akbar

Emperor Jalaluddin Mohammed Akbar was one of the greatest rulers,India ever had.His father Humayun had high reverence for Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti,a sufi saint,and Akbar was born due to his blessings.
Akbar ascended the throne at the young age of 13 and was trained by his uncle Bairam Khan in warfare and statecraft.From childhood Akbar indulged in manly pursuits like tiger hunts and wrestling.It is said that he had once killed a tiger with a dagger,single-handedly.
During Akbar's tenure,though India enjoyed great prosperity,there were serious differences between the Hindus and Muslims.Akbar's top priority was to keep India united against foreign agression.He appointed Hindus in key positions and married a Hindu lady,Jodhabai.
Akbar was a liberal in matters of religion and worship and even tried to put his thoughts into practice in the name of Din-e-ilahi but his efforts were a failure.
Akbar was a patron of Fine Arts and encouraged many talents artists like Tansen and Abul fazl.Fatehpur Sikri was built during his rule.
Akbar used to wander alone in disguise in different parts of the country to see for himself the difficulties of the people.He made suitable changes in land rights and revenues to benefit the poor.

savitri publications

Savitri publications is a non-profit publishing house for publishing books about learning to live a happy,peaceful and harmonious life.
The books will cover a wide range of subjects like science,spirituality,education,women,hygiene,humanities and environment.
By liking the page on Facebook you will be contributing to the cause.

kabir

Kabir (1440 - 1518) (also known as Kabira) was an Indian mystic who preached an ideal of seeing all of humanity as one. He was known to be a weaver and later became famed for scorning religious affiliation, seen as a threat to both Muslim and Hindu elite. His monist philosophies and ideas of loving devotion to God are expressed in metaphor and language from both the Hindu Vedanta and Bhakti streams and Muslim Sufi ideals. Kabir is also considered to be the father of the Sant Mat tradition. His Guru was Ramananda.
His greatest work is the Bijak, or Seedling, an idea of the fundamental one. This collection of poems demonstrates Kabir's own universal view of spirituality. His vocabulary is constantly full of ideas regarding Brahman and Hindu ideas of karma and reincarnation, and yet he also espouses ideas that are clearly Sufi as well as Hindu Bhakti understandings of God. His Hindi was a very vernacular, straightforward kind, much like his philosophies. He often advocated leaving aside the Qur'an and Vedas and to simply follow Sahaj path, or the Simple/Natural Way to oneness in God. He believed in the Vedantic concepts of atman and yet spurned the orthodox Hindu societal caste system and worship of statues, thus showing clear belief in both bhakti and sufi ideas. The major part of Kabir's work as a Sikh Bhagat was collected by the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak, and is published in the holy Sikh book "Guru Granth Sahib".Kabir always insisted on the concept of Koi bole Ram Ram Koi Khudai..., which means that someone may chant the Hindu name of God and someone may chant the Muslim name of God, but God is the one who made the whole world.
His birth and death are surrounded by legends. He grew up in a Muslim weaver family, but some say he was really son of a Brahmin widow who was adopted by a childless couple. When he died, his Hindu and Muslim followers started fighting about the last rites. The legend is that when they lifted the cloth covering his body, they found flowers instead. The Muslim followers buried their half and the Hindu cremated their half. In Maghar, his tomb and samadhi still stand side by side. Another legend surrounding Kabir is that shortly before death he bathed in both Ganga and Karmnasha to wash away both his good deeds and his sins.

http://www.bharatdarshan.co.nz/hindi-stories-poems/index.php?page=67

india-possibilities and challenges

India is an idea whose time has come. These are truly revolutionary times when the old bases are getting shaken up and the future is full of promise and hope!
India is not a geographical land mass but a belief in a glorious and bright future for everyone.Today when a spirit of oneness is slowly taking hold in mankind it is time to be daring and adventurous. All those who are warriors and want to challenge the status quo are Indians irrespective of their language,faith,culture or nationality.
This is the time to develop concepts like share,exchange and transfer so that problems of poverty,disease,hunger,strife,illiteracy and gender violence can be alleviated within a decade. Simultaneously the pioneers have to aim for self -transcendence and try to rise to higher planes of existence. They must be the symbols of the future.A tremendous sincerity,steadfastness and a strong sense of purpose will make the way easier.
It must be clear that there are enormous difficulties facing us but we shall overcome!

security implications of sri lanka-china agreement

The recent pact between sri lanka and china has grave implications for national security.china clearly has expansionist ambitions in S.Asia.It is slowly but surely building up a support base for itself in the entire region.It has badly infilterated the Tibetan community in India and naxalites,jehadi groups in Pakistan,Bangladesh and Afghanistan and the military in Burma.It has built roads right up to the Indian border.The Indian Government and the defence establishment was caught napping last year when the chinese soldiers set up camps on Indian territory.The  detention of Indian fishermen by the lankan government does not augur well for indo-lankan relations.
India will have to completely overhaul its security apparatus to encounter this deadly menace.

the kshatra dharma duty of the warrior

In the Mahabharata,when Arjuna is bewildered on the battlefield and refuses to take up arms against his own kith and kin,Sri Krishna quietly explains to him that this unmanly weakness is not warranted and it is his duty to uphold the Dharma.By refusing to do his bounden duty,it will only result in triumph of evil.
The Kshatriya in India or the Samurai in Japan were men who had a very high code of conduct and honour.They were trained from childhood to observe the strictest norms of propriety and ethics.They had to undergo practical training in all aspects of war.Each one of them had undergone rigorous hardships in life but had never flinched in their loyalty to the Motherland.
In medieval India men like Shivaji,Rana Pratap and the Sikh Gurus had sacrificed everything to keep the Dharma alive when adverse forces were threatening the motherland.
India has never been wanting when it comes to defending the motherland.

Our goal-Swaraj

THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA

PREAMBLE

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India
into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and
to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;

and to promote among them all

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and
integrity of the Nation;

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of
November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO
OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

Today is Independence Day and also the birthday of Sri Aurobindo,one of the greatest men of all times.

The Constitution of India is the Dharma of the nation.It envisages a society where the power to decide all issues is vested in the people of India.The Constitution is a blend of the East and West.The ideals of democracy,individual liberty and dignity,freedom of expression and faith and social justice are based on western thought and culture while tolerance,mutual understanding,equality and duty are based on Eastern philosophies.

India,since times immemorial,has always given more importance to spiritual issues rather than temporal matters.The Indus Valley Civilisation is the foundation of our culture.In ancient times the Rishi was considered to be the custodian of the Dharma and the king would act in accordance with his advice. The Monarch's role was limited to being the pater familias. In times of aggression or war it was his responsibility to lead the army against the aggressor.He had very little role to play in local matters and the people had the authority to decide all issues pertaining to their well-being.Every village or district was unique in terms of its culture and economy.It was during this period that India rose to its supreme height in cultural,spiritual and material terms. The later period right from the Gupta Empire to the Mughals,while preserving the ancient spirit,was a gradual decline and culminated in the British rule.

Today India with its teeming millions is grappling with issues of poverty,malnutrition,law and order,illiteracy,gender violence and governance.Though the British rule and the subsequent governments in India have adopted an alien culture,India's

 ancient spirit is still intact and lives in the minds and hearts of the common people.

The time has now come for the Indian people to assert themselves and to build a society which will be a role model for the world.

Right to justice

The recent proposal by the Chief Justice of India to make the Courts functional the entire year requires serious consideration by the members of the legal fraternity and the people at large.The Right to justice is a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution.In the present situation it is the Supreme Court of India which commands total confidence of the people.It is the bounden duty of every citizen to support the Supreme Court in every possible way.
A strong Judiciary is imperative to ensure a vibrant democracy.The legal fraternity has been playing a vital role in ensuring that the Constitution is implemented in letter and spirit.Some of the best minds in India are a part of this honourable profession.The lawyers in India have never shirked their duty to the Constitution and the people at large.Under extremely adverse conditions they have been toiling day and night to keep the torch of liberty aflame.
Justice delayed is justice denied.According to official statistics it will take 100 years to clear the pending backlog of cases at the present pace.Many innocent persons are languishing in prisons because of delay in trial.Things have come to such a pass in parts of India that corrupt officials in different government departments are deliberately harrasing the ordinary people because of absence of legal redressal.
The present legal system in India needs thorough re structuring to ensure speedy and inexpensive justice.Some of the old procedures laid down under the CPC,CrPC and the Indian Evidence act need to be updated.
If the Supreme Court starts functioning the entire year it will have a tremendous effect in re vitalizing democracy and personal freedoms.

President's rule in Maharashtra

There is a total breakdown of law and order in Maharahtra and the Constitutional mechanisms have come to a grinding halt.Powerful vested interests are determined to create mayhem and violence in Maharastra in a big way to achieve their nefarious ends. All the big industrial groups,financial institutions,the sugar cooperatives,the education barons,the police and even post offices have joined hands with these evil forces.Towns like Mumbai,Pune,Kolhapur,Satara,Sangli,Nagpur and Ratnagiri have been taken over by these forces.The objective of these forces is to destroy Agriculture and Manufacturing and allow only the Services sector to prosper in Maharashtra.
Farmer's are commiting suicide and the youth are not equipped to take up any meaningful activity because of lack of education.Majority of them have become unwitting tools in the hands of these forces.
Money is coming in a big way through illegal channels from Saudi Arabia,Pakistan and even China with the objective of damaging the Social fabric. Everywhere Prostitution is rife and the women in rural areas are being forced into it to survive.
Unless the patriotic and freedom loving forces in India

come together to reverse this dangerous trend there is a grave possibility of India loosing its freedom and sovereignty.

The situation in Pondicherry

Pondicherry is a small town in the South of India. It is known globally because of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. People from all over the world come to Pondicherry to seek inspiration and blessings of the Mother.Auroville,the International township conceived by The Mother is also nearby.
Unfortunately certain vested interests have taken over the Ashram and made it a personal domain.They are trying to destroy the very spirit of the Ashram and are also creating trouble for the local residents.
Certain strong measures will have to be taken to throw out the present group of persons controlling the Ashram.
The spirit of Pondicherry is essentially global and the culture is a fusion of all cultures.The people here are very straightforward and loving.The local food is extremely cheap and tasty. There are no extremities in the earnings of the people and even the poor manage to get by.
The beach is a popular meeting spot for people from everywhere.The people are very cleanliness conscious and take great pains to keep the town clean.The town has many schools and the standard of education appears to be high.The traffic is quite disciplined and well regulated.
If the local authorities take interest Pondicherry can be made into an ideal township and as a role model for the world.