YAMA NIYAMA OF YOGA

Eight folds of Ashtanga Yoga is like a ladder, stepping stones to Raja Yoga. Likewise all eastern philosophical entities are inextricably linked to one another. When one talks about the objectives of life Viz Darma-Artha-Kama-Moksha, one cannot separate it out. All four may be distinct; but like a vestibule in a train, they are interconnected.

Dharma is fulfillment of duties to oneself, family, to his employer, state, and society in general. In another words the job done systematically according to norms is called Dharma. And according to ones skills and abilities one can earn money in legitimate way and such money or possessions earned in legitimate way only will under the preview of ARTHA.

Enjoyment of Artha is called karma, i.e, our legitimate pleasures we get by virtue of our legitimate possessions. It could be possessions like cars, houses, money or sex. Flirting with somebody else's girl friend does not come under true KAMA.

APARIGRAHA is an important aspect of Niyama in yoga, non-possessiveness, non-holding through senses, non-greed, non-grasping, non-indulgence, non-acquisitiveness.

Even yoga teachers forget this important aspect of Niyama and see yoga as a way to earn money and such money earned is not ture 'Artha.' Even inaction sometimes can be considered as bad karma when one remains mute witness to atrocities and never raise his/her voice. Even the company of evil people can have negative impact on us as we are all answerable to the law of karma.

EMMA AND INNA

Still remembering you....Emma.......എന്‍റെ ദേശത്തിന്‍റെ കഥയിലെ എമ്മ എന്ന മദാമ്മകുട്ടിശ്രീ ധ ര നയച്ച അവ സാ ന എഴുത്തിലെ ഏടാണ്.... ഇന്ത്യയെ സ്നേഹിച്ച സ്വിസ് ജര്‍മന്‍ യുവതി. തീജ്വാല തലമുടിയോട് കൂടിയവള്‍ . ശീധരന്‍ എന്ന കാമുകന്‍ പിറക്കാന്‍ പോവുന്ന കുട്ടികളുടെ നിറം ആലോചിച്ചു അവളെ ഉപേഷിച്ചു.

ഞാന്‍ ഇവിടെ റഷ്യയില്‍ മറ്റൊരു 'എമ്മയെ' കണ്ടു. പേരിലും ഉണ്ട് സാമ്യം, INNA, ഇന്ന പക്ഷെ ഭാഗ്യവതിയാണ്. അവളെ കൊണ്ടോട്ടിക്കാരന്‍ മുഹമ്മദ്‌ അന്തസ്സായി മിന്നു കെട്ടി, രണ്ടു കുട്ടികളും പിറന്നു. ദേശത്തിന്‍റെ കഥയിലെ ശ്രീധരന്‍ ഭയന്ന പോലെ ചുവന്ന ചെമ്മീനിന്‍റെ നിറം ആ കുട്ടികള്‍ക്കില്ല. ഇന്ത്യയിലും റഷ്യയിലും ആയി അവര്‍ സുഖമായി ജീവിക്കുന്നു. Dear Mohammed you proved to be a bigger hero than the hero of the "Jnanpeed-winning novel Oru Desathinte Katha. God bless you!

KOTTAKKAL THOUGHTS

WHERE WILL WE WASH OUR SINS?

Woke up by an early phone call from an old college mate who was a staunch leftist and was the biggest critic of Aryavaidya Sala and referred it as 'aarante Vaidyasala.' We have even slogans like "Aaaradaa eee PK VARIER" during our student strikes against AVS. This friend was a leader in many strikes agaisnt AVS during our college days, I was plesantly surprised and amused by the paradigm shift in his attitude. Today he referred PK Varier as "satwa personified." But, which magical Gangawater will wash away our sins for calling padma laureate Varier as "EDAaa."