Month: March 2023

To nursery or to Montessori…

Research begins again, this time after some site visits to nearby nurseries. I remember a time when there was KG1 (Kindergarten 1), KG2 and then 1st standard (or grade). Now, there are more flavors in the market – pre-nursery, pre-school, daycare, early learning etc. etc. Some claim to have syllabi, others are more activity-based daycares. …

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Whose is wealth?

ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥ īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat | tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam || Isha Upanishad The essence of this opening verse from the Isha Upanishad is – Whatever exists in this world, originates from one source. And so, do not covet, for whose is wealth? …

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Of duties and giving all up…

संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दु:खमाप्तुमयोगत: |योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म नचिरेणाधिगच्छति || 6|| sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho duḥkham āptum ayogataḥyoga-yukto munir brahma na chireṇādhigachchhati Perfect renunciation (karm sanyās) is difficult to attain without performing work in devotion (karm yog), O mighty-armed Arjun, but the muni who is adept in karm yog quickly attains the Supreme. Bhagavad Gita 5.6 Living in a cave in the Himalayas, a …

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Forever give…

धारणात् खनकस्यापि धरण्या इव नि:समा ।स्वापराधिषु या क्षान्ति: स धर्म: परमो नृणाम् ॥ To bear with those who revile us, just as the earth bears up those who dig it, is the greatest of virtues. विरोधिष्वपकर्तृणां तिष्ठेदेकदिनं सुखम् ।परद्रोहसहिष्णूनं यावज्जीवं भवद्यश: ॥ The joy of the vengeful lasts only for a day, but the glory …

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Life is a celebration…

Festivals are beautiful. They are fun, filled with joy, food and enjoyment. We celebrate, because life should be a celebration, with a bit of work to sustain ourselves. Unfortunately, we take things to be the other way around. Usually working ourselves to death, while thinking that the good stuff is just round the corner – …

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Of parenting and choices…

पितृदेवातिथीपिता विद्याप्रदानेन पण्डिताग्रेसरं सुतम् ।यदि कुर्यात्‌सुतस्यैतत् महत् साह्यमुदीर्यते ॥ The best thing parents can do for their children is to prepare them stand foremost in the assembly of the learned. किंवा तप: कृतं पित्रा प्राप्तुमेतादृरां सुतम् ।इति लोकै: स्तुत्: पुत्र: पितु: स्यादुपकारक: The son’s duty to his father is to make world ask, ‘By what …

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Of falling apples and better marketing…

संयोगाभावे गुरुत्वात् पतनम् ॥५।१।७॥ Saṃyogābhāve gurutvāt patanam (5.1.7)In the absence of action, the object falls by gravity. कार्य्यविरोधि कर्म ॥१।१।१४॥ Kāryyavirodhi karma (1.1.14).Action is opposed by reaction. These are extracts from the Vaiśeṣika Sūtra and are attributed to Kaṇāda. Sound familiar? Also, have you ever heard of कणाद (Kaṇāda)? He was an ancient Indian Rishi and philosopher …

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Vāk shakti and the power of speech…

There have been a lot of things said about good speech, but the first phrase that comes to mind is Kabir’s famous doha – बोली एक अनमोल है, जो कोई भी बोले जानि । हिये तराजू तौलि के, तब मुख बाहर आनि।। – words are priceless, and so weigh your words well, before you speak. Our ancestors …

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On Grihastashrama…

पितृदेवातिथीनां च बन्धूनामात्मनस्तथा ।सत्कृतिर्धर्ममागेंण गृहस्थस्य वरा मता ॥ A good householder has five duties to perform – towards God, his ancestors, guests, family and himself. Most of us think that being spiritual involves growing a long beard, wearing white or saffron robes and renunciation of the world. Tiruvalluvar was probably among the first philosophers to advocate …

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