Warrier's Collage 12082020 : Where are my answers

Purpose of Human Life https://youtu.be/Zx5ZpzEyj5s Ishwar Puri explores. Interesting thoughts. Good Morning Please read my article "Where are my answers?" You will enjoy the joke at the end of the story. Many of you know the person, but may not guess, as I have changed the name in the story. M G Warrier M 134 Warrier's Collage 12082020 : Where are my answers? A Interaction 1) E T Rajendran " There is a very nice article in today’s The Hindu, centre page, tilted ‘The main bricks to use in India’s steel frame’ (on Civil Service) by Shri RK Raghavan, former CBI Director. You may like to link-access it for the readers of Collage.  I don’t have link access as I get hard copy of the paper." (Thanks. Please see C-3) 2) T V Ramachandran, Thiruvananthapuram " Beautiful narration of Ur Past Memories and it's wonderful 🙏👏👌and also the Lockdown period's experience. Especially the Digital cake 😃🎂"(Thanks-"Collage") B Google Search https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/134479?hl=en  Some interesting tips for making search easier.  C Blogs and links 1) Where are my answers ? : M G Warrier https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/readersblog/warriersviews/where-are-my-answers-24329/ The first link to Ishwar Puri's talk included in yesterday's Collage I received from Ms Komal Khatri. Thanks to her. 2) Lessons from Lockdown https://www.speakingtree.in/article/life-lessons-from-the-lockdown You thought you were doing nothing. You learnt a lot in recent months. Many have rescheduled and revised their daily life. Blaming the C-thing or following the trolls won't help in the long run. 3) R K Raghavan https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-main-bricks-to-use-in-indias-steel-frame/article32320422.ece If the link opens, please read this article. Appreciate Raghavan's efforts. D Readers Write 1) C V Subbaraman Chaturvarnyam "There has been a very elaborate discussion on Gotrams, Castes and Varnaas. These are not however exclusive classifications. Gotras are believed to follow the male lineage of the Sapta Rishis. But if this were to be so, there should have been only seven major gotras. But this is not so. There are many more Gotras than just seven. Within each of these gotras there are subdivisions - Some follow the Rig Veda, some Yajur and some others Sama Veda; they are respectively called Rig Vedis, Yajur Vedis, Saama vedis. I have never come across brahmins following the Atharva Veda, describing themselves as Atharva vedis. And within each of these four broad divisions of "vedis", there are sub divisions based on the "sutras" (procedures or codes) prescribed by some Gurus or Rishis - like Baadaraayana Sutra, Aapasthamba Sutra, Bodhaayana Sutra, etc. Thus there are innumerable subdivisions within each Gotra/Vedis. On top of these, there are also divisions based on the God which one worships: Vaishnavaas, Shaivaas,  Shaaktaas, Gaanapathyaas, etc. Some groups worship all gods too. Thus the evolution of Gotras, Varnaas, Castes, etc., has been taking place for centuries and it is still changing and continuing.  Let us also not forget that it is not merely that the (so called) Brahmins who have the Gotrams; all persons have gotras irrespective of the varnaas or castes. Thus the popular notion that only Brahmins have Gotras is not correct.  Though the Lord says in Gita that He is the creator of Varnaas, it was on the basis of broad classification of duties. But there does not seem to be any declaration by the Lord that the Varnaas should be "hereditary" in character. Thus the heriditary application of the varnaas, irrespective of the profession/duty performed by the persons, seems to be inappropriate. It is as fallacious as to call an Engineer's son also an Engineer, even though the son may be a doctor of medicine or a teacher. However, since in the ancient or medieval times, the professions became hereditary, because the young ones chose to adopt the same profession in the "family", the professional name came to be adopted as the "caste" name - what is called broadly as "surname". Thus in the present day world, to continue the surnames based on the profession for persons who do not follow that profession is questionable. I have seen "sharmas" performing as hairdressers (Barbers). This is just an example.  Though Gita does recognize Varnaas, there seems to be no reference to "castes" which probably originated from the profession or trade of the families. As persons engaged in different professions had their own individual food and living habits, and cluster living, which might not be compatible with the habits, customs and needs of food of other "castes",  intermarriages among the various groups became difficult. But such practice of non-intermarriages between different castes, in course of time became rigid and socially prohibited. Now, that the "caste" system based on the profession has considerably waned, there is again acceptance in society of "inter-caste" marriages. In fact, to call a marriage between two persons - one belong to "brahmin" and another "non brahmin" but both performing the same profession ( thus reckonable as belonging to same "caste") as "inter-caste" marriage would appear to be fallacious. In the Vedic times, and even during the first three Yugas, there were no different religions. Religions as also the earlier caste systems are purely man made and not created by God. Even though God said in Gita that He created the four Varnaas, He did not say that these should be followed in a hereditary manner.  Subbaraman" 2) V Babusenan Vararuchi story continues... Pakkanar Pakkanaar 's wife was very much devoted to him. While they were  sitting by the wayside, engaged as usual in basket making, a Brahmin came that way. After pleasantries,  he walked on. Pakkanaar's wife said in hushed voice : "Here goes a gentleman who has kept his daughter as his wife." Pakkanaar smiled. He said: "The last millipede has come to your share." Then he explained. This Brahmin committed a very serious offence. When some hungry person came to his illam seeking food, he told his wife: "Last night you had set apart some rice on which a millipede had fallen. Give that rice to him." She obeyed. The Brahmin was not a bad person. Remorse started gnawing him.He came to Pakkanaar for help. Pakkanaar told him that what he did was a very bad thing the retribution for which would be to eat a thousand millipedes after death. On hearing this the Brahmin started weeping bitterly. Pakkanaar took pity on him and said: "I know you would not do such a thing deliberately. I shall try to help you. From today onwards, you do one thing: Make your grown-up daughter serve you as if she were your wife. Take care not to cross the limit. People will start talking ill of you without trying to know the truth. That being an equally heinous sin, each one saying so will share one millipede. I will tell you when to stop acting." "He was scrupulously following  what I said." continued Pakkanaar. "All millipedes were already shared except one and the last millipede has come to your share, dear wife." Pakkanaar often called on his elder brother Ahnihotri. Caste system didn't permit him to enter the house. He would squat on the front yard awaiting his brother. On one such occasion, he was told by his sister-in-law that Agnihotri was taking bath. After some waiting he was told that his brother was in his prayer room offering prayers to Vishnu, Siva, Ganesa, Muruka, Saraswathi, Lakshmi, et al. Finally when he came out, Agnihotri saw a strange sight. There were several holes on the ground behind which Pakkanaar was squatting. "What is this brother? Have you gone mad? One more mad fellow in our group?"  "No, brother" replied Pakkanaar. "When you prayed each god, I dug a hole. Had I dug one hole instead of many..." "You would have reached water by now." Agnihotri smiled." E Leisure Floored* "Here's something I wanna share with you guys. Yesterday, I went to the supermarket with the prudence dictated by the new normal. Mask, Safe entry and safety distance. I then started to get the things that were on my short list, and when I was lining up to pay, between taking the money and storing the phone, the 2000 rupee note I had to pay fell on the floor, and the man who was in front of me finishing paying his purchases slowly bent down and picked up my note. Wow, How much education and kindness in these pandemic times - I thought. I held out my hand, waiting for him to give me back my money, trying to stay away, so that he would feel safe, while preparing to thank him for the gesture. But suddenly, what he told me was shocking - What's on the floor belongs to whoever finds it! - and just like that, he left ... naturally, as if he hadn't done anything wrong. I looked at the lady behind me and the people next to me and they all looked at me in shock and disbelief, whispering things between them. For a moment there, I was trying to evaluate myself. I wanted to do justice on my own ... I left my purchases, because I had no way to pay (I forgot to bring my credit card), and went after him to the carpark, to have my 2000 rupees returned. However, I realized that the people closest to the line came after me, curious to know what was going to happen ... I spoke to him demanding my money but he just looked at me with contempt and acted like I was invisible. When he got to the car, he slowly put his two shopping bags on the floor to take the key out of his pocket and open the trunk, and I thought - It's now or never! I took the two bags and told him the same thing he had said to me - What is on the floor belongs to those who find it! - and I started running towards the exit, between fright and laughter, proud of my revenge. The spectators started to applaud and I saw that the “smart guy” had been irritated after all, as he left the parking lot dropping security cones in his path. I swear I felt a rush of adrenaline, fright and nervousness, but then I cried with laughter. When I got home I opened the bags and found: 2 kg shrimp 1 kg of salmon ham, cheese and yogurt of two flavors whole grain bread 1 bottle of white wine 2 bottles of red wine 2 jars of strawberry jam 2 kg of very good quality salami 1 jar of mayonnaise I had never made so many purchases with only 2000 rupees And now here I am ... Having a glass of wine, eating and thinking as I write - am I a vigilante or a vindictive person? HAVE YOU READ THIS UNTIL HERE? This obviously did not happen to me. It's just a campaign to promote reading! Reading stimulates the mind and imagination, makes us travel to other places and even helps communication. Reading an entire article also prevents you from becoming a victim of click bait and fake news."              ****.     ****.   **** *Forward received from: R Jayakumar