In their philophical approach regarding how the struggle for India’s Freedom from British Colonial Rule must be conducted, Srinivasa Sastri and Mahatma Gandhi were indeed poles apart. Gandhi looked upon himself as a saint-politician. Sastri looked upon himself as scholar-statesman. The contrast between the two men stood out starkly at times whenever Gandhi chose toContinue reading “The Rt.Hon’ble Srinivasa Sastri’s memory and legacy… (Part-7): When Srinivasa Sastri delivered a brave but accurate character-profiling of Mahatma Gandhi”
Category Archives: psychology
Belief and Faith: what’s the difference?
“What is the exact Tamil word for faith?”, asked an old ex-colleague and friend of mine who lives now with his children in far away America. It was a casual question but I somehow could not get myself to be anything but serious about it. I replied: Sir, you are the expert …Is it நம்பிக்கை?Continue reading “Belief and Faith: what’s the difference?”
சோம்பரை உகத்தி போலும்….” and “lazy bones”: transformation from the Ravanesque to the Rama-like .
For the last couple of years it’s been my privilege and personal delight to be corresponding via WhatsApp messages with the well-known writer, novelist, playwright and scholar, Sri. Indira Parthasarathy (pen name “Eepa”) almost daily while we casually discuss a whole range of subjects of mutual interest — mostly Tamil and English literature but occasionallyContinue reading “சோம்பரை உகத்தி போலும்….” and “lazy bones”: transformation from the Ravanesque to the Rama-like .”
தொல்லை இன்பம் (“thollai inbam”): an oxymoron for Krishna Bhakthi that Peria-Azhwar knew only too well!
Here is a “paasuram” from Peria-Azhwar’s “tirumozhi” that I consider is an utterly enchanting still-portrait of Krishna Leela theme expounded in the Srimadh Bhaagavatham. You must read it with the portrait of Bala Krishnan above etched in your imagination. வெண்ணெய்விழுங்கிவெறுங்கலத்தைவெற்பிடையிட்டு அதனோசைகேட்கும்கண்ணபிரான்கற்றகல்விதன்னைக்காக்ககில்லோம் உன்மகனைக்காவாய் *புண்ணில்புளிப்பெய்தாலொக்கும்தீமைபுரைபுரையால்இவைசெய்யவல்லஅண்ணற்கண்ணானர்மகனைப்பெற்றஅசோதைநங்காய்! உன்மகனைக்கூவாய் —- யெரியாழ்வார் 2.9 “Your little boy ate up all the butterContinue reading “தொல்லை இன்பம் (“thollai inbam”): an oxymoron for Krishna Bhakthi that Peria-Azhwar knew only too well!”
The song of the Madras “IIT-ians”: a song of hope or lamentation?
Listening to this song filled my mind with mixed feelings . As a schoolboy in the 1960s I remember walking or bycycling 🚴 to school along the River Adyar . On a clear day I could see the river flow by in all its silent glory … the waters were clean , the river banksContinue reading “The song of the Madras “IIT-ians”: a song of hope or lamentation?”
“Yours affly…. this is an advice, and not a censure…”
My mother, Sangitha Kalananidhi & Padma Shree Awardee, Dr. Smt.Mani Krishnaswami was born on February 3, 1930 in Vellore, North Arcot District of Tamil Nadu. Mani, as she came to be popularly known later in life, was the eldest of 11 other siblings — six daughters and five brothers, age —born to her parents, CandadaiContinue reading ““Yours affly…. this is an advice, and not a censure…””
IQ, EQ, AI … and the future of the corporate workplace
25-Year-Old Krutrim Techie Found Dead In Bengaluru, Toxic Work Culture Blamed: By NDTV via Dailyhunthttp://dhunt.in/10ndaZ When I read the above news item I felt very sorry for the young man… what a wasted precious life … ! But what I don’t understand is why did this guy have to take such an extreme step ?!!Continue reading “IQ, EQ, AI … and the future of the corporate workplace”
The Tamil word பூகோளம் (bhukolam) and its rich Sanskritic roots
After watching the video-clip above, if you are intrigued with the word பூகோளம்…, you are also likely to wonder how old the word would be and how it originated. The Tamil word “பூகோளம்” (pūgōḷam) means “globe” or “the terrestrial globe,” referring to the Earth as a spherical object. It is a compound of “பூ” (earth/land)Continue reading “The Tamil word பூகோளம் (bhukolam) and its rich Sanskritic roots”
Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman’s case: will making Euthanasia legal make it Dharmic?
I don’t know about the position of other religious faiths on Euthanasia but I’m familiar a bit with the position of Hinduism. Euthanasia in the Vedic faith is tantamount to “atma hatya” … the unnatural, adharmic and wilful destruction of the soul’s “svaatantraya” … spiritual sovereignty or autonomy. The soul is sareeri… By dint of its past karmic past,Continue reading “Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman’s case: will making Euthanasia legal make it Dharmic?”
“Abheeti sthavam”: The Sum of all Fearlessness
(This aricle of mine was written circa. 1997 and published in THE HINDU) ************ The “abheeti-sthavam” is a 29-stanza hymn in Sanskrit composed by the tallest amongst Sri Vaishnava philosophers and preceptors in the post-Ramanujacharya times, Swami Vedanta Desikan (1268-1369 AD). The hymn is devotional in principal intent but it is in fact much more.Continue reading ““Abheeti sthavam”: The Sum of all Fearlessness”