Wedding

Hindu Prayer for Mercy

I muse on my heart and I ponder this question:
When shall I again be at one with Varuna?
Will he accept without rancor my offering?
When, reassured, shall I taste of his mercy?
I question myself on my sin, O Varuna,desirous to know it.
I seek out the wiseto ask them; the sages all give me this answer,
"The God, great Varuna, is angry with you.
"What, then, O God, is my greatest transgressionfor which you would ruin your singer, your friend?
Tell me, O God who knows all and lacks nothing,so that, quickly prostrating, I may sinless crave pardon.
Loose us from the yoke of the sins of our fathersand also from those we ourselves have committed.
Release your servant, as a thief is set free from his crime or as a calf is loosed from its cord.

The Non Violence Ethic

Gautama Buddha propounded the philosophy of non-violence, universal love and peace 2,500 years ago. Emperor Ashoka Maurya from India gave this pacifist philosophy official recognition in the 3rd century B.C.E. and sent buddhist missionaries to the far-east and Central Asia. For this initiative in spreading the message of peace and non-violence, he is remembered not only by Indians but by pacifists all around the globe.

It is becoming increasingly ironical to talk about Non-violence in a world of Inter-Continental Ballastic Missiles, Hydrogen Bombs, Nuclear Submarines and the rest. But amidst all the dust that is kicked up by the aggravating belligerence between the US and Iraq or India and Pakistan for instance, the word Non-Violence brings to mind the name of Mahatma Gandhi in India along with the other pacifist crusaders in different parts of the world.

Gonkura Pachadi

Ingredients

2 cups Gonkura leaves
15 Green chillies
1 Big onion
2 tsp Coriander seeds
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
5 flakes Garlic
3 tbsp Oil
a pinch Asafoetida
as required Salt

Direction For Cooking
Pick and wash leaves. Fry leaves separately in oil till it shrinks.

Heat little oil in a cooking pan, add mustard, fenugreek, asafoetida and remove when it splutters. Fry coriander seeds and green chillies and remove.

Grind leaves along with roasted spices and mix diced onion, salt to coarse paste.

Heat little oil, season little mustard seeds and garlic add to this paste and mix well.

Be pleased to show mercy, O God!

Thou art the Imperishable, the supreme Object of Knowledge; Thou art the ultimate resting-place of this universe; Thou art the immortal guardian of the eternal right, Thou art the everlasting Spirit, I hold.

Without beginning, middle, or end, of infinite power, Of infinite arms, whose eyes are the moon and sun, I see Thee, whose face is flaming fire, Burning this whole universe with Thy radiance.

For this region between heaven and earth Is pervaded by Thee alone, and all the directions; Seeing this Thy wondrous, terrible form, The triple world trembles, O exalted one!

Homage be to Thee from, in front and from behind, Homage be to Thee from all sides, Thou All! O Thou of infinite might, Thy prowess is unmeasured; Thou attainest all; therefore Thou art All!

Thou art the father of the world of things that move and move not, And Thou art its revered, most venerable Guru; There is no other like Thee-how then a greater?Even, in the three worlds, O Thou of matchless greatness

Therefore, bowing and prostrating my body,I beg grace of Thee, the Lord to be revered: As a father to his son, as a friend to his friend, As a lover to his beloved, be pleased to show mercy, O God!

Where the mind is without fear By Rabindranath Tagore

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic wars;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action - Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

Red Chilli Chutney

Ingredients

12-13 Whole red chillies
1/2 Tsp Mirchi powder
1 Onion
1 Tsp Tamarind water
1/2 Tsp Garam masala
pinch of Sugar
1 inch Cinnamon
4 flakes Garlic
as desired Salt

Direction For Cooking

Grind all the ingredients with tamarind water till soft and smooth. When done, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.