THE AMAZING CUCUMBER

hai friends.........

Here are some uses of cucumber that you probably did not know of:

1. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the soda and pick up a cucumber it keeps cool. Cucumber is a good source of B vitamins and carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.
2. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing.
3. Are grubs and slugs running your flower beds? Place a few slices in an aluminum foil and your garden will be free of pests all season long.
4. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumber along your problem area for a few minutes.
5. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat few cucumbers slices before going to bed and you will be re-freshed.
6. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used for quick meals to thwart off starvation.
7. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don’t have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe.
8. Looking for a green way to clean your sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean.
9. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing. Also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls.
10. Just finished a business lunch and realize you do not have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for thirty seconds to eliminate bad breath.

love and prayers
papireddy

ONE BODY TWO SOULS

ONE BODY BUT TWO SOULS

I AM SURE THIS IS SOMETHING NEW FOR YOU.............











LOVE AND PRAYERS
PAPIREDDY

YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND

“A friend hears the song of the heart and sings it when memory fails.” – Martin Luther

Life in this world is not always a pleasant experience. One after another we see everyone being tortured by various problems and troubles. What gives a human being the necessary courage and energy to handle these problems is LOVE. The love and support of a friend, especially, can be of a great help because it is not very easy to find a true friend. There will be hundreds of them offering their friendship and promising to stay with us. But when it comes to an urgent need we find ourselves deserted by most of them. The value of a friend should not be assessed on the consideration of what he/she does when we are happy and free from problems. On the other hand, a true friend is to be identified form his/her approach to us when we are in trouble.

It happened in a sports stadium in Hyderabad recently. Eight children were standing on the track to participate in a running event. Ready!* Steady!*Bang! With the sound the toy pistol, all eight girls started running hardly had they covered ten to fifteen steps, when one of the smaller girls slopped and fell down, and due to bruised and pain started crying. When the other seven girls heard the little girl crying, they stopped running stood for a whole and turned back. Seeing the girl on the track they all ran to her. One among them bent down pocked her up and kissed her gently. They lifted the fallen girl. Two of them held her firmly while all seven joined hands together and waited together he winning post. There was pin drop silence at the spectator’s stand. Officials were shocked. Slow claps multiplied to thousands as the spectators stood up in appreciations. Many eyes were filled with tears and perhaps even God.

The sport was conducted by the national institute of mental health. All these special girls had come to participate in this event. They were spastic children, they were mentally challenged. But what did they teach the world? Team work, equality among all? Successful people help others who are slow in learning so that they are not left far behind.



“Life is nothing to be very serious about. It is a ball in your hands to play with. Don’t hold on to the ball.”

MONTH OF MARCH IN HISTORY

Introduction

March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, and one of the seven months which have 31 days.

Origin of the Month March

The name of March comes from ancient Rome. When March was the first month of the year it was named Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war. In Rome, where the climate is Mediterranean, March is the first month of spring, a logical point for the beginning of the year as well as the start of the military campaign season.

History of Month ‘MARCH’

March 03, 1847
Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the first practical telephone born.

March 06, 1475
Birth of Italian renaissance painter and sculptor Michelangelo. He was famous for work of art in the Sistine Chapel, Rome, and his sculptures of David and the Pieta.

March 09, 1959
Barbic makes her debut at the Americian Toy Fair, New York City.

March 12, 1945
Anne Frank at 15 year old Jewish girl who gained international fame posthumously following the publication of her diary documenting her experiences hiding from the Nazis in World War II. She died in a concentration camp.


March 14, 1879
Birth of Physicist Albert Einstein. He was famous for his theory that mass and energy were equivalent (E = mc2).

March 23, 1839
The Initial ‘O.K’ first published in the Boston Morning Post. The abbreviation is O- Oll, K- Korrect, a popular misspelling of all correct at the time.

March 24, 1874
Birth of Harry Houdini a Hungarian-American Magician and escapologist

March 31, 1889
The Eiffel Tower inaugurated in Paris.



Love and Prayers
Papi Reddy

HOLI IN MAHARASHTRA

HOLI

Introduction

Holi is an important feast of farmers. It is an agricultural festival. This colorful festival is celebrated on Phalgum purnima which actually comes in February or early March.

Significant Legend

The legend goes thus: The feast of Holi involves an evil king named Hiranyakashipu. He prevented his son Prahlad from worshipping Vishnu. Getting angry with his son, Hiranyakashipu challenged Prahlad to sit on a burning wood with his wicked aunt Holika who was believed to be immune to fire.

Prahlad accepted the challenge and prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire began everyone watched in amazement as Holika was burnt to death, while Prahlad survived without a scratch on his body. The burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi. According to some legends, Holika begged Prahlad for forgiveness before her death, and Prahlad announced that she would be remembered every year at Holi.

Holi in Maharashtra

People of Maharashtra have their own grand style of celebrating Holi. In Maharashtra this festival is called by the name of Shimga or Rangpanchami. It is on the fifth day the colours are played. The festival is particularly popular among the fisher men. They celebrate it in on a large scale by singing, dancing and merry making.

Historic significance of Holi in Maharashtra

During the rule of Maratha this festival was celebrated with great pomp and grandeur. It was on a Holi festival day that five yea old Jijabhai, daughter of Lakhooji Jadhav innocently splashed coloured water and threw gulal on young Shahaji, son of Malajirao Bhowale. Taking it as an auspicious event, the engagement of the two children was announced that very day. Soon they were married. Later, Jijabhai gave birth to Shivaji, the founder of great Maratha Empire.

Breaking the Pot

The youth of Maharashtra show great enthusiasm, in breaking the pot on this great day. Trained groups for breaking these pots of butter milk hung high on the street are called as tolis. The tradition finds its roots in the legend that the Lord Krishna as a child was extremely fond of butter milk and used to steal it from an accessible house in his village.

LIFE BEGINS AT 24

The very important rhythms of the person begin along a lifetime. A child’s step is not the same as an old man’s. An adolescent’s thinking is not the same as an adult’s. That’s why the so called physiological patterns in life are twenty three for the physical one, twenty eight for the emotional, and thirty three for the intellectual cycle. I feel that each age has its crown.

When I completed twenty three years a group of friends greeted me with joy and love and a cake on whose surface my photo was photocopied. I spontaneously burst our and said life beings at twenty four. I felt fine not only for that moment but for the new stage I was starting in an already long and eventful life. But when I said that one of my friends asked me why life begins only at twenty four? I am twenty two he said. I replied when your are twenty two life begins at twenty two, when forty, at forty, and when eighty at eighty. That’s how life is lived. Discovering each sate as it comes and entering into it with full faith. I am not you and you are not me. You are a charming young man as I am.

A friend of mine sent an email which I felt very helpful for life

1. Take care the way you look daily. Dress up be spotless clean, put on your best clothes as though going to a feast.

2. Do not lock yourself up in your house or in your room.

3. Love doing physical exercises.

4. Never believe yourself to be weaker than you really are. Nobody wants to hear stories about sickness, hospitals.

5. Be positive in judgements, good humoured in word, smiling in face, pleasing in gestures.

6. Try to make yourself useful to yourself and to others. Be an example to others, with your joy, smile, piece of advice and encouragement.

7. Keep all the relationships alive. Learn to listen.

8. Stop cursing the past, and condemning the world around you. Be happy at your age.


I conclude with this, our true life begins after our present one, and that will be the only real life. At present life begins where we are and after our death it begins at eternity. What happens is that we don’t know what eternity is. And not knowing it is the best what could happen to us in this matter, because that shows that it is something far beyond and far above anything we can even conceive.

Love and Prayers
Papi Reddy

STOP JUDGING OTHERS

A week back I attended psychology class. I found something new and interesting for life. That is, in everyday life at times we tend to judge people who are in and around us. This happens because we build up prejudices and bias against them. Here we have eight steps saying that how we judge others in various ways. you can judge for yourself. In psychology we call this eight step as Cognative Behavioral Therapy, means which helps the patience to recognize and change errors. I am suggesting all this because, to be careful when we judge others.....

Eight Steps on How We Judge Others and Us

1. All-or-nothing thinking: at times we evaluate experiences using extremes such as 'a marvelous' or 'awful.'

2. Personalizations: we tend to blame oneself for an event. Example: Saying as it is because of my fault that my friend committed sucide.

3. Mind reading/Jumping to conclusion: this refer to assuming a negative response without the relevant information. It is also called as ignoring the evidence. Example: She is not keeping eye contact with me, she is angry with me. you can check out with you girl friend..

4. Fortune-telling: we assume at times what the future holds. Example: Since i failed in my philosophy exam, i shall never be able to pass in future.

5. Emotional reasoning: we tend to confuse feelings with facts. Example: I feel so panicky, travelling today will be catastrophic.

6. Labeling: we tend to use unhelpful labels to describe others. Examples: He is good for nothing.

7. Magnification: it is nothing but blowing out things out of proportion. Example: The worst thing i have done in my life is that i did not inform my mum when i will be back this evening.

8. Over-generalization: we tend to draw sweeping negative conclusions on the basis of one or more events. Example: Because i disobeyed my boss a second time, i will definitely be sacked.

Dear friend i think it's wonderful if we learn something from this. i feel it is useful, helpful, purposeful for life.

love and prayers.
papireddy.

WHY NASHIK IS CALLED NASHIK?

Introduction

Maharashtra a pilgrim state has a district named Nashik. In this district we have a place called panchavati which is seventeen kilometers away from Nashik road station. According to a legend it is said that Lord Rama, his wife Sita and Rama’s brother Lakshmana lived in panchavati.

Maharashtra

There is something very interesting about Maharashtra for those who are new to this state and those who want to know about it. The state of Maharashtra came into existence on May 1, 1960 (also known as Maharashtra Day) initially with twenty eight districts and recently seven new districts have been formed to the total number of districts to thirty five. These districts are grouped into six administrative divisions. The state is located on the western coast of India. It is India's third largest state by area and second largest by population. It is also one of the richest states in India, contributing to 15% of the country's industrial output and 13.2% of its GDP in year 2005-06. The state covers an area of 307,731 km2 (118,816 sq mi) or 9.84% of the total geographical area of India.

Etymology

The name Maharashtra is derived from a combination of Marathi words Maha means Great, and Rashtra means Nation. Maharashtra literally means Great Nation.

Nashik as Nashik

It was said that Rama in his earthly journey stopped at this place called panchavati which is in Nashik, significantly because he was thrilled by the beauty of the place. Eventually he ordered Lakshmana his brother to build an ashram to enjoy the beauty of this place. What is that attracted him most was the beautiful hills which are near by the river Godavari. The trees with flowers and the sweet singing birds. Lord Rama and Sita lived happily in the service of Lakshmana.

It happened that, one day when Rama had gone to the river to fulfill his morning obligations and prayer, Sita was left alone in the ashram. Here the Surpanakha enters the story. She loved Rama and begs him to marry him, Rama refuses. She thought this was her chance to carry Sita away. She did not notice that Lakshmana was in the woods nearby. She rushed towards Sita. Lakshmana shouted and jumped on the Rakshasi. He caught hold of her hair, kicked her and drew his sword and cut off her breasts and nose. Surpanakha when she was attacked she changed into her original form and attacks Lakshmana. In Marti the nose is called nak in Sanskrit it is called nasika. That is why this place is called Nashik. I think this could be one interpretation.

Thanking you Love and Prayers Papi Reddy Gade

My Conversation with Brahmin Priests on The Bhagavad-Gita.

To begin with its my first article on the blog, i hope to continue from now on. Recently i completed my thesis on A Study on the concept of Human Being in Bhagavad-Gita which is connected to Indian philosophy as you know it. i just wanna to share with you few of my reflections and insights which i thought would be something new and interesting for you my friends. lets go ahead and read what is it.........

MY CONVERSATION ON THE GITA WITH SWAMI NIKHIL PRABDHU AND SWAMI ROHIT

The following transcription of my interview took place with two Brahmin priests, Swami Nikhil Prabhu and Swami Rohit. They are disciples of Swami Shikshastakam Das (1976). Two of them hail from Bombay region. They completed their post graduation in Hindu Scriptures, and were specialized in the Gita. They teach in ashrams and colleges in and around Nashik.

Papireddy: Swami Nikhil Prabhu could you tell me why was Kurukshetra chosen as the main battlefield. (I say ‘main’ because I understand it as a world war....)? It was obviously considered a holy place even before Krsna and Arjuna’s sacred conversation, some five thousand years ago. In fact, as I recall, it is specially stated that this was a holy place even before the Gita revelation.

Swami Nikhil Prabhu: Kurukshetra is a place near the present city of Delhi, southeast of Thanesar, and very close to Panipat. It is part of the larger area called Dharmakshetra. It was considered sacred because it lay at the confluence of two of Indian’s most holy rivers, the Yamuna and the Saraswati. This is one of the reasons.
Of course, the holy dialogue of Krsna and Arjuna which is totally spiritual is not limited to time and space, which are material factors. So Kurukshetra was always a holy place, for the transcendental conversation that took place millions of years ago with Vivaswam, the sun-god, would one day transpire between Krsna and Arjuna. So the place was always considered holy, even prior to the time of Lord Krsna and Arjuna.

Papireddy: In the essence, the Gita concludes by telling us to surrender to the One Supreme God- Krsna by acts of devotion and chanting His name. It really seems just like Christianity. The conclusion is essentially the same I feel. What do you say Prabhu? Actually this last instruction of the Gita is my favourite “Abandon all varieties of religion and simply surrender unto Me,” Lord Krsna says “I’ll protect you from all sinful reactions.” This was mysterious to me. What does it mean exactly? I think it means that one must ultimately give up conventional religiosity and surrender to God. Then if this is what Lord Krsna means, I must agree to the fact that these instructions delightfully articulate the highest and final teaching of all religious traditions.

Swami Nikhil Prabhu: No doubt, it is a very exalted teaching. The Ramanuijites also considered this as the charama-shloka, or “The final verse,” of the Gita. But you will be surprised to learn that it is definitely not the highest teaching.

Papireddy: Do you believe that the Gita is applicable or connected to this current century of the people?


Swami Nikhil Prabhu: Sincerely I say yes. Why do I say this, and what makes me to say this is practically if we look in today’s world the Gita is not applicable in practice. Today we see the technologies changing at a non-stoppable pace, the science, machines, media, so on and so forth. These changes according to the times and needs of the people, but the teachings of Gita will remain as a holy scripture guiding the people to the way to liberation. For that matter this applies even so any other scripture: Bible, Quran, Puranas, etc.

Papireddy: What is the teaching of Gita on renunciation? Arjuna is a great king who wants to give up his opulence, and becomes attracted to renunciation. But Lord Krsna will not allow him to artificially renounce it. This is interesting. Doesn’t the Gita ultimately teach renunciation?

Swami Rohit: Yes, but it teaches complete renunciation. The type of renunciation to which we are accustomed is incomplete. And it is dry. To give up the amenities of this world does not necessarily make one a lover of God. The Gita, therefore, teaches that real renunciation is not to give up the things of this world, but to utilize them in the service of Krsna. This according to the Gita is the highest renunciation. To give up more than the fruits of one’s work, to give up the furtive mentality is renunciation that is to work with devotion for Lord Krsna. This is real renunciation and it is this kind of renunciation that Lord Krsna was trying to bring Arjuna to understand.

Papireddy: What do you think about the modern commentaries and books on the Gita? Do they give the essence of the Gita or do they water down?

Swami Rohit: Unfortunately, the more important commentaries are unknown to modern readers, Anugita, the Gitamahatmyas. Jayatirtha who comes in the Brahma-madhua Sampradaya wrote an important commentary on the Gita.

Papireddy: I’ve never seen these.........

Swami Rohit: More important still are the commentaries of Vishvanath, Chakravarti, Thakar and Baladeva Vidyabhushana, for these are Brahma-Madhua-Gaudiya commentaries and as such bring out the highest conclusions of love of God.

Papireddy: I am caught by surprise in not being aware of these commentaries.

Swami Rohit: They are not available in English. But these are the traditional, long established Gita commentaries on the Gita. You see, the bogus interpretations work in such a way as to obscure the Gita’s real message, including its most important commentaries. Today one can penetrate the Gita’s mystery with the help of the book Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. This is the definitive edition, with original Sanskrit, word for word transliteration, English translation, and lengthy purports. The sum and substance of all traditional commentaries can be found in this version and here it is.

Papireddy: Thank you.

Details

The interview took place on 25th November 2009. The venue was at International Society of Krishna Consciousness at Dwraka, Nashik.

Swami Nikhil Prabhu was born in 1986 in Bombay. He completed post graduation in Puna University. Currently taching in K.T.H.M College.

Swami Rohit was born in 1984 in Bombay. He completed post graduation in Puna University. Currently taching in B.Y.K College.