Sopanam - December 2011 1

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Sopanam E-Magazine - (For members circulation only)
Volume 1 Issue 9 15th December, 2011 5113 amiojw
t km ] m \w
t km ] m \w
A Family-Magazine from SevA dArShAn KuwAit
Sopanam - December 2011 2
Amritha Vachanam
AayX hN\w
Subashitam
kp`mjnXd
o-o t aem coa _o zeozeam zoemea~ z.ioe ~eozeoem .
oaemzo, _aim eo z1.em e or- zo_io oim c.e zo.
_mJmi__ ec e _.m _ozeo., or- oo m. _mi-
omi-o aa., omi-o .eo.,_mi- omi-o.mia..
omi-m _m e gmm . m. zi.em e _oazem . _ e
_.o geui. eo z1.em e geuiaeo oeuia. oi_-
vooi- mi_i oi. ca.acze _m mi.oiaeo_ .ezmeeo
oic_eceo- ~emi c.e~ozem . .i.meimc_e.om _oia
_mimmeimo _c_e. aem .eceKiazeacme__oze mmi.
mi.eo oi. oi_io m. .mJoa. oc_e. ~eoo z+mm _Joem
oi.a a+i., oo oc_e. ~zao_ eece evcoa oe c.ea.
or- g..cmeaoim ece voo ._-om .m .a ia_io
emei o.icm .moeoia.

oezi micmaeomm
_.emozi o oJm
o ai . v:oe vKo
coo oca oo ~ a vi ue
ze :u aoo i ouo
Aw
_ .e. vKo z + mm_. oeo gmoi a_oem ,
_. cmoem , _. zzem . g oi i . oi cme- a -i ,
em _cmom _m oeK ~emoce-, gm.zeo
ze o oo ~mi aeo oz a omae.z _ . ooi o_ o
g K.i a o .
Sopanam - December 2011 3
Editorial
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editorial Board
Krishna Kumar Paliath
Manoj Nair
Vibheesh Tikkodi
Redhish Chandran
Gayatri Raveendran
data Management
Ajaykumar Anjaneyam
Rajarajan Ganesan
Anandharaj Konni
Rani B. Basker
Sindhu Sanjith
Reshmy Krishna Kumar
Aneesh Kumar. U
Ajith Kumar. S
Suresh Varickolil
Roopesh R. Souparnika
Reshmi Sudheer
Creative & design
Sreenivasan C.P.
Sunil Pookode
Vinaya Babu. C.K.
Viswajith .M.K.
Prejith
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The global fnancial crisis has reached the shores
of our nation. Coupled with high infation, negative
industrial growth, depreciation of the Rupee and the
downward trend of the stock market is an indication of
the worst days to come.
The experiments the successive Indian governments
have undertaken based on the western economic
thoughts have taken its toll and our government
currently seems to be clueless on what further steps
need to be taken. For long, we followed the socialist
economic models in our country and then opened up our
markets to increase foreign trade and investments after
the fall of the USSR. In the process we are now getting
affected by the turmoil in the American and European
economies. We can satisfy ourselves with the argument
that this is part of the globalization polices and since
we are a growing player in the world we would face
these kinds of ups and downs. We are moving towards a
global double digit recession. The country had defended
itself against the global crisis in 2008 because of a fast
growing economy and a substantial fscal stimulus.
But now the domestic economy is weakening. The
stock market has fallen by over 15%. The absence of
any signifcant economic reforms in the last few years
has blocked any avenues for growth. Low industrial
growth, lack of signifcant economic reforms from the
government, saga of accusation of corruption against
the top ministers in the government is effecting the
foreign direct investment. In the pretext of overcoming
these issues, the government is allowing 51% FDI in
the retail market, which will threaten a huge domestic
retail market that will leave millions jobless.
But is this the fnancial model that will secure our
future for us? We have failed to look into the basic
foundations of our economy and how it has been
built. Our economy is based on the rock foundation of
inter relationships and mutual trust. Our economists
are banking on the growing middle class and their
expanding spending habits. Also to compliment,
we claim to have a vibrant export sector. But in the
process we remain mute to the effects of all this on the
people living in the lower strata of our society in the
rural sector. The need of the time is to have a broader
thought of expanding our economic horizons keeping
our culture and traditions intact. Material wealth is to
be acquired so that we can serve God in the form of
our society, in the best possible manner, and out of all
the wealth, only the minimum should be used for self.
Vulgar, ostentatious and wasteful expenditure is a sin
when millions are starving. There must be reasonable
restrictions on all consumption. Consumerism is not
compatible with the spirit of the Hindu culture. But
the changes in economic policies and standards would
be of no use unless the minds of every member of the
society are not moulded accordingly. The economic
system succeeds or fails according to the men who
work it out. The clear identifcation of every citizen
with the national identity alone would be the real social
infrastructure of any social economic order.
The current issue in the southern states of Kerala and
Tamil Nadu on the Mullaperiyar issue is an eye opener.
We have two states arguing over the rebuilding of a dam
that is over 100 years old. Keeping aside the need of
the water for the farmers in the surrounding areas and
the danger it poses to the inhabitants living around the
dam area, we have politicians from both states fghting
a war of words against each other. We need to have an
approach considering the rivers and waters as national
property and the usage of the same for the beneft of the
nation as a whole rather than a state or a community.
Natural resources need to be kept above the sentiments
of state or language.
The citizen of any nation plays an important part
in the development of a nation. Be it economic, social
or cultural development, the citizen is the important
building block. Only social ideologies, which are built
on the strong foundation of spiritualism on which
material gains are based, have survived in the history of
the world as we know it.
Sopanam - December 2011 4
mi~1~ oicae-i
Spiritualism
ArmnId

{io Kncojv amdns\ temIw AdnbpXv `mcX
kwkvImcns Xs `mKamb X{imkv{Xns
{]NmcI\mbnmWv. 1963 Aepgbn P\
nphf Atlw hfsc sNdp{]mbn
Xs PohnXns ImWmsmfpIsfdnpw
BymnI PohnXsdnpw Adnbphm Xm
cyw {]ISnnn.ckX{n_nZm\c
_nZw t\Snsbnepw Xs hgn AsXma
F Xncndnv, `mcX kwkvImcsbpw
X{imkv{Xsbpw dnp ]T\fntev
Xncnp. tIcfw I m Xm{nImNmcymcn
A{KKWyw, Beph X{ hnZym]oTns m]
Iamb ]qPy\ob {io am[hvPnv injysp.
hj tijw AhnsSs Ubd
dmbn tkh\ajvTnIbpw sNbvXp. tIcfw,
_wKm, Imivao Fo aqv {]mtZinI Xefnse
X{hnZybn Atlw {]mhoWyw t\Snb Kncojv
PnbpsS X{ imkv{Xnse m\w Xncndn
`mKhXlwkw anbq {io ic\qXncnmSv
Atls "kkm[ImNmcy' ]w \In
BZcnp.
Xriq Pnbn amSmbntmWw {Kman
m]nXamb {io]pcw {Sv cq]sXns ]nnse
hnImchpw asm. ]mccy aqeysf
kwcnhm {]Xn_Xbp H Iqw
BfpI Atlns t\XrXzn AhnsS
{]hn. ]qnI \apmbn Xmfn
tbmeIfn kqn Aaqeyfmb AdnhpI
UnPn cq]n kwcnhmw Ch apssI
FSp.
Cv Atlw X{imkv{Xns {]NcWmw
temIw apgph kcn. `mcXob
kwkvImcntbpw ]mccy aqeyfpsSbpw
kwcWnw {]NcWnw th mibp
Atlns {]bXv\ ap \nn 2006
Cy Cn}Sv Hm^v kbn^nIv sldntPv
Atls "ss]XrIcXv \w' AhmUv \In
BZcnp.
ssihsshjvWhimtb Zi\fn
Ht]mse m\nbmb Atlw XnI hmn
IqSnbmWv. Nppaph kvt\ltmsS KncojvPn
F hnfn Ctlhpambn Nnehgn Nne
\nanjfntev ...
Bob PohnXw FXpsIm m v AamXv
FmWv?
\ coXnbn PohnI FXmWv Bob
PohnXw FXp sImm v AamXv. . ajy
PohnXn\v `uXnIXpapdw asm Xew Dsms
Is mnb aljoizcm c mp Xetfbpw
Dsmnp sImm v \bn, ]qamb, PohnX
coXnbmWv Bob PohnXw.
`mcXob BNmcAjvTm\{Ian A[njvTnXamb
ssZ\wZn\ PohnX ns {]kn B[p\nI
kaqln?
`mcXob ANmcmjvTm\ am\h [s
ap\nnbphbmWv. temIw Cv
A`napJoIcn GXp {]iv\w FSpmepw
AXns\m ]cnlmcw Ghw \hct Fv
B{Kln `mcXob kwkvImcn Is mm
Ignbpw. \psS aljoizcm hn`mh\w sN
bvX PohnX coXnI As\bpXmbn.
]almbnse `qXbw ]mcnnXnI {]
iv\ ]cn lmcamsWXv AXns\m
DZmlcWamWv.
[ym\w sImm v ssIhcnmhp KpW
FsmsbmWv?
"[o' F hmns cm v Av Akr
Xambn "[o' bpsS "bm\w' F [ym\n\v c mp
Xefpm v. Hv "Imgv'bpsS Xew, asm
"_pn'bpsS Xew. [ym\nXneqsS Ah\
hs\ Xs Xncndnbmw, kzw Cm\n
uJr .u_im-...
{io F. Kncojv am
Sopanam - December 2011 5
Spiritualism
ArmnId
Xncndnbmw klmbIam. As\ Xncndnbp
Cm\nv Akcnv Pohntm, a\
xam[m\w e`n.
"kwKw' GsXms XcnemWv PohnX
hnPbn\v ImcWamXv?
\n Dm m A\mhiy{`a Cm
Xmw. Ah \psS B{Klsf kzm[o\
n _mlyLSIfn \nw \s
cnv, PohnXaqeysdnpw PohnX
eysdnpap Adnhv {]Zm\w sNp.
BymnI`uXnI ]ptcmKXnp efnXamb
hgnI?
efnXw FXv Bt]nIw am{XamWv. Fnepw
FSpp ]dbmhpXv kym kabs
\ma P]amWv. hoSpIfn apSmsX \maP]w
\Snbn Imev `mcXw Xs sFizcyns
DtImSnbnembn. As\ H ioew \apv
\ambtm D ajys Cs Ah
\mw t\cnp Imapm v .
t{Im[w km[Is i{XphmWv Fv ]dp tInp v.
Chsb Fs\ adnISmw?
sNdp NncntbmsS KncojvPn ]dXv CXns\
adnISm FfphgnI Hw Xsbn FmWv.
hniZoIcWw BhiyamWv F tXmnbXp sImmm
Imw Atlw XpS.
a\xns t\cnb Ne\ t]mepw a\knemm
\apv [ym\w sImm v Ignbpw. B Ne\ a\n
embm \s t{Im[ntep \bn LSI
Xncndnbm km[nw . B XncndnhneqsS am{Xta
B LSIsf \nb{nv, \ap tZjyw hcmsX t\
mhm km[nq. [ym\hpw \maP]hpw apSm
Hcmv tZjyw hcm km[yXbpw hfsc
d hmWv.
PohnX hnPbn\v AXymt]nXamb {]m\
GsXms XcnemWv th mXv?
{]m\sb "s{]b' F hntijnnm sXpw
F ]mc\mWv Rm. "t{]' FXp sIm v
AamXv "Sp s_Kv' FmWv. "bmNnI'.
{]m\ Hcnepw bmN\b. C \mw sNpXpw
AXp XsbmWv. `uXnIamb Bhiy
\Snnphm bmN\. {]m\sbm
"{]ItjWbp A\'bmWv, F hm
"\hw tNmZn'.
Atm \hw tNmZnt mXv Fs\
F kwibw a\n Dbtmtgpw, a\p
hmbnns t]mse Atlns hmI
Fs\bmWv \hw tNmZnt Xv FXmhpw
ASp tNmZyw. H Ifv asm Iesd
a\neXp t]msebpw, H tUmv asm
tUmsd a\nemXp t]msebpw BWv,
Xpeyamb m\p \n tNmZnhsc
Cuizcw a\nemXv. Xmw Cuizcs
AwiamsW _pnsImsm nepw Xncndnv,
Ah kaw \n tNmZnemWv {]m\. AhnsS
Almcn m\an. Htc knZm\ns
cm p `mKfmsW a\nemtm Almcw
D mIn.
a{P]w Fm Fv? AXv Fs\
PohnXioeammw?
"a\\mXv {XmbtX CXn a{x' FmWv. a\\w
sNpXp sImm v \s cnXv Fw.
H tUm tcmKnp tcmKadnp \ev a
t]mse, Kp Xs injys Bhiyadnp D]
tZinXmIWw a{w. ]pkvXIw t\mn
hmbnm a{w BIn. a{w tII
bmWv thmXv. {]Wha{w t]mepw P]nt m am{X
Kphns \nti {]ImcamIWw. KpapJp\n
injys I]pSfn hogp Wn Xs
Hhs t_m[Xen amap mew. k NnXamb
Xen \nw Ah hnIknv, Rm Cuizc
mwiw Dh\mWv F t_m[ntev FpIbpw
sNpw.
CXp PohnXioeamI FXv km[mcWmc\v
Bhiyhpan, AXp km[yhpa. Xo{hamb
CuiztcmpJamb At\zjWw \Spht a{
P]w th mq. Amhv \maP]w sImmpXs
AXns ^e Inpw, ]Xps Bbncnsa
am{Xw. a{w e`nXn tijapXmWv A\.
X\nsXmw XtX CuizctXmWv F
kamWv A\v. km[mcW ajysc kw_
nnStmfw Cuizct\mSp `n ImWn
hm H D]m[n am{XamWXv.
AXp t]mseXsbmWv D]mk\bpw.
km[mcWmc\v AXns Bhiyw hn.
\psS Ejnhcym hn`mh\w sNbvX PohnXw
Ncybmnbhv H Ln PohnXns
AIsmfpIsfdnv Adnbm B{Klap mmw.
AhnsSbmWv D]mk\bpsS XpSw. \ap tbmPn
D]mk\bpw \psS imcocnIhpw am\knIhpw _
unIhpamb Xen\krXambn Kp XsbmWv
\nbnXv.
{io efnXm kl{k\maP]ns {]m[m\yw?
GsXm kl{k\mantbpw t]mseXs dp
t\ctp km[\ XsbmWv efnXm kl{k\
mantbpw eyw. \ap AtbmSp IqSpX
ASpw tXmXp t]mse km[I\v kwhZnm
IqSpX Ffpw efnXmkl{k\maw BImsa
am{Xw. AXns LS\ Cuizcs\ Adnbmh
Sopanam - December 2011 6
t]mepw tZhnsb ASpdnbm Ignbp coXnbnem
Wv. tZhnbpsS AhXmc eyw, Dhw, cq]w F
XpSn AXns Hmtcm \manepw tZhnsb Adnb
m hgnbmWv. asm {]tXyIX efnXmkl{k\
maw Abn XpSn ({io amXm) Abn Xs
Ahkm\n (Aw_nIm) FXmWv. CXv Zn\hpw
sNmp Hcmfn\v Ahkv{XmZnIv H appw
D mmhn FmWv hnizmkw.
t{XZi\w sNptm Ahiyw {int
hkvXpXI?
H {]`mjWn Xs hnjbam Cu
tNmZynw Atlw hfsc d hmIfn
Dcw ]dbm {ianp.
icocntXnt\m a\ntbpw _pnbptSbpw
hrnbmWv BZyw thm Xv. Cuizcmambn
kwhZnm kzImcy ew F \nebn
\niambn t{XZi\w sN bvXv CdpI.
t{XLS\bn {iotImhn\Sbn Hcmfn
\nevhm eta Dm mIbpq. AhnsS
Rmw Fs Cuizcw am{Xw.
"tkh\w" 'tkh" ChbneqsS Fns\bmWv
BymnI ]ptcmKXn t\Sm\mhpI?
"Rm' "FtXv' "F\npXv' F `mh
Fmw Xs XyPnIbmWv tkh\neqsS
sNpXv.. aphtSXp IqSnbmWv Cu temIw
F Xncndnhn temIkam[m\w ssIhw. F
shv F\n tkhnm BfpI D mmItW
F ]dbpXpw icnb. adnv, tkh\w Bh
iyaph temIv D mmItX F {]m\tb
Dm mImhq. \psS tkh\w Bhiyap H cmfp t]
mepw D mm kmlNcyw hcmXncn hm bXv\
ambncnWw \psS tkh\w.
DhsS Zbmhmbv]v ImWnhm thmn
Cmhh sImSphm ]dbpXpw icb.
Atm tkh\smfp]cn \aXp
aphambn ]hphm a\mWv thmXv.
"Zm\w' FXpw Cs "sUmtWj' FXpw
c mmWv. Zm\w \evXv t{ijvTmmWv.
AhnsS Zm\w \evhtcm DbcnemWv
Zm\w kzoIcnbmfpsS m\w. AXmIWw
tkh\nep at\m`mhhpw. Fs Nppw \m\
mcq]n hnlcn Cuizc\ ,v FtXmbnpXv
Zm\w sNp F at\m`mhw \n FfnabmWv
D mmXv.
amXrIm`h\w FXv Fs\ BbncnWw?
Aw Apw aw ]ckv]cw a\nemm
kmlNcyap `h\ambncnw H amXrIm `h\w.
As\bpnSt kvt\lap mmIq.
h hyhsb dnv?
hw FXnt\m PmXn FXnt\m "Imv'
F Hcan. hw Fm AamXv
\fn Xsbp hyXykvXfmbnp am\
knIXesfbmWv. AXns\ hfpIbpw A
XneqsS \ hfIbpamWv th mXv.
Cuizcs\ Adnbphm amw?
Ah\hs\ Adnbphm XpSpXneqsS \mw
Cuizcs\ Adnp XpSp.
i_cnaebpsS Xm{nI sshinjvSyw?
i_cnae FXnt\m As sshin
jvSyw ]dbpXmw DNnXw. AkzmanbpsS cq]
w Nnnm B Acbn sInbncn hkv{Xhpw,
Nnp{Zbpw tbmKimkv{Xhpambn _sp InS.
"lcnlc' ]p{X F kw km[mcWmcs
bpnp \ncmXmsWnepw AXns bYm
XXzw asmmWv. \mw Dzkn NqSvhmbp kq cyt\
bpw AXphgn kqcys A[n]\mb ]cainht\bpw
kqNnn. AXpt]mse izkn X hmbp
cm{XnbpsS {]XoIamb N{t\bpw AXph gn N{m[n]
bmb evaotZhntbbpw, As\ evao]Xnbmb
hnjvhnt\bpw kqNnn. Atm inhw
hnjvhpw ebn FXp sImm v AamXv
izmtkmzmkw \nepIbpw A Xphgn kpjpav\m
\mUnsb DWpIbpw sNp AhbmWv.
A{]Imcw kpjpav\m \mUn Xpd ]pdtp
t]m {]mW, {]]w D mmsnp ]
rYzn, Pew, tXPv, hmbp, BImiw Fo Av
Imcy Av B[mc]fn Hn tase
Hmbn ASpn hnpXp Imw. Cu Antbpw
apIfn A\mbn, imknh\mbn, Kpm\
amb {`qa[yn Ccnh, A Asn
imkvXmhv FXmWv XXzw. As\
tbmKimkv{Xns AKm[ AXefpsS
{]XoIamWv A. A Ccn
eamWv i_cnae. Cuizc{]m
]vXn t]mse Xs ZpLSamWv i_cnae Zi\hpw.
{iohnZy D]mk\ FmWv?
efnXambn ]dm tZhnbpsS D]mk\bmWv.
{io Fm hnjw Fw Aamp v. Rm F
At_m[ hnjw CmXmm hnZybmWv {iohnZy
D]mk\.
Xm{nI hnZyIfneqsS tcmKia\w Fs\
km[yam?
kv]mhXmfamWv tcmKw. Xm{nIamb \
maP]fnse kv]\ \nse AhXmfsf
t\scbm. Atm AhXmf ianv tcmKw
t`Zam.
kzbw H ktihmlI\mbn IXm Atln
]dbmXv bphP\tfmSp am{Xambn. ajy
cmintbmSp apgph Atlw Blzm\w sNpXv
`mcXob kvwkvI mcw Ahn kmtlmZ
cykvt\lnepw NcyIfnepw PohnXw \bnm
temIkam[m\w ssIhcnmw FXmWv.
Spiritualism
ArmnId
Sopanam - December 2011 7
oeuemei gco mi, a_1o, ae_ai,
coeJm, oai _m1 o um_io
aem_-m.
. za.~e: ~[YELLOW. SAPPHIRE ]
Mohs hardness.8Refractive Indux.-1.7621.788
: om eio me+:.mzei aoz_
ozem
za oiooim_ _ o .1me, _o,
gco mi, o~, _m1 o um_io om~zem
+. mv~[DIAMOND
Mohs hardness 10Refractive Indux -2.4172.419
.aoem mvoim :.mzei
ao_oioamo ev~maemo _m
a-oo g~m_io o ueo .i-i. im
e zia. ozem mv . m__ , ao_ ,
.ie , o1m, ae_i_e-i, za, _m1 oio_io
aem_-zeim _m a-oo mi.miio
aem_-mo m_o oiooim_ mvzem . +t/
m m~iamo g.iaio oimem .
.. _mo1m~[BLUE-SAPPHIRE]
.oi :.mze1 mi. iiam _ oo1m
oiooio aem_-m
Mohs hardness ---9.Refractive Indux. 1.7621.788
aJr, .1me, ae. z1J, gco mi _m1o um_io
m~zem
+. c:eczoa ~[GOMED]
Mohs hardness 6.57.5Refractive Indux .1.761.82
e. :.oim ou1ommzem
c:eczoaoio_o ae_i_e-i oiooim_ _
o.1meim _oim om~zem
+. mm ~[CATS EYE
:. cao,zi .. amJm m_ oiooim_
_ o _oim a_1mimaem_-m.
Mohs hardness 8.5Refractive Indux 1.7461.755
_ omo_- e .euzia oai. zem _o .
:cm~m_- oimmo :m_ ozevoio
uee_ m~zem
omo _o .eaeJa mJ mJ_ c~ozco
gJa _.ce:iaemmoem .
mic.eoze o coeo_a_io omooim
.eueo _m z.o1zem .omo. zo~m
.e1ia zeooia omo ua_ oeu1oiamoe1
cveoi~.eo oio .oi.eoiam _meo
oo _o zeoomoimemmooio
o-iiiam :mczmzao e .iui m oe
oiaiicamo ooime om. .emiaze
.eo 1ze .oia_-m o_- z.o
ece evoim omo -oc_em
oeu1oiam
emo o. a-ic. Jm .zemm e omo.
.imzoe.e.ae omo. om:._zei
oeu1ommoio mi. iiam. _oaemem .
zo~J _ o. g~m_ei
_.ce:iamo
+.zemia~[RUBY
o:.mzei ao_oioam
Moh's hardness 9.Refractive Indux 1.761.778
zemiaoim oio .m_ . oeuemei
ammmo a_1o, aJr, oe mm , .1me
_m1ev_imem omo_io camo ueoo
o uioi. m.
:. zo [ PEARL]
.m:.mzei ao_ai-am
Moh's hardness -3.5 4 Refractive Indux 1.531.685
mimiu mJ__io _meim oeuemei
m__oiooio _.e:iam. aooc.a.
_om z.eozooim .o.ia
ozooimzem
+. .mi+~[CORAL
:._io .em eze1 ao_-oi .mi+oio
aeme
Mohs hardness 3.54Refractive Indux 1.4861.658
mimiu mJ__io aemzeim .m_ oiozem
o~iaez .mi+m _om z.eozooim
.o.ia ozooim aeme
+. zoa~ [EMERALAD
Mohs hardness 7.58Refractive Indux 1.56521.602
.. oiozem zoaoio. au :.oio
ao_ oioam.
Cultural
kmwkvImcnIw
omo.
gomev caemi
Sopanam - December 2011 8
Every day we come across some topic relat-
ing to inflation, on TV and newspapers and
all available media. But the fact is that only
a very few (specialists in Economics not in-
cluded) really understand what exactly is this
phenomenon and how it affects our lives.
I hope the following article, presented in FAQ
mode, will help understand the basics about
inflation.
what do you mean by inflation?
Inflation means the increase in the money
supply due to the increase in the price levels.
In simple terms, it means too much money
chasing too few goods.
what are the reasons for this rise in prices?
Mainly two reasons: (1) Increase in demand
for the product (2) External pressure (e.g.: In-
crease in the price of crude oil).
So, what are the two types of inflation?
(a) Cost push inflation It happens usu-
ally by external shock like rise in crude oil
prices.
(b) Demand pull inflation High demand
leads to price rise.
what is the starting point?
The willingness of people to pay, which trig-
gers the demand for a product. Hence the
term demand pull inflation. This normally
happens in a booming economy.
what is the impact on the economy?
People have money to spend BUT there is
not enough supply to meet the demand. So
naturally, the price rises. An item which was
previously bought for Rs.1 costs Rs.2 now,
because of the increase in its demand. The
money supply to the market increases.
In the initial stages, this change is not noticed
by the middle and high class sections of the
society, because of their purchasing power.
But the poor is severely affected and the au-
thorities start paying attention to the phenom-
enon called inflation.
how to control inflation?
There are two main ways to control (1) In-
crease the GDP of the nation, (2) Control of
the flow of money to the market with the in-
terference of RBI.
WHAT IS INFLATION ?
Balu Bhaskar C.
Finance
[\Imcrw
Sopanam - December 2011 9
GDP means the Gross Domestic product,
which is the total aggregate output of the econ-
omy. In other words, it is the money value of
{consumables + investments+ Govt. spend-
ing+ (Export-Import)}. In simpler words,
GDP encompasses what is commonly called
Supply of the product.
The manufacturers are to be encouraged to
produce more by providing facilities and re-
sources, to meet the growing demand. This
initiative is to be taken primarily by the Gov-
ernment. The Public Distribution System
(PDS) has to be strengthened to ensure that
whatever is produced reaches the consumers
IN TIME AND IN PERFECT CONDITION.
The services of FCI and other Govt. controlled
godowns should be fully utilized towards this
end. This will control price due to scarcity of
the product, to a considerable extent.
Another way to control inflation is through
the interference of the Central Bank of the
country (in the case of India, the Reserve
Bank). RBI will control the money supply
of banks to the market by way of its Mon-
etary Policy. Every bank has to keep a part of
their deposits with the RBI, which is known
as CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio). During infla-
tion, RBI will hike this Ratio, which auto-
matically affects the lending capacity of the
banks. This means, banks cannot lend freely
as before, because they have to deposit more
money with RBI.
Furthermore, RBI will increase the Repo rate
(the rate at which RBI lends money to other
banks), which in turn will force the banks to
increase the rate of loans to customers. This
will drive the customers away from taking
loans, leading to the control of money supply
to the market.
is inflation linked to the strength of
the currency?
Not directly. The strength of the currency of
any country depends on the Foreign Exchange
Reserves and Gold Reserves and the faith on
the banking system (RBI in the case of India)
and economy. Otherwise, the currency note
is just a piece of paper, without any value.
If more money flows to the market, it is be-
cause RBI mints currency with all the back-
ings of these reserves. But the reserves also
fluctuate because of withdrawals by Foreign
Institutional Investors to invest in better mar-
kets, to pay for imported goods etc. This will
weaken the currency. This implies that the
imported goods will be costlier, which will
lead to cost-push inflation.
To summarize, inflation has to be controlled
by encouraging growth. But too much growth
will eventually lead to recession and defla-
tion. How? This will be discussed in the next
issue.
Finance
[\Imcrw
Sopanam - December 2011 10
A strong and stable economy defines the over-
all growth of any nation. Alongside, there exist
certain forces which drive back all their efforts
to grow and prove competence. One such force
which is highly discussed these days is corrup-
tion. Not being an exclusive snag for developing
countries, corruption prevails everywhere with
varying intensity. The call for a corruption free
system dates back to decades. Still it remains a
dream, worldwide. Besides the cause, aftermath,
and solution discussed extensively on the mat-
ter, the scenario grows worse day by day. As per
World Bank reviews, the estimated amount paid as
bribe overall in the global economy is exceeding
$1 trillion. Isn't that an alarming situation? Had
it been ploughed back, what could be the pace of
development in the global economy with ample
financial support!!!
In India, government takes the most sanctified
form with a golden concept -"by the people", "for
the people" and "of the people". When it comes to
the question of power, "People" gets confined to
"Person". Public interest takes form of personal
interest. Apart from the basic notions and conclu-
sions on the existence of corruption in the system,
more scientific studies are taking place in various
part of the world. India is also a subject of study
for the researchers. On its corruption perception
index (Transparency International, 2009), India is
at a score of 3.4 on a 10 point scale.
Indian constitution itself is molded with an ef-
ficient administrative system to benefit the citi-
zens especially taking into consideration the ba-
sic needs for the low income group. But the fact
is that all these remained in paper. As an example
researchers point out that, as per records the au-
thorities are bound to spend more than 5% of its
total budget on procurement of subsidized food-
stuffs and those who are eligible on the basis of
income can obtain free or subsidized food from
shops which are controlled by government both
in cities and rural side. Here the reality strikes
again. On an average around 15% to 61% of all
subsidized food managed by the public distribu-
tion system is getting vanished on its way to the
consumer.
Transparency is an indispensable ingredient for
an effective administrative system. It was in 2002,
our first Freedom of Information Law (FOI) came
to existence after a long demand for the same from
civil society and the Supreme Court. In 2005 it
took its present form as the most advanced regu-
latory tool in our statutory books; Right To Infor-
mation Act (RTIA), ensuring transparency by a
greater information disclosure.
Headed by senior public officials, politicians,
and media representatives, RTIA has been proved
to be a well designed decree comparable to the
FOI laws globally. It empowers all citizens with
the right to information and that all government
institutions must take the necessary steps to en-
able information disclosure. The most appreci-
ated part is that it is mandatory to advertise RTIA
through campaigns for the public awareness of
its existence and preeminence. At this point we
have to think how many our people are aware of
this powerful statute? Studies assert with substan-
tial evidence that till date no such intensive cam-
paigns have been organized on this cause. Despite
the surfeit of laws and powerful Acts to evade cor-
ruption, it remains ingrained in all walks of life.
Views
hoWw
reshmy Krishna Kumar
Corruption, a hazard to
good governance.
Sopanam - December 2011 11
Globally India is spotted and closely observed
as an emerging economic power who could
withstand the financial crisis which quavered
almost all the so called super powers. However,
without finding a way out for the widespread is-
sue of deception, we will not be able to claim a
stable economy, though the growth rate is high.
The existence of corruption at the top level even
at an ignorable rate can induce an urge in the
bottom level officials also to be corrupted.
We all know that future lies in today's youth.
It is high time for us to think what the youth in
India can contribute for a corruption free sys-
tem. Recollecting the words of ever time youth
icon of India, Swami Vivekananda, Take up
one idea, Make that one idea your life -think of
it, dream of it, and live on the idea let us fight
corruption. It is our duty to challenge corrup-
tion. For sure, fighting corruption is as danger-
ous and risky as fighting a multi faceted demon.
Eminent personalities like Anna Hazare and
Baba Ramdev came forward with a strong veto
to corruption and demand the ratification of Lok
Pal Bill. This backdrop triggered fire inside the
common public too. Similar is the strength of
the media. Print and channel media are playing
a vital role in fighting corruption. They unveil
the fraud in the system being on the side of pub-
lic interest.
Being a victim of corrupted system day after
day and dejected with the current scenario peo-
ple has started discussing and sharing frustration
in public forums and social networks. A com-
plete eradication, though dream hard to achieve,
should be our aim. Our youth should have the
moral fiber to say NO to those demanding bribe.
Intense programs should be organized to make
the common public aware of the strength of our
judiciary and legal systems to impede bribery
and corruption. We should have the boldness to
point the finger on the corrupt.
Equally important is the attitude of each one
of us towards life. Leading and maintaining a
well refined personal life with room for respect
to our culture and morality add to the challenge.
Self disciplined individual who sticks on to cer-
tain ethics in personal life and who has a love
for the fellow beings can easily build a corrup-
tion free network. There is no point in waiting
for the whole society to transfigure. Each one
of us forms the bits for the bytes. Rather than
mere preach, start pursuing a transparent life;
the world will tag along. Love for our homeland
should catalyze the reformation of the whole
system. Hand in hand let each of us put effort to
make the dream for a corruption free India come
true.

Views
hoWw
Sopanam - December 2011 12
Views
hoWw
The Government of India has decided to put
on hold its decisionto permit 51 percent for-
eign investment in the retail sector of India
till a consensusis made with all the elected
members in the Parliament. This has been
welcomed across the country by traders and
farmer.
The government viewpoint is that allow-
ing foreign investors will reduce the cost
of goods which will in turn reduce inflation
and increase productivity in the nation. They
argue that this would attract further invest-
mentsand infrastructure development that
will lead to job opportunities and closethe gap
between the rural and urban population. The
main opposition to this has been that a move
like his would destroy the individual retailers
and smallscale industries, Millions of small
vendors will be left jobless and the traditional
system of demand and supply in the rural so-
cieties would be destroyed.
While the government agrees that more than
30 percent of thesourcing would be reserved
for the local small scale industries, it has no-
answer as to when the large scale benefits of
the large investments will beg into show. Or,
if it will ever create the impact they claim
it would. They are comparing countries like
China, Cuba and Vietnam with an econo-
my as vast and inter linked like the Indian
economy.
The Indian economy is a shining example to
the world of how business is conducted in a
close knit society where everyone know each
other and business is done with mutual re-
spect. Most of the local retailing is nowalso
done based on relationships. Including road
side hawkers and vendors thereis more than
15 million retailers in our country today. This
is more than 100times than the retail market
of China with which we are trying to draw
a comparison.The retailing industry in India
is estimated at more than 400 billion USD.
Hereis where the government claim of more
jobs being created may fall flat on its face.An
example is Walmart that has a 422 billion USD
turnover employs just 1.2million people. So
to imagine them coming into the Indian mar-
ket and creatingmore jobs for our traditional
retailers is simply a farce. And even if they
could, it would be simply a miniscule figure
that would not even make a difference inthe
industry. To imagine that there huge retail-
Our Nation at a Ransom
Sopanam - December 2011 13
Views
hoWw
ers would improve our export figures is also
something that needs to be studied. Compar-
ing our market to China is atrocious as their
market is export driven. Their local consump-
tion is only about 30% and the rest is surplus
that can be exported. India has a domestic-
market of close to 60%. Already the Indian
market is being flooded with Chinese goods
which are cheaper due to the currency differ-
ences. So these huge retailers could bring in
more cheap foreign goods that would be sold
of its shelves at the current prices in the pro-
cess killing the local markets.
The fact that they would eliminate middle-
men and deal direct with the farmers and local
industrialists is also a contradiction as more
huge international wholesalers are known to
have completely destroyed the local markets
in the county they operate like in the United
Kingdom and else where.
The local infrastructure in our country is not
built to handle a large network of cross coun-
try supply stores. The government would have
to spend to improve these so that the goods
can be moved across the country. In the cur-
rent scenario, if they were to do that it would
immensely help the current retail market and
improve the market reach of our local indus-
trialists.
And more importantly we seem to miss the
point that our market is based on relation-
ships and contacts. More than 70% of our
farm produce is socially shared. These cannot
be replaced one fine day with the politics of
corporate economy.
We need to think whether we need a society
that is purely driven by market economics or
a society that functions on the rock solid ba-
sis of our cultural ethos our human relation-
ships.
inspired by the talks and articles of
Shri. S. Gurumurthy, Joint Convener of
Swadeshi Jagran Manch
Sopanam - December 2011 14
Changing Spending Habits
of Indians
Views
hoWw
Krishna Kumar Paliath
Spending habits have undergone dramatic chang-
es in recent years in India. A new report fnds that
people are spending a great deal on clothes, com-
munications and eating outside. But these may soon
start a reverse trend due to the increase infation.
Indians are showing a preference for ready-made
apparel with a massive 75% hike in such purchas-
es. Major international retail brands opening their
showrooms in India looking at the wide potential
is a good example.
Another major change in consumer behaviour
was found in the way India connects. Telephone
expenditure, per person per month, increased by
a whopping 515% since 2000. The deep inroads
made by the mobile revolution was visible in the
proportion of households incurring expenditure on
telephone going up to over 50% in both urban and
rural areas..
This is the face of the emerging new India where
teenagers are suddenly spending much more than
what their grandfathers earned in their lifetime.
As families get smaller, teen spending power has
also become a matter of demographics. Parents are
splurging more because most parents have only two
kids. As nuclear families are more with both par-
ents working, children get more as pocket money
compared to large families with more than 3 kids.
This is when a colossal chunk of Indians teenage
population has no access to basic needs like food,
shelter, clothing and education. Parents feel that
giving pocket is the way of showing love and af-
fection, as a replacement to the time they should
spend with their children. Parents also feel that
what they were not able to get in their childhood;
they have to get all that for their kids.
All of these are a clear indicator of change in cul-
ture and values in modern India. Embrace of mo-
dernity and globalization does not come without
its perils. Consumerism and materialism does not
satisfy deepest human aspirations. More stuff and
toys only adds to new and complicated problems in
the society. It merely replaces one set of problems
with new ones.
Infation is probably the biggest bottleneck that
is facing India and its Economic Future. The high
rate of infation has remained untamed for quite a
few months now and it has taken serious toll on the
common man.
One of the biggest reasons for infation in India is
the higher fuel prices. When fuel prices increase, it
upsets the balance of the economy in our country
as the prices of things increases and this in turn af-
Sopanam - December 2011 15
Views
hoWw
fects the spending capacity of the individuals. This
in turn affects business.
The problem now is that the spending habit we
got used to in the last few years have made the
average Indian addicted to the lifestyle he is cur-
rently living. He has lost the capability to adapting
to the changes that will now have to be made to his
decreasing spending surplus.
Another effect of this is that the elite is not affect-
ed by these increases in prices and they continue
to spend and exhibit their lifestyle which creates
an imbalance psychologically on the middle class
people.
The big change that is happening and will become
more evident in the coming days is that nearly half
of the Middle Income generation have started to
avoid spending on luxury items and are now only
shopping for their basic home needs. The extreme-
ly high fuel prices are forcing more and more peo-
ple to forgo their vehicles and opt for the buses
and metros. Car pooling is also becoming a regular
mode of transportation. People have cut down on
their habit of eating outside home. Vacations are
being cut short and more and more people are now
cutting short spending on clothes, automobiles and
electronics.
The biggest thought that comes to our mind af-
ter seeing these survey fndings If middle class
people are suffering so much due to Infation, what
about poor and BPL citizens. Imagine the hardships
they must be going through just to ensure that their
family is fed 2 times a day.
A wholesome economic change can only brought
about by positive government policies that will
look at the future of the country in a long term per-
spective rather than immediate gains. The society
in its part must be ready to adapt to the situation to
cut down on excessive expenses that will spin in
a very dangerous way if not controlled. Support-
ing the needy of the society is also an eminent and
important part of any fourishing society. Widening
disparity in the lifestyle of a society will only lead
to anarchy and evidently militant reactions we are
witnessing around the globe today.
Sopanam - December 2011 16
Positive and Negative numbers and their calcu-
lations
In ancient India knowledge of fundamental rules
on +ve and -ve numbers were at par with that of
present day. Brahmagupta and Bhaskaracharya-
II have given these aspects as early as 6th cen-
tury AD.
Brahmagupta has given 3 rules on +ve and -ve
numbers in Brahmasphuta Siddhanta.
Runamrunayordhanayorghatho
Dhanamrunayordhanavadho dhanam bhavati.
When two -ve numbers are multiplied , the re-
sulting number is +ve. When +ve and -ve num-
bers are multiplied the result is -ve. When two
+ve numbers are multiplied the result is +ve.
Sripathi(1039 AD) in Siddhanta Sekhara(14-6)
gives explanation for the operation with zero as
follows.
Nothing happens to the +ve or -ve number
when it is added with 0.When +ve and -ve num-
bers are subtracted from 0, the +ve numbers be-
come -ve and -ve numbers become +ve. When
multiplied with zero, the values of both +ve and
-ve numbers become 0.When divided by zero it
becomes infnity.
Later in 1150 AD BhaskaracharyaII has given
the rules for +ve and - ve in Beejaganitham
which is a chapter incorporated in his famous
astronomical treatise Siddhanta Siromani.
Rule 1.2
Swayorasvayo: swam vadha: swarunaghate
Kshaya:
Among +ve and - ve numbers when multiplied
each other ,the result is -ve.
Rule 2.2
Dhanam dhanenarnamrunena nighnam dvayam
dhanam
When +ve number is multiplied with a +ve
number and -ve number with a -ve number the
results are +ve numbers.
Rule3.2
Bhaajya bhaajakayorubhayorapi
Dhanathve runathve kalabdhirdhanameva
When +ve and - ve numbers are divided among
themselves the results are +ve.
Bhaskaracharya had, not only given the calcula-
tions with +ve and - ve numbers among them-
selves, but also had given rules for determining
the squares and square roots of +ve and - ve
numbers.
Rule 1.4
Kruthisvaraunayo: swam swamoole dhanarne
na moolakshayasyaasthi thasyaakruthithwaath
For +ve and - ve numbers square is always +ve.
Because of the nature of the -ve numbers there
is no square root for _ve numbers.
The Wonders of Mathematics in
Indian Heritage
Bharath
Dharshan
`mcX Zi\w
- Gayatri raveendran
Sopanam - December 2011 17
How many of us are aware of the purpose of
life? Harmony between thoughts, words, and
actions is equal to happiness. Actions speak
louder than words. Thoughts are seeds and the
source of action. No activity is possible without
being conceived as a thought form.
Every form has energy. Energy systems are bi-
polar. Every energy system has a positive and
negative pole. Harmony between positive and
negative is important. Positive poles give out
energy and negative poles receive it in the form
of energy waves. So, give and take is funda-
mental to all life forces.
Harmony between what we give to others and
we take from others can result in happiness.
Most of the time, most people think something,
say something else and do something altogether
different. The result is stress, tension and fa-
tigue within our system. Accumulated stress,
tension and fatigue, over a period, bring down
our emotional mental and physical energy.
Moral: One needs an enlightened soul who can
remove ones ignorance. Search for the enlight-
ened soul is the first step in the positive direc-
tion that will free our soul from the bondage of
Importance of Harmony
in our lives!
BtcmKrw
Health
Mrs Gomathy Murthy
mind and matter and bond our soul with the su-
preme creator; that is the purpose of life. Hence
use all our faculties in the right perspective,
have a keen desire to change our priorities in
life
Sopanam - December 2011 18
PT Roopesh R
Over the years, people have become more aware of
health and the importance of physical activity, physi-
cal ftness, and exercise in maintaining good health.
Though these words are not synonyms to each other,
there importance in health is well established.
Physical ftness is like the trunk of a tree that sup-
ports the many branches which represents all the ac-
tivities that make the life worth living: intellectual
life, spiritual life, occupation, love life and social ac-
tivities.
Physical Fitness:
Is the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigour and
alertness, without undue fatigue and complete energy
to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and unseen emergen-
cies.
Physical Activity:
Any bodily movements produced by skeletal muscles
that result in energy expenditure.
exercise:
Is a physical activity that is structured, repetitive and
purposive in the sense that improvement or mainte-
nance of physical ftness is an objective.
Benefts of Physical Fitness:
1- To help avoid/delay life style diseases (heart dis-
ease, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis and others)
2- To make most of the mental capacities.
3- To feel good, energetic and buoyant.
Components of Physical Fitness:
1- Heart and lung endurance
2- Muscular strength
3- Muscular endurance
4- Flexibility
5 -Body compositions
heart and Lung endurance:
Ability to do activities that require increased oxy-
gen.
Muscular strength:
Ability to use your muscle to perform various activi-
ties
Muscular endurance:
Ability to use muscle strength over a set period of
time.
Flexibility:
Ability to bent and move the joints through a full
range of motion.
Body composition:
Is the percentage of body fat compared to the per-
Physical
Fitness
BtcmKrw
Health
Sopanam - December 2011 19
centage of lean muscle tissue.
The optimal fat level for men is 15%,obese when
body fat percentage is above 25%.Optimal fat level
for women is 21%,obese when body fat percentage
is above 32%.
Body Mass Index(BMI); is a simple method to know
your body composition, weight in kilograms/Height
in meter square.
Ideal is20-25 kg/M2
Waist to Hip ratio-Calculates fat distribution around
the waist and hip, which is an indicator of increased
health risk.
Measure around the belly button/Measure around
the buttock
Women more than 0.8=increased health risk.
Men more than 1=increased health risk.
how to improve heart and lung endur-
ance?
Any physical activity that you perform for 15 min
or more eg-Shithilikarana vyayam(Loosening exer-
cises in Yoga),Surya Namaskar, jogging, bicycling,
step aerobics, swimming,etc can increase your heart
and lung endurance.
How to improve muscular strength and endurance?
Doing static asanas,Push-ups,crunches,lifting
weights etc can improve muscle strength and endur-
ance.
How to improve fexibity?
Yogasanas including standing and lying
asanas,stretching exercises can improve fexibility.
Flexibility exercises are preferably done at the be-
gining of exercise,and during warm-up and cool-
down phase of exercise.
how much exercise?
Ideally one should do exercise with the range 50%-
85% of his/her heart rate reserve.
Maximum heart rate=220-Age
Target heart rate=(Maximum HR-Resting HR)50%-
85%+RHR
Caution: You should consult your doctor before you
start any exercise programme. Fitness expert can
advice you the best suitable physical ftness pro-
gramme.
how long should you exercise?
For maximum beneft you should do at least 20- 30
min of continuous aerobic activity
how often?
Three to fve days per week. Five days, If you are
doing moderate aerobic activity,ie 30 minutes ses-
sion. Three days, If you are doing vigorous intensity
aerobic activity,ie 45 minutes session.
what type of exercise?
Aerobic activity- is any prolonged activity for more
than 15 min which involves large muscle groups.
Eg-Surya Namaskar, dynamic yogasanas, shithi-
likarana vyayma, aerobics, jogging, walking, shuttle
batminton, football, etc
Muscle strengthening- are exercises involving ma-
jor muscle groups, two or more days a week.
Eg- weight training,stair climbing ,.etc
Your physical activity can be unstructured,Eg-park-
ing your car bit far and walking to your offce, walk-
ing to your friends fat, walk ,using stairs instead
of lift, spending leisure time in parks than in coffee
shops, etc.
BtcmKrw
Health
Sopanam - December 2011 20
News
hmI
Seva Darshan Kuwait held a discourse by Sri. L Girishkumar, Director of Sripuran Tantric Research
Centre on 18th November 2011 at the Abbasiya Hi- Dine hall. The programme was well attended and
fnished with an interaction with the speaker.
Seva Darshan Kuwait was part of the grand devotional musical programme held on 02 December 2011,
in Salmiya called Sangeerthanam 2011. The programme was led by Sri T. S. Radhakrishnan and his
Thyagabrahmam troupe. Sri. Ravi Shankar of the 'Raindrops' TV programme also accompanied the group
along with other artists from Kuwait. The unifed effort of many social organisations in Kuwait helped
make the programme a grand success.
Yuva Darshan News
Krishna - The world's frst management guru
The third session of Yuva Darshan Kuwait was held in Sopanam _ Abbassiya on Dec 3rd, 2011. More
than 50 youngsters attended. The Bhagavat Gita is the frst book on relationships and handling life. In
this, it is easily the world's frst book on management. Krishna with his clear cut practical tips on how to
handle oneself, others and crisis, becomes the frst management guru. The session compared the modern
management concepts with the advice given in the Gita. A few shlokas were taken for examples and
related to management and the student's own life. It is not just in corporate sectors alone that manage-
ment applies. It also applies in our daily lives. Moreover whichever stream of subject a student chooses
in life, management principles apply in all areas. And the Bhagavat Gita gives practical advise on how
to handle men and matters. Future sessions will be on Counselling and other interesting topics. Students
are encouraged to come prepared to ask and answer questions!!!!
Sangeerthanam 2011
Sopanam - December 2011 21
News
hmI
comeoJ.m am ..e.1o mi o:ze
.1 a..i. .1azeoim . eim aeoamiim
.ioe~ze .coeoim o..
o__i, zm , .i. i, o-i .~ .io oo_
ae. io, c.o, ai+ , z_a , .J, .em a _mi
.. aoia_ o m_Joi mi_i. iiam.
oo_ ozm .zm _meio gJa _
z~ziio .. _ miooe, e_ goo. i
amiae
.io .ioo1...
Sopanam - December 2011 22
- Sindhu Sanjith
Glimpse of india
Mathru
Dharshan
amXr Zi\w
Ruled by many a kings and dynasties,
Each with its own peculiarity.
A salute to the freedom fighters,
A tribute to the great martyrs.
The strong heroes and legends,
Forced the British to quit at end.
Sweet is the freedom we savor,
We vow to keep it forever.
But alas, what a pity we see around,
Men fighting and killing on this holy ground.
Terrorism and brutality taking its toll,
Poverty and robbery playing its role.
Let us pledge to save our Mother,
Keep it free, safe and secure forever.
Mother, mother, O gracious Mother,
Thy name be glorified ever and ever.
The land of eternal Ganges, the mighty Himalaya,
The Nilgiris and the Vindhya,
The Thar Desert and the dense forests,
The rivers and waterfalls hold beauty arrest.
Clad in the gown of rich cultures,
The land of art, history and architecture,
Blessed with a strong civilization,
Darned with plentiful cultivations.
The land of pristine beauty and purity,
Where nature hugs dearly.
Proud are we to be thy children,
Blessed are we to be an Indian
O Mother of religions, seers and sages,
Binding her children with love for ages.
The land of music, dance, festivals, scripts and languages,
A mosaic of faith, customs and heritage.
An epitome of unity and diversity,
Her arms stretched extending warmth and hospitality.
The holy land of Aum, slokas and Vedas,
The Upanishads, Gita, Ramayana, and Mahabharata.
The blessed land of Mathematicians, Scientists and Physicians,
Aryabhatta, Ramanujan, Nagarjuna, C. V. Raman.
The inventors of Zero and Algebra,
The founders of Yoga and Ayurveda.
Sopanam - December 2011 23
N\n Xbn Fcn bp s kz ]v \w
H \kz ]v \n s \o dp Hm
HmI t]dp F a\n v v
Xn cXn bn cp hkmKcw.
Cfn Ism m ssIn cn sb
kmz \amsbw Iq sS thWw
AXp Xn sSp p hm Fp ao
Cfw sXen w H i{ Xp `mhw.
B aNn cmsXs Xmmbn XWembn
Po hn Xbm{ Xbn t{ ]cWbmbv
Imew sXn b hjn `o Xn bn
Xn cn \mfw an gn ]q n bm{ Xbmbn
Cn Fs X\n mn bm{ Xbmbn .
F hn b Nn cmsXs ssIIfn
H kmz \n s Hmbmbn
lr Zbn cm{ Xn ag Xmfw Nhn p
F kv t\lkmz \n ia\Xmfw.
H \ kv ]isa an gn bn WIfn
Cfn s hm kv t\lNp w_\w
H \mfp w ssIshSn bp Ibn Rm
\n s X\n mn t]mhp Ibn Rm
Fhn tSbp w Fw \n tXmg\mbn
GImw \n \s kmz \w
Cu Cfn s kv t\lkmz \w.

civ an Irjv Wam
Ccpfns
kmz\w
Mathru
Dharshan
amXr Zi\w
Sopanam - December 2011 24

gJcmooio oui~oeoze v1mio 1oi,
_o oe...a .eo_- .im amz_
oz.. .a zo zma zmzimm
.omoc.em _oioeace .oa.ea
oo gceKoio mmmi_ia_JommJ
.or- ~am1oiam oui~-eo
gJcmozeiim. g_ gceKm
oaiom gim.
om o oimco. ~~omo oimiao
om o .i.aio ~ om _c.aiao
oma.aJm1o~ om _m o~iazea.
e o oi oo m ei o_ om e c a
oooi.m_Jmmem or.. ~amo
om.Jc_.iei ammJ. _meo
_mo omzoa ~eKzcme o.zem.
KJ~ou.i.mio orio oicm .iaa.
m~i.im. zeooiam .e1iamzei m_eo_
.eo1 o-iooomi- oicmg~i.im.
omm .iom m1+cme.cmea ~z_icma
oiicmaoi _mJoem oemicma
_m1+m a.zio1im e~u o.J..
.aoizei omm .eo_c-moem.
.e1iaze zeooiaze ooio_ .-iem
_zm ~ mm (aoi,o.oi) veoia
(o.o)a-a (c.euo) zeea (me._)
mm.ii _-.ii... _mio_ gJcmo
zma_-zi.iozem go zeo m omo
.iaiamo. .1o oimoiJom .ueo
-a ~amzemmiia _m .oze
.aze o-ioo ooaiom ooe~iam.
gJcmo oo.eo .ae aia.a ooam
go~am a_m ae aoaem. moio
.ozeaeo_ a+immo _ ~amoio.
.oa .aoizei .eo_-m omo
oi~am ae-o o-mo gozeooio
c.~ zeozem. .eo1ze o-ioo
.eamcoe-~amo _.oei aemm
ooaem omoio voiam. co.aem moieo
~am 1oiim ze.am+i o_iiam.
ca_oio .azeo _moi_-m
aJai-azeo oio .J_zem..im ~am
.oeJo_io mi~e. a-m oz om_
ooam .e1ia ooouoa. omi-zm.
.eooim o.e, zm aai, oa.iai...
zeoeo _maoia. _.ceKi._ ~am1oi
_ome om1ao- o-iooa-ieacme.
a-oo ammoeam.
gmm_maio .z .-iaim _mi om
ooaeo goiamemm .aoice-imi
oo .1o oaiaaa-iem
.imo. mioe.eoaoi. _m
caeuz_moeim omJ. co oi ~am
1oi eiam _meimim. omooe+,
ooe+ a+iaeo oaeo o-am .._oiome
.ozaeiaeoeo a-ieacme. zo~m
gceKooKeooeam.
_m _me a1+czo zoiaiiam. g.eo
oimiam oz. g.eoim moo
oeoi~-zei _.ae_mmJ. o zeom,
z1o cze, _o_+m .em, _meom mio
g.e_em.. _m aic.Jo a+iaeomJ
mi_zem,e_ .e1iaeoeouoac_ mi_i.
mom.
.1o _.omiam ooim_ ~am1oiem
_mo omzo _~-_-mo. omveo .i.c.em
aoize.e a+i. m_m. oi aaia
.aaJKJ .i_, v1am_, oo_, cae_.
mecae. _m oi_zei coemicaemm
mimm voo g~iam. gJcmo
.ae eoi~am aocami-o_mem
gooi.e.iamo eoi~amzem. maoze
~am 1oiim-.e1iam zeoo1amze
oomoemou o~-_-m.
meo .io a. coe~_ei zo~o aeuiam
ooa_o .eo1ze ~am 1oiaem
zeo oioiaemmco_. a_-.ieammJ
_ome _o .oiaem. or- z_im ece
.oae-iimzm e~u oemio. zai,
om, o_oi, ami, aocoei, .meaoai....
ozoze ooaeo zom _oioeace
oaicmi zo~J .momo .J_ze
ooeceKoimem.
om a.aJm1o
om.Jc_. oz
om a.aJm1o
Mathru
Dharshan
amXr Zi\w
.zi ou1J
Sopanam - December 2011 25
Listening is a skill that can be developed and im-
proved.
A famous writer H. W. Longfellow says : 'A single
conversation across the table with a wise man for
10 minutes is better then 10 years of long study.
To fulfl it you should be a good listener.
Listening is one of the most important skills you
can have. Depending on the study being quoted we
remember only up to 50% of what we hear. That
means when you talk to your child, your boss, your
colleagues etc for 10 minutes, they pay attention
less then half of the conversation.
We spend years learning how to read, write and
speak but we hardly get any training in listening
.Stephen
This is a very common complaint of parents that
our child doesnt listen to us. When we ask our
selfs the question why does he not listen to us we
get most of the answers.
Child psychologists say that a child feels too much
hurt when we dont listen to him and he follows
the same. It means that if you want your child to
listen to you, then you have to be a good listener
to them. Listening shows caring. When you show
caring attitude towards your child, that child feels
important. When he feels important he is more mo-
tivated and more receptive to your ideas.
An open ear is the only believable sign of an open
heart. ---David Augsburg.
I remember Rudyard Kiplings saying--- I keep
6 honest serving men with me they taught me all.
They are what, why, when, how, where and who.
When you have to give an important message we
need to create a situation in which he is curious to
ask you questions and that is possible by involving
topics of his interest and liking..
A simple e.g. I would like to give is when we hear
some flm songs it is automatically remembered
without much efforts as we have interest.
Once a medical doctor was invited as a guest
speaker to address a group of alcoholics. He want-
Listening Ability
Education
hnZr`rmkw
ed to make a demonstration that would be power-
ful enough to make people realize that how alcohol
is injurious to health. He took 2 containers, One
with distilled water and another with alcohol. He
dropped an earthworm in the frst container and it
swam beautifully and came on top. Then he dropped
an earthworm in another container of alcohol and
the earthworm disintegrated. He wanted to prove
how alcohol was affecting the body. He asked the
group what moral you got from this demo. A per-
son stood up and said If I drink alcohol I wouldnt
have worms in my stomach'. So friends we always
hear what we want to hear, not what is being said.
How to listen to your child?
Here are some tips how to be a good listener.
You can acknowledge that you are listening to them
by your body language.
Look at your child when he talks and you nod,
smile and use facial expression.
Avoid being distracted by environmental factors.
Eye to eye contact is required,
Dont judgeallow him to complete,
Dont interrupt or argue. Encourage him to talk.
Ask questions it will show you are interested.
Pay attention and dont change topic.
Be open minded and listen to their feelings not just
words.
Krupa Swayaraj Kumar
Sopanam - December 2011 26
Bala Lokam
_metemIw
Temper Control
There once was a little boy who had a bad tem-
per. His father gave him a bag of nails and told
him that every time he lost his temper, he must
hammer a nail into the fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into
the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned
to control his anger, the number of nails ham-
mered daily, gradually dwindled down. He dis-
covered it was easier to hold his temper than to
drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day
came when the boy didnt lose his temper at all.
He told his father about it and the father sug-
gested that the boy now pull out one nail for each
day that he was able to hold his temper.
An old Farmer lived on a farm on the mountains
with his young grandson. Each morning Grand-
pa would be up early sitting at the kitchen table
reading his Bhagavad Gita. His grandson wanted
to be just like him and would try to imitate him
in every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! Why do
you read the Gita ? What good does reading the
Bhagavad Gita do? I try to read the Bhagavad
Gita just like you.. but I don't understand it, and
what I do understand, I forget as soon as I close
the book. " The Grandfather quietly turned from
putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this
coal basket down to the river and bring me back
a basket of water."
The boy did as he was told, but all the wa-
ter leaked out before he got back to the house.
The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have
to move a little faster next time," and sent him
back to the river with the basket to try again.
This time the boy ran faster, but again the bas-
ket was empty before he returned home. Out of
breath, he told his grandfather that it was impos-
sible to carry water in a basket, and he went to
get a bucket instead. The old man said, "I don't
want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water.
You're just not trying hard enough," and he went
out the door to watch the boy try again.
At this point, the boy knew it was impossible,
but he wanted to show his grandfather that even
The days passed and the young boy was finally
able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him
to the fence. He said you have done well, my
son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence
will never be the same. When you say things in
anger, they leave a scar just like this one.
You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It
wont matter how many times you say Im sorry,
the wound is still there.
Make sure you control your temper the next time
you are tempted to say something you will regret
later.
if he ran as fast as he could, the water would
leak out before he got back to the house. The boy
again dipped the basket into river and ran hard,
but when he reached his grandfather the basket
was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "See
Grandpa, it's useless!"
"So you think it is useless?" The old man said,
"Look at the basket."
The boy looked at the basket and for the first
time realized that the basket was different.
It had been transformed from a dirty old coal
basket and was now clean, inside and out. "Son,
that's what happens when you read the Bhaga-
vad Gita. You might not understand or remem-
ber everything, but when you read it, you will
be changed, inside and out. That is the work of
Krishna in our lives - the cleansing process."
Reading the Bhagavad Gita makes us clean...
from inside out....if we let it!
Bhagavat Gita
Sopanam - December 2011 27
Sudama was a poor brahmin boy who became a
close friend of Krishna in sage Sandipani's hermit-
age. Krishna learnt to chant from Sudama.
Once, Sandipani's wife asked Sudama and Krishna
to get some wood from the forest. While they were
collecting the wood, a storm came and they got lost.
Sudama was scared. Krishna held his arms and as-
sured his safety. When the storm was over, they
found their way to the hermitage. Sudama was re-
lieved. Sandipani blessed them with a long life and
happiness.
After completing their studies, Sudama and Krish-
na went their own ways. Krishna became the king
of Dwarka and married princess Rukmini, the god-
dess of prosperity. Sudama, on the other hand, mar-
ried a simple brahmin girl and began to lead the life
of a devotee, reading scriptures, praying, forsaking
worldly pleasures. Everyone loved Sudama. His
family was quite happy.
Then Sudma's wife gave birth to two children. Be-
cause of Sudama's austere life style, the family began
to face diffcult days, with little food to eat and no
clothes to wear. Sudama's wife was extremely de-
voted to her husband but when her children began to
suffer, she was concerned.
Finally on a cold night, when her children were
without blanket, she approached Sudama and hum-
bly said, "Aren't you and Krishna, the lord of Dwari-
ka, friends? And, Krishna married to the goddess of
prosperity, Rukmini?"
Sudama replied, "Yes."
Sudama's wife dreamed of seeing an improvement
in her family's poor condition. She earnestly said,
"Go my lord, I beseech you, for the sake of our dear
children, meet Krishna."
The very prospect of meeting Krishna, his old
friend, made Sudama happy. "I will go and see him,
but I will not ask him for anything." Sudama's wife
could hardly conceal her joy. She happily said, "Even
a visit to Krishna will bless our family. Do not ask
anything from him. I will be content my lord."
Just before his departure for Dwarka, Sudama came
to his wife. Both had the same thought. "What will
I give to Krishna when I see him after such a long
time?"
Sudama's wife suddenly remembered, "My lord you
used to tell me that Krishna immensely loved Powa,
the fattened rice!" Sudama too remembered Krish-
na's great liking for Powa. Sudama's wife ran to her
neighbor's house and they happily gave her the gift
of Powa in a small bundle. Sudama then set out on
his long journey to Dwarka.
When Sudama came to the palace, surprisingly
enough, no one stopped him.
He looked through various rooms and fnally locat-
ed Krishna and Rukmini. When Krishna saw Sudama
he ran to embrace him. Then Krishna sat down and
washed Sudama's tired feet with warm water and put
sandalwood paste on them.
After the royal meal, they all settled down to chat.
Krishna and Sudama exchanged the happenings of
their lives since they departed from Sandipani's her-
Story
IY
Story of Sudama
mitage. Suddenly Krishna noticed a small bundle on
Sudama's waist. He remarked, "Ah! You have brought
a present for me!"
Sudama hesitated, "How do I give a king, a poor
man's Powa?" When Krishna noticed that Sudama
was ashamed to give him the bundle, he remarked,
"Sudama, the poorest gifts given to me with love is
dearer to me than the richest of gifts given without
love." Krishna was thoughtful, "He has not come to
ask anything for himself. He came out of love for his
wife and me." Then he quickly snatched off the bun-
dle and opened it. There it was, his favorite Powa!
He tossed some in his mouth with great satisfaction.
Then they talked and talked, as old friends, to their
heart's content. Sudama could not ask anything from
Krishna.
Next morning Sudama bid Krishna and Rukmini
farewell. The long road back home did not seem to be
that hard as he thought of Krishna. When he reached
home, he was amazed to see that a huge mansion was
standing in place of his poor hut. His wife and chil-
dren, wearing new clothes, came to receive him. He
could hardly recognize them. Sudama felt the touch
of the all-knowing Krishna who had rewarded Su-
dama for his gift of love.
Sudama continued to lead the life of a hermit while
his family enjoyed the generous gifts of wealth from
Krishna.
Sopanam - December 2011 28