Life goes on

Every sunrise brings new life.

Wish you all Joyous 2020

Siblings

A family is a family either of human or animal.  Like we humans have a family, home, parents, siblings and relations, even animals too have all these relations.  The relationship between siblings is always the same.  In childhood they live together with parents, they play, they fight, they help each other and stand by the troubled sibling.  These relations are permanent that cannot be erased.  They may live separately, dislike but can never disown in times of crises.  That is why it is said blood is thicker.

Here are few pictures of kittens that are siblings being together. 

Beauty in coexistence

Coexistence

Life is beautiful. Nature is wonderful.  Everything and being in nature is interdependent.  Nature is for peaceful coexistence.  Nature's destruction is constructive.  Nature's constructions is progressive and helpful for maintenance ecological balance.Everything in nature is biodegradable and helps in survival and protection of nature.  Living or non-living everything is part of nature including human beings.  Protecting nature is maintaining ecological balance and protecting survival of human race.

Journey

Life is a journey.  Starts with birth.  Ends with death. 

In the land of ‘karma bhumi’ we do not know what we are carrying forwards from our previous births.  

We do not know what is stored in the present life, pleasures, pains and relations. 

Past is behind us.  Future we are not very sure.  

Our present act leads to our future.  

If we live present rightfully which becomes our past and leads us into future, future will also be good. 

In this journey of life let us all help one another and leave pleasant memories behind in the fellow travellers when we reach our destination.

  

The moment

With the advent of modern technology and social media, are we forgetting to live the moment?  It looks like we are always bothered about what others are doing and present ourselves better than that, showing we are enjoying life more than any other person, we are on cloud nine. We are more bothered how many likes and applauding comments we get for our posts.  To get more likes and positive comments if we really work for it it’s okay.  But just boasting and putting up false information only leads to problems and unhappiness.  Every person is unique with some unique quality.  Let us realise it and try to grow the way we want in life.

In the last week of January I attended a conference where a cultural programme is arranged with Shri Sukhvinder Singh as the main participant of the music concert.  The programme was supposed to start at 8PM.  As a VIP singer, the singer came after 9.30PM.  Audience were all excited.  Many stood up with their mobile phones to capture the event live.  Instead of enjoying the live program many wanted to capture it and watch it later or show to their friends.  We waited for an hour.  Unfortunately he never sang even one song completely, always looking and directing the orchestra or junior singers to catch up where he had stopped or trying to explain and teach the tune.  The program was very disappointing.  After an hour everybody started walking out.  We too walked out.

Lost

Nobody likes to lose things.  But unfortunately sometimes we lose things that are important to us and not so important.  Loss means carelessness.  I remember a story where a poor girl borrows a necklace from her rich friend and looses it.  She does not know that it is fake jewellery.  Thinking that it was original diamond jewellery she toils all her life to repay only to know it was fake.  It is always better to enjoy what we have than crave for costly things and suffer mentally.

Once I was walking along the bank of a river.  It was a cold day.  I found this lost glove. Looks like a child's glove.   I just thought about a kid losing a glove and suffering due to cold weather.  How did the glove drop off the hand?   Was too loose ( for a malnourished poor kid) or it dropped as the child was playing or fiddling with something. If the child's parents are rich, no problem.  For a poor kid or orphan to buy another may not be easy.  Maybe the glove is too old and dropped away.  Then what happened to the other glove?  Don't know.
  
Our brain is such a thing if it has no work it simply ponders over useless (?) issues and creates unrest.  Just closing the eyes and trying to meditate will definitely brings some calmness to the mind.

Life of Butterfly

Nature is wonderful.  Life is beautiful.  My interest in photography had taught me to look at things – living and nonliving in different perspective.  Every being looks beautiful when observed.  Nature’s every act is purposeful and progressive.  Every being in nature is interdependent.  The secret of development of huge banyan tree lies in a very tiny seed.  Every being is born for a purpose and degrades or disappears once the purpose is fulfilled.  Nature’s degradation is for progressive up gradation.  A seed disappears as a plant shoots out.  The plant flowers, flowers shrivel and develop into fruit.  The fruit is consumed by other living beings and seed is disposed off into mother earth to start a new life.

I feel life is very much comparable to the stages in the life cycle of a butterfly.  The egg hatches into larva and spends its life eating, eating and eating and finally withdraws and secludes from external activity into pupa.  The changes it undergoes during that stage lead to beautiful transformation and a butterfly in all its beauty comes out.  It lives on nectar serves its purpose of pollination for progressive nature, lays eggs and disappears into nature.  From egg to butterfly the life cycle of butterfly is just one life.

We, human beings, since birth strive to live, live for self, always consuming and hoarding things more than we need for one life, destroy nature for our comfort.  Most lives are spent in fulfilling desires which are ever increasing and finally when death embraces, we still long for something or other and rebirth becomes inevitable (for people who believe in soul and rebirth).  The purpose of life is to live and be able to do something for the progression of human life peacefully in the Universe along with all other beings and elements in the Universe.   People who had done their bit for betterment of life on earth are saints and live even after their mortal death.  Their life is like the last stage of beautiful butterfly.  As a being their purpose of birth is accomplished and become unified with Universe.

People who have accomplished their goal in life should withdraw from material longings and work for the benefit of human race and preserving beautiful nature

Caged

The picture looks like the line is behind the grill.
 Actually I have taken this from the window of the bus. 

Man is the most intelligent of all living beings on earth.  With intelligence and wisdom man evolved from caveman to smart city dweller.  Being the most intelligent of animal kingdom, man is powerful to command, control and use other beings for his development.  Powerful man has the responsibility to protect nature and allow other beings to live.  Protecting nature and other beings maintains ecological balance that helps human race to continue healthy existence on earth.

Disappearance of forests, changing life styles of man has become the cause of extinction of hundreds of beings.  Wild animals that live in forests are kept in captivity in zoological parks or protected/reserved forests. In these forests though the animals appear to move about freely, their freedom of movement is restricted by  the boundaries created by the authorities (man).  But when we move in these forests to see wild animals in their so called natural habitat we go in a vehicle through the windows of which we can see animals but animals cannot reach us. 

Once I visited Bannerghatta National Park in Bengaluru.  When I took a bus ride I felt we, the passengers, in the bus are caged and the animals are moving freely.  I could understand the limited power we humans have and the how much we fear the wild animals.

The bear sitting beside the halted bus and watching us

The bus,with all the doors closed and windows grilled
The moving cage!

                                                                        

Rejuvenating Inactivity

Life is simple biological phenomenon.  The initiation and dissociation of life from a living being is mysterious.  Between birth and death life if understood is simple. Eat, sleep and reproduce. Living being has to work to get food to eat and continue the race.  Every activity that is done is only to fulfill this purpose.  In this course of life the life of humans is different.  They endowed with discretion along with intelligence gained superiority over all beings.  With intelligence human race want to control all living beings and ‘Nature’.  Nature is immensely tolerant to misdeeds of man.  Occasionally Nature exhibits its unique strength and ferocity that makes Man to understand his limitations and short sightedness.  Nature has given everything in abundance to man so that everyone can live in peace.  Man in his passion to gain supremacy in the world doesn’t mind to suffer other living beings.

Sleep is unique act of physical non-activity that makes body rejuvenate after any tiresome physical or mental activity.  Good sleep ensures good health.  Healthy person will have a sound sleep.  Dreams are of part of sound sleep. A person who enjoys good sleep will live long.  When a person is sleepy he doesn’t need any bed; Can sleep on the rock or in the Sun.  For a destitute the shade of the tree is heavenly abode to relax and dream. 

The photograph above is taken in the month of May at Kolanpaka of Nalgonda district in Telangana.  Nalgonda district is said to have only two seasons, summer and severe or hot summer.  The man lying on the bench is a beggar, old man; there is a stick by his side and a tin in which he collects dole.  Probably the heat has made that man to come and rest on that bench under the shade of the tree. I have taken the photograph from a distance of 3-4 metres so as not to disturb him.  I walked along forward with my husband talking to him.  But that did not disturb him slightest.  There were other beggars outside this garden and in front of Jain temple. May be he is not interested in waiting there for visitors to the temple as he doesn’t need money or is tired for some reason.  I hope man is at peace and could have deep sleep even before noon. 

Lively Rock

Nature is beautiful.  Nature is mysterious.  Nature maintains balance of all living and non-living beings in the Universe.  Nature has given everything in abundance to man. But man always wants to overpower Nature, wants to modify It as per his needs.  Abuse of nature always results in calamities earlier or later.  Nature always teaches man to be sensible and follow the principle of “live and let live”.  Man is selfish.  Wants everything for himself and in the process becomes lost to himself.  When man is desperate he again goes back to Nature and worships Nature. 

Earlier man who could not unravel any of the mysteries of Nature worshipped Nature as God. Every beautiful and life sustaining part of Nature is worshipped as different forms of God.  That made man to pray God for his wants.  God is man’s hope.  Nature or God never fails man.  Sincere prayer not only moves the rock but also sprouts life in a rock. 

The photos I have taken made me to bow down to Nature and marvel at the wonders It holds for us.

Lotus - Beauty, Purity, Divinity

Recently I have seen a tiny lotus pond at a temple.  There were two colors of lotuses.  Few bloomed fully some partially and still some were closed.  The pond with the flowers and leaves was beautiful.  Lotus is the only flower I know which has many names in Telugu and Sanskrit due to its location and nature of blooming.  As I know that the flower has a special position in Hinduism I got interested to know more about the flower.  On searching the net I found so many interesting facts which I wanted to share with you all.

 Lotus grows in temperate and semi temperate climates.  This is native to Asia and other Eastern countries.  The plant has its roots in the mud, the stems in the water, but unlike other water plants the leaves are above the surface of water and flowers rise eight to twelve inches above leaves.  The strong stem supports this rise to above surface of water and lotus is untouched by the mud from which it arises.  It is the only plant which blossoms and fruits at the same time.  The other special feature of this plant is that its seeds are known to possess maximum period of viability among all plants. The lotus flower, fruit and seeds are edible.  The various parts of flower and the plant are used to cook some dietary delicacies in India and other eastern countries.  The plant also has medicinal value.

The unique features of this flower are recognised long ago and the beautiful flower is considered to represent purity and divinity.  The earliest reference to this flower is found in Rigveda.  This flower is symbolic of spiritual excellence and receives religious reverence in Hinduism and Buddhism.  There is also mention of these flowers in Egypt and Greek mythology.

Hinduism  

The earliest mention of this flower is in Rigveda.  Commonly we see pink and white lotuses in India.  The other colors of lotuses in other Asian countries are red, blue and purple.

Padma indicates a pink lotus which is the seat of goddess Sri Mahalaxmi. 

Kamala is the red color lotus; Pundarika and Utpala are white and blue lotuses.   

 As the lotus arises from water it is also called as ‘jalaja’, ‘neeraja’, ‘saroja’, ‘ambuja’ and as it arises from the muddy waters it is called ‘pankaja’. 

Though the flower’s roots are in the muddy water the stem raises from it and the leaves form a green carpet above the surface of water.  The flower is above the level of the leaves.  The leaves and flowers are detached from water.  The flower opens petal after petal and finally blossoms fully exhibiting the central pod and the stamens.  The flower blooms in the day and shines bright in the sun, closes and dips down into the water in the nights.  Then in the morning when it arises, flower is clear of  single drop of water, clean pure and beautiful. The water drops that fall on leaves also do not spread on it or stick to it, simply drop off. When the flower withers its pod enters the water and seeds are released.. A human being is supposed to live life like a lotus.

Human beings, the highest in order of living beings have to attain salvation by living a life like lotus.  Whatever circumstances they are in, they should rise above those circumstances and live a fruitful life without being attached to the material world.  The mud/water is considered the physical realm of the world, the flower – soul is covered inside the being as the pod in the lotus bud.  As lotus blooms with the touch of sun rays, so the people with attaining knowledge will be able to realise self and live in bliss.  Any being that is born should rise above materialistic world and strive for enlightenment.  Every being is microcosm, part of macrocosm and all beings ultimately should realise this fact.  Everyone is born for some purpose, should fulfill their duties and reach the ever blissful abode of Almighty.

In the course of salvation a person has to meditate and pass through different phases.  The stages pass through opening of seven chakras in the body each associated with lotus of different color and number of petals. 

-Mulaadhaara Chakra lies at the lowest part of the trunk - red color lotus with 4 petals

-Swadhishtana Chakra – in the lower abdomen – yellow color lotus with 6 petals

-Manipura Chakra – at the navel – blue lotus with 10 petals

-Hruthpadma Chakra – at the heart – golden yellow lotus with 12 petals

-Vishuddha Chakra – situated in the throat – white lotus with 16 petals

-Agnyaja Chakra – at the midpoint between the eyebrows – white lotus with 2 petals

-Sahsraraka Chakra – at the vertex – golden lotus with 1000 petals. 

 The opening of each chakra is visualized as opening of the associated lotus.  As each charka opens in ascending order the person will be rising above the wants of physical and material world and finally when enlightenment is achieved the beautiful golden lotus of thousand petals will open and such person will ever be in communion with Almighty and enjoys bliss for ever.

Goddess Sri Mahalaxmi is associated with pink lotus.  It is the seat of the Goddess.  Goddess Sri Mahalaxmi is addressed as

Padmodbhavam (arising from lotus)

Padmamukheem (lotus face)

Padmaaksheem (lotus eyed)

Padmahastaam (holding lotus in the hand)

Padmapriyaam (loves lotus)

Padmamalaadharam (wearing lotus garland)

Padmasundareem (beautiful as lotus)

Padmineem (Sri Mahalaxmi, the divine lotus)

Padmagandhineem (fragrance of lotus)

Padmanaabha priyaam (loved by God Sri Mahavishnu – from whose navel a lotus the seat of Brahma - the creator arises)

Padmaalayaam (dwells in lotus).

Goddess Saraswathi is associated with white lotus. She is praised as

Padmapatra vishaalaakshi (wide eyes appearing as lotus petals

Padmakesara varnini (golden complexion as the stamens of lotus)

Shweta padmaasana (seated in the white lotus)

Nityam padmaalayaam (ever dwells in the lotus).

Beauty of other gods also described in terms of lotus, particularly the eyes as lotus petals. The feet of gods and all esteemed Gurus are revered as lotus feet (paada padmamulu).

The supreme god Shri Mahavishnu is called Padmanabha as a lotus arises from his navel on which the creator Brahma sits.  Sun god is called as ‘Kamalanath’ (master of lotus).  He is the only god who holds lotuses in two hands. 

In Bhagavadgeeta Lord Krishna says that a person should do his ‘karma’ with detachment like lotus which stays in murky water but remains clean and pure.

Buddhism

 In Buddhism the lotus represents purity of body, speech and mind.  The flower rising above the murky water is symbolic of detachment from physical realm. The eight petals of lotus represent the eight principles of Buddhism

-Right belief

-Right aim

-Right speech

-Right Actions

-Right means of livelihood

-Right endeavour

-Right mindfulness

-Right meditation

In Buddhism different colors of lotuses presents different virtues.

Red lotus:  This is related to heart and is associated with love and compassion.

Blue lotus: Victory of spirit over that of wisdom, intelligence and knowledge.  This lotus is shown as only partially opened and centre of the flower is not seen.

White lotus: This represents mental purity and spiritual perfection, symbolic of ‘Bodhi’, being awakened.

Purple lotus: This is associated with esoteric sects.  This lotus is seen as open flower with eight petals indicating eight paths of Buddhism.

Pink lotus: This is considered supreme true lotus and is associated with Buddha.

The heart of the beings is like an unopened lotus.  Developing virtues of Buddha is unfolding and blossoming of lotus.  Enlightened being – Buddha sits on lotus.

Lotus is the first flower bloomed in the beginning of this cosmic world as per Buddhist Cosmology. 

According to Mahayana tradition lotus indicates regeneration, perfection, youthful bloom and immortality.  Chan tradition believes the fruit, flower and stalk are symbolic of past, present and future.

Jainism

Jainism also regards lotus as most auspicious flower.  Jain Tirthankars who realise Omniscience are depicted as sitting on Golden lotus.  Tirthankars sit on lotus when giving sermons.  This is to depict how to love and live unattached in the world.

Chinese mythology and culture

Chinese have immense reverence to lotus.  The lotus was mentioned in their poetry 3000 years ago. A beautiful woman’s face is described as lotus face. The flower is considered queenliest of all flowers, fairy of flowers and gentleman of flowers. They have many folk paints with different lotuses symbolic of love, harmony and prosperity.  Chinese word for lotus is pronounced as ‘HE’ the same word meaning harmony.  The word for light blue lotus is pronounced like the word rectitude. This lotus represents honesty.  Lotus is considered to represent the bond of love as the stalk cannot be broken into two.  When the stem is bent, it is still bound by its strong fibres. Chinese scholar Zhou Dunyi wrote, “I love lotus because while growing from mud, it is unstained”. 

In china there is a legend saying that June 14^th in Chinese lunar calendar is the lotus’s birthday. So even now every year Chinese celebrate Lotus festival by visiting lotus pond, enjoying beauty of the flowers and the environment along the banks of the pond.

A unique fibre is produced from the fibres of lotus plant at Inle Lake Union of Myanmar.  These fibres are used to weave special robes – lotus robes (kya thingaln) for Buddha images

Egyptian Mythology

As per Egyptian mythology lotus is symbol of creation and rebirth.  Lotus blooms during day and closes and sinks into water at night to rise again along with the sun to bloom.  This is the reason their mythology presents that a giant lotus that blossomed first from the primordial waters of ‘Nun’ has created sun and thus the creation started.

Greek mythology

Greek mythology also mentions a story about lotus.  During his return from Troy Odysseus has to drag his men who were stuck at a place eating lotus fruits and flowers given by local inhabitants and became blissful.  Herodotus, 5^th century BC historian located lotus eaters on the Libyan coast.

Lotus, a beautiful flower, Indian national flower, symbolic of spirituality in many religions and nations, certainly has unique features and inspires man to rise above mundane things and attain self realization.

Image sources: Other than red and white lotus all images are taken from Google images.

Blessed Life

Life is precious, invaluable.  As long as we are blessed with it we do not understand its value.  When we know how lucky we are to be born and alive we will use our life in a better way. 

I was just going through a topic ‘fetal wastage’.  I read it previously.  But my understanding was more of scientific approach to deal with it in clinical practice.  Now I have a different perspective.  In a menstrual cycle of 28 days, ovulation occurs on 14^th day.  Fertilization of this ovum can take place on 14^th, 15^th or 16^th day.  After fertilization the resultant zygote will undergo certain changes and divides and redivides to form a ball of cells which will get implanted in the uterus by 20^th to 21^st day.  Once implanted further changes will take place and embryo develops and pregnancy specific hormone, HCG, is released.  The presence of this hormone can be detected in the blood by 27^th day.  The powerful tests can also detect this hormone in urine as early as 2^nd day of missed period.  The detection of this hormone 2-3 days prior to missed period to immediately a day after missed period is indication of pregnancy – biochemical pregnancy.  More than 80% of these biochemical pregnancies are simply eliminated by nature and are not recognized clinically.  In fact, more than 50% of the fertilized ova fail to implant in the uterus and 30% of the implanted ova fail to develop to the clinically recognizable stage.  A woman in her early stage of pregnancy may show a weakly positive pregnancy test but may have bleeding within a week.  If the test is not done it will be taken as delayed periods having normal or a little bit of excessive menstrual flow.  The rest 20% are clinically recognized pregnancies.  From this number another 20% are lost in the early period of pregnancy, between 9^th and 12^th week.  The demise of fetus as early as 8^th week can be detected sonographically as blighted ovum or in later period recognized as missed abortion.  If the pregnancy continues well after 12^th week and live by 16^th week the loss of fetus is about 1%.  But, though the fetus is live and active it is estimated that 3-5% of fetuses will have gross congenital malformations which are incompatible with life.  The recognition of these fetuses through ultrasound sonography and terminating the pregnancy will result in further loss. 

Apart from this natural losses and elimination by selective process, there can be another 5% loss due to maternal disorders, pregnancy and delivery complications, and fetal anomalies.  Another factor to be considered is voluntary abortion, which is practiced legally or illegally worldwide.  A woman voluntarily or forcibly subjected to abortion, and the new life is eliminated in the early stage.  Now considering various factors, calculate the percent of lucky chance you had to live your life. 

Standing against the test of nature, facing various genetic, environmental hazards, being live and healthy is once a life time opportunity.  Once we understand the Nature’s blessings we respect our life, value it more and live to accomplish it.

Incident - Coincident

Life is a continuous process.   Many incidents happen, people enter and walkout of our life.  Everything does not go as we plan.  But many times we get the results we want.  As long as we are clear in our conscience and work for better future, things turn out the way we desire.  I believe everything is in our thinking and doing it right.  Every moment is auspicious and every act done in good faith gives good results.

When my daughter was over two years I bought a slate and chalk and kept it in my room.  I had plans to start her ‘aksharaabhyaasam’ on auspicious day at a temple in our town.  Being professional women, I would leave my daughter in the care of my mother-in-law and other members in the joint family.  Then my husband’s youngest brother was about seventeen years and doing his intermediate.  He would stay at home and play with my daughter and take care of her along with mom.  He saw the slate and chalk piece in my room and enthusiastically started teaching my daughter ‘ABC’ one day.  When I came home he was making her write on the slate.  I was bit upset, but did not say anything.  I only thought that if that is destiny let it take its own path.  Later that year, In June 1988, I admitted my daughter into a school.  This was about 4 km from our residence.  She has to go by school bus.  My husband’s cousin was also studying in the same school in higher section.  She would take care of her, in the school bus while coming and going, and also in the lunch hour help to eat her meal.  She did take care of her all the three years, until she passed out her SSC and gone to different college.

 18-6-1988

Early days of schooling were painful to my daughter.  She would feel difficulty in waking up early when she had school and be awake early when it is a holiday for the school.  Later on slowly she started taking interest in her studies and did well in the class.  She later entered into engineering and had to be sent out to capital city for education.  There was lot of discussion to send a girl out to a city.  There were so many objections from different quarters.  My answers to all those finally helped her to land in city.  She utilized the opportunity provided to her and finally had chosen to do doctorate in USA.  Again, as usual, there were different views about sending her to far off place.  This time she herself decided to go ahead with her decision and I was there for support and encouragement.  The place she had chosen is where her uncle was staying.  With this we could rest in peace.

5-5-2012

 

Her uncle who initiated ‘aksharaabhyaasam’ was there to attend her defense.  He was the proud family member to congratulate his little niece after her successful defense.  I told him that he deserved to stay there as he initiated literacy, and supported her in attaining highest degree.  I feel it is just destiny.  My husband’s little cousin, a software professional and mother of two was also living in the same city in USA.  I requested her to attend the graduation ceremony of my daughter and she readily obliged.  I was overwhelmed with happiness to be with these two persons, who had a role in her life, to be present at the time of graduation. 

Presenting his niece with pride

Everything happened is simply incidental or coincidental.  My faith in Almighty increased and I believe that destiny plans in a better way, and we should always do our duty.

It's My Life

Then,

Dry and dormant

Destiny unknown

Embedded in earth

Nurtured by Nature

Stand gigantic today

And say,

“It’s my life”

‘It’s my life”

 Fruit said

Man eat the fruit

Threw the seed away.

“It’s my life”

Earth knew

Nurtured the seed

Groomed the plant

Protected the tree.

“It’s my life”

The tree said

Sheltered lives

Nestled the birds

Flowers blossomed

With fragrance and beauty

Pleasing Nature and Man.

Flowers matured

Grown into fruits

Ready to feed

Reared to spread.

Man

Enjoyed the beauty of flowers

Sweetness of fruits

Threw the seeds away

And said,

“It’s my life”.