Miracle of Life

Welcome. And congratulations. I am delighted that you could make it. Getting here wasn’t easy, I know. In fact, I suspect it was a little tougher than you realize.

To begin with, for you to be here now trillions of drifting atoms had somehow to assemble in an intricate and curiously obliging manner to create you. It’s an arrangement so specialized and particular that it has never been tried before and will exist only this once. For the next many years ( we hope) these tiny particles will uncomplainingly engage in all the billions of deft, co-operative efforts necessary to keep you intact and let you experience the supremely agreeable but generally under appreciated state known as existence.

Why atoms take this trouble is a bit of a puzzle. Being you is not a gratifying experience at the atomic level. For all their devoted attention, your atoms don’t actually care about you – indeed, don’t even know that you are there. They are mindless particles, after all, and not even themselves alive. (It is a slightly arresting notion that if you were to pick yourself apart with tweezers, one atom at a time, you would produce a mound of fine atomic dust, none of which had ever been alive but all of which had been you.) yet somehow for the period of your existence they will answer to a single rigid impulse: to keep you you.

The bad news is that atoms are fickle and their time of devotion is fleeting – fleeting indeed.

 Even a long human life adds up to only about 650,000 hours. And when that modest milestone flashes into view, or at some other point thereabouts, for reason unknown your atoms will close you down, then silently disassemble and go off to be other things. And that’s it for you.

Still, you may rejoice that it happens at all. Generally speaking in the universe it doesn’t, so far as we can tell. This is decidedly odd because the atoms that so liberally and congenially flock together, to form living things on Earth are exactly the same atoms that decline to do it elsewhere. Whatever else it may be, at the level of chemistry life is fantastically mundane: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, a little of calcium, a dash of sulphur, a light dusting of other very ordinary elements – nothing you wouldn’t find in any ordinary pharmacy – and that’s all you need. The only thing special about the atoms that make you is that they make YOU. That is, of course, the MIRACLE OF LIFE.

This is from the book " A short history of Nearly everything" by Bill Bryson - ' a travelogue of science, with a witty, engaging, and well-informed guide who loves his patch and is desperate to share its delight with us'

Significance of Temple Towers


The temple towers, majestic, towering, colourful, depicting vivid images of Gods and godesses, of Devas, Asuras, of mythology, of people, of yali, of designs and patterns are beautiful and depict our culture.
Temple towers like that of Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai, the Brahadheeswara temple in Tanjavur, the Srirangam temple can be seen from many miles away.
They evoke a deep sense of the Grandeur, of timelessness, of immanence, of infinity.
They make one wonder about the deep sense of devotion of the people and Rajas of yore, of the nature and purpose of life, of God and Godliness and of the mystery of creation itself.
They bring about a sense of humility, of quietness, of serenity.
They also hold a deeply significant vedantic meaning :
Imagine if the images were to come alive and think that they were supporting the tower, how foolish would that be? Colourful and panoramic as they may be, even if they depict the Gods and Godesses, they are supported by the tower.
So too the infinite universe is played upon the consciousness which is SAT-CHIT-ANANDAM, the Being-Consciousness-Bliss. While watching the ever unfolding drama called Life focus should be on the SELF or Consciousness or I or GOD.
In Yoga Vashista, Vashistar tells Rama to ever be aware of the SELF and go out and play like a Hero in the world.

Small Steps

Ever wondered why we mark Krishna's footsteps on Gokulashtami, His birthday?

Of course to celebrate His birth and symbolically represent His arrival !!That is obvious

The not so obvious :

The house and all the riches in the house are due to HIS Grace - One should see His blessings in all the material riches that one has gained. That is of course the material point of view.

Spiritually, there is a great significance. Take a small step inward and He will draw you to Himself. It is like a child. It takes the first step, totters and is about to crash, when the mother rushes from wherever she is and holds the child. And she is in ecstasy! Take the first small step and you can never stop from reaching Him!
One also remembers this story :

Once there was a man who was good, but was not sure if God was there or not. But as taught by his parents he used to pray to God. He had his share of happiness and sorrow.

When he died he reached heaven and was received by God, who showed him the footprints of his life. The man observed that there were two different types of steps, but always only one set at a stretch. He thought that God had given him all the good things that happened in his life and thanked God for carrying him through the good times.

God said “You are wrong. Whenever you were in trouble, you thought of me and I carried you. When you were happy you were immersed in yourself and those footsteps are your own.”

THINK OF HIM ALWAYS

Seek THE Happiness

Seek, seek ye the Happiness,
For the seeker knows not the Happiness
Beyond the Happiness he knows.

Seek, seek ye the Happiness,
If the seeker knows ( Happiness ) he knows not,
If he knows not, he seeks.

Seek, seek ye the Happiness,
The seeker IS, HAPPINESS IS,
Seeker is Happiness, Happiness IS seeker,

Seek, seek ye the Happiness.

Arctic Whale

Why Arctic Whale?

Because Arctic is cool, very cool!! and yes it is also on top of the world - at least when you look from the North pole!!

Whale has the whole world to move around.Doesn't one say a whale of a time, when one has a very nice time.

This blog is all about having a cool, nice time.It is about sitting and staring at the sun, the moon and trees old and young ; it is about wondering ALL about life ; it is about Arctic circle and whales and all things bright and beautiful and also things that are not so beautiful, but HIS creation anyway; it is about poetry and the poetic beauty of life.Yes, astronomy,philosophy and nature are my interests and a little bit of poetry!!

Let us journey through the sands of time and swim through infinite space and beyond.Let us share and have a whale of time!