Try and Try Again

The little bear stood at the bottom of a tree, looking up to the top. "That’s the tallest tree I’ve ever seen," Bruce said. "Is that a beehive dangling from one of the branches?" Bruce was feeling very hungry. His tummy was rumbling. "I think I’ll climb up there and knock the beehive down. It’s big and must be filled with delicious, sweet honey."

Using his large paws and sharp claws, he started to climb the tree. "Whew, this trunk is higher than I thought," he sighed. He was only a few feet off the ground and already he was tired. "The bark is sharp and hurts my soft paws," he groaned. "I can’t hold on any longer." He let go of the tree and fell backwards, landing on his back in a pile of leaves that had gathered around the bottom of the trunk. "Ouch!"

Bonnie Beaver was on her way to chop down a small tree with her sharp teeth and spotted Bruce lying on the ground. "What happened?" she asked.

Bruce rolled over onto his paws and stood up. "Do you see that beehive up there? It’s full of golden honey. I was trying to climb the tree but I fell down. It’s very tall!"

Bonnie looked at the top of the tree. "Wow! That is a tall tree. You can do it though. You’re a bear. Bears are experts at climbing trees. Try again," she said and ran off to chop down a tree for her lodge.

Bruce tried again. He put his paws and claws on the tree trunk and started to climb up. He scooted his furry body higher and higher. "I’m higher than I was last time, but I just don’t think I can go any further." He let go of the trunk and fell backwards, landing on his back in the leaves. "Ouch!"

Ronald Raccoon had just raided Mr. MacDonald’s trashcans and was heading back home with an armful of leftover chicken legs when he spotted Bruce lying on his back in the pile of leaves. "What happened?" he asked.

Bruce rolled over onto his paws and stood up. "I’m trying to climb this tall tree to get that beehive. Do you see it? It’s dangling from that branch way up there. It’s filled with tasty honey and I’m very hungry." He brushed the leaves from his fur.

"Wow! That is a tall tree! You’re a bear, and bears know how to climb trees. Keep trying, Bruce. I’m heading home with my chicken legs," Ronald said and ran off into the woods.

Bruce looked up at the beehive. There were hundreds of bees buzzing around it. "I’m sure there’s lots and lots of honey in there. I’m so hungry. I’ll try again. After all, I am a bear." He wrapped his paws and claws around the tree and started to climb up. He climbed and climbed and climbed. He passed the place he first fell from, and then he past the place he fell from the second time. "I’m doing it! I’m climbing the tree! I’m halfway up." He went a little further, but was getting very tired. "I can’t go much further. This tree is too tall. Maybe I can go just a little bit more," he sighed, but couldn’t hold on. He let go and fell to the ground, landing on his back in the pile of leaves. They flew into the air and fell on top of him. "Ouch!"

Shonna Squirrel was running about, gathering acorns that fell from the oak tree. She saw Bruce’s paws sticking out of the orange, red, yellow, and rust colored leaves. "Is that you in there?" she asked.

Bruce rolled over onto his four paws and stood up. "It’s me." He brushed the pieces of twigs and crushed leaves off his fur.

"What happened?" Shonna asked.

"I climbed halfway up that tall tree. I’m trying to reach the beehive because it has honey in it and I’m hungry, but I fell. I was too tired. How will I ever climb that high?" he sighed.

"Bruce, you’re a bear. Bears can climb any tree. You can do it. Just start climbing and don’t let go," Shonna said and then ran back to the oak tree with her cheeks filled with acorns.

Bruce looked at the beehive. "I’m going to do it this time. I’m going to climb all the way to the top and get the honey. I’m a bear and bears are the best tree climbers in the forest." He used his paws and claws and started to climb the tree. He climbed and climbed and climbed and didn’t look down. Finally, after having to stop to rest several times, he reached the beehive. "I did it! I’m at the beehive!" He felt so happy and so proud.

Bees were buzzing all around him. They didn’t want him to knock their beehive down and take all the honey. Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. He stuck his paw into the beehive and took a big scoop of honey out. He started to lick his paw. "This is delicious honey." He licked and licked and licked.

The bees came flying out of the beehive and started to sting Bruce. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" He swatted at them, but there were too many. He fell to the ground from the very top of the tree and landed on his back in the pile of leaves. "Ouch!"

This time the bees came after him. They started to sting him through the leaves. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" He rolled over onto his paws and ran into the forest. The bees chased him.

He ran past Bonnie Beaver. She was gnawing a tree. "I see you climbed to the top," she said, as he whizzed by with the bees chasing him.

He ran past Ronald Raccoon. He was nibbling away on his chicken bones. "I see you made it to the top of the tree," he said, as Bruce and the bees zipped by.

He ran past Shonna Squirrel, who was putting all her acorns into a hole in the tree trunk. "I see you made it to the top," she said, as Bruce and the bees flew past her.

Bruce ran and ran and ran. When he got to the pond, he jumped into the water. The bees flew all around looking for him. He held his breath and stayed under the water until they gave up and flew back to their beehive. Bruce came up and took a deep breath.

Bonnie Beaver ran along the side of the pond carrying a log and saw Bruce climbing out of the water. "I think you’d better practice climbing trees in another part of the woods," she advised and went into her lodge.

Bruce went back to his cave for the night. His tummy rumbled with hunger. He was happy that he learned to climb the tall tree, but knew that from then on, he’d stick to eating fish. No more honey for him. He let out a big yawn and then curled up in a ball and went to sleep.

Reaching For the Sky

Two bunnies, two bears, two chicks, a cow, a cat and a mouse all lived together in a field next to an apple orchard. Every spring when the apple trees blossomed, the animals danced around with excitement knowing that in a few months, lots of big, red, juicy apples would hang from branches over the fence. Some would even fall to the ground in the field.

Before the first blossom, Mr. Winesap walked over to the fence. He looked at the animals in the field and then at the apples trees. The animals watched in horror as he cut all the lower branches off, gathered them in a pile and carried them away.

“Oh no,” cried the cow. “Now we'll never get to eat the apples.”

As spring passed the flowers blossomed and in the summer the leaves grew large and green and tiny apples appeared. By autumn the apples were huge and red and looked oh so juicy.

The cat, being the wisest of all the animals in the field had an idea. “Let's make a pyramid. If some of us climb on each other's backs or stand on each other's shoulders, we could reach some of those apples.”

The cow moved as close to the fence as he could. One of the bears climbed on its back. The other bear climbed up and then one of the rabbits and the mouse. “I can reach!” The mouse plucked an apple and handed it to the rabbit, who passed it to the bear, who passed it to the other bear, who handed it to the other rabbit, who put it in the basket.

They did this over and over again until the basket was full. “That was a good idea,” the mouse said to the cat.

They sat on the grass and gobbled all the apples, wiping the juice from their chins. “I love apples,” said the chicks.

“Me too,” said the others.

Think twice before you act

Long ago, there used to live a very great King by the name Nruga, the son of Ikshvaaku. He gave as many goodaanams as there are grains of sand on the earth, stars in the heavens, or drops in a rain shower. He gave the best quality kapila varna cows, decorated with pure golden hooves and horns, along with their calves. He gave them to the most learned braahmanas, whose families were in need, were young and possessed of excellent character and qualities, who were dedicated to truth, famous for their austerity, vastly learned in the Vedic scriptures and saintly in their behaviour. He performed many other such great daanams for the needy. In addition, he performed many yagnyas and executed various pious welfare activities.

Once, a cow owned by a learned braahmana wandered away and entered the herd being given as daanam by Nruga. Unaware that he was giving a cow that did not belong to him, he gave it to one other needy braahmana. When the owner of the cow saw his cow being taken away, he said "The cow belongs to me!" and the other said "No! It was given to me by Nruga." Nruga comes to know about this and offers each one of them a thousand cows of highest quality and asked them to save him from this difficult situation. However, both the braahmanas go away leaving the cow.

Yamadharmaraaja, after King Nruga leaves his physical body and comes to Yamaloka, asks Nruga "do you wish to experience the results of your paapam first, or those of your punya? Indeed, I see no end to the greatest daanams you have performed, or to your consequent enjoyment in the urdhva lokas. However, you made the sin of stealing a cow from a braahmana". Nruga chooses to face the consequences of his paapam first and immediately falls as a huge chameleon in a well. Since he always had bhakti towards the Lord and performed uncountable number of great daanams, he always remembered who he was, and what mistake he committed. He used to repent for his mistake and spent a very long time alone in the well, always doing Bhagavat-dhyaanam.

After a very long time, once when Shri Krishna, Saamba, Pradyumna, Chaaru, Bhaanu, Gada and other boys were playing, out of thrist they goto the well where Nruga was living. Out of pity, Shri Krishna takes him out of the well. The touch of the Lord of the universe made Nruga get a divya tejaswi form, with radiating kiritam and ornaments and tejas of Sun. On being asked by Shri Krishna, the Sarvagnya, the reason for the chameleon form, Nruga tells him his unfortunate story. He does a stotram to Lord krishna, does a pradakshinam, takes leave from the Lord and before the eyes of everyone flies to urdhva lokas in a divya vimaanam.

Morals in the Story:

1. Even for a great person like Nruga, one mistake, which he did unknowingly, made him experience the result of his paapam. Thus one should be very careful not to commit any kind of sin even unknowingly and lead a very ideal life.
2. Some or the other time, one must experience the results of his paapa or punya. However, if one surrenders himself to the God, He will lift you from the samsaaram and in the end give you kaivalyam, as Krishna did to Nruga.
3. Since Nruga never forgot remembering the Lord and the Lord was impressed by his great acts, Krishna granted him urdhva lokas in the end. So the end result for a good person will always be good.

Hard work can do wonders

In Indian culture vairaagyam was always given ultimate importance. But careful, there is a very thin line that separates vairaagyam and laziness. In vairaagyam all karma is done but without expecting anything in return, without being involved in the materialistic aspects of karma. Bhagiratha, with his unparalleled effort to bring Ganga to earth, showed us how much effort a man can put in and as a result what wonders can be done.

On knowing that his ancestors (60000 Sagara Kumaras) will reach swarga only if the pure waters of Ganga flow through their ashes, from his mother, Bhagiratha immediately leaves to Himalayas to do tapas for Lord Brahma:

1. After purifying himself in a pushkarini, it starts tapas with extra-ordinary concentration.
2. Starts with padmaasana and in winter stood in the freezing waters of the lake with water up to chest!
3. In Summer stands in the middle of burning pancha-agnis (four agnis + sun) and steadily stared at the sun with eyes wide open (all the while concentrating on Brahma deva)!!
4. During the first few days, he had food only once a day. Later it was once in a few days. Then it became once in a month. After that, he just used to drink a little water and continue his ‘Tapas’. Finally the air was his only food!!!
5. 1000 years passed….!!!!

Brahma, the creator of the worlds, on the requests of Gods to save them from the tremendous tapaagni of Bhagiratha, appears before him and blesses him with children and Ganga. However, Brahma deva suggests that none except Parama Shiva can take the force when Ganga falls onto earth, and if not with that force earth will be washed away…

Men are of three kinds:

1. There are cowards, who do not begin their work at all, afraid that some trouble may arise midway.
2. Those who begin but later give up the task, afraid of the difficulties that arise.
3. Brave people who belong to a third group. They continue to work in spite of even an army of difficulties, and finally achieve the goal.

Bhagiratha belonged to this third category of brave men. He again began a severe ‘Tapas’ to please Lord Ishwara. With folded hands, and standing on one leg, he meditated on Lord iswara with the deepest concentration. So a whole year passed. Pleased with Bhagiratha’s devotion Lord ishwara takes the immense force of Ganga and controls her in his jataajutam. He completely stops her from flowing to teach her a lesson (she was a mischievous girl, proud of her strength!), but for Bhagiratha it was another difficulty… But he again with tapas pleases Lord Shiva to release Ganga down to earth. Ganga followed Bhagiratha shyly and slowly, like his daughter (Bhaagirathi). But she grew a little mischievous, though Shiva taught her a lesson once, when near Jahnu maharshi’s ashram. She wandered all over the Ashrama like a small girl and the entire place was filled with water. Disturbed from tapas by it, Jahnu maharshi in a single gulp swallows her entirely. And suddenly difficulties again for Bhagiratha. But it is not the first time for him, so immediately pleases Jahnu maharshi (Jaahnavi comes out of Jahnu maharshi’s ear) and finally sends his ancestors to higher worlds…..

Morals in the story:

1. Karma must be done in massive quantity as Bhagiratha did, but selflessly…
2. Brave people continue to work in spite of even an army of difficulties, and finally achieve their goal.
3. Man can achieve wonders, once he puts in effort and dedication….
4. One must never be proud of one’s strength or other qualities. Else you will be humiliated when you meet a greater person. (Shiva taught the naughty kid, Ganga, a lesson by controlling her unparralled strength & force, with great ease….)

Message:

Let us all put effort, learn all the good qualities and be true Indians. Impossible is nothing.

Do not blame others

Our Indian culture is great. The rules it provides make everyone lead an ideal life. According to our shastras, it seems, a person who blames others (unnecessarily) gets half of the entire paapam of the person blamed and in addition gives away half of his entire punyam to the person blamed! So there a big loss for the person who blames and a big gain for the person blamed. The following is a small story showing how careful one needs to be while doing Dharma nirnayam and eventually blaming others.

Once a poor braahmana, with hunger, came to a person’s house and asked for bhiksha. The kind woman in the house took pity on him and immediately offered food. She asked the brahmana to sit under the shade of a huge tree in their house and she brought food for him. Before the braahmana cleaned himself, prayed to the God and started eating, a very unfortunate thing happened. There used to live a poisonous snake under the shelter of the tree and vidhi vashah it spilt its poison and it directly fell into the food the braahmana was going to eat. The braahmana unknowing that the food is poisoned, ate food and died.

Now, who needs to be blamed? Is it the woman who gave the food, or the snake or the owner or the braahmana himself. It seems that the person who decides and makes a decision that a particular individual is to be blamed will get the brahma-hatyaa-paatakam.

So did you notice how critical is a dharma-nirneta’s role. How many shastras should he have learnt before taking the seat of dharma-nirneta? How careful and unbiased should his thinking be? Imagine how great is Yamadharmaraaja to be able to do perfect justice for so many people for such huge amount of time. That is why He is called ‘Samavarti’. He has one of his legs in Shri-chandanam and the other in fire. Both are same for Him and thus very unbiased and impartial.

Morals in the story:

1. A lot of thinking needs to be done before putting blame on others.
2. A person should be highly knowledgeable and learned in order to be a dharma-nirneta. That is why it is customary in our Indian culture to always say “As far as i know, this is Dharma….” or “This is what I heard from my elders, hence …..”.

Message:

Atleast on hearing to this story, we hope all the govt. officials will be still more careful in performing their duties. The pathetic state of today’s nyaayasthaanas is well-known. The power given to a nyaayaadhikaari is immense. The story also shows how impartial, unbiased, honest and most importantly learned must the nyaayaadhikaris be… One may assume everything is going fine, but at sometime or the other one must experience the effects of his own karma.

A Small Touching Story Mainly For Professionals

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his
5-year old son waiting for him at the door.
SON:"Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
DAD:"Yeah sure, what is it?" replied the man.
SON:"Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD:"That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?"
the man said angrily.
SON:"I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD:"If you must know, I make Rs.100 an hour."
SON:"Oh," the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON:"Daddy, may I please borrow Rs.50?"
The father was furious, "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard everyday for such this childish behavior."
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that Rs.50 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.
"Are you asleep, son?" He asked.
"No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.
"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier" said the man.
"It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you.. Here's the Rs.50 you asked for."
The little boy sat straight up, smiling. "Oh, thank you daddy!" He yelled.
Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.
"Why do you want more money if you already have some?" the father grumbled.
"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.
"Daddy, I have Rs.100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?
Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you."
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.
It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts.
Do remember to share that Rs.100 worth of your time with someone you love.
If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days.
But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family.

After reading this story could you guys give me a feed back

Flying car to be unveiled in 2011

An American company Terrafugia Transition, based near Boston, is set to unveil the dual-purpose car-cum-plane vehicle called 'The Flying Car' as early as 2011. The two-seater vehicle can let you fly if you wish to avoid the congested city traffic. If you want to drive on the road, just touch the road. The vehicle will fold up its wings in 30 seconds and transform itself into a car.

"The Flying Car" can travel up to 725 kilometres in the air at a speed of more than 115 kilometres per hour. Fuelled by gasoline, it has front wheel drive on the road and a propeller for flight. With its wings folded, it can be parked in your ordinary car garage. Its initial cost is expected to be around $200,000 (nearly Rs.1 crore), says the company which has already orders for 60 vehicles.

The CEO of the company told Canadian TV (CTV) network here that they have successfully test-flown "The Flying Car" as many as 28 times. The tests have shown that the vehicle can drive, fly and switch from being a plane to a car in just 30 seconds. He said this miracle vehicle will ease problems for pilots who currently face problems like weather which sometimes doesn't allow them to take off or land.