816 GLOBAL BOASTING/BRAGGING - INDIAN BOASTING/BRAGGING

Here is a beautiful article from IndiaTimes.Com, Sunday Times Print Edition dated 9th October 2016, special supplement. Title of the article: "WE ARE BRAGGARTS", penned by ​Ms. Nona Walia. Though the article, initially refers to Donald Trump's braggings, ultimately it landed on Indians. True, Self-criticism is always better than criticizing others. For the benefit of my readers, I furnish here, a link to the TOI article: Click to go to http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/love-sex/We-are-braggarts/articleshow/54714951.cms But, yet, there is a Telugu proverb which is worth quoting: "urumu urimi mangalamu mIda paDDaTlu!". Approx. English gist: As though, the thunder thundered, and fell on the stove. (In those days, in India, people sometimes, used to cook in open places. Mangalam is a sort of open kiln often used for sotting corn / jowar grains / rice to make them popped / popcorn or make roasted bengal gram lentils.) Anyway, thunders, and thunderbolts are mainly phenomena of sky. When a thunder thunders, and its bolt falls on a kiln on the earth, a sort of unexpected calamity / disaster may take place.

Here the analogy which 'ybrao-a-donkey' is trying to make is: Trump's boasts and brags, have not only thundered in American skies, but also landed on Indian Brags.

We shall see some precious quotes from this TOI article:

SEMANTICS OF BRAGGING

Braggadocious
Braggadocio is not only to brag but brag about something that’s not true
Humblebrag
The Oxford English Dictionary added the word recently and defines it as “an ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud”
Underbrag
The New Humblebrag who doesn’t care what anyone thinks, so he brags about his own disaster or a situation that’s not brag-worthy.
Facebrag
The art of boasting on social media and telling everyone how great you are

At the end of the article, there is a quote from a psychologist, Ms. Bhawna Monga:-

Bragging is the new feel-good factor. You brag to feel good about your life on an every day basis, because other people’s lives are staring at you from your phones and laptops, and they all look super ‘cool’ — Bhawna Monga, psychologist

ybrao-a-donkey's humble comments. वैबीराव एक गधे के विनम्र राय . వైబీరావ్ గాడిద వినమ్ర వాణి. You have every right to differ with me. I respect your right. आपको मेरे मत से भिन्न राय रखने के संपूर्ण हक है। मै उस अधिकार को परिपूर्ण रूप से गौरव देता हुँ. మీకు, మీ భిన్నమైన అభిప్రాయాన్ని కలిగిఉండే సంపూర్ణ హక్కు ఉంది. దానిని ఎంతో నేను గౌరవిస్తాను. However, pl. examine this donkey's views also. परन्तु एस गधे के दृष्टिकोण को भी अनुशीलन कीजिये. కానీ ఈ గాడిద దృష్టికోణాన్ని కూడ ఓర చూపుతో కంటజూడుమీ, క్రీగంట జూడమీ.

There may also be a factor of compulsive need of release of 'dopamine' in our brains. This 'dopamine' chemistry, we shall takeup on some other day.

While it is true that Indians brag/boast profusely, we can't say that Euro-Americans, Australians, Canadians, et al, lag behind? aho! bata! ayyo!

The dividing line between 'boasting-bragging' and self-revealing/self-mirroring/self-reporting is very thin. Like 'beauty is skin-deep', the seer's/listeners perceptions of the degree/extent of other person's boast/brags may depend on 'beholder's eye'. It is a question of interpretation. There is a Telugu proverb: 'tana kampu tanaku impu. Para kampu tananu campu'. Approx. English: One's own odor/scent pleases the person. But the odors/scents of others may kill the opposite-man.

SOME GEM QUOTES OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

We shall see some golden gems of Swami Vivekananda, the Great Philosophical Ambassador and Nation-Lifter of India:

Swami Vivekananda wrote to Ms. Albert Sturges from his ship on Dec. 5, 1895:

"...In your country, Alberta, the Vedantic thought was introduced in the beginning by ignorant "cranks", and one has to work his way through the difficulties created by such introductions ..."

Swami Vivekananda wrote to Shri Pramada Das Mitra, on May 30, 1897 from Almora.

"... Ramanuja, Shankara etc., seem to have been mere Pundits with much narrowness of heart. Where is that love, that weeping heart at the sorrow of others? — Dry pedantry of the Pundit — and the feeling of only oneself getting to salvation hurry-scurry! ..."

Swamiji wrote to Brahmananda (Rakhal) from Reading, England, in 1895.

"...These are countries of gigantic scholars. Is it a joke to make disciples of such people? You are but children and talk like children. ...".

Here, apparent meaning: I made those gigantic scholars as my disciples. It is not a joke.

Swami Vivekananda wrote to Mr. Pramad das Mishra from Ghazipur on March 3, 1890:

"... What are you saying about difficulties there of keeping clean? Lack of water in the hills or lack of room!! Tirthas (places of pilgrimage) and Sannyasins of the Kali-Yuga — you know what they are. Spend money and the owners of temples will fling away the installed god to make room for you; so no anxiety about a resting-place! ..."

Swami Vivekananda wrote to Alasinga from Chicago, U.S.A. on 2nd Nov. 1893:--

"... I addressed the assembly as "Sisters and Brothers of America", a deafening applause of two minutes followed, and then I proceeded; and when it was finished, I sat down, almost exhausted with emotion. The next day all the papers announced that my speech was the hit of the day, and I became known to the whole of America. Truly has it been said by the great commentator Shridhara — "मूकं करोति वाचालं — Who maketh the dumb a fluent speaker." His name be praised! From that day I became a celebrity, and the day I read my paper on Hinduism, the hall was packed as it had never been before. I quote to you from one of the papers: "Ladies, ladies, ladies packing every place — filling every corner, they patiently waited and waited while the papers that separated them from Vivekananda were read", etc. You would be astonished if I sent over to you the newspaper cuttings, but you already know that I am a hater of celebrity. Suffice it to say, that whenever I went on the platform, a deafening applause would be raised for me. Nearly all the papers paid high tributes to me, and even the most bigoted had to admit that "This man with his handsome face and magnetic presence and wonderful oratory is the most prominent figure in the Parliament", etc., etc. Sufficient for you to know that never before did an Oriental make such an impression on American society. ..."

TODAY'S SANSKRIT VERSE आज का संस्कृत श्लोक ఈనాటి సంస్కృత శ్లోకం

Sanskrit Language Epic Valmiki Ramayan, Book 6, Book of War (Yuddha kAnDa), Chapter 21 (Sarga 21), Verse 14 & 15 (SlOka 14 & 15.).

avalEpam samudrasya
na darshayati yat svayam |
prashamaha ca kSamA caiva
Arjavam priya vAditA

asAmarthyam phalanti
Ete nirguNeSu satAm guNAH.

HINDI-DEVANAGARI SCRIPT
अवलेपम समुद्रस्य
न दर्शयति यत स्वयम
प्शमह च क्षमा चैव
आर्जवम प्रिय वादिता

असामर्थ्यम फलंति
एते निर्गुणेषु सताम गुणाः |

TELUGU-LANGUAGE SCRIPT
అవలేపమ్ సముద్ర్రస్య
న దర్శయతి యత్ స్వయం
ప్రశమః చ క్షమా చైవ
ఆర్జవమ్ ప్రియ వాదితా
అసామర్థ్యమ్ ఫలంతి
ఏతే నిర్గుణేషు సతామ్ గుణాః

CONTEXT IN VALMIKI RAMAYANA & ENGLISH GIST: Demon Ravana abducted the wife of Shri Rama, and hid her in his Kingdom Lanka. The vAnara Chief (According to the Epic, vAnarAs are monkeys. Converting forest-dwellers into monkeys, may be an aberration), Hanuman traced her. Shri Rama, Sugriva, and their vAnara forces went on an expedition to reach Lanka, crossing the an Ocean, 100 yOjanas wide (approx. 1500 km.). Shri Rama and his forces were camping on the Sea Coast, awaiting for the Sea God to give them way. Shri Rama spent there three days spreading sacred grass (darbha grass) on the sea shore, and lying down on it, with folded hands, in due respect to the Sea God. But , the Sea God did not respond. Then, Shri Rama seems to have got annoyed by the silence of the Sea God. The above verse is one of the verses spoken by Shri Rama to his brother Lakshmana, referring to the arrogance of the Sea God.

"...The arrogant (avalEpam) Sea God is not appearing himself before me. Calmness (praSamam), forbearance (kshama), straightforwardness (Arjavam), softspokenness (priya vAditA) of gentle persons will yield ineffective and inefficient (asAmarthyam) results (phalanti).

To continue. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.

803 English Crossword Puzzle No. ybcw 003, and a valuable Sanskrit Verse on Social Behaviors.

YB CROSSWORD PUZZLE No. ybcw003
Here is our third English Crossword Puzzle, and its solution. Clues are given below. While the grid has been generated using a software package by name 'qxw', clues have been supplied by me applying my mind+ brain + dictionary . After that, you will have a very valuable Sanskrit verse, which can influence our individual behaviors, and behaviors of the persons in the society.

CLUES FOR THE YB CROSSWORD PUZZLE YB CW 003.

ACROSS
1. Swords (6).
2. In Parliament, not yet Law (5).
10. Unit of energy and work (3).
12. A charming floral name for babies (4).
13. Violent disturbances in streets (5).
12. A short babyname for Alexander (4).
17. Make one's way hurriedly. An insect (6).
19. Shortcut babyname to mean 'Father of multitudes' (3).
20. Editor (2).
21. Completed eating (3).
22. What a tit may get you ! (3).
25. Arrange (3).
27. Is __ going to become ultimate dump of urban solid and liquid wates? (3)
28. Nocturnal low-flying mammal (3).
30. Short for sister (3).
34. Desert one's party (3).
36. Can't take unlimited liability (3).
38. Company (2).
39. Tease good-naturedly. Member of a dozen soldiers defending our thorax (3).
40. Star Purvashadha in Indian Astronomy (6).
43. A baby-girl-name to mean 'little rock' (4).
45. If we can't meditate without ____, then better to stop meditating (5).
46. Swami Vivekananda relished green turtles. The ____ which are green in color (4).
48. Chum (4).
50. An African Viral fever (5).

DOWN
1. Dated (6).
2. Drop (4).
3. Frequent ____ can ruin a Windows System (6).
4. Sales Report; Senior (2).
6. Anger (3).
7. Traced, found after search (7).
8. Linx Command to list files, equiv. to 'dir' in Windows dos (2).
9. Defended, preserved, protected (5).
11. Short for gallon (3).
14. Eat in a different way (3).
15. Arabic for 'the' (2).
16. Allow, permit (3).
18. Starting places for holes, on a golf course (4).
24. Distortions and mutilations (4).
26. Slight, noticeable partiality (4).
29. Travelling Allowance, in short (2).
31. Balanced, consistent, and in a state of equilibrium (6).
32. To self-praise in superlatives (5).
33. Silly talk (5).
35. Yellowish brown (3).
41. In Indian mythology, Dhruva's stepmother did not allow him to sit on his father's ___(3).
42. Can make good raw material for paper (4).
44. Donkey (3).
47. Short for, 'not applicable' (2).
49. Alternate Current (2).

TODAY'S SANSKRIT VERSE

pratyakshE guravah stutyAha,
parOkshE mitra bAndhavAha,
karmAntE dAsa bhrityAsca,
na kadAcana putrakAha.

English: We have to praise preceptors direct and in their presence.
We have to praise friends and relatives, in the presence of third persons.
We have to praise servants and subordinates, as soon as they complete the task, they have been entrusted to accomplish / perform.
We should never praise our own sons.

ybrao-a-donkey

Pl. do not construe that I am in agreement with the views expressed in the above Sanskrit verse. We can easily write a hundred pages, discussing the pros and cons of the above four lines. For example, first line : Praising preceptor. The Mahabharata archerer Arjuna knew the value of praising Guru Dronacharya, and by doing it, he received preferred treatment from his Guru. Had Karna too praised Dronacharya, he might have received some (mythological) astras (arrows enchanted with sacredmantras).

About NOT PRAISING ONE'S OWN SONS

Even this seems to yield counter-productive results. I request my readers to read the biographic narration of Great Sanskrit Poet Bharavi, the creator of the Sanskrit book "kirAtArjunIyam". Bharavi was peeved that his father had never praised him, got so much irritated with him, that Bharavi wanted to kill his father by hitting him on his head with a big stone. For the purpose, he hid himself on the attic, while his father was dining on the floor.

We may have to adopt a contingency approach, in deciding to praise anybody for their attainments, and in choosing the degree and magnitude of the praise. Too little praise, may work as a de-motivator. Excess praise may end up as flattery.

Basic principle about 'praising' and 'showering appreciation', I learnt while I was studying my PG Diploma in Personnel Management, during 1981-82, in an Evening College at Guntur, was:--

Appreciation and praise which the employees and Managers deserve can be expressed openly, can also be communicated to the employee privately, or both. On the other hand, an employee should never be chided or reprimanded publicly, except, in very very extra-ordinary circumstances, where forbearance on the part of the superiors, may be misinterpreted as MANAGEMENT SUPPORT TO THE DELINQUENT EMPLOYEE. In such situations also, it will be better, if the Superiors use only judicious counselling methods, reserving sterner action for future. Opportunities may be given to the subordinates to correct themselves. Besides, it may be difficult to take back abusive and harsh words, once spoken. Hence, some cautiousness will help.

Question: Why a Contingency approach?

Whether to bark or bite, or to bark and bite, or to decide the order of bark, bite, bark and bite, bite and bark, these permutations and combinations, the Managements will have to decide using adequate discretion and diligence, and no hard and fast rigid tenets can, never, be applied.

Question: What are your personal behaviors, and personal experiences?

I am unable to recollect having praised or abused my sons, either in their presence, or in their absence. Though occasionally, I used to extend my support to them by my laughing-nod, and a shake-hand, when I signed in their school progress cards, as a token of appreciation, primarily I have left them to learn human behaviors from the environment.

I Standard to III Standard

About my experiences in Schools in which I studied: Upto III Std., my studies was in a chaos, with numerous brakes and interregnums. rukAvat ke liyE khEd nahi thA (There were no regrets for the stoppages). There was no question of praising the only teacher (Guru, preceptor) who taught me Telugu and Primary Mathematics, at his home-run school. All the three years were spent studying only one Standard or, whatever it is called, with only one text book by name 'Kotta Andhra VAcakamu' (New Telugu Reader), published by a Private firm named Venkatrama & Co, which had its offices at Eluru and Vijayavada. There was no Mathes Text book. The Reader had 64 pages, centre-stitch, about the size of 1/5 A4 or 1/8 foolscap, after cutting the edges. His younger sons and I acquired the technique of making snuff from tobacco, lime, clarified butter, by heating-roasting the ingredients on a charcoal stove and grinding them into a fine powder. We used to massage teacher's feet with castor oil. I am unable to recollect whether my grandfather paid him any money to him in cash or in kind, for teaching me those three years. He was a pious man, no alcohol, no smoking, except inhaling the snuff. Though he belonged to 'Priest Community', I did not see him ever chanting any mantras. May be because, he had his own set of personal health and financial problems. There was no occasion for us-disciples to praise him. Nor, was there any occasion for him to praise his younger sons for making the snuff or for massaging his feet, or me who too actively participated.

VI Std. to VIII Std.

IV and V Std., I skipped, after studying one month each.
The one month of IV Standard was at a Management School in Guntur, during a Dassera season.
The one month of V Standard was at Bapatla, at a Municipal Primary School.

VI Standard to VIII Standard, I studied at Municipal High School, Bapatla. The teacher-student relations were not formal as such, but at the same time, there were no personal interactions (to the best of my knowledge or as far as my personal experience goes). Sections used to be large with about 50 students per class. Getting admission into the school itself was tough. I had to prepare for an Entrance exam., using a guide called 'vijaya sAdhani', and 'Murthy's Guide'. My admission hall ticket No for the entrance test into VI Std., was 139. I started learning English alphabet in VI Standard only. There were some questions like Who is CM of (United) Andhra Pradesh, Who is Governor of AP, Who is President of India, etc., etc. in the Entrance Test. Almost all the teachers at that school, at that time, were very good. We were never restricted or taught to learn by rote. There were free / low cost extra-curricular activities like gardening on the sands of the school, some singing of drama verses, some outdoor games like khokho, running, with token prizes. Each class used to have some student squads in the name of National leaders like Gandhiji, Nehruji, Netaji, Patel, Tilak, et al. Yet, there was no question of, or no occasions of our praising them, / their praising us.

IX Standard to XII Standard

IX Std. to XII Std., I studied at Hindu College Multipurpose School, Guntur. This is a Private Management School, receiving Aid from the Government. I joined the school at IX Class. It had 10 Sections from A to J, consisting of about 50 students in each Section, total 500 students in IX Class itself. In view of the large size of the school, and the classes, tacher-student relations were more formal. Here also, teachers were exceptionally good at that time, by and large. There was nothing unpleasant about the school. In my personal view, the School of those days was far better than the Corporate Schools of today. There were no occasions for the students to praise the Gurus, or the Gurus to praise the students, as far as my perception and memory goes.. Once I missed my classes for a full month, as my parents took me to Uncles' marriages, outstation. It affected my receptivity and understanding of the subjects. For that, my English teacher chided me in the presence of other students. I am unable to recollect, how I reacted.

To continue. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.