy is the man or the nation which, when the divine moment arrives, is found sleeping or unprepared to use it, because the lamp has not been kept trimmed for the welcome and the ears are sealed to the call. But thrice woe to them who are strong and ready, yet waste the force or misuse the moment; for them is irreparable loss or a great destruction. In the hour of God cleanse thy soul of all self-deceit and hypocrisy and vain self-flattering that thou mayst look straight into thy spirit and hear that which summons it. All insincerity of nature, once thy defence against the eye of the Master and the light of the ideal, becomes now a gap in thy armour and invites the blow. Even if thou conquer for the moment, it is the worse for thee, for the blow shall come afterwards and cast thee down in the midst of thy triumph. But being pure cast aside all fear; for the hour is often terrible, a fire and a whirlwind and a tempest, a treading of the winepress of the wrath of God; but he who can stand up in it on the truth of his purpose is he who shall stand; even though he fall, he shall rise again, even though he seem to pass on the wings of the wind, he shall return. Nor let worldly prudence whisper too closely in thy ear; for it is the hour of the unexpected, the incalculable, the immeasurable. Mete not the power of the Breath by thy petty instruments, but trust and go forward. But most keep thy soul clear, even if for a while, of the clamour of the ego. Then shall a fire march before thee in the night and the storm be thy helper and thy flag shall wave on the highest height of the greatness that was to be conquered.

 

- Sri Aurobindo

satyameva jayate

Bharat-symbol of peace,harmony,fraternity,equality,tolerance and justice.
Liberty and equality cannot be achieved without brotherhood.Till date all attempts to achieve economic equality have failed because of lack of cohesiveness and love among the people.For unity to be meaningful it is necessary to instill a sense of purpose,discipline,team spirit and cooperation among the people.Individually,Indians are perhaps the most intelligent people in the world but India has failed as a nation because of lack of cohesiveness and character in the people.
'What the best will do,others will follow'Bhagvad Gita.If the head of the family is righteous and follows the Dharma,the other members will also follow in his footsteps.Lord Rama is still reverd all over India because he embodied the qualities of truth,bravery,sacrifice,justice and a genuine concern for the well being of the subjects.He had to undergo enormous sufferings but he never wavered because of his total belief that'The truth will always prevail.'
Since eternity India has produced extra-ordinary people like Vishwamitra,Vashishtha,Valmiki,Buddha,Shankaracharya,Chanakya,Akbar,Shivaji,Rani Laxmibai,Guru Nanak,Kabir,Dnyaneshwar,Tiruvallavar,Ramakrishna,Vivekananda,Sri Aurobindo,Tilak,Tagore,Ambedkar and Sardar Patel.
Ancient India was renowned for learning,art,architecture,poetry and moral values.Throughout its history India has never tried to subjugate or conquer any nation.India's unique strength lies in its ability to assimilate any culture,language or religion without forsaking its identity.India has always welcomed people from all over the world with an open heart to settle and prosper in its territories.

napoleon

Napoleon Bonaparte is the only man in recorded history who was able to change the world for the better.History can be divided into pre-Napoleonic and post-Napoleonic periods.Before Napoleon the world was run at the whim and fancy of a few selfish and greedy individuals and after Napoleon the world entered into the Democratic age.
Napoleon ,though a megalomaniac,had the uncanny gift of being able to read the writing on the wall and had realized that the world stood on the threshold of change.All it required was for one man to seize the opportunity with both hands

and ignite the flame of liberty in the hearts and minds of people.
The French Revolution had done the work of centuries within a short period and given the concepts of Liberte,Egalite and Fraternite to mankind! Napoleon only gave them practical shape and brought democracy to Europe and subsequently to the rest of the world.

whither india?

The time has now come for all responsible Indians to take a serious look at the ground reality and decide the future course of action.
As an unbiased observer and having travelled in different parts of the country,I have noticed only indifference,callousness,lack of purpose,dishonesty,apathy and greed everywhere.
Children and women have been the worst casualties.Prostitution-willing or unwilling,child suicides and traffiking of women and children have reached alarming proportions.In most cities,women and children feel unsafe in the house as well as outside.A nation which prides itself about the Ramayana,Mahabharata,Vedas and Upanishads should be able to discriminate between right and wrong.Today it has become impossible to earn Rs.10/- per day by honest means in most parts of the country.No organisation wants sincere persons in their ranks.
Terrorism,fundamentalism,corruption,communal tension,gender violence,malnutrition,starvation and health issues are destroying the very fabric of the nation.
The Supreme Court of India is the only institution worth the name which is doing its job honestly and sincerely in the face of enormous adversities.However it too has its limitations and is helpless without the cooperation and support of the other constitutional authorities.
To conclude,it is a "Do or die' situation.

james bond 007

James Bond is the name of a British Intelligence officer working for Her Majesty's secret service,created by Ian Fleming.For the last 50 or more years James Bond movies and books have been a tremendous source of entertainment for millions of people all over the world.
Bond always prefers to work alone and wherever there is any sinister activity taking place,he is sent.For the past 50 years Bond has been creating havoc for criminals,mafias and terrorists across the world.During the Cold war,Bond was sent to different countries to paralyze and destroy the communist ideology.In the present times Bond is destroying terrorist and fundamentalist organisations.
Fast cars,attractive girls and explosives are a regular feature in all Bond movies.The shooting is done in exotic locales from snow-clad mountains,beautiful beaches,luxurious yachts and passenger liners.
Over the years Sean Connery,Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan have been plying the role of James Bond to perfection.
Bond represents the qualities of dare-devilry,chivalry,humour,a superb intelligence and patience in abundant measure.He adjusts to any locale like a chamaleon and waits for the opportune moment to strike.

age of intuition

Times are changing-the feminine is on the ascendant and male aggressiveness is on the decline.Sensitivity,empathy,decency,understanding,team-spirit,creativity,courage and knowledge are gaining recognition while individualistic behaviour and aggression are being frowned upon.
It is true that the bulk of natural resources necessary for survival are still under the control of a few greedy individuals but this will be their undoing since they are rendering themselves incapable of surviving in the present times.
People all over the world are realizing that without a change in the present life-styles survival of the human species will be impossible.Societies which will be able to adapt themselves to the new consciousness will grow and prosper while fossilized and stagnant societies will perish.
Human relationships are again improving and people are realizing the value of openness and warmth between individuals.,transcending barriers of age,sex,colour, or nationality.
Child issues are gradually becoming a matter of global concern and there is an increasing awareness in society to provide a secure future for the child.

all creatures great and small

On being a vet

• "I love writing about my job because I loved it, and it was a particularly interesting one when I was a young man. It was like holidays with pay to me."^[
• "Years ago, farmers were uneducated and eccentric and said funny things, and we ourselves were comparatively uneducated. We had no antibiotics, few drugs. A lot of time was spent pouring things down cows' throats. The whole thing added up to a lot of laughs. There's more science now, but not so many laughs."^[

James Herriot was a vet who practiced in a small village in England. He was passionately fond of animals and drew immense satisfaction in treating them.Whenever he got a call from any farmer about an animal in distress he would immediately drive down and try to relieve the animal of his distress.
His narratives give an idyllic picture of life in the countryside.They gave a deep insight into the symbiotic relationship between humans and animals.The rural farmers were very fond of Herriot and shared their experiences with him.He in turn would spend time chatting with them about his experiences in treating animals. Cats,dogs,cows,pigs and all other farm animals are the subject of his stories.His writings are almost spiritual in nature and are a must read for anyone who loves animals.

winston churchill-supreme commander

Churchill epitomised the finest qualities of the British culture-character,discipline,humour,values,determination and grace under pressure! His finest hour was at the time of the nazi invasion of Europe.He had been consistently warning England about the nazi menace but his pleas had fallen on deaf ears.After he became Prime Minister,his request to France for Anglo-French unity was also rejected by the French which led to the nazi occupation of France and subsequent decline of France.Under his strong leadership the British armed forces were able to turn the tide of the war and inflict a crushing defeat on the nazis.
Churchill had the Napoleonic spark and had visualised a world based on freedom,democracy,diverse cultures ,fraternity and prosperity for all. He was a strong opponent of all forms of totalatarianism and humbug.
Today the world is desperately in need of men like Churchill!

humour

'Humour is the salt of life and the world would have gone to blazes without it'.Sri Aurobindo
Humour is a gift of the Gods and can really lift people's spirits up and cheer them up.True humour is extremely rare in the present times because people have lost the ability to laugh at themselves and take themselves too seriously.
Great humour writers like P.G Wodehouse,GB Shaw,Charlie Chaplin,Shakespeare,PL Deshpande and others had the knack to bring out the idiosyncracies of their times in a manner to show how ridiculously people were behaving witheach other.
In the present times,there is so much material available to be able to write hillariously.The entire life style has become a big farce with people appearing to be solemn all the time and behaving in a deceitful and treachorous manner.The whole world seems to have become a comedy and tragedy rolled into one.
Entire populations have started behaving like creatures from outer space with their weird clothes and bizarre vehicles.Their speech is a combination of the reptillian and the amphibian.The Media seems to have been taken over by the denizens of the underworld and is all the time dishing out horror stories.The entire scenario is ideal for people with a sense of humour.

modern warfare

The nature of warfare has changed completely.The battlefield has now shifted to the streets of every village,town and country.The prized victory is the mind and hearts of the people.The battle is won when the morale of the people is shattered.
The weapons of warfare are no longer guns,missiles,tanks or aircraft but mobiles,computers,vehicles,media and houses.Women are at the vanguard of this hostility because they are experts in mind games.Their choice tools are gestures,words,dress and bags.
To survive in such a deadly terrain requires tremendous moral,mental and physical strength.Only a highly focused,disciplined and sincere person can counter the minute to minute assault on the senses.Faith,aspiration and good cheer are indispensable.
All the liberal values of civilization are at stake.If the other side wins,there will be an end to liberty,progress and fraternity.

savitri publications

Savitri publications is a non-profit publishing house for publishing books about learning to live a happy,peaceful and harmonious life.
The books will cover a wide range of subjects like science,spirituality,education,women,hygiene,humanities and environment.
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sardar patel-iron man of india

Lives of great men all remind us
we can make our lives sublime
and departing leave behind us
footprints on the sands of time. H.W Longfellow

Thinking men had built high hopes on the unity of India but with bewilderment and chagrin they see disintegration creeping in everywhere.The evil spectres of linguism,regionalism and casteism are tearing the country into strips,each claiming loyalty to itself.Even after 67 years of independence from British rule we have been unable to instill a sense of purpose,unity and integrity among the people.
The Sardar was the prime architect who unified the 500 and odd princely states existing at the time of independence,combining tact and firmness..Unfortunately despite his best efforts he could not prevent the partition of the country because of short sightedness on the part of the other leaders.Even though the overwhelming public opinion was in his favour to be the first prime minister of the country,he did not force the issue but  opted to play second fiddle to a lesser man.
The sardar in a short time,while remaining in the background,laid the foundation for a strong,united and prosperous India.He was a man of steely purpose and was not for a moment affected by the atmosphere of humbug,adulation and chicanery prevailing around him.
The Sardar was a builder of men and institutions.He gave a strong impetus to the cooperative movement in Agriculture and gave all the support and encouragement to people like Dr.Kurien and others for creating a world-class brand like Amul.
In the face of tremendous opposition he helped the Tata group of industries in their endeavour to build a strong manufacturing base in the country.
The Sardar firmly believed that India must adhere to its time-tested values of spirituality,tolerance,freedom,equality,fraternity and social justice,if it is to survive as a nation.

cleanliness

Any place which is neat,tidy and clean immediately creates a positive and cheerful atmosphere.It is important to clean our living areas early in the morning so that one remains in a happy state of mind.Along with keeping the home clean it is also essential to have a bath early in the morning and wash our own clothes.Lack of personal hygeine is responsible for many of our present day ailments.
In the cities,because of vehicular traffic there is tremendous pollution and dust everywhere and causes garbage and filth everywhere.It has become a routine practice in India to throw the garbage and disposables on the road which creates a bad impression on tourists coming from abroad.Big hoardings,posters and banners with ugly faces of corrupt politicians everywhere on the roads also spoils the aesthetics and culture of our towns,cities and villages.
If cleanliness can become a way of life everywhere,it can help to reduce crime,corruption,violence and discord in society.

swami vivekananda-the wandering sanyasi

'Arise,awake, and stop not till the goal is reached'.
Swami Vivekananda the great son of Mother India was born in Calcutta in the 19th century when India was under British rule.He belonged to a family of lawyers and his father wanted him to join the legal profession.Vivekananda was a brilliant student but his heart was not in academics but in acquiring true knowledge.
As a teenager,he came under the influence of Ramakrishna Paramhansa,who was a realized soul,having undergone an intense tapasya to acquire God knowledge.Ramakrishna believed in the unity of mankind,compassion,love and service of the poor and downtrodden.He was a staunch worshipper of Kali,the Goddess of strength.
Following in Ramakrishna's footsteps,Vivekananda travelled all over India and abroad preaching the message of tolerance,peace,harmony and social justice.He always believed that the future lay with the youth of the world and only they could build a progressive and harmonious world.He was against all forms of rituals and weakening influences.He repeatedly exhorted the youth of India to shun comfort and luxuries and become mentally and physically strong.
Vivekanda had tremendous respect and affection for women and wanted them to be educated while retaining their purity and sincerity.

humility

'The timid and the meek shall inherit the earth'Jesus
Humility is an absolutely essential virtue for progress.To be humble means to realize that one is absolutely insignificant in the natuire of things.It also helps to cultivate a non-serious attitude in life.It is the serious and arrogant people who have been the cause of all misery in the world.Humour and a zest for life are absolutely imperetive qualities and without which the world will go to the dogs.Wittiness also leads to a quite strength to face the day to day struggles of life.Always avoid serious people for they can only create trouble for all.
The truly creative people have always been extremely humble and easy going in life even when times have been tough.They always able to remain cheerful and joyous and rise to the occasion.
Humility also brings about warmth and openness in human relationships.

discipline

To achieve anything significant in life,one has to be extremely disciplined.Discipline means to have absolute control on all faculties. The mind,body, and emotions have to be trained methodically so that one becomes master of one's destiny.If one is like a rudderless boat on the ocean of life,he will capsize in no time.
To achieve discipline,it is necessary to have an aim in life.'An aimless life is a miserable life'.The Mother.Having an aim not only gives a direction and focus but also prevents dissipation of energy.
Discipline should start in childhood itself.If the parents and teachers are disciplined,the child voluntarily develops good habits and grows up to be a useful member of the community.
To be disciplined does not mean to be repetitive and monotonous but to be also sensitive to the feelings and emotions of those around.
Children should be taught early to be careful in choosing their friends.If a person associates with people who are disciplined and purposeful,his life also becomes meaningful and happy.
To discipline one's thoughts,one has to learn to read good books written by learned people and to be able to write well.Control over speech is also important.
Physical discipline requires regular exercise and to do everything himself and not to rely on others.
Emotional maturity means to have a feeling of goodwill,sincerity,compassion and benevolence towards all.
If one is not disciplined,one degenerates into a beast or a monster.

poetry

A good poet is a Rishi ie one who has a contact with the higher realms of consciousness.To be able to write good poetry,it is necessary to have a very highly developed aesthetic sense. It is only highly refined natures who are able to express themselves poetically. By reading a poem,one can easily connect with the feelings of the poet.
Shakespeare,Milton,Blake,Joyce,Keats,Tagore and Ghalib were able to express themselves so beautifully because they had undergone tremendous self-discipline and were in touch with reality.
A true poet has the power to influence events around him because his thoughts have tremendous power and can have a bearing on day-to-day events.
Poetry today has taken a back-seat because of lack of education and culture in people.Day by day the majority of people are becoming more and more vulgar and cheap. If this trend continues,the day is not far when the whole world will become a vaudville. People have started resembling ghouls and zombies straight out of some horror movie.Their houses,dress,speech and manners are absolutely devoid of any vitality or character.