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THE OVERCOATS OF NIKOLAI GOGOL AND RUSKIN BOND

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Please open the Shillong Times link below:

Nikolai Gogol

https://theshillongtimes.com/2024/03/10/the-overcoats-of-nikolai-gogol-and-ruskin-bond/

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety in content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

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Kamlesh Tripathi’s Publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US which include Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed at MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada; Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India; Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; It is also available for reading in the Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity, which is the undying characteristic of Lucknow. The book was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California; Berkeley Library, University of California).

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2016).

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his way through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February 2018 at Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day-to-day life. A few poems from the book have been published in Shillong Times, Bandra Times and Bhavan’s Journal. The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available on Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

AWADH ASSAM AND DALAI LAMA … The Kalachakra

(The story of the man who received His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his retinue in 1959 as a GOI representative when he fled Tibet in 1959. The book was launched on 21st November 2022 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama at Dharmshala. The title is archived in the library of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) Government of Tibet, Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) and the personal library of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The title is also archived in The Ohio Digital Library, USA. It was recently included in the digital library of the world-renowned company APPLE).

BHAVANS JOURNAL

Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1. Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2. Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3. Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20, 2020; 4. Indica, 15.8.20; 5. The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6. Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9. The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10. Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11. Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12. Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13. Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14. A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15. Are Animals Better Teachers? June 16, 2021; 16. Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17. Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18. Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19. Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20. Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25. Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26. The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22; 27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29. Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22; 33. Good Name vs Bad Name 15.10.22; 34. Uttarapath—The Grand Trunk Road 1.12.22; 35. When Gods Get Angry 1.1.23; 36. Holinshed’s Chronicles 15.1.23; 37. Theogony 15.2.23; 38. Poem: Mother 14.5.23; 39. THE NAG MANDIR 30.6.23; 40. The Story of Garuda 30.7.23; 41. Janmabhoomi vs Karmabhoomi 31.8.23; 42. The Ghost Town of Kuldhara 15.9.23; 43. The Tale of Genji 15.10.23; 44. The Soul Connection 1.12.23;

THE SHILLONG TIMES—SUNDAY EDITION

ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: HAPPY NEW YEAR 8.1.23; 2. POEM: SPRING 12.3.23; 3. POEM: RIGHT AND WRONG 20.3.23; 4. THE GUSH OF EMOTION—WRITING, 26.3.23; 5. THE NAG MANDIR, 7.5.23; 6. POEM: MOTHER 7.5.23; 7. POEM: RAIN RAIN 9.7.23; 8. POEM: YOU COME ALONE YOU GO ALONE 6.8.23; 9. RAIN RAIN (SECOND TIME) 10.8.23; 10. POEM: GURU TEACHER 10.8.23; 11. POEM: AUTUMN … THE INTERIM HEAVEN 15.10.23; 12. POEM: HAPPY DIWALI 12.11.23; 13. OVERCOMING BLINDNESS: LEARN IT THE JOHN MILTON WAY 10.12.23; 14. THE HAPPY PRINCE AND THE HAPPY MAN’S SHIRT 31.12.23; 15. ANNUS MIRABILIS 2024 7.1.24; 16. GANDHI TO MAHATMA GANDHI- Incidents that Shaped Gandhi in South Africa 28.1.24; 17. POEM: TOGETHER BUT NOT MADE FOR EACH OTHER, 11.2.24; 18. THE BIRDS BEES AND THE SPIDERS OF NICHOLAS GUILDFORD AND JONATHAN SWIFT 25.2.24; 19. THE OVERCOATS OF NIKOLAI GOGOL AND RUSKIN BOND 10.3.24

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE

ARTICLE: 1. THE MAGIC OF READING 11.12.23; 2. GANDHI TO MAHATMA 29.1.24

BANDRA TIMES, MUMBAI

ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: SPRING, 1.4.23; 2. POEM: MOTHER, 1.6.23; 3. POEM: RAIN RAIN, 1.8.23;

ARTICLES IN THE DIGITAL MAGAZINE ESAMSKRITI

29.12.2020: INDICA BY MEGASTHENES; 14.3.22: ABOUT THE DIMASA KINGDOM ASSAM; 10.12.22: GRAND TRUNK ROAD-UTTARAPATH; 5.10.23: THE GHOST TOWN OF KULDHARA NEAR JAISALMER;

(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

*****

ERNEST HEMINGWAY’S WORKS ARE CONSIDERED CLASSICS OF AMERICAN LITERATURE

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ERNEST HEMINGWAY

Miller Hemingway (1899-1961) was an American novelist, short story writer, journalist and sportsman. His economical and understated style had a strong influence on 20th Century fiction. Hemingway’s writings include themes of love, war, travel, wilderness and loss. Hemingway often wrote about Americans abroad. In most of his novels, the protagonist is abroad, bilingual and bicultural.  Hemingway published seven novels, six short story collections and three non-fiction works. Noted for the intense masculinity of his writing and his adventurous and widely publicized life, his succinct and lucid prose style exerted a powerful influence on American and British fiction in the 20th century.

Hemingway led an adventurous life. After high school, he was a reporter for a few months for the Kansas City Star before leaving for the Italian front to work as an ambulance driver in World War I. In 1918, he was seriously wounded and returned home. His wartime experiences formed the basis for his novel” A Farewell to Arms”(1929) 

In 1921 he moved to Paris. Whilst working in Paris as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star, he was encouraged by other American writers, Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound. He began there to see his non-journalistic work appear in print and the first important book –the collection of stories called “In Our Time” was published in New York City in 1925. It was earlier released in Paris in 1924. In Paris he fell under the influence of modernist writers and artists of the 1920’s and the Lost Generation expatriate community,

In 1926 he published “The Sun also rises” a novel with which he scored his first solid success. It is pessimistic but a sparkling book which deals with a group of aimless expatriates in France and Spain – members of the post war Lost Generation. Hemingway’s, other work, “The Torrents of Spring” is a parody of the American writer Sherwood Anderson’s book” Dark Laughter” which also appeared in 1926.   

During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), Hemingway made four trips there as a correspondent. The Fifth Column (1938) he wrote is set in a besieged Madrid. As in many of his books, the protagonist of the play is based on the author and the part he played in assisting the Republicans against General Franco’s forces.

The harvest of Hemingway’s considerable experience in Spain in war and peace, was the novel, “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (1940), a substantial and impressive work which some critics consider his finest novel, in preference to “A Farewell to Arms”. All his life, Hemingway was fascinated by war and in “A Farewell to Arms” he focused on its pointlessness and in “For Whom the Bell Tolls” he focuses on the comradeship it creates.

During the Second World War, Hemingway was present with the Allied troops as a journalist during the Normandy landings and the Liberation of Paris. He almost died in 1954 after plane crashes on successive days. The injuries left him in pain and ill health for much of the rest of his life,

In 1953, he received the Pulitzer Prize in fiction for his “The Old Man and the Sea” (1952).This book also paved the way for his receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. “The Old Man and the Sea” is a short heroic novel about an Old Cuban fisherman who after an extended struggle, hooks and boats a giant marline only to have it eaten by voracious sharks during the long voyage home. We can trace some of its origins, to his stay at his estate in Cuba.  

Hemingway’s characters embody his own values and views on life. The main characters of “The Sun also Rises,” “A Farewell to Arms” and “For Whom the Bell Tolls” are young men whose strength and self confidence co-exist with a sensitivity that leaves them deeply scarred by their war time experiences.

War for Hemingway was a potent symbol of the world, which he viewed as complex and filled with moral ambiguities and offering almost unavoidable pain, hurt and destruction. To survive in such a world and perhaps even emerge victorious, one must conduct oneself with honour, courage and dignity, seen as a set of principles known as the Hemingway code. He seems to think that to behave well in the lonely, losing battle of life is to show grace under pressure and constitutes in itself a kind of victory, a theme he clearly established in “The Old Man and the Sea”.

His position as a master of short fiction had been advanced with the story, ”Men without Women” (1927) and established with “ Winner Take Nothing”  in 1933. Among his finest stories are: “The Killer”, “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, ”The Snows of Kilimanjaro. The novel “A Farewell to Arms” (1929) however overshadowed such works. In this novel reaching back to his experience as a young soldier in Italy, Hemingway developed a grim but lyrical novel of great power fusing love story with war story, based on his personal life.

Tragically, scarred by wars and his four marriages, in the end Hemingway committed suicide by killing himself with a shotgun.

Compiled by Janina Gomes

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Share it if you like it

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our Publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US that includes Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada, Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida; India. Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; Available for reading in Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be the undying characteristics of Lucknow. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA).

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available in Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

All of these books are available on any online stores.

LEO TOLSTOY-Among the World’s Greatest Writers … by Janina Gomes

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Leo Tolstoy

It is difficult to write about one of the greatest writers that ever existed and to trace the influence of his life experiences on his writings, but we can only try to do justice to him and his seminal novels ‘War and Peace’ and ‘Anna Karenina’ by a short biography of his life.

Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was born to an aristocratic Russian family. His mother died when he was two years old and his father when he was nine years old.  He and his siblings were raised by his relatives.  His studies at Kazan University, where he was studying law and oriental languages, which he left in the middle, seemed to invite the disdain of his teachers who described him as both unable and unwilling to learn.

He returned to his family estate at Yasnaya Polyana, and spent his life visiting Moscow, Tula and St. Petersburg leading a lax and luxurious life. After incurring heavy gambling debts, he went with his older brother and joined the Russian Army in 1851. He served as a young artillery officer during the Crimean War and was in Sevastopol during the 11 month long siege of Sevastopol in 1854-55. During the war he was recognized for his courage and promoted to Lieutenant. But he was appalled by the number of deaths there were in warfare and after the Crimean War, he left the Army. His experience in the Army and two tours to Europe in 1857 and 1860-61 changed him from a dissolute and privileged society author to a non-violent and spiritual anarchist. During his 1857 visit to Paris, he witnessed a public execution, a trauma that marked him for life.

Two great French writers and intellectuals who influenced him and his work were Victor Hugo and Joseph Proudhon. With the latter his discussions also focused on education. These interactions so fired him with enthusiasm that he returned to his family estate to set up 13 schools for the children of Russian peasants who had just been emancipated from serfdom in 1861.

Tolstoy’s major novels’ War and Peace’ and ‘Anna Karenina’ and his novellas such as ‘Hadji Murad’ and the ‘Death of ‘Ivan Ilyich’ all consistently attempted to convey realistically the Russian society in which he lived. ‘The Cossacks’ (1863) describes the Cossack life and people. ‘Anna Karenina’( 1877) tells parallel stories of an adulterous woman trapped in the conventions  and falsities of society and a  philosophical landowner( much like Tolstoy) who worked alongside the peasants in the fields and sought to reform their lives. Tolstoy not only drew on his life experiences but also created characters in his own image such as, Pierre Bezukhov and Prince Andrei in ‘War and Peace’ and Levin in ‘Anna Karenina’.

‘War and Peace’ is remarkable for its dramatic breadth and unity, which includes 580 characters, many of them historical figures and some fictional ones. The story encompasses a vast canvas and moves from family life to the headquarters of Napolean, and from the court of Alexander I of Russia to the battlefields of Austerlitz and Borodino. Its grandeur and scope make it one of the greatest novels ever written.

  In the 1870’s Tolstoy experienced a profound moral crisis and a profound spiritual awakening as outlined in his non-fictional work ‘The Confession’ (1882). His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus centering on his Sermon on the Mount’ caused him to become a fervent Christian anarchist and pacifist. His ideas on non-violent resistance expressed in such works as ‘The Kingdom of God is Within You’ had a pivotal influence on two great leaders of the 20th century- Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King .Jr.

His contemporaries, among whom we can count, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Gustav Flaubert and Anton Chekov paid him lofty tributes. And in the words of British poet and critic, Mathew Arnold: “A novel by Tolstoy is not a work of art but a piece of life”.

Janina Gomes 

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Share it if you like it

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our Publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US that includes Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada, Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida; India. Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; Available for reading in Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be the undying characteristics of Lucknow. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA).

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available in Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

*****

ARTICLE: RIGHT AGE FOR ACHIEVEMENTS … Kamlesh Tripathi

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Copyright@shravancharitymission


By Kamlesh Tripathi
*
https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com
*
Share it if you like it
*
Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION
Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)
IFSC code: BKID0006805
*
Our Publications
GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE
(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US that includes Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada, Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida; India. Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).  
ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY
(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; Available for reading in Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)
AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES
(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be the undying characteristics of Lucknow. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA).
REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD
(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)
TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN
(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
RHYTHM … in poems
(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
MIRAGE
(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available in Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)
Short stories and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20 2020; Indica, 15.8.20; The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; Happy Days, November 15, 2020; The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15,2020; Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; Are Animals Better Teachers?, June 16, 2021; Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21;
(ALL THE ABOVE TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)
*****
 
 
 
 

UTOPIA TO DYSTOPIA

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Utopia to Dystopia The world has become colourful. But the ‘Happy Prince’ is no more alive to see it. So is the swallow, who carried out his last orders, but died in the frost, at his feet, before escaping to Egypt. The lead metal statue of the ‘Happy Prince’ cracks in agony but his leaden heart still beats for his kingdom and his junta. But are there any such rulers, anymore? Well they are extinct. Perhaps, the author, you know, about whom, I’m talking, I’m forgetting his name, par naam me kya rakha hai, can rewrite the story again, while flourishing in the heaven. And, is there a ‘happy man’ without a shirt anymore? No!! I’m sure not. For the man now, not only, wears, shirts, but he wears colourful shirts, yet remains unhappy.

The Utopia is now seized of bright colours, such as red—blue, green and the saffron, and some adamant tenets, and philosophies, to rule with, the so called isms, the right wing and the left wing in the central hall of democracy. Have we gone back in time? Are we proving Hesiod’s Theogony as right, that said, initially, the dense darkness, covered everything, until the earth was born out of chaos? With earth came the mountains, the sea and the sky, the Uranus. Uranus and Earth came together and gave birth to the Titans. Later Titans and Gods both from the same lineage fought for supremacy where Zeus won just like Lord Krishna. But halt here. Take time off to think. For world leaders of today suffer from the same fear as Uranus, Cronus and the Kansa Mama of Mathura, who swallowed, there would be adversaries. Even Nigas tried swallowing Lord Vishnu but in a different context. The Robinhoods are extinct now.

The two biggest democracies are in the news often for the wrong reasons. There are too many Brutus’ that may put the original one to shame and the Bard into a wonder. To be or not to be. Much has evolved, but more is yet to come. Wait and watch. Be on the lookout for that happy man without a shirt, and the happy prince, with a lead heart that beats for the public even now.

By Kamlesh Tripathi

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Share it if you like it

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US that includes Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada, Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai and Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India)  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; Available for reading in Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be the undying characteristics of Lucknow. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K.)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available in Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

Short stories and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20 2020; Indica, 15.8.20; The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; Happy Days, November 15, 2020; The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15,2020;

(ALL THE ABOVE TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

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DRIVING AWAY THE ENGLISH BLUES

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    Verbal ability is among the most important skills one may possess. Throughout your life people form opinions on the basis of how you speak, how your write, in fact your total deportment. An example comes to my mind: an IAS candidate entering the board room for interview tripped, faltered fell down. One of the members light heartedly said, “So Mr Ram you have fallen down.” The quick witted candidate countered, “I hope in good hands.” That last line probably got him the coveted job. In areas where communication is of the essence, it is vital to use words effectively and speak without being self-conscious. This will engender increased confidence and pave way to success in school and social life.

    How often do we hear teachers ruing lack of speaking skills in students? “The fault dear Brutus is not in our stars but in ourselves” just to borrow a convenient phrase. “Where’s your homework? Asked an irritated teacher. The student snugly replied, “I did not brought it”—an oft-repeated mistake which teachers seldom correct on the spot; why, I’ve not been able to figure out—maybe because of inertia or maybe it is too much trouble. In fact we never insist on the student to explain, communicate and inform in the prescribed language of the period. Thus, a student carries a backlog of wrong usage, mispronunciation and the incorrigible habit of mentally translating from mother tongue, at least up to class XII. No amount of ‘speaking & hearing skills’ can undo the damage already done in the formative and primary stages of schooling.

    Unfortunately, apart from the draconian rules of grammar and forbidding norms of etiquette, there is very little handy material to groom the budding aspirant. We could have wished for modern day Mrs. Grundy, that personification of conventional propriety who had all the answers.

By A.K. Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

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Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be its undying characteristic. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories. It is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

(ALL THE ABOVE TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

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FINANCIAL PLANNING—THE MODERN DAY GOD

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By Kamlesh Tripathi

    We all have heard this famous phrase—Kan kan mein Bhagwan and jako rakhe saiyan maar sake na koi. In the same breath, we should also reflect on, what Lord Krishna had to say in the famous epic Mahabharat—‘I will not do your ‘karma’ for you. You’ll have to that yourself.’ So in essence, all this forms the core ethos and purpose of our lives. No matter what religion you follow and which strata of society you come from. For, the God’s may vary, but the mission of life shall always remain the same. And in all of this—God helps, only those, who help themselves.

    So, in the ultimate analysis we human beings can’t deny the terse reality that we all are born to serve the holy cause. That manifests, while we serve our family and even our society. But in the process we don’t get younger, on the contrary each day, we are only getting older. And, in the drift of life we often plan to give our children good education and values to make them skilled professionals. So that they can, not only compete nationally, but even globally. But that doesn’t come for free. Nor does it come with interspersed dimes here and there. Rather, it comes from some focused and astute FPI (Financial Planning & Insurance). Just, to cite and example. If we require a crore today, to make our child, a doctor. Twenty years hence the coveted amount will be three crores together with inflation, logistics, competition and new technology costs. So, while we often come across quite a few over ambitious parents, boasting aimlessly about the promising career of their children. They hardly do any FPI for it. And, then they say, we love our children. Isn’t that a sham?

    In the same run up most of us think we are immortal. That I will never die. So we don’t ever visualize a situation. Where, we’ll leave home one day, never to return. But in that case, who will run my establishment, feed my children and beyond that who will educate them. The litmus test would be to ascertain, which relative of mine will pay for all this and for how long. And the buck doesn’t stop there. As the clock keeps ticking with each breath—remember we are only getting older. For as long as you can work, the moolah will pour in. But when you stop working, where will your nickel and dimes come from. So, what happens when you retire? These are some crude realities that the pigeon in you keeps avoiding and condoning while the cat of life keeps observing.

    I was recently at a training programme conducted by Maxlife Insurance. Where, I got many such vital answers to the complexities of life. Remember, the pain of effort is much better than the pain of regret. So, plan your life well. Attend such programmes. And don’t just snub any FPI professional, when he calls on you to plan your wayward life. Better would be to take him as the arm of God.

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By Kamlesh Tripathi

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases. Should you wish to donate for the cause the bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(CAN BE BOUGHT FROM ON LINE BOOK STORES OR WRITE TO US FOR COPIES)

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*****

WHAT IS GOOD FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INDIA—POLITICAL STABILITY OR POLITICAL COMPETITION?

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    It is said, competition is good for consumers, but how about competition in politics? Where, I am reminded of what Indira Gandhi had once said,

    ‘My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition there.’

    She indeed was one of the tallest leaders of the Congress party and even that of India. Who dared to dismember a neighbouring country. Therefore, if we superimpose her quote. On the tenets of Congress Party or for that matter, on any other political party. It will be an interesting churning of inferences.

    Before India attained freedom. There were thirteen political parties. That jointly fought the British Raj for independence, with Congress in the forefront. The focus then was not development, but to attain independence. Where, they competed and colluded in a smart manner and achieved it. Post independence. Some of these parties wound up, as their mission was over. Whereas, some dissolved into each other. Congress, then became the tallest party with practically no opposition. Muslim League, the other powerful party was more or less hived off to Pakistan upon partition. Congress, thereafter, was in power for around fifty six years. But in these years. They could have done much better. Than what they actually did. On the contrary. Post independence. They brought in the ‘License Raj.’ That only stifled the progress and development of the country. Where, only a few in power benefited. So can one say political stability attracts development? No is the answer.

    License Raj was finally dissolved. When P.V. Narasimha Rao took over as the Prime Minister, in 1991, with Dr Manmohan Singh as his Finance Minister in a Congress led Government. Thereon, things started looking up in India. But, by then the coalition politics had also come into play. No single party was ruling the roost. Competition had set in. Where, every political party had to perform on economic parameters too. Apart, from the usual, socialistic ones. And, where, the voter’s aspiration had also increased with the spread of literacy.

  •     If we go through India’s GDP in absolute numbers. We find in 1950-51 it was 2.79 lac crores. That reached 20 lac crores by 1991-92 (15% annual growth for 40 years). But, was that enough? Especially, when we were starting from a very low plank? This grew to 57.41 lac crores by 2013-14 (8.90% annual growth for 21 years). This was when the environment had become more challenging. These growths were also facilitated by growth in population.
  •     When we analyse the annual growth of India’s GDP at factor cost. We find. In 40 years, starting 1951-52 to 1991-92. Thrice, it showed negative growth, and in 79-80, after thirty years of independence, it even went down to -5.2%, which is shameful. In fact growth started steadying above 5% only after 91-92. When economy was set in to liberalize and when competition among political parties had increased and coalition governments had become the order of the day.
  •     In 1950-51 the food grain production was 50.83 million tonnes. In 1991-92 it reached 180 million tonnes. An increase of 129.47 million tonnes (an annual growth rate of 6.36%). This could have been much better. Had the economy been opened in the 70’s, which the Congress government didn’t bother to do. By the year 2013-14 production reached 263.2 million tonnes. An increase of 83.2 million tonnes since 1992 (a 2.20% annual growth rate). That goes to show political competition lost focus on agriculture.
  •     In the infrastructure sector. Construction of roads, (both surfaced and non-surfaced) picked up a steady pace only after 2008-09. After political competition started hotting up in India and the same goes for exports which too picked up post 2003.

    The US is the world’s largest economy. There are two main parties. The Republicans and the Democrats. They follow each other close on heels on various issues. Yet, in the last two decades. Like in the case of many developed nations. Its growth rate has been decreasing. If in the 50’s and 60’s. The average growth rate was above 4 percent. In the 70’s and 80’s it dropped to 3 percent. And in the last ten years. The average rate has been below 2 percent and since the second quarter of 2000. It has never reached the 5 percent level. So, has political stability in American politics helped the growth rate? Or is it. That the inertia of good sound policies of the government, is driving the growth, irrespective of which party rules. Or is it that there is no politics over growth?

    In India we have seven national parties. That include BJP, INC, CPI (Marxist), CPI India, BSP, TMC and the NSP. In addition we also have forty eight state parties. There is enough competition on the ground. But whether it is helping development is the big question. There is no firm paradigm of continuous fast track of development. That only goes to prove that political competition, may not mean development in India.

    So, sadly, India has seen both the extremes. One, when Congress was stable and virtually in a monopoly for 56 years. When, morosely, there was only a skeletal and self complimenting development. Nothing exponential. Which was what, was required. And even now when you have a number of political parties on the ground. The development is dismal and that too at the cost of integrity. That we saw in Congress UPA regime. Somehow, BJP has been able to reverse this trend. Because it is in full majority and politically stable, and its top leadership is averse to corruption. Needless, to say political parties are not competing for development. But for retention of power. This reflects glaringly in Uttar Pradesh.

    Uttar Pradesh is the political hot seat of India. It has BJP, SP, BSP and Congress as main parties on the ground. In the past there were five prime ministers from UP. Apart from Dr Manmohan, who, also, was under the command and control of the first family of Indian politics, supposedly from UP. Yet UP is where it was some forty years back. Despite, being the cradle of civilization, and the cynosure of every era. Today, UP is poor, hungry, unemployed, illiterate and is one of the most prominent members of the Bimaru states of India.

    In six and a half decades of independence. India has grown manifold in population, but sparsely in infrastructure. But some states have grown faster than the others, and that’s where UP has lagged behind. It is still way behind Kerala, Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana.

    So, then what went wrong in UP? Especially, after independence. And where did UP drop the ball? It was one of independent India’s most prosperous states. It kept growing till 1980s. From a steady growth in the beginning of the 1st five year plan in 1951 till the 1980s. UP has also seen frequent change of guard. Therefore, most certainly, it is a victim of political competition.

    AAP came with a lot of hope. That India will witness a different style of governance. But the situation with Delhi Government is atrocious as of now. On the contrary if we take Tamil Nadu. Governance and development is far better, between the two major parties that is the AIDMK and DMK.

    So then what is good for India? Political stability or political competition? There are no straight answers. But I found an appropriate quote that can act as a solution—‘stop competing with others, start competing with yourself.’

*

By Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Share if you like it

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases. Should you wish to donate for the cause the bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(Archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2014)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. Book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

(CAN BE BOUGHT FROM ON LINE BOOK STORES OR WRITE TO US FOR COPIES)

*****

 

 

DOCTRINE OF KARMA AND REINCARNATION

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    Why do Hindus believe in these two doctrines? One being karma and the other being reincarnation. Because these doctrines not only explain the unusual occurrences logically. They also shed light on day-to-day events of life. Hindus do not consider life and death to be mutually exclusive. But intertwined and inseparable. Like the two sides of the same coin. If there are disparities between two individuals at the time of birth, and if these disparities can be seen. Then the cause for these disparities must have preceded their births.

  • Karma: The word karma means “action.” In accordance with the cosmic laws of karma. Each individual reaps the fruits of his actions, performed in this lifetime or in former lives. This logically explains the disparities in creation, between various individuals, environments and situations. No deed, small or great, good or bad, can be without an effect—this essentially is the law of karma, the law of casualty. In fact one begins to feel as if it is Newton’s 3rd law of motion—‘to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction’ was drawn out of the doctrine of karma.
  • Karma is no fate. Fate implies helplessness in a human being, to determine his own destiny. The law of karma states that the individual is the creator of his own destiny, because his conscious choices in life determines his actions and the fruits thereof.
  • Reincarnation: Hindus believe that the jiva, or the individual being, travels from life to life. Acquiring bodies and environments best suited to exhaust his vasanas (vices) or innate tendencies that are expressed as desires, emotions, and actions. The exhaustion of vasanas allows the jiva to reach his ultimate goal: complete freedom from the cycle of birth and death through the realization of his true nature as the Self, or Brahman.

—synopsis from a book on Hinduism—by Chinmaya Mission Trust—

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By Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Share if you like it

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases. Should you wish to donate for the cause the bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(Archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2014)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. Book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

(CAN BE BOUGHT FROM ON LINE BOOK STORES OR WRITE TO US FOR COPIES)

*****

 

Special significance of number 18 in Hindu scriptures

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    Number 18 unquestionably has a great significance in Hindu scriptures. Apart from the fact that there are 18 Purans, 18 major Up-purans, and 18 Dharm-Shastras. The importance of number 18 is best explained in the great epic of Mahabharat, which is divided into 18 parvas or sections. The great war of Mahabharat was fought with 18 divisions of army. And out of this 11 were on the side of Kauravas and 7 on the side of Pandavas. The war lasted for 18 days. Finally, it is said that only 18 persons survived the war. The treatise Shrimad Bhagwad Gita is a part of Mahabharat and has 18 chapters. In Gita, Lord Krishna describes the ideal man in 18 verses at the end of Chapter 2, in which he lists the 18 traits that constitute the man with a steady wisdom.

    The central theme of all scriptures of all religions in the world are the same: Prime being the victory of the higher being over the lower one, or righteousness over unrighteousness, or of good over the evil, of dharma over adharma. Ved Vyas had originally titled Mahabharat as Jaya (victory). The word Jaya is in the opening stanzas of both Mahabharat and Gita.

    In the Katapayadi–System (numerical notation system) of Sanskrit numerology, each letter has a formula-based numerical value, where the numerical value of the word Jaya is 18. To stress on the importance of the word Jaya, number 18 is given a prominent place not only in Mahabharat, but also in various other Hindu scriptures. Thus, number 18 is repeatedly used as an auspicious reminder, to be alert in our constant battle, for inner spiritual victory.

(taken from Hindu scriptures)

By Kamlesh Tripathi

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