Message For the Day…” Ways for atoning our Sins …”

In the course of one’s day to day activities a number of small creatures and insects may be destroyed. In these and other ways, sins may be committed, knowingly or unknowingly. For removing such sins, the scriptures have prescribed five types of Yajnas or worships –Brahma Yajna, Deva Yajna, Pitru Yajna, Manushya Yajna and Bhuta Yajna. Brahma Yajna is the study of sacred books and scriptures.Deva Yajna involves offering worship, bhajans, etc. Pitru Yajna refers to ceremonies to departed ancestors. The fourth one, Manushya Yajna, refers to extending hospitality to guests, invited and uninvited.Bhuta Yajna refers to offering food to animals, birds and insects, and looking after wild animals. By engaging in such service and thereby fulfilling the requirements of these Yajnas, we can atone for sins of various kinds that might have been committed  

Sathya Sai Baba

” How the Fight Started…” … Start Your Week with a Hearty Laugh …!!!

The Unreasonable Mother-in-law

One year, I decided to buy my mother-in-law a cemetery plot as a
Christmas gift…
The next year, I didn’t buy her a gift.
When she asked me why, I replied,
“Well, you still haven’t used the gift I bought you last year!”
And that is when the fight started….

 
The Humour-less Wife
I took my wife to a restaurant.
The waiter, for some reason, took my order first.
“I’ll have the rump steak, rare, please.”
He said, “Aren’t you worried about the mad cow?”
“Nah, she can order for herself.”
And that’s when the fight started..

 
The Mis-informed Wife
My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school reunion, and
she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at
a nearby table.
I asked her, “Do you know him?”
“Yes”, she sighed,
“He’s my old boyfriend…. I understand he took to drinking right after we
split up those many years ago, and I hear he hasn’t been sober since.”
“My World!” I said, “Who would think a person could go on celebrating that
long?”
And that’s when the fight started….

 
The Lazy Wife
My wife sat down next to me as I was flipping channels.
She asked, “What’s on TV?”
I said, “Dust.”
And that’s when the fight started….

 
The Lazy Wife
My wife sat down next to me as I was flipping channels.
She asked, “What’s on TV?”
I said, “Dust.”
And that’s when the fight started….

 

SOURCE:::: input from a friend of mine

Natarajan

Message For the Day…” Primary Virtues Needed for a True Spiritual Aspirant…”

Mind control, restraining the senses, transcending the worldly dualities, forbearance, unwavering faith, and equanimity are the primary virtues that must exist in a true spiritual aspirant. In addition, there must be an intense longing for liberation(moksha). This longing cannot arise from riches or scholarships. Nor can it emerge from wealth, progeny, rites and rituals recommended in the scriptures, or acts of charity. Moksha can come only from the conquest of ignorance (ajnana). A person might master all the scriptures along with all the learned commentaries written on them by experts, or propitiate all the gods by performing the prescribed modes of worship and ceremonies. But this cannot grant the boon of liberation. Just like a person who may have every ingredient needed for cooking, but if fire is not available, can he prepare the meal? Success in acquiring self-knowledge alone can confer salvation .

Sathya Sai Baba

Message For the Day…” When You are Ready to Receive the Teachings of a Guru …”

You have worked very hard in your life discharging worldly duties and come to Prasanthi Nilayam, seeking rest for the body and peace for the mind. That being so, it might look strange if you were asked to undertake some kind of work here also. In the olden days the Guru would collect his disciples in the forest and give them different types of work, sometimes for 10 to 12 years. This was done with a purpose. One important object of work is purification of the Chittha (heart). Once the heart is purified one is ready to receive the teachings of the Guru.Therefore in earlier times the disciples were given work in the beginning so that they slowly get purified. Only when the teacher was satisfied regarding the student’s ripeness for receiving spiritual instruction, would he start teaching Brahma Vidya (the supreme knowledge).

Sathya Sai Baba

Meet Tanishq …9 year old Child Prodigy…Already a Student in American River College , California !!!

Lets congratulate Tanishq for making India proud with his super intelligence. He took entire America by surprise when he was tested for extraordinary intelligence and scored 99.9 percentile. At 7, he gave lectures to students who were twice of his age. Today, he is only 9 and already completed one third of the credits needed for a college degree at the American River College in Sacramento, California. Tanishq is born to mother Dr Taji and father Bijou Abraham, speaks his mother tongue Malayalam at home and wants to become a scientist.

 

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We wish you a bright future ahead, Tanishq!!! Tanishq attracted intense media attention after he joined the Mensa programme for gifted children at the age of four-and-half years. He was recently featured on the premiere episode of Prodigies, a new bi-weekly YouTube series showcasing the youngest and brightest as they challenge themselves to reach new heights. I like particle physics, anti-matter, the fate of the universe and the Big Bang, he said in the video. It got a quarter million hits and lots of media publicity, both good and bad, according to his mother Dr Taji Abraham, a doctor of veterinary medicine. His father Bijou Abraham is a software professional.

In the last two years since Tanishq started to attend college, he finished two subjects each semester. More subjects are not allowed. He has already completed astronomy, geology, and biotechnology. He sits with students twice his age and earns straight As in all subjects. He topped the class in astronomy and geology. Of the 60 units needed for an associate degree, he has completed 24 so far.

Initially the students thought I am the student and Tanishq came with me, Taji said. When they knew that Tanishq was the student, they were surprised and curious. When some of the videos not fit for children to watch are shown in classes, she will ask him to close his eyes. Tanishq tapes the lectures as he is not good at writing by hand. He told India Abroad that while writing essays was most difficult, typing is no problem.

The media is not always kind, Taji said. A recent New York Times article criticised her, asking why she was letting him take on such an academic load. Others said that children ought not to be in college. We dont mind the criticism, Taji said. We are parents and we should take care of our children. We know their needs. He is happy going to college and studying there.The parents saw their childrens special skills when they were about two-and-a-half years old.

At age 4.5, Tanishq was tested, and he scored in the 99.9 percentile on the standardised intelligence test and was inducted into Mensa — an organisation for people with an IQ of 148 and above, or in the top two per cent of the population. Hes a real asset, Professor Stephen Sterling, Tanishqs physical geology instructor, was quoted as saying. Hes the top student. The students love him and look up to him because they respect him (as they would) a peer.

According to Dr Paulo Alfonso, another professor who taught astronomy and who is also in the video, He ended up in the class being the student with the highest grade. How many people at the age of seven or eight can discuss the expansion of the universe? He is different in a positive way. Tanishq is at the middle school level though he and his sister have been home-schooled. Their parents teach them and once a month the charter school officials come and check the status. The children do not want to go to school with other children.

They tried it earlier, but found that neither other students nor teachers were kind to them. Home-schooling has not affected their social skills, Taji said, adding that she spends all her time with the children. Both children know Hindi and watch Hindi movies frequently. To their surprise, Tanishq knows his mother tongue, Malayalam, though they have not taught him nor use it frequently at home. Tanishq wants to be many things, though the preference is for being a scientist, discovering something big.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1. At age of 2, Tanishq could count from 1-100
2. At age of 4-1/2 he scored in the 99.9 percentile on the standardized intelligence test and inducted into Mensa
3. Skipped first grade to perform 4th and 5th grade math
4. Admitted to American River College at age of 8 – youngest student ever at school
5. Occasionally gives guest lectures to college classmates Performs in the San Francisco Boys Chorus
6. Sang the National Anthem at the San Francisco Giants and Oakland As games
7. Sister Tiara, 6, is in MENSA too scoring in the 98.8 percentile

SOURCE:::: http://www.mastegg.com

Natarajan

Joke of the Day… ” Your Surgeon was Different …” !!!

A surgeon was checking on a patient who had a hernia operation three days before.

The doctor asked the man why he had not gotten out of bed.

“I hurt,” the man said. “You don’t know how it feels.”

“I know exactly how it feels,” the doctor said. “I had the same procedure last month, and I was back at work two days later. There’s no difference in our operations.”

“Oh yes there is,” said the patient. “You had a different surgeon.”

SOURCE:::: http://www.joke a day.com

Natarajan

Amazing Photos of Michael Loaffer… Simply Superb !!!

The Amazing Travels of Michael Loffer

Michael Loffer is suffering from depression. His way of dealing with this debilitating affliction is to travel the world and snap photos of remarkable sights that many people will never get to behold. Mr. Loffer has been travelling the world for the last three years, and the photos he has taken are simply sublime. To see more of Michael’s amazing photos, visit hisFacebook page.

Ta Prohm, Cambodia  

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Annapurna, Nepal 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Hongcun, China 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Singapore 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Annapurna, Nepal 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Sigiriya, Sri Lanka 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Maya Bay, Thailand 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Machu Picchu, Peru 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Colca Canyon, Peru 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

The White Temple, Chiang Rai, Thailand 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Cartagena, Colombia 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Jaisalmer, India 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Sapa, Vietnam 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Zhangjaijie, China 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Lijiang, China 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Annapurna, Nepal 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Huacachina, Peru 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Pokhara, Nepal 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Paracas, Peru 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Sapa, Vietnam 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Tyrona National Park, Colombia 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Jaipur, India 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

The Great Wall, China 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Lijiang, China 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Sri Lanka 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Sigiriya, Sri Lanka 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Catba Island, Vietnam 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Zhangjiajie, China 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Li River, Yangshuo, China 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

Li River, Yangshuo, China 

To Overcome Depression, He Travels Around the World

SOURCE:::: http://www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

Message For the Day… ” Scriptures Lead you to Self Realization…”

Scriptures are designed to ensure the peace and prosperity of the world as well as the spiritual perfection of humanity. They lead you to Self-realization. So you must have faith or shraddha in the holy scriptures and Gurus. Noble Gurus must and will instruct people on the knowledge of the one Divine Soul immanent in every living being(sarva jivaatmaikya jnana). Your intellect must rest upon and draw inspiration from the Divine Soul, at all times and under all circumstances. You must be attached only to the Divine and all your actions must have the only goal of pleasing God. You must act with the implicit faith that all living beings are facets and fractions of God, and look upon all beings as equal. For this experience, the quality of equanimity (sama-dhana) is a treasure.

Sathya Sai Baba

Picture of the Day…. ” A Blue Bird Drinking Water…”

A bluebird takes a drink

A big thank you to our friend Janet Furlong for sharing her photo with us!

EarthSky Facebook friend Janet Furlong posted this photo on January 27, 2015.

Isn’t this an amazing shot? Besides being beautiful, it’s also a cool look at the architecture of the bluebird’s wing.

SOURCE:::: http://www.earthskynews.org

Natarajan