Cricket by Design

Monday, April 21, 2008

Twenty20 Extravaganza


1)Big Money and extravaganza go together. Whether this is true or not, Stanford University conducted a wine testing experiment very recently in which people were given bottles with range of prices from $5 to $90. According to the Boston Globe report, the subjects consistently said more expensive the wine, better was the taste. Like wise the big money involved in 20Twenty DLF-IPL is translated subconsciously into 'high value' and 'quality' in the minds of the public.

2) Lalit Modi, the chief executive and Commissioner of DLF-Indian Premier League sighed a big relief when the inauguration of the extravaganza was kicked off on
April 18, 2008 in Bangalore under frazzle-dazzle lights, laser, with dancers, cheer leaders and live music.

3) We can imagine how big will be the show in the forthcoming Beijing Olympics the 'Bird's Nest', being the main venue.

4) Let us come back to IPL. Though many watch the telecast, they still don't have answers in their finger tips. . Here are some relevant tips:-

a) DLF - I.P.L. which got started on 18 April will go up to June1, 2008. The duration is for 44 days. Some days will witness 2 matches and rest only one.

b) There are 8 Teams which will witness intense encounters. The Teams and Captains are:-

1) Kolkata Knight Riders - Saurav Gangully
2) Deccan Chargers - VVS Lax man
3) Rajasthan Royals - Shane Warne
4) Kings XI, Punjab - Yuvaraj Sing
5) Royal Challengers, Bangalore - Rahul Dravid
6) Mumbai Indians - Sachin Tendulkar
7) Chennai Super Kings - Mahendra Singh Dhoni
8) Delhi Dare Devils - Virendra Sehwag

C) One Team will play 14 matches in total, before the first semifinals. That means one team will clash with the rest of 7 teams twice. 7*2=14 matches.

d) On April 18 :- Team at sl.no. 5 clashed with Team at sl.no.1. at Bangalore.
On May 8, Same Teams will clash for the second time @ Kolkata. That means each Team will play one match in their Home Town.

e) The venue for the matches will be eight as there are 8 Teams contesting.

f) There will be 56 Matches in all plus 2 Semi Finals plus 1 Final which totals up to 59 Matches.

G) The two Semi Finals and the Final will be played in Mumbai.

k) Each player has been hired by bids at astronomical sums, pushing up Cricket's value to a 7 Star rating as compared to other sports.

l) Dhoni was pocketed by Chennai Super Kings with highest bid of $1.5 million.

m) Global News Agencies which include Reuters, AP, AFP, Getty Images Will not cover DLF due to unacceptable accreditation terms, as it stands today.

n) Cricket by design:- 20Twenty I.P.L. Games will offer a little for every body.

(1) Some bite for fast bowlers, particularly at the initial stages
(2) Some leeway for Batsmen for free strokes on second and third days.
(3) Some purchase for the Spinners on last two days.
(4) Matches will be played late evenings to enable office goers and business class to attend which will enhance large gate collections. Further, that time will be idle for players who will otherwise have to sweat hard in the sweltering heat in the day time.

But best laid plans of mice and groundsmen may go awry by gusts of sound wind, sudden shower, outbreak of frost and things like these.

It will be an enigma if I ask you to name your favourite Team. However, people may opt Teams belonging to their Regions. From the initial matches so far, Kolkata and Chennai Teams look formidable.

The Omkara

The 'Omkara'- 'Sound Vibrations'



The way the World or Prapancham moves about,
its total adherence to norms and its orderliness
strike most profoundly which leaves no doubt
that there is some great Power behind this phenomenon.

The whole set of objects we see around or the sound vibrations
we hear get generated from the Almighty or Paramathma.
Sound Vibrations (AUM) appeared first in the space ( ether).
The other elements what we see today appeared next.
The sound continues to exist in Akasa or Ether after the emergence of the physical world we live in.

'Ohm' is the seed of both 'Vak' and 'Prana' which are its expresions. That is why 'Prana' and 'Vak' combine as an entity to be called as 'pranav'.The other name for 'pranav' is 'vedam'. 'A','U','M' or "AUM" is sacred syllable, pronounced as an exclamation at the beginning and end of a mantra or during the recital of Veda.

What exists in the Super Space exists in the human body
also. The 'open sky' outside the world or Akasa
exists in the heart of a human also. The yogis or saints
realize and relish the "Hirudhaya-Akasa". In this
situation, both the external and internal Akasas merge as
one when the saint is in deep meditation. The saints, at
this state, are in a position to grasp and receive the Sound
vibrations from the Ether or Akasa and present them for the
benefit of the World. The set of these Sound Vibrations come
to be known as 'VEDAS'.

The Vedas explore and expound Science. For instance,
Atharva Veda says: " PRANAM EKAM; ANYATH DWE"(Sanskrit).
Pranam refers to Oxygen and Pranam Ekam means
one atom of Oxygyn. Anyath refers to Hydrogen and dwe
means two atoms of Hydrogen. The line explicitly points
out the formula for Water is H2O: two atoms of Hydrogen
combine with one atom of Oxygen to give one molecule of Water.

Another example: Vedam quotes - " Chandramasi
krishnam " which means that the Sand in the Moon is
black in colour. If you happen to visit Birla Planetarium
in Kolkata, you will see an exhibit of sand from moon
which is black in colour.

What Vedas proclaim is authentic Science!

'Ohm' is Brahman, the Primeval Being'. "Ohm' is the medium to know, what is to be known. 'Omkara' fills the mind and consciousness to evoke the eternal self.



Since our soul is always breathing 'Ohm', by intoning 'Ohm', we put ourselves in tune with the very wellspring of our existence linking up with our in most consciousness. Intoning 'Ohm' in line with our breath while meditating, is natural!



References:-

* Vanathi Pathippagam Tamil Book titled as "Kuraionrum Illai" by Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimhacharyar.

* Internet Web browsing

'All that Exists is ONE ' - ' An Electrical Phenomenon ' !

(Sri Ranganathar, Sri Rangam)


'Buddhiman' in Tamil is one who is endowed with wisdom or intelligence. Similarly 'Gunavan' is one who possesses virtues and 'Balavan' possesses valour.
Who is Bhagavan?

HE who possesses "Bhaga" is Bhagavan. Bhagam refers to six supreme qualities which include (1) Gyanam (2) Balam (3) Iswaryam (4) Veeryam (5) Sakthi (6) Thejus. The collective name for the group of these six lakshanas or qualities is 'Bhaga'. The first of Vishnu Sahasranama is 'Viswam' which means 'Bhagavan'. Vedas bring forth the presence of Bhagavan. Vedam is that which pin points 'Parabrahmam'.

( Melkottai Chengalvarayan or Thiru Narayana )


Yagas are performed by reciting Vedas. The organ of speech is tongue. There occurs an interesting conversation between the tongue and the teeth. Tongue thanks the teeth for grinding the food items so that it can taste them. But the teeth belittles the tongue that it can not come out of the teeth. In other words should a person say something wrong, the other person warns that he would break the 32 teeth. So it would be nice to remain silent and the tongue should not cross the limit or from the boundary of teeth.(mouth). Teeth says the doer is someone but someone else gets punished. This is 'Kaliyuga Dharmam'.

(Unique picture of Tirupathy Balaji)

The most effective worship in Kaliyuga is continuously reciting HIS namas. Upanishad says " EKAM VAIDAM VIBHUVA SARVAM ". This line signifies that " One Fire burns in many forms; One Sun illumines the darkness of the night; All that exists is ONE and it has taken all these Forms."

The recital of 'Vishnu Sahasranamam' was composed and initiated by Vyasa Rishi in front of Lord Krishna, which we know from the great epic Mahabharata. Though god's names can not be numbered or counted, as they are 'anantham', 1000 names of Vishnu are significant. "Charaka Samhiti" which is referred as an encyclopedia in Medicine or 'Vaidya Sastra' pronounces that 'Sravanam ' or hearing of the recital of Vishnu Sahasranamam cures all ills. Scholars describe the significance of two 'namas'(1) Narasimha and 2)Narayana with great devotion.


(Yoga Narasimha, Vijayavada)


(Yoga Narasimha believed to have been installed by Prahalad @ Melkottai)

Max Muller the renowned German Scholar describes 'Narasimha Avtar ' as an electrical phenomenon. Prahalad vehemently claimed " HE Exists " ('Asthi' in sanskrit)". Hiranyakashyap retorted 'Nasthi' or 'Doesn't exist'. The positive charge of Prahalad clashed with the negative charge as if to produce an electric charge and Narasimha Avatara happened with thunder and light in the form of a 'Jyoti-Swarupa'. It can be rightly termed as an electrical phenomenon! Electricity is Energy. The other name for Energy or Power is 'Sakthi'.
'Para Sakthi' is worshipped in temples."Sakthi-Illayel,Sivam" is a well known maxim in Tamil.

Narada advocated 'Brahma Gyanam' by reciting the name of 'Narayana, Narayana', repeatedly. 'Naram dadathi ithi Naradaha', meaning he who performs 'Pithru Tharpanam' by offering plenty of water. HE who resides in 'Naram' or 'water' ('Jale sayanam')is Narayana.

The meaning of Narayana can also be arrived by another interpretation. 'Chit-Achit' or 'Chethanam-Achethan' as a group is called "Narams". Jeevathma is endowed with 'Chit' or "wisdom". Achits are those which do not possess the sixth sense. They are 'jatams'. Chit also means those that move and achit are those who lay motionless. The abode of Narayana is in 'Narams'and hence called as Narayana.

Eating over-night rice which is kept in water, with a little salt and curd is not only tasty but has a cooling power and reduces the heat in the body. Narayana is also known as "Purana-Purusha". He who exists from time immemorial. Like old rice is consumed early in the morning, name of Narayana is recited early in the morning. Prayer heals the body and mind and those who pray with utmost devotion remain calm and collected.

The sahasranamam starts with the name " Viswam ". Viswam is Vishnu or the World (Prapancham in Sanskrit).In terms of cause and effect theory, 'Parabrahmam is the cause or the creator and the result is 'Prapancham' or the world. Who else can make this wonderful, vast surface of land, water,rocks, minerals, vegetation, animals, human beings which all live and co-exist?

Viswam also means that 'which is full'. HE has no wants. He gives only and more HE gives, the more HE has. If HE possesses everything, what we can offer to HIM? Bhagavan once asked a devotee who came to HIM to offer something HE did not have. When Bhagavan asked the devotee if he knew what it was the devotee replied that in Dwapara Yuga, Krishna was always surrounded by Gopikas who stole HIS heart. So the devotee offered his heart to the Lord. The significance is that whatever one may offer to the Lord, it should be offered with complete devotion.

The existence theory can be argued in different angles. Take the case of a pot. It didn't exist before it was made.(Piraga Bhavam) Should the pot be broken after it was made, it ceases to exist again.(Prathvamsa Bhavam). The clock is hung on the wall. You don't exist near the clock or the clock does not exist near you.(Anyonya Bhavam). Some never believe in giving or sharing what they have. In other words 'the spirit of giving ' never exists in them. (Athyantha Bhavam).

Paramatma is "Sarva - Vyapi". HE is every where at all times - Omnipresent. HE is inside as well as outside. HE is present at the bottom as well as at the top. 'Viswam' thus gives a meaning that HE is every where. HE is the whole world.


( Panduranga Vittala @ Pandaripuram)

The existence of Pot can be looked up again. The existence theory can be explained due to three causes. First cause is the raw material or resource namely the earth or mud. 2nd cause is due to the human effort of the potter. 3rd cause is the accessories needed like potter's wheel. If you consider the world as the result, Bhagavan becomes the cause. In fact HE is the cause and result for the world to exist. The name "Viswam" reveals the empathy of Cause and effect.

pn

REFERENCES:-
1) Vanathi Pathippagam book in Tamil titled " Kurai Onrum Illai " by Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimha Chariyar"

2) Lifco's Vishnusahasranama Stotram

Sri Ramanavami Quiz