Bahubali :The Greatest Meditator Ever !

Bahubali 

Bahubali  was one the most famous Arihanta .He was the second son of first Tirthankara , Rishabha.
Bahubali had a elder brother , Bharata. Bharata wanted to capture Kingdom of Bahubali and he challenged Bahubali in personal fight contest. Both bothers were entered into three traditional forms of fighting contest
Drishti yuddha, Jala yudha and Malla yuddha.

In Malla Yudha both brother had to fight each other by hitting heads with fists. Bharat had the first shot , and he almost knocked Bahubali to the ground . When turn Bahubali came everybody know that Bahubali was the strongest warrior of that time and if he hit Bharat than surely he will die.

But as Bahubali raised his arm to land a blow, he paused realizing that fighting his elder brother for land , wealth and power was neither sane nor righteous. Thinking this Bahubali changed the direction of his blow.
And left his all possessions and became a solitary renunciant . He renounced his materialistic world , for the search of Peace.

 He took to meditation with a thirst for truth, but - it was for ego that he took to meditation on his own.
Among monks who accept monastic vows, one must bow to all others who have accepted previously regardless of age. Bahubali knew that if he went to Lord Rishabdev (Aadinath) for permission to take monastic vows, he would have to bow down to all his 98 younger brothers, who had renounced before him. Bahubali began meditating with great resolve to attain supreme knowledge, but did not succeed because his ego, which stopped him from visiting his father's court, did not allow him to attain this Keval Jnana.

However, Bahubali was adamant. He continued his practice unmindful of the vines, ants, and dust which enveloped his body. Concerned, his sisters  asked Tirthankar Adinath about their worldly brother Bahubali. Tirthankar Adinath said that, although just moments away from enlightenment, Bahubali could not achieve it because he didn't realise that he was standing on 'the Elephant' - Ego.
When his sisters know this fault , they reached to Bahubali and told him his fault.Soon Bahubali realized his fault and shed off his ego and pride.
And after that he began his teaching to the people , to show right path.

His momentous statue is enraged at Shravanabelagola near Bangluru ( Karnataka ) in 983 A.D.
It is 55 ft high and built with a single block of granite

Today We remember Bahubali for his courage , sacrifice , energy , determination and his path of salvation .He was the greatest Meditator of all time in India . His path is the path of determination , courage and sacrifice.

Really , Bahubali was "The Bahubali ...."  !

Jainaism and Theory of Relativity

Mahavira

Jainism is one the most scientific religion developed in the World. It purely based on logic,perception and inference as the valid source of knowledge.

Mahavira give this world one of most revolutionary theory " Syadvada" ( "May be ..") 2200 years before the rise of modern science .

It is based on the conception of reality as extremely indeterminate in its nature.According to it ,
Truth is relative and can be looked at from many points of view (Anekanta ) and that each view-point yields a different conclusion. The nature of Truth is expressed completely be none of them, for reality admits all predicates .
According to Mahavira the truth /Reality is so big so huge so unimaginable that it can not be observed completely  at one point ,It has many dimensions .It is very similar to the Theory of Relativity .

According to Syadvada the Truth has following dimensions  :-


1. Syadasti : A things is relatively real ;      (Exist )


2. Syannasti :A thing is relatively unreal;    (Not exist )


3. Syadastinasti : A thing is relatively both real and unreal ( Exist and Not exist Both )


4. Syadavaktavyam : A thing is relatively indescribable ( Undetermined  ) 

5. Syadasti ca avaktavyam : A thing is relatively real and indescribable ( Exist  and  Undetermined )

6. Syannasti ca avaktavyam : A thing is relatively unreal and indescribable ( Not Exist and Undetermined )

7. Styadasti ca nasti avyaktam cha : A thing is relatively real , unreal and indescribable  .(   Exist  ,Not Exist and Undetermined )


Due these reasons Mahavira always said " DO NOT Say Definite Truth ! " ( Because Truth can not be one ...it has many dimensions and all are right and wrong at the same time !)

So, Friends next time you are telling  a Truth remember its opposite is also correct !

Mahavira : The Great Hero of Jainism

Buddhism :Madhyamika ->Emptiness (Origin to End )

Mādhyamika  refers primarily to a Mahayana Buddhist  school of philosophy founded by Nagarjuna . According to Madhyamaka all phenomena  are empty of "substance" or "essence" , it is because they are dependently co-arisen that they have no intrinsic, independent reality of their own.Every Substance originates from Shunya (Zero) and Devolves in Shunya (Zero).It is the main branch of Mahayana Buddhism .

The Legend of Nararjuan 

In the second or third century C.E., a young Brahmin named Nagarjuna mastered the Vedas and all of the existing Hindu sciences,including magic, while still a young boy. When he was a teenager he used his magical abilities to render himself and two of his friends invisible so that they might slip unnoticed into the royal harem of the local king’s palace. They took advantage of the situation and then made their escape. On attempting to leave, however, his friends neglected to make themselves sufficiently invisible and were caught and executed. Nagarjuna escaped, but this experience caused him to reevaluate the desires which had caused him to come so close to peril.Inspired by this episode, Nagarjuna entered a Buddhist monastery.In a mere ninety days he studied and mastered the whole of the Pali canon, the early writings of Buddhism. He left the monastery in searchof more advanced teachings of the Buddha that he felt sure must exist.One day he was expounding upon the doctrine of the Buddha to a group of listeners and noticed that, following the lecture, two members of theaudience disappeared into the ground. He followed them to what proved to be their home, the kingdom of the Nagas, a land inhabited by beneficent, half-divine, serpent- like beings. Here the Nagas presented Nagarjuna with occult teachings and with several volumes of sutras, canonical scriptures. These writings were the Prajnaparamitas, the “Perfection of Wisdom” sutras. The Buddha had delivered these sacred teachingscenturies before but had decided that they were too profound for his contemporaries.He arranged to have them hidden for safekeeping in the nether world until humankind had acquired the necessary sophisticationand spiritual development to allow them to appreciate these teachings of “perfect wisdom.”Now that the world was ready, Nagarjuna was permitted to spread the Buddha”s final teachings.
We don't know whether this story is true or not but one thing is certain that Nagarguna struggled much to discover the Theory of Madhyamika .

The base formulation of emptiness comes from Nagarjuna, and itis the concept for which he is most famous, so much so that the Madhyamika school was often referred to as the Sunyata-vada, the “Schoolof Emptiness.” In the “ Discourse on Emptiness,” the Buddha says that, in a hall where there are monks gathered but in which there are no elephants or cows,one can say that the hall is “empty” of elephants and cows. Likewise, when a monk is meditating in a solitary forest, the forest is “empty” of  villages and villagers. “When something does not exist there, the latter  is empty with regard to the former,” the Buddha defines. This meaning of a lack is extended to also mean a lack of disturbances for the meditating mind. Emptiness is both an object for contemplation and a method of quietism; one can “practice emptiness” both by meditating onthe emptiness of the self and by freeing oneself from disturbances.

 Emptiness is not really a thing any more than a thing is really empty, for reality cannot be pinned down in concepts This paradoxical, non-conceptual use of the notion of emptiness is reflected in the fact that certain of the Perfection of Wisdom writings used the notion without ever mentioning the term. The Diamond Sutra, for example,taught that the notion of emptiness was to be used like a hard diamond to “cut away all unnecessary conceptualization,”2 including the idea of emptiness itself.The discourse accomplished this by presenting a series of paradoxes that demonstrated emptiness without using the word. For example, the Buddha is made to say: “As many beings as there are in the universe of beings, …all these I must lead to nirvana, into that realm of nirvana which leaves nothing behind. And yet, although innumerable beings have thus been led to nirvana, no being at all has been led to nirvana.”

Nagarjuna adopted the Perfection of Wisdom teaching that the highest form of intuitive wisdom is insight into the emptiness of all things.His innovation was to clarify this insight and apply it to all philosophical concepts in a more systematic way than had his predecessors. 

Emptiness

Zen : Hanging by Teeth

Zen is a Branch of Mahayana Buddhism and originated in China in 6th Century as Chan.Than it was spread into Vietnam , Korea and Japan . Zen emphasizes the attainment of Nirvana (Enlightenment) and the personal expression of direct insight in the Buddhism  teachings. and favors direct understanding through Zazen and interaction with an accomplished teacher.


Traditionally the origin of Chán (Zen) in China is credited to the Indian monk Bodhidharma.
The Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall tells us that in 527  Bodhidharma, the first Patriarch of Chán, visited the Emperor Xiāo Yǎn.

Emperor Wu: "How much karmic merit have I earned for ordaining Buddhist monks, building monasteries, having sutras copied, and commissioning Buddha images?"
Bodhidharma: "None. Good deeds done with worldly intent bring good karma, but no merit."
Emperor Wu: "So what is the highest meaning of noble truth?"
Bodhidharma: "There is no noble truth, there is only void."
Emperor Wu: "Then, who is standing before me?"
Bodhidharma: "I know not, Your Majesty.

Their are many popular stories of latter Zen Teachers in China and Japan.

Following Story in taken from Mumon 5 :-

Hanging by Teeth 

Someone asked Zen Master Kyogen " What is Zen !"

Kyozen replied " Zen is like a man who falls off a cliff. A tree is growing just below the edge of the cliff.
The Man saves himself be hanging on to a branch by his teeth.His feet are dangling in the air, and his hands have been wounded ,so he cannot use them to hold on the tree.


Then someone comes , looks over the cliff and asks: " Why did Buddha's teaching come from India to China?"
If the man does not answer , the newcomer will not lift him up .If he does answer , he will fall to the bottom of the Cliff, and die.What should he do... ?"

Buddha :Indeterminate Questions ! "AVYAAKATA"

Buddha always said that believe or trust on your own consciousness and intelligence,If some thing not passes through you Intelligence and reject it . He always believed in use of Logic and rationalism ,may be Buddhism is the most rational and logical Religion ever existed on this planet , if some one is nearer to Modern science than its Gautam Buddha . Buddha was no believer in the Existence of Almighty or Soul .There are several questions which are not answered by the Buddha ...he remain silent ...

They are indeterminate Questions and leads to infinite paradoxes.

1. Whether the world is eternal ?
2.  Whether the world is  not eternal ?
   
3. Whether the world is finite ?
   
4. Whether the world is infinite ?
   
5. Whether the soul and body are identical ?
   
6. Whether the soul and body are  different ?
7. Whether the enlightened one exists after death,
   
8. Whether the enlightened one exists and does not exist after death ?
   
9. Whether the enlightened one  neither exists nor does not exist after death?

   Philosophers  and theologians explains the silence of Buddha in their own meaning . But Buddha explained the reason of silence just like that

" If you are injured by a poisonous arrow and some body wanted to save you than, will you ask him let me consult the Nature ,Measurement,purpose,objective of arrow ? will you philosophize the arrow ? NO ...! most important is the removal of arrow ...Let me remove all your sufferings ...than only you see the right answer which is present before the question ?"

  

Buddha : The Search for Nirvana

Gautam Buddha is one the most influential person ever born in India , Which affected the Globe with his Divine knowledge.No other person in India has so much influence on the world for so much time .
" Buddha " word has a origin from "Buddhi" means intelligence ...A person who is fool called "Buddhu " and  person who is intelligent is called "Buddhiman" , But The Person who got the Ultimate Intelligence ,the Divine knowledge,Super Consciousness  is called Buddha  .
The Time of Gautama Buddha and death are uncertain but Historians in more recent opinion his life time go near 563 B.C to 483 B.C .in Lumbini (Present day Nepal). He was born in Royal Family of Kshatriya (Hindu) family. By tradition, he is said to have been destined by birth to the life of a prince, but astrologers predicted that he will either great king or a Saint.
Fearing this his father shielded from all the sufferings of the world , after the age of 16 he was married to princes Yashodhara , and at age 29 years he was blessed with a son.
In this age when one day Siddhartha traveled to his kingdom he saw a sick , old and dead man and realized that all the happiness in the world is  fragile and unstable .
Siddhartha left his home to search the path towards True Path and freedom from suffering .
After 7 years of search at last he got enlightenment .He discovered the path which is called "Middle path " , which can lead to freedom from suffering . for the remaining 45 years of his life , Buddha traveled in the Gangetic plain , teaching a diverse range of people , from Kings to Outcasts .

 According to the Mahaparinibbana sutta of the Pali canon, at the age of 80, the Buddha announced that he would soon reach Parinirvana, or the final deathless state, and abandon his earthly body.After this after eating his last meal , he fall violently ill , and died . This event of leaving of Buddha from this planet is also called Mahaprinibbana. One important fact is that Gautam Buddha birth , Enlightenment and death all occured on Full Moon ( Purnima) also celebrated as Buddha Purnima in all over the India.

Teaching :

1. Four Nobel Truths :-
(a) World is full of Suffering .Every thing , every desire creates suffering .If a desire not fulfilled it creates suffering and it competed than it creates another desire which results in another suffering .There is no happiness ,Happiness is a illusion which ultimately ends in Suffering .
(b) Desire is the cause for Suffering .
(c) Suffering can be ended.
(d) Eight fold path to be followed to end Desire .

2. The Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

3. Pratityasamutpada :- Every cause has a effect and  every effect has a  cause.

4. Teachings should not be accepted unless they are borne out by our experience and are praised by the wise.

5.Achievement of Nirvana, the ultimate Goal.

Later on Buddhist Religion divided in to two major sects
1.Hinyana
2.Mahayana
Both of the sect having their own philosophy and tradition .

Sanchi Stupa

Buddhist Religion was expanded in whole of Asia , in 1000 years. Many countries in the world still follow Buddhism . Buddhist Mediation Vipassana is still the most practiced Mediation Techinque in all over the world . 

Smiling Buddha in Bamiyan (Afghanistan)  which was destroyed By  Taliban in 2001 A.D 

After Destruction of Buddha statue

 Anyway Buddha is still smiling on the World.....

Buddha in Indonesia

in Tibet

Buddha in  India

Buddha in Korea

Buddha in China

Buddha in Japan

Assertive nationalists: Lal ,Bal and Pal

Lala Lajpat Rai , Bal Gangadhar Tilak , Bipin Chand Pal

Ashoka and Akbar : Two Great Emperors

Ashoka

There are only two kings in India which usually titled as The Great !
The Great Ashoka ( 304 B.C to 232 B.C)
The Great Akbar   (1542 A.Dto 1605 A.D)
 Both the emperors are separated by  1700  years of time difference but still there are many interesting similarities between them :-
1. Ashoka and Akbar both in the initial stages of their reign tried to expand their Empire and Fought many wars.

2. Way to Throne for both was not easy , both faced many hurdles.

3.Ashoka and Akbar both changed themselves after seen the casualties of the War    .

4. Both followed the policy of Non-violence in the latter period of their Life.

5. Ashoka and Akabar used their power and resource for the welfare of people .

6. Both Emperors tried to start new sect and their own religion ...like Asohka started "Dhamma " and Akbar started "Din -i-Ilahi " , both sects were not new religion but collection of Some common Moral values.

7. Empire of Both kings extended up to Modern Afghanistan. (Most   Difficult to control and retain)

8.Ashoka and Akbar both tried to have cordial relations with other neighboring Empires . Ashoka with Greece& Egypt and Akbar with Iran & Ottoman Turks .

9. Ashoka and Akbar followed the Policy of Religious tolerance towards their Subjects.

The Great Ashoka
The Great Akbar
They Both are still inspiring  millions of Indian ...that Greatness of the Power lies in its Use !

Fathepur Sikri By Akbar

Sanchi Stupa by Ashoka

The Great Ashoka

Ashoka pillar at Sarnath ,Varansi

Ashoka was an great Indian Emperor of the Mauryan Dynasty who ruled 269B.C to 323 B.C . His empire stretched from present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan in the west, to the present-day Bangladesh  and the Indian state of Assam in the east, and as far south as northern Karnataka and Kerala .His capital was in Patliputra ,Magadha ( present day Bihar). He got great empire of Magdha from his father Bindusara and Grand Father Chandragupta Maurya .
 Except Kalinga ( present day ,Orissa ) was under the control of Magdha . Ashoka completed the work after defeating Kalinga in Great War . but after witnessing the mass deaths of the Kalinga War , he embraced Buddhism .
He dedicated his remaining life in propagating "Dhamma " and Buddhism all over the world . He sent many messengers across the Asia and established many  "Stupa " all over the Asia.

 Edicts of Ashoka :-  Ashoka wanted to spread his message all over his empire , so he engraved his message on rocks , caves and Pillars known as Ashokan inscriptions .
They can be divided into following categories
1. Major Rock Edicts
2.Minor Rock Edicts
3.Pillar Inscriptions

 

Only with the help of these inscriptions it become possible that History of Ashoka was discovered . In most of the inscriptions Ashoka was regarded as " Pyiadassi "  .In 18th century with the Great work of James Princep inscriptions were depicted ( These inscriptions are in Brahami  Script)

 Ashoka ruled for an estimated forty years. After his death, the Mauryan dynasty lasted just fifty more years. Ashoka had many wives and children, but many of their names are lost to time. Mahindra and Sanghamitra were twins born by his first wife, Devi. He had entrusted to them the job of making his state religion, Buddhism, more popular across the known and the unknown world.They went to Srilanka and converted the King of Srilanka into Buddhism.
It was said that in the lasts days of Life Ashoka converted to Buddhism ,officially ..and started his journey towards discovery of ultimate truth .

British historian H.G. Wells has written: "Amidst the tens of thousands of names of monarchs that crowd the columns of history, their majesties and Graciousnesses and serenities and royal highnesses and the like, the name of Asoka shines, and shines, almost alone, a star."

So Why Ashoka is regarded "The Great Ashoka " !
Answer is simple ....Being Stronger ,Powerful and Capable is not important , Important is to use of power in the Welfare of the People ,Society and World . Ashoka was a very powerful king with great Magdhan Army which even feared Alexander himself, But Ashoka used his resource in the welfare of the People and society and followed the path of Peace and Harmony .

Ashoka said in his inscription
"

Now it is conquest by Dhamma [(which conquest means peaceful conversion, not military conquest)] that Beloved-of-the-Gods considers to be the best conquest. And it (conquest by Dhamma) has been won here, on the borders, even six hundred yojanas away, where the Greek king Antiochos rules, beyond there where the four kings named Ptolemy, Antigonos, Magas and Alexander rule, likewise in the south among the Cholas, the Pandyas, and as far as Tamraparni. Here in the king's domain among the Greeks, the Kambojas, the Nabhakas, the Nabhapamkits, the Bhojas, the Pitinikas, the Andhras and the Palidas, everywhere people are following Beloved-of-the-Gods' instructions in Dhamma. Even where Beloved-of-the-Gods' envoys have not been, these people too, having heard of the practice of Dhamma and the ordinances and instructions in Dhamma given by Beloved-of-the-Gods, are following it and will continue to do so."

Edict of Ashoka - Rock Edict 

and

"Everywhere within Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi's [Ashoka's] domain, and among the people beyond the borders, the Chola  , the Pandays, the Satiyaputras, the Keralaputras, as far as Tamrapami and where the Greek king Antiochos  rules, and among the kings who are neighbours of Antiochos, everywhere has Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, made provision for two types of medical treatment: medical treatment for humans and medical treatment for animals. Wherever medical herbs suitable for humans or animals are not available, I have had them imported and grown. Wherever medical roots or fruits are not available I have had them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dug and trees planted for the benefit of humans and animals"

Edicts of Ashoka ,Rock edict 2

Annie Besant : The Rise of Theosophy

Annie Besant 

Annie Besant was a Great British Theosophist , writer , orator ,Women right activist  and supporter of Home Rule (Swaraj ). She was born in 1847 A.D in London .  She had a remarkable questioning nature and curiosity . She started part time study at the Brikbeck Literary and Scientific Institution , where she got inspiration to search the Ultimate Truth behind all religions .She fought for the women's rights and secularism .  She also questioned the conventional thinking of churches and supported home rule in Ireland . She also had close relation with Marxist leaders of that time .

 In 1889, she  wrote a review for the Pall Mall Gazette on The Secret Doctrine by H.P Blavatsky.
 After reading it, she sought an interview with its author, meeting Blavatsky in Paris. In this way she was converted to Theosophy. Besant's intellectual journey had always involved a spiritual dimension, a quest for transformation of the whole person. As her interest in Theosophy deepened, she allowed her membership of the Fabian Society to lapse (1890) and broke her links with the Marxists.
 In 1893 A.D she went to India for the First Time ( In this Year Swami Vivekananda went to Chicago to participate in Parliament of World Religions .She Established Theosophical Society in Chennai ,Adyar.

Besant met fellow Theosophist Webster Leadbeater in London in 1894. They became close co-workers in the Theosophical Movement and would remain so for the rest of their lives . Annie Besant became the president of Theosophical society in 1908 A.D . Annie Besant set up a new school for boys, the Central Hindu School at Benras ,India which was formed on underlying Theosophical principles, and which counted many prominent Theosophists in its staff and faculty. Its aim was to build a new leadership for India.

With J.Krishnamurti

J.J Krishnamurti

 In 1909, soon after Besant's assumption of the presidency, Leadbeater "discovered" fourteen-year-oldJ.J Krishnamurti  (1895–1986), a South Indian boy who had been living next to the headquarters of the Theosophical Society at Adyar and declared him the probable "vehicle" for the expected World Teacher .
The "discovery" and its objective received widespread publicity and attracted worldwide following, mainly among Theosophists
 In 1929, twenty years after his "discovery", Krishnamurti, who had grown disenchanted with the World Teacher Project, repudiated the role that many Theosophists expected him to fulfil. He dissolved the Order of Star in the East .He spent the rest of his life traveling the world as an unaffiliated speaker, becoming in the process widely known as an original, independent thinker on philosophical, psychological, and spiritual subjects.

With M.KGandhi

 Annie Besant has some major contributions in the Indian freedom Struggle, She joined Indian National Congress and supported demand of Home Rule in India. She with the help of Lokmanaya Tilak established Home Rule League in 1916 A.D  . But after the rise of Gandhi ,methods of protest not limited to home rule only , but Non Cooperation .So difference raised between New congress Leadership and Annie Besant .  After 1920 A.D Annie Besant separated herself from Congress. She was died in 1933 A.D .
She lived many roles in her life Political Activist , Marxist , Social Reformer , Spiritual Teacher and Theosophist .
     

Theosophical Society

Vivekananda :" The greatest sin is to think yourself weak !"

Swami Vivekananda

  

" To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will. “I will drink the ocean”, says the persevering soul; “at my will mountains will crumble up”. Have that sort of energy, that sort of will; work hard, and you will reach the goal."


"First of all, our young men must be strong. Religion will come afterwards. Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you. You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through study of Gita. "





Swami Vivekananda is one of the Greatest persons ever born in India .He was born in Calcutta on 12 Jan 1863 A.D ( Today 12 Jan is celebrated in India as National Youth Day ) . His original name was Narendra Nath Datta.  During his childhood on many occasions he automatically gone in to Deep Meditation  and have great fascination for ascetics ,monks and Mystics .
Narendra had varied interests and a wide range of scholarship in philosophy, religion, history, the social sciences, arts, literature, and other subjects .
 When he went to Presidency college , calcutta he studied the writings of David Hume,Kant,Johann Gottlieb Fichte , Spinoza,Hegel , Schopenhauer,Comte,Spencer,Mill and Darwin .
He also attached to many social and religious reform organization like Brahmo Samaj   .
But all of these philosophy did not satisfy him.
One of Basic question he always asked to every prominent person "Have you seen God ?"
 Nobody replied a satisfactory answer ...expect The one only ....Ramakrishna of Dakshinerwar !
He asked the same question to Ramakrishna ...He replied " Yes !  Because I see Him just as I see you here, only in a much intenser sense "..after this incident Vivekananda regularly came to see and hear Ramakrishna and the beautiful story of Teacher and disciple Begin.
After the Death of Ramakrishna Vivekananda start spreading spiritual education  of Ramakrishna all over the India . He started his endless journey in all over India from North India to Great Himalaya ,Western India to South India . He Meditated in the Last Bit Rock of India at Kanyakumari ( Today called as Vivekananda Rock ).

Vivekananda Memorial

 Narendra got new name given by the Maharaja of Khetri Ajit Singh ,before his departure to Parliament of Religions at Chicago,U.S.A in 1893 A.D. 
On the Way he visited Japan ....And said
"
 Only I want that numbers of our young men should pay a visit to Japan every year. Especially to the Japanese, India is still the dreamland of everything high and good. And you, what are you? ... talking twaddle all your lives, vain talkers, what are you? Come, see these people, and then go and hide your faces in shame. The world has never seen such a patriotic and artistic race as the Japanese ! "

"The faith of the Japanese in themselves, and their love for their country. When you have men who are ready to sacrifice their everything for their country, sincere to the backbone — when such men arise, India will become great in every respect. It is the men that make the country! What is there in the country? If you catch the social morality and the political morality of the Japanese, you will be as great as they are. The Japanese are ready to sacrifice everything for their country, and they have become a great people. But you are not; you cannot be, you sacrifice everything only for your own families and possessions."

Vivekananda reached Chicago in July  1893 A.D .He represented India and Vedanta in Parliament of the World's Religions , at Chicago.He Begin is Speech with ," Sisters and Brothers of America !"
He greeted the youngest of the nations in the name of "the most ancient order of monks in the world, the Vedic order of sannyasins, a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance.


And he quoted two illustrative passages in this relation, from the Bhagavad Gita—"As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take, through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee!" and "Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths that in the end lead to Me.


Vivekananda Spent nearly two years in visiting various parts of U.S.A .and expressing teachings on Vedanta.
Many scholars like  Josephine MacLeod, Miss Müller, Miss Noble, E.T. Sturdy, Captain and Mrs. Sevier—who played an important role in the founding of Advaita Ashrama  and J.J. Goodwin—who recorded his teachings and lectures.
  After coming back to India , he established Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 A.D.He also visited West in 1899 A.D .
But due to his frequent tours , private discussion and engagements had taken  away his health. He was suffering from Asthma , diabetes and insomnia .
He was well aware of his end , therefore he worked very hard in his last days .
Vivekananda died at ten minutes past nine p.m. on 4 July 1902 while he was in very Deep Meditation ....Nirbeej Samadhi ...the Last stage of Meditation . According to his disciples, Brahmarandhra — the aperture in the crown of the head — must have been pierced when he attained Mahasamadhi. Vivekananda had fulfilled his own prophecy of not living to be forty years old. He was cremated on the bank of Sacred river Ganges ...On the other Bank of this river his Teacher Ramakrishna had been cremated 16 years before...!

His Teaching are still illuminating million of the Souls today and in future also !

" Strength, strength it is that we want so much in this life, for what we call sin and sorrow have all one cause, and that is our weakness. With weakness comes ignorance, and with ignorance comes misery. "

 

                                          "Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached. "

Radcliffe Line and McMahon Line :Pakistan-India-China

McMahon line and Redcliffe Line are two one of the important, controversial and crucial boundary Line of India , which were drawn by the British Government during its rule in India.


 McMahon Line :-

Sir Henry McMahon

It is the boundary between India and Tibet (present China) according Shimla accord  Signed by Britain and Tibet in 1914 A.D. Presently it is the effective boundary between China and India.The line is named after  Sir Henry McMahon  foreign secretary of the British-run Government and the chief negotiator of the convention. It extends for 550 miles (890 km) from  Bhutan in the west to 160 miles (260 km) east of the great bend of the Tsangpo river ( Bharmaputra river ) in the east, largely along the crest of the Himalaya. 

The McMahon Line is regarded by India as the legal national border.
China rejects the Simla Accord, contending that the Tibetan government was not sovereign and therefore did not have the power to conclude treaties .
Even after too much Debate this Line is still a matter of Dispute Between India And China .

Radcliffe Line :-  

 Sir Cyril Radcliffe

The Radcliffe Line was announced on 17 August 1947 as a boundary between India and Pakistan as the result of Partition of India . The Radcliffe Line was named after its architect, Sir Cyril Radcliffe who as chairman of the Border Commissions was charged with equitably dividing 175,000 square miles (450,000 km²) of territory with 88 million people.

 This Boundary commission has very less time  to decide the destiny of Indian Subcontinent .
Sir Radcliffe has very little knowledge of Indian subcontinent, he could not understand the complexity of Indian situation , he has very little time and very limited resources .
And also the award of Boundary commission was public only after independence of  Pakistan 14 August and India 15 August   ,Even the people of Both Countries did not know that they are going in the area of Pakistan or India.
The Result of this hastiness we all know .....The massacre of more than 1 million people , loss of billions of property and displacement of millions of people on both side.
Today Many people ask " What was the Hurry at that time ..."Can't it be in systematic and peaceful manner !" .....
The truth of how those decisions were made may never be known, since Radcliffe destroyed all of his records before his departure from India .....



" Oh Almighty!  When All the  borders disappear from this World......???"

Lord Cornwallis : USA to India

Lord Cornwallis , Charles Cornwallis ,1st Marquess Cornwallis ( 1738 - 1805 ) was the most popular British Army officer and Administrator .He has a special relation to India And US.A .

In both the Largest Democracies are once ruled by this Officer . He was  appointed the Lt. General in North American in 1776 A.D at the time of American Revolution . He participated in many campaign against George Washington  in U.S.A. . Lord Cornwallis  surrendered to General Washington and French Commander ,  in 1781 A.D.
After his defeat he returned to Britain and to surprise of All He was appointed the Governor General in India in 1786 A.D. His one of the Major contribution to East India company was to defeat the State of Mysore which was under the leadership of Tipu Sultan become Major threat . Cornwallis believed that due the help of French East India company Tipu became the toughest opponent to the East India company . 
When the war broke out, Cornwallis negotiated alliances with the Marathas and Hyderabad. And defeated the Tipu in 3rd Anglo-Maysore war . Thus weakened Tipu sultan .

  Cornwallis also started Indian Civil Services and introduced Civil & criminal justice system in India. He had the legal frameworks of Muslim and Hindu law translated into English, and promulgated administrative regulations and a new civil and criminal code. This work, introduced in 1793, was known as the Cornwallis code . He also introduced Permanent settlement 1793 A.Din Bengal province to end corruption in Land Revenue System.
In 1805 Cornwallis was reappointed Governor-General of India by Pitt (who had again become Prime Minister), this time to curb the expansionist activity of Lord  Wellesley.
He arrived in India in July 1805, and died on 5 October of a fever at Ghazipur  at that time in the Varansi. Cornwallis was buried there, overlooking the Ganges river.
What a Life .....and What a Death ...I think.. lord Cornwallis never dreamed to be defeated in U.S.A and Buried in India on the Bank of Sacred River Ganges !

 

Bhart Ek Khoj : Discover the True India

Bharat Ek Khoj is a 53 episode television series that unfolds the 5000 year history of India from its beginnings to the coming of Indian Independence in 1947 A.D . It is series of explorations into the different periods of Indian history political ,social and cultural .It traces the crucial and significant landmarks in the evolution of the great Indian civilization .
It is Based on Jawahar lal Nehru 's book , The discovery of India. The episodes are anchored by the actor Roshan Seth who plays the role of Jawahar lal Nehru .
This fascinating epic series if Directed by Great Indian Director Shayam Benegal and first aired on Doordarshan   in 1988 A.D.and was a great success all over the country .


The title song of Bhart ek Khoj was one of best titles song ever made on any TV Series .

                                                A translation from Sanskrit
                                                 Prof . Raimundo Panikkar

At First was neither Being nor Non Being ,
There was not air nor yet sky beyond,
What was wrapping ? Where ? In whose protection ?
Was Water there , unfathomable deep ?


There was no death then , nor yet deathlessness ;
Of night or day there was not any sign .
The one breathed without breath by its own impulse
other than that  was nothing at all.


Darkness was there, all wrapped around by darkness,
And all was Water Indiscriminate then,
That which was hidden by Void , that one emerging,
Stirring through power of Ar dour , came to be .



In the Beginning love arose,
Which was primal germ cell of mind.
The seers , searching in their hearts with wisdom ,
Discovered the connection of Being in Non being .



Who really knows ? Who can presume to tell it ?
Whence was it born ? Whence issued this creator ?
Even the Gods came after its emergence .
Then who can tel from whence it came to be ?



That out of which creation has arisen ,
Whether it held it firm or it did not ,
he who surveys it in the highest heaven ,
He surely knows - or maybe He does not ?