Every Single Minute

I propose to take an income no greater than $50,000 per annum! Beyond this I need ever earn, make no effort to increase my fortune, but spend the surplus each year for benevolent purposes! Let us cast aside business forever, except for others. Let us settle in Oxford and I shall get a thorough education, making the acquaintance of literary men. I figure that this will take three years' active work. I shall pay especial attention to speaking in public. We can settle in London and I can purchase a controlling interest in some newspaper or live review and give the general management of it attention, taking part in public matters, especially those connected with education and improvement of the poorer classes. Man must have no idol and the amassing of wealth is one of the worst species of idolatry ! No idol is more debasing than the worship of money! Whatever I engage in I must push inordinately; therefore should I be careful to choose that life which will be the most el...

This subject is nearly endless and my take is that you can first read Arthur Milller's gist of the Bhagavad Gita to get a beginner's view of Indian philosophy . Once you understand the gist ,you can get into a detailed treatise and in this context Swamy Partha Sarathy and Srimad Prabhupada offer a fine picture in terms of interpretations. The Gita is very logically presented and has 3 sections of 6 chapters each . The first 6 speak of Karma Yoga , the next 6 Bhakti Yoga and ends with Gyana Yoga ...the Path of Knowledge.  For topups to this the Vedanta Treatise by Swami Partasarathi is superb and other great readings are the works by Swami Vivekananda and his works on the Vedanta.  The Government of India has now come up with a wonderful website www.vedicheritage.gov.in  You will hear the chanting of the Vedas and almost every literature pertaining to our Vedic Heritage .  I shall often elaborate on the teachings every now and then .  Wish you...

It has been a pretty memorable winter in Kolkata . While the early phase in the first half of December has been pleasant , the chill started picking up from the third week and by the end of December and still onto the third week of January the temperature has often been going below 10 deg C. The night of 25th December has been particularly memorable as we went to attend Christmas Carols and an evening of entertainment by the children of Tollygunge Club. The program was to bring in cheer into the life of orphaned and deprived children and I thought that the gesture was indeed thoughtful. We followed it up with dinner at the Belvedere . This was the restaurant serving Continental food and the same has been relocated to above the clubhouse. Flooring has a reflective marble style and the food has been really improved upon. Coming back to the main theme , I picked up my new car too on December 25th. There was quite a celebration and a small party organized by the distributors of Maruti...