Krishna govinda

Krishna govinda govinda govinda

Govinda shyam radhe krishna

Govinda govinda paramanda ananda

Ganshyama ananda krishna

Madhurananda krishna Manmohana krishna

Madhava keshava yadhu nandha nandha ananda

Getting the basics

The economic slump in US elicited the following comment from Tom Peters (management consultant and author of In search of excellence). Here is an excerpt from Tom Peter’s blog (http://www.tompeters.com/entries.php?note=010637.php):

The "engine" of the current economic mess is losing total touch with the basics.
That is: lending money to people, by the millions in the end, who "obviously" couldn’t pay it. Truly stupid real-estate loans that "any fool” would say should never have been made.
"We get in trouble when we forget the basics.
We get out of trouble when we remember the basics.
We stay out of trouble when we become perpetually "insane" about the basics.”

So what are the basics that you as a YES+! grad and as a student need to follow?
Do your kriya everyday, study hard, do seva, be happy, have fun …………make your list and become insane about getting the basics done.

Follow up

Saroj aunty conducted the follow up yesterday at Outreach hall. After the long kriya, she felt it was about time we had some fun. So we had a clapping game and then we had to make the person in front of us laugh. How some achieved that, was funny enough to listen to. And then it was time for some knowledge. She recounted a reply given by Guruji when a person asked him about how to be happy. Here it goes:

There are three things:
One is being happy at another person’s success. Generally feelings of jealousy and self pity arise. But make a conscious effort to be happy for the other person just like you would be happy for your friend.
Second is sympathy. When you find another person going through a tough problem be sympathetic and do whatever you can to help him. At the same time make sure you don’t get stuck in their unhappiness. Just help them and let go of the situation.
Third is indifference. If anything that is unpleasant or undesirable happens just be indifferent to it and don’t let it take your happiness away. Do anything that is necessary to be done, but don’t let the situation disturb you.

Just before leaving she asked if anyone had some health or emotional problem, they could come to get a blessing. Soon enough a long queue formed in front of her (Well the midsem is just around the corner :) ).

Sadhana, fun, knowledge and a topping of blessings and we made our way back.

One world family

Two important ways

A state in which you feel absolutely comfortable is meditation. Unfortunately we think meditation is effort. Your body may be comfortable in a situation – you may be sitting in a nice sofa or lying on a good bed. But the mind will toss around in anxiety, sorrow and dejection. You may be watching an entertainment program and your mind may be at rest, but your soul is restless and hungry for something more.

Just open your eyes and see around. People who have wealth, fame and power are equally at discomfort as those who don’t have it. A seeker is at discomfort so also a non seeker. Then what can one do?

Two things…one is dispassion and another is practice. What is dispassion? You say, “Right now am not interested in seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling or feeling anything. This moment I want to be at rest. My mind is running after this and that. For twenty minutes or half an hour am not going to engage in any activity and want to be at peace.” This very thought bring you to centre. This is dispassion and deepens your meditation. The practice brings dispassion. They both complement each other. Krishna said, “Though the mind is restless, with knack and skill, with dispassion and practice, it becomes calm very quickly.”

This is very precious. A few moments of such stillness can transform life, can change our nervous system and change our attitude of looking at things. This can bring so much happiness and joy that nothing else can give us.

Jaigurudev…to the love in you…to the God in you…to the Guru in you.

Days in Office

Pada Hastasana

Pada Hastasana, a Hands to Feet Pose, helps to strengthen the legs, improve flexibility in the spine and helps with digestion.

As you inhale, raise your arms above your head. Bend forward until your hands touch your feet as you exhale. Slowly bend further so that your belly is touching your upper legs. Grasp your toes and breathe deeply in the pose.

Too good to eat

If you are wondering what the above have to do with eating.....they are cakes and fully edible too!

Talent + creativity+personalised service to customer = a great flourishing business. That is what Elisa Strauss has achieved. Take a look at her creations at http://www.confetticakes.com/.

Achutam Keshavam

Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram,
Rama narayam Janakivallabham,
(praising the Lord Krishna, with different names of Vishnu)

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan aate nahi
Bhakta Meera ke jaise bulate nahi,
(Who says God does not come? You don’t call Him with the devotion of Meera)

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan khaate nahi,
Ber Shabri ke jaise khilate nahi,
(Who says God does not eat? You don’t feed him like how Shabari fed him)

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan Sote nahi,
Maa Yashoda ke jaise sulate nahin,
(Who says God does not sleep? You don’t make him sleep like how Mother Yashoda did)

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan naachte nahi,
Tum Gopi ke jaise nachaate nahin, Achyutam…
(Who says God does not dance? You don’t make him dance like how Gopis did)

Naam Japate chalo kaam karte chalo
Har samay Krishna ka dhyaan karte chalo

Yaad aayegi unko kabhi na kabhi
Krishan darshan to denge kabhi na kabhi …..Achyutam …
(Keep praising the Lord, continue working ... Remember Him all the time. Krishna will appear one day or the other)

An unlikely raft

In waist deep flood waters (for a frog), a rat finds a raft.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/07/060705-mouse-frog.html

Paani Bahe Kyon Nahi

Paani bahe kyon nahin
Satsang chale kyon nahin
Kitab phere kyon nahin

Water should keep flowing. If it stagnates in one place it gets muddied.

A satsang person should not get entangled, sitting with the same people, talking with the same people, being with the same people. If you always spend time with the same group of people then you develop anger or craving and aversions towards them. Satsang should keep moving. New people everytime.

Books should be revised. If you don’t keep revising your books (knowledge) you tend to forget it. You heard bhakti sutra, ashtavakra, yoga sutra and kept it aside. You are not dwelling on it. You think you know it and keep it aside. It should be reviewed.

Listen to this in Guruji's voice

http://fb.esnips.com/doc/afb6e7a7-0027-4752-bda4-ae4b4228df0b/Kitabe-Phere-Kyon-Nahin---Talk-by-H.H.Sri-Ravi-Shankar-Jan-23-2006

Good Morning

When I first started college, the Dean came in and said "Good Morning" to all of us. When we echoed back to him, he responded, "Ah, you're Freshmen."

He explained, "When you walk in and say good morning, and they say good morning back, it's Freshmen. When they put their newspapers down and open their books, it's Sophomores. When they look up so they can see the instructor over the tops of the newspapers, it's juniors. When they put their feet up on the desks and keep reading, it's seniors."

"When you walk in and say good morning, and they write it down, it's graduate students."

Origami bookmark

A simple origami bookmark which is easy to make and gives you room to exhibit some creativity too. Make them, use them and share your experience.

For those who have more time on their hands, here is a panda bookmark. So all you Kung Fu Panda fans get busy!

Radhe Radhe Shyam

Radhe radhe radhe shyam
Govinda gopala radhe radhe shyam

Govinda radhe radhe shyam
Gopala radhe radhe shyam

Radhe radhe radhe shyam
Govinda gopala radhe radhe shyam

Cool way to make ice

Remember the ice trays we use at home. Here is a great design which is useful, effective and looks great too. Just an example of creativity at its best!

Check out the videos to find out how cool it is: iceorb

Joy of Giving

Seva and spiritual practices go together. As the urge to share increases, the deeper you go into meditation. It is tested and proven that when we make service our biggest agenda in life, it eliminates fear, brings focus to our mind, purposefulness in action and long-term joy.

Seva always seems to give one a big kick. It is the most effective antidote to depression. The day you feel hopeless and horrible, just get out of your room and ask people. “What can I do for you?” The service you then do will change the tape in your mental deck to a song of joy. There are two types of joy. One is the joy of getting. The child says, “If I get something, I will be happy. If I get a toy, I will be happy.” This is the joy of a child. We are mostly stuck at this level and don’t seem to grow beyond. But ahead of us is a mature joy, the joy of giving. When you do something just for the joy of it and not to get anything out of it, that is seva.

PS.: For starters all you iitk guys can volunteer some of your time for the bihar relief fund collection in iitk.

Chinese

A prof (Kung Fa) from main land china was on a tour to visit different universities around the world. So just for fun he decided to ask people at every university "how long would they take to learn Mandarin (chinese)?"
First on his list was MIT USA. And the response he got from a student.
"Dude........Chinese is tough as shit, 'least 5 years man!!"
Next he visited Oxford. Now Brits are proud and polite people. So the response he gets
"It would be delight to learn Chinese. I presume I can master the tongue in 2 years."
Following Oxford was South Korea university. The student thought similar pronunciations, similar script and he said
"Maximum 1 Year"
Finally Mr. Fa came to IIT Kanpur. Brilliant students at our campus have a totally different perspective on things and this one answered with a question.

"When is the end-sem*?"

*end-sem or the End Semester Exam is the finals exam we have at the end of the semester.
PS: This joke was cracked by Prof. Choudhury of ME, IITK the day before our end sem exam.

Posted by
Shubham

Watermelon Keg

Looks interesting!!

Those of you who want to try it by themselves, check out the how to do:
http://blog.evite.com/evite/2007/09/end-of-summer-b.html

YES+! Reunion

An evening of Music, Dance, Devotion and Celebration. Check out the YES+! reunion photos in the slide show of the blog.

http://picasaweb.google.com/iitk.yes/YESReunion#5244448329703010754

Shivoham

Shivoham sivoham shiva swarupoham

Nityoham shuddoham buddhoham muktoham

Shivoham sivoham shiva swarupoham

Advaitam ananda rupam arupam

Brahmoham brahmoham brahma swarupoham

Chidoham chidoham satchida nandoham

Shivoham sivoham shiva swarupoham


I am pure Consciousness

Everlasting, ever pure, enlightened, I am free

I am blissful consciousness, present in all
forms and without form

I am one without a dual form

I am the self, the supreme consciousness

I am consciousness, true and pure.

Happy Birthday Chiru!

Puttina roju subhakankshalu !!

You can make a DIFFERENCE

Tribal welfare in Jharkhand, Gang and Youth violence in CA....Now you can make a difference by a few clicks on your screen. Nominate these projects. They will be funded if they make it to the top 25. That means every vote counts and today is the last day. Click on the link below to know more n get going.

http://bawandinesh.blogspot.com/2008/08/amex-and-art-of-living.html

It only takes a few minutes of your time but will impact many lives. The nomination website takes a bit longer to upload. Be a bit patient and get it done.