Sunday, August 19, 2012

Dr.Miguel Alvaro Dias Afonso

Dr. Miguel Alvaro Dias Afonso
It was a great pleasure to work with him I joined Goa College of Pharmacy and he was the first Principal.
Exceptionally intelligent and a proud Goan . He could have joined any good position in Germany from where he came to Goa to serve his place It was a transition state of affairs from erstwhile Portuguese colony to free India. Bombay now Mumbai was the place he studied helped him to oversee smooth transition  I was also lucky to be his student for M.Pharm He had an excellent rapport with persons working with him Many times he used to help and go out of the way to do so He married Dona Karen a German lady with exceptional charm But as the days passed both of them thought to leave Goa as they thought their children needed special care and education that was possible only in Germany
Days after he left Goa I did not have any friendly boss and situation was such that I too left Goa in1984 To my good fortune I was the Principal of a private College of Pharmacy His methodology of handling situation came to me as a tool to do my job In the process I was instrumental in establishing two more private Colleges of Pharmacy Currently I m associated with one of them It was possible because I followed his approach
I am also privileged as he chose me and my wife to be the hosts to show his wife and sister -in- law an American what an Indian family lives like and of course Indian food. Last I met him was when I was in Goa when his family lost Dona Yvonne. I consider it as a painful farewell.
This can not be considered as an obituary for a person whom I admired but only my feelings for him 
His loss is painful to his family and to those who liked him. May his soul rest in peace.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Pharmanalysis: MANYU SUKTAM FROM RIGVEDA

Pharmanalysis: MANYU SUKTAM FROM RIGVEDA: ENGLISH TRANSLATION In Rigveda many slokas are actual revelation in highly coded format It is here that Manyu comes as pathway to understand Rudra who is a creator, protector and destroyer in sequence already predetermined. Rudra now needs to be understood as Manyu. This suktham helps in the control of anger and lust.A regular recitation with the appropriate chandas will help a lot ...

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

AJAM NIRVIKALPAM

"Ajam Nirvikalpam Niraakaaramekam
Neraanandhamanandham Adhvaitha Poornam
Param Nirgunam Nirvisesham Nireeham
ParaBrahma roopam Ganesham Bhajema.

Gunaatheethamanam Chidhananda roopam
chidha bhasakamsarvagam gnana gamyam
munidhyeyam aakasa roopam paresham
paraBrahma roopam Ganesham bhajema.

Jagath kaaranam kaaran gnana roopam
suraadhim sukhadhim gunesam ganesam
jagathwaapinam viswa vandhyam suresham
para Brahma roopam Ganesham bhaje ma."
In India, there is this amazing and unique art of reaching formless Paramatma called Lord Ganesh by repeated worship of the manifest form of Ganesha, who is Gajavadhana. Parabrahma Roopam Ganesham Bhajema – worship that form of Ganesh that is omnipresent.

This Absolute power which is the very cause of the whole universe from which everything originated, that which keeps things going, the same power into which everything would be dissolved, this Causal Absolute Power is Paramatma (Supreme Soul) Ganesha to whom we prostrate and worship. Even the study of the cause of the whole universe itself is supreme knowledge, which is Ganesha embodied – who is the knower and knowledge Himself. Ganesha thus is Knower, Knowledge and the Goal itself. We also begin worshipping Ganesha as a Goal which is not a superior form of worship. Any worship based on external materialistic object like Goal or aim, means there is not identification with self and a separation is seen. Therefore Ganesha is the cause as well as the knowledge of the reasons for that cause, the seer, and the Absolute – that is the power of Ganesha. These things are not understood by many of us but Rishis and Munis (Saints) who realized this, created different kinds of myths and stories for making it easily comprehensible and thus beneficial to everyone. When we make an Idol of Ganesha, we infuse life in it (Prana Pratishta) – it means let my life be infused in Ganesha. Let, the Ganesha manifested within my life force (Prana) go and get installed in this Idol so that we can play with this Idol and w

Monday, January 9, 2012

MANYU SUKTAM FROM RIGVEDA

ENGLISH TRANSLATION


This suktham helps in the control of anger and lust.A regular recitation with the appropriate chandas will help a lot to control anger and lust. Vaishnavites believe that this suktham is connected with Nrusimha and Hanuman and thus chant it to please the ire-some forces.
These days some people use it to conquer external enemies as in a court battle but the original purpose was to decimate the internal foes{Shadripus-6 enemies as in Kama(Lust), Krodha(anger),Lobha(Greed),Moha(Attachment of a negative kind),Mada(Arrogance-to be differentiated from ego) and Maatsarya(Jealousy)}

This suktha refines the nuetral energy of anger within ourselves and paves way for subtle dharmic anger and prevents from "sinning" with anger.
I myself have a sankalpa to chant this suktha, lest I sway a-dharmically with anger.Let us chant this suktham and find the refinement of the force in us and a transmutation of negativity inside us.This suktha provides an alchemical touch to the process of antar-yaaga(samayachara) and aids in the transcendence of a negative trait to that of positive vibrant energy.
Manyú, Vedic sanskrit for "spirit, temper, ardour, passion, anger" is the name of two rishis, one, the son of Tapas(austerity), author of Manyusuktham Rigveda 10(Mandala)83-84 and the other, the son of Vasishta, author of Rigveda 9(Mandala)97.


Those who have a real temper problem must chant this suktam 11 times.

One must be aware of Krodha and Kama but not give in to these negativities nor try to suppress them.Chanting Manyu suktam s not an exercise in supression. It is simple attempt to know them for what they are.The chanting creates a distance in your mind and with this distance one can view these emotions at a distance as if they were strangers.They are infact strangers they do not belong to your athmic psyche.You will be surprised to find that without your support, they cannot exist, they simply drop away! This may not make much sense to you when it is just someone else's experience - but through constant practice you will experience the truth for yourself. It is only this awareness that can awaken Self-knowledge, and free you of these concepts of all dualities.Manyu suktham aids this journey towards self-knowledge.
Below please find a notable translation of-- by Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1896], at sacred-texts.com(Rigveda Book X).
{A few lines about the author from Wikipedia online information about him:
Ralph Thomas Hotchkin Griffith (1826-1906), scholar of indology, B.A. of Queen's College was elected to the vacant Sanskrit Scholarship on Nov 24, 1849. He translated the Vedic scriptures into English. He also produced translations of other Sanskrit literature, including a verse version of the Ramayana and the Kumara Sambhava of Kalidasa. He held the position of principal at the Benares College in India.
His translation of the Rigveda follows the text of Max Müller's six-volume Sanskrit edition. His readings generally follow the work of the great scholar Sayana who was Prime Minister at the court of the King of Vijaynagar - in what is now the District of Bellary in the Indian state of Karnataka - in the fourteenth century.
Now long out of copyright, copies of his translation of the Rigveda, Samaveda, White Yajurveda, Atharvaveda and Ramayana are available on the internet.

The Ramayan of Valmiki (published 1870) (read online) Hymns of the Rigveda (published 1889) (read online) Hymns of the Samaveda (published 1893) (read online) Hymns of the Atharvaveda (published 1896) (read online) The Texts of the White Yajurveda (published 1899) (read online) }
Manyusuktha translation:

Sthambodbhava(One who emanated from a pillar in reference to Lord Nrusimha who emanated from a pillar to kill Hiranyakasipu Asura)
-83-
1. HE who hath reverenced thee, Manyu, destructive bolt, breeds for himself forthwith all conquering energy.Arya and Dasa will we conquer with thine aid, with thee the Conqueror, with conquest conquest-sped.2 Manyu was Indra, yea, the God, was Manyu, Manyu was Hotar, Varuṇa, Jatavedas.The tribes of human lineage worship Manyu. Accordant with thy fervour, Manyu, guard us.3 Come hither, Manyu, mightier than the mighty; chase, with thy fervour for ally, our foemen.Slayer of foes, of Vṛtra, and of Dasyu, bring thou to us all kinds of wealth and treasure.4 For thou art, Manyu, of surpassing vigour, fierce, queller of the foe, and self-existent,Shared by all men, victorious, subduer: vouchsafe to us superior strengith in battles.5 I have departed, still without a portion, wise God! according to thy will, the Mighty.I, feeble man, was wroth thee, O Manyu I am myself; come thou to give me vigour.6 Come hither. I am all thine own; advancing, turn thou to me, Victorious, All-supporter!Come to me, Manyu, Wielder of the Thunder: bethink thee of thy friend, and slay the Dasyus.7 Approach, and on my right hand hold thy station: so shall we slay a multitude of foemen.The best of meath I offer to support thee: may we be first to drink thereof in quiet.

यस्ते मन्यो.अविधद वज्र सायक सह ओजः पुष्यति विश्वमानुषक |
साह्याम दासमार्यं तवया युजा सहस्क्र्तेनसहसा सहस्वता ||
मन्युरिन्द्रो मन्युरेवास देवो मन्युर्होता वरुणोजातवेदाः |
मन्युं विश ईळते मानुषीर्याः पाहि नोमन्यो तपसा सजोषाः ||
अभीहि मन्यो तवसस्तवीयान तपसा युजा वि जहि शत्रून |
अमित्रहा वर्त्रहा दस्युहा च विश्वा वसून्या भरात्वं नः ||
तवं हि मन्यो अभिभूत्योजाः सवयम्भूर्भामोभिमातिषाहः |
विश्वचर्षणिः सहुरिः सहावानस्मास्वोजः पर्तनासु धेहि ||
अभागः सन्नप परेतो अस्मि तव करत्वा तविषस्यप्रचेतः |
तं तवा मन्यो अक्रतुर्जिहीळाहं सवा तनूर्बलदेयाय मेहि ||
अयं ते अस्म्युप मेह्यर्वां परतीचीनः सहुरे विश्वधायः |
मन्यो वज्रिन्नभि मामा वव्र्त्स्व हनाव दस्यून्रुतबोध्यापेः ||
अभि परेहि दक्षिणतो भवा मे.अधा वर्त्राणि जङघनावभूरि |
जुहोमि ते धरुणं मध्वो अग्रमुभा उपांशुप्रथमा पिबाव ||

Thursday, January 5, 2012

CHIDANANDA ROOPAH SHIVOHAM SHIVOHAM

Na Me Mrityu Shanka Na Me Jati Bhedah
Pita Naiva Me Naiva Mata Na Janma
Na Bandhur Na Mitram Gurur Naiva Shishyah
Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham

Aham Nirvikalpo Nirakara Roopaha
Vibhur Vyapya Sarvatra Sarvendriyanam
Sada Me Samatvam Na Muktir Na Bandhah
Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham
Translation:

5) I do not have fear of death,
as I do not have death.
I have no separation from my true self,
no doubt about my existence,
nor have I discrimination on the basis of birth.
I have no father or mother,
nor did I have a birth.
I am not the relative,
nor the friend,
nor the guru,
nor the disciple.
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.

6) I am all pervasive.
I am without any attributes,
and without any form.
I have neither attachment to the world,
nor to liberation (mukti).
I have no wishes for anything
because I am everything,
everywhere,
every time,
always in equilibrium.
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.