INDOWAVES

VIEWS OF PEOPLE NOT HAPPY WITH OBAMA'S SELECTION FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

ARVIND K.PANDEY

I am of the opinion that Obama is already basking in the glory of success. This award should be used to bring in limelight the deserving souls who need genuine attention for their tremendous contribution. It’s a meaningless and absurd gesture to award this to someone who is at the helm of global politics!

Zimbabwe’s Morgan Tsvangirai, Chinese dissident Hu Jia, Colombian senator Piedad Cordoba who has campaigned for a peaceful solution to the almost 50-year-old conflict in her country, and Afghan doctor and women’s rights activist Sima Samar, Vietnamese Buddhist monk and democracy advocate Thich Quang Do, Chechen human rights lawyer Lidiya Yusupova, and Russian activist Svetlana Gannushkina and the Cluster Munitions Coalition or the humanitarian organization Handicap International could have been honured.

Only because just think of the consequences had Obama been not awarded Nobel.According to many he would have then run short of enthusiasm to accomplish his dreams !!This award,by many,is being treated as ”catalyst” but my question is that why Obama needs an award to pursue his goal ?

He is the head of a ”superpower” and enjoys great resources to pursue his dreams.He should ,being in league with his conscience, discharge all his duties responsibly and that includes peaceful solutions in contentious issues plaguing the middle east.He should do all this naturally with or without award.Why should he be awarded for something that falls genuinely within his realm?

No need to tell that whether it’s middle east or any other part of world U.S. has definite role to play.Only because most of the problems have been directly or indirectly created by United states.Today he talks about limiting the presence of nuclear weapons.One need to ask Obama which country has inspired the minnows to flirt with nuclear weapons?

I think it’s not Mr Obama but some another soul that truly deserved Nobel.Because that person would have gone out of way to set new parameters and that too in absence of resources. Sadly,that’s not at all the case with Obama.He is Mr influential !!

Are now Nobel prizes given to serve some political interests?

I am really surprised that he has been chosen!! If he could be awarded Noble for inconsequential and insignificant international diplomacy, why was Gandhi not awarded Noble for his tremendous contributions that added new dimensions in the word humanity?

Like others I am also not hesitant in asking ”He won! For what?”

One gentleman has stated that he has won for his ”unshakable commitment to diplomacy, mutual respect and dialogue as the best means of resolving conflicts.”

Like to tell that gentleman that this are empty words and nothing else...Big words devoid of meaning in our times !!

I hope there are many names in the list who are unknown figure for many of us.Shouldn’t have they been given chance to bask in the glory of success?

Let’s have a look at what others have said in this regard.I am presenting the other side of coin-the people who are terribly upset.

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Peter Beinart, no stranger to good analysis, deftly captures the gestalt of problems with Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize:

I like Barack Obama as much as the next liberal, but this is a farce. He’s done nothing to deserve the prize. Sure, he’s given some lovely speeches and launched some initiatives on Iran, Israeli-Palestinian peace, climate change and nuclear disarmament — that might, if he’s really lucky and really good, make the world a more safe, more just, more peaceful world. But there’s absolutely no way to know if he’ll succeed, and by giving him the Nobel Prize as a kind of “atta boy,” the Nobel Committee is actually just highlighting the gap that conservatives have long highlighted: between Obamamania as global hype and Obama’s actual accomplishments

Obama will survive this award. The damage to the Nobel Committee itself will be greater. They’ve clearly fallen in love with celebrity, and with the idea of shaping the course of history in other words, they’ve fallen in love with an absurdly grandiose conception of their role. The Nobel Prize Committee should be in the business of conferring celebrity on unknown human rights and peace activists toiling in the most god-forsaken parts of the world; the people who really need the attention (and even the money).

It should be in the business of angering powerful tyrants by giving their victims a moment in the sun. Choosing Barack Obama, who practically orbits the sun already, accomplishes the exact opposite of that. Let’s hope Obama eventually deserves this award. And let’s hope the Nobel Committee’s decision meets with such a deafening chorus of chortles and jeers that it never does something this stupid again.

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Financial Times: What Did Obama Do to Win the Nobel Peace Prize?

I am a genuine admirer of Obama. And I am very pleased that George W Bush is no longer president. But I doubt that I am alone in wondering whether this award is slightly premature. It is hard to point to a single place where Obama’s efforts have actually brought about peace - Gaza, Iran, Sri Lanka? The peace prize committee say that he is being rewarded for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy.” But while it is OK to give school children prizes for “effort” - my kids get them all the time - I think international statesmen should probably be held to a higher standard.

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London Times: Absurd Decision on Obama Makes a Mockery of the Nobel Peace Prize

Rarely has an award had such an obvious political and partisan intent. It was clearly seen by the Norwegian Nobel committee as a way of expressing European gratitude for an end to the Bush Administration, approval for the election of America’s first black president and hope that Washington will honour its promise to re-engage with the world.

Instead, the prize risks looking preposterous in its claims, patronising in its intentions and demeaning in its attempt to build up a man who has barely begun his period in office, let alone achieved any tangible outcome for peace.

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The Guardian: Barack Obama’s Nobel Prize: Why Now?

Indeed, the reasoning behind the awarding of the prize to previous American presidents has been easier to discern. Teddy Roosevelt opened the court of arbitration in the Hague and helped mediate a peace treaty between Russia and Japan; Woodrow Wilson was the founder of the League of Nations. Jimmy Carter won his prize for his “untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts”.

Which is what makes the awarding of this year’s prize to a president who has been in office for a mere nine months an odd departure. It is as if the prize committee had been persuaded to give the award on the future delivery of promises.

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And A Very Interesting Remark:

But next year let’s give it to Miss World. Every year Miss World comes on and says I want world peace and the world free of nuclear weapons.It’s a hope, an aspiration. This is a Nobel Peace Prize for not being George Bush.

Sky News foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall

IS SCIENCE REALLY NOW FOR HUMANITY'S SAKE ?

ARVIND K.PANDEY

Asian countries, especially Japan, are newly enamored with the wonders of science.Scientific innovations have great ability to untangle the painful complexities of human life but it seems that’s not researchers’ primary aim.Instead of pursuing humanitarian goals, science has become a tool for maintaining the rapid tempo of business globalization.In countries like India, scientific research has a vast but untapped potential for raising the living standards of the lower classes.

Asian scientists, however, see the Indian marketplace as a battleground for big brands, which are offering innovative products at attractive prices. It’s unfortunate that Asian governments have no agenda that includes bringing a change in the quality of life to the vast segment of humanity living below the poverty line.There is great need to revive interest in scientific projects that really make a difference in people’s lives.

In a recent survey conducted that only few thousands of students out of lakhs of engineering students go in for research projects.Only one percent of student graduating from IIT and IISc in B tech enroll themselves for M Tech and merely two percent M Tech students opt for PhD.According to report submitted by US study the research output in China has increased more than 25 times in comparison with India’s progression and the scientific papers of Chinese scientists published in quality journals increased by over 104 times.On the other hand,the Indian scientific research publishing increased only by 2.3 times.China spends about 1.3 per cent of its GDP on R&D while India spends about US$ 5 billion on R&D every year only that is 0.9 per cent of the GNP.

It’s really sad that for most of them good salary prospects is the real guiding factor for choosing engineering or medicine fields.No wonder we are nowhere during nominations for Nobel Prize.

THE INDIAN CRICKET TEAM BADLY NEEDS A RIGHT MINDSET

ARVIND K.PANDEY

The Indians lack right mindset.No doubt,the Indian cricket team has improved considerably but it still not able to develop a proper mindset.We still don’t know what are the elements that are involved in the making of team.It’s still under the awe of ”stars”.It’s still the culmination of various types of egos rather than being meeting point of brilliant minds.

First of all we need to have a better mechanism,better set of rules.They need to be honestly translated into action.However,it’s easier said than done.It’s not that easy to rope in better changes unless we become truly interested in game alone.

In India politics is mixed with cricket.Many players are more politicians than cricketers.

In other teams,there are only players!!Unless that remains the case we are bound to remain a mediocre team happy with number game !!We find the same thing in Indian movie world..No actors.We have just superstars !!

ARE GADGETRIES MAKING YOUTHS SLAVE TO COSMETIC VALUES?

ARVIND K.PANDEY

The invasion of gadgets in the lives of Generation X has turned them into moody and possessive creatures.Worse,it has confined them to the world of virtual realities,making them slaves of plastic values .No doubt these do help them to be in sync with times but not without taking toll on their nerves.Consider the way the Internet has become cause of sleepless nights for many parents or,for that matter,instant connectivity has helped youths to further increase the crime graph.The ever increasing cyber crimes have become cause of worry for the police officials.

There is not a single day when I do not get such messages” Hello ! My name is Jane.I saw your profile today.I am interested in you.I will send U my pic.Kindly send message on my personal e-mail id.” If that’s not the case there is always someone present to turn me into a beneficiary so that I can become an owner of some unclaimed huge sum of money !!

Just visit any cyber cafe.You will find people involved in meaningless chatting with the strangers.Most of them are in their teens.Probably ,they are not aware of the fact that it’s not that easy to form relationships in our times.It takes lots of real gestures to win a heart.The drama in cyber world can never be as powerful as one’s taking place in real life.

In retrospect,we still don’t have a mindset to use these technological incarnations in a constructive way.These scientific toys may add meaning in the lives of upper echelons of society but for a large section people these are of little importance .

HAVE WE INDIANS FALLEN IN LOVE WITH COMPLEXITIES OF LIFE ?

ARVIND K.PANDEY

The globalized world has given rise to host of complex problems. One of the most unfortunate developments has been that one’s privacy and individuality have lost meaning as the shrewd souls have scant respect for them.Now one has to pay a heavy price to pursue one’s dreams and aspirations.Jeremy Seabrook rightly stated that ‘real reason for seeking to criminalize the despairing is that to do so pathologizes the individual,and leave society unscathed’.

It would not be out of place to suggest that ’shallow legalism’ and secular outbursts have tarnished the well-structured life-patterns of Hinduism.What’s the point in giving rise to complexities in name of upholding values of modern society ?For the time being,it has become our fate to reel under absurdities of modern messiahs!Look at the new laws.They are supposed to protect the rights of women.However,instead of protecting the rights of women they are breaking homes.Anticipatory divorce petitions are being filed at the time of marriage.

Look at our media.It has no respect for our privacy and it is least interested in ensuring a stable society.The word camera never evoked feeling of fear but when it gets combined with word “hidden” it becomes a deadly object!!It then gains the potential to turn your “happy home” into a graveyard!!Media has shrewdly used hidden cameras to indulge in “sensationalism”.Apart from that Media is promoting wrong lifestyle-one that caters to individualism.What are programmes like “Sach Ka Saamana” aimed at?They are only weakening the pillars of Indian society.In other words,all better values are now mocked at as we have somewhat accepted within that it’s age of baddies and therefore there is no harm in flirting with cheap values !!

Anyway,I am I’m proud to be born in a country where ” Gandhi-a naked fakir ” was enough to show 35,000 Britishers the door without the use of weapon! Realize the strength of nation when 1.2 billion souls come to have swords in their hands? Still,let not such a day come when we have to become the worshipers of sword than being the lovers of “power of self “.Unfortunately,there are many negative forces that are forcing us to believe in aggressive tendencies,cosmetic values and unnatural living patterns.However, we have to develop the power of resistance so that we are always at a safe distance from the wrong values.Let’s not forget that we have always believed in simple living and high thinking.Our culture deep-rooted in non-violence does not promote bloodshed.Let foreign powers view our politeness as symbol of weakness and love for simple things as sign of dumbness.There is no merit in being dictated by foreign values.After all,what’s the point in becoming like others when the sun in all the case is going to set !!!

WHEN ARE WE GOING TO BRING REAL CHANGES IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM ?

ARVIND K.PANDEY

Education plays a great role in shaping our destiny. We are all aware of its importance but our policymakers are, apparently, not aware of this great fact. Perhaps they do not believe in waking from deep slumber. The quality of education in our schools and colleges has deteriorated with time. Despite being an area of great concern, education sector has suffered heavily at the hands of our policymakers. Half hearted attempts to renovate it have further tarnished its image.

Education says Radhakrishnan should not be equated with literacy and accumulation of factual knowledge. Sadly, our education system is aimed at turning student into godown of unnecessary details. There is no denying of the fact that India in recent past has made tremendous progress in fields like science, business and technology and that we have produced spectacular results in several prestigious branches of engineering. What we don’t realize- amid glitter of success achieved- is that we have trapped ourselves in all sorts of complexities. As a result of widespread confusion around us the things like scams, violence marred cities and political upheavals, to name a few, have become order of the day. To sole reason for rise of complex persona could rightly be attributed to bad education.

The number of students enrolled has increased from 17.9 million in 1961 to 72.4 million in 1991. The enrollments have shot up and the school system expanded substantially but there still exists huge number of children who have never visited the school. Above all, the drop outs are also major source of worry. On the top of it, poor standard of teaching in government run schools is not allowing the students to be at par with education offered in foreign countries. How many institutions of ours can claim a place among top institutions of world? I am sure there will only be one or two such institutions. Against this backdrop, it’s not hard to understand the fate of child who wants make a career in foreign worlds.

The teachers in villages are devoid of facilities to make students develop greater interests in their subjects. The schools in villages are not in good shape. They do not provide safe environment for little children. We have witnessed many tragedies in past that claimed lives of many students. Probably, that’s why in villages the enrollment rate is below desired rate, especially of the girl students. We are also far behind in “ universalisation ” of elementary standards of education is proving to be elusive. It has become some sort of challenge for educationists of our times.

The second largest education system has suffered due to over emphasis on the quantitative expansion of knowledge. Education should culminate in the growth of wisdom which lies in tolerance, understanding, and catholicity of outlook, compassion and humility. It should emancipate the mind from the tyranny of prejudice –personal, social, national, religious, linguistic, racial, and ideological-to “clear mental cobwebs” and “put the minds in order”. Education is meant “not to fill an empty vessel but to turn the eye of the soul towards light.” (Plato)

In a country like India for the successful panning and implementation of programmes we must have projects keeping in mind the ground realities. However, most of the programmes started to reform the education system have either perished or are being carried out in haphazard manner. I wonder what’s going to be the fate of initiatives of Mr Kapil Sibal. There have always been lack of sincere effort on the part of our policy makers .Lack of research and poor work method have led top untimely death of many ambitious schemes to reform the education system. Like all other areas, the education system has also fallen prey to political whims and fancies. Interestingly, budgetary allocations have been constantly increasing. However, there is urgent need for optimizing the utilization of these funds. Till now they have been used on activities hardly concerned with education. Ironically, teachers in villages are more busy in ensuring success of mid day meal programme rather than concentrating on teaching.

True education is three dimensional and should cater to needs of the body, the mind and spirit. It is the third dimension “the culture of soul” which is missing in our education system .The third component is value based, value oriented education which is assimilated by exposure to the humanistic discipline, literature and philosophy, religion etc. Such an exposure will humanize the students, raise them to higher level and make them alive to deeper values .The moral and spiritual components constitute the true cornerstone of education. Sadly, instead of generating a sense of national pride and self respect the educational policies lay emphasis on intellectual efficiency.

The pursuits of intellectual goals never allow students to get attached to finer aspects of life-search of true knowledge and cultivation of character and discipline. The critical scientific attitude, which should have been blended with spiritual attitude for development of better personality, has only produced only one dimensional growth.

‘We split the nucleus and now nucleus is splitting our lives’ is a view that highlights the futility of vain pursuits having nothing to do with growth of human beings and human society in proper way. We have failed to develop a vision that could enable one to witness the universe as one single entity. It’s time to reshape our education system and bring it at par with divine attributes which in turn is going to make such vision a reality. .

HAVE PARLIAMENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE TURNED INTO WHORE,CIRCUS AND 100% FARCE ?

ARVIND K.PANDEY

Though Indian MPs love to visit foreign countries on flimsy grounds, wasting exchequer’s money, they are yet to imbibe beter mannerisms of their foreign counterparts.It’s sad that unruly scenes over petty issues have become order of the day in our parliament. Interestingly, before the start of every new session of Parliament, the Speaker organizes meeting wherein leaders belonging to various parties assure the Speaker of not letting their MPs give way to indecent behavior in the Parliament. However,” promises are made to be broken”. So once these “bhailogs” (read MPs) are in the Parliament,they take no time in entering into “tamasha” (drama) of all sorts.Walkout at the slightest pretext is the hallmark of Indian parliament.All parties during some part of session loves to turn into “walkout party”.

Blame it on the media that has glorified the “walkout culture “of our parliamentarians. It’s a real shame that our parliament once known for standard debates has today turned into ideal place to know choicest abuses or unparliamentary expressions.Surprisingly, our Mps who love to give sound bites to media over serious affairs like drought or floods are often missing when debates over these issues takes place in the parliament. No wonder lack of quorum fails to shake the conscience of our MPs. But ask them to enter in dogfight over petty issues and I am sure there will be no lack of quorum. One thought that live telecast will bring some changes in instincts of our MPs but technological incarnation brought no major change other than making them fashion conscious.

Somnath Chatterjee once stated in frustration that “Member of the House must understand that they have accountability to people…..every issue cannot be raised always”. His experience as Speaker of Lok Sabha is bitter. That’s why protagonist in the movie “Deshdrohi” sounds right when he says that leaders have turned Parliament into a “Sabji Mandi ( Vegetable market ).I don’t know what people in other countries feel about their parliament.

Going by the news I have,it appears that in others countries too there is lot of frustration the way MPs are behaving. Sometimes back Nawaj Sharif said that the “Pakistani Parliament was being turned into a concubine”. In the wake of expenses abuse in Britain, the media analysts now believe that parliament there has turned into “a vile snake pit”.The Bulgarian Mps seem to have turned parliament into “circus”.One Laurie Oakes states that “parliament is usually 90% theatre but Mr. Rudd turned it into a 100% farce.” In this case we are talking about PM of Australia Mr Kevin Rudd. It appears that Australian Parliament has disintegrated into “a high-farce shambles”

However, being an Indian, I need to worry more what’s taking place in my country. I am really very sad that the highest forum of nation has been held hostage to dirty tricks of cocksure minds instead of turning into platform of eye-opening debates. Given the devious attitude of our electorates, there is little hope that right kind of people will be able to make their presence felt in near future. It’s not only time to subject our MPs to harsh code of conduct but also curb their access to super-facilities if found involved in rough episodes.

WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT SRIMATI RADHARANI

ARVIND K.PANDEY

Today we are celebrating the birth anniversary of Sri Radharani. Radha Ashtami marks the arrival of Sri Radha-the chief associate and devotee of Lord Krishna and topmost of all goddesses.It’s celebrated 15 days after Krishna Janmashtami.Let’s know more about her to come closer to Sri Krishna and be one with Him.I am presenting excerpts from the writings of some enlightened souls who have talked about Sri Radha in a glorious way.

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SRIMATI RADHARANI

-By Stephen Knapp

Srimati Radharani is the Supreme Goddess. She is most always seen with Lord Krishna. It is described that She is the Chief Associate and devotee of Lord Krishna, and topmost of all Goddesses. Her name means the She is the most excellent worshiper of Lord Krishna. However, She is also an expansion of the Lord’s energy. Since She is also an extension of Krishna, She is the feminine aspect of God. Thus, in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, God is both male and female. They are One, but Krishna expands into two, Himself and Radharani, for the sake of divine loving pastimes. If They remained as One, then there is no relationship, there are no pastimes, and there can be no dynamic exchange of love. (Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, 4.55-56) Actually, if we all remained merged or amalgamated into one single force or light, then there is no further need of anything else. There certainly would be no need for the material manifestation to provide the innumerable conditioned souls with the means to seek out the way to satisfy their senses, minds, emotions, desires for self-expression, intellectual pursuits, and on and on.

So, similarly, the spiritual world is the manifestation wherein all souls have the opportunity to engage in a multitude of pastimes in loving relationships in full spiritual variety, without the many hindrances we find in this material world. The only difference is that the spiritual world is centered around the Supreme Being. And that Supreme Personality has expanded Himself into Radharani for exhibiting the supreme loving relationship, in which so many others assist Them.

In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra, Radharani is described as follows:

devi krishna-mayi prokta
radhika para-devata
sarva-lakshmi-mayi sarva
kantih sammohini para

“The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord.”

To explain further, Srimati Radharani is also the source of the other goddesses, who are expansions of Her. Just as Lord Krishna is the source of all other expansions and incarnations of God, Radharani is the source of all other expansions of the energies of God, the shaktis, or other goddesses. Thus, Vishnu, Rama, even Shiva are all expansions of the one Supreme Being, and similarly Lakshmi, Sita, and even Durga are all expansions of this Supreme Feminine form of God, Radharani.

It is explained that the beloved consorts of Lord Krishna are of three kinds, namely the goddesses of fortune or Lakshmis, His queens, and the milkmaids of Vraja called the gopis. All of them proceed from Radharani. The Lakshmis are partial manifestations, or plenary portions, of Srimati Radharani, while the queens in Vaikuntha and in Dvaraka are reflections of Her image. The Vraja-devis or gopis are Her expansions and assist in the increase of rasa, or the divine loving pastimes. Among them there are many groups that have various sentiments and moods, which help Lord Krishna taste the sweetness of the rasa dance and other pastimes. (Cc.Adi-lila. 4. 75-81)

“Among the gopis of Vrindavana, Srimati Radharani and another gopi are considered chief. However, when we compare the gopis, it appears that Srimati Radharani is most important because Her real feature expresses the highest ecstasy of love. The ecstasy of love experienced by the other gopis cannot be compared to that of Srimati Radharani.” (Ujjvala-nilamani 4.3 of Srila Rupa Gosvami)

Radharani has many names according to Her qualities and characteristics.Some of the names that Radharani is known by include Govinda-anandini–She who gives pleasure to Govinda [Krishna]; Govinda-mohini–She who mystifies Govinda; Govinda-sarvasa–the all-in-all of Lord Govinda; Shiromani Sarva-kanta–the crown jewel of all the Lord’s consorts; and Krishnamayi–the one who sees Krishna both within and without. She is also called Radhika in the Puranas because Her worship [aradhana] of the Lord consists of fulfilling His desires. Aradhana is the root of the name Radharani, which indicates one who excels in worshiping the Lord. She is also called Sarva-lakshmi, the original source of all the goddesses of fortune. This also means that She is the supreme energy of Lord Krishna, and represents His six opulences, which include fame, fortune, strength, wealth, knowledge, and detachment. She is also known as Sarva-kanti, which indicates that all beauty and luster rest in Her body, and all the Lakshmis derive their beauty from Her. It also means that all the desires of Lord Krishna rest in Srimati Radharani. As Lord Krishna enchants the world with His beauty and charm, Sri Radha enchants Him. Therefore She is the Supreme Goddess. Sri Radha is the full power, and Lord Krishna is the possessor of full power.(Cc.Adi-lila, 4.82, 84, 87-96).Thus, the two are non-different, as the sunshine is nondifferent from the sun, or as the energy is non-different from the energetic or source of energy.

In this way, without Radha there is no meaning to Krishna and without Krishna there is no meaning to Radha. Because of this, in the Vaishnava tradition we always pay respects first to the Lord’s internal energy in the form of Radha, and then to the Lord. Thus They are referred to as Radha-Krishna, or in other names as Sita-Rama, Lakshmi-Narayana, and so on. In this way, Radha and Krishna are one, but when Lord Krishna wants to enjoy, He manifests Himself as Radharani. Otherwise, there is no energy in which Krishna can attain pleasure outside Himself.

To understand Himself through the agency of Radha, or the hladini-shakti, the Lord manifests Himself as Lord Chaitanya, who is Lord Krishna but with the super-excellent emotions of Radharani’s love toward Lord Krishna. This is because the Lord accepts a position and the emotions of a devotee in order to fully taste His own sweetness.

It is also described that the potency of love of God is called hladini, the Lord’s pleasure potency. Whenever the Lord wants to enjoy pleasure, He exhibits His own spiritual potency known as hladini. And the essence of that love is in the emotion called bhava. The ultimate development of that emotion is mahabhava, or great bhava. Mahabhava is full of the pleasure potency, and it is an exhibition of the highest love for Lord Krishna. Sri Radharani is the embodiment of that transcendental consciousness found in mahabhava. Her mind, senses and body are steeped in that highest sort of love for Krishna. She is as spiritual as the Lord Himself. In fact, being the personification of the hladini-shakti, the pleasure giving energy of the Lord, She is the only source of enjoyment for the Lord. This pleasure potency manifests spiritually as Radharani in a way that attracts even Lord Krishna. He takes no pleasure in anything material. The Lord could never enjoy anything that is less spiritual than Himself. Therefore Radha and Krishna are identical. Then She expands Herself into different forms, known as Lalita, Visakha, and Her other confidential associates that increase the mood of divine love. However, being the Lord’s hladini feature, She is also the ultimate source of all happiness for all the living beings. In other words, everything that gives pleasure and happiness within the spiritual or the material worlds is because of Her and the energy that emanates from Her. (Cc.Adi-lila.4.68-72) That same pleasure potency expands and spreads throughout the spiritual worlds, and then descends into the material creation into the many forms of happiness that is experienced by the conditioned soul, though it may be called by different names and perceived in assorted ways. Since we are all parts and parcels of the Lord, we also have that pleasure potency within us to a minute degree. But we are trying to enjoy it in the material world. Therefore we are like sparks that are dying out because we have left our place which is in the blazing fire of Lord Krishna’s association.
The Hare Krishna mantra also directs one’s attention and devotion to Radha as well as Krishna. Radha is also known as Mother Hara, which is the name Hare in the vocative form within the mantra. So in chanting Hare Krishna, we are first approaching the Lord’s internal potency and asking Radha to please engage us in the service of Lord Krishna. Concentrating on Krishna through His names is one form of that service. In other words, it is through Radha that one more easily attains Krishna and service to Krishna. This is the advantage of approaching Lord Krishna through Radharani.

The descriptions of the beauty of Radharani are wonderfully poetic and descriptive. Actually, the residents of Vrindavana care more for Radharani than they do for Lord Krishna. They know that Krishna can be influenced through Radharani. They know that Radha can bring one to Krishna. She is also the compassionate nature of the Lord, and thus more easily approached than trying to reach Lord Krishna directly. And when we read these descriptions of Radha, it is no wonder why they are devoted to Her. For example, it is explained that Srimati Radharani has unlimited transcendental qualities, of which twenty-five are principal. These include: 1) She is very sweet. 2) She is always freshly youthful. 3) Her eyes are restless. 4) She smiles brightly. 5) She has beautiful, auspicious lines. 6) She makes Krishna happy with Her bodily aroma. 7) She is very expert in singing. 8) Her speech is charming. 9) She is very expert in joking and speaking pleasantly. 10) She is very humble and meek. 11) She is always full of mercy. 12) She is cunning. 13) She is expert in executing Her duties. 14) She is shy. 15) She is always respectful. 16) She is always calm. 17) She is always grave. 18) She is expert in enjoying life. 19) She is situated in the topmost level of ecstatic love. 20) She is the reservoir of loving affairs in Gokula. 21) She is the most famous of submissive devotees. 22) She is very affectionate to elderly people. 23) She is very submissive to the love of Her friends. 24) She is the chief gopi. 25) She always keeps Krishna under Her control. In short, She possesses unlimited transcendental qualities, just as Lord Krishna does. (Ujjvala-nilamani, Sri-radha-prakarana 11-15)

http://www.stephen-knapp.com/radharani.htm

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LORD SHRI KRISHNA - SRIMATI RADHA RANI

Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-Gita (9.10): ‘Under My superintendence the material energy is working’.Apart from the material, external energy, there is another energy - the internal energy. By the internal energy the spiritual world is being manifested. As the material world is manipulated under the external energy, the spiritual world is conducted by the internal potency. That internal potency, called the Hladini Sakti, is Srimati Radharani.

In CC Adi 1.5 it is said “The loving affairs of Sri Radha and Krishna are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Radha and Krishna are one in Their identity, They separated Themselves eternally”. Srimati Radharani, as the highest devotee of Sri Krishna, derives the greatest pleasure in serving Him. She is the origin of all the Gopis and of all the Goddesses of Fortune (Lakshmi devi) who are engaged in the service of the Lord. She is the mainstay, the ideal and the ultimate refuge of all devotees embarking on the path of devotional service. Without first getting the mercy of Srimati Radharani it is impossible to even approach Sri Krishna.

Vrindavan Lila

When the Lord descends, He is invariably accompanied by His loving associates. Five thousand years when Sri Krishna descended in His original form, as a cowherd boy in Vrindavan, Srimati Radharani accompanied Him in Her original form. She appeared exactly two weeks after the appearance of Sri Krishna on the eighth day of the waning moon (ashtami). Srimati Radharani was found on a lotus flower by Vrashabhanu and his wife Kirtida near the village of Barsana, a few miles away from Nandagrama. It is said that Srimati Radharani first opened Her eyes only when Sri Krishna appeared before Her. Until that time Her eyes were
closed.

Understanding the mellows of the relationship between Krishna and Radha is impossible from the mundane perspective. Understanding madhurya-rasa (devotion at the platform of intimacy), which is the highest level of relationship of a devotee with Krishna, is only possible in the most elevated stages of bhakti where there is not even a tinge of material contamination. Therefore Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has written: “The loving affairs of Radha and Krishna are not ordinary, material loving affairs, although they appear like that. Rascals and fools misunderstand Krishna to be an ordinary man. They do not know Krishna’s transcendental nature. They try to imitate Krishna”s rasa-lila, His dancing with the Gopis”. There is no offense greater than this. Devotees starting on the path of bhakti must carefully avoid such offenses. They must simply pray to Srimati Radharani, as their most compassionate Mother, for mercy, for bhakti and for an opportunity to serve Sri Krishna.

http://www.girirajji.com/srimati-radha-rani.html

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Something From Wikipedia

She is the primeval internal potency of the LordRadha is the principal devotee of Krishna in the Srimad Bhagavatam, and the Gita Govinda of the Hindu religion.[1] Radha is almost always depicted alongside Krishna and features prominently within the theology of today’s Gaudiya Vaishnava religion, which regards Radha as the original Goddess or Shakti. Radha’s relationship with Krishna is given in further detail within texts such as the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Garga Samhita and Brihad Gautamiya tantra. Radha is also the principal object of worship in the Nimbarka Sampradaya, as Nimbarka, the founder of the tradition, declared that Radha and Krishna together constitute the absolute truth.[2]
Radha is often referred to as Rādhārānī or “Radhika” in speech, prefixed with the respectful term ‘Srimati’ by devout followers. Radha is one of the most important incarnations of Goddess Lakshmi.

In the Nimbarka Sampradaya, Radha’s relationship with Krishna is characterised by the svakiya-rasa, based on texts in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana and the Garga Samhita describing the wedding of Radha and Krishna. The Gaudiya tradition focuses upon parakiya-rasa as the highest form of love, wherein Radha and Krishna share thoughts even through separation. The love the gopis feel for Krishna is also described in this esoteric manner as the highest platform of spontaneous love of God, and not of a mundane sexual nature.Proponents of the Gaudiya and Nimbarka schools of Vaishnavism give the highly esoteric nature of Radha’s relationship to Krishna as the reason why her story is not mentioned in detail in the other Puranic texts.[citation needed]
In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra, Radharani is described as follows: “The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radha

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SRI RADHARANI -SRI KRISHNA'S BELOVED

Sri Radha is also known as Vrishbhanu Nandini , was born to Sri Vrishbhanuji and Mata Kirti in the land of Barsana. The divine Goddess blessed this Earth by Her birth on the nuptial day of Ashtami, Bhadrapad Shukla Paksh. Sri Radha Rani marks the existence of Sri Krishna for she is his soul, where the trinity (the three worlds that bow to Krishna’s feet) i.e: Sri Krishna himself bows to Sri Radha’s feet. Shri Radha’s beauty, power and resemblance create the ethics of love. None of the scriptures consists the power to verbalize her beauty, for it is clear enough that when beauty of Sri Krishna makes several hearts leave their boundaries, Her beauty is so mesmerizing that it makes Him loose consciousness. Then it is practical that thousand Kamas and Ratis are just soil particles before her. Sri Radharani is more sweet than her beauty for she reigns the world of love ,one who enchants her name before and along with Sri Krishna for example ‘Sri Radhakrishna’ is sure to reach Sri Krishna’s source full Bhakti. Usually we are told that Sri Radharani was a Gopi who was most near to Lord Krishna’s heart, but it is not true. In the world of Nikunj vrindavan, She is the empress of the world of Nikunj where Gopis and Sakhis serve her selflessly.

Sri Radha rani is the soul of Radhavallabh Sampradaya. The reason and the inspiration of existence of Radhavallabh Sampradaya is the transcendental love filled bond of Sri radha and Sri Krishna.
The supreme existence of Sri Radha rani is believed to be the soul of Sri Krishna Himself. Sri Krishna the trinity ruler said to be the most handsome charming and unbelievably brave himself bows to Shri Radha’s feet. This describes how magnificent exotic and pristine is the supreme power of Sri Radha.

The mystical world of nikunj is ruled by Sri Radhaji and to enter the corridors of Nikunj one has to be blessed by Her. Sri Radha the symbol of pure love and the soul of Sri Krishna is very innocent and tender. But Sri Radha cannot be easily approached because her aura is too mysterious to be understood by one.
The world of Nikunja is based on the transcendental love filled endeavors of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna. Holy land of Nikunja consists of four eternal parts which are:
Sri Radha, Sri Krishna, Vrindavan and the Sakhis.
The world of Nikunja is untouched by the worldly materialistic illusions and selfish desires. Its every part for eg: the trees, river, soil flowers, birds etc are nurtured and nourished by the transcendental pure selfless love filled devotion of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna.

http://www.radhavallabh.com/radha.htm

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SRI AUROBINDO:THE DREAMER OF DIVINE CONQUEST

ARVIND K.PANDEY

We celebrate our Independence day on August 15.It’s a very special day for all the Indians.It’s also a day to acknowledge the contributions of all the freedom fighters who made India’s tryst with freedom a reality.This day is also celebrated as birthday of India’s one of the greatest yogis Sri Aurobindo,who was much influenced with life of Lord Sri Krishna.He was instrumental in creating a big awakening among the Indians via his writings and speeches.

Ours is land of saints, bhaktas and yogis.It’s here alone that the invisible supreme has manifested himself in diverse ways like Krishna and Rama.Not only this, there exists so many ways to reach Him.While Gyana Yogis(Seekers of Knowledge)come to realize him through Shravana(Listening),Manana (Reflection) and Nidihidhyasana (Meditation),the Bhaktas(devotees)attain the Divine Abode by singing His divine glories.The Yogis come to apprehend him by disciplining their minds whereas followers of Tantra attain him via set of complex rituals.Each path further gets divide into various sects to provide suitable environment for the perfect development of the seekers according to his/her natural tendencies.

Sri Aurobindo’s arrival manifested one more fascinating path to strike union with the Lord.He was born on August 15, 1872 in Calcutta.His father Dr. K.D.Ghose ,a civil medical officer , favoured European upbringing for his children. After spending two years in Loretto Convent School at Darjelling ,Sri Aurobindo went to England for higher studies.He was earlier interested in joining Civil services and was nearly very close to fulfilling his ambition but destiny had planned something better for him.It’s strange but true that though he was raised in an European atmosphere he always dreamt of reforming the Indian society. At the age of 21, after spending 14 years in England he returned back to India. The restlessness or “Tamas”(darkness) that has gripped his mind during his stay in England gave way to extra ordinary spiritual well being in Sri Aurobindo soon after his arrival.

He joined the ongoing national movement and was one of the accused in Alipur Trial.In the jail the solitude gave him an opportunity to ponder deeply. As a result he came to ascertain that he was “called upon to preach to my country to make them realize that India had a mission to perform in the comity of nations”. He viewed the attainment of freedom as a first step towards establishment of Divine Rule in India. He engaged himself in spiritual practices for a greater target than freedom-the liberation of human race. He was a Mahayogi (supreme soul) who carved a unique way for the fulfillment of his task. Mysticism heavily shrouds his path which makes exact description of his ways and means adopted a little difficult for average person. So what exists is merely the tip of an iceberg. One reason which could be stated in this regard is that he functioned from a plane of thought that transcends earthly logic. In other words to coin earthly phrases for his sentiments serves little purpose. A fact which he himself asserts in the following words:” No one can write about my life because it has not been on the surface for man to see.”

His Yoga which has become known as Internal Yoga or the Integral Yoga has aspiration, surrender and rejection as its chief components .When one sincerely emulates his path one becomes open to supermind. His integral philosophy says that the “divine transcends from pure existence through the play of consciouness” and then there is compete transformation.There must first be the psychic change, the conversion of our whole present nature into a soul instrumentation; on that or along with that there must be the spiritual change, the descent of higher light ,Knowledge ,Force, Bliss, Purity into the whole being, even into the lowest recesses of the life and body, even into the darkness of our subconsconscience; last, there must supervene the supramental transformation, there must take place as the crowning movement the ascent into the supermind and the transforming descent of the Supramental Consciousness into our entire being and nature.”

We come to recognize our true nature when the veil is removed that separates the lower being from the higher being through the descent of the higher into the nature of the lower being and the forceful ascent of the lower being into the nature of the higher. The mind then recovers its divine light in all comprehending supermind and the soul realizes its divine self in the all-possessing all blissful ananda. Unlike the view maintained by Sri Adi Shankara who considers objective world an illusion, Sri Aurobindo feels that it has a reality separate from human consciousness. When we know ourselves, thinks Aurobindo, by going within ourselves and see with an inner knowledge man rises to the level of Brahman. The Suprarmental light at that stage imbibes his personality. But prior to that final state of pure knowledge or complete descent of supramental consciousness, a being has to pass through several stages from mind to supermind. Such a totally transformed person is known as Gnostic being. The normal human being reasoning rests on senses and reason but the Gnostic personality comprehends and penetrates the object by immediate total identification with it. Put differently, his reason is infused with synthetic vision of unity or identity. Such a being is not opposed to the so-called not -self but he treats it to be the part of the self which ignorant people fail to do.

Before the descent of supramental consciousness the mind passes through higher mind, illumined mind and the overmind. In the higher mind the limitations of thought or the rules of logic are absent. Totality is grasped as a single view in the higher mind. In the illumined mind the intuition plays a great role. Intuition allows one to look deeper into the reality underlying the substance by an intimate truth perception. Intuition brings before our eyes unknown by harmonizing will, feelings and emotions. Next comes the overmind which has the capacity to reconcile differences but that is not enough to bring integral transformation. The overmind cannot counteract the negative forces cause downward pull of the human soul.

The fear vanishes with the emergence of supramental consciousness. The descent of supermind is a prerequisite for formation of spiritualized society in which all the individuals unite themselves in a single world State This yoga comes to bring an inner elf development by which all beings discover the one self in all and evolve into higher consciousness. He comes to apprehend ‘the real truth of spirit in the world and real truth and highest law of life’. The attainment of this vision needs complete overhauling of our personality in order to make it adaptive to the higher consciousness.The supramental transformation brings an’ inner organized consciousness’ and personality vibrates with psychic abilities. But there must be preparation from below and grace from above. The Mother of the Sri Aurobindo Asharama in Pondicherry provides us the features of being who has undergone supramental transformation which are a perfect and constant equality and absolute certainty in the highest laws of nature.

Sri Aurobindo was of the opinion that gap between reason and faith, the phenomenal and noumenal world and the world of necessity and the world of freedom can be reduced to zero. He says” when we speak of It (read Absolute) as unknowable, we mean that, It really escapes the grasp of our thought and speech, instruments which proceed always by the sense of difference and express by the way of definition; but if not unknowable by thought. It is attainable by supreme effort of consciousness. There is even kind of knowledge which is one with Identity and by which, in a sense, It can be known.” In order to fulfill his dreams he set up a Ashrama at Pondicherry.On December 5,1950 he left his physical body to make his dream of getting Supermind into the material a reality. The much awaited descent of Supermind took place on February 29,1956. The Mother emphasized on April 24,1956 :’ The manifestation of the supramental upon earth is no more a promise but a living fact , a reality. It is at work here and one day will come when the most blind, the most unconscious, even the most unwilling will be able to recognize it.’

According to Sri Aurobindo whatever he is doing is “a beginning, not a completion.It is the foundation of a new consciousness on earth- a consciousness with infinite possibilities of manifestation”.

Let us not ignore the principles of Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma as that will dangerous for the progress of this nation. What he wrote in Karma Yogin needs to placed firmly in our hearts and mind. He stated that “The task we now set before ourselves is not mechanical but moral and spiritual.We aim not at the alteration of form of a government but the building of nation. Of that task politics is a part, but only a part. We shall devote not only to politics alone ,nor to social questions alone ,nor to theology or literature or science by themselves, but we include all these in one entity which we believe to be all important ,the dharma, the national religion which we also believe to be universal. There is mighty law of life , a great principal of human evolution , a body of spiritual knowledge and experience which India has always been destined to be guardian ,exemplar and missionary. This is Santana Dharma-the eternal religion.We must return and seek the sources of life and strength within ourselves. We must know our past and recover it for the purpose of our future. Our business is to realize ourselves first and to mould everything to the law of India’s eternal life and nature. We believe that it is to make Yoga the ideal of human life that India rises today; by the Yoga she will get the strength to realize her freedom, unity and greatness, by the Yoga she will keep the strength to perceive it. It is spiritual revolution we foresee and the material is only its shadow and reflex.”

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REFERENCES:

1. Sri Aurobindo by Navjata (National Book Trust, India)

2. Concepts Of Reason And Intuition By Ramesh Chandra Sinha (Janaki Prakashan ,Patna and Delhi)

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LORD KRISHNA:THE SAVIOUR WHO WAS EMBODIMENT OF LOVE

ARVIND K.PANDEY

The external world visible to us in its myriad forms appears solid and real. But few who know art of discrimination realize this beautiful world of us as no more than an illusion. Great souls have incarnated at various intervals to explain mysterious phenomenon of nature.Lord Krishna stands above all.He was not just a great soul but he was Lord Supreme. The “sixteen kalas”(sixteen attributes) which constitute facet of Great Purusha(Supreme Being ) namely Prana, faith, the five great elements,the sense, mind ,food ,strength, thoughts, mantra, karma, world and names manifested in him in full glory.

During childhood he displayed great feat of valour by killing a large number demons including Pootana, Aghasur and Bakasur that represented our evil mental vrittis(tendencies).Some unholy minds –the charlatans-frown over Krishna’s association with the Gopis,making it at par with some sort of illicit relationship. Well, it’s really hard to bring any substantial changes in perceptions of such blockheads who are being swayed by the Tamasic tendencies.

Little they are aware of the highest plane of consciousness, which is seat of functioning of these great souls.It’s of little importance to them whether they are living in palace or a hut, whether they are in company of beautiful woman or a madman. Taking note of our poor state of mind, we should at least refrain from engaging in senseless criticism.

Lord Krishna was a great statesman. Although he could have saved his face by distancing away from the great crisis that loomed large over the Pandavas, the Lord preferred to represent them. It wasn’t lack of sincere effort on part of Krishna that resulted in war between Pandavas and Kauravas.It was haughtiness of Duryodhana that blocked all other options other than war. Nevertheless, battlefield of Kurukshetra prepared the ground for Sri Krishna to deliver eternal song –the Bhagavad Geeta. The humanity would always remain grateful to him for His great gesture.

The great sage Sukadeva in praise of Govind says “Thou are the highest in the highest! Who can sing your infinite glory?” After witnessing the “Virat Swaroop”(The Great Form) of Lord Sri Krishna the overwhelmed Arjuna accepting him to be the father of whole creation says, “ No one is equal to you, nor can anyone be one with you. How then could there be anyone greater than You within the three worlds Lord of immeasurable power.”

Lord Krishna freely engaged in all sorts of activities. But for the sake of the welfare of people he solely shunned everything including his love for Radhaji. The poverty of physical language leaves on helpless while describing love of Radha and Krishna. Even the most insensitive heart is spellbound by novelty of intimate relationship between them. Observing Sri Krishna at human level we find that isolation severely affected him to an extent that in the later part of his life Krishna was left all alone. If one wishes to take notice one would certainly find that throughout His life amid company of high and rich he remained aloof.

Lord Krishna is always with those who sincerely pursue cause of truth. After all, he has promised to help seekers in all the ages and there is little to raise doubt over it. He has never failed in keeping his promises though at times delay takes place to test the sincerity of the seekers.

Lord Krishna says that we should “seek not for life on earth or in heaven. Thirst for life is an illusion. Knowing life to be transitory, wake up from dream of this ignorance and strive to attain knowledge and freedom before death claim thee.” Therefore, believing his words let’s try to add new dimensions in our earthly journey having Krishna both in heart and mind.