Authorship and Copyright Notice

All the content  on this site is my original work. All rights are reserved. Satya Sarada Kandula. All External Sources have been credited. To contact me, please leave a comment.

A new kind of adventure : Learning Vedas and Yoga

With half a dozen blogs to choose from, I always have to think about where to put any given post.

Since this is about my experiences, I plonked for this blog.

Vedic Chanting is strenuous. It expends a tremendous amount of energy. I always end up straining my voice. The udatas are what we call the mandrasthayi and the swaritas are what we call the tarasthayi., in classical music. Withing the span of a few aksharas, one has to switch back and forth among these sthayis.

I am the sort who is comfortable with nice and easy ragas like ananda bhairavi.. so this is really a huge stretch.

Also, I am rather ashamed to say, I am more a “bhava” person than a “tala” person. Vedic chants are all about rythym and exact rythym. 1 matra for hrasva swaras, 2 matras for dirgha svaras and 2+ or 3 matras for the dirgha svaras with dirgha svarita  (depending on which school you belong to).

So now my with my Veda Guru working on my chanting… my classical music quality is improving by orders of magnitude.

The no onion and garlic rule has eliminated outside eating to a huge extent., which has naturally reduced oil, and I am losing weight to my great joy.

And then the yoga practice is designed to strengthem my back.. and my back pain is reducing…

I am very possessive about my Veda teacher and feel happy when the other students don’t show up and I have a one-on-one class.

Only thing is I must learn to clam up and listen more.,  I talk so much about so many things that she knows already, losing precious time in which I could learn something more. She listens to me as a mother delights in baby prattle glad that I have learned a few new words and ideas.

It looks like a german student wants to learn from her now., but she will be in India only for 2 weeks.. so I guess., that’s okay.

I have to ask her tomorrow about what to do to improve my throat range and lessen my throat strain..

By the way women do a panchanga pranamam and men do a sashtanga pranamam.

Anyone can be blessed with a long life but a brahman (seeker of brahma vidya) may be blessed to attain brahma vidya and a kshatriya (king/soldier) may be blessed with victory and fame.

It depends on what the seeker wants and what the blesser wishes to give. The blesser should sincerely attempt to channel blessings from the divine on the seeker.

What and all!

This was a popular phrase from my childhood.. an example of kanglish — kannada in english –EnnellA.

Another one was simsimply – sumsumne.

My Veda Teacher is Divine., Vedas give me energy and strength and a joy in life., like nothing else. A firm believer in magic and miracles., I find that Vedas help order my life!

I have lost one sanskrit student but hopefully she will get a better teacher than me.. so all will be well.

Today I meet 2 blogging friends in person for the first time. One of them is an artist and another an amateur astronomer. I am quite excited about meeting these kids and to see what they look like.

Once my guru cures me of my back pain and leg pain.. I will be able to dance again..

And once she cures me of diabetes, I will stop glyciphage and become fast at maths…

I am so happy…

btw way my veda guru makes me do yoga too….

Josh’s Weblog: Gokarna & Hampi

I wondered what went theru the phirangi minds at Gokarna…

Here is a nice blogpost….

A phirangi’s take on Hampi and Gokarna with pictures.

Josh’s Weblog: Gokarna & Hampi.

via Josh’s Weblog: Gokarna & Hampi.

Are Black Holes the Architects of the Universe? | Cosmology | DISCOVER Magazine

Are Black Holes the Architects of the Universe?

| Cosmology

| DISCOVER Magazine.

“Long known for their obliterating power, black holes may also have been a creative force: New evidence suggests that they gave order to the chaotic mess produced by the Big Bang.”

Order is Vishnu’s function, the black hole at the centre of our galaxy or the milky way (ksheera sagaram), is either Vishnu or VishnuNabhi..

Yeh Sochne Hi Baat Hai!

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

via Are Black Holes the Architects of the Universe? | Cosmology | DISCOVER Magazine.

Layers Of Humanity And Views On Religions – 5 – “The Enlightened” Layer

Layers Of Humanity And Views On Religions – 5 – “The Enlightened” Layer

In my view this is the highest layer of thought and humanity. This layer is concerned with the truth, They know about their culture and other cultures. They are open to the achievements of other cultures and their own as well as the mistakes made on either side.

They argue with powers-that-be and powers that-wanna-be. Theirs is not the dominant credo. Because The-Power-Seeking layer will only propagate what’s good for their side. As an example many British Astronomers of the Colonial period, sought to give credit to the Indian Astronomers. They did not “win”, because that is not what the East India Company and the Missionaries wanted to hear.

Any serious student on any subject needs to find the words of The-Enlightened-Layer and hear them out. They may not be the credo that won.

Layers Of Humanity And Views On Religions – 4 – “The Moderates” Layer

The “moderates” are generally well-to-do or “doing-well” in the existing social order. They are not resentful of change, they benefit from it. They believe in “all gods are the same.. names are different”. They believe in peaceful co-existence and social acceptance. They follow their own religion “in spirit”. They do not accept the restrictions of their own religious leaders or moral police. They resist manipulation by The Power Seeking Layer and generally speak-out against the Status-Quo Layer, with some intolerance.

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – 3 – The Power Seeking Layer

The Power Seeking Layer of humanity does not internally believe in or practice traditions of any culture and may or may not even have studied their culture and other cultures in depth. They seek to strengthen the unity of the band they seek to represent through moral policing and ‘awareness campaigns’ and to dominate the folks of other cultures through propaganda and direct physical conflict.

The Status Quo Layer willingly and perhaps ‘unthinkingly/foolishly’ supports them while the zero prejudice layer resentfully goes along with restrictions enforced by their own group because of their own powerlessness. The Status Quo layer wants to believe the ‘awareness campaigns’ because of their own internal resentment. The power seeking layer cannot have an abiding belief either in a vengeful or in a merciful God. They rarely sacrifice their own life,  limbs or health. They motivate and instigate others to be in the front line as the activists or the terrorists or the missionaries. From the status quo layer are drawn these activists. Other layers including the zero prejudice layer form the targets.

Every act of offence by instigated by a power seeking group on one side results in an act of offence by the power seeking group on the other side.. (as in Bush and Bin Laden. The targets were the peasants of Afganisthan/Iraq and the office goers at the WTO.. who were mostly from the zero perjudice layer).

While the power seeking group project their actions  in the name of culture, race and religion internally they cannot have any belief in that culture or religion, for destruction does not bother them.

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – 2 – The Resentful Status Quo Layer

The Status Quo Layer refers to that layer of humanity which believes that tradition dates to the customs of their childhood as practiced by their family and neighbourhood. This layer is threatened by changes due to globalization, the arrival of the next generation, the arrival of people from other cultures into their neighbourhoods, their television sets and living rooms.

This layer is upset that their jobs, their life-style, their music, their value system and so on is altered by the arrival of newcomers and foreigners. If they are old or mild, they may complain and if they are young or aggressive they may attack. (As in the racial attacks on Indians in Australia).

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – The Zero Prejudice Layer

In the movie Khadgam, Ravi Teja worships both the bricks used to build the Sri Rama temple and some holy muslim object so that he will get all the divine blessings he needs.

Yesterday a young 18 year old muslim girl was telling me the story of her troubled life.. parental neglect, marriage at 12 and her struggle and success in getting a bank job for Rs 5000 a month. She told me that sometimes she tells Allah that he is not taking care of her, much as Bhaktha Ramadasu, sang Evadabba Sommani….Debbalaku Orvaleka…

I told her about my own reaction when I first saw Kameswari Devi in Mahanandi Temple. I too said.. “you are my mother, how can you let me suffer, you are not doing your job properly”.

The girl was interested in knowing whether Devi helped me and I said “yes, She did, She is a woman, a Mother”. I hesitated in suggesting a visit to to the Shivajinagar  Meenakshi Amma temple, because it might offend her religious sensibilities. But both she and her older cousin were very interested and they told me that they would definitely pay Meenkashi Amma a visit, because women understand women.

A roman catholic lady sitting with us wearing yellow thread, black beads, chandan, bindi and mangala sutram, told me that she was wearing a mangala sutram because she knows the story of Siva and the significance of a mangala sutram!

There is NO Prejudice at this layer of humanity. They have troubles, need some divine intervention and will accept it whether from Jesus, Allah, Devi or Rama..

They are simple and trusting and seek divine help, wherever it is to be found.

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – 4 – “The Moderates” Layer

The “moderates” are generally well-to-do or “doing-well” in the existing social order. They are not resentful of change, they benefit from it. They believe in “all gods are the same.. names are different”. They believe in peaceful co-existence and social acceptance. They follow their own religion “in spirit”. They do not accept the restrictions of their own religious leaders or moral police. They resist manipulation by The Power Seeking Layer and generally speak-out against the Status-Quo Layer, with some intolerance.

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – 3 – The Power Seeking Layer

The Power Seeking Layer of humanity does not internally believe in or practice traditions of any culture and may or may not even have studied their culture and other cultures in depth. They seek to strengthen the unity of the band they seek to represent through moral policing and ‘awareness campaigns’ and to dominate the folks of other cultures through propaganda and direct physical conflict.

The Status Quo Layer willingly and perhaps ‘unthinkingly/foolishly’ supports them while the zero prejudice layer resentfully goes along with restrictions enforced by their own group because of their own powerlessness. The Status Quo layer wants to believe the ‘awareness campaigns’ because of their own internal resentment. The power seeking layer cannot have an abiding belief either in a vengeful or in a merciful God. They rarely sacrifice their own life,  limbs or health. They motivate and instigate others to be in the front line as the activists or the terrorists or the missionaries. From the status quo layer are drawn these activists. Other layers including the zero prejudice layer form the targets.

Every act of offence by instigated by a power seeking group on one side results in an act of offence by the power seeking group on the other side.. (as in Bush and Bin Laden. The targets were the peasants of Afganisthan/Iraq and the office goers at the WTO.. who were mostly from the zero perjudice layer).

While the power seeking group project their actions  in the name of culture, race and religion internally they cannot have any belief in that culture or religion, for destruction does not bother them.

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – 2 – The Resentful Status Quo Layer

The Status Quo Layer refers to that layer of humanity which believes that tradition dates to the customs of their childhood as practiced by their family and neighbourhood. This layer is threatened by changes due to globalization, the arrival of the next generation, the arrival of people from other cultures into their neighbourhoods, their television sets and living rooms.

This layer is upset that their jobs, their life-style, their music, their value system and so on is altered by the arrival of newcomers and foreigners. If they are old or mild, they may complain and if they are young or aggressive they may attack. (As in the racial attacks on Indians in Australia).

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – The Zero Prejudice Layer

In the movie Khadgam, Ravi Teja worships both the bricks used to build the Sri Rama temple and some holy muslim object so that he will get all the divine blessings he needs.

Yesterday a young 18 year old muslim girl was telling me the story of her troubled life.. parental neglect, marriage at 12 and her struggle and success in getting a bank job for Rs 5000 a month. She told me that sometimes she tells Allah that he is not taking care of her, much as Bhaktha Ramadasu, sang Evadabba Sommani….Debbalaku Orvaleka…

I told her about my own reaction when I first saw Kameswari Devi in Mahanandi Temple. I too said.. “you are my mother, how can you let me suffer, you are not doing your job properly”.

The girl was interested in knowing whether Devi helped me and I said “yes, She did, She is a woman, a Mother”. I hesitated in suggesting a visit to to the Shivajinagar  Meenakshi Amma temple, because it might offend her religious sensibilities. But both she and her older cousin were very interested and they told me that they would definitely pay Meenkashi Amma a visit, because women understand women.

A roman catholic lady sitting with us wearing yellow thread, black beads, chandan, bindi and mangala sutram, told me that she was wearing a mangala sutram because she knows the story of Siva and the significance of a mangala sutram!

There is NO Prejudice at this layer of humanity. They have troubles, need some divine intervention and will accept it whether from Jesus, Allah, Devi or Rama..

They are simple and trusting and seek divine help, wherever it is to be found.

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – 3 – The Power Seeking Layer

The Power Seeking Layer of humanity does not internally believe in or practice traditions of any culture and may or may not even have studied their culture and other cultures in depth. They seek to strengthen the unity of the band they seek to represent through moral policing and ‘awareness campaigns’ and to dominate the folks of other cultures through propaganda and direct physical conflict.

The Status Quo Layer willingly and perhaps ‘unthinkingly/foolishly’ supports them while the zero prejudice layer resentfully goes along with restrictions enforced by their own group because of their own powerlessness. The Status Quo layer wants to believe the ‘awareness campaigns’ because of their own internal resentment. The power seeking layer cannot have an abiding belief either in a vengeful or in a merciful God. They rarely sacrifice their own life,  limbs or health. They motivate and instigate others to be in the front line as the activists or the terrorists or the missionaries. From the status quo layer are drawn these activists. Other layers including the zero prejudice layer form the targets.

Every act of offence by instigated by a power seeking group on one side results in an act of offence by the power seeking group on the other side.. (as in Bush and Bin Laden. The targets were the peasants of Afganisthan/Iraq and the office goers at the WTO.. who were mostly from the zero perjudice layer).

While the power seeking group project their actions  in the name of culture, race and religion internally they cannot have any belief in that culture or religion, for destruction does not bother them.

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – 2 – The Resentful Status Quo Layer

The Status Quo Layer refers to that layer of humanity which believes that tradition dates to the customs of their childhood as practiced by their family and neighbourhood. This layer is threatened by changes due to globalization, the arrival of the next generation, the arrival of people from other cultures into their neighbourhoods, their television sets and living rooms.

This layer is upset that their jobs, their life-style, their music, their value system and so on is altered by the arrival of newcomers and foreigners. If they are old or mild, they may complain and if they are young or aggressive they may attack. (As in the racial attacks on Indians in Australia).

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – The Zero Prejudice Layer

In the movie Khadgam, Ravi Teja worships both the bricks used to build the Sri Rama temple and some holy muslim object so that he will get all the divine blessings he needs.

Yesterday a young 18 year old muslim girl was telling me the story of her troubled life.. parental neglect, marriage at 12 and her struggle and success in getting a bank job for Rs 5000 a month. She told me that sometimes she tells Allah that he is not taking care of her, much as Bhaktha Ramadasu, sang Evadabba Sommani….Debbalaku Orvaleka…

I told her about my own reaction when I first saw Kameswari Devi in Mahanandi Temple. I too said.. “you are my mother, how can you let me suffer, you are not doing your job properly”.

The girl was interested in knowing whether Devi helped me and I said “yes, She did, She is a woman, a Mother”. I hesitated in suggesting a visit to to the Shivajinagar  Meenakshi Amma temple, because it might offend her religious sensibilities. But both she and her older cousin were very interested and they told me that they would definitely pay Meenkashi Amma a visit, because women understand women.

A roman catholic lady sitting with us wearing yellow thread, black beads, chandan, bindi and mangala sutram, told me that she was wearing a mangala sutram because she knows the story of Siva and the significance of a mangala sutram!

There is NO Prejudice at this layer of humanity. They have troubles, need some divine intervention and will accept it whether from Jesus, Allah, Devi or Rama..

They are simple and trusting and seek divine help, wherever it is to be found.

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – 2 – The Resentful Status Quo Layer

The Status Quo Layer refers to that layer of humanity which believes that tradition dates to the customs of their childhood as practiced by their family and neighbourhood. This layer is threatened by changes due to globalization, the arrival of the next generation, the arrival of people from other cultures into their neighbourhoods, their television sets and living rooms.

This layer is upset that their jobs, their life-style, their music, their value system and so on is altered by the arrival of newcomers and foreigners. If they are old or mild, they may complain and if they are young or aggressive they may attack. (As in the racial attacks on Indians in Australia).

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – The Zero Prejudice Layer

In the movie Khadgam, Ravi Teja worships both the bricks used to build the Sri Rama temple and some holy muslim object so that he will get all the divine blessings he needs.

Yesterday a young 18 year old muslim girl was telling me the story of her troubled life.. parental neglect, marriage at 12 and her struggle and success in getting a bank job for Rs 5000 a month. She told me that sometimes she tells Allah that he is not taking care of her, much as Bhaktha Ramadasu, sang Evadabba Sommani….Debbalaku Orvaleka…

I told her about my own reaction when I first saw Kameswari Devi in Mahanandi Temple. I too said.. “you are my mother, how can you let me suffer, you are not doing your job properly”.

The girl was interested in knowing whether Devi helped me and I said “yes, She did, She is a woman, a Mother”. I hesitated in suggesting a visit to to the Shivajinagar  Meenakshi Amma temple, because it might offend her religious sensibilities. But both she and her older cousin were very interested and they told me that they would definitely pay Meenkashi Amma a visit, because women understand women.

A roman catholic lady sitting with us wearing yellow thread, black beads, chandan, bindi and mangala sutram, told me that she was wearing a mangala sutram because she knows the story of Siva and the significance of a mangala sutram!

There is NO Prejudice at this layer of humanity. They have troubles, need some divine intervention and will accept it whether from Jesus, Allah, Devi or Rama..

They are simple and trusting and seek divine help, wherever it is to be found.

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

Layers of Humanity and Views on Religions – The Zero Prejudice Layer

In the movie Khadgam, Ravi Teja worships both the bricks used to build the Sri Rama temple and some holy muslim object so that he will get all the divine blessings he needs.

Yesterday a young 18 year old muslim girl was telling me the story of her troubled life.. parental neglect, marriage at 12 and her struggle and success in getting a bank job for Rs 5000 a month. She told me that sometimes she tells Allah that he is not taking care of her, much as Bhaktha Ramadasu, sang Evadabba Sommani….Debbalaku Orvaleka…

I told her about my own reaction when I first saw Kameswari Devi in Mahanandi Temple. I too said.. “you are my mother, how can you let me suffer, you are not doing your job properly”.

The girl was interested in knowing whether Devi helped me and I said “yes, She did, She is a woman, a Mother”. I hesitated in suggesting a visit to to the Shivajinagar  Meenakshi Amma temple, because it might offend her religious sensibilities. But both she and her older cousin were very interested and they told me that they would definitely pay Meenkashi Amma a visit, because women understand women.

A roman catholic lady sitting with us wearing yellow thread, black beads, chandan, bindi and mangala sutram, told me that she was wearing a mangala sutram because she knows the story of Siva and the significance of a mangala sutram!

There is NO Prejudice at this layer of humanity. They have troubles, need some divine intervention and will accept it whether from Jesus, Allah, Devi or Rama..

They are simple and trusting and seek divine help, wherever it is to be found.

Culture and Prejudice

I finally understand an important concept.

I love the different cultures of the different peoples of the world even as I am shocked by their prejudices!

I greatly admire the technology, adventurous spirit and movies of the west.., even as I am shocked by the hostility in the eyes of the “hick-town-whites”, their desire to focus on the poverty here and do nothing about it and general ignorance of and contempt for my civilization.

I greatly admire the magic of the Arabian Nights stories even as I am shocked by their desire to eliminate non-muslims.

I love the programmed efficiency of the tamils, the soft  words of the Bengalis, the clean organisedness of the Kannadigas, the simple devotion of the Kavads and so on and on and on.

Yet, I am shocked by the way my Kannadiga friends speak about Andhras, the exclusivity of the Tamils and the deliberately provocative superiority stance of the North Indians.

Individuals of various cultures and regions like me because of the effort I make to speak their language and to know about their culture and heritage. But this favour is not returned!

The majority tendency seems to be Ignore, Resent,  Dominate or Eliminate other peoples/ other tribes /other cultures.

Prejudice breeds prejudice and contempt breeds contempt. Many north Indians try to project their feelings of superiority as if there was defense inferiority in the south Indians. Most wrongly assume my culture of origin  and confide their prejudices freely to me.

Many people are confident that their culture is the best and that it is threatened or spoiled by interactions with other cultures. That is why the clannish Ignore/Dominate/Eliminate slogans.

I love other cultures, their food, their art, their music and literature etc, but I am cautious about the people of those cultures, cautious about how would they would view/treat/react to me and my people.

Update : I am amazed /shocked /disgusted that connect.in has classified this piece where they have.. A curse upon them!