Warrier's Collage August 9, 2021

Welcome to Warrier's COLLAGE On Monday August 9, 2021 Understanding Bhagavad-Gita https://youtu.be/ckaEwJj2A1U (Presentation by Roopa Pai four years ago) Events in History on August 9 https://www.onthisday.com/events/august/9 ( And on August 8, 2021? : https://youtu.be/iiKpXALo9XQ) Good Morning Nice Day M G Warrier Quote for the Day "3 is prime, 5 is prime, 7 is prime, 9 is a paradox*; as is a paradox why the number 1 is not prime if it has no other divisors besides himself." - Bertrand Russell * A paradox is a logically self-contradictory statement or a statement that runs contrary to one's expectation. It is a statement that, despite apparently valid reasoning from true premises, leads to a seemingly self-contradictory or a logically unacceptable conclusion. A Responses 1) V Babusenan Thiruvananthapuram I am adding to the list of oddities of great men interestingly narrated recently by Vathsala Jayaraman. Both oddities are sartorial: J J Thomson, Professor of physics in Trinity College, Cambridge, better known as the discoverer of electron and a Nobel Laureate, had only one pair of trousers. One morning, when Mrs Thomson got up, she found her husband missing. Initially she was a little upset. Then she remembered his telling her about an early function in his department. But she started worrying on sighting his only trousers lying on his chair. Without wasting time, she telephoned the college caretaker and asked him to stop the professor from attending the function as he was not properly dressed. The caretaker advised her not to worry at all as he was duly dressed and was addressing the gathering. The mystery was solved when the Professor returned : On the previous evening, he had purchased a pair of second-hand trousers at a very cheap price which he forgot to tell his wife! The second anecdote relates to Bertrand Russell. An admirer wanted to know the details about the Lord's wardrobe, as being a Lord, he must be having one rich with coats and trousers. He telephoned the manageress of Russell's London residence. She replied : "What wardrobe? There is no need for a wardrobe. He wears his clothes." 2) V N Kelkar Mumbai C Commentaries on the Bhagawat Gita In his book 'Shrimatbhagawat Gita -Commentary by Swami Chidbhavananda' the author has touched upon this aspect. He says, " Positive service is rendered by a wind that brings rain bearing clouds; but a dust storm has only a nuisance value. There are not wanting people who classify Gita as dust-raising whirlwind. Conflicting commentaries, they say, have cropped around this book. They have led to endless dissension and verbal warfare. (Continued at H1) 3) S Nallasivan Hyderabad "One reader asked why personal interaction with friends should become part of Collage. More readèrs remembered those friends **. ** It's an irreverent effort to divert attention from the "normal"! M.G.Warrier" (Continued at H) B Geeta for Children : Roopa Pai https://youtu.be/yMI0j1AJh5Q C Book Review : Geeta for Children By Roopa Pai 1) Where to buy : Deal of the day: The Gita: For Children https://www.amazon.in/dp/9351950123/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_dl_QXD358Y6FAW7PDFXPHNB (Got Kindle edition. Excellent, simple, student-friendly presentation. A good "Gift Idea" for children of all ages. Those who are not expecting gifts may consider buying a copy for themselves. The book's position in Amazon Best Sellers is fairly high-Warrier) 2) Book Review : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/Arrackistan/book-review-the-gita-for-children/ Excerpts : "Without incentives, nothing would get accomplished. What's in it for me is the fundamental question that agitates you and me. And that's applicable not only for adults but children too. In such times, how would one sell pious thoughts such as this — “You only have the right to perform your duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities and do not be attached to inaction” That's the Gita for you. It has been around us for a long time, but its practical application is a challenge in our everyday lives. For how can you work without reward, this question the Gita does not answer, (or I missed it) and could be troubling for young students who sets store by top grades in examinations and lure of huge salaries when they begin a career." D Entertainment ‘Navarasa’ review: A mixed bag with more misses than hits: https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/navarasa-review/article35770082.ece Excerpts : "In Bejoy Nambiar's Edhiri, which plays out like a Christian fable set in West Mambalam, two parallel shots that simultaneously establish the lead characters and their possible relationship instantly remind you of a similar shot in Thalapathi. And Mani Ratnam is credited for the story here. Only later we get the shot's actual purpose, which is made to toy with our perception of how we perceive the lead characters, played by Revathi and Vijay Sethupathi. It's a short about forgiveness and hence, a drama is built strongly on guilt and remorse, propelled by a murder. Since it's about ‘guilt’, PB Sreenivas’ superb ‘Manithan Enbavan’ rolls over the credits. As the lyrics suggest, a character gets a moment that would elevate them to the status of God, only if they chose not to succumb to emotions. The only issue is, Edhiri is too basic, too familiar. Or at least the manner in which Nambiar constructs the scenes. The psychopathology of guilt needed more thought." E Collage Profile : William Walker Atkinson https://www.successconsciousness.com/blog/concentration-mind-power/william-walker-atkinson/ Excerpts : "Here is an excerpt about visualization from his book, “The secret of mental magic”: “Build up a mental matrix or mould, little by little, until you have it before you clearly – then you pour into it the mentative energy of desire and will, until it stands out clearly formed as a mental image, just as you would see it, if it were actually materialized.” “Then you must hold this mental image before you constantly, regarding it not as a mere imagination, but as a something real which you have created in your mind, and which will proceed to surround itself with the material necessary to give it material objectivity or materialization”. F Leisure 1) Amazing English* Can A Word Be Its Own Opposite ? Yes ! They are called Contronyms—words that are their own antonyms, depending on usage. Here are a few examples Dust : Can mean ‘to add fine particles’ or ‘to remove fine particles’. Left : Can mean both ‘remaining' and 'departed. Off : Can mean both 'activated’ and 'deactivated’. Eg : “Set off” - Activated “Switch off" - Deactivated Oversight : Means both‘watchful care’ and‘an inadvertent error’. Screen : Can mean both‘to show’ and‘to hide’. Sanction : Can mean both‘a penalty for disobeying a law’and ‘official permission or approval for an action. That's Amazing English ! There are 75 such contronyms in English language. Contronyms are also present in other languages; in French, hôte means either host or guest while in Hawaiian, aloha means both hello and goodbye. The same is said for ciao in Italian. To all language lovers *Received from P R R Nayar Thiruvanantapuram 2) Shopping in God's Store* As I was walking down Life's highway, many years ago I came upon a sign that read : "Heaven's Grocery Store" When I got a little closer, The doors swung open wide And when I came to myself I was standing inside.. I saw a host of angels, Standing everywhere! One handed me a basket and said : 'My Child, shop with care!' Everything a human needed, Was in that grocery store And what you could not carry You could come back for more. First I got some Patience. Love was in that same row. Further down was Understanding, Which you need wherever you go. I got a box or two of Wisdom, And Faith a bagfull. And Charity of course I would need some of that too. I couldn't miss The Holy Spirit, It was all over the place. And then, some Strength and Courage To help me run the race. My basket was getting full But I remembered I needed Grace, And then I chose Salvation, For Salvation was for free. I tried to get enough of that To do for you and me.. Then I started to the counter To pay my grocery Bill. For I thought I had everything To do the Master's Will. As I went up the Aisle I saw Prayer and put that in, For I knew when I stepped outside, I would run into Sin. Peace and Joy were plentiful, The last things on the shelf. Song and Praise were hanging near, I just helped Myself. Then I said to the angel 'Now how much do I owe?' She smiled and said : 'Just take them everywhere you go.' Again I asked 'Really now, How much do I owe?' 'My child' she said : 'God paid your bill, A long long time ago.' .... This poem originated in The Netherlands And has been around the world many times. *Forward received from R Jayakumar via Group mail G Quotes about Introspection https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/introspection.html Like : "Study yourself. Find your strong points and make them stronger as well as your weak ones and strengthen them. Study yourself carefully and you will see yourself as you really are." William Walker Atkinson (William Walker Atkinson was an attorney, merchant, publisher, and author, as well as an occultist and an American pioneer of the New Thought movement. He is the author of the pseudonymous works attributed to Theron Q. Dumont and Yogi Ramacharaka. He wrote an estimated 100 books, all in the last 30 years of his life.) H 1) Continued from A2 Had Shri Krishna been precise in his pronouncement, this oft--recurring petti-fogging could have been avoided. Interpretation of the Gita has resulted in purposeless and endless argumentation. There is yet another charge brought against this book. It affords scope for reactionaries and revolutionaries to thrive and create dissension in a peace- loving and law abiding society. This book is like gun powder to those who want to create an explosion. It encourages youth to revolt against respectable elders . That the killer is no sinner and that in no way he transgressed the moral law is the core of the teaching of the Gita. It states that the man is not bound by his action. The worst of all of Krishna's statements is that he is 'the art of gambling among gamblers'. Can there be a greater encouragement to perversion ? Are these not the sufficient clues to misguide the perverted ones in the society ? The seed of social disruption lies hidden in this so called scripture. Charges such as these have to be met and answered. Really there is no room for confusion of issues in the Gita. Yoga Sastra that this book is, it does not countenance disruption and dissension of any kind. The commentators of the Gita were not men of empty talk and purposeless living. In their own way they have been pillars of society. The tree is known by its fruit. The contribution to social welfare and solidarity that the commentators have made through their personal lives is incalculable. They were the real lovers of society. No trace of self seeking or exploitation could be found in them. On the other hand culture was enshrined in them and codes of conduct found expression in and through them. When such sterling characters had drawn inspiration from the Gita, it cannot be easily disposed of as a book of dissension. Each system of philosophy traces its origin to Gita, thereby claiming sanctity for itself and adding the glory of the Gita. Various systems of philosophy go to enrich man's spiritual life. These systems supplement and complement one another. They are not empty wrangles as the thoughtless would have it. Even as the Nature is the material for various branches of knowledge, Gita is the source of inspiration for the various systems of philosophy. It's not the fault of a sacred book if it happens to be misunderstood by the uninitiated. Ambrosia can be mishandled and can be turned into poison. Because of this possibility it is not possible to condemn it. If men of evil tendency resolve to read their meaning into the Gita it is no fault of that sacred book. It has been the source of inspiration to thousands of holy men in their path to perfection and it will continue to be so forever. Time will have no adverse effect on this book. It is an external and infallible spiritual guide. Persons bereft of sense-control, devotion, detachment, austerity, self-abnegation and a passion for service will not be able to draw the right inspiration from this book. In unmistakable terms the Gita proclaims the unity and sanctity of existence and exhorts man to resort to right action in order to realise this fundamental oneness." VNKelkar (Perhaps, in this context, efforts by youngsters from different walks of life, like Roopa Pai become more relevant-Warrier) 2) Continued from A3 Dear Friends, How do you expect Shri Warrier to have interaction with his friends from the base Camp when he literally moved away from his Sathamangalam house and distanced from the Pension Section of Trivandrum Office? One by ensuring and seeing to it that his name is included when the Local Retired Employees Association brought out periodical revised Edition Of the Members Directory. Then the occasional Chat with friends from an earlier Era, whenever he somehow finds time to squeeze in, between the 20 long hours marked for the Collage. The moment the Pandemic signs off, Shri Warrier, I am sure will board the flight to Trivandrum. Who knows the Collage too possibly move to make Trivandrum its Headquarters? Don't they say the taste of the Pudding is in the eating? S Nallasivan

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