Prayer for Lord Vishnu

Shantakaram Bhujagasayanam - in sanskrit with meaning - sloka on Sri Vishnu

शान्ताकारं   भुजगशयनं   पद्मनाभं   सुरेशं

Shaantaakaaram Bhujagashayanam Padmanaabham Suresham

शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं
विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्ण शुभाङ्गम् ।
लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यम्
वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥
Shaanta-Aakaaram Bhujaga-Shayanam Padma-Naabham Sura-Iisham
Vishva-Aadhaaram Gagana-Sadrsham Megha-Varnna Shubha-Anggam|
Lakssmii-Kaantam Kamala-Nayanam Yogibhir-Dhyaana-Gamyam
Vande Vissnnum Bhava-Bhaya-Haram Sarva-Loka-Eka-Naatham ||


Meaning:
1: (Salutations to Sri Vishnu) Who has a Serene Appearance, Who Rests on a Serpent (Adisesha), Who has a Lotus on His Navel and Who is the Lord of the Devas,
2: Who Sustains the Universe, Who is Boundless and Infinite like the Sky, Whose Colour is like the Cloud (Bluish) and Who has a Beautiful and Auspicious Body,
3: Who is the Husband of Devi Lakshmi, Whose Eyes are like Lotus and Who is Attainable to the Yogis by Meditation,
4: Salutations to That Vishnu Who Removes the Fear of Worldly Existence and Who is the Lord of All the Lokas.

Recitation

shaanta-kaaram bhujaga-shayanam 

padma-naabham suresham
vishwa-dhaaram gagana-sadrisham

megha-varanam shubhaangam.
lakshmi-kaantam kamala-nayanam

yogi-bhi-dhyaana-agamyam
vande vishnum bhava-bhaya-haram 

sarva-lokaika-naatham
 
Meaning  

I adore Lord Vishnu 
who is the embodiment of peace, 
who lies on the Shesha serpent, 
whose navel is the source of the Lotus, 
whose complexion is swarthy like the clouds, 
whose body shines with heavenly beauty, 
who is the beloved of Goddess Lakshmi, 
whose eyes are like Lotus, 
who is meditated upon by the yogis, 
who is the remover of the fear of the world-process.

Description 

I sing praise to Lord Vishnu. 
He who has the peaceful (shaanta-) 
    demeanor and visage (-kaaram). 
He who sleeps and reposes (-shayanam) 
    on the serpents (bhujaga-).
He who has a lotus shaped (padma-) navel (-naabham).
He who is the master and lord 
    of all the gods (suresham).

I pray to the Lord Vishnu.
He who holds (-dhaaram) the 
    universe (vishwaa-) in his hands.
He whose vision (-sadrasham) exceeds 
    beyond all the skies (gagana-).
He whose color and visage (-varanam) is 
    changeable like the clouds (megha-).
And he who is filled with goodness (shubh-) 
    in every part (-aangam) of his body.

I sing praise to the Lord Vishnu.
He who is the husband (-kaantam) 
    of the goddess of wealth (-lakshmi).
He whose eyes (-nayanam) are surreal 
    like a lotus flower (kamala-).
And he who yogis yearn to reach (-agamyam) 
    through meditation (-dhyaana).

I sing praises (vande-) to the Lord Vishnu (-vishnum).
He who removes (-haram) all our fears (-bhaya) 
    due to our inborn nature (-bhava).
And he who is the master (-naatham) of the 
    entire (-sarva) universe and creation (-lokaika).

 

Special Thanks To:

http://allhindugodgoddess.blogspot.com/2010/08/prayer-for-lord-vishnu.html

http://www.greenmesg.org/mantras_slokas/sri_vishnu-shantakaram_bhujagashayanam.php

How much you will charge to laugh?

Sonal Kalra, HT City, DDun

My deepest sympathies to the family and friends of those who are always `dead' serious

I give you three seconds to recall the last time you laughed out loud. One...two...three, done. All those who remembered the last `LOL' they'd casually typed while chatting on Facebook can take turns to slap each other. And the others, who at least tried to recall their real laughter but could not, listen to me. Kya, problem kya hai? Do people, who have to bear you every day of their lives, not deserve to sometimes see the twinkle in your eyes or the teeth that you claim to religiously brush every morning? Kya aapke toothpaste mein namak hai?
Then what is the matter, people?

Yesterday I observed this man at a friend's get-together. He was there to attend a party, but his face bore an expression as if the host had put a gun to his head and dragged him there. Someone told a joke, everyone laughed, even those who had heard it before. But this one's expression got worse. Not wanting to be judgmental about some constipated poor soul who may have indeed had a hard day, I asked my friend if that guy was unwell or needed help. "Oh no, Harsh is like that only. He's the serious, brooding kinds. He always says this hansi mazaak is juvenile and trivial.' My friend went on and on describing the behaviour but my mind's record got stuck at the first sentence itself. His name was Harsh? Isn't that supposed to mean joy? Or maybe his folks spelt his name as the English word `harsh' as that's what he was being, on himself.

If you are reading this, Harsh, please know that I'm not trying to criticise you. In fact contrary to what your friends told me, I genuinely believe that there may have been valid reasons or worries that forced you to adopt a serious attitude in life. But I'm not sure if you're doing yourself a favour by dismissing the power of laughter in life as a triviality. I have a problem with those who try hard to suppress this very basic trait, and in fact a unique gift to human beings, by analysing and judging the source of humour. Some of us have become so intelligent that most causes of laughter seem silly or stupid to us. Movies seem full of slapstick, comedy shows are dismissed as being vulgar (some of them actually are) -we basically start thinking its beneath us to laugh at most things. `Isme hasne ki kya baat hai', is a reply we give to most of the things that make an attempt to tickle our funny bone. What we forget is that in the search of that so-called evolved humour, we are becoming used to being serious all the time.

As I'd written in one of the previous columns, if someone tells a joke, some people get too busy in either trying to beat him to the punchline, or saying I've heard it before, or, if at all, do the teller a favour by forcing a twitch of the lips that vaguely resembles a smile. Internet, God bless, has made things worse. Now abbreviations like `lol' which is supposed to indicate that one is laughing out loud, is thrown away super casually, even though you may be slapping your child with the other hand or cursing your maid while you type it. Henceforth, friends of Harsh, try and adopt these three rules in your life. It may just change your life.

1 Set up a laughter library of your own: Everyone has a different benchmark, trigger and level of humour. You know your own, and try collecting things -DVDs, jokes, books, cartoon clippings, that could be your very own laugh-lib. Feeling low? Just dig into your laugh-lib and it may just take you away from your worries for a while.

2 Set some kind of a codereminder for yourself.

Something that'll remind you to check for how long have you, even unknowingly, sported a frown on your forehead. It could be a ring that you wear, or something on the office wall in front of your desk. Promise yourself that each time you happen to look at it, you'll take a deep breath, remember something funny and smile. Yeah, your colleagues may call for a psychiatrist thinking you've lost it, but deal with it. They don't know you are adding years to your life.

3 Finally, don't ever be judgmental about someone else's sense of humour. Don't go into an overdrive to tell your loved ones they shouldn't have laughed at something that you thought was silly. Don't give angry glares to your boyfriend if he's chuckling loud like a child while watching a movie, that laughter is way more valuable than your uptight attitude about whether it was funny or whether its causing you embarrassment in the movie hall. And laugh your own guts out, people who turn to look at you are not thinking you are foolish, they are actually jealous because they are still looking for good enough reasons to laugh. You are lucky you found yours.

Sonal Kalra has read somewhere that laughing five times a day makes you lose weight. It's not a joke. She's very, very serious.

Mail your calmness tricks at sonal.kalra@hindustantimes.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/sonalkalra13 Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/sonalkalra.

The Tension-Not calmness trophy this week goes to The girlie gang of Prabhleen Chopra, Gauri Gupta and Ashu Gupta, for bringing their ever so lovable charm to this column's Facebook page; and to Jatin Jamwal for possessing what is perhaps the largest collection of funny jokes and oneliners and sharing it with everyone to spread the joy around.

Loads of calmness your way.

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/PUBLICATIONS/HT/HD/2011/10/02/ArticleHtmls/A-CALMER-YOU-How-much-will-you-charge-02102011112001.shtml?Mode=1

Why so serious?

Vinita Dawra Nangia 

Why are we guilty about giving in to well-deserved fun? It's time to up the fun quotient in our lives!

Each time someone at office asks me for leave, they look hesitant and guilty. I cannot figure out why, because I have never refused anybody leave. I can see no reason for doing so! Even more surprising, almost always the request is accompanied by, "I will do some extra stories before I go on leave…"

That leaves me amused as well as foxed. Why would anyone wish to work extra hard before they leave for fun? Wouldn't they rather unwind and get into the mood for holiday? But then, when it is time for me to take leave, I find myself doing the same! Working extra hard, trying to smooth over creases that haven't appeared yet, stayingconnected not just till the last minute but even in the car or plane on my way out, till I am physically pulled away from the laptop and Blackberry by my family! 

Not only are we guilty about our own holidays, we also grudge others theirs. As soon as a prominent politician or bureaucrat proceeds on a holiday, we start hearing murmurs of how the country is in such a dire strait and all our leaders can do is holiday (that too probably on public exchequer)! No sooner does a Bollywood star travel abroad than we start hearing gossip about who has accompanied him and how he will certainly announce abreak-up with his current partner soon as he returns! 

Fun is somehow just not ingrained into our system, nor is it accorded avalued place in our cultural ethos. Duty and responsibility take precedence over everything else. Enjoyment is an excess we are taught to do without. Our epics extol the virtues of duty. All characters go through hardships and are never shown having fun, almost as if greatness must meet vicissitudes! Watch any television serial. Each one has elders frowning upon youngsters who attempt to step out from within the family fold for a meal outside, to watch a film, or to go off on a holiday. "Aisa toh kabhi nahi hota hamare yahan" is the constant refrain. The entire effort seems to be focused on not letting anyone break away from set moulds and the call of duty, not even for a short while, lest they be enticed away forever! 

Years ago on a visit to Australia, I visited an international magazine office one Friday afternoon only to find it deserted by all except the editor with whom I had an appointment. Seeing my surprise, she smiled and said, "Friday afternoon!" There seemed to be an explanation as well as a slight reproach in her voice. I was told later that I had done the unthinkable by fixing to meet her when I did. 

Later, stepping out, I realised that most of Sydney was already in holiday mode, with shirtless men lounging in the sun outside bars, guzzling beer. So, Aussies, beer and Bermudas was no stereotype, I remember thinking and smiling. Come Friday afternoon and the country breaks into holiday mode! Afriend visiting UK last month, wrote to me with a wistful note, "Everyone here lays down their pens, metaphorically speaking, on Friday afternoons and is out enjoying themselves and celebrating the approaching weekend! Why are we so serious in India?" 

Yes, why are we so serious? We smile where other cultures guffaw; we talk softly and hesitantly, while others express their opinions in loud, confident tones, and we tread carefully where others stride ahead. Back home of course Fridays are always Frydays, when we work extra hard and extra-long hours to make up for the coming weekend. We are all so guilty of claiming our pleasures! 

Blame it on genetic coding or the struggles of a developing nation where nobody can take their status for granted without working for it, but we have never been taught to unwind and relax. In developed countries, people are encouraged to follow their hearts. Add to that our belief in the cycle of birth and rebirth, believing our next life depends on the good karma we garner in this one, and most of us don't want to fritter away that chance of a better next life! 

I believe the art of balance is all in every sphere of life. If we are able to balance the fun quotient in our lives as against duties and responsibilities, how could we go wrong? Of course, we need to understand that the opposite of 'fun' isn't 'work'; it's monotony or boredom! Work could be fun too for many. And, the situation seems to be changing for today's youngsters. A generation that uses peers as role models rather than their elders and epics. Connected as they are through social networks with like-minded people across the world, they are more open about their choices, refusing to be limited by parental pressures and demands. They carve out a time for work and a time for fun, and are clear where the two converge and diverge. A perfect balance between work and fun. Maybe soon we will all start becoming less prissy about our fun quotient?!

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/O-zone