Prevention is better than cure. This saying does not seem to hold good for Indians as far as health care is concerned with only around 10 percent of adults opting for vaccines to reduce the threat of common diseases. Even as people become more health conscious only a minuscule population is opting for vaccines to prevent illnesses like flu and meningitis, health experts said. Some of the vaccines available for adults are against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Influenza, Meningitis and the Human Papalloma Virus that causes cervical cancer.
“Prevention is always better than cure. But still preventive healthcare is lacking in India. People do not go to doctors until and unless it reaches a critical point,” Ravindra Gupta of the Internal Medicine department of Columbia Asia Hospital- Gurgaon told us. According to the WHO, around two billion people worldwide are infected with the Hepatitis B virus and 600,000 die each year due to its consequences. In India, approximately 80 million people harbour the Hepatitis B virus, which results in around 240,000 deaths annually. India reports one-fourth of the world’s cervical cancer cases. Gupta said: “In fact only less than 10 percent of people opt for vaccinations.
People need to be more aware and take charge of their own safety and well-being and keep away diseases and illnesses which can be prevented with vaccination.” Gupta said in some cases, even doctors are not aware about the various vaccines available for adults. However, he added, awareness has certainly improved among the masses as the knowledge about the available vaccines is growing. “There should also be a campaign on the need for adult vaccination at a greater level so that the people are informed about the vaccines available not just for children but for adults as well,” he said.
Ashu Sawhney, senior consultant and coordinator, neonatal intensive care, Jaypee Hospital, Noida, told us: “Immunization, which was previously limited to children, is becoming more and more popular for adults and the elderly. “It stimulates and enhances the body’s immune system to protect against various infectious diseases,” he said, adding that vaccination not only saves lives but is also more cost-effective considering the cost of treatment and loss of work days. Thus, more and more people should opt for vaccines to stay healthy, Sawhney added.
A senior health ministry official said that though the government does not have any national policy for adult vaccination like the child immunization programme, there are guidelines available. “Even the United States only has guidelines for adult vaccination,” the official said. Talking about the vaccines approved by the government, Atul Gogia of Sir Gangaram Hospital said: “Out of all the vaccines available for adults, only HPV vaccine has not been approved by the government. The rest of the vaccines are approved by the government”.
Year: 2014
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Indians yet to catch up with adult vaccination
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MAKE WAKING UP EARLY A HABIT
Waking up early is a great way to start a day. Find out ways on how to do it.
Go to Bed Earlier
Probably the biggest detractor from getting up early is not getting enough sleep. Do you really need to burn the midnight oil just to be on social networking sites? Or to watch mindless television soaps. That’s not really doing anything productive, substantial or beneficial.
Stick to a routine
Your body loves routine. There’s a reason why we feel hungry at certain times. Same goes for our sleep schedule. That’s why you get hungry at certain times. Same goes for your sleeping schedule. Having a routine will make it easier to get up early.
Reduce Your Caffeine Intake
Less caffeine means that you will not be an owl. Cut down on your caffeine take. And see the difference it makes to your sleeping pattern.
Keep a motivation
Getting up early requires motivation in the beginning. Give yourself a good reason to do it. You got to look forward to this ritual of getting up early. Exercise is a fabulous motivation to wake up early.Working out early in the morning will make you feel energized. So, look forward to start your day on a high note. -
Smoking ups risk of developing second cancer
Alarge study has found that cigarette smoking prior to the first diagnosis of lung (stage I), bladder, kidney or head and neck cancer increases the risk of developing a second smokingassociated cancer. “As survival improves for a number of smokingrelated cancers, patients are living longer; however, smoking may increase the risk of developing a second smoking-related cancer among these survivors,” said Meredith S. Shiels, lead study author and research fellow with the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.
Researchers examined data from five cohorts which included 2,552 patients with stage I lung, 6,386 with bladder, 3,179 with kidney and 2,967 with head and neck cancer. They found that the association between smoking and developing a second primary smoking-associated cancer was similar to the association between smoking and developing a first primary smoking-associated cancer. Patients who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day had a 5.41-fold higher risk of developing cancer than individuals who have never smoked. Notably, current smoking at any level increased the risk of overall mortality across all cancer disease sites. “Our study demonstrates that health care providers should emphasise the importance of smoking cessation to all their patients, including cancer survivors,” Shiels concluded. -
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS
Home to scenic landscapes, gorgeous sunsets, golden beaches and one of the richest coral reef ecosystems in the world, the Andamans is an archipelago of over 570 tropical islands, of which only 36 are inhabited.With a profusion of wildlife and verdant forests, the islands are a naturelover’s paradise. Be it a lazy afternoon on a hammock on Asia’s best beach, an array of thrilling water sports or a strenuous trek on a challenging-yet-scenic terrain—your Andamans visit is likely to be packed with a range of interesting experiences. One can never get enough of the aqua marine sea and the breezy beaches of the Andamans, but if you want to pack in some action, the island has a number of interesting sightseeing options. History, adventure and culture converge here, to make a wholesome holiday. Here are the top picks for travellers who are looking for something other than the beaches.
Cellular Jail National Memorial
A reminder of India’s sombre history of colonial rule comes alive in the Cellular Jail National Memorial at Port Blair. A former jail (also known as kala pani) where many Indian freedom fighters were housed and killed, is a peek into the country’s history.
Wandoor & Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
Head about 30 km outside Port Blair to Wandoor, the hotspot for exotic marine sightings and a base for the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park.
Chatham Saw Mill
Established in 1836, one of Asia’s largest saw mills was set up by the Britishers on Chatham Island. The mill is still functional even to this day. This is a good pit-stop for those who’re interested in learning a little about the history and economy of the Andamans.
Anthropological Museum
Even if anthropology is not your choice of subject on a holiday, this museum cannot be given a miss. The exhibits might be slightly old and dusty, but they give a great insight into the indigenous cultures of the islands.
Diglipur
The explorer in you will be enthralled by this massive adventure park, replete with caves, a turtle nesting site and the highest peak of Andamans in Diglipur—all in all, the trek to the north is worth your while.
Corbyn’s Cove Beach, Port Blair
Corbyn’s cove doesn’t really qualify as a lazy enticing beach amidst the many that you will find in the Andamans, but it does offer a welcome relief from Port Blair’s city life.
Radhanagar Beach, Havelock Island
The Radhanagar beach has won many accolades in the travel world—an evening of sunset watching here and you will understand why. A sprawling, flat, soft bed of sand, it can accommodate hundreds of people during high season.
Elephant Beach
One of the most coveted and isolated sandy spots, Elephant beach is a pit stop for snorkelers. You’ll need to take a boat to get here, but once you arrive, expect pristine water and untouched white sand.
Long Island Beach
An unspoiled magical island in the Andamans, Long Island beach is strictly for the intrepid. A couple of restaurants and a paltry local population make this island less touristy, which is good news if you’re looking for some isolated spots to yourself.
Ross and Smith Island Beach
A boat ride of 25 minutes off Diglipur gets you to the serene twin islands called Ross and Smith. The beaches here promise uncluttered vistas and soft waves sweep up along the shore.
Lalaji Bay Beach, Long Island
For an unhurried experience, visit Lalaji Bay beach in Long Island. If nothing else, you are bound to see dolphins leaping up out of the sea. The beach lies six km from the main jetty, and can be reached by a short hike or small dinghies.
Wandoor Beach
Wandoor is one of the closest beaches with tourist access, since it lies in Port Blair. Expect a splash of colour during high season, with tourists dotting the pale sand. Boats to Jolly Buoy Island leave from here.
Aamkunj Beach, Rangat
The Aamkunj beach in Rangat is known as a popular turtle nesting ground. So if you are a keen environmental enthusiast, this is the place you should be heading.
Mayabunder
Avis and Karmatung beaches in Mayabunder are situated in the north part of Middle Andaman. Relatively quiet, you will not find the buzz of Havelock here—which is a blessing if you want to avoid the tourist clutter.
Casurina Beach, Diglipur
Diglipur is the main base camp for those who want to hike up to Saddle Peak in the Andaman Islands. An added advantage of this long trip from Port Blair (300 km by road), is that you can relax by the Casurina beach here. It can be hours before you will bump into anyone. -
OVERSEAS FUNDS PULL OUT $454 MILLION IN OCTOBER
NEW DELHI (TIP): Listed fund activity turned negative in the Indian market during October on the back of redemptions or exits by exchange traded funds (ETFs). Overseas funds withdrew $454 million from Indian equities during the month. Emerging market (EM)- focused funds contributed to the majority of the Indian redemptions even as FII (foreign institutional investors) activity across the region remained negative. EM-focused activity continued to remain in the negative territory in October. EM-dedicated funds pulled out $475 million from the Indian market in October.
EM-dedicated ETFs withdrew $251 million during the month. EM funds have remained bearish on Indian equities for the past three months. Total inflows from EM-dedicated funds into the Indian market stood at a mere $368 million in 2014. Funds benchmarked to the MSCI EM recorded outflows of $4.4 billion during the month. ETFs saw outflows worth $2.7 billion, while active fund redemptions added $1.7 billion to the tally. India-focused ETF flows however managed to remain in the positive territory, indicating that passive interest for the region continues.
Inflows from India-dedicated ETFs stood at $46 million in October, data compiled by Kotak Institutional Equities showed. ETFs, which follow a passive investment strategy, tracking MSCI India Index have remained positive over the past three months even as active funds saw redemptions. Allocations to India by Asia (excluding Japan) and global emerging market (GEM) funds reached record levels in September. They have moved up 2.5%-2.8% in the last one year. -
US COURT OVERTURNS BID BY RANBAXY TO BLOCK LAUNCH OF RIVAL GENERIC DRUGS
AUS court has denied a request by drugmaker Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd to stop competitors from launching copies of AstraZeneca Plc’s heartburn pill Nexium and Roche’s antiviral Valcyte, a court filing showed. Ranbaxy had sought the restraining order against Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and US firm Endo International Plc in a lawsuit it filed against the US Food and Drug Administration last week for revoking tentative approvals to launch Nexium and Valcyte copies in the United States, its largest market. US District Judge Beryl Howell in Minneapolis denied Ranbaxy’s request, the court filing showed.
The company, which is being acquired by larger local rival Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd for $3.2 billion, declined to comment on the case. Analysts had expected generic Nexium to add about $150 million to Ranbaxy’s overall sales in the first six months of its launch, while generic Valcyte was seen adding about $50 million to sales. Earlier this month, the FDA told Ranbaxy it had made an error in granting the company tentative approval to launch the drugs, citing manufacturing quality lapses at Ranbaxy’s India plants. Ranbaxy and the FDA have until November 21 to submit a schedule for further proceedings in the case, the filing showed. Ranbaxy shares were up 2.5 percent at 617 rupees at 10:51am on Thursday, while the wider Mumbai market was up 0.11 percent. -
China links Hong Kong, Shanghai stock markets
BEIJING (TIP): China has linked up the two stock markets of Shanghai and Hong Kong, which will make cross border investment possible for people living in Mainland China and in Hong Kong. They were not permitted to do so earlier. But the real catch lies beyond the usual stock trading. China is trying to push forward its agenda of internationalizing the Yuan. Hong Kong and other overseas investors will now have to buy the Chinese currency in order to invest in the linked market. Worried that market behavior might go out of hand, authorities have imposed a ceiling on turnover amounting to $2.2 billion for investors in Hong Kong. The ceiling in the case of investors in Mainland China has been set at $1.8 billion.
The linking of stock markets will take the growth of offshore renminbi business business in Hong Kong to “new heights”, Norman Chan, chief executive of Hong Kong Monetary Authority, said. China has taken several measures including offering soft loans and aid to several countries in its own currency to make Yuan a widely used international currency. In turn, it offers a stable exchange rate because it is tightly controlled by the government. The official media quoted Lin Caiyi, chief economist with Guotai Junan Securities, saying that the linked market will act as a channel for the yuan to flow from the Mainland China to Hong Kong, be invested in the offshore market and flow back to the Mainland. This is essential for China because there is a lot more international currency trading in Hong Kong than in Shanghai -
TOYOTA TO LAUNCH FUEL CELL CAR NEXT MONTH
TOKYO (TIP): There will only be a few hundred, and they won’t be cheap, but Toyota is about to take its first small step into the unproven market for emissions-free, hydrogenpowered vehicles. The world’s largest automaker announced that it will begin selling fuel cell cars in Japan on Dec. 15 and in the US and Europe in mid-2015. The sporty-looking, four-door Toyota Mirai will retail for 6.7 million yen ($57,600) before taxes. Toyota Motor Corp hopes to sell 400 in Japan and 300 in the rest of the world in the first year. “In time, the fuel cell vehicle will become mainstream.
We wanted to take the first step,” said Mitsuhisa Kato, a Toyota executive vice president, at the vehicle’s launch Tuesday. “We want to be at the leading edge.” Fuel cell vehicles run on compressed hydrogen gas, which in the Mirai’s case is stored in two tanks mounted underneath the vehicle. They emit no exhaust, though fossil fuels are used in the production of hydrogen and to pressurize it. Both Honda and Hyundai are also experimenting with limited sales and leases of fuel cell cars. Besides the relatively high cost, buyers will have to contend with finding fuel.
Only a few dozen hydrogen filling stations have been built worldwide, though governments are subsidizing the construction of more. It’s an uncertain future that depends both on whether makers can bring down the price, and a wide-enough network of filling stations is built. Yoshikazu Tanaka, deputy chief engineer for Toyota’s next generation vehicle development, said he expects it will take 10-20 years for the Mirai to reach sales in the tens of thousands of vehicles a year. Asked if it’s a risk, he said yes, but Toyota views it as a challenge. Likening it to a chicken and egg situation, he said if you say it’s too risky and don’t move forward with production, the number of filling stations will never grow.
Toyota faced a similar scenario with its gasoline-electric hybrid, the Prius, which now sells in big numbers. “It was a big challenge when we first introduced the Prius, or hybrid car, in 1997,” he said in an interview in Tokyo. “And it’s an even bigger challenge this time because there is no infrastructure, and we’re trying to lead” the commercialization of fuel cell cars. Hoping to offset the inconvenience of finding fuel, Toyota gave the car a futuristic look inside and out _ Mirai means future in Japanese _ and made it peppy to try to attract buyers. It accelerates particularly quickly from about 40 to 70 kilometers (25 to 45 miles) per hour, Tanaka said. -
‘CONTACTLESS’ CARDS SOON TO EASE PAYMENTS
MUMBAI (TIP): NFC or ‘contactless’ payment cards, which can complete a payment transaction in one-tenth of the time traditionally taken to conduct electronic transactions, will soon be available in India. ICICI Bank has finalised launch of contactless debit and credit cards next month. NFC (Near Field Communication) cards allow payments can be made by merely waving the card in front of a scanner instead of requiring them to be swiped or dipped into a card reader.
Rajiv Sabharwal, ED, ICICI Bank said “We expect this to be one of the biggest game changers in the payment industry. The key advantage is that, this card can ensure the transaction gets completed in one tenth the time taken by an existing credit card. Also since the card need not leave the customer’s hand, the level of security is higher.” Present regulations require that all cards need to be authenticated by punching a pin to complete the transation and as of now ICICI Bank’s NFC cards will need to be authenticated with PIN. However, RBI has said that it will review this requirement for small transactions.
RBI governor Raghuram Rajan had said that the central bank was exploring the possibility of allowing small-value transactions on a simpler basis, provided the provider takes full responsibility of misuse beyond a certain point. ICICI Bank will introduce this cards in a Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. It has already tied up with 200 merchants in these cities and in Gurgaon. The shops include retail and restaurant chains. The bank will issue both debit and credit cards and will tie up with both Visa and MasterCard for their products payWave and s Paypass respectively.
“In Australia, where NFC was recently introduced, in a matter of months half the market converted to NFC cards because of the convenience. There is a strong pull for this kind of a product from the merchant side as they can service many more customers in the same time. Given our distribution capabilities we expect to make a big difference,” said Sabharwal. In markets where NFC is being used signature or pin validation is waived for low-value transactions making it the fastest form of payment. “Today many believe that cards are to used only for high value payments and they use cash for low value transactions. With NFC even small value payments can be made by card and these transactions can be brought into the formal channel,” said Sabharwal. -
GRAVITY SAVED UNIVERSE FROM COLLAPSE AFTER BIG BANG
LONDON (TIP): Gravity may have saved the universe from collapsing immediately after the Big Bang by providing stability needed to survive expansion during that period, a new study suggests. Studies of the Higgs particle – discovered at CERN in 2012 and responsible for giving mass to all particles – have suggested that the production of Higgs particles during the accelerating expansion of the very early universe (inflation) should have led to instability and collapse.
Scientists have been trying to find out why this did not happen, leading to theories that there must be some new physics that will help explain the origins of the universe that has not yet been discovered. Physicists from Imperial College London, and the Universities of Copenhagen and Helsinki, described how the spacetime curvature – in effect, gravity – provided the stability needed for the universe to survive expansion in that early period. Researchers investigated the interaction between the Higgs particles and gravity, taking into account how it would vary with energy. They show that even a small interaction would have been enough to stabilise the universe against decay.
“The Standard Model of particle physics, which scientists use to explain elementary particles and their interactions, has so far not provided an answer to why the universe did not collapse following the Big Bang,” said Professor Arttu Rajantie, from the Department of Physics at Imperial College London. “Our research investigates the last unknown parameter in the Standard Model – the interaction between the Higgs particle and gravity. “This parameter cannot be measured in particle accelerator experiments, but it has a big effect on the Higgs instability during inflation.
Even a relatively small value is enough to explain the survival of the universe without any new physics!” Rajantie said. The team plan to continue their research using cosmological observations to look at this interaction in more detail and explain what effect it would have had on the development of the early universe. -
MAN TO LIVE ANOTHER’S LIFE FOR 4 WEEKS
ALondon man is to live the life of another person for 28 days, in an experiment that he hopes will give him insight into the nature of human existence but which experts have called potentially `extremely disturbing’. Mark Farid is set to recruit an `avatar’ or `other’, who will video his whole life for 28 days, and watch all of that video through an Oculus Rift, while people feed him all of the food that his participant eats. Farid hopes that the experiment will allow him some insight into the debate over whether it is nature or nurture that causes a person to be how they are, accord ing to Vice.
By living as somebody else, Farid hopes to see whether he will start thinking like them, too. The 28-day period was chosen because of a common (though debunked) idea that new habits take 21 days to form, according to the Verge. Earlier in 2014, Farid ran a 24- hour test-run of the project, called ‘ Alone Together’, at the Arebyte Gallery in London. As in that run-through, the only contact Farid will have is an hour’s consultation with a psychologist, who will watch him in silence, and the volunteers who will help feed him the food that his surrogate eats. The other participant’s life will be recorded through a secret camera mounted in his glasses. Participants won’t be able to tell anybody but their partner that they are taking part. Applications to be the ‘other’ open on November 28.
Farid requires that the participant is a male, and in a relationship and living with someone who also agrees to take part. He also asks that potential participants consider whether they are comfortable with someone filming and watching a month of their whole life, and with that footage being used in a documentary . The successful participant will be given time with a psychologist before the task, to ensure he is up for it, and after. The project will be funded through a Kickstarter that is set to launch soon. Professor Barbara Sahakian, a professor of clinical neuropsychology at Cambridge, said, “I am concerned how such a long project which involves voyeurism on the part of Mark and also on the part of the public in regard to Mark will affect his mental health.” -
Nasa probe set to wake up for Pluto encounter
WASHINGTON (TIP): Nasa’s Pluto-bound probe New Horizons spacecraft comes out of hibernation for the last time next month in preparation for a six-month encounter, including a first-ever close flyby of the mysterious dwarf planet on July 14, 2015. Next month’s wake-up call was preprogrammed into New Horizons’ on-board computer in August, commanding it come out of hibernation Dec 6. Work on the Earth is well under way to prepare the spacecraft for a six-month encounter with Pluto that begins January next year, Nasa said in statement.
“New Horizons is healthy and cruising quietly through deep space – nearly three billion miles from home – but its rest is nearly over,” says Alice Bowman, New Horizons mission operations manager at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. “It is time for New Horizons to wake up, get to work, and start making history,” Bowman added. Since its launch in January 2006, New Horizons has spent 1,873 days in hibernation – about two-thirds of its flight time “spread over 18 separate hibernation periods from mid-2007 to late 2014 that ranged from 36 days to 202 days long”. In hibernation mode much of the spacecraft is unpowered; the onboard flight computer monitors system health and broadcasts a weekly beacon-status tone back to Earth. “The final hibernation wake up Dec 6 signifies the end of an historic cruise across the entirety of our planetary system,” added New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern from Southwest Research Institute. -
Scientists find new way to make drugs
MELBOURNE (TIP): In a breakthrough, researchers have developed a revolutionary new way to manufacture natural chemicals and used it to assemble a scarce anti-inflammatory drug with potential to treat cancer and malaria. The advance could lead to new and cheaper ways to produce rare drugs in large quantities. “We took small molecules and clipped them together like Lego,” said lead researcher professor Michael Sherburn, from the Australian National University (ANU).
“The building blocks are carefully designed in such a way that the first reaction generates a product perfectly primed for the second. It’s quite magical. This means you can efficiently build large and complex molecules,” said Sherburn. Medicines of this type have traditionally been made in a cumbersome way. Chemists take a related molecule and renovate it. This is a lengthy process, with unwanted structural features being ripped out and replaced. “This leads to a lot of waste,” Sherburn said. The group trialled their innovative new method by making pseudopterosin, a powerful antiinflammatory and analgesic drug, which is currently only available in tiny quantities extracted from fan coral found in the Bahamas.
The work began as blue-sky research, with the researchers trying to work out a way to make supposedly impossible molecules of crossconjugated hydrocarbons. Before trying the experiments the team ran simulations on the Raijin supercomputer, which indicated that their method had potential. “Ours is an empowering and enabling technique, allowing a smarter and faster way to make important substances,” said Dr Chris Newton, who did the research in the laboratory as a PhD student. “The pseudopterosin synthesis is the tip of the iceberg. We are well on the way to efficient syntheses of other important drugs. “There is a potential for industrial-scale manufacture, too, which will take the pressure off species which are being harvested for drugs,” Newton said. -
HERE COME THE AUTONOMOUS ROBOT GUARDS
The security guard of future is five feet tall, Wi-Fi-equipped and looks uncannily like a cross between a Dalek and EVE from Wall-E. This is the K5 Autonomous Data Machine, the first product from Californian start-up Knightscope designed to replace human guards everywhere from schools to offices. The K5 was first unveiled in 2014 but has now been deployed for the first time at the Microsoft campus in Silicon Valley. The K5 has been to be ‘shown around’ its environment by a human controller to build a basic map, but will then happily patrol on its own, reporting any anomalies back to base.
Each bot weighs about 136kg and is equipped with a whole array of sensors, measuring movement, sound, location temperature, carbon dioxide levels and barometric pressure. There’s no weapons on board however, and the K5 will merely sound an ear-splitting alarm and send for human back-up if it gets spooked. Speaking to MIT Technology Review, Knightscope co-founder Stacy Stephens said the K5 “takes away the monotonous and sometimes dangerous work, and leaves the strategic work to law enforcement or private security, depending on the application.” Stephens says Knightscope wants to start putting its robots in work from the beginning of next year (K5 bots are employed not bought) and the hourly ‘wage’ of $6.25 should be attractive to companies used to paying double that for security. -
GAVASKAR DENIES questioning Srinivasan’s silence on match-fixing
NEW DELHI (TIP): Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on November 20 expressed surprise at the “fabricated stories” about him questioning N Srinivasan’s silence in the match-fixing scandal while reacting to the Mudgal Committee report. Gavaskar was quoted in media reports as having said in Melbourne that Srinivasan needs to explain why he didn’t act against players if he knew their involvement in match-fixing, but the former captain stated that the report was not “based on what has actually been said”. “It was a memorable evening and the euphoria was still there next morning till I was jolted by totally erroneous headlines attributed to me about my reactions to Justice Mudgal report.
I spoke to several channels about significance and honour of the evening and even accommodated questions on just released Justice Mudgal report, though it had nothing to do with the event at the MCG,” Gavaskar said. Gavaskar was in Australia at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend a special reception at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which was hosted by his Australian counterpart Tony Abbot. “To wake up the next day to read fabricated headlines and stories was galling indeed. I did express my views that there should be zero tolerance with those involved in matchfixing. I do understand the need for sensational headlines and stories to attract eyeballs but surely they should be based on what has actually been said. It spoilt what had been an extremely memorable three days Down Under,” he said. -
Time running out for Viswanathan Anand
World Chess Championship:
Magnus Carlsen had to eschew his pride and taste the ‘draw medicine’ forced by Viswanathan Anand. But if the latter doesn’t find enough inspiration in the next two of the remaining three games, the thinking behind this half a point can always be questioned. Anand, a challenger at 44, trails Carlsen 4-5 in the World Chess Championship match in Sochi. The Indian, who plays with white pieces on Friday, is expected to trouble the reigning champion with sharper and more offensive play.
The ninth game on Thursday was over in just 20 moves lasting just an hour and Carlsen was left explaining how a player who believes in playing over the board much longer even for half a point allowed the Indian challenger gain the ‘black result’ so quickly. “Considering the match situation, I’m okay with the draw,” said Carlsen. “I won’t like to get into details about what surprised me. “Of course, it’s always better to be able to press with white.
But on the other hand, every half a point brings me closer to six and a half points needed to win the title. It’s not too bad… not a disaster. It’s a tough match. Right now, it looks like it is going the distance (12th game is on Tuesday). “It’s more comfortable to play these kind of endgames when you are leading the match. In general, I try to play positions which I consider to be good and suit my style. But he was better prepared today than I was.” When Anand, playing black, opted for the quieter Ruy Lopez as against the generally-sharper Sicilian, it was expected that he had prepared well in the main lines.
The queens were exchanged on the eighth move denying a chance to castle for Black. The Norwegian deviated first from their Game 7 on the 11th turn. Even that didn’t deter Anand much. Soon, it appeared that Carlsen was not ready for the ensuing positional struggle in the middle game. A couple of minor pieces were exchanged quickly. Though Carlsen had some activity in the centre files, he decided not to continue in rooks and knights vs rooks and bishops ending (six pawns each). The champion went for perpetual checks and attained a draw after a threefold repetition.
After getting what he wanted – an easy, no-sweat draw with black pieces – Anand was not ready to let media question his choice. “You have to play the positions you get, the situations you get. I can count, I know the score.” When asked on the subtleness behind the opening sequence of moves, he said: “This I would rather not explain.” Is being less prepared than world No. 6 Anand is a huge concern for Carlsen? “It has also been the opposite a couple of times,” said the world No. 1. “A disappointment of short draw with white pieces is easier to swallow when you are leading the match.” Anand said: “The game was quite reasonable. An easy draw with black. I just need to try harder with white.” Carlsen was more forthcoming on certain issues about his display. “My play has been quite inconsistent both in terms of preparation and over the board play. But we will see.” -
Virat Kohli confirms he is seeing Anushka Sharma, asks for privacy
MUMBAI (TIP): India’s top batsman Virat Kohli has asked the public to use common sense on his much talked about relationship with actress Anushka Sharma, saying they indeed are seeing each other and their privacy should be respected. “It is out in the open (Jo hai sabke saamne hai abhi). We are not hiding anything, we are not trying to hide anything. I don’t want to hide anything. But if you get repeatedly asked on the same thing and if it is made a matter of debate then both the individuals don’t feel it is right,” said Kohli at the launch of his fashion line on Thursday. Kohli said it was already obvious that he and Anushka were in a relationship and people should not be curious about them anymore.
“If you are seen together somewhere and still people ask ‘is it confirmed?’, then it is a matter of common sense. If you know then why ask the same question, that is our basic logic behind it. It is not something wrong apparently for people that we are doing. “We will not personally like to speak about it because it is something very personal for us and that should be respected by the media and everyone else as well,” Kohli said The 26-year old stand-in-skipper also batted for boxer Sarita Devi and felt that her decision to not accept the bronze medal at the Incheon Asian Games wasn’t against the rule. “I know about the incident. I think sportsmen need the support of its association and I personally don’t think her decision is against modern rules. She felt something and took that decision that could have been solved in a different way. I don’t know what happened there, what I have seen from outside this is my idea,” he said. -
It’s advantage Saina as Wangs knocked out
Hong Kong Open:
HYDERABAD (TIP): Is Saina Nehwal cruising towards another Super Series title? Even as the third seeded Indian broke no sweat to get past unseeded Bei wen Zhang of the USA 21-16, 21-13 the women’s singles of the Hong Kong Open witnessed major upsets in Kowloon on Thursday. Little-known players ousted top seed Shixian Wang and second seed Wang Yihan.
The Chinese star shuttlers suffered unexpected defeats for the second week in succession. While Yihan lost to 23- year-old Malaysian Tee Jing Yi, Shixian suffered a three-game loss against compatriot Xin (F) Liu 16-21, 21-9, 15-21. Former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand was also shown the door by China Open finalist Akane Yamaguchi of Japan 21-19, 19- 21, 19-21. The exit of all these top guns and the absence of world No. 1 makes Saina, who moved to No. 4 on Thursday, as the overwhelming favourite to win the title. Making it a double delight for India, China Open men’s singles champion Kidambi Srikanth also made it to the quarters.
Srikanth defeated Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand 21-19, 23-21 in the second round. However, PV Sindhu looked clueless in her three-game loss against Nozomi Okuhara of Japan 17-21, 21 13, 11-21. “It was a little tough. I was actually leading in both the games but then he came back and I had to fight really hard for those crucial points,” Srikanth said. In the first game Srikanth was leading 14-5 before Saensomboonsuk caught him up at 14-14 but the Guntur lad moved ahead to 19-16 before securing the game at 21-19. In the second game Saensomboonsuk troubled Srikanth forcing the Indian to save a game point at 20-21. But Srikanth managed to sneak past the Thai by securing three straight points. The 21-yearold will now face Wei Nan of Hong Kong in the quarters. -
The Kerala Center Honors Malayalee Achievers
NEW YORK (TIP): The Kerala Center held its 22nd Annual Awards Banquet at the World’s Fair Marina in Flushing, New York city on November 15th. Attended by a sold out crowd of over 250 people eight Indian American Malaylees were honored at the banquet for their achievements in their fields or for service to the community. The keynote speaker was Prof. Geeta Menon, 11th Dean of the Undergraduate College at NYU’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business and the Abraham Krasnoff Professor of Global Business and Professor of Marketing who was honored for her achievement in Education/ Other awardees are: Siby Vadekekkara, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Marlabs, New Jersey for Entrepreneurship; Suresh Nair, Head of Global Wealth and Investment Management Technology, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, New York for Corporate Leadership; Abraham Pannikottu, Principal and Operations Manager, American Engineering Group, Akron, OH in Engineering; Dr. Gabriel D. Roy – ONR Global, Fairfax, VA for Service to Government; Dr. Thomas John Colacot, Global R&D Manager of Homogeneous Catalysis at the Johnson Matthey Catalysis and Chiral Technologies (JMCCT), West Deptford, New Jersey in Applied Sciences; Thelma Kizhakedan (Kollam Thelma), Dickinson, TX for Literature and Writing; Baby Uralil, former President, FOMAA Centereach, NY for Community Service; and Dr. Teresa Antony, Woodmere, NY with a Special Award.
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Shots hit ambulette, injuring an elderly woman inside
Mohammed Jaffer NEW YORK (TIP): Shots were fired on an ambulette in Flatland, Brooklyn,Wednesday , November 19 afternoon and one of the bullets struck an ambulance – injuring an elderly woman inside.As CBS2’s Dave Carlin reported, home security video captured the suspects in the incident on Flatlands Avenue near East 51st Street. One man was seen running along the street,while a second was seen following close behind and holding what appeared to be a gun. Police believe the second man fired several times, and one shot went into an ambulance carrying senior citizens.
A second security camera angle shows the men running and the ambulette as its driver hits the brakes.The shot went through the windshield of the ambulette, and inside, a woman was injured.Witnesses said the wound appeared to be a gash caused by either a bullet fragment or broken glass.”An innocent bystander gets hurt for no reason,” said neighbor Jerry Thompson. Seconds earlier, a man whose name is not being released said he was outside his house and saw the two men and the gun up close. The suspects looked right at him. “Young guys – they’re not past 19 or 18, 17,” the witness said. “A light-skinned guy looked at me and the other guy said,went like that, ‘Forget it.’” As 1010 WINS’ Al Jones reported, the 71-yearold woman in the ambulance was hospitalized at Kings County Hospital. Doctors said they expect her to make a full recovery.Police were questioning a person of interest in the incident late Wednesday, and were looking for a second suspect. -
Message of UN Women Executive Director on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
UNITED NATIONS (TIP): Every year, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (November 25), we are reminded how every day, women and girls experience violence in their lives. Women are beaten in their homes, harassed on the streets, bullied on the internet. Globally, one in three women will experience physical or sexual violence at some point in her life. More often than not, violence against women is committed by an intimate partner. Of all women killed in 2012, almost half died at the hands of a partner or family member.
It is no exaggeration that the overall greatest threat to women’s lives is men, and often the men they love. Yet we know how violence against women can be eliminated. In 1995, close to 20 years ago, 189 governments came together in Beijing. They adopted a Platform for Action that spelled out key strategies to end violence against women, empower women, and achieve gender equality. This includes effective prevention strategies that address the root causes of gender inequality. This includes better services for women surviving violence, such as hotlines, shelters, legal advice, access to justice, counselling, police protection, and health services.
This includes more accurate reporting rates, better data collection, and strengthened analyses of risk and prevalence factors. This includes greater support for women’s organizations, which are often on the frontline of the response. This includes having more men and boys standing up against violence, denouncing it, and stopping it. Male leaders, including traditional and religious leaders,must show the way. UN Women has launched HeForShe, a global campaign to engage men and boys as advocates and agents of change for the achievement of gender equality and women’s rights.We need men who believe in gender equality to take action now. A global review of progress and gaps in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action is underway.
Preliminary data show that many countries have introduced laws to prohibit, criminalize, and prevent violence against women. Yet implementation and enforcement of these laws are inadequate. Reporting of violence remains low and impunity for perpetrators remains high. Not enough resources are targeted at provision of quality services and effective prevention strategies. Next year, after the endpoint of the Millennium Development Goals, a new roadmap for development will be adopted by the international community. Ending violence against women and girls must have a central place in this new framework. The promises from 20 years ago are still valid today. Together we must make 2015 the year that marks the beginning of the end of gender inequality. Now is the time for action.
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President Obama Announces Immigration Reform Plans
“Our immigration system is broken, and everybody knows it”: Obama
I.S. Saluja
WASHINGTON (TIP): Ignoring dire warnings of Republicans to “Emperor Obama” that his planned executive action to grant deportation relief to millions of undocumented immigrants would “poison the well” in Congress, Obama announced his immigration reform plans to the country on Thursday, November 20 to help build a system that “lives up to our heritage as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.” Stating “Americans are tired of gridlock”, Obama offered to “work with both the parties” to fix the “broken system”. However, he said that he had tried to work with Congress, and blamed the House of Representatives for a bipartisan Senate bill never seeing a yes-no vote.
Still, the president said, he hopes to eventually “pass that kind of common sense law.” “This plan, which will be enacted by executive action, “will help secure the border, hold nearly 5 million undocumented immigrants accountable, and ensure that everyone plays by the same rules,” the White House said in a press release. Obama announced the actions on immigration in an address from the White House. He is expected to sign the actions at a rally in Las Vegas on Friday, November 21. “Our immigration system is broken, and everybody knows it,” he said, later adding that his critics call the plan a form of amnesty. “Well, it’s not.” Obama said. “Amnesty is the immigration system we have todaymillions of people who live here without paying their taxes or playing by the rules, while politicians use the issue to scare people and whip up votes at election time.” Obama emphasized in his address that he is instead pushing for the accountability of undocumented immigrants.
“That’s the real amnesty-leaving this broken system the way it is. Mass amnesty would be unfair. Mass deportation would be both impossible and contrary to our character. What I’m describing is accountability-a commonsense, middle ground approach: If you meet the criteria, you can come out of the shadows and get right with the law,” the president said. “If you’re a criminal, you’ll be deported. If you plan to enter the U.S. illegally, your chances of getting caught and sent back just went up.” The three main elements of the actions will be cracking down on illegal immigration at the border; deporting felons, but not families; and establishing criminal background checks and taxes for undocumented immigrants.
“By registering and passing criminal and national security background checks, millions of undocumented immigrants will start paying their fair share of taxes and temporarily stay in the U.S. without fear of deportation for three years at a time,” the White House release said. If undocumented immigrants submit to these background checks, register with the government, pay fees and show they have a child born in the U.S., then they “will have the opportunity to request temporary relief from deportation and work authorization for three years at a time.” These reforms will actually make it more difficult to enter the country without documentation, Obama said, but some did not agree.
Texas Governor Rick Perry said in a statement that Obama’s “decision tonight will lead to more illegal immigration, not less.” Obama addressed critics of the plan, explaining that “tracking down, rounding up, and deporting millions of people isn’t realistic. Anyone who suggests otherwise isn’t being straight with you.” “By providing individuals with an opportunity to come out of the shadows and work legally, we will also help crack down on companies who hired undocumented workers, which undermines the wages of all workers, and ensure that individuals are playing by the rules and paying their fair share of taxes,” the release said. The president’s executive actions will also expand the existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The rule currently offers temporary relief from deportation to children who had been in the country for at least five years and meet certain criteria.
Now, anyone who came to the U.S. as a child can apply if they entered before Jan. 1, 2010-no matter how old they are now. The White House also said that DACA relief will be granted for three years in the country going forward. Obama’s reforms will also cover a wide swath of issues related to immigration such as shifting more resources to the border, streamlining the immigration court process, and implementing a new Priority Enforcement Program that removes criminals. Additionally, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson will issue a memorandum making “clear that the government’s enforcement activity should be focused on national security threats, serious criminals, and recent border crossers,” as opposed to families.
In his address, Obama cited scripture: “We shall not oppress the stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger.” He went on to add “We were strangers once, too”. He said that this country is a country of immigrants, no matter what ocean they had crossed. He also quoted his predecessor Bush who had said about illegal immigrants, ” They are a part of American life”. The president’s actions will also cover several other facets of immigration and naturalization, including “enhancing options for foreign entrepreneurs” and “streamlining the process for foreign workers and their employers.” -
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan calls for early Reforms to UNSC
UNITED NATIONS (TIP): “The Security Council is, undoubtedly, one of the most important institutions of global governance,” Sumitra Mahajan, speaker of Lok Sabha, the lower house of India’s parliament, stated. “If its legitimacy is in doubt then so would be the legitimacy of the United Nations. And, in fact, of the notion of global governance itself.” Mahajan was speaking Tuesday, November 18, at a session of the Preparatory Committee for the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments on the subject of key challenges to world peace and democracy.
She pointed out that the Council’s composition was based on UN’s structure in 1945 and she asked in a series of rhetorical questions to drive her point home, “Is that composition still representative of the international community? The United Nations then had 51 members. The figure now is 193.” At the founding of the UN, there were only three African members, including South African apartheid regime, Mahajan pointed out. “Today it has 54,” she said.
The delegates at the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments. Sumitra Mahajan is seated fourth from the right.
“How many permanent members of the Security Council are from Africa?” After a briefing by Liechtenstein Ambassador Christian Wenaweser on the work of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group, which brings together 22 nations working on UN reform, Mahajan said she would like to know what it proposes to do to “bring more legitimacy to the permanent membership of the Council.” Pressing the case for changing the composition of the Council, she asked, “While improvement in working methods, or a code of conduct on use of the veto, are important, can they substitute for reform of the composition? Can improvement in working methods legitimize a structure that is not legitimate? To say that is anachronistic is only an understatement.”
In 2010 during the 65th Anniversary of the United Nations, world leaders had committed themselves to the early reform of the Council. She asked, “When would early be?” Although the membership of the Council was increased from 11 to 15 in 1965 with addition of four elected members, permanent membership continues to be restricted to the original five who wield veto powers. In any expansion of the permanent membership, India, Germany, Brazil, Japan and an African nation would be the top contenders. -
THE RAMAYANA
continued from previous issue
Tears of joy and mingled sorrow filled the Queen Kausalya’s eye, As she marked the faithful Sita true in heart, in virtue high, And she wept the tears of sadness when with sweet obeisance due, Spake with hands in meekness folded Rama ever good and true: “Sorrow not, my loving mother,
trust in virtue’s changeless beam, Swift will fly the years of exile like a brief and transient dream, Girt by faithful friends and forces, blest by righteous Gods above,
Thou shalt see thy son returning to thy bosom and thy love! Unto all the royal ladies Rama his obeisance paid, For his failings unremembered, blessings and forgiveness prayed,
And his words were soft and gentle, and they wept to see him go,
Like the piercing cry of curlew rose the piercing voice of woe, And in halls where drum and tabor rose in joy and regal pride, Voice of grief and lamentation sounded far and sounded wide!
Then the true and faithful Lakshman parted from each weeping dame, And to sorrowing Queen Sumitra with his due obeisance came, And he bowed to Queen Sumitra and his mother kissed his head,
Stilled her anguish-laden bosom and in trembling accents said: Dear devoted duteous Lakshman, ever to thy elder true, When thy elder wends to forest, forest-life to thee is due,
Thou hast served him true and faithful in his glory and his fame, This is Law for true and righteous,—serve him in his woe and shame, This is Law for race of Raghu known on earth for holy might, Bounteous in their sacred duty, brave and warlike in the fight! Therefore tend him as thy father,
as thy mother tend his wife, And to thee, like fair Ayodhya be thy humble forest life, Go, my son, the voice of Duty bids my gallant Lakshman go, Serve thy elder with devotion and with valour meet thy foe
CITIZENS’ LAMENT
Spake Sumantra chariot-driver waiting by the royal car, “Haste thee, mighty-destined Rama, for we wander long and far, Fourteen years in Dandak’s forest shall the righteous Rama stray, Such is Dasa-ratha’s mandate,
haste thee Rama and obey.” Queenly Sita bright-apparelled, with a strong and trusting heart,
Mounted on the car of splendour for the pathless woods to part,
And the king for needs providing gave her robes and precious store, For the many years of exile in a far and unknown shore, And a wealth of warlike weapons to the exiled princes gave,
Bow and dart and linkéd armour, sword and shield and lances brave. Then the gallant brothers mounted on the gold-emblazoned car, For unending was the journey and the wilderness was far,
Skilled Sumantra saw them seated, urged the swiftly-flying steed, Faster than the speed of tempest was the noble coursers’ speed. And they parted for the forest; like a long unending night,
Gloomy shades of grief and sadness deepened on the city’s might,
Mute and dumb but conscious creatures felt the woe the city bore, Horses neighed and shook their bright bells, elephants returned a roar! Man and boy and maid and matron followed Rama with their eye, As the thirsty seek the water when the parchéd fields are dry,
Clinging to the rapid chariot, by its side, before, behind, Tlironging men and wailing women wept for Rama good and kind: “Draw the reins, benign Sumantra, slowly drive the royal car,
We would once more see our Rama,
banished Iong and banished far, Iron-hearted is Kausalya from her Rama thus to part, Rends it not her mother’s bosom thus to see her son depart? True is righteous -hearted Sita cleaving to her husband still, As the ever present sunlight cleaves to Meru’s golden hill, Faithful and heroic Lakshman! thou hast by thy brother stood, And in duty still unchanging thou hast sought the pathless wood, Fixed in purpose,
true in valour,
mighty boon to thee is given, And the narrow path thou choosest is the righteous path to heaven!” Thus they spake in tears and anguish as they followed him apace, And their eyes were fixed on Rama, pride of Raghu’s royal race, Meanwhile ancient Dasa-ratha from his palace chamber came, With each weeping queen and consort, with each woe-distracted dame! And around the aged monarch rose the piercing voice of pain,
Like the wail of forest creatures when the forest-king is slain, And the faint and feeble monarch was with age and anguish pale, Like the darkened moon at eclipse when his light and radiance fail! Rama saw his ancient father with a faltering footstep go, Used to royal pomp and splendour,
stricken now by age and woe, Saw his mother faint and feeble to the speeding chariot hie, As the mother-cow returneth to her young that loiters by, Still she hastened to the chariot, “Rama! Rama!” was her cry, And a throb was in her bosom and a tear was in her eye! “Speed, Sumantra,” uttered Rama,
“from this torture let me part. Speed, my friend, this sight of sadness breaks a much-enduring heart, Heed not Dasa-ratha’s mandate, stop not for the royal train, Parting slow is lengthened sorrow like the sinner’s lengthened pain!” Sad Sumantra urged the coursers and the rapid chariot flew,
And the royal chiefs and courtiers round their fainting monarch drew, And they spake to Dasa-ratha: “Follow not thy banished son, He whom thou wouldst keep beside thee comes not till his task is done!” Dasa-ratha,
faint and feeble, listened to these words of pain, Stood and saw his son departing,–saw him not on earth again!
CROSSING THE TAMASA: THE CITIZENS’ RETURN
Evening’s thickening shades descended on Tamasa’s distant shore, Rama rested by the river, day of toilsome journey o’er, And Ayodhya’s loving people by the limpid river lay,
Sad and sorrowing they had followed Rama’s chariot through the day, “Soft-eyed Sita, faithful Lakshman,” thus the gentle Rama said,
“Hail the first night of our exile mantling us in welcome shade, Weeps the lone and voiceless forest,
and in darksome lair and nest, Feathered bird and forest creature seek their midnight’s wonted rest,
Weeps methinks our fair Ayodhya to her Rama ever dear, And perchance her men and women shed for us a silent tear, Loyal men and faithful women, they have loved their ancient king,
And his anguish and our exile will their gentle bosoms wring! Most I sorrow for my father and my mother loved and lost, Stricken by untimely anguish, by a cruel fortune crost,
But the good and righteous Bharat gently will my parents tend,And with fond and filial duty tender consolation lend,
to be continued -
SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS ISSUE
|| 1 || Pause || The Lord Himself, the Life of the World, is the Giver. He Himself forgives, and unites us with Himself. What are these poor beings and creatures? What can they speak and say?
God Himself grants glory to the Gurmukhs; He joins them to His Service.
|| 2 || Beholding your family, you are lured away by emotional attachment, but when you leave, they will not go with you. Serving the True Guru, I have found the Treasure of Excellence. Its value cannot be estimated. The Dear Lord God is my Best Friend. In the end, He shall be my Companion and Support. || 3 || In this world of my father’s home, the Great Giver is the Life of the World. The self-willed manmukhs have lost their honor. Without the True Guru, no one knows the Way. The blind find no place of rest. If the Lord, the Giver of Peace, does not dwell within the mind, then they shall depart with regret in the end.
|| 4 || In this world of my father’s house, through the Guru’s Teachings, I have cultivated within my mind the Great Giver, the Life of the World. Night and day, performing devotional worship, day and night, ego and emotional attachment are removed. And then, attuned to Him, we become like Him, truly absorbed in the True One. || 5 || Bestowing His Glance of Grace, He gives us His Love, and we contemplate the Word of the Guru’s Shabad. Serving the True Guru, intuitive peace wells up, and ego and desire die. The Lord, the Giver of Virtue, dwells forever within the minds of those who keep Truth enshrined within their hearts.
|| 6 || My God is forever Immaculate and Pure; with a pure mind, He can be found. If the Treasure of the Name of the Lord abides within the mind, egotism and pain are totally eliminated. The True Guru has instructed me in the Word of the Shabad. I am forever a sacrifice to Him.
|| 7 || Within your own conscious mind, you may say anything, but without the Guru, selfishness and conceit are not eradicated. The Dear Lord is the Lover of His devotees, the Giver of Peace. By His Grace, He abides within the mind. O Nanak, God blesses us with the sublime awakening of consciousness; He Himself grants glorious greatness to the Gurmukh. || 8 || 1 || 18 || SIREE RAAG, THIRD MEHL: Those who go around acting in egotism are struck down by the Messenger of Death with his club. Those who serve the True Guru are uplifted and saved, in love with the Lord.
|| 1 || O mind, become Gurmukh, and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Those who are so pre-destined by the Creator are absorbed into the Naam, through the Guru’s Teachings. || 1 || Pause || Without the True Guru, faith does not come, and love for the Naam is not embraced. Even in dreams, they find no peace; they sleep immersed in pain.
|| 2 || Even if you chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, with great longing, your past actions are still not erased. The Lord’s devotees surrender to His Will; those devotees are accepted at His Door. || 3 || The Guru has lovingly implanted the Word of His Shabad within me. Without His Grace, it cannot be attained. Even if the poisonous plant is watered with ambrosial nectar a hundred times, it will still bear poisonous fruit. || 4 || Those humble beings who are in love with the True Guru are pure and true. They act in harmony with the Will of the True Guru; they shed the poison of ego and corruption.
|| 5 || Acting in stubbornmindedness, no one is saved; go and study the Simritees and the Shaastras. Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and practicing the Shabads of the Guru, you shall be saved. || 6 || The Name of the Lord is the Treasure, which has no end or limitation. The Gurmukhs are beauteous; the Creator has blessed them with His Mercy. || 7 || O Nanak, the One Lord alone is the Giver; there is no other at all. By Guru’s Grace, He is obtained. By His Mercy, He is found.
|| 8 || 2 || 19 || SIREE RAAG, THIRD MEHL: The soul-bird in the beautiful tree of the body pecks at Truth, with love for the Guru. She drinks in the Sublime Essence of the Lord, and abides in intuitive ease; she does not fly around coming and going. She obtains her home within her own heart; she is absorbed into the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. || 1 || O mind, work to serve the Guru. If you walk in harmony with the Guru’s Will, you shall remain immersed in the Lord’s Name, night and day.
|| 1 || Pause || The birds in the beautiful trees fly around in all four directions. The more they fly around, the more they suffer; they burn and cry out in pain. Without the Guru, they do not find the Mansion of the Lord’s Presence, and they do not obtain the Ambrosial Fruit. || 2 || The Gurmukh is like God’s tree, always green, blessed with the Sublime Love of the True One, with intuitive peace and poise. He cuts off the three branches of the three qualities, and embraces love for the One Word of the Shabad. The Lord alone is the Ambrosial Fruit; He Himself gives it to us to eat.
|| 3 || The self-willed manmukhs stand there and dry up; they do not bear any fruit, and they do not provide any shade. Don’t even bother to sit near them – they have no home or village. They are cut down and burnt each day; they have neither the Shabad, nor the Lord’s Name. || 4 || According to the Lord’s Command, people perform their actions; they wander around, driven by the karma of their past actions. By the Lord’s Command, they behold the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. Wherever He sends them, there they go. By His Command, the Lord, Har, Har, abides within our minds; by His Command we merge in Truth.
|| 5 || The wretched fools do not know the Lord’s Will; they wander around making mistakes. They go about their business stubborn-mindedly; they are disgraced forever and ever. Inner peace does not come to them; they do not embrace love for the True Lord. || 6 || Beautiful are the faces of the Gurmukhs, who bear love and affection for the Guru. Through true devotional worship, they are attuned to Truth; at the True Door, they are found to be true. Blessed is their coming into being; they redeem all their ancestors.
|| 7 || All do their deeds under the Lord’s Glance of Grace; no one is beyond His Vision. According to the Glance of Grace with which the True Lord beholds us, so do we become. O Nanak, the Glorious Greatness of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is received only by His Mercy. || 8 || 3 || 20 || SIREE RAAG, THIRD MEHL: The Gurmukhs meditate on the Naam; the self-willed manmukhs do not understand. The faces of the Gurmukhs are always radiant; the Lord has come to dwell within their minds. Through intuitive understanding they are at peace, and through intuitive understanding they remain absorbed in the Lord.
|| 1 || O Siblings of Destiny, be the slaves of the Lord’s slaves. Service to the Guru is worship of the Guru. How rare are those who obtain it! || 1 || Pause || The happy soul-bride is always with her Husband Lord, if she walks in harmony with the Will of the True Guru. She attains her Eternal, Ever-stable Husband, who never dies or goes away. United with the Word of the Shabad, she shall not be separated again. She is immersed in the Lap of her Beloved.
|| 2 || The Lord is Immaculate and Radiantly Bright; without the Guru, He cannot be found. He cannot be understood by reading scriptures; the deceitful pretenders are deluded by doubt. Through the Guru’s Teachings, the Lord is always found, and the tongue is permeated with the Sublime Essence of the Lord. || 3 || Emotional attachment to Maya is shed with intuitive ease, through the Guru’s Teachings. Without the Shabad, the world wanders lost in pain. The self-willed manmukh is consumed. Through the Shabad, meditate on the Naam; through the Shabad, you shall merge in Truth.
|| 4 || The Siddhas wander around, deluded by Maya; they are not absorbed in the Samaadhi of the Lord’s Sublime Love. The three worlds are permeated by Maya; they are totally covered by it. Without the Guru, liberation is not attained, and the double-mindedness of Maya does not go away. || 5 || What is called Maya? What does Maya do? These beings are bound by pleasure and pain; they do their deeds in egotism. Without the Shabad, doubt is not dispelled, and egotism is not eliminated from within.
|| 6 || Without love, there is no devotional worship. Without the Shabad, no one finds acceptance. Through the Shabad, egotism is conquered and subdued, and the illusion of Maya is dispelled. The Gurmukh obtains the Treasure of the Naam with intuitive ease. || 7 || Without the Guru, one’s virtues do not shine forth; without virtue, there is no devotional worship. The Lord is the Lover of His devotees; He abides within their minds. They meet that God with intuitive ease. O Nanak, through the Shabad, praise the Lord. By His Grace, He is obtained. || 8 || 4 || 21 || SIREE RAAG, THIRD MEHL: Emotional attachment to Maya is created by my God; He Himself misleads us through illusion and doubt.
TO BE CONTINUED
