On the Jayanti of my hero, here’s sharing something you probably have never come across : extract from an interview of Swamiji published in Prabuddha Bharata in September, 1898. A 🧵 1/n Interviewer (I): “What do you consider the distinguishing feature of your movement, Swamiji?”

Swamiji (SV): “Aggression,” said the Swami promptly, “aggression in a religious sense only. Other sects and parties have carried spirituality all over India, but since the days of Buddha we have been the first to break bounds and try to flood the world with missionary zeal.” 2/n

DECONTRUCTING THE PM’S ROADSHOW MESSAGING USING NEURO LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING (NLP) … a 🧵

… NLP helps us understand how the language we use influences the way we think and the results we get ! 1/n

The Krishna-Narada story explains Maya best !

Once Nârada told Krishna, “Lord, show me Maya.” After few days, Krishna asked Narada to make a trip with him to a desert, & after walking for several miles, Krishna said, “Narada, I am thirsty; can you fetch some water for me?” 1/n

https://twitter.com/vonbrauckmann/status/1570483225763680256

“I will go at once, sir, and get you water.” So Narada went. A little distance away, there was a village. He entered d village in search of water & knocked at a door. Latter was opened by a beautiful young girl. 2/n

Let’s explore a controversial topic : Food

Why controversial ? We assume we can eat anything. It’s left to the individuals.

NO. Our dharma, traditions, rishis have categorically stated what kind of food one should partake of and which ones to be avoided. A 🧵 1/n Swami Vivekananda's writings in Prachya o Pashchatya (East and West) show that he pondered deeply on this question. He also discussed it at length with his disciple Sharat Chandra in Belur and their discussion is reproduced in the book …++ 2/n

Archaeological evidence of Sri Krishna:
 
1. Heliodorus’s Column: Vâsudeva the God of gods.
2. Ghosundi inscription: Bhagavan Sankarshana and Vâsudeva.
3. Hathibada inscription: Bhagavan Sankarshan and Vâsudeva.
4. Another column of Garuda in Besnagar of a Bhagavata king. 1/n dedicated to Bhagavata (Vasudeva).
5. The cave of Queen Nagnika in Deccan: Inscriptions of Sankarshana and Vâsudeva.
6. Mora inscription: Krishna and Balarama and Krishna’s sons Pradyumna, Samba, Aniruddha.
7. Inscription of Sodasa in Mathura: Krishna Vâsudeva. 2/n

Literary evidence of Sri Krishna:
 
1. Chandogya 3.17: Krishna Devakiputra.
2. Ashtadhyayi of Panini: Mentions Krishna.
3. Nirukti of Yaska: Krishna and his wives Jambavati and Satyabhama.
4. Baudhayana-dharma-sutra: Three names of Krishna are mentioned - Kesava, 1/n Govinda and Damodara but there are more in this quote: “Madhva, Madhusudana, Hrshikesha, Padmanabha and Vishnu”, usually describing Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita as well as in Srimad Bhagavatam; and the book makes reference to “the servants of Vishnu”. 2/n

“Who are you ?”

“Courage”, came response from the right. 1/n “Who are you ?”

“Confidence”, came reply from the left. 2/n

।। যুগান্ত ।।

শেষ কেমন ছিল ? শেষ কেমন হয় ?

যুদ্ধমৃতদের চিতা নিভে গেছে অনেক বছর ;
রাজ্যপাটে কেটে গেছে অনেক গ্রীষ্ম-শীত ।
তারপর এল সেই দিন : তাঁর জানা ছিল ,
জন্মের মত অমোঘ সে কাল খণ্ড... 1/n প্রথমে দেখলেন অগ্রজের মৃত্যু,
শেষনাগবেশে প্রাণত্যাগ !
যুগসন্ধির প্রবাদপুরুষের হৃদয়েও
কি জেগেছিল একটু উচাটন !?!

বসলেন ধ্যানে, ভাবলেশহীন;
শুধু প্রতীক্ষা...
চাতক পাখির মতন,
মন কি তখন খুঁজেছিল
পরিত্রাণের উপায় ? …2/n

Passing of Swami Vivekananda - a *thread*

1

In his youth, while as a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, Narendranath had got a taste of Nirvikalpa Samadhi. When it was over, his Master had said, "This is your mango, Look! I lock it in my box. 2

You shall taste it once more, when your work in finished." Sri Ramakrishna had made one more prophecy about Naren - that when he should know who and what he was, he would refuse to remain a moment longer in the body.

Inside the cave in which Adi Shankaracharya met his Guru Govindapada, in Omakreshwar (two hours drive from Indore) there is an idol of Kali, the Mother Goddess in a tantric depiction. …1/n The body is draped in a red sari, the face bereft of definitive features except a fiery red tilak on the forehead. The most compelling feature of this depiction is the eyes of the Goddess, piercingly black, that follow one almost hauntingly in any direction one moves. …2/n

Before the dawn of Common Era right down to middle ages, wars were fought with weapons having a particular choice of steel (even the Damascus swords fell in this category). But how many of us know that the steel for Damascus swords was imported from Bharat? #thread ...1/n “Wootz was the first high-quality steel made anywhere in the world. ...the Damascus swords were made by forging small cakes of steel that were manufactured in Southern India. This steel was called wootz steel. ...2/n

Bhaga means opulence, and when the Sanskrit affix is there, vat-pratyaya, one who possesses opulence, he's called bhagavān. So it is described by Parāśara Muni : 1/n

https://twitter.com/aabhas24/status/1530938472084582400

aiśvaryasya samagrasya
vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
ṣaṇṇāṁ bhagam itīṅganā
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)

"Bhagavān means who possesses these six opulences in full: all riches, all strength, all influence, all wisdom, all beauty, all renunciation." …2/n

There was an intensity of faith in the man and a curious single-minded recklessness which were deeply attractive to me…The windows of the room which he shared as a sitting-room looked across the narrow, filthy alley of Red Lion Passage. 1/n In the room opposite lived an appalling slattern with four young children.Often she was screaming, frequently drunk, sometimes one could see her through the open window, lying insensible upon the floor. 2/n

Early nineteenth century. A certain college pass out student from India went to Kabul to raise money to go to Europe. He got a job easily because he knew French and Persian. At that time, Visva-Bharati was the only institution…1/n where French, Persian and German could be learnt together.

He got a job for pay of two hundred rupees, but in a short time the Kabul government discovered that he also know German. One hundred rupees was added to the salary. …2/n

Staff in hand I would often wander away from one peak to another, but my father did not object. To the end of his life, I have observed, he never stood in the way of our independence…1/n Many a time have I said or done things repugnant alike to his taste and his judgment; with a word he could have stopped me; but he preferred to wait till the prompting to refrain came from within…2/n

Son comes to me running: Daddy, give me a story/plot idea. I told him: it’s for you to find. Read hundreds and thousands, meet, interact with people, get to know their stories and one / two ideas may click sparking a story. ...1/n Instead of catching fish for him, I taught him how to fish. In our context, it’s about how to develop a storyline.
I taught him what I learnt 1.5 years back as part of a scholarship program conducted by @HimalayanWrite under the aegis of @IndicAcademy. ...2/n

@MoonKnight_01 My parents welcomed me into this world after doing rigorous tapa of Mahadev (1 lac plus japa done by Mom) and keeping manat (ablation) at Tarakeswar... 1/n @MoonKnight_01 Which other religion allows parents to observe austerities to welcome their child so much so that they know from birth that their life was special and for a purpose !?! ...2/n

He fought an Empire.
Though Born in and part of one.
Fled house-arrest.
Crossed into Afghanistan.
To Europe, Germany.
Boomed over radio.
As Kashmir to Cape Comorin.
Rose as one voice. 1/n Raised an army.
Of Indian War Prisoners.
Bruised, battered, singed.
The National Army lost battles.
But won the War.
Succeeded in kindling.
The spark of nationalism.
Amongst masses.
As shiploads of Brits
Scurried to leave Indian shores. 2/n

Four hundred years old
They told:
The old Acacia tree.
Holding head high
In the arid wilderness
Of the desert.
Centuries came and went.
Its branches grew
And spread all over.
Across the desert floor. 1/n Its no more just a tree.
But a community.
Of defiance.
Resilience.
Of weathering.
Standing tall.
Despite what goes on.
Around her.
Time’s slowed down
For the old Acacia. 2/n

The icy winds knifed through my sinews
On a cold December morn.
Did the solitary monk atop the last bit of Indian precipice
On a cold December night feel the same?
Its easy to snuggle under a blanket
Retire under a razai. 1/n But visions and dreams rarely ever
Get realized hitting the bed !
So whats your excuse today
Or reason to keep you awake
And dream the great vision
To make lasting change?
Get up. Plan. Act. 2/n

1/n

Swami-ji in a sitting at a disciple’s home was reciting Kaviraj Bhushan’s famous composition with fervour:

“Just like agni destroys the forest trees, and
The leopard hunts deer 2/n

As a Lion kills an elephant, and
The Sun destroys Darkness
As Krṣñna slayed the evil Kaṁsa
So does the lion Śivaji destroy the mlećchas”