Sunday, 27 October 2024
Story of GALLANTRY MEDALS of Indian Defence Forces:
Story of GALLANTRY MEDALS of Indian Defence Forces:
Eve Yvonne Maday de Maros would have been 107 years old had she been alive !!
Unfortunately, most of us may not have heard of her...
But who was she ???
She was born on 20th July 1913 in Switzerland to a Russian Mother and Hungarian father. As a 16 year old, Yvonne met a handsome cadet of the Royal Military Academy while holidaying at Chamonix. She followed the cadet to Sandhurst and realised that he was an Indian. Despite parental opposition, she came to Mumbai and then to Aurangabad and married Capt. (later Maj Gen) Vikram Khanolkar !!! Fascinated as she was by all things Indian, she converted to Hinduism and quickly absorbed Indian customs and traditions, and the way of life of an Indian army officer's wife. Maj Gen Vikram Khanolkar later became GOC, Delhi area and commanded 1st Republic Day parade of Independent India.
But the reason that Indians should know about Eve Yvonne Maday de Maros (a.k.a Savitri Khanolkar after marriage to Maj Gen Vikram Khanolkar) is because of a task that was given to her by the Adjutant General the Indian army - Maj Gen Hira Lal Atal. He had asked her to design gallantry medals for independent India. It was she who designed the Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Ashok Chakra, Keerti Chakra, Shourya Chakra, Indian General Service Medal, etc.
His reasons for choosing Mrs Khanolkar were her deep and intimate knowledge of Indian mythology, Sanskrit, and Vedanta. She was a painter and an artist, and the wife of Major General Khanolkar, a serving officer. In his opinion, Mrs Khanolkar's military association, her passion for Indian mythology, and her talent as an artist made her the ideal choice,
While designing Param Vir Chakra , She took inspiration from the sage Dadhichi , a Vedic Rishi who made the ultimate sacrifice to the Gods. The Rishi gave up his body so that the Gods could fashion a deadly weapon – a Vajra, or thunderbolt, from his spine to vanquish their enemies. After studying india's history , she also wanted to give a tribute to the great warrior Shivaji . So she ensured Shivaji’s sword “Bhavani “ gets place in india's highest wartime medal. Thus,She made a design in which Indra's “vajra” was surrounded on two sides by Shivaji's sword “Bhavani”
Incidentally, Savitri Khanolkar's daughter Kumudini got married into a much decorated military family. Savitri's son-in-law Lt Gen Surinder Sharma (PVSM, AVSM) became the Engineer in Chief of Indian army. His younger brother General Vishwa Nath Sharma (PVSM, AVSM) was the Chief of Indian Army , when Savitri died in 1990. Their eldest brother, Major Somnath Sharma had died in battle while fighting infiltrators at Srinagar airport in 1947 indo-Pak war. He was the 1st recipient of the Param Vir Chakra
Little did Savitri Khanolkar ever dream that the first Param Vir Chakra would be awarded to her daughter's brother-in-law, Major Somnath Sharma .
After her husband's death , she found refuge in spirituality, and retired to the Ramakrishna Math. She wrote a book on the Saints of Maharashtra that is still popular today.
Why is Lord Venkateswara not included as one of the Dashavataras?
Why is Lord Venkateswara not included as one of the Dashavataras?
Dashavatars are incarnations of Vishnu which are mainly born in a form and for a cause. Dashavatars are not just the incarnations, it has a legend in itself. Once the four Brahma kumaras namely, Sanaka, Sanandana,Sanatana and Sanatkumara visited Vaikunta, abode of Vishnu. Even though they are of ages, they look like child due to their penance, they were stopped by Jaya - Vijaya, the gate keepers of Vaikunta stating that Vishnu is resting on Adisesha.
Enraged on the act of Jaya - Vijaya, Sanatkumaras cursed them that they would be born as mortals on earth. Vishnu on knowing what is going on the gates of Vaikunta appeared in front of Sanatkumaras and appealed to lift the curse on Jaya - Vijaya. Moved on Vishnu’s request, Sanatkumaras changed the curse as either they can take seven births as a staunch devotee of Vishnu or three births as Vishnu’s enemy. Through Jaya - Vijaya Vishnu has planned to teach morals to all beings on the earth.
Jaya - Vijaya was born as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu and got killed by Varaha and Narasimha avatar in Satya yuga.
They were born as Ravana and Kumabakarna and got killed by Rama in Tretha yuga.
They were born as Shisupala and Dantavakra and got killed by Krishna in Dwapara yuga.
After that Jaya - Vijaya peacefully takes back the position of humble gate keepers of Vaikunta.
Lord Venakateswara or Srinivasan is not an incarnation or not born as a mortal. During Kali yuga, sages did yagna and sought the help of Narada to decide on whom to give the fruits of the yagna. Narada suggested to seek the help of sage Bhrigu on this. Bhrigu went to Trilokas to check which of the Trimurthis is eligible to get the fruits of yagna. When Bhrigu visited Vaikunta, Vishnu was resting on Adisesha and Lakshmi resting on the chest of Vishnu. Bhrigu called Vishnu but he was in deep sleep, enraged on this negligence of Vishnu, Bhrigu kicked on Vishnu’s chest.
Vishnu tried to pacify Bhrigu by massaging his feet, while doing so Vishnu squashed the third eye of egotism present under his foot. Realising his mistake Bhrigu sought forgiveness and gave him the fruit of yagna. Lakshmi felt insulted as Vishnu’s chest is considered to be her abode and left Vaikunta. Vishnu came to Earth in search of Lakshmi and got tired and rested under an ant hill in the Venkatadri hill under a tamarind tree.
Later he was adopted by Bagula devi and married the Chola princess Padmavati witht the help of loan from Kubera and resided in Venkatadri hills. After six months of marriage, Lakshmi came to know that Vishnu has married another woman. On encountering Lakshmi and Padmavathi together, Vishnu realised his true form and changed into stone. Lakshmi went into his left chest and Padmavathi into his right chest. Lord Venkateswara stands on the seven hills to ward off the sufferings of his devotees in Kali yuga.
From the legends of Dasavatharam and Venkateswara swami, it is clear that Venkateswara swami is not an avatar but Vishnu himself on the seven hills of Tirumala.
AN UNBROKEN TRADITION
Good Morning!!!
God grant me the Serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change;
Courage to change
the things I can;
and Wisdom
to know the difference.
Thy will, not mine, be done.
*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
October 28, 2024
AN UNBROKEN TRADITION
We conceive the survival and spread
of Alcoholics Anonymous
to be something of far greater importance
than the weight we could collectively throw back
of any other cause.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 177
How much it means to me that an unbroken tradition
of more than half a century
is a thread that connects me to Bill W. and Dr. Bob.
How much more grounded I feel to be
in a Fellowship whose aims are constant and unflagging.
I am grateful that the energies of A.A.
have never been scattered,
but focused instead on our members
and on individual sobriety.
My beliefs are what make me human;
I am free to hold any opinion, but AA's purpose --
so clearly stated fifty years ago -- is for me to keep sober.
That purpose has promoted round-the-clock meeting schedules,
and the thousands of inter-group and central service offices,
with their thousands of volunteers.
Like the sun focused through a magnifying glass,
AA's single vision has lit a fire of faith in sobriety
in millions of hearts, including mine.
SHACK OR PALACE?
Good Morning!!!
SHACK OR PALACE?
Around the Year with Emmet Fox
October 28
There is no use in merely saying
everything will be all right.
Thinking rightly, of course,
means putting God into all your affairs
and expecting him to change them.
For example, if you are living in a shack
it is not any good pretending that it is a palace.
Cheap optimism is never spiritual.
Realize that you are living in a shack,
but claim the Presence of God
to guide you to something better.
“Teach me thy way, O Lord,
and lead me in a plain path”
Psalm 27:11
Govinda
Why Venkateshwara is called Govinda?
Whoever visit Tirumala, should chant the name of Govinda 108 times. There is a beautiful story as why Balaji is called as Govinda
Once Srinivasa went to ashram of Agastya Muni & told him that till the end of Kaliyug he will reside in Tirumala, so for his daily needs requested a cow. Agastya Muni told that Cow shall be gifted only to the one's who come along with his wife & requested, Mahalakshmi should come with Srinivasa. Later Srinivasa married Padmavathi & they together went to Agastya Muni, but Agastya was not in ashram. Both Padmavathi & Srinivasa returned without getting Cow Agastya Muni came to know all this.
He took a GOVU ( means Cow) & started running behind.
Seeing Srinivasa at a distance Agastya began to shout "Swamy, GOVU INDA" (Govu means cow & Inda means take). Srinivasa didn't hear that, but Agastya shouted same words with a great speed.
Thus Govu Inda turned to GOVINDA. Atlast Srinivasa stopped & turned to Agastya and told him that you have mentioned my name 108 times. Whoever chants this name while coming to my darshan will be granted all their wishes.
Karna
Who is the most tragic hero of Mahabharat?
I don’t understand why people don’t realize that entire Mahabharat is full of tragic heroes who bore more Pain than Karna who lived all his life in Palaces and enjoyed Luxuries. His problems stepped from his ambitions not circumstances.
When it comes to tragic hero we need to think only about those who did not invite tragedies but they came searching for them and though they were great but did not get their due. Bhishma pitamah was also not tragic hero in my opinion as he himself made wrong decision as he was never clear about what his duty was as a prince and a son. He chose being a son over a prince. His life was painful no doubt but he made those decisions on his own.
Tragic hero has two elements, One he should have a tragedy beyond his or her control and second he must be a hero fighting for a just cause not for his own ambitions or false Dharma.
Real tragic heroes were those who had no choices to make and were dragged or forced by others. Even they had choices to make they were trapped by already created circumstances that they couldn’t leave their duties.
Vidur- He was no less than Pandu in valor or intellect. In fact he deserved to be king more than anyone else. But as he was son of a maid he always had to be under thumb of someone like Dhritrashtra. Vidhur had to always silently work to save Pandavas and Dharma even bearing insults of ‘Khatta’ from Duryodhana. A person of such caliber never got his due but he still overcame all those and kept himself and his dignity intact. Vidur is a true hero who did not forget his real duty and protected his state and its people. He neither did stop giving right advise to king nor did stop protecting Pandavas. He wanted good life for all others but sadly was neglected. It is a great tragedy for a society that a man of his stature had to be under rule of a man like Dhritrashtra and still work selflessly for greater god.
Yuyutsu- What was his fault? He deserved same place as Dushashana or others. He was also son of Dhritrashtra but got neglected as again he was of lower caste and son of a maid. Dhritrashtra wanted a heir and as Gandari took long to give birth Dhrit used her but when he got it from Gandari then he left her. Yuyutsu even though lived in palaces but he was far worse than Karna in condition. He was left to fight in Varnavrat for six months alone even though he was defending Hastinapur boundaries. He then chose pandavas before final battle. One might argue that he still got to administer Indraprastha later and was a traitor but form his point of view he did not get his right place. What he did was right but he did not get love from his father and got tag of traitor for just being righteous? He is a hero to defy those who oppressed him and his rights and join the righteous camp where he knew he would never get throne and might be just any other soldier in future. It was Pandavas goodness that they finally made him administrator realizing his merit.
Draupadi- Her life was most tragic beyond doubt. Full of humiliation and life in forests. She was just a tool for revenge in hands of her father and then became a pawn in dice game so that Duryodhana could insult others. And in popular perception she got tag of someone who rejected Karna and insulted Duryodhana. However, real MB says both were false. BORI had rejected Karna’s rejection and there is no mention of her calling Durydodhana son of a blind man. She bore insults and all hardships because those who were supposed to protect her like his father and husbands all failed. She is a hero to motivate Pandavas to fight for their right.
Kunti- Her entire life was a tragedy where she spent in forests or was worried about her sons. Everyone shouts at her for leaving Karna but forget how difficult would it have been for a mother. She made sure that Surya protects here and even kept an eye on him through spies. Had she kept him then Pandu had not married her and Karna would have got tag of illegitimate son and more humiliation. She lost her husband, lived in forests and had to face constant threat. In the end lost many of her grandsons and saw so much pain. She did not chose any of that. In fact Kunti was also given in adoption to Kuntibhoj and his real parents did not even care for her pain. Yadavavs barring Krishna were not concerned about her at all. She is a great role model for all single mothers to fight for their right in society with prejudice against woman and the way she raised her sons including step sons to live as a unit
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