Thursday, June 25, 2009
There is no Excuses ?
TAKE SOME TIME TO READ !
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Naga Naresh Karutura has just passed out of IIT Madras in Computer Science and has joined Google in Bangalore.
You may ask, what's so special about this 21-year-old when there are hundreds of students passing out from various IITs and joining big companies like Google?
Naresh is special. His parents are illiterate. He has no legs and moves around in his powered wheel chair. (In fact, when I could not locate his lab, he told me over the mobile phone, 'I will come and pick you up'. And in no time, he was there to guide me)
Ever smiling, optimistic and full of spirit; that is Naresh. He says, "God has always been planning things for me. That is why I feel I am lucky."
Read why Naresh feels he is lucky.
Childhood in a village
I spent the first seven years of my life in Teeparru, a small village in Andhra Pradesh, on the banks of the river Godavari. My father Prasad was a lorry driver and my mother Kumari, a house wife. Though they were illiterate, my parents instilled in me and my elder sister (Sirisha) the importance of studying.
Looking back, one thing that surprises me now is the way my father taught me when I was in the 1st and 2nd standards. My father would ask me questions from the text book, and I would answer them. At that time, I didn't know he could not read or write but to make me happy, he helped me in my studies!
Another memory that doesn't go away is the floods in the village and how I was carried on top of a buffalo by my uncle. I also remember plucking fruits from a tree that was full of thorns.
I used to be very naughty, running around and playing all the time with my friends. I used to get a lot of scolding for disturbing the elders who slept in the afternoon. The moment they started scolding, I would run away to the fields!
I also remember finishing my school work fast in class and sleeping on the teacher's lap!
January 11, 1993, the fateful day
On the January 11, 1993 when we had the sankranti holidays, my mother took my sister and me to a nearby village for a family function. From there we were to go with our grandmother to our native place. But my grandmother did not come there. As there were no buses that day, my mother took a lift in my father's friend's lorry. As there were many people in the lorry, he made me sit next to him, close to the door.
It was my fault; I fiddled with the door latch and it opened wide throwing me out. As I fell, my legs got cut by the iron rods protruding from the lorry. Nothing happened to me except scratches on my legs.
The accident had happened just in front of a big private hospital but they refused to treat me saying it was an accident case. Then a police constable who was passing by took us to a government hospital.
First I underwent an operation as my small intestine got twisted. The doctors also bandaged my legs. I was there for a week. When the doctors found that gangrene had developed and it had reached up to my knees, they asked my father to take me to a district hospital. There, the doctors scolded my parents a lot for neglecting the wounds and allowing the gangrene to develop. But what could my ignorant parents do?
In no time, both my legs were amputated up to the hips.
I remember waking up and asking my mother, where are my legs? I also remember that my mother cried when I asked the question. I was in the hospital for three months.
Life without legs
I don't think my life changed dramatically after I lost both my legs. Because all at home were doting on me, I was enjoying all the attention rather than pitying myself. I was happy that I got a lot of fruits and biscuits.
'I never wallowed in self-pity'
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The day I reached my village, my house was flooded with curious people; all of them wanted to know how a boy without legs looked. But I was not bothered; I was happy to see so many of them coming to see me, especially my friends!
All my friends saw to it that I was part of all the games they played; they carried me everywhere.
God's hand
I believe in God. I believe in destiny. I feel he plans everything for you. If not for the accident, we would not have moved from the village to Tanuku, a town. There I joined a missionary school, and my father built a house next to the school. Till the tenth standard, I studied in that school.
If I had continued in Teeparu, I may not have studied after the 10th. I may have started working as a farmer or someone like that after my studies. I am sure God had other plans for me.
My sister, my friend
When the school was about to reopen, my parents moved from Teeparu to Tanuku, a town, and admitted both of us in a Missionary school. They decided to put my sister also in the same class though she is two years older. They thought she could take care of me if both of us were in the same class. My sister never complained.
She would be there for everything. Many of my friends used to tell me, you are so lucky to have such a loving sister. There are many who do not care for their siblings.
She carried me in the school for a few years and after a while, my friends took over the task. When I got the tricycle, my sister used to push me around in the school.
My life, I would say, was normal, as everyone treated me like a normal kid. I never wallowed in self-pity. I was a happy boy and competed with others to be on top and the others also looked at me as a competitor.
Inspiration
I was inspired by two people when in school; my Maths teacher Pramod Lal who encouraged me to participate in various local talent tests, and a brilliant boy called Chowdhary, who was my senior.
When I came to know that he had joined Gowtham Junior College to prepare for IIT-JEE, it became my dream too. I was school first in 10th scoring 542/600.
Because I topped in the state exams, Gowtham Junior College waived the fee for me. Pramod Sir's recommendation also helped. The fee was around Rs 50,000 per year, which my parents could never afford.
Moving to a residential school
Living in a residential school was a big change for me because till then my life centred around home and school and I had my parents and sister to take care of all my needs. It was the first time that I was interacting with society. It took one year for me to adjust to the new life.
There, my inspiration was a boy called K K S Bhaskar who was in the top 10 in IIT-JEE exams. He used to come to our school to encourage us. Though my parents didn't know anything about Gowtham Junior School or IIT, they always saw to it that I was encouraged in whatever I wanted to do. If the results were good, they would praise me to the skies and if bad, they would try to see something good in that. They did not want me to feel bad.
They are such wonderful supportive parents.
Life at IIT- Madras
Though my overall rank in the IIT-JEE was not that great (992), I was 4th in the physically handicapped category. So, I joined IIT, Madras to study Computer Science.
Here, my role model was Karthik who was also my senior in school. I looked up to him during my years at IIT- Madras.
He had asked for attached bathrooms for those with special needs before I came here itself. So, when I came here, the room had attached bath. He used to help me and guide me a lot when I was here.
I evolved as a person in these four years, both academically and personally. It has been a great experience studying here. The people I was interacting with were so brilliant that I felt privileged to sit along with them in the class. Just by speaking to my lab mates, I gained a lot.
'There are more good people in society than bad ones'
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Words are inadequate to express my gratitude to Prof Pandurangan and all my lab mates; all were simply great. I was sent to Boston along with four others for our internship by Prof Pandurangan. It was a great experience.
Joining Google R&D
I did not want to pursue PhD as I wanted my parents to take rest now.
Morgan Stanley selected me first but I preferred Google because I wanted to work in pure computer science, algorithms and game theory.
I am lucky
Do you know why I say I am lucky?
I get help from total strangers without me asking for it. Once after my second year at IIT, I with some of my friends was travelling in a train for a conference. We met a kind gentleman called Sundar in the train, and he has been taking care of my hostel fees from then on.
I have to mention about Jaipur foot. I had Jaipur foot when I was in 3rd standard. After two years, I stopped using them. As I had almost no stems on my legs, it was very tough to tie them to the body. I found walking with Jaipur foot very, very slow. Sitting also was a problem. I found my tricycle faster because I am one guy who wants to do things faster.
One great thing about the hospital is, they don't think their role ends by just fixing the Jaipur foot; they arrange for livelihood for all. They asked me what help I needed from them. I told them at that time, if I got into an IIT, I needed financial help from them. So, from the day I joined IIT, Madras, my fees were taken care of by them. So, my education at the IIT was never a burden on my parents and they could take care of my sister's Nursing studies.
Surprise awaited me at IIT
After my first year, when I went home, two things happened here at the Institute without my knowledge.
I got a letter from my department that they had arranged a lift and ramps at the department for me. It also said that if I came a bit early and checked whether it met with my requirements, it would be good.
Second surprise was, the Dean, Prof Idichandy and the Students General Secretary, Prasad had located a place that sold powered wheel chairs. The cost was Rs 55,000. What they did was, they did not buy the wheel chair; they gave me the money so that the wheel chair belonged to me and not the institute.
My life changed after that. I felt free and independent.
That's why I say I am lucky. God has planned things for me and takes care of me at every step.
The world is full of good people
I also feel if you are motivated and show some initiative, people around you will always help you. I also feel there are more good people in society than bad ones.
Coke Or Water
Very interesting .... especially the coke part
WATER
#1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. ;(Likely applies to half the world population)
#2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak
that it is mistaken for hunger.
#3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as 3%.
#4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs
for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of
Was! hington< /span> study.
#5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
#6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of
water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain
for up to 80% of sufferers.
#7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term
memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on
the computer screen or on a ! printed page.
#8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of
colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast
cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop
bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water
you should drink every day?
COKE
#1. In many states the highway patrol carries
two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from
the highway after a car accident.
#2. You can put a T-bone steak in a b! owl of C oke
and it will be gone in two days.
#3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the
toilet bowl and let the 'real thing' sit for one hour,
then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes
stains from vitreous China .
#4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers:
Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds
Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
#5. To! clean c orrosion from car battery terminals: Pour
a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble
away the corrosion.
#6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola
to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
#7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into
the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake.
Thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix
with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.
#8.. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke
into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run
through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen
grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your
windshield.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
! #1. the active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid.
It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric
acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major
contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.
#2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup! (the concentrate) the
commercial trucks must use a hazardous Material place
cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
#3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean
engines of the trucks for about 20 years!
! ;
Now the question is, would you like a glass of water?
or Coke?
WATER
#1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. ;(Likely applies to half the world population)
#2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak
that it is mistaken for hunger.
#3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as 3%.
#4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs
for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of
Was! hington< /span> study.
#5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
#6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of
water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain
for up to 80% of sufferers.
#7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term
memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on
the computer screen or on a ! printed page.
#8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of
colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast
cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop
bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water
you should drink every day?
COKE
#1. In many states the highway patrol carries
two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from
the highway after a car accident.
#2. You can put a T-bone steak in a b! owl of C oke
and it will be gone in two days.
#3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the
toilet bowl and let the 'real thing' sit for one hour,
then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes
stains from vitreous China .
#4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers:
Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds
Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
#5. To! clean c orrosion from car battery terminals: Pour
a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble
away the corrosion.
#6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola
to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
#7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into
the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake.
Thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix
with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.
#8.. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke
into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run
through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen
grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your
windshield.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
! #1. the active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid.
It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric
acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major
contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.
#2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup! (the concentrate) the
commercial trucks must use a hazardous Material place
cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
#3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean
engines of the trucks for about 20 years!
! ;
Now the question is, would you like a glass of water?
or Coke?
Conflict Between Christ and Krishna
There's no bliss like bhakti bliss. Other kinds of bliss fade in and out. They are not steady. But the bliss of bhakti goes on increasing unlimitedly for all of eternity. So if you really want to enjoy life to the fullest extent, you've got no choice except to take to the path of bhakti. Any other path that you take will leave you ultimately disappointed. If you want to keep searching on your own for the best path, the ideal path, you are welcome to do that. But if you do not feel like wasting your time and you want to taste the full nectar of immortality immediately, here's a word to the wise. Forget everything else and fully absorb yourself in bhakti right now. You will unlimitedly glad that you did!
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
All inquiries are welcome. Feel free to call or email.
Contact Information:
phone: 1-512-835-2121
Email: questions@backtohome.com
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Conflict Between Christ and Krishna
Respected Teacher,
I have one really very painful question for me. Some years ago I belonged to the Christian church and used mostly Christian prayers in my life. But the Hare Krishna mantra helped me a lot, especially when I got some kind of psychiatric illness and was allergic to almost all of the medicines which the doctors gave me. So I even don't know how it happened, but I just started chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, and it really helped me. I use this mantra a lot for my healing, and it can do real miracles.
The problem is that I have lost many good friends. My parents also can not understand me. I never talk to them about Krishna. Christians have told me that I have given my soul to the devil because I left the Christian church. Sometimes I feel guilty because I can not be a Christian any more while chanting Hare Krishna mantra. But I can not stop using the Hare Krishna mantra because it helps me without any medication. It gives happiness. It is a miracle. But I really do not know how to solve this inner conflict between Christianity (the religion of my childhood) and the Hare Krishna mantra (my everyday healer ). I would be so much grateful if you could help me a little.
Thank You very much in advance!
Kind regards
C. R.
Answer: No Conflict--Like Father, Like Son
There is no reason for you to despair because Jesus Christ is a pure devotee of Krishna. When he speaks in the Bible about his heavenly father. he is referring to Lord Krishna. In fact the name "Christ" is an etymological derivation from the word "Krishna." In the Bible Jesus says that he is God, the Son. And the Bhagavad-gita Krishna says that He is God, the Father. So as it is said "Like father, like son," there is no conflict of interest between Krishna, the father, and Christ, the son. Both of them are in perfect agreement with each other. Both of them are teaching the science of pure love of God. It is only the rascal so-called followers who have made this artificial division between Krishna and Jesus. Kindly understand that both of them are teaching exactly the same thing, that we should fully surrender ourselves unto God.
The major difference between Christianity and Krishna consciousness is that while the Bible gives only introductory information of the science of God, the Vedas go very deeply into this subject matter. So in this regard the Bible can be compared to a pocket dictionary, and the Vedas can be compared to a big unabridged dictionary. Both of them are correctly defining the words, but one of them is going into great detail while the other one only gives a brief introduction. I know a Christian minister who has secretly become a devotee of Krishna. He studies the Bhagavad-gita and the presents the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita to his Christian congregation couching it in Christian terminology which they can understand.
So there is no reason for you to despair. By chanting Hare Krishna you are giving the greatest happiness to Lord Jesus because he is also Krishna's devotee. He did not reveal this to the people of Israel because as he states in the Bible, "I have more to tell you, but you are not ready for it yet." For even the introductory level presentation of the science of bhakti, which he presented, they nailed him to a cross. So he did not reveal to them everything he knew about God.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Friday, June 05, 2009
Nectar of Ekadasi
In the Nectar of Devotion Srila Prabhupada describes Ekadasi as follows,"In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana it is said that one who observes fasting on Ekadasi day is freed from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities and advances in pious life. The basic principle is not just to fast, but to increase one's faith and love for Govinda, or Krishna. The real reason for observing fasting on Ekadasi is to minimize the demands of the body and to engage our time in the service of the Lord by chanting or performing similar service. The best thing to do on fasting days is to remember the pastimes of Govinda and to hear His holy name constantly."
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Ekadasi is observed by not taking any grains or beans and increasing our Krishna consciousness. It occurs twice in a month on the 11th day of the waning and waxing moon. Once a year there is a special Ekadasi known as Nirjala Ekadasi during which many devotees completely abstain from all eating and from even drinking water for 24 hours. This Nirjala Ekadasi is not required, but many devotees relish the opportunity to perform this extra austerity.
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Our last day in Kuala Lumpur was Nirjala Ekadasi. So we observed it along with many of the Malaysian devotees. And it just so happened that the time for breaking the fast (sunrise on the day following Ekadasi) occurred just as we arrived at the airport for our departure to Sydney, Australia. It was a beautiful moment. The morning sun was rising over the mountains in the east. The devotees were chanting a Hare Krishna kirtan. And we all got to break our fast together taking some water and grains. After I took a final group photograph of these wonderful devotees, Mataji and I headed in to check-in and departed for my next lecture venue.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
All inquiries are welcome.
Feel free to call or email.
Contact Information:
phone: 1-512-835-2121
Email: questions@backtohome.com
Is Deity Worship Idol Worship?
Hare Krishna, Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
Thank you, Gurudeva, for your daily emails.
Many times people of other faith criticize us Hare Krishnas for worshiping idols. We explain to them that we don't worship idols but we worship Deity. Idol is concocted form whereas Deity is made according to the description of the Supreme Lord provided in the scripture.
I came across following passage from Holy Bible (Old Testament):
Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it?
Or an image that teaches lies?
For he who makes it trusts in his own creation;
he makes idols that cannot speak.
Woe to him who says to wood, 'Come to life!'
Or to lifeless stone, 'Wake up!'
Can it give guidance?
It is covered with gold and silver;
there is no breath in it.
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How should we explain better to other people that our Deity worship is bona fide.
Thank you.
Hare Krishna!
Your servant,
Answer:
God Fully Manifests in the Authorized Deity Which is Worshipped with Love
If I put a facsimile of a mailbox in my front yard, it will not be authorized by the post office. I can mail letters in it as much as I want, but they will not go anywhere. But if I mail letters in a mail box authorized by the post office, they will go their destination, even if I live at a far distance from the post office.
An idol is an unauthorized "mail box", and a deity is an authorized "mail box." Even though the Lord is far away in His spiritual abode, He agrees to accept loving service and fully manifest His divine presence in the authorized deity form which is worshipped with love. The Bible condemns idol worship, just the Vedas condemn idol worship. The compilers of the Bible were not aware of the legitimacy of authorized deity worship, otherwise they would have recommended it in the Bible.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
More information is available for study at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com
Please accept my humble obeisances.
Thank you, Gurudeva, for your daily emails.
Many times people of other faith criticize us Hare Krishnas for worshiping idols. We explain to them that we don't worship idols but we worship Deity. Idol is concocted form whereas Deity is made according to the description of the Supreme Lord provided in the scripture.
I came across following passage from Holy Bible (Old Testament):
Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it?
Or an image that teaches lies?
For he who makes it trusts in his own creation;
he makes idols that cannot speak.
Woe to him who says to wood, 'Come to life!'
Or to lifeless stone, 'Wake up!'
Can it give guidance?
It is covered with gold and silver;
there is no breath in it.
---------------------------
How should we explain better to other people that our Deity worship is bona fide.
Thank you.
Hare Krishna!
Your servant,
Answer:
God Fully Manifests in the Authorized Deity Which is Worshipped with Love
If I put a facsimile of a mailbox in my front yard, it will not be authorized by the post office. I can mail letters in it as much as I want, but they will not go anywhere. But if I mail letters in a mail box authorized by the post office, they will go their destination, even if I live at a far distance from the post office.
An idol is an unauthorized "mail box", and a deity is an authorized "mail box." Even though the Lord is far away in His spiritual abode, He agrees to accept loving service and fully manifest His divine presence in the authorized deity form which is worshipped with love. The Bible condemns idol worship, just the Vedas condemn idol worship. The compilers of the Bible were not aware of the legitimacy of authorized deity worship, otherwise they would have recommended it in the Bible.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
More information is available for study at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
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