Lord Rama : Stories for children

Whoever surrenders, Râma accepts

God is so merciful that He will come ten steps towards you, if you but take one step towards Him. Vibhishana , the brother of Râvana, inquired from Hanumânwhether Râma will accept his homage and take him under His protecting shade.


Vibhishana said: "I am the brother of His worst enemy, whom He has vowed to destroy; I am a member of the demonic race; I am unacquainted with the Vedas or Sastras or the rituals of the Âryans". Then Hanumân replied: "O you fool! Do you think He cares for ritual correctitude, or family status or scholarship? If so, how could He accept me, a monkey?" That settled the matter. Vibhishana was assured of grace. 

Lord Rama

When he went to Râma later, He asked the elder monkeys around Him whether He could accept Vibhishana into the fold. Of course, He did not need any counsel from anyone. He was never influenced by others. But, still, just to bring them into the picture, He consulted them and made a pretence of not having made up His mind yet. When Sugriva  said "no", Râmareminded him that he too had come to Him, first, giving up his elder brother! When Lakshmana said that the only treatment he deserved was to be thrown back into Lankâ, Râma said, "Yes! I am resolved to crown him as the emperor of Lankâ, after the demise of Râvana". 


Whoever surrenders, Râma accepts, on the spot, without reservations. When someone suggested that Vibhishana should not be promised a throne, for, Râvana may fall at the feet of the Lord and earn pardon for his iniquity, Râma replied, "In that case, I will hold both hands of Bharata and beg him to make Vibhishana Emperor of Ayodhyâ, our ancestral domain; we both, Bharata and I, will spend our time happily in the forests".

Lord Krishna :Stories for children

Selfishness will never work in matters relating to God

There is a small story in the Mahâbhârata. With a view to get Krishna on her side,Satyâbhama,  one of his consorts, went to Nârada and requested him to tell her some way, a short-cut by which she can achieve her objective. Nârada knew that Satyâbhama was very selfish and that selfishness will never work in matters relating to God.

Nârada wanted to teach a lesson to Satyâbhama and said he knew of a method which would get Krishna on her side, a ritual in which she gives away her husband as a gift to someone and then buys him back by paying money, equivalent in weight to the weight of the Lord. Nârada said that Krishna will belong solely to Satyâbhama under all circumstances if she went through this ritual. 

Satyâbhama was lured into the plan. Therefore, she did the ritual of gifting Krishna to Nârada and then getting Him back. In one pan of the balance, she made Krishna sit and she put all her jewels in the other pan but it was no match to the weight of Krishna. Nârada saw an excellent opportunity in the situation and told Satyâbhama that since she is not able to give gold needed to equal her husband's weight, he was taking away Krishna and that from that day, Krishna would not belong to her; He would belong to him.
In that situation, Satyâbhama thought of Rukminî and went in search of her. She found her performing Tulasî puja. 

Lord Krishna

Rukminî went with a few Tulasî leaves in her hand. She was astonished to find that Satyâbhamawas trying to outweigh the Lord himself with gold. She knew that this would never be possible. She said that gold will never outweigh God and only God's Name can match Him in weight. Nârada did not agree with this and asked that since Krishna has a form which can be seen, He must be weighed against something which can also be seen. 


Rukminî immediately grasped the situation and she told herself that whether it is fruit, a flower, or a leaf or even a spoon of water, if given in full faith, God will surely respond. If there is any truth in this, she expected Krishna to respond to what she was going to do and in full faith, she placed a Tulasî leaf in the other pan of the balance, uttering the name of Krishna. It is only with affection, love and pure heart that one can get God. She won. 

Lord Ganesh: Stories for children

Vinayaka - The leader of all

On one occasion, a competition was arranged among the gods for selecting the leader of the games (troops of demigods who are attendants of Siva). Participants had to go round the world quick and come back to the feet of Lord Siva. The gods started off on their own vehicles; the elder son of Siva also enthusiastically entered the competition. He had an elephantine head; his vehicle was a mouse! Therefore, his progress was severely handicapped: He had not proceeded far, when Narada appeared before him and asked him, "Whither are you bound?" The son was very much annoyed; he fell into a rage.

 Lord Ganesh

For, what happened was a bad omen, doubly unpropitious for those going on a journey. It is inauspicious if the first person you come across when you are on a journey is lone Brahmin. Though the foremost among the Brahmins (He was the son of Brahma Himself):, Narada was a bad omen! Again it is a bad omen if you are going somewhere and someone asked, "Whither are you bound?" Narada put him that very question! Nevertheless, Narada was able to assuage his anger. He drew forth from Siva's son the cause of his predicament and his desire to win. Narada consoled him, exhorted him not to yield to despair, and advised him thus: Rama -the name-is the seed from which the gigantic tree called the universe has emanated. So, write the name on the ground, go round it once, and hurry back to Siva, claiming the prize." He did so and returned to his father. When asked how he returned so soon, he related the story of Narada and his advice. Siva appreciated the validity of Narada's counsel; the prize was awarded to the son, who was acclaimed as Gana-pati. (Master of the Ganas) and Vinaayaka (Leader of all).

The story of Food:Stories for Children

Your Thoughts affect the food you cook:Stories for Children

To purify the mind and the intellect for the correct reflection of the truth, the first caution is in regard to food. Instead, this is a very serious matter of Sadhakas. There lived in Mallur, Mysore State, and a pious Brahmin who was a great scholar. He had an equally pious wife. He was always intent on Puja and Japa Dhyana and was known far and wide for his virtuous character.

 One day, a sanyasin called Nityananda came to his door seeking alms; so, he was happy beyond measure. He invited the monk to take dinner with him the next day so that he might honor him with due hospitality. He hung green festoons over his doors and made elaborate arrangements for the reception. But, at the eleventh hour, physical impurity rendered his wife unfit to prepare food for the honored guest or for any one else. 

Cooking

A neighbour volunteered to cook the meal and she was brought in and introduced into the kitchen. Everything went off well and all were as happy as they could be, under the circumstances. Only, the sanyasin was wrong during meals by an overpowering desire to steal the silver cup, which the host had placed near the plate. 

In spite of his best efforts, the evil idea won and the sanyasin hurried to his abode with the cup hidden in the folds of his robe. He could not sleep that night, for his conscience pricked him so. He felt he had brought disgrace on his Guru and on the Rishis whom he invoked by the mantras he recited. He could not until he ran back into the Brahmin's house and, falling at his feet, restored the article with tears of repentance trickling down his cheeks. Everyone wondered how such a saint could stoop so low. Then someone suggested it might the person who cooked it transmit the fault to the food he ate. 

And when they examined the history of the neighbor thy found that she was an irrepressible thief! The thieving tendency had, by subtle contact, affected the food she prepared. This is the reason why Sadhakas are advised to live on fruits and tubers only, when they reach a certain stage of spiritual achievement.

Lesson for children

Sai Baba

We should partake food with a Sathwic mind. Our ancestors recommended the offering of food to God before partaking. Food so partaken becomes "Prasad" (consecrated offering). Prayer cleanses the food of the three  impurities; caused by the absence of cleanliness of the vessel, cleanliness of the food stuff, and cleanliness in the process of cooking. It is necessary to get rid of these three impurities to purify the food; for, pure food goes into the making of a pure mind. It is not possible to ensure the purity of the cooking process, since we do not know what thoughts rage in the mind of the man who prepares the food. Similarly, we cannot ensure the cleanliness of the food ingredients as we do not know whether it was acquired in a righteous way by the seller who has sold it to us. Hence, it is essential on our part to offer food to God in the form of prayer, so that these three impurities do not afflict our mind. 

Prayer From Bhagavad Gita

Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmaagnau Brahmanaa Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samaadhinaha

Aham Vaishvaanaro Bhutva
Praaninaam Dehamaashritha
Praanaapaana Samaa Yuktaha
Pachaamyannam Chatur Vidam 

Harir Daatha Harir Bhoktha
Harir Annam Prajaapatih
Harir Vipra Shareerastu
Bhoonkte Bhojayathe Harih.

"The food thus offered to God is digested by 'Vaishwanara" in the digestive system. Since God exists in the form of fire as Vaishwanara, He digests the food along with the impurities. So, man will not be affected even if  the impurities enter the food." - Baba

Eating outside food is not avoidable now a days.Recite this food mantra before eating and the food you eat will become prasad and kills all impurities in it.

Oscar Wilde

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900) was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. Today he is remembered for his epigrams and plays, and the circumstances of his imprisonment which was followed by his early death.

Wilde's parents were successful Dublin intellectuals. Their son became fluent in French and German early in life. At university Wilde read Greats; he proved himself to be an outstanding classicist, first at Dublin, then at Oxford. He became known for his involvement in the rising philosophy of aestheticism, led by two of his tutors, Walter Pater and John Ruskin. After university, Wilde moved to London into fashionable cultural and social circles. As a spokesman for aestheticism, he tried his hand at various literary activities: he published a book of poems, lectured in the United States and Canada on the new "English Renaissance in Art", and then returned to London where he worked prolifically as a journalist. Known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress, and glittering conversation, Wilde had become one of the most well-known personalities of his day.

Quotes and Thoughts of Oscar Wilde

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.

What is beautiful is a joy for all seasons and a possession for all eternity.

I can resist everything except temptation itself.

If you pretend to be good, the world takes you very seriously. If you pretend to be bad, it doesn't. Such is the astounding stupidity of optimism.

Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul.
The truth is rarely pure and never simple.

Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.

Bigamy is having one wife too many. Monogamy is the same.

There is always something ridiculous about the emotions of people whom one has ceased to love.

Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.

I am not young enough to know everything.

It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating.

The brotherhood of man is not a mere poet's dream: it is a most depressing and humiliating reality.

A man can't be too careful in the choice of his enemies.

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.

The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything except genius.

By giving us the opinions of the uneducated, journalism keeps us in touch with the ignorance of the community.

I can believe anything, provided that it is quite incredible.

Always love your enemies - nothing annoys them so much.

A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.

The difference between literature and journalism is that journalism is unreadable, and literature is not read.

Duty is what one expects from others.

There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about and that is not being talked about.

He hasn't an enemy in the world, and none of his friends like him.

Whenever one has anything unpleasant to say, one should always be quite candid.

No man is rich enough to buy back his past.

Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.

Oscar Wilde

Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.

29 Popular Quotes of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was born on February the twelfth 1809, and became the 16th President of the United States on March the 4th 1861 at the age of 52, he died four years later on April the 15th 1865 at the age of 56.


Accomplishments of Abraham Lincoln
1. Abraham Lincoln made the decision to fight to prevent the nation from splitting apart.

2. Abraham Lincoln was an unfaltering commander in chief during the Civil War which preserved the United States as one nation.

3. Abraham Lincoln's foreign policy was successful in preventing other countries from intervening in America's Civil War.

4. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which began the process of freedom for America's slaves. The document also allowed black soldiers to fight for the Union.

5. Abraham Lincoln was a strong supporter of the Thirteenth Amendment that formally ended slavery in the United States.

6. Legislation Abraham Lincoln signed into law included the Homestead Act, the Morrill Act, the National Banking Act, and a bill that chartered the first transcontinental railroad.

7. Abraham Lincoln set an example of strong character, leadership, and honesty which succeeding presidents tried to emulate. Barack Obama stated during his campaign that he would look to Lincoln as a model.

Abraham Lincoln

8. Abraham Lincoln gave a series of great speeches before and during his presidency including the House Divided Speech, the Cooper Union Address, the First Inaugural Address, the Gettysburg Address, and the Second Inaugural Address.

9. Abraham Lincoln wrote a series of famous letters including the letters to Grace Bedell, Horace Greeley, Fanny McCullough, and Lydia Bixby.

10. Abraham Lincoln's quotes are among the most famous quotes in the world.

Quotes and Thoughts of Abraham Lincoln

1. Whatever you are be a good one.
2. Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.
3. Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.
4. Quarrel not at all. No man resolved to make the most of himself can spare time for personal contention.
5. You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.
6. Avoid popularity if you would have peace.
7. Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.
8. No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent.
9. If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend.
10. It is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels worthy of himself and claims kindred to the great God who made him.
11. Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.
12. Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new after all.
13. Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
14. I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me.
15. Freedom is the last, best hope of earth.
16. Whatever you are, be a good one.
17. That some should be rich, shows that others may become rich, and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and enterprise.
18. Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
19. To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards out of men.
20. It is best not to swap horses while crossing the river.
21. I will prepare and some day my chance will come.
22. What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself.
23. Those who write clearly have readers, those who write obscurely have commentators.
24. Honest statesmanship is the wise employment of individual meanness for the public good.
25. You can fool some of the people all the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time.
26. Force is all-conquering, but its victories are short-lived.
27. Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
28. If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?
29. When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. And that's my religion.

Best Quotes of Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon".

Shakespeare Quotes 

If music be the food of love, play on.

Have more than thou showest,
Speak less than thou knowest.

To business that we love, we rise betime and go to't with delight.

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.

Modest doubt is the beacon of the wise.

Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear.

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.

Cowards die many times before their death, the valiant never tastes death but once.

Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon then.

When valour preys on reason, it eats the sword it fights with.

Wise men never sit and wail their loss, but cheerily seek how to redress their harms.

All the world is a stage and all of us are but players in the theatre of life.

Dreams are toys. Yet for this once, yea, superstitiously, I will be squared by this.

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.

One may smile, and smile, and be a villian.

There's small choice in rotten apples.

Violent delights have violent ends.

All that glitters is not gold.

Brevity is the soul of wit. FT2P6NCKQKPB 

Shakespeare

1. 
   

Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks, shall win my love.

23 Must Read Quotes of Aristotle

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.


Quotes of Aristotle / Thoughts of Aristotle

Aristotle

1. Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.
2. Those who educate children well are more to be honored than parents, for these only gave life, those the art of living well.
3. There is a foolish corner in the brain of the wisest man.
4. Time crumbles things; everything grows old under the power of Time and is forgotten through the lapse of Time.”
5. “In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.”
6. “Misfortune shows those who are not really friends.”
7. “He who has overcome his fears will truly be free.”
8. Nature does nothing uselessly.
9. What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.
10. Humor is the only test of gravity, and gravity of humor; for a subject which will not bear raillery is suspicious, and a jest which will not bear serious examination is false wit.
11. Liars when they speak the truth are not believed.
12. The only stable state is the one in which all men are equal before the law.
13. Love truth, and pardon error.
14. Misfortune shows those who are not really friends.
15. Law is order, and good law is good order.
16. Hope is a waking dream.
17. Wit is educated insolence.
18. Happiness depends upon ourselves.
19. Young people are in a condition like permanent intoxication, because youth is sweet and they are growing.
20. Education is the best provision for old age.
21. The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.
22. Anyone can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way - this is not easy.
23. Virtue is a mean state between two vices, the one of excess and the other of deficiency.

Know more about Aristotle

Money Plant

The scientific name of Money Plant is Scindapsus aureus.It is also called as Jade plant,lucky plant and commonly called as home plant.Money plant can be planted around the year with ease.

Money plant is the most easy to grow indoor plant.Maintenance also not very difficult.Soil is also not required for this plant to grow.It grows even in an water filled bottle.Keep the plant in shade.Avoid keeping it in direct sunlight. Less light it gets, darker its leaves would become.Yellow leaves is a sign of overwatering and excess supply of fertilizer.If there is any fungal infection clean the leaves with soap solution mixed with water and keep it in sunlight for couple of hours.

Money plants is believed to bring good prosperity,good health and wealth. 

It can be grown in home and offices.It decorates the place and creates the pleasant mood in us with its attractive shiny heart-shaped,dark green and yellow leaves.

Money Plant is a natural and beautiful source of fresh air.Toxic in the air is absorbed by the money plant .Especially,Money Plant removes the volatile organic compounds from the air and improves the air quality. It energizes the  environment by purifying the air and increases the oxygen flow.It  gives fresh clean air to breathe.

Money Plant

Money plant adds beauty to the place and relieve mental fatigue.Also calms and soothes us with its beauty.

As per feng shui,Money Plant kept inside home and offices produces positive vibrations and attract prosperity to the owner is the belief.

As per Vastu Experts,Money Plant kept inside home and offices brings good luck.
It freshens the environment and boost the health.

It is not expensive also.

It may or may not brings good luck  but definitely it retreats your eye and mind.It brightens and decorates the environment and improves the  health is the truth.



Caution:Money plant is a toxic plant considered poisonous.

20 Wisdom Quotes of Chanakya

Chanakya,one of the great philosopher in the history of mankind is traditionally identified as Kautilya or Vishnu Gupta.He has been called the "Indian Machiavelli"for his works(Arthashastra and Neetishastra ).

Quotes/Great Thoughts of Chanakya - a guide to improve our life.

1)   "Learn from the mistakes of others... you can't live long enough to make them all yourselves!!"

2)   "A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and Honest people are screwed first."

3)  "Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous."

Chanakya

4)   "There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth."

5)  "Before you start any work always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead."

6)    "As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it."

7)   "The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman."

8)   "Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest."

9)    "The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction."

10)  "God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple."

11)    "A man is great by deeds, not by birth."

12)   "Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness."

13)   "Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends."

14)   "Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person."

15)  "Education is the Best Friend. An Educated Person is Respected Everywhere. Education beats the Beauty and the Youth."

16) A man is born alone and dies alone; and he experiences the good and bad consequences of his karma alone; and he goes alone to hell or the Supreme abode. 

17)He who is overly attached to his family members experiences fear and sorrow, for the root of all grief is attachment. Thus one should discard attachment to be happy. 

18)The biggest guru-mantra is: never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you. 

19)Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune. 

20)The earth is supported by the power of truth; it is the power of truth that makes the sun shine and the winds blow; indeed all things rest upon truth.