Politics is not a SERVICE but a PROFESSION

all data numbers are unverified

n Important Issue! Salary & Govt. Concessions for a Member of Parliament (MP) Monthly Salary: Rs. 12,000/- Expense for Constitution per month: Rs. 10,000/- Office expenditure per month: Rs. 14,000/- Traveling concession (Rs. 8 per km): Rs. 48,000/- (eg. For a visit from South India to Delhi & return: 6000 km) Daily DA TA during parliament meets: Rs. 500/day Charge for 1 class (A/C) in train: Free (For any number of times) (All over India ) Charge for Business Class in flights: Free for 40 trips / year (With wife or P.A.) Rent for MP hostel at Delhi: Free. Electricity costs at home: Free up to 50,000 units. Local phone call charge: Free up to 1, 70,000 calls... TOTAL expense for a MP [having no qualification] per year: Rs.32, 00,000/- [i.e. 2.66 lakh/month] TOTAL expense for 5 years: Rs. 1, 60, 00,000/- For 534 MPs, the expense for 5 years: Rs. 8,54,40,00,000/ - (Nearly 855 crores) AND THE PRIME MINISTER IS ASKING THE HIGHLY QUALIFIED, OUT PERFORMING CEOs TO CUT DOWN THEIR SALARIES.... .. This is how all our tax money is been swallowed and price hike on our regular commodities. ........ And this is the present condition of our country: 855 crores, of our hard earned money, could make their life livable!!

Chand Baori - The Deepest Step Well in the World

The ajooba that India is

Chand Baori is a famous stepwell situated in the village Abhaneri near Jaipur in Indian state of Rajasthan.The Chand Baori, a vast well with flights of steps on three sides, is a 10th century monument situated in Abhaneri. It is a fine example of the architectural excellence prevalent in the past. This impressive step well is as deep as a seven storeyed building. The famous Harshat Mata temple situated opposite to this well shows that there must have been a religious connection with the step-well. The well is 35 m on each side with steps leading down from each side and water can be drawn from any level.Legends say that ghosts build it in one night and that it has so many steps to make it impossible for someone to retrieve a coin once it's been dropped in the well.

GAYATRI MANTRA- Explained

Om Bhur Bhuva Svaha Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi Dhiyo yonah Prachodayat The Rig Veda (10:16:3) Om : Para Brahman Bhur : Bhu Loka (Physical Plane). It also refers to the body made up of the five Panch Bhoothas. These five elements constitute Prakriti (Nature). Bhuva : Bhuva Loka - the middle world. Bhuva is also Prana Sakthi. However it is the Presence of PRAGNANA that enables the Prana Sakthi to animate the body. It is on this account that the Vedas have declared "Prajnanam Brahma" (constant Integrated Awareness is Brahman). Svaha : Swarga Loka(Heaven, the land of Gods). Tat : Paramatma, God or Brahman. Savitur : That from which all this is born. Varenyam : Fit to be worshiped. Bhargo : The Radiance, the spiritual Effulgence, the Light that bestows wisdom. Devasya : Divine Reality Dheemahi : We meditate Dhiyo : Buddhi, Intellect Yo : Which Nah : Our Prachodayat : Enlighten The Gayatri Mantra may be translated in many ways. One such translation is as follows: (Om) Om (Dheemahi) We meditate (Bhargo) upon the spiritual Effulgence (Varenyam Devasya) of THAT Adorable supreme Divine Reality (Savitur) the Source (Bhur, Bhuva, Svaha) of the physical, the Astral and the Heavenly Spheres of Existence. (Tat) may THAT Supreme Divine Being (Prachodayat) enlighten (Yo) which (Nah) our (Dhiyo) Intellect (so that we may realise the Supreme Truth). GAYATRI MANTRA 1. What is meant by 'Mantra'? 'Ma' means MANANA (i.e. Meditation) and 'thra' means saving; so 'Mantra' means that which can save you, if you meditate on it. Mantra will save you from being caught up in the coils of this worldly life which is infested with death, grief and pain" - Baba. A 'mantra' may also be a combination of letters which has a mysterious power hidden within it, of bringing about certain results when used in a particular manner. It has been said: "BRAHMANAM BRAHMANA VAHANAM" and it means, Brahma is the carrier of Brahman. Baba has said: "The word Brahma here is understood to connote Mantra". The inner meaning is that THE PURUSHA WHO IS THE EMBODIMENT OF THE VEDAS, has the mantra as His carrier. A mantra has two aspects; The first is MANANA which means whatever you have learnt has to be taken into the mind and the second aspect is TRAANA, which means, whatever has been taken into the mind, has to be firmly established and preserved in the mind. "The Vedas have been obtained by listening to 'sound' (ghosha), they have been referred to as SRUTI. This is directly connected with the Lord, taking in and giving out His breath. Brahman rides over these mantras and therefore He has been called BRAHMANASPATI. (PATI means KARTA or the head of a situation). If we want to get control over Brahman or obtain His Grace, then His carriers namely the mantras over which He rides must be first brought under control". Baba has said: "I am ghosha" i.e. Baba is Brahman and rides over the mantras. 2. How Gayatri came into existence? Vedas proclaim that at the instance Sree Mahavishnu, the Lord Supreme, decided to create the universe, Gayatri Mantra, interalia, came out from His Divine Face. Gayatri Mantra appears in Rig Veda, as the tenth mantra in the sixtieth sutra of the third Mandala. As Vedas are eternal, Gayatri Mantra also is eternal having no birth and death. 3. How do you arrive at the word 'GAYATRI'? The word 'GAYATRI' is derived from "GAYAntam TRIyate Iti". It means THAT which protects the chanter is THIS. Here THIS is GAYATRI MANTRA (Sabta Brahman). That is the reason for the total absence of the word "Gayatri" in the mantra itself. 4. What is the Gayatri mantra? The Gayatri Mantra is the Universal Prayer enshrined in the Vedas, the most ancient scriptures of Man. Universal Prayer means Prayer that can be recited with devotion for one's spiritual or material benefit in all Ages by all men, women and children in any part of the world. 6. Give meaning of Gayatri Mantra word by word. Om : Para Brahman Bhur : Bhu Loka (Physical Plane). It also refers to the body made up of the five Panch Bhoothas. These five elements constitute Prakriti (Nature). Bhuva : Bhuva Loka - the middle world. Bhuva is also Prana Sakthi. However it is the Presence of PRAGNANA that enables the Prana Sakthi to animate the body. It is on this account that the Vedas have declared "Prajnanam Brahma" (constant Integrated Awareness is Brahman). Svaha : Swarga Loka(Heaven, the land of Gods). Tat : Paramatma, God or Brahman. Savitur : That from which all this is born. Varenyam : Fit to be worshiped. Bhargo : The Radiance, the spiritual Effulgence, the Light that bestows wisdom. Devasya : Divine Reality Dheemahi : We meditate Dhiyo : Buddhi, Intellect Yo : Which Nah : Our Prachodayat : Enlighten The Gayatri Mantra may be translated in many ways. One such translation is as follows: (Om) Om (Dheemahi) We meditate (Bhargo) upon the spiritual Effulgence (Varenyam Devasya) of THAT Adorable supreme Divine Reality (Savitur) the Source (Bhur, Bhuva, Svaha) of the physical, the Astral and the Heavenly Spheres of Existence. (Tat) may THAT Supreme Divine Being (Prachodayat) enlighten (Yo) which (Nah) our (Dhiyo) Intellect (so that we may realise the Supreme Truth). 7. What do you understand by "Sampoorna Gayatri"? Om : This is Pranava Bhur, Bhuva, Svaha : The Mahavyahritis relating to Gayatri Mantra. The conventional Mahavyahritis pronounced before commencing any spiritual ceremony are as follows: OM BHUH OM BHUVAH OM SUVAH OM MAHAH OM JANAH OM TAPAH OM SATYAM These are the Seven spheres of existence beginning with the physical (BHUH). Actual Gayatri Mantra: TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI DHIYO YONAH PRACHODAYAT These three aspects taken together form 'Sampoorna Gayatri'. 8. How many syllables are contained in the Gayatri Mantra? What is the significance of this number? The actual Gayatri consists of 24 Syllables as follows: 1st Line: Ta, sa, vi, tu, va, re, ny, ya - 8 2nd Line: Bha, go, De, va, ya, dhee, ma, hi - 8 3rd Line: Dhi, yo, yo, nah, ra, cho, da, ya - 8 __ 24 Sreemad Devi Bhagavatham gives a reference to 24 Rishis who are associated with each syllable in the Gayatri Mantra. Similarly each syllable is also associated with each of 24 Sakthis and 24 Flowers. Vedas suggest that Goddess Gayatri can be worshiped as Gayatri Vicharam, Gayatri Kavacham, Gayatri Hrudayam, Gayatri Sthothram or Gayatri Sahasranaama. (Here 'Hrudayam' means the whole body.) 9. What is the significance of OM in the Gayatri Mantra? Om is the Naada Brahmam emanated from Supreme God as early as the time of Creation, (Om Iti ekakshcharam Brahman) (Om that syllable is Brahman). It is composed of three syllables 'A', 'U', 'M'. 'A' relates to waking state 'U' relates to dreaming state 'M' relates to sleeping state All these leading to 4th state viz TURYA which is beyond these three states and represented by Silence. When one dives deep into the depths of this silence, he hears the cosmic AUM or the Pranava, which emanates from the Prana (vital vibration) which fills the Universe. Gayatri Mantra is the expanded form of OM and Om is included in the Gayatri mantra to give 'reinforcement' effect to the Mantra. "Om is the Waters, Light, Essence (Saaram and Saaramsam), the Immortal, Reality, the physical (BHUR), the intermediate (Bhuvah) and heaven worlds (Svah) is OM. 10. Who discovered the Gayatri Mantra? The Gayatri Mantra was discovered by Sage Viswamitra. It was the same sage Viswamitra who initiated Sri Rama into mysteries of Sun worship, through the mantra Aaditya Hrudayam. The RISHI (Sage) for Gayatri Mantra is Viswamitra himself. 11. How did Sage Viswamitra become the RISHI for Gayatri Mantra? Being the Kshakthriya King, Viswamitra demanded the Divine Cow NANDINI which was in the possession of sage Vasista, who refused to part with NANDINI. All efforts to get the Divine Cow having failed, Viswamitra gave up his bad quality of pride and arrogance, went to the forest for deep penance and then after the penance was over he came back and surrendered himself with utmost humility to sage Vasista. He made upasana of Gayatri as Veda Maata and was subsequentely recognised by Sage Vasista as Brahma Rishi. Only after this incidence, Viswamitra became the Rishi for Gayatri Mantra. We learn from this incidence that only when our mind is pure, free from pride and arrogance, Goddess Gayatri comes to our rescue and uplifts us to higher status in spirituality. 12. What do you understand by 'Mantra Sakthi'? It is some thing which cannot be seen. It can only be inferred. For instance, when mantras are uttered and oblations are offered in the Fire, we can see the offered materials being reduced to ashes and this is called PRATYAKSHA or perception through direct observation. However, the material which is reduced to ashes gets conveyed by MANTRA SAKTHI to the person for whom it was intended. Baba has said that even if one does not know the place where the offering has to reach, or if one is not acquainted with the person carrying the offering, it is of no consequence. 13. How does Gayatri Mantra protect us? The Gayatri Mantra protects us because Gayatri is Annapurna, The Mother, the Force that animates all Life. We do not therefore have to wail for food, or for shelter when we are under the protection of Annapurna, the Divine Mother. 14. How to pronounce AUM? It must be pronounced as slowly as possible rising in a crescendo (musical Arohanam) until it reaches its peak at 'M'. Then it must take a curve at 'M' and descend as slowly as it rose, taking as much time as it took to ascend, it must gradually disappear into the Silence reverberating in the cavity of the heart. Let the Silence coincide with the pause between two breathing cycles and prolong it as long as possible without discomfort. Enjoy it, Relish it. This is the threshold of the residence of the Inner Self, the Real Prasanthi Mandir. This Inner Self is all pervasive and identical with Brahman. This is the Real Nature of Man. "Be still and know that YOU ARE GOD". 15. Mental Repetition of Mantra is more powerful than words. How? While the mantra is repeated mentally, the words are in the background of the mind and serve the same purpose which the notes sounded on a TANPUR serve in Indian vocal music. It has been inferred that if you utter the mantra by mouth producing sound, you will get one unit of benefit. If it is done in the fashion of JAPA, you will get 10 units of benefits. If it is done just by movement of lips without producing physical sound, you will get 100 units of benefits. If the same is done mentally without lip movement or sound, then the benefit you will be deriving is 1000 units! 16. Where we can sit and utter Gayatri Mantra to get best results? At home - 1 unit of benefit Near a river - 2 units of benefit In places where cows are fostered - 10 units of benefit In places where Agnihotram is performed - 100 units of benefit Places where great Sages attained gnana/sidhi - One lakh or one crore units Places whose sthala-puranas find place in Hindu scriptures, Temples, etc. - according to the merit of the place. Infront of "Perumal Sannathi" (the Abode of Mahavishnu) - No limit-infinite If done by Japamaala made up of Rudraksha Nuts - no limit-infinite (Note of author of the site: The japamala teaches you the Unity, though it has 108 beads! If it is a sphatika mala (crystal beads) you can see the string running in and through each bead, the inner reality on which all this is strung! If the beads are not transpa- rent, you still know that the string passes through, holds together, and is the basis for the mala to exist! Why 108 beads? 108 is the product when 12 is multiplied 9 times. 12 is the number of Adityas, Luminaries that reveal the objective world, and so, symbols of the Sakaara aspect (the world of name and form, of manifoldness, the seeming variety, the fleeting pictures); 9 is the screen on which the pictures appear, the basis, the rope which deludes you as the snake in the dusk, Brahmam, the Nameless, Formless, Eternal Absolute. 9 is the Brahmam Number, for it is always 9, how- ever many times you multiply it! It is immutable, for 9 into any number adds up to 9 only. So, when you turn the beads, impress upon your self the fact that there is both truth and travesty in the world, the travesty attracts, distracts and delights is deceiving you, diverts you into devious paths; the truth makes you free! Hold the rosary over the middle finger, keeping the three Guna fingers together. This means that you are now transcending the world of attributes, and qualities, of name and form, of multiplicity that is the consequence of all this transformation, and proceeding towards the know- ledge of the UNITY. The Jivi finger now slowly passes each bead towards the thumb (Brahmam), touching the tip of the Brahmam finger when the bead passes over, so that the mergence is emphasised with every bead and every breath, for, while the fingers learn and teach the lesson, the tongue too repeats the manthra or the Name, with the Pranava. The japamala is very useful for beginners in Sadhana, but, as you progress, japa must become the very breath of your life, and so the rotation of beads becomes a superfluous and cumbersome exercise in which you have no more interest. Sarvadaa-sarva kaaleshu sarvatra Hari chinthanam : Always, at all times, in all places, Hari (the Lord) is meditated upon. That is the stage to which the japamala should lead you. You should not be bound to it for ever; it is only a contraption. The belt has to be discarded when you have learnt to swim, the crutches when you are able to walk. "SADHANA. The Inward Path" Quotations from the divine discourses of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, pp.43-45.) 17. What are the materials which can be spread over for sitting thereon for chanting Mantra? 1) Darbasanam (Kosa grass): Our 'Papas' (sins) are removed, Body and Mind are cleansed immediately. 2) Woollen materials: Our miseries are removed. 3) Deer Leather: Develops our 'gnana', peace of mind 4) Silk material: good fortunes 5) Bark of tree used as clothing: gives strength (it was used by Sri Rama - These materials are still available in the State of Kerala, South India) 6) Leather of female elephant: Removes diseases. Lord Shiva sometimes wears this material and perform "Ananda Thandavam" (dance) 7) Leather of Tiger: gives Liberation (Moksha); increases the power of renunciation. 18. List out a few sayings from Scriptures about Gayatri. 1) "Gayantam Trayate Iti Gayatri": Gayatri saves him who chants/meditates on Gayatri. 2) "Gayatreem Chandasaam maata": Gayatri is the mother of all mantras. 3) "Gayatri Chandasaam aham": In Bhagawad Gita, Lord Krishna proclaims that He is Gayatri in Veda mantras. 19. The Gayatri mantra is divided into three distinct Parts: What are they? First Part: Pranava and Mahavyahritis Viz Om Bhur Bhuva Svah Here the chanter contemplates on the Glory of Light that illumines the three worlds. This part is to arouse in the vehicles of the aspirant certain powers which prepare the ground for the effective functioning of the second and third parts. These powers are aroused through the agency of sound (Vaak) which harmonises the vehicles and attunes them to the forces from the higher states of consciousness to manifest through them. Since the repetitive meditation of Pranava is an independent and powerful means of spiritual unfoldment, it is obvious that its inclusion in the Gayatri Mantra increases enormously the effectiveness of the latter. It helps not only in a positive manner by unfolding the spiritual consciousness, but also negatively by removing different kinds of obstacles in the path of the aspirant. Though the powers aroused by the maha vyahritis are also powers which are indirectly derived from the Lord of the Solar System, they are specialised powers, administered and directed by the divinities of the three planes. Second Part: Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi It picturises the Glory, the Splendour and the Grace which flows from the Light. This part is meant to stimulate in the mind of the aspirant an intense aspiration or determination to come into contact with consciousness of Savita, the presiding Deity of our Solar System. It is only as this aspiration is intensified that the fusion of the individual monad ('jivaatma') and the supreme spirit ('Paramaatma') can be progressively brought about. This part is really an invocation to SAVITA for more light and is meant to fan the spark of spiritual aspiration in the aspirant into a roaring flame. It is a call of the individual soul to the Universal Being. It is a call for enlightenment of the highest kind, for that knowledge which will make him realise his oneness with Him who is the source of all knowledge, power and bliss. Generally, by the word 'SAVITA', we mean the sun which is the centre of the solar system and round which, all the planets are revolving. BUT, the physical sun, which we see and which alone science has studied is merely an outer cover of a glorious Reality which pervades and energises the whole solar system. In the second place, they indicate that this Reality is in essence and fundamentally the same as the Reality which is hidden in the heart of every human being. In finding this Reality within himself, the aspirant can invoke the Reality hidden behind the sun and through the help which he gets from this supreme source of spiritual illumination make his task of self-discovery easier. When as a result of self training the inner eyes of a man are opened, a tremendous breath-taking mystery reveals itself within his consciousness. This spiritual sun of consciousness is SAVITA, He whom Gayatri meant to reveal by stages. During this process, we seem to be expanding into that all embracing Reality and that Reality seems to be descending into us. This dual process the descent of the Whole into the part and the expansion of the part into the whole is simultaneous. Third Part: Dhiyo yo nah Prachodayat It is a prayer for final liberation, through the awakening of the innate intelligence that pervades the Universe as Light. In this last part, the aspirant surrenders himself completely to the Divine and thus makes it possible for the divine forces to flow into his vehicles so as to purify those vehicles and to raise them to a higher degree of sensitivity and capacity for enlightenment. After putting in the utmost effort, the aspirant lets himself go and opens himself up to the utmost extent to divine Light and life. Thus in prayer we build up or arouse spiritual forces within the deeper layers of our being in the process, we have to pierce through the image of the sun and our ideas of Savita into the Reality, which is hidden behind these ideas. 20. Why Gayatri is called Pancha Mukhi? Gayatri is referred to as 'Pancha Mukhi' or the Goddess with five faces. These five faces or aspects reveal and reflect the Brahman. Five faces of Gayatri Mantra are 1) Om 2) Bhur Bhuvah Suvah 3) Tat Savitur Varenyam 4) Bhargo Devasya dheemahe 5) Dhiyo yonah Prachodayat. These five aspects signify all that is contained within and made up of the 1) Panch Bhutas (Akasa, Vayu, Agni, Water and Prithvi) and the 2) Panch Kosas or the five sheaths of the human body (Annamaya Kosa, Pranamaya Kosa, Manomaya Kosa, Vignanamaya Kosa and Anandamaya Kosa), 3) Panch Pranas (Praanaya, Apaanaaya, Vyaanaya, Udaanaaya, Samaanaya), 4) Panch Tanmatras (Sound, Touch, Roopam, Taste, Gandham (smell)) and 5) Panch Indiriyas (Gnana and Karma) (Eyes, Ear, Nose, Mouth and Body). A knowledge of the inter-connections of the Panchabhoothas within one's body will enable the Sadhaka to appreciate the inner significance of the five faces of Gayatri. Thus while the manthra is capable of purifying the totality of one's being (inner equipment), it also purifies the external organs of the work viz. Karma Indriyas. Here Panch Bhootas as related to human body, Panch Kosas, Panch Pranas, Panch Tanmatras, Panch Gnana Indiriyas are 'internal' organs of human body while Panch Karma Indirias are 'external'. Thus both 'internal' and 'external' organs are purified. Another point of view regarding the above five 'faces' is this: After chanting one 'face' we should exhale and stop breath for a few seconds and then proceed to the next 'face'. This gap of time should be equal and should be enjoyed. In this process the chanter should be slow and steady and should not hurry up. Exhaling breath after chanting each face and continuing this process during the whole of the Sadhana itself constitutes a very good praanayaama system. This result is attained only because the mantra is technically divided into five segments (called 'faces') as above. 21. How Vedas and three Lokas are related to each other? Once PRAJAPATI performed SAMYAMA (three phased yogic meditation) on the nature of the Universe and found that i) the essence of the physical world BHUR was AGNI and the essence of AGNI was RIG VEDA, ii) the essence of astral world BHUVAH was VAYU and the essence of vayu was YAJUR VEDA, iii) the essence of the lower heaven of the mental world was ADITYA and the essence of ADITYA was SAMA VEDA, iv) the essence of Rig Veda was BHUR, that of YAJUR VEDA was BHUVAH and that of SAMA VEDA was SVAH. 22. Who are the deities of three Lokas referred to in the Gayatri Mantra? How they are related to Panch Kosas? The deity of Bhuh is AGNI which relates to Annamaya Kosa The deity of Bhuvah is VAAYU which relates to Praanamaya Kosa The deity of Svah is INDIRA as related to Manomaya Kosa The Prathyatcha Devatha SUN GOD who is related to the fifth Kosa viz Anundamaya kosa awakens and strengthens our intellect, (the discriminating faculty) or Buddhi which is related to the fourth Kosa viz Vignanamaya Kosa. 23. What do you understand by 'Immortality'? One must not construe the meaning of the word 'immortality' to mean a state where life is permanently retained in the body. As Baba has said "There is birth and death for the body, but there is no birth or death for the Atma". To be able to understand this permanency of the Atma, is the real meaning of obtaining immortality. 24. Why the effect of Gayatri Mantra differs during Tri-Kaala? Traditionally the aspirant is advised to repeat Gayatri Mantra during dawn, noon and dusk. Japa during dawn: At the dawn Gayatri appears as BRAHMASWAROOPINI on Her SWAN Vaahana (on which to ride). So during this time, the attributes of SARASWATI predominate and influence the effect. SARASWATI grants wisdom to the aspirant. Japa during Noon: At noon, Gayatri appears as RUDRASWAROOPINI on Her BULL Vaahana. So during this time the attributes of DURGA predominate and influence the effect. DURGA removes distress of the aspirant. Japa during Dusk: At dusk, Gayatri appears as VISHNUSWAROOPINI on Her GARUDA Vaahana. So during this time the attributes of LAKSHMI predominate and influence the effect. LAKSHMI grants wealth and prosperity to the aspirant.The above is the traditional analysis of Tri-Kaala with respect to Gayatri. 25. There is another school of Thought: What is that theory? I.K.Taimni in his "Gayatri" observes the significance of 'Tri-Kaala' in a somewhat different way. His philosophy, briefly is as follows: Gayatri is Brahmani in the morning, Vaishnavi at noon and Rudrani in the evening. Morning is the time when creative forces are predominant in nature, and as Brahma represents the creative principle, it is His influence which can most profitably be sought by the aspirant at that time. At noon, the forces of preservation are predominant and therefore Vishnu is the Presiding Deity of this part of the day. He is the Preserver who keeps in balance the forces of creation and destruction and it is therefore His influence which is invoked at this time of the day. In the evening the forces of destruction become strong and since destruction is the function of Rudra, naturally it is His influence which pervades nature and can most profitably be utilised at this time of the day. (Instead of 'Destruction', 'Regeneration' is a much better word because it carries the idea of creation and preservation also, with that of destruction). Destruction by Rudra is not for its own sake, but takes place because the form which He destroys has ceased to serve its purpose efficiently and has become a hindrance in the evolution of the life embodied in that form. So He takes it away and gives, in its place, a new, more elastic and useful form. This conception of the function of Rudra gives quite a different complexion to the outer destruction. 26. Can we chant Gayatri Mantra during the 'Pollution days' arising from death, child birth, etc? Our sages have prescribed that Gayatri mantra should be recited every day - without a gap of even a single day. During the above pollution days one should not touch the Divine asthras (weapons) to fight the enemies. However reciting Gayatri Mantra is given special exemption. First ten days from the date of death occurring in a family are treated as 'pollution days'. During these days, the Sadhakas can wear VIBHUTI (sacred ash) (without mixing the same with water drops) slightly on his forehead and recite Gayatri Mantra. On the eleventh day, the above 'pollution' time is a few minutes only. The Sadhaka can avoid this short pollution time and thereafter he may recite Gayatri Mantra. Our elders have made this ceremonial arrangement with the point of view in mind that the Sadhaka should not miss even a single day; he should not be deprived of the benefit even for a single day. 27. If the Mantra is not chanted correctly, whether it harms the individual? "Yes - it has the opposite effect of enveloping the person in darkness, but if we recite with Love, God will accept it". – Sai Baba. 28. Who is Prajapati? The words BHUH, BHUVAH, SVAH are said in context of Prajapati (that is one who presides over or is at the head of a situation). Individually they are represented by INDRA (Bhuh or Earth), Vayu (Bhuva or Atmosphere) and Aditya (Svah or Heaven) but the word Prajapati connotes the totality of all these three. 29. How Bhoomi (earth) was created? When God wanted to create (in His aspect as Parambrahman), He first created the basis and that basis was sound. This premordial sound was the first picture. The bhoomi or our earth is born in the form of mantras and Brahmanas. 30. Relationship between breath and mantra: One's breath becomes a mantra. This is so because the word SOHAM is contained in the breath itself and when we inhale and exhale breath, we are continuously uttering the word SOHAM. It means I AM GOD. Therefore this mantra is SWA-SWARUP. It means the Form of our own self. 31. Traditionally a second OM is interposed before TAT (in the 3rd line) of Mantra. Is it necessary? Baba says it is unnecessary. It has therefore been deleted. Each word should be pronounced clearly and distinctly without undue haste or hurry. It should be noted that recitation should not be allowed to deteriorate into a routine chore. 32. Why Gayatri Mantra is called Trikala Sandhiya? Like the utensils need to be cleansed every day - thrice a day - so our heart too needs to be cleansed thrice a day. This injunction has been given by Baba. The fixed occasions are Dawn, Noon and Dusk and besides these times, it can be repeated anywhere at anytime, including night time. It should also be recited before taking food and while pouring water over one's head during a bath. The Mantra purifies the food and removes all the ill effects of the subtle vibrations such as bad thoughts, which may have been generated by the person responsible for the preparation of food. Further it also protects one from the harmful effects of germs which may have got mixed up in the food. Thus the mantra takes care of the inner equipment of the individual. 33. Significance of the number of times of uttering the mantra: Baba advises us to recite it three, nine or eleven times before meals. Traditionally one is required to repeat it 108 times. But there is really no limit. When a target is fixed as to the number of times, the pleasure of contemplating the Might and Majesty of the Mantra is overshadowed by the effort required to keep track of the count. Love and reverence for the mantra and faith in its promised results are far more important than mere mechanical repetition while the mind wanders in other pasteurs. 34. Why Solar energy is invoked in Gayatri Mantra? "Solar energy has to be drawn down to re-enforce the inner vision of Man. That is the Soul Force latent in Man. When this Soul force is strengthened, the intellect, the senses and the moral emotions are activated and guided along fruitful lines. Can darkness confuse the brain or hide the Truth, when the sun shines? Can sorrow prevail, can ignorance confuse, can egoism blind, when the Divinity that shines as the sun blesses you with Illumination? Therefore rely on the Gayatri to draw down the Effulgence of the Sun so that it may impart Illumination to your Intellect." - Baba.

WAKE UP INDIANS LET US VOTE FOR CHANGE.

Again valid argument…

I see and vehemently say we are all right in our points of view…. But our points of view are all different perspectives for the same issue..

Yet no one addresses that ...

The crore rupee question is… who is going to lead a united voice that is looking at the solutions only… we could produce one superman or woman in 1000 years but again that superman was supported only by the downtrodden and was marked out for reasons best left to history. Even in those days, India never had a united middle class…

What you are mentioning and this can go on for quite some time – we will have a very short commercial break in between – and will run out of time or will have only 2 seconds for the comments and views to be grasped and taken further – before we realize we are back to square one… as always.

The only way out is for EVERY T D & H worth his salt to join the politics and chisel the system from within..

You and me can be fiery on issues but it is the politicians cool collected and completely criminal mind that can only be tamed to improve the system…

And also learn from history geography illogic biology and intuition that.. maybe Maybe MAYBE.. this region, its positioning and all that has gone into making it what it is today might have to just be like this… 'cos it's in its genes… an analogy similar to what we have in the middle east where 'peace' will NEVER be possible because the genetic code of those people there does not have it in them.Its only a non-rhetoric look that will save this country and that too once self-interests are totally curbed

From: Aparajita Tripathi

Well said!!

But, changing governing body is a reflection of change in attitude. If no, think for yourself. Believe me, it takes a lot of persistence from your own conscience before you change the party you vote for. Can you switch from Congress to BJP in the wink of an eye? No. It has to come from within even if it's only a vote. And that feeling is the reflection of change in thought. We need to start somewhere, right?

Also, we don't have 1000 years to live that we go about changing ourselves bit by bit and then the governing body. Such things need to happen in parallel. Problems are plenty, but its high time we dwell on solutions and not the problems.

Well said – emotional charged rhetoric and totally theoretical..

Which are the competent parties and their candidates who can be voted into power in any of your or my constituency..

Do any of us have the luxury of taking time out to find them out and see what they are upto? We educated so called middle class nouveau rich Indians are only going to be as fragmented as shards of broken glass

each educated Indian just like the politician is busy trying to save for his rainy days ahead…

NONE of the educated middle class Indians will ever come together on any issue and fight with one voice – unlike the class of Indians who are relegated as the labor class who will unite under some or the other pretext to show their unity simple situation… -

I as an educated middle class guy have an argument with an rickshaw driver on some issue

He will have 10 others to support him, but none of the other passengers of my own class will ever come forward the way the other rickshaw drivers come to their rescue.. it's like watching crows and pigeons who flock to assist an injured or helpless member of their class,we being so educated totally disregard our own voice forget about an united voice..how do you think this attitude will change? Before you change your governing body?

A) Is this Government really protecting us??!! 7/11 2006: Mumbai Train Blasts. 209 Killed. 25/8 2007: Hyderbad Blasts: 42 Killed Oct 11 2007: Ajmer Blasts : 2 Killed May 13 2008: Jaipur Blasts : 68 Killed July 16th 2008: Ahmedabad Blasts : 57 Killed July 25th 2008: Banglaore Blasts: 1 killed Sept 13th 2008: Delhi Blasts: 26 Killed Sept 27th 2008: Delhi Blasts: 2 Killed Sept 29th 2008 : Gujrat Blasts : 1 killed Oct 21st 2008: Imphal Blasts : 17 Killed Oct 30th 2008: Assam Blasts : 40 Killed Nov 26th 2008: Mumbai Attack: 180 killed Every major city in India has been attacked consistently over the last two years. Since 2004, 3850 Indians have died in Terror attacks in over 3000 incidents. Is the common Indian on the streets really safe ? Did you know that on the day of the Mumbai train blasts, the Government gave Rs 150 crores for earthquake relief in Pakistan ? Last year our Govt. has given Rs 3000 crores (600 Million Dollars) to Afghanistan? This, when victims of terror in India have not yet got aid? What’s going on? B) Is this Government really secular ? 1) When Madrasas are being shut down in Pakistan, the Indian Government is giving them CBSE status !! It is depriving Muslim children in getting secular education. A Madrasa educated person can get a job in any government office without going through the secular education system. Can India afford to have fundamentalists in government departments? Why cannot the government shut down Madrassas and let Muslim children study with the rest? 2) Our Government has given 25 lakh scholarships ONLY to minority students.. What sin have the majority done not to deserve these? Why cannot poor students of all communities be given scholarships instead of only Muslim children? 3) Thanks to the Congress led Government, out of 36000 temples in Andhra Pradesh, 28000 have closed down in the last five years. Do you want the same trend to continue in other parts of the country? Do you want a Nagaland type of situation in the whole of India? While government controls most of the Hindu temples, the minority community has had full freedom to organize their religious bodies.. The minority communities now have the first right over resources. Is this not a blatant violation of fundamental rights of the majority community? 4) Why have the minorities in Nagaland, Mizoram & Kashmir not got the similar privileges like the minorities in other states? Why is the Govt following different rules for different religions? C) Is this government really making friends or enemies for India ? Thanks to a weak and visionless foreign policy, India has created enemies all around. By the Home Minister’s own admission : "India is surrounded by a circle of fire". Rajiv Gandhi's vision of a powerful "SAARC" is now defunct. 1) Today, India commands little respect from all its neighbours, despite being the largest democracy in the world. 2) Terrorism has engulfed the country from inside and outside. Of course Pakistan,the motherland of international terrorism continues to be a big threat. 3) China has territorial ambitions on India. 4) Nepal, is now being headed by a Maoist government and is ideologically more aligned to China. While India helped to dismantle the dynastic rule in Nepal our own Government surreptitiously supports dynastic rule within its own party. 5) Myanmar is increasingly aligning with Chinese forces with huge Chinese investments in that region. 6) Indian Policies in Srilanka have made Tamil Nadu burn. Will Tamils ever forgive India for encouraging military assault rather than facilitating peaceful dialogue on their north and north east regions. 7) Bangladesh continues to repeatedly aid and abet terrorism. D) Is this Government really pro-poor? The number of people living below the poverty line has increased by a horrifying 20 per cent. India had some 270 million people below the poverty line in 2004-2005, when the present Government took office. That number has gone up by 55 million, or 20 per cent! E) Does this Government really care about the nation? The Pakistani flag is now being hoisted in five districts of states like Assam where the Muslim population has gone up significantly. 92000 Hindu and 6000 Christians are now languishing in refugee camps. The government has turned a blind eye to this. In the name of security, innocent people have been put in jails, whereas people like Yaasin Malik who has 23 murder charges on him, are moving Scot free and gathering their own strength. Is it acceptable to any patriotic Indian? Can the Congress led UPA promise a non-muslim CM in J&K ? Reservation for a Hindu student in Nagaland ? If so, we wholeheartedly support them. Otherwise they should sit at home the next few years and rethink their policies. Can our politicians stop stooping down to any lengths just for money and power ? Like Mr. Sharad Pawar, who first ditched the Congress and then ditched the people and aligned back with the Congress, just to be in power. Don't be deceived. What appears to be communal is not communal, and what appears to be secular is not secular. It is time we change our thinking. Having said all this even BJP has not proved to be any better. But for now we need a change. Let us choose the lesser of the two evils. The same party brought to power again and again means encouraging unabated corruption. Or support the candidates who are good and fighting on their own. Help those candidates who are good, clean and progressive not the criminals. All these important things are deliberately hidden by the media after taking good money for their patriotism. All the electronic media is either governed by any other foreign agency or any seccular party. They are indirectly making mindsets of people according to their own wish. In any way we are not in freedom..Thousands of people lost their lives so that we can vote and live in a society which is violence free ,terror free and fulfilling all their needs. Stand up for this most tolerant and ancient civilization and prevent this great nation from becoming a communal battleground. As citizens of India we must vote for change. WAKE UP INDIANS. LET US VOTE FOR CHANGE. I will not request you to forward this. If you are aware and want others also, you will do it on your own. Our inaction is responsible for what is happening not the action taken by these people.