A few people contacted me after reading yesterday’s post. We thought Karate was a sport, like tennis or cricket, said an overwhelming majority of those I interacted with. What you say seems like it has a lot more to offer… Well, the short answer is – YES! Here is a brief that I had written …
I am wanting to enroll my daughter into karate and I am finding such a hard time looking for a good school and a good teacher. Every Shihan I see my mind automatically compares them to you, and others at Kyokushin…You set the bar too high 🙃 An old student of mine messaged this to …
A few months back, someone told me that they had received credible information (via WhatsApp), that Sita had not actually travelled to Lanka. The story goes that she created an avatar of herself, and Ravana then took her along instead. Hmmm… Anyways, my response was – what does it matter if she went to Lanka, …
Narayana and Nara are supposed to have taken form as Sri Krishna and Arjuna. They were almost like twins, working together living together, eating together, one being in two bodies. The association of Sri Krishna with Arjuna, so inseparable, is an illustration of the inseparable relation between God and man. यत्र योगेश्वर: कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धर: ।तत्र श्रीर्विजयो …
The Madhurāshtakam of Sri Vallabhacharya sounds like a bit excessive at first glance. The lyrics have too much sweetness in them, it is literally in every line. But then, “Madhuram” does not mean sweet – it doesn’t translate into English very well. The attitude of a devotee expressing the emotion that exists between a lover …
After the great battle of Mahābhārata was over, the victorious Pāndava brothers organized the Ashvamedha Yagna. At the end of this ceremony, King Yudhishthira gave costly gifts to the priests and donated very large quantities of food, gold, cattle and other forms of wealth to the poor and needy. Everyone praised Yudhishthira for his generosity …
Tomorrow is Ugādi — the first day of Chaitrā māsā, or the beginning of the new year. Largely celebrated in South India (where I am from), Maharashtra (as Gudi Padwa), Sindh (as Cheti Chand), and Manipur (as Sajibu Nongma Pānba). It is also the start of Navaratri. Unlike New Year’s day as per the Gregorian calendar, the …
If I am not for myself…who will be? If I am for myself alone…who am I? If not now…when? And if not you…who? Four phrases that shook me when I heard them. Hillel the Elder was a Jewish philosopher who lived over 2000 years ago. While I have not read his teachings extensively, I am …
A few bits from the Panchatantra – on secrets:) अपिस्वल्पतरंकार्यंयद्भवेत्पृथिवी–पतेः।तन्नवाच्यंसभा–मध्येप्रोवाचेदंबृहस्पतिः॥१०७॥ api svalpataraṃ kāryaṃ yad bhavet pṛthivī-pateḥ |tan na vācyaṃ sabhā-madhye provācedaṃ bṛhaspatiḥ || 107 |||| “Brhaspati has stated that any work, be it big or small, should not be discussed in an open court. षट्–कर्णोभिद्यतेमन्त्रश्चतुष्कर्णःस्थिरोभवेत्।तस्मात्सर्व–प्रयत्नेनषट्कर्णंवर्जयेत्सुधीः॥१०८॥ ṣaṭ-karṇo bhidyate mantraś catuṣkarṇaḥ sthiro bhavet |tasmāt sarva-prayatnena ṣaṭkarṇaṃ varjayet sudhīḥ || 108 || …
अनभिज्ञोगुणानांयोनभृत्यैर्अनुगम्यते।धनाढ्योऽपिकुलीनोऽपिक्रमायातोऽपिभूपतिः॥७९॥ anabhijño guṇānāṃ yo na bhṛtyair anugamyate |dhanāḍhyo ‘pi kulīno ‘pi kramāYāto ‘pi bhūpatiḥ || 79 || A king may he rich, or of a renowned family or of a great dynasty, but if he does not recognise the good qualities of a servant, he will lose the services of that servant. असमैःसमीयमानःसमैश्चपरिहीयमाण-सत्-कारः।धुरियोनयुज्यमानस्त्रिभिर्अर्थ-पतिंत्यजतिभृत्यः॥८०॥ asamaiḥ samīyamānaḥ samaiś ca …
