Ambimama - India

ARUDRA DARSHAN, is the day of the `Sight of Siva’, when He danced as Nataraja, the cosmic dance of creation and dissolution of the universe.
The cosmic dance of Lord Shiva (Nataraja) represents five activities – Creation, Protection, Destruction, Embodiment and Release. In essence, it represents the continuous cycle of creation and apocalypse. This cosmic dance takes place in every particle and this is the source of all energy.

The Lord danced in ecstasy in the Chitsabha. From the Damaru or Udukkai in his hands, the drum sounds and alphabets were born. The swift-footed deer that He holds in his hand represents the human mind. The skin of tiger that the Lord is attired with represents Ahankara - or ego - that He killed. The river Ganges flowing out of his matted hair represents Chit Sakthi - wisdom - and the Crescent Moon that He wears is representative of the blissfulness of the Soul.
The dance of Shiva has been discussed by many scholars.
1. It is a symbol of his rhythmic play as the source of all movements within the cosmos
2. The dance is to release the countless souls of men from the snare of illusion
3. The place of the dance - Chidambaram, the centre of the Universe - is within the heart. Chit means Heart or Soul, Sabha the Place or the Body.

The dancers in India first pay respect to Nataraja, the Cosmic Dancer and start their performance. The very form of the dance posture is under research which is a perfect answer to gravity, balance, motion of the Cosmos and the same dance is taking inside us. We pray to Lord Shiva to restore the balance in me who keeps the Cosmos in balance.
The cosmic dance is of many varieties.

Siva Thandavam is a form of cosmic dance by Lord Siva in Chidambaram which consists of 108 Karanams. Siva Thaandavam is a cosmic dance of creation, protection and destruction. Other forms of Cosmic Dance of Lord Siva are Ananda Thaandavam, Sandya Thaandavam, Kalika Thaandavam, Vijaya Thaandavam, Oorthva Thaandavam, Uma Thaandavam and Samhara Thaandavam.

Miracles or ‘Thiru Vilayadal’ are countless, performed by Lord Shiva for his devotees. There was a devotee who burnt all the lamps in a Temple with water. If the Lord wishes he can burn a lamp with water!

The King and citizen are equal before the God. Kings in India shared the food and God’s bliss. Today on Thiruvadirai all of us eat the simple food made from cereals and Jaggery called Kali and Kootu made from vegetables. On this day all the people worship Lord Shiva, the destroyer of Tamasic or evil forces within us and the World to enjoy peace and bliss.

The destruction is a part of evolution. Every day we sleep or die to wake up fresh. The ‘shivam’ or the intelligence of God inside us takes care of the need to destroy cells so that new ones are born.

Thiruvadirai is to Tamil which means Arudra. Today is Arudra Darshan. Rudra means the destroyer of evil forces. Arudra is one of the 27 stars that are assigned to Hindus as a birth star and it has a red flame. A symbolic worship of the Lord Shiva in the form of Arudra star is marked as a festival today.
Some references point out that Arudra is two-and-a-half crore times bigger than the sun. It has a diameter of 200 crore miles.
Today is a full moon day and the star today is Arudra or Tiruvadirai. In the month of Marghazhi, on the day when Thiruvadirai star and new moon coincide, we celebrate the cosmic dance of Nataraja or Shiva.
Reading the stories in mythology in Hindu has great significance and relation to Astrology, Astronomy, Mathematics, Philosophy, Science, Truth and God.

The Press Meet was relayed on all TV channels today at 5 pm. Confidence, team work, crisis management and carrying on the immediate work for clients by Board and other top members of Satyam team is really inspiring. OK Raju has made mistake and admitted it, but he has made us proud by making a fine team at Satyam and the image of new corporate image of success. Success was possible for many Indian IT entrepreneurs by their hard work, meeting client requirements and team work.

Satyam had gone one step ahead and met the challenge of Media and Public and patiently answered all their questions. Oracle has already said it will be with Satyam to carry on the work as usual. Panic had struck some employees and clients. But Satyam management had kept cool in crisis situation and will get the confidence back.

The hard work done for many years in a specialized area cannot be done by any MNC or Indian competitor in a day. With current job problems Satyam employees must think again!

MAN,THE UNKNOWN, by ALEXIS CARREL, NOBEL PRIZE WINNER is a book published in 1935. This book is still today the inspiring work for many authors, nation builders and scientists and philosophers equally.
Some notes from the book without any editing is given:

1. There is no other road open to human progress than the optimum development of all the physiological, intellectual, and spiritual potentialities of the individual. Only apprehension of the whole reality can save modern man. We must, therefore, give up philosophical systems, and rely exclusively upon scientific concepts.

2. Today, mankind should be given an immortal brain, a permanent focus of thoughts to guide its faltering steps. Our institutions for scientific research are not sufficient, because their discoveries are always fragmentary. In order to build a science of man, and a technology of civilization, centers of synthesis must be created where collective thinking and integration of specialized data will forge a new knowledge. In this manner, both individuals and society will be given the immovable foundations of operational concepts, and the power to survive.

3. However, the public does not yet fully understand the significance of the economic crisis, of the decline in the birth rate, of the moral, nervous, and mental decay of the individual. It does not conceive how immense a catastrophe a European war will be for humanity–how urgent is our renovation.

4. Nevertheless, in democratic countries, the initiative for this renovation must emanate from the people, and not from the leaders.

5. The intellectual and moral surroundings in which we are immersed have equally been molded by science. There is a profound difference between the world that permeates the mind of modern men and the world wherein our ancestors lived. Before the intellectual victories that have brought us wealth and comfort, moral values have naturally given ground. Reason has swept away religious beliefs. The knowledge of the natural laws, and the power given us by this knowledge over the material world, and also over human beings, alone are of importance. Banks, universities, laboratories, medical schools, hospitals, have become as beautiful as the Greek temples, the Gothic cathedrals, and the palaces of the Popes.

The book deals with inner power of Man with respect for Religious beleifs and Science to be applied for his development and the World.

One of the Indian TV channels conducted a survey on whether India should have intelligence structure as Israel. It was amusing as Gaza issue is different. The Arabs themselves are tired and have varying opinions and support for Palestinians.

This issue of Mideast is a separate and painful one. The problem is connected to World War II and formation of Israel which is not recognized by some Arab nations. Of course where there is War and innocents are killed we have cause to worry. We understand the Arab getting fumed over Israel’s strike now, but definitely cannot understand hatred going back to centuries. I have seen Gulf people getting angry when a Jew like Einstein or Spielberg praised. The hatred for America comes by the support it gives to Israel. India was appreciated when it took sides with Yasar Arafat and Palestinian cause.

We have seen war and its pain many centuries ago. Peace inside and outside is wonderful, but if neighbour understands only the language of War it has to be fought and won.