Articles/Poem
========
By Suresh Sharma
1)Toy Houses and Name Plates
====================
Transalated by Arya Bhushan
from Hindi to English
----------------------------------
It was in 1930 when I was eight years old. My family lived in a small village of Rajasthan. My father was a Head Master in the village school. There was only one school in the village and I was, then, a student of class three. There was a small river by the village, that would flow only when it rained. Often when there was high ground or hillocks on three sides, the river was bunded on the fourth to dam and store water for irrigation purposes. This is called 'Tal' in local language. When the Tal got full to the brim, the water would flow over the Bund and the small river would get flooded. The residents of the village would all collect and watch with wonder, the flowing river. It is no wonder that where there was scarcity of water, such flooding of a river would turn into a great event to justify festivities.
We young peers also would collect on the river bank to amuse ourselves. The unmarried girls also collected there and played with the pebbles collected from there. The game was called 'Laduda' in their village dialect. We boys made mud toy houses from the sand on the bank. We would first take the wet sand and accumulate it round our feet and then cautiously pull our foot. This way the wet sand would stay in position with an opening on one end. then we decorated it with doors and windows made of local straw and wood strips collected locally. Round the houses so made we would put a boundary and a gate with our name plate in front of it. Everyone tried his best to make his house as the most beautiful. Sometimes when some one was not able to make one, he would out of jealousy destroy the house of his neighbor. This would result in a fight and the boy doing so was given a good beating. This is how we spent long time after school hours. During those days the village could not afford expensive games like Hockey, Football and Cricket. We used to entertain ourselves with such inexpensive games as 'Gulli Danda', 'Ghora dari', 'Danda-gair', 'Gulam lakri' etc.
As soon as it was evening, the elder brother or the parent of one of us would come to alert us about the sun having set and of the approaching darkness and it was time to return home as our mothers were waiting for us. It was a strange sight at that time. All the children would jump on and destroy the toy houses they had made with such labour spending hours to build them. And then all the children would return to their homes to rest.
Today, when I look back and remember those times, I feel that the strange sight of those evenings is the story of the human life. A human being labours whole of his life, acquires so many things, never rests and in the evening of one's life, he leaves everything here and returns 'Home' for ever. However, he does not only put a name plate on the houses he makes but also on his only face. He wears different masks. He forgets that his maker had made him only a human being to live as one without such masks.
--------------------------------------------
2)Poem
======
EGO
---------
By Suresh Chandra Sharma
---------------------------
My EGO is bigger than me
Whichever way I wish to go
It stands before me like a wall
Thus my ego blocks my way.
I strive to be tender and gentle
Want to speak the sweetest words
I try very hard to be humble
Like a straw resting on earth
But I cannot bend even a bit
As my limbs are hard like wood
Again my ego fails me to be tender
How I wish to cast away
The masks that cover my face
And wander free thru the universe
In my real bare form
But I fail again because
My real face is very ugly
Alas ! my EGO is ever mightier than me.
----------------------
3)What Can I do?
(I am bored)
================
You will be startled to hear as to what question is being posed by me. The object of our collecting here is clear that we should exchange our thoughts on various subjects of common interest and produce some objective and useful material through such writing. Please don’t get impatient. Through above title, I am presenting a problem, which needs to be given a serious thought.
I am not aware if any of you have noticed that very young children three to seven years old are seen weeping crying, “what Can I Do?” They feel so bored in life even at this young age that all the objects to entertain them collected by their parents for them are inadequate. In every household where there is even one child of this age, you will find a big stores of toys for him. In every house there has to be a room full of toys only which forms an important section. Even then, purchase of new toys continues unobstructed. In addition, the children are taken to the swimming pools, to the Gym Classes, for music lessons and to learn dancing of different styles, kathak, Bharatnatyam, Ballet, etc. One also sees another scenario, in which a child has collected, utilized or mis-utalized more items of stationary of much finer quality, even before reaching the pre-school stage, than we had used from the beginning our education even up to the matriculation. Then he has full freedom to watch television and vedio cassettes of his choice. In addition another item has been added to his long list of entertainment material, which is CD worked with the help of computers. The question that arises is that with all these means of entertainment why does the child feel bored?
The main cause of all this, according to my meager intellect, is that in that in the modern society, the child grows in an environment of want. He gets much less company of her mother than what he needs or should get. Immediately after birth, the child is separated from mother and kept in nursery. And then, this beginning of separation from mother never ends. If the parents go for shopping, the child is either in a crib or in a stroller. The starves for the close warmth of the mother and this good luck is available to the baby only during breast-feeding. Some of the modern mothers, breast feed only for a very brief period as they have notion that feeding the child for a prolonged period will impair their beauty. Mother’s place has been even above the creator of the universe, and it is a great insult to motherhood that mother should for her looks, deprive her very own child, of necessities of life. The essence of a woman’s life is in her motherhood and if the mother give preference to their sexuality over this prime duty, what would be the state of society.
Another cause for such a situation is that in modern age, life has been interpreted to mean money and pleasure. In the social system of DINK(Double income no kids), when both the husband and wife, both are equally busy in working and earning a living, the coming of children in their life will only be considered to be an interference and they are bound to be ignored and neglected. Major portion of their daily life would be spent with a baby-sitter or in the day care center. The child then yearns for company of parents. For sleeping also child is put in separate room because the woman who is needed by the child belong to some one else.
The material life of to day has disrupted the entire family life. The joint living, which was considered the foundation of family life, has gone into background. It is not necessary that the husband and wife will return from the work at the same time. The children are able to get some time and bit of their love only in the weekends and that is the only time that the home could be considered to be a home. The home at present is only resting-place for the night as there is no one present there during day. The man and the lady of the house are at work while the children are with baby-sitter or in the day care center. There was a time when the home a work place for each member of family. That system has now disrupted. It looks that money minded priorities have dried the elixir of family life and home has shrunk itself as a resting-place for the night. I take pleasure by remembering the home management of a relative living in ahamedabad where even now all members of the family, children and the elderly, everyone, after the day’s work collect in the prayer room, pray and light lamp, do the ‘Arti’ and then dine together. At least there is some time in twenty-four hours that they have an opportunity of sitting together. This is the way in which an interest can be generated and maintained of sitting together. This is the way in which an interest can be generated and maintained to have common interests. At such place the problem of ‘what Shall I Do’ indicating boredom will not arise.
There is another cause for this boredom. Our sense of neighborhood has vanished. Each family, which has already restricted it self to self has stopped interacting with, neighbors. The social life of man now exists only on name. In actual life one has restricted oneself only to family. Relationship is such a plant, which needs the fertilizer of closeness, the warmth of love, the watering of compassion, the breeze of nearness, and fencing of cooperation. If all this is there, healthy relationship will develop and will establish real emotional cordiality. Let us ponder for a while that even if we collect all the worldly wealth and lose our mental peace and happiness, would we have gained anything.
It is possible that readers of my thought might get annoyed and irritated. Their reaction might be extremely severe. They have every right to such feeling but I would humbly request them that they may spend only few moments from their busy life to think of this problem of boredom and try to find a solution so that our little ones could become useful members of the society. Believe me that I have not written even one world in spirit of criticism, blame, or taunt but only to attract attention of the readers to this serious problem likely to cripple our society. If I am able to do so, I will consider it my good fortune.
(Writer is a Spiritual and Religious Thinker. He is a Retired Senior Statistic Officer of Government of India)
---------------------------------------------------

The killer of Happiness and Success
========================
By Shankuntala Bahadur
-----------------------------
Every one seeks happiness from time to time. We all experience agitation, irritation, frustration and disharmony. When we suffer from these miseries, we do not keep them to ourselves only but often distribute them to others as well. Some one who is miserable affects the whole atmosphere and thus brings unhappiness to all. Anger is the main cause of this unhappiness or bitterness.
When unwanted things happen, we feel tension within, then reaction is anger. Anger is supposed to be the evil of mind or the impure thought, which spoil our mental peace. Wrath is a flame, which burns all our virtues. Even our Rishi Durvasa and Parashuram are condemned as their anger cursed the life of shakuntala and the great warrior Karana respectively. Anger is the obstruction in the process of sadhana. That is why it is said that ‘one who desires to attain glory or prosperity, should abandon these six evils. Anger is one of them, which must be abandoned.
Intolerant nature with arrogance is the abode of anger. A short-tempered person becomes angry very easily.
Arrogance wants to dominate over others. We do not want to listen others opinion, even if they are logical.
Whatever I say or do is only correct, others view and actions are incorrect or wrong. We do not want to admit our shortcomings, but if other fail to show respect to us, we are instantly thrown into a fit of fury. So we have to change our mental attitude, self-assertive nature, then and then only we can get rid of our anger. We are advised to eradicate anger by practice of cheerfulness, tolerance, vigilant introspection and keeping the mind fully occupied, then only we will be able to attain peace and happiness. In Manusmruti absence of anger is supposed to be necessary for attaining sadhana.
Actually one should try to understand others, before expecting others to understand him. When there is a clash of selfish motives, a terrible fit of anger shatters all the cordial relations and physical nerves system as well. It may subside in a short time but the vibration or waves continue to stay for days and weeks in the astral body, damaging considerably. i.e. anger first arises in our mind, then expressed through harsh and insulting speech, which reacts undesirable actions. Anger harms even others and us too. Later when anger has passed, we start crying and repenting, begging pardon from this or that person or from God. But next time in similar circumstances, we again repeat all process. So this continual repenting does not help at all. The Constant repentance is the waste of energy. The lame excuses bring humiliation every time and the angry person spoil self image in the society. Hence looses all the respect and popularity. We can control our mind and thought through yoga.
In Gita Lord Krishna says ‘If the mind dwell upon the external world, then attachment to worldly things is generated. From this attachment desire or passion is produced. If desire is unfulfilled, anger is generated. Anger or revulsion results in ignorance and from ignorance comes loss of vision, from loss of vision comes loss of wisdom i.e. the discrimination between good and bad is also destroyed. Finally from loss of wisdom one is fully lost /ruined. All the wars and destruction’s are the true examples of this process. The Anger due to attachment forced Duryodhan for battle of Mahabharat. The arrogance towards Jews of angry Hitler gave birth to second world war.
Inspite of all these instances it is also said that only at times anger or within limit is also beneficial and necessary.
Once Draupadi said to Yudhishthir ‘ A man who is devoid of anger at proper time, neither his enemies are afraid of him, nor he is respected by his friends.’
We must remember to conquer our anger through yoga. Then only we can say like i.e. Let good thoughts come to us from all directions or Lets pray ‘ May our mind be full of Good thoughts.
(Writer is very learned and a deep thinker )
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In whose hands lies our Fate?
=====================
By Vijay Mankermi
------------------------
Many people believe and say- we shape our own fortune. It is in our hand.while some say- our fate lies in the hands of almighty. We only make efforts or work to do something, but fate lies in the hands of God. The result is in is in his hands.
There is one case as published in recent Newspaper. One Mr. Michael Morales was prosecuted for rape and murder of a girl- committed by him 25 years ago. Going through a long legal battle for 25 years, at last he was sentenced for death. Even appeals to the governor did not get any relief and day and time for execution of death sentence was fixed.
At this point some development took place in a different way. The doctors executing the lethal Iv injection protested against this action, saying doctors are meant for treating a person to save his life and not to kill him. It was not possible to find any other person to do that work as per judgement, and time for the death execution warrant expired.
Under the controversy regarding procedure for execution of death sentence the hearing of the case was rescheduled for the day after two months. Now the questions arising are- did the lawyers, the experts and the judge hold the fate of accused in their hands? Was it in the hands of the execution team till the day decided for execution? Or does it still continue in the hands of Almighty?
I would like to narrate here one incident from my personal life. Our father was passing through a prolonged ill health, and our mother with all of us- brothers and sisters remained worried for the same. With deep faith in God, Saints, and Astrology she thought of consulting a Saint known to the family. We went to see the Saint with horoscope and other information about our father. On studying the horoscope the Saint said, " The life span of this man is already over. At present he is alive and living with grace of some one else as bonus." We were stunned! What shall we do? What about brining up of six children?
"Do you have horoscope of yours any other family members? Asked Saint.
"Yes" and Mother put up her horoscope with tears in her eyes without uttering a word more. After going through it Saint said, "Look, here is the cause for the man living bonus life. As per this horoscope your death is to happen only in existence of your husband. That is you shall live as Soubhagyavati through your life. Your husband will continue to live his extended life till you live. Do not worry. Have faith in God and continue to fulfil your obligations to the family. Almighty is always with you."
We could not make out what to do. Anyhow mother developed more confidence and continued to look after all the six of us. With the help from a few relatives and Dad having minor jobs here and there we continued. After about 17 years when all the children were grown up and on their way of life mother was sick and bed ridden. With full satisfaction and peace on her face she said "Take care of your Dad and do not forget Almighty. He is always with you if you are sincere"
She left the world. After about a year traditional rites were arranged with recitation of Bhagwad Gita at the hands of Dad performing Pooja. But that was the last deed of his life perhaps to acknowledge the extension of his life.
(Writer is a Retired Bank Executive)
----------------------------------------------------

TATTWAMASI(THOU ART THAT)
=======================
By S Krishnamurthy
-----------------------
Tattwamasi (Thou art that) is one of the greatest vedic\upanishadic statements(MAHAVAKYAS). Let us try to analyse the significance of the statement. According to PANCHADASI of Sri Vdyaranya before the creation their existed the reality,one only,without a second,and without name and form. That it even now (after creation)exists in a similar condition is indicated by the word that.
The principle consciousness which transcends the body,senses and mind of the enquirer is here denoted by the word THOU THE WORD Art(ASI) shows their identity. Is there a practical way to realise this VEDANTIC TRUTH.
Swami Vivekananda said Man is potentially Divine. It is up to him to bring out the Divinity by Karma Yoga , Bakthi Yoga or Gyana Yoga or by all of them.The student of Gyana Yoga has to educate his mind to remove misconceptions that cling to it. Those that make him think that he is something else. In the analysis all that we need to educate ourselves in any field.Material or Spiritual is Discrimination a kind of Meditation to remove doubts, in order to realise the importance of the one statement "Thou Art That'.
Brahaman is all that exists behind all Names and Forms in the Universe.It is a question of negation of the appearance, realisation of the reality of Brahaman and the affirmation of the Brahaman every where. Then you will be able to say what I see is Brahaman fundamentally nothing but Brahaman.
Literally I see God everywhere but you will know that you are not seeing him as he is.You are seeing him as he appears- those containers-these Bodies and Minds.
In the last analysis any one who says " I have not seen God " is a liar.You cannot see a thimg without seeing God. It is a matter of conviction.
The Gyani sees the same world as we all do but it sees in a different perspective. The universe is nothing but Brahman. Freedom according to gyani means living in the awareness of god/Brahman at all the times. Under all circumstances.
The scriptures narrate an incident where four sags who knew themselves to be Brahaman went to lord Siva and had a long conversation with him about the immortality of soul. However they did not notice that yama the lord of death was also there. Yama was offended that the four sages did not greet him. Yama decided to take revenge on them. When the sages departed yama came out of cursed them saying "sages you dare defy the king of death! I denounce you. You have to take birth in animal bodies.
Yama is all-powerful over body. The bodies then and there changed to forms of four dogs. Yama looked at them and said ' do you see what I can do with you
But sages were illumined souls. They knew themselves to be bodiless, formless, all knowing omnipresent of all of bliss. So they did not feel different. Sages exclaimed to yama 'yama you have no power over us we are still Brahaman despite having forms of dogs'
Yama was angry and transformed them into insects. Even as bodies were changing the sage's laugh at yama; Yama felt insulted.
At the last lord Siva appeared before yama and consoled him by saying ' yama you rule over those who know the body as the self (Athma) those who know them selves to be atman-the Brahaman 'are beyond your power' you may change the body but what can you do with real self. You had best. Let the four sages alone.
Tawanasi we must go beyond the intellectual conviction and make it true perception in life.
This narration of the incident from the scriptures of the four sages who were realized souls and their encounter with lord yama may serve as an incentive for us to mediate on the great Vedic equation 'Tatwam Asi' and try not merely to keep it as an intellectual conviction but try to make it a concrete perspective to follow in life.
(Writer is a former Senior Executive from the Indian Railways)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

Taming the Mind
============
By R Parthasarthy
--------------------
The mind is just a pattern of desires, a composite of the warp and woof of plans and resolutions. It has immense potentiality to create manifold images and so is also called imagination. Imagination hides the truth. It fogs the intellect, perverts the vision, deviates the straight path of the aspirant. Desire creates mirage where there was none before. Desire imposes beauty where there was none before; it clothes things with desirability. To escape from clutches of desire which gives birth to the brood of anger, hatred, malice, greed, envy, faction, falsehood, etc., one has to cleanse ones consciousness by prayer and good activity, selfless desire less activity. Service is the best Sadhana for eliminating the nefarious pull of the mind towards desires.
The mind flits quickly from one idea to another; it fondles for a moment and forsakes the next. You may manage to keep your mouth shut, but it is next to impossible to keep the mind shut. Mind is of that nature; it is woven so, out of the yarn of desire. Its characteristic is to flutter and flit, hither and thither, through the outlets of the sense, into the external world of colour, sound, taste, smell, and touch. But it can be tamed and put to good use by man. If we keep it engaged in good pursuits and good adventures, particularly in the contemplation of the Universal, the Absolute, the Eternal, that is to say, of God, then it will not go astray and will not land man in ruin; for God is the source of undying strength, o lasting joy, and the deepest wisdom
(Writer is also a deep thinker and was a Chief Executive Officer in Private Sector Company)
------------------------------------------

The Future of Communications
============================
(In the above photo writer Arya Bhushan is sitting Second from left)
It has been said that speed is the craze of modern man, while no one has said that speed is also the craze of nature. The latter fact, however, is the greater Truth. Man is still far behind nature in this craze. Will man ever be able to attain the speed of any of the terrestrial objects flying at great speeds in the sky. It is always from the past that we judge the future. But applying this for the speed of progress, we forget that the speed of progress has been subject to an acceleration which is beyond human imagination. If a man living in the seventeenth century had been asked to speculate the future of communications, he might have at best guessed that there would come a day when people would travel in carriages driven without horses and men would fly in the air without wings. But that would be mere speculation and he would have been called a person with a fertile brain. Few would have believed him, a greater number would have been inclined to call him a lunatic. In any case he, himself would not have believed if he was told that such or even greater progress would be achieved within a span of only a few centuries. We see, however that events have progressed faster than even imagination. Today, vehicles without horses are a common sight. Flying has been made so easy. Men have been shot into space, have circled round the earth in sputniks and space shuttles at incredibly high speeds, and have even landed on the moon. Rockets have been sent to planets in far off location to obtain data and determine the conditions that exist there.If the common mode of travel on land formerly was a post chase with an average speed of 10 miles an hour, today it is an electric train running at six to ten times that speed. Nay, the Tokyo Express on the New Tokaido line does it at double that speed. If the means of travel on the sea then were sail trips traveling at the mercy of the winds, today it is the fast liner doing it in much shorter period, which does it independent of the weather. Greater and greater speed has been attained by the help of transport through air. Distances which took months to cover have been reduced to days. Nay, sometimes only hours. Round the World in 80 Days, imagined by Jules Verne is now possible in less than 80 hours and might even, within a foreseeable future, be covered in 80 minutes. The means of communicating news have made much greater progress, with the help of wireless. Now it takes only a few moments to circulate the news from one part of the world to another, which earlier took months.All this was done so fast that it has been difficult for the human mind to digest. There is a feeling that developments have reached the point of saturation and there is not much scope left for future. We could only perfect the modern achievements and make them cheaper. Sitting down to imagine, the best we could do is to think of communications a century later, and whatever we think will be the extreme possibility. And yet we may be defeated.Having the past progress in view, we might say that air travel will be the most common mode of travel for the common man throughout the world. The richer will own private planes for themselves (as a few already do). Such planes could land on their own roofs, made possible by vertical landing through gyroscopic principles. To avoid collisions in mid-air, Air Traffic Control would be needed by International Police. There would be regular city and cross country routes with well controlled traffic passing on them. Different speed lanes and different speed zones. The roads, and the motor cars running on them will be used only by the poorest class of people. (We have not reached that stage yet)In respect of postal communications and correspondence, the postal department will be there only for official correspondence and carrying parcel traffic. All written records will be transmitted via FAX, and conversations done over the telephone. Tele-video-phones would be a common means for corresponding with each other and holding conferences where they wish to see as well as talk to each other . In fact this already has started to be introduced.One can even imagine that people from Earth will migrate to different planets and set up fresh colonies and inter- planetary travel will become common. There might even be inter- planetary wars if the racial prejudice, hatred and greed continue to gain control of the better side of Mankind. This is already being shown in science fiction movies such as Star Trek & Star Wars. All these are direct inferences from the modern scientific developments and the progress that has been taking place. In fact quite a lot has already been achieved and perfected. For, if this is the only progress in the means of communications, it would be nothing beyond our expectations and one does not require much imagination for it.But seeing that all progress in the past has been beyond expectation, imagination must be made to run at much faster speed than that at which our minds work. If we have to be taken by surprise, there should be newer, faster and more novel means. We must be able to travel not merely by the help of steam petrol and electricity or even atomic power, but should be able to produce planes which could travel on radio waves at their speed. Who can wonder, that scientists will one day help us swim with radio waves? The moon, the planets and the stars will then be only different bodies of one single system with easy communication between them as we have between different cities today. If human beings could make such phenomenal progress, will they not be almost one with God? Will they still continue to have lust for power, racial prejudices, hatred and greed?Was this not the state which, in the past, our Yogis had achieved? Or was it just their imagination?
(Writer is a founder member of ' Chhajjuka Chaubara' and has several books at his credit.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ARTICLES
========
PRESENTED BY PUSHPA SHAH
------------------------
1)RAVAN FOUND MOTHER IN SITA
============================
RAVAN in his young life, took vow from a saintthat he will not have any illicit relationship or touch any lady without making her his wife by proper marriage. He sincerely followed this vow throughout his life till his death. Out of passion, pride and jealousy, he kidnapped mahasati Sita and kept her at Ashoka vatika in Lanka.During this period, Ravan made various efforts directly and through his people to convince Sita tomarry him. At times he threatened Sita to rape her and spoil her character but he never did so. He got so much desparate that once he sent his own wife Mandodari to Sita to covince Sita to marry him ?Despite offering various temptations, Mandodari Could not succeed in her mission. All her efforts to covince Sita to marry Ravan proved to be futile.
Ravan was disappointed at this. As such he used to remain sad and gloomy. Once his brother Kumbhakaran entered his room when Ravan was lying in his bed. He heard Ravan murmuring in a fragile voice the words"Site, Site, Site". Kumbhakaran had come to meet Ravan after six month's sleep so he was totally unaware ofwhatever happened during that period. He asked Ravan reasons for his sadness and disappointment. Ravan explained in detail whatever had happened and reasons for his sadness. Kumbhakaran was astonished to listen his storyand reminded Ravan of various abilities and knowledge(vidya), he acquired in his young age. He also suggested Ravan to please DeviRoopaparivartini(Goddess who can change one"sappearance) and request her to fulfile his desire tolook like Ram. Thereafter, it will be easy for him toget Sita and satisfy his desire. Ravan felt very sorry and asked Kumbhakarna "Do you consider your brother a fool ? I would not have tried to use my knowledge ? Kumbh became anxious and impatient to know the details.
Ravan started narrating his own experience. After reciting japas(mantras), RupaparivartiniDevi was pleased and appeared before me. I requested her to fufil my desire to look like Ram. She granted by telling (tathastu) o. k. and disappeared. Immediately I was looking like Ram, but then onwards I started expriencing difficulties, as various thoughts started fighting in my mind and heart. First I saw Kuber, whose everything was taken away by me. I heard someone telling me"Lankesh, return everything of Kuber to him. It is not good for king of Lanka." * After some time, Vibhushan came to me and advised, "Bhai, still it is not too late; you return Sita respectfully to Ram. Otherwise the very thought of the sin committed by you will kill you."* By that time, Adhishtayika Devi Lankini stood before me. She told me "By kidnapping other"s wife(parastri), you have committed the biggest sin and put this city in darkness(more than Kajal). It is shameful for me too. You better leave Lanka immediately and go away to a far place. * Immediately after Lankini went, your bhabhi Mandodari came with tears in her eyes. She asked me what was lacking in her beauty that I became mad aftersome one"s wife (parastri)? "Did you feel anything less in my beauty or doubt my faithfulness that you had to kidnap Sita to bring her here in Lanka? If you have decided to spoil the image and name of past 71 generations of Rakshaskul, first you give me poision to die." "Like this, one after the other came and told me so much in harsh words that I was stunned and got verymuch confused. To ascertain whether I had really becomeRam(looked like Ram or not), I stood before a big mirror. Looking at my own reflection as Ram, I felt as if Ram himself was standing before me and I saw motherb in Sita (matruswarup). Under this situation, you onlytell me, how I can go nearer to Sita in whom I saw my mother?" Kumbhakaran who was sincerely listening Ravan"s narration was stunned and spontaneously (expressed) offered crores and crores of times his respect to Ram(their enemy), by whose association only, Ravan"s feeling and mind underwent change and Ravan"s passion for other ladies disappeared at the sight of his(Ram"s) reflection. Friendship or enmity with really good people results in living (improving) good life. One should keep away from bad thoughts and bad people. It is an accepted fact that one will experience the result of his sins-bad deeds in life, but till then the pinch of the sin committed makes it difficult to live a peaceful life.
2)An Eye Opener on Ovarian Cancer(Health Care Hints)
====================================================
Years ago, Gilda Radner died of ovarian cancer. Her symptoms were inconclusive, and she was treated for everything under the sun until it was too late. This blood test finally identified her illness but alas, too late. She wrote a book to heighten awareness. Gene Wilder is her widower.
KATHY'S STORY: this is the story of Kathy West As all of you know, I have Primary Peritoneal Cancer. This cancer has only recently been identified as its OWN type of cancer, but it is essentially Ovarian Cancer. Both types of cancer are diagnosed in the same way, with the "tumor marker" CA-125 BLOOD TEST, and they are treated in the same way - surgery to remove the primary tumor and then chemotherapy with Taxol and Carboplatin. Having gone through this ordeal, I want to save others from the same fate.
One thing I have learned is that each of us must
take TOTAL responsibility for our own health care. I thought I had done that because I always had an annual physical and PAP smear, did a monthly
Self-Breast Exam, went to the dentist at least twice a year, etc. I even insisted on a sigmoidoscopy and a bone density test last year. When I had a total
hysterectomy in 1993, I thought that I did not have to worry about getting any of the female reproductive organ cancers. LITTLE DID I KNOW. I don't have ovaries (and they were HEALTHY when they were removed), but I have what is essentially
ovarian cancer. Strange, isn't it?
These are just SOME of the things our Doctors never t ell us: ONE out of
every 55 women will get OVARIAN or PRIMARY PERITONEAL CANCER. The "CLASSIC" symptoms are an ABDOMEN that rather SUDDENLY ENLARGES and CONSTIPATION and/or DIARRHEA.
I had these classic symptoms and went to the doctor. Because these symptoms
seemed to be "abdominal", I went to a gastroenterologist. He ran tests that were designed to determine whether there was a bacteria infection; these tests were negative, and I was diagnosed with "Irritable Bowel Syndrome". I guess I would have accepted this diagnosis had it not been for my enlarged abdomen. I swear to you, it looked like I was 4-5 months pregnant! I therefore insisted on more tests
They took an X-ray of my abdomen; it was negative. I was again assured that
I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome and was encouraged to go on my scheduled
month-long trip to Europe. I couldn't wear any of myslacks or shorts
because I couldn't get them buttoned, and I KNEW something was radically
wrong. I INSISTED on more tests, and they reluctantly) scheduled me for a
CT-Scan (just to shut me up, I think). This is what I mean by "taking charge
of our own health care."
The CT-Scan showed a lot of fluid in my abdomen (NOT
normal). Needless to say, I had to cancel my trip and have FIVE POUNDS of fluid drawn off at the hospital (not a pleasant experience I assure you),
but NOTHING compared to what was ahead of me.
Tests revealed cancer cells in the fluid. Finally, finally, finally, the
doctor ran a CA-125 blood test, and I was properly
diagnosed.
I HAD THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS FOR OVARIAN CANCER, AND
YET THIS SIMPLE CA-125 BLOOD TEST HAD NEVER BEEN RUN ON ME, not as part of
my annual physical exam and not when I was symptomatic. This is an
inexpensive and simple blood test!
PLEASE, PLEASE TELL ALL YOUR FEMALE FRIENDS AND
RELATIVES TO INSIST ON A CA-125 BLOOD TEST EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THEIR ANNUAL
PHYSICAL EXAMS.
Be forewarned that their doctors might try to talk them out of it, saying,
"IT ISN'T NECESSARY." Believe me, had I known then what I know now, we would
have caught my cancer much earlier (before it was a stage 3 cancer). Insist
on the CA-125 BLOOD TEST; DO NOT take "NO" for an answer!
The normal range for a CA-125 BLOOD TEST is between
zero and 35. MINE WAS 754. (That's right, 754!). If the number is slightly
above 35, you can have another done in three or six months and keep a close
eye on it, just as women do when they have fibroid tumors or when men
have a slightly elevated PS A test (Prostatic Specific Antigens) that helps
diagnose prostate cancer.
Having the CA-125 test done annually can alert you early, and that's the
goal in diagnosing any type of cancer - catching it early.
Do you know 55 women? If so, at least one of them will have this VERY
AGGRESSIVE cancer. Please, go to your doctor and insist on a CA-125 test and have one EVERY YEAR for the rest of your life.
A NOTE FROM THE RN:
Well, after reading this, I made some calls. I found
that the CA-125 test is an ovarian screening test equivalent to a man's PSA
test prostate screen (which my husband's doctor automatically gives him
in his physical each year and insurance pays for it). I called the general
practitioner's office about having the test done. The nurse had never heard of
it. She told me that she doubted that insurance would pay for it. So I called
Prudential Insurance Co, and got the same response. Never heard of it -
it won't be covered.
I explained that it was the same as the PSA test they h ad paid for my
husband for years. After conferring with whomever they confer with, she told
me that the CA-125 would be covered.
It is $75 in a GP's office and $125 at the GYN's.
This is a screening test
that should be required just like a PAP smear (a PAP
smear cannot detect problems with your ovaries). And you must insist
that your insurance company
pay for it.
Gene Wilde r and Pierce Brosnan (his wife had it,
too) are lobbying for women's health issues, saying that this test should
be required in our physicals, just like the PAP and the mammogram.
(Presentor is a Retired Assitant General Manger of Reserve Bank of India)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------