Plastic Hypocrisy

I wake up in the morning, use a PLASTIC toothbrush to clean my teeth. Wash my face and mouth with water coming in a PLASTIC pipe. Take a shower with the water stored in a PLASTIC tank taking it from a PLASTIC bucket in a PLASTIC mug. I then dry myself with a cotton towel mixed with PLASTIC(nylon). I then use a PLASTIC comb and check myself in a PLASTIC framed mirror. I wear clothes mixed with PLASTIC(nylon). Put on socks mixed in PLASTIC(nylon) and wear shoes of PLASTIC.Cook my breakfast with spices stored in PLASTIC. Parts of my Stove are PLASTIC, parts of utensils PLASTIC and then wash from a PLASTIC tap. Then I eat on a PLASTIC plate, sitting on a PLASTIC chair while keeping my food on a PLASTIC table. I also eat some biscuits from a PLASTIC pack and drink some water from a PLASTIC water filter. I then pack my lunch in a PLASTIC box, put it in a Plastic(nylon) bag and rush out of home turning off the PLASTIC switches. I then start my car which has many parts of PLASTIC and rush to
office. My office looks really great from outside cos it has many PLASTIC parts to make it look neat and dust free. I walk into office, swipe my PLASTIC ID card, dust my shoes on the plastic and then walk on the PLASTIC(nylon) carpet.
Have you stopped reading this or are you still with me?

Well, I myself got bored and stopped continuing. And I havent even finished all the activities related to PLASTIC in one whole day of my life.
This is the depth of our relationship with PLASTIC, which is one of the most dangerous things we have ever invented. And Im sure you all know the glories of PLASTIC and its hazards for our environment, before, during and after its production. So its whole lifecycle is not very environment friendly.
There are so many things like this that we use in our daily life other than PLASTIC which are a great danger to the environment.

Yet one fine day we see a farmer in some corner of a village cooking with a little fire wood or burning his waste hay, we start delivering sermons about Pollution, Ozone layer, Fresh air and GoGreen programmes.
All PhotoCredits: Internet

Mortal Remains of a Spiritual India

Traditions and culture of India is getting degraded way more faster than a bullockcart can speed up, but it surely cannot be denied that one can still find some final fragments of the fast dying culture like this one.
Here is some solid proof, a pic that I recently shot in Tirupati.

Angola Bans Islam.

Angola Bans Islam.
Did they do the right thing? Should other countries follow suit?
Or should the UN handle the situation 'wisely' and let Islam survive in that country?

PC: Internet

Taking into account all the happenings around the world, the widespread 'revolutions' of ISLAM, the terrorist outfits, the support for Islam, the hatred against Islam, it is probably a very incongruous thing to do and a dangerous decision in regard to the safety of the country.

There are many arguments that can lead to different discussions and opinions, but merely flipping the block to focus on each face of it is not the solution. Debaters will always debate a decision, whether wise or Witless.

Since this could be a debatable topic, lets talk about the 2 sides.
1. Considering Islam a religion, but they fear conversions etc.
Conversion is a concern only when people don't follow their own religion properly or try to act like atheists. When people know their religion well, they are occupied with enough, to improve their lives from what they have already learnt.
It is the empty vases that get filled or the mixed and confused ones.

2. If they consider Islam a threat in terms of terrorism etc.
When 'war' with a powerful opponent is imminent, one has to choose ones path wisely to emerge victorious. For the rulers of a country who choose to 'wage a war' against any element, group or country, at least a rough estimation of the opponents powers is necessary. One also has to evaluate the opponents techniques, strategies etc.
And choosing a counter attack should be wisely done accordingly.
The open declaration of their stand against Islam isn't the best solution as they might have to face severe consequences for that. Such things need to be dealt with great diplomacy and secrecy. And use of diplomacy and secrecy to protect a country is certainly not against the principles of dharma.
Their present artless way of dealing with it wont really solve the problem, it is sure to only invite jeopardy for the citizens of the country.

http://conservativepost.com/watch-this-is-the-first-country-to-ban-islam-mosques-demolishedcheck-what-happened/

Audio Release of Movie : Bhagavad Ramanujacharya

Audio Release of Movie : Bhagavad Ramanujacharya (Telugu) By HH Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swami.

Yesterday was just another day at work until the day seemed to end. Suddenly a friend called me and asked if I would be interested to join him at Shilpa Kala Vedika where HH Chinna Jeeyar Swami was to arrive for some program. And guess what? Free ENTRY!!
I did notice a model of 'ParthaSarathi' placed in front of the ShilpaKala Vedika hall just the other day and wondered what that was. Now I thought I knew what it was.
I guessed that it was some Gita Parayana or something but on reaching the place it was totally a different program. The chariot was no longer at the entrance and the program was something else.
As I entered the hall, the back center was occupied by a few Sanyasis of the SreeSampradaya surrounded by a few kids from their Gurukul at Shamshabad. One one side sat musicians ready with instruments and the otherside was occupied with VIPs. The Center of the stage was decorated with bharatanatyam dancers ready for the next program.

PhotoCredits: Internet

The seats in the audience seemed pretty full. Noticably many of them wore the tilak markings of the SreeSampradaya.
As I somehow settled down, I realized that it was the audio release of a telugu movie Bhagavad Ramanujacharya.
Soon after everyone completed the chanting of the 108 names of Sripad Ramanujacharya, HH ChinnaJeeyar swami arrived.

PhotoCredits: Internet

After all the Sanyasis spoke for sometime, finally he was asked to address the audience. He gave a very clear and practical message overall about society, peace, politics, life and the position of God.
One of the striking points he said really struck a chord!
Talking about the lords omnipotence and his deity form in the temple, he gave a very apt example.
He said, just like air is of two kinds, one is omnipotent and the other one is in your electric devices like fan, cooler, heater etc.
All pervading air is not in our reach but the devices we have, help us to vary the amount of air we need or its temperature.
Similarly the omnipotence of the lord might not be anything we can do much with, but for our sake, the Lord takes the deity form and reciprocates with our love and devotion. He eats if we offer, fasts if we dont. Sleeps when we let him, doesnt when we dont.
Although the lord cannot be compared with anything material, this was the closest example that can be given to a materialistic layman of this world.
It really gives a down to earth explanation about the lords form in the temple.
A 3min trial of the movie was played on the screen, which looked pretty impressive.
Im very much excited for the movie release!

PhotoCredits: Internet

HH Vishwesha Tirtha Swami

Great fortune is not always acquired, sometimes it is bestowed!
Otherwise how is it possible that a person like me got to touch the lotus feet of a great devotee last Sunday!

"Sri Vishwesha Teertha was born in 1931 at Ramakunja to a Shivalli Tulu Brahmin family and his pre-Sanyasa name was Venkataramana Bhat. He was ordained into Sanyasa at
the young age of 8 years in 1938. His vidya guru is Vidyamanya Teertha of Sri Bhandarkeri Math.
Sri Vishwesha Teertharu is the current Swamiji of the Pejavara Adokshaja matha, one of the ashta mathas belonging to the Dvaita school of philosophy, founded by Sri Madhvacharya. Sri Vishvesha Tirtha is the 32nd Pontiff in the lineage of the Pejavara matha, starting from Sri Adhokshaja Tirtha, who was one of the direct disciples of Sri Madhvacharya." ~Wiki

He was invited at the Bhagyanagar Sri Krishna Mutt at Kondapur for short "Pada Puja" and I was fortunate enough to somehow get there by the mercy of the lord.
The devotees who were allowed was a limited few so I didn't expect to get a chance to actually touch his feet.
On his arrival, he rushed into a small puja of the lord after which the devotees washed his feet and each family came to take his blessings.
Ramachandra prabhu kindly let me join his family while taking blessings.
I tried really hard not to believe that I actually saw him in person and even more, be let to touch his feet!
After he left, the towel that was used to dry his feet lay where it was used and I had to restrain myself from stealing that in broad daylight. :D

On his leaving for the next destination, my dream was suddenly broken by loud cries of :
Hari Sarvothama! Vayu Jeevothama!

PC: Internet

First darshan of HH Tridandi ChinnaJeeyar Swami

Yesterday was a pretty lucky evening! I was fortunate to have his darshan for the first time yesterday. He held the chanting of VishnuSahasranama at the Ramya grounds, which isnt even a kilometer from my room! Undoubtedly the ground was brimming full with a few thousand devotees. I got to know about this event from the billboards on the road only while returning home a bit early yesterday.

After the chanting of all the verses, in the small lecture he gave, he mainly spoke about Adhika Masa and how it got its name from Lord Purushottam or Lord Jagannath. He mentioned a few things about the Navakalevar activities that happen only once in a bunch of years.

He mentioned how devotees in north India utilise this extra month in doing more spiritual activities and how they also decided to recite the Sundara Kanda of Ramayana at their Ashram of Divya Saketha in Hyderabad. He urged everyone else to increase their spiritual activities in this forthcoming month and if possible, join them in the recitation.

HH Tridandi ChinnaJeeyar Swami is a prominent Guru of the SriVaishnava Sampradaya. He is pretty famous not only in Andhrapradesh but also has followers all over the world.

He has also taken up some restoration projects in Vrindavan like the Sankarshan Kund in the Govardhan area.

Photocredits: Internet

Appeal of a fallible one

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya

jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena

tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him. 

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ

paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim

yat kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande

śrī guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam

It is possible if we become obedient student of guru, then even though we may be dumb, deaf and dumb, still, we can become good lecturer. Mūkaṁ karoti vācālam, talk very much about Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's grace, mūkaṁ karoti... Paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim, if one is lame man, he is made to cross over the hill, mountain. This is the mercy of guru.

My dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
Kindly be merciful like a father and accept my offering which is sure to be filled with mistakes.

This ungrateful one definitely cannot thank you enough, for allowing him a shelter in your soothing shade in the midst of this blazing forest fire. There are thousands upon thousands of fortunate souls who have luckily obtained a corner of your lotus feet, but it is clearly evident to anyone that it is not my own fortune that you have accepted me as your disciple. There is not one act of mine or even millions put together that can give me the benediction of attaining your lotus feet. It is only your own magnanimity, your greatness, your mercy, your compassion that you have accepted a person as low as myself.
As the scriptures say that the debt of one’s parents can never be repaid in lives together, what more can be said about the debt I have fallen into by taking opportunity of the treasure trove of your kripa nidhi, by which one jumps across the vast unfathomable ocean of nescience just like crossing over the water contained in the hoof print of a calf.

Since I am now yours, what remains with me to offer you, that which is not yet yours. So it would only be my foolishness if I feel that I have offered you anything. Even my words belong to you.
In such a state, it would only be an attempt of worshiping Mother Ganges with her own water; where else would her worshiper find holier water to worship her?
Only after reading the translation of the Mukam karoti... sloka, has my fallen self even dared to tread on this impossible path of attempting to taste a drop of your unlimited glories.
But I just realized that I will utterly fail at even trying to understand you fully, what remains to be said about singing your glories. It will infact be more of an insult than a glorification.
So I end up again, only begging for your mercy. Neither the last nor the first time, but to continue in all times and lives to come.

O Gurudev, please be merciful and do not abandon this wretched one in this horrendous world. Kindly engage me in your mission.

"But when, O my master, will you mercifully give this servant of yours the qualification to fulfill your order? Then my mind will be peaceful, I will be able to endure all difficulties and serve Sri Hari with single-pointed focus."
--- Gurudev Boro Krpa Kori,Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

your aspiring servant
gurugovinda kripa das

Pregnant Yoga

India is a "Developing" country!

Progressively or should we use "in leaps and bounds", India is learning to manufacture newer and newer varieties of concocted psuedo Spiritual Products to Sell to the ever growing demand for cheap show bottle religious piety. SrimadBhagavatam, an ever existing source of knowledge but which was 'compiled' a few thousand years ago, prophesised boldly about such manmade religions in this age of Kali.
 There isnt one public media which doesnt prove this right. Turn on the television, surf the internet, wade through the pages of magazines or Newspapers, you will find so-called spiritualism pouring out!

Yoga, originally meaning 'connection'(with the lord), has taken so many forms and colors while having lost its Soul! Its sole purpose now has turned out to be Sense-gratification, pure and intact: No compromise.
Travelling home from office one evening, my eyes fell on a clinic with the board " _ _ _ Test tube Baby center". I wondered how many cases of success they have had. If it was so easy for scientists/doctors to produce 'Test Tube Babies', why do we have such big campaigns about endagered species? Just tilt your flask and stir the testtube in your labs and repopulate the decreasing species. Why all the propaganda to save them?
Further up the road, I noticed a big Ad. My jaws hit the floor and mind confused. Should I break into laughter or go into deep thoughts. A large white board had bold letters in navy blue written: Pregnant Yoga

That really confuses a beginner on a spiritual path, who just heard the words Karma yoga or Bhakti yoga.

I let it pass my mind just wondering what "Developed India" would look like if India was merely in its "Developing" stage now!!!

Seva Abhilash

Its the duty of a fallen person like me to go and serve great Vaishnavas. But how merciful is my Gurudev, who bears the burden of tireless travelling inspite of his uncooperating health, just to make sure that I dont sink deeper and rot longer in my selfbuilt suicidal cocoon! What more? Hes visiting on a weekend which gives more opportunity to grab a gram of of service! Theres a statement in Hindi how Gold is certainly very precious and attractive to all, then what can be said about it, if it starts producing sweet fragrance in addition to its glitter!?!