Krishna The Butter Bandit Vol1 - Audio Book

After a long time, finally found some time to create an audiobook of Krishna The Butter bandit.
Please visit youtube https://youtu.be/8JwMyzZ1QiA for readings of chapters from the book Krishna The Butter Bandit.

FORTITUDE - A SHORT STORY ON SUICIDE PREVENTION

FORTITUDE - A SHORT STORY ON SUICIDE PREVENTION
Read online for free from Sunday, December 15, 2019, 12:00 AM PST  to Tuesday, December 17, 2019, 11:59 PM PST
In the US: https://www.amazon.com/Fortitude-Swetha-Sundaram-ebook/dp/B081XCZV7L/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fortitude+swetha&qid=1576344398&sr=8-1
In Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Fortitude-Swetha-Sundaram-ebook/dp/B081XCZV7L/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fortitude+swetha&qid=1576344527&sr=8-1
In India: https://www.amazon.in/Fortitude-Swetha-Sundaram-ebook/dp/B081XCZV7L/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=swetha+sundaram&qid=1576344567&sr=8-8

Fortitude is a short story about suicide prevention. The high school students in India face a lot of pressure and challenges; because of the population size and the highly competitive environment often, even an average of 99% is not sufficient to secure admission in a good university. “According to  2015 data from the National Crime Records Bureau, 8934 (6.7% of all suicides) students are committing suicide every year. That's ONE STUDENT EVERY HOUR!  Inspite of being the advanced states of India, Maharashtra holds the first place with 1230 of 8934 suicides (14%) and Tamil Nadu holds the second place with 955 of 8934 suicides (10%).” [Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_India]

Fortitude is a short story about suicide prevention. Life is not a bed of roses may be a cliché, but it is the crux of our experience in this world. Our experience in this world is cyclic; we feel the twins of joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure, heat and cold and so on. Our life is like a pendulum that swings both ways. Often at times of crisis, it is important to know that our life will definitely return to normal. We need to know that the Sun always shines at the end of the night. 

 
Fortitude is termed as “Dhairyam” in Sanskrit. The Sanskrit word “Dhairyam” loosely translates to “courage”. We have heard people say that those who committed suicide lacked “dhairyam” i.e they lacked the patience to endure the tough times. If they had been patient, they would have been rewarded with better things in life. 

Newton’s Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. By committing suicide people do not evade consequences. Whether in this world or the other, the results of one’s actions will always catch up with us. By committing suicide people do not evade the sins because one can never escape the accumulated karmas. Whether in this world or the other, karma will always catch up with us. Suicide only adds additional sins to the karmic account; after all, every action has an equal and an opposite reaction.

There have been problems faced by people during every century whether it is a massive famine, world wars or economic downturns. History teaches us that things always improved and that people always recovered from the problems they faced in their lives. In Alberta, we are going through a significant economic downturn. Times are very tough, but this is something that Albertans have endured in the past. If we wait out the tough times patiently, we will definitely be rewarded in the future.ac

 Fortitude is a short story about a high school student, Raj in India. After seeing his final exam results, Raj finds himself spiralling down the vortex of self-pity and considers the unthinkable when he meets a stranger who changes his life.

Prahalada Charitram As narrated In Vishnu Puranam 4

 Continued From: https://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.com/2019/11/prahalada-charitram-as-narrated-in_7.html

 

Again after a few months, Hiranyakashipu sent for his son. He once again placed the boy on his lap with love.

‘Which is the best amongst the things you have studied?’

Prahaladan once again sang the glories of Lord Vishnu. ‘Shravanam is listening to the glories of Perumal, Keerthanam is the act of singing Perumal’s praise, Smaranam is to think about Him with constant uninterrupted devotion like an oil stream which never splatters, Pada Sevanam is the act of serving Bagawan and His Bagawathas, Archanam is a way to worship Perumal with flowers, Vandanam is to prostrate before Him, dasyam is to know that we always depend on Him and that He is our master, Sakhyam is the  act of staying the true friend of Perumal and atmanivedanam is the ultimate act of offering oneself to Perumal. Even any one amongst the nine acts is enough to obtain the Lord’s divine grace.’

Hiranyakashipu’s eyes turned red with anger. He felt steam coming out of his ears.

‘Who is teaching you all this nonsense and controlling you against me?’ yelled Hiranyakashipu.

‘Father,’ replied Prahaladan, ‘the same person who as your antaryami is making you ask this question is also in my heart. He is the only one who controls everyone including you from within. Except Him who else has the capacity to control us? If He directs a person to yell at us or inflict punishment upon us it is only to help us improve ourselves so that we can become a better person.’

Prahaladan taught us the most important concept through his slokam. He brought out the fact that Lord Vishnu as the antaryami controls and directs everyone from within them. Parents, government, teachers etc advise their children, citizens, and students dos and donts. They can only tell the children and citizens about the dos and donts but cannot control them to follow the dos and donts. Lord Narayana, on the other hand, is our antaryami. From within us, He controls us to do certain activities while preventing us from doing other activities.

All the changes we see around us occur per the will of the indwelling Perumal. Lord Vishnu’s will is the internal driving force. All the activities we do are per His will. There is an anecdote in the Mahabharata which illustrates this point.

Krishna was on His way to conduct the peace talks with the Kauravas. Duryodhana found Bhishmacharya, Dronacharya, Vidura and all the other elders making preparations to receive Lord Krishna. Duryodhana was annoyed with these preparations. He didn’t want to receive Lord Krishna with respect. He ordered all the elders that they must remain seated when Lord Krishna entered the courtroom. He ordered that no one must stand up in respect to receive Lord Krishna. Bhishmacharya agreed to Duryodhana’s wishes but said that he would follow Duryodana; if Duryodana remained seated they would all remain seated but if Duryodhana stood up then they will stand up as well.

Vidura was confused to see that Bhishmacharyar agreed to Duryodhana. He met with Bhishmacharyar in private and asked him why he had agreed to humiliate Lord Krishna.

‘Please don’t be worried,’ replied Bhishmacharyar. ‘Just remember number 3.’

‘What is number 3?’ Asked a confused Vidura.

‘I will explain to you when the time comes,’ said Bhishmacharya.
Continued On: https://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.com/2020/01/prahalada-charitram-as-narrated-in.html