Food For Thought

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Sun Related Topics



Sun Related Topics -  P.Natarajan. Camp : Canton ( USA)


The last essay I wrote a day before was centered on the Sun and how it shines as a Star in the center of the Solar System. This article would focus away from Sun but would deal with Sun related topics or Sunny ideas.
The definition of Sunny is something that is shiny like the Sun or cheerful. To describe an object for example, it can be said that a bright yellow kitchen is something sunny. When it is desired to describe  a person, a smiling hostess at a restaurant is someone sunny.

Sunny also means that the weather is free of clouds or a clear sky persists during the day.

The Sunny Way describes that persuasion is being superior to force. Working with others is superior to shutting down the debate. There goes a story to describe the Sunny Way. Once there was a heated debate between the Sun God and Wind God (Vayu deva) about who is superior of the two. There Vayu Deva saw a girl wearing an overcoat to pass by. Vayu Deva challenged Sun God  that whoever enables to take the overcoat off the girl would win the battle of superiority. The Wind God began to blow air with high velocity, but the more the motion, more tightly the girl was clutching the coat. Vayu Deva conceded failure . The Sun God entered into the field and wielded hot flames in the vicinity. The girl removed the coat within minutes unable to bear the sweltering heat of the Sun.

The Sunny Way is thus described not to take the offensive route like the Wind God. The moral of the episode is that persuasions would always score for favorable results.

Sunil Manohar Gavaskar is more often described in a short form as ‘Sunny’. Sunil Gavaskar set the world records for most number of Test Centuries (34 - held for nearly two decades) and most number of Test Runs till Sachin Tendulkar broke it in Dec 2005. Gavaskar is the only cricketer for creating history for scoring centuries in each innings of a Test thrice.

Sunny 25 is a very famous poem and remained in the list as one of the top 100 poems for a century.

Sun Cream, Sun Shade, Sun Glasses,  Sun Flares, Sun Stroke,  Sun TV, Sunshine - all these names come in the mind as Sun related topics. But Sunshine is something special and more related and conspicuous. Let us look at the popular sayings:-

1) A day without sunshine is like, you know night - Steve Martin
2) A flower cannot blossom without sunshine and man cannot live without love  -  Max Muller
3) Keep your face to sunshine and you can not see a shadow - Helen Keller
4) Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others can not keep from themselves - JM Barrie
5) If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you will never enjoy the sunshine - Morris West.
6) A good laugh is the sunshine in the house - WM Thackeray
7) A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition - WA Ward
8) Make hay while the Sun shines - comes under Idioms & phrases. The origin is related to the medieval farmers’ wisdom in not allowing it too late to collect the hay for which they have labored many days in cultivating the crops. The idiom became a cliche - it means make the most of the opportunities when the conditions are favorable.

To conclude, the sunny way is about fighting for what is right or for the right process. Certainly there is sunshine when one takes the approach in the sunny way.

Wish everyone sunshine days ahead !

pn







Friday, June 13, 2014

Antidote for certain Tamil Maxims that have wrong Usage !

..
Today at 8:50 PM

P.Natarajan.
Camp: Canton, U.S.

1) Say 1000 lies to perform a marraiage
correct usage:- Inform 1000 people (or invite them) before you conduct a marriage.
2) Educated spoil the lessons. Writers spoil texts.
Correct Usage;-  Educated provide and teach the lessons. Writers script the lessons for good.
3) Kill thousand persons ( per(s) is in Tamil for persons) to become half baked physician
Correct Usage:- Kill or analyze thousand herbs or roots ( Ver(s) in Tamil ) to become a physician
4) In  market healthy cows has sign of a burnt stain
Correct Usage:- Actually healthy Cows as they walk leave an imprint strong by their hind legs. This will be the acid test or convincing sign to consider them as healthy
5) wanderers or mean minded persons when they get pampered would not hesitate to spring open an umbrella even in mid-night.
Correct usage:- those who sacrifice to render alms to the needy  kindheartedly would not deter to do so even in midnight no matter becoming poor

( The Tamil Versions for the above are listed for clarity )

pn


On Sunday, 8 June 2014 5:24 AM, Narayanan S wrote:


I like and share:
தவறாக பொருள் கொள்ளப்படும் பழமொழிகள்....
1.ஆயிரம் பொய் சொல்லி ஒரு கல்யாணத்த
பண்ணு...

ஆயிரம் பேரிடம் போய்
சொல்லி ஒரு கல்யாணத்த பண்ணு... இதாங்க
சரி...
2.படிச்சவன் பாட்டை கெடுத்தான்,
எழுதுனவன் ஏட்டை கெடுத்தான்....

சரியானது என்னன்னா ...........
படிச்சவன் பாட்டை கொடுத்தான் ,
எழுதுனவன் ஏட்டை கொடுத்தான் ...
.
3.ஆயிரம் பேரை கொன்றவன்
அரை வைத்தியன்...
இது பேரை அல்ல வேரை (மூலிகை வேரை )
ஆயிரம் வேரை கொன்றவன்
அரை வைத்தியன்.......
4.நல்ல மாட்டுக்கு ஒரு சூடு ....
சூடு அல்ல சுவடு...
சந்தையில்
மாட்டை வாங்கும்போது அது பதிக்கும் தடம்
சுவடு.. அழுத்தமான சுவட்டை பதிக்கும்
மாடே அதிக பலம் வாய்ந்தது...
ஒரு சுவட்டை பார்த்தாலே மாட்டின் பலம்
புலனாகும்....
5.அற்பனுக்கு வாழ்வு வந்தா(ல் அர்த்த
ராத்திரியில் கொடை புடிப்பான்....
அர்பணித்து வாழ்ந்து வந்தால் அர்த்த
ராத்திரியிலும் கொடை கொடுப்பான்....
வள்ளல் ஆனவரை கஞ்சனாக
மாற்றி விட்டோம்

Thursday, June 12, 2014


Aani, The Jyeshta Month of The Tamil calendar


P.Natarajan.


Aani, The Third Tamil Month


Suggestions came from many who read my previous article titled as ‘Vaikasi’, to continue writing about the other months in the Tamil Calendar. The suggestion I take it as a positive sign of response from the readers and it is no exaggeration when I admit that it has motivated me to write about the third month in the Tamil calendar, namely the ‘Aani’ month, which follows immediately after Vaikasi.


Aani, this year begins on 15th June and ends on 16th of July. It is also known as Mithuna as the sun roams in Mithuna Rasi during this period. Aani is the last month in “Uttarayana” before the onset of ‘Dakshinayana Punya Kala’. The whole of Uttarayana constitutes the morning for the Devas and hence it can be well said that Aani month marks the beginning of the evening for the Devas.


The longest day occurs on June 21st as we are well aware - so the month Aani is celebrated as the month having the longest day period. In other words the Sun sets as late as 8p.m. in places like Delhi. In USA, it is even longer as we experience after arrival here in Canton on 10th of June 2014. Pl. believe me when I say that 9p.m in Canton, Michigan in USA wears the look of 6.30p.m. in India.   Sun performs overtime in Aani and we work and sweat more in the unbearable heat.


Aani is also called as ‘Jyeshta’ month in Sanskrit which means ‘senior’ and true to this Aani is the longest month as it spreads up to 32 days, unlike other months. ( June 15th to July 16th ). The reason is simple for this phenomenon in that the Mithuna Rasi is bigger in size and the SUN takes longer time to cross the Rasi, thus making the day time longer.


Astrology says that people born in the star Moola in Aani are likely to wield authority like a King over others, as Moola Star happens to coincide with the Full Moon day. ‘Aani Moolam Arasalum’ is the Tamil proverbial statement.


The valid interpretation for the saying in Tamil ‘Penn moolam nirmoolam’ is that Moola Star falls on Ashtami or Navami in the month of ‘Kanya Month’ when Goddess Durga vanquished the Asuras. Astrology also advises not to conduct a marriage between the first born in Moola in Aani with a girl of same star also born in Aani, as there would be no scope of progeny. In Tamil the statement which portrays this meaning is :- “Thalaichanukku Thalaichan Ahadhu”


Astrology further explains about  “Jyeshta Abhishekam” which takes place in Temples, and the festival is conspicuous in Palani. The Star Kettai in Tamil is known as ‘Jyeshta’ in Sanskrit. The Lord of this star is Indra who is the head of Devas. Indra worships Maheshwara in Aani coinciding with the Star Jyeshta or Kettai, to retain his status as the Head of Devas and to improvise his powers to rule better and healthier. In similar way business magnets, politicians in power worship by performing ‘Jyeshta Abhishek’  for retaining their status and to progress well further.


‘Aani Tirumanjanam’ is celebrated in Chidambaram in Uttara Star in this month when Lord Nataraja is taken on a procession in the palanquin with lifters of the palanquin dancing to a set rhythm.  Thousands of devotees gather to watch the tirumanjanam of Lord Nataraja on this day in Chidambaram.


Mithuna Rasi is blessed by Budha Graha who  also stands as the Lord of  Vidya or Education. Space Scientists  find themselves in advantage with the blessings of Budha Gruha and they work extensively in the month of Aani exploring Space Technology as the Sky is very clear in this month. They greet Aani tirumanjanam day with great enthusiasm to explore research in space.


Famous people born in the month of Aani include one of the four Saiva devotees ( Naalvar) namely ‘Manikkavachakar’- Jayanthi falls on 12-07-2014.
                                      AruparaththuOruvan1.png


He had the darshan of ‘Eswara’ in Thiruperunthurai temple under the Kurunthai Tree. The Lord brought to limelight Manikkavachakar for his great devotion.


Kurma jayanthi falls in Aani (23-06-2014) when Mahavishnu took the avatar of a tortoise to bear the weight of the mountain Mantra and to keep it in equilibrium while it was used to churn the Ksheerabdhi for obtaining the nectar by the Devas.
 
Another great personality born in Aani  was Perialwar - his Jayanthi falls on 07- 07-2014. His songs in praise of Lord Krishna stand as history. It is said that Lord Maha Vishnu once rejected Dwaraka and Vaikunta to be in  Periyalwar’’s place, to enjoy the singing of his ‘Paamalai’.(Poetry). ‘Om Namo Narayana’ - these three words formed a great Mantra and was constantly chanted by Perialwar with extensive devotion.



arunagirinathar.variar600.jpgArunagirinathar (Jayanthi falls on 11-07-2014) who was a great devotee of Lord Muruga was born in Aani.  When he was vexed in not getting darshan of Lord Muruga, he jumped from the hills of Arunachala, but Lord Muruga ( Kandavel ) saved him in his hands. “ Summa - Iru " (be calm & quiet) is the mantra Arunagirinathar prophesied to the whole world.


Nada Munigal who showed the world ‘ Divya Prabhandam ‘ was born with the star ‘ Anusha ‘ in the month of Aani. (his Jayanthi falls on 09-07-2014.
download (2).jpg


He was credited with the name Kattumannar as he found the Divya Prabandham composed by the Alwars which sing in praise of Vishnu. His birthplace is known as Kattumannarkoil which is 25 miles away from Chidambaram. Veeranam Lake which is an abundant source of water for Tamil Nadu is situated in Kattumannarkoil. Nathamunigal was taught by Alawar ‘Nalayira Divya Prabhandam’ when he was in deep meditation in union with the Lord.  Nalayira Divya Prabhandam is known as the Veda in Tamil literature.


It is believed that the month Aani is hailed as the bestower of wisdom and the personalities born in Aani and mentioned in this essay were titled as ‘Gyani’ or one of the greatest visionaries who stand for invaluable guidance for the mankind to progress in the right path.


pn