A Prayer, In Praise Of Nature, With Gratitude

A Prayer in praise of nature, with gratitude:

Aum May All things Be Prosperous

Aum May All things Be Prosperous

Aum May All things Be Prosperous

(Shami tree:

“Prosopis cineraria, also known as ghaf, is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. It is native to arid portions of Western Asia and the Indian Subcontinent, including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, India, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Its leaves are bipinnate. It can survive extreme drought. It is an established introduced species in parts of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia.[dead link “)*

May this Shami tree erase all bad effects, 

(Shami tree helps in fighting pollution by delivering fresh oxygen, and helps in taking away bad effects due to lack of life supporting Oxygen.)

May the Shami tree protect from enemies

 ( Shami tree can survive in drought and bring the life sap to last thousands of years from several millenia. It may not be the same plant, but they are from one Shami plant, forming multitude of them from thousands of years and help in procreation, protection of it's kind)

On this day with the blessings of nature, Arjuna fought Mahabharath war, victorioususly,  with his great weapon Gandiva, dhanush with bow and arrows, to fight even the greatest of the great warriors, 

Sri Rama was able to receive Seetha, after winning the war with Ravana, and freeing Seetha ji from being kidnapped by Ravana.

Let us remember since how many millenia trees and ecology are protecting us, remembering the heros of the past eras,  who protected nature and pledged to protect them, before taking up any war.

May Shami tree, with the nature keep giving us fresh air and stop pollution.

May that strength help us to conquer our enemies again and again. (Enemies is symbolic, even our inability to fight six senses too and control our urge to yield to those senses.. etc.need be conquered)

Aum, let there be peace, let there be peace, let there be peace.

Happy Vijaya Dasami to all, 

"The year that beautifies everything"

10/24/2023

Inspired By A Ray Of Hope And Spirit

It’s that time 

In your life

You ain’t never 

Gonna matter

To anyone

Anymore

Anytime

It’s that type

Of a life

Where it doesn’t matter 

Where you been

All day long

Nor all night through

You ought to love

Yourself, 

Just as your neighbor

And spend your 

Two cents in

Making life just

A little better

Than what you've

Seen

Where you've been

And make it

A little more loving

For one to dwell

Not the same old same old 

Dump of a day

Every minute matters,

If you take it into account

Of what you give,

Less trash and more matter,

Then you have

O yes, you have

Of course you have 

Always lived your life

A little more sweeter

A little more hotter

Little more zestier,

Than what your people

Might know of you

By trying a little more 

Brighter,

With laughter 

And happiness

Sans ignorance or 

Annoyance, so

You 

May

Just 

Keep

On 

Being 

You,

Alive!

When Saraswati Mata Blesses, Be There!

   Uma jiji from Richmond TX 

I have been meaning to write about Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Chinna Jeeyar Swamy ji's visit since the past few years and I realize when I am asked to write, I had some thing or the other that came up. I could not present my observations from almost three or five visits since.

That was not my intention however, it slipped through the mesh of small things to be done and taken care of, while the moments, in form of kalasya Narayana, slipped past into ever moving void of eternity..

Of all these years, of attempting to write, I had seen life in several of its forms, unfolding to me. I have perceived Eshwara swaroopam very close to my heart and soul a number of times and, rest is a thing of past .

To the devotee who truly wishes to perceive God, He will manifest.

I like to revisit this topic and share my thoughts,  however, I like to revisit another time.

Today, I just wanted to update that, I faced lot of troubles and tried several attempts to write anything ; They all became futile efforts and I realize the reason could be that, when Saraswati mata blesses you with a skill to write, and when you are asked to present your observations and learnings, you just need to do. If the flow of knowledge is stopped, or restricted, it may vanish. I have seen since  then, no matter what I took up, it did not get done. Not the 6 weeks course in leadership from Said's school of Business, Oxford University, not a doctoral study attempt from Vedic University not a post graduate course in my mother tongue, Telugu; not my projects I intend to complete in my executive doctoral studies, so far.

Today, I am able to understand, no matter what or how I need to present my work, what I need first and foremost is discipline, and sincerity. One cannot fulfill bigger dreams if one cannot catch up with smaller tasks. All tasks of knowledge sharing are ordained by mata Saraswati themselves.

I will update my future endeavours as and how I achieve the attempts and succeed in fulfilling my duties and tasks. I already feel lighter sharing my thoughts with You all. Jai Srimannarayana adiyen _/\_

Prayers to mata Saraswati: 

Sree Sharada, mother of all arts, knowledge, and seat of wisdom, may you bless all, may I be included in those blessings and seek your Karuna. Adiyen.

No Matter What, Chanting Helps Me Always

No matter what: Let This Be Known:

I have experienced the power of Rama namam and Narayana mantram so profoundly everytime, since over a decade or two. Several years back, on one Sunday at Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple, as I was standing during Maha Harathi time, I felt very painful in my knees and could not even stay standing. Our friends and devotees Sriman Srinivas Bojja garu and Smt. Kumudha Bojja garu helped me to walk until the end of the hall where I could sit down. There were rows of chairs to help one sit down. After I went home, my feet were still hurting for days. But one time as the song Sri Ramachandra krupaalu bhaja man was coming on TV, I was surprised to see I was regaining my ability to stand and walk. I had similar problems with my hands, feet, as well as talking many times. I was unable to lift even a spoon or a book with my hands due to some arthritis or mascular pain, but Ramachandra Kripalu have blessed me again to mobilize my limbs and bring back normalcy. I just pick up my self, and do mudras I learnt as a  Bhratnatyam student many many years back and see that I am able to move my neck, hands, feet using the jnanam bestowed on me from matha Saraswati themselves in form of Gurus, from Munshi ji of Hyderabad to Uma Nagarseth ji of Houston, where on and off I was fortunate to learn some tattaduvus etc. Even when I am alone, I keep getting these ischemic attacks, but recover  quickly or eventually. They said it could be due to Potassium deficiency. That has helped me whenever I needed, but I do not have to depend on the medicine much. 

Last night again I was affected, actually I noticed since a week or so. My knee would hurt so much even if I sit on a chair for as much as 10 -15 minutes, continually. I have to get up and walk or put my concentration and pull my strength together and walk. I cannot do it alone. I chant name of Sri Rama or Narayana, and it gives me strength. I cannot walk at that time, I have to follow the energy of the rhythm to stay alive, from the sound waves of Rama namam.

 It is the inner force of Shri Parvathi matha, and Saraswati and Sri matha that gives me strength and ability to be mobile by following the rhythm, of the namasmaran or chanting and take steps as given by the gurus and take aduvulu, or any movement. If not, I am a vegetable.

Last night at the Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple again, I was suffering with another episode of Ischemic attack and had to walk out from where I was sitting and listening to Shri Swamy ji's lecture. As I pulled myself out before it was too late even to walk by myself, Smt. Laxmi Medi ji noticed and came rushing to help me. I went into the Goda ammavaru's garden (Nandana vanam, developed by devotees and volunteers of Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple) where Tulasi, and other Pushpa vanams are there, talk to each leaf, petal and creeper, finding Narayana in their love as if they move their heads or tiny fingers through the petals and creepers. They respond to you, love you and give you life source and happiness to be able to stay alive and show our gratitude to mother earth. 

I did not share since so many years, but nama smaran gives me life, when everyone who helped me raise are in India or elsewhere, I trust His name and the sound of His name pulls every string in my otherwise inactive body and makes me move, chant or dance and once again keeps me alive. Jai Srimannarayana Jai SriRam Jai Jai Jai Srimannarayana 🙏🙏💐💐🙏🙏adiyen

a one line review of Truelies: a.show on CBS..

Hey guys. 

The story: has theme, and keeps building each day, with a make believe worklife and home life.. 

The action: protagonists try to put up a 007 kind of action in a 40 minutes show, absolutely Truelie. Neither can they deliver the product nor can they pretend without pretension..yeah. that is how tautological it is... yeah. That too...

Direction: actors chip in a whole bunch of words, all at a time. Music is not blended. It is inserted, haphazardly.  Scenes of action ditto.

It could have made a better audio or podcast show... not audiovisual... 

Action, trying their best but so are other academy awardees.

Overall rating

***.... ok *. (3+1, in all i.e.)

No more.

A Review: Independence, A novel

I was trying endlessly to read the book, since the day it arrived, preordered on Amazon! It is none other than my favorite author’s latest epic of lives of women, this time again hailing from Calcutta a dream city and mother of millions! Yes, this is about Dr. Chitra Divakarini’s novel, Independence! I realized, it is not me trying to read or unable to proceed or any such thing. I found it very interesting, but my eyes, as they are growing older, could not read much with the artificial light the Utilities are offering! Then it was serendipity as I sit myself down over the straight chair on the patio and set myself up to read the book, starting once again from page one.

Is this a book of sorts or what? It isn’t ! It is like the silver river shining in the moonlight throwing the bright moonlights of October, on a broad spring day! The Lines are so amazingly flowing like the stars from the heavens, stuck together on a beautiful Bangal Silk saree with Kantha work that is showing new meanings and beauty every time you look at it. The way story is designed, and the words from stars are borrowed from the magic finger tips of the creator no less than a student who learnt to play the Veena of her words, right from the fingertips of Mata Saraswathi and whose lyrics shine even the darkest of darkness staying within the deprived heart from light of knowledge or love or empathy and brings home that miracle of words as they are played on the exquisite hands of the maestro, who can tune the hearts of the readers and play the divine music of eternal travelers from yonder and ancient!

I love the way the mood is created as I read in this bright light amidst quietness despite the rustle on the highway as the fresh air touching the greenery in the backyard, along with a baby Neem tree, curry tree planted in the pots and surviving few seasons of frosty winters..

It is not just the light that is helping me read, it is the content and the story starting with young girl Priya, winning over the zamindar’s chess game and realizing the gifts she is receiving despite tough times at home, by her father treating their patients with love and without returns.. if not for the artistic works of their mother quilting those magical stars for the weddings, as she remembers her mother Bina..

O my loving lord of the words! I still need to read more but, being an artist it is difficult for me not to relate it to the pleasant sound of the sparrows, robins blue Jays, mocking birds conversing loudly as if saying ”teacher teacher” and the aura it creates inside one’s heart as they get to seek the ambrosia these feelings of one generation people come alive again and again every time one reads. Let me not stop here. I will return later and share the joy again, as you share yours, by reading the book Independence, now on Amazon, and wondrous bookstores near you and originally released in India and published by Harper Collins! Ladies and gentlemen and readers all over the Universe, here is Dr. Chitra Divakarini’s latest wonder of a story that is always magical from their pen, Independence! 

For someone who is an audio person, Audible is an excellent answer!  Couple it with read along you would enjoy twice as much fun! Now if you are a visual media person, I would say you gotta create it asking your students to perform, nay?

Part 2

I promised you, I would update how I respond as and how the story goes forth for the novel Independence: a novel, by Dr. Chitra Divakaruni ji.

Ages have passed, not only since I promised, but also since the story of Priya has moved forward. 

I would not reveal the length and breadth of the extent of story that took place, but I can tell this much: You would not want to stop reading, from. Where you were to reach almost four or five chapters into the story.

We find the greatness of humanity and human spirit as we see the ups and downs of politico-social upheavals back at the time of Independence and National Movement in India, how right from going to participate in Dandi Satyagraha to make salt, to full fledged riots across the city of Calcutta have brought changes in the lives of people who went through these. People, young and old, men and women, have experienced the plight of losing a friend a near or dear person and life cannot be the same but it has to go on, no matter what.. 

Later,

We also find how sentiments and family dramas shape the lives.. although, I do know people have better opportunities and encouragement available in these days, than back then.. Thanks to so many people and organizations that bring forth the spirit of Independence not just to individuals who appear to be hail and healthy but also others of special needs and care required, and this movement is not just momentary, but very precious and ever going, for the flower of Independence designed, dreamed and lived, cherished and brought into a reality by all.. I was going through some of these strong responses my heart was feeling and without sharing these, I cannot hold on to go on listening or reading longer than where I am at.. Now I can move on … into the quest of finding the more of what…

Later,

-Uma Jiji!

Instinct, Reasoning, Rationalization... Is it Science?

When it comes to understanding science, nature, behavior and other aspects What is your favorite style?

Is it what you have a hunch, that helps in theorizing?

Do you believe in whatever gut feeling you have, and can you generalize, based on that unspecific thought, and take action?

Do you always think, whatever one says is an end all and be all?

What is it that motivates you to think of something and enquire the truth?

if you think someone is an expert, do you take 100% of whatever they say is true?

Do you share your work with others and allow them to examine?

Are we talking some sense?

Think!