I did a political compass test, to see where I stand politically. The result is as below.
Economic Left/Right: 0.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -1.23
I am stuck in between. I am sure I wont make a good politician with that kind of score. A power politician has to be either more toward left or right economically and more up or down in the ideology scale or be a member of Gandhi family. (I couldnt resist that).
“Holy Sire, then why each and every desire of all human beings is not fulfilled instantly?” Rama asked.
Vasishtha replied “Because Rama, you can choose one at a time. When I ask you to stand up you stand. When I ask you to stand on your one leg, you stand on right leg. Now I say, stand on left leg, you can’t. You will fall down. But before you stood on right leg you had choice to not stand on right but on left. Same way, whatever you have chosen accordingly, the pattern of mind is made up. Next choice will definitely come but former choice had to be wiped out first.”
He continued “Whatever you chose, joy or suffering, love or hate, their impressions, tracks and roadways have been made. This will require your next desire to go all the way to the edge of the universe and come back, then you will be ready. Like when you touch a pond a wave circle goes on expanding up to the next bank of the pond. Likewise Rama, it is only in spring the forest blooms colossally. Only in spring of mind the forest of misery blooms. Therefore understand the seven stages of knowledge and by and by ascend from one after another.”
“Aapathey kim karaneeyam?”
“what needs to be done when faced with danger?”
Kakksasseri Bhattathiri knew why this question was posed to him. Reply came without any hesitation.
“smaraneeyam charanayugalamambaayam”
“remember the lotus feet of Amba – mother godess”
I was really surprised that I couldnt find much information about “Kakkasseri Bhattathiri” who was asked this question. A google search for Kakkassery, Kakkasseri, kakaseri, kakassery and different combinations only gave me spartan information. Luckily I had Aithihyamaala in malayalam, where I could dig up whole story about Kakkasseri bhattathiri. Aithihyamaala holds the treasure of legends and myths associated with the geographical part now known as Kerala.
The story of Kakkasseri Bhattathiri happens around 17th Century north kerala, where Samoothirippadu is the ruler. Every year there used to be a debate contest on Vedas, Shaastras and Puranas at samoothiri’s court. The subjects were divided into 108 topics and debates used to be conducted on each of them. The winners can claim the prize money, and the ensuing fame. All learned namboothiris from all over kerala used to assemble there for the debates. One year a tamil brahmin by name of Uddhanda Shaasthrikal comes to compete. He is renowned for his scorn for namboothiris, to the extent that, as soon as he enters kerala region, he says a couplet.
Palaayadhwam palaayadhwam, re re dushkavi kunjara
vedaanta vanasanchaaree, hyayaathyuddanda kesari.
run and hide run and hide, ye elephants of bad poetry
the roamer of vedanta forest, uddanda the lion is coming
Needless to say, he defeats the namboothiris in the debates and gets all the prizemoney for himself. The king becomes happy with him and appoints him as a chief courtier. This happens consecutively for few more years at which the namboothiris get upset. They think of ways to defeat uddanda shaasthrikal. Unfortunately, they are aware that no one in their midst can do that immediately. During that period they come to know that one namboothiri lady is pregnent. The prominent namboothiris assemble there and do the requsite incantations and prayers to beget a child who will be able to dislodge Uddanda shaastrikal.
In that illam, Bhattathiri is born. When he is three years old, his father dies. As part of the tradition he has to do one year of deeksha. One of the ceremonies for the departed involve making rice balls and invoking the deprated anscestores to feast on it. The belief is that the anscestors will take the form of crows and eat it. Normally the crows come down and eat the rice balls completing their part of the ritual. This is done for over a period of days, where the crows are invoked to have the rice balls. Its said that Bhattathiri used to identify each crow from other and could tell, which crow came the previous day and which didnt. Due to his remarkable power of observation, which became evident with identification crows, his name is kept as Kakkasseri, Kaakka meaning crow in malayalam.
As expected of him he becomes a pundit soon and he excels in all the fields. Legend is that he is trained by none other than the great Uddanda shastri himself. Eventually he is ready for the debate with Uddanda shaastrikal and defeats him in the debate. He is acknowledged by one and all including the King himself. There have been several debates later also between Uddanda shaastrikal and Kakkasseri, but Kakkasseri wins all of them. Most of the anecdotes relating to Kakkasseri are a bit on the vulgar side that even the author of Aithihyamala just mentions that and leaves it there.
During his life, Kakkasseri is unlike the practice of the day, crosses the rigid lines of casteism to the dismay of the namboothiris. He does not hesitate to dine with even the people of lowest caste. Namboothiris dislike the facts, but no one takes up the issue with Kakkasseri, as they know that they cannot win with him by arguments or by debate. Eventually they decide that they must take the advise of Kakkasseri who is the most knowledgeable. They approach him and ask,
“Aapathey kim karaneeyam?”
“what needs to be done when faced with danger?”
Kakksasseri Bhattathiri knew why this question was posed to him. Reply came without any hesitation.
“smaraneeyam charanayugalamambaayam”
“remember the lotus feet of Amba – mother godess”
Just to confirm, the namboothiris ask again,
“talsmaranam kim kurute?”
“what will happen by remembering so?”
Kakkasseri replies,
“brahmaadeenapi cha kinkareekuruthe”
“it will make brahma and other celestial beings your servants.”
The happy namboothiris take leave of him and do bhagavati seva to appease devi – the mother godess, along with incantations and prayers for the removal of danger. On the 41st day of the sacrifice, Kakkasseri comes there and asks for a glass of water, after drinking which he tells the namboothiris that he has become impure and takes leave. After that day Kakkasseri is not seen anywhere and becomes a legend himself.
namboothiri : kerala brahmin
samoothiri : title for the king in north kerala
Salutations to Him who cheats others sometimes, without their Knowledge, having gained their trust; Salutations to Him who cheats regularly; and to Him who indulges in stealing, posing as an acquaintance, Salutations.
Salutations to Him who is constantly moving about looking for an opportunity to steal; moving guardedly in the master’s house or moving in thickly populated places, or moving around in the forests, Salutations to Him who protects such people.
Salutations to the Lord who personifies weapon-wielding persons, to the Lord who assumes the form of people with the killer instinct, to the Lord who protects those destroying and snatching away wealth.
Salutations to Rudra who is in the form of thieves who, armed with weapons prowl in the night, looking for prey, to Him who is the protector of those who thieve and kill, Salutations.
I have been contemplating to move to a gpl content management system for some time. Now with movable type moving towards commercial objectives (eventhough free version is still on), I am giving serious thoughts about changing to either wordpress or b2evolution. Mostly I might go with wordpress. Any suggestions welcome.
I have also discovered gimp. I have been trying for sometime to add border to an image with shadows. Finally I am able to do that.
This eerie looking picture was taken during a cold winter noon after snowfall, from the backyard of my house. The tree itself looks spooky. Though the picture appear to be artificial, no major change has been done to the image, except for the border addition and shadow effect.
finally its done
I am still speechless to find that Sonia might become the Prime Minister of India. I still wonder how this happened. Amazing thing was that even the exit polls didnt predict this. For BJP its going to be a bolt from the blue. What lessons might they learn from this?
That next time onwards, when they are in power, they need to abuse it. Forget development and economy, the indian voter will throw you out anyway. So make money when in power. These common people do not deserve anything better.
I believe the same holds true for Chandrababu Naidu, the ex CM of Andhra Pradesh. YSR Reddy (praise the lord) has already declared free electricity to farmers in the state. All the hardwork that Naidu must have put in will be blown away soon.
There is a possibility that vision 2020 will have to wait for another 150 years. But who knows, Congress might just turn a new leaf. Maybe they will emerge as a new party with new faces. But then again, they will be supported by Left, who is anti<everything>.
One thing is sure… India is on crossroads and history is getting enacted.
ps: now pizza too will remind me of India.
Assets worth 15 crore were found in the name of Mayavati and her relatives! Most of us dont comprehend the value in such simple terms and need a bit of explaining, as to how much value that 15 crores have.
Say if I deposit 15,00,00,000.00 Rs. in any nationalised bank in India today, I get an interest rate of average 6.00% in the long run. So per annum I get 90,00,000.00 Rs. Yes and thats just interest, the capital remains untouched. 90,00,000.00 Rs translates as 7,50,000 per month or 24,657.50 daily. I wonder how I would be able to spend Rs.24,657.50 daily.
I think the stock exchange should also start listing politicians from our country. people should be allowed to buy shares of political leaders. The upcoming political leaders can take advantage of “going public” and raise money for their election needs. Once they are in power, they can obviously start accumulating and pay some dividends out of the interest they earn from the assets amassed.
I now want to buy 100 shares of Mulayam singh yadav.
It was not supposed to be perfect, but it all went wrong. It happens only in India almost anywhere.
Prime Minister Zia led some 1,000 representatives of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in standing for the anthem.
But after a couple of minutes of embarrassed silence, which officials ascribed to “technical glitches”, it was decided to move on to a recitation from the holy Koran, while officials tried to restore the sound system.
Then a second attempt to play the anthem only got as far as the first phrase before the music stopped.
Read the full story at bbc.
