Teacher's Day

When Nelson Mandela, freedom fighter extraordinaire, humanist and free South Africa's first Prez described education as 'the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world' may be he did not realise the full impact of his words.
In a faraway corner of Asia, tucked in the hilly region of Pakistan is Swat, where a young 16 year old girl Malala Yousafzai,  is today a true testimony to the power of education. Her simple demeanour and the strong streak of honest rebellion and determination in her eyes share a common trait with Mandela. Both have come to haunt all that is evil, demeaning and depressing in this world.
Education is indeed a weapon more lethal than any that the evil forces had bargained for . The strong conviction of Malala at the UN Assembly and how it binds her with people of all age groups beyond race, colour, creed or community tells us that the only way to  bring in change is through the subtle  power of education.
Her message to wage a glorious struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism, by using books and pen as they are the most powerful weapons show that we may be separated by borders and boundaries yet, all enlightened minds think alike.
As teachers, we use them (books & pen) as tools of our trade; if I may be pardoned for using such a crude term for our vocation, yet have we fully understood its power and utilised it to enlighten and ignite young minds for ushering in a new dawn? On this Teacher's Day, let us reflect on this question and turn a new page for the dawn of a new future.
Happy Teacher's Day folks!
Savita Panhotra

“ Love of Shiva ‘s feet eradicates bad karma,

Love of Shiva’s feet grants you the clarity of mind ,

Love of Shiva’s feet imbues the heart with gladness,

Love of Shiva’s feet is consciousness itself."

-Natchintanai         

   

            

 
The Hindu tradition perceives the existence of cyclical nature of the universe and everything within it. There are many theories and myths exists which mark the beginning of this big blue marble. One of the myths exists also for the contribution of lord Shiva in creation of this macrocosm. According to Hindu mythology, zero ( shunya)represents the Lord Shiva. May be the Shiva linga is oval in shape for the same reason! Shiva is said to be Adi deva, which means everything starts from him and he is the first one. Mathematics of infinity, zero, undefined, etc. can be applied here to get spiritual feelings and some secrets with better understanding. Our recent discoveries don’t suggest what happened. We say big bang happened some 14 billion years ago. The Hindu cosmology and timeline is the closest to modern scientific timelines which might indicate that the Big Bang theory is not the beginning of everything but just the start. This is similar to the fact that the Big Bang theory is described as the birth of universe (Brahma), life of universe (Vishnu) and the Big crunch would be described as the destruction of the universe (Shiva). But, from where did the matter come out at once? No one has an explanation. According to Vedas, the universe was born out of nothing (shunya- Lord Shiva). Infinity and zero are both the things where the modern scientists failed to connect while our ancient Vedas already connected. Space (Lord Shiva himself) is a platform where all this universe works. Probably that was the reason why Lord Shiva doesn’t completely take part in any epic directly. He just sets up platform where Lord Vishnu plays all the things. In Hinduism, the “Creation and Destruction of universe” is a continuous, cyclical process. On one side, creation happens in the universe and still on another side, destruction happens. Idol of Lord Shiva symbolizes the creation and destruction of universe. The upper right hand holds a drum representing the primal sound of creation, upper left hand bears a tongue of flames which personifies the element of destruction. His both hands epitomizes the dynamic balance of creation and destruction. According to our Purans and Rigvedas, the following shloka explains that Shiva is the one.

Shiva Vishnu rupaya

Shiva rupaya Vishnave

Shivaya Hrudayan Vishnu

Vishosheha hurdayagum Shivaha

Yadha Shiva mayo Vishnu

Revam Vishnu maya Shivah

Yadhantarana Apashyani

Tathamo Swastirupushi

-Shipra Kapoor
XII - B

Creation of the Universe - Hindu philosophy

 

Brahma is the great Creator,

Life a mystic drama;

Heaven, and Earth, and living Nature

Are but masks of Brahma.

JOHN STUART BLACKIE, Trimurti

There are many different stories and beliefs about creation of the universe in the Hindu scriptures.Creation from a cosmic egg, through the dream of Lord Brahma, from the tears of Prajapati and many more interpretations of our origin exist.

One of the best known creation myths relates to the birth of Brahma, the First Father, Creator of worlds, from an egg. It is believed that the universe initially was an unfathomable ocean. Deep in the water bobbed a seed. As the ocean currents ebbed and flowed, they carried it to the surface to become a glowing golden egg. As it rocked, the sacred word “OM” went on cradling it, unfolding it the way rose-petals unfold the flower-heart deep inside. The sound was in and out and roundabout, and inside the eggshell, it formed itself into Brahma.

When Brahma was ready to be born, he hatched like a chick from the golden egg. From half the shell he made the sky; from the other he made the earth; he set air between them to keep them apart. When the earth was ready, Brahma drew out of himself six elements: thought, hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell. He blended the element to make living things of every kind. He sowed the earth with plants. He stocked the land with animals and the sea with fish, and set the air whirring with birds and insects-and to each of them he gave a special gift: the power to reproduce. The world throbbed with life, as its new creatures squawked, hissed, chattered, buzzed, yelped, whistled on every side.

After a time, Brahma divided himself and made another being, Saraswati. Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge and of all the arts, especially music.

According to the Hindu mythology, the universe is made by Lord Brahma the Creator, maintained by Lord Vishnu the Preserver and destroyed by Lord Shiva. In a nutshell, the word GOD stands for nothing but, these three gods Generator,Operator and Destructer. The Supreme One is behind and beyond all. 

Swami Vivekananda also claimed: "I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance."

The Hindu attitude is one of positive fellowship not negative tolerance.

The Hindus are staunch believers of “Vasudev Kutumbakam” i.e the world is one. It has embraced all other faiths and religions, thus propogating religious tolerance and peace. I believe it holds great significance in the present times, as the world faces its worst crisis ever. 

- Priyamvada Saraf

XII - C