Tag Archives: Indian Army

OLD FLAMES NEVER DIE – A PLEDGE TO MY VALENTINE

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The Gompa being performed in Lachung during th...

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THE LIVING TIBETAN SPIRITS  :

My consciousness got exposed to the Spirits of some young Tibetan men whose untimely deaths I had witnessed. I dedicate this blog post to those Living Tibetan Spirits that continue to live in my consciousness.

WHO IS MY VALENTINE ?

The word Valentine as a noun describes a Sweetheart chosen on St. Valentine’s Day(February 14). A note or greeting card sent to Sweetheart on this Day containing a message of sentimental love is also described as  a Valentine. This year’s Valentine’s Day is of special significance to the Tibetan people as  they ushered the New Year of Iron Tiger Year 2137 of their Lunar Calendar. On this Valentine’s Day, I want to assure my Valentine that the burning passion aroused in me is alive and has not died.    

After attending Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India, I had joined Indian Army on July 26, 1970. On July 26, 1971, I had completed my military and professional training at Military Hospital, Ambala Cantonment, Haryana and was fully ready to serve the nation in my role as a Medical Officer of the Indian Army Medical Corps. I left Ambala on September 21, 1971 on my first posting. On September 22, 1971 after reaching my new Duty Station I met my Flame. The Flame kindled a fire in my heart. That fire still burns.   

"Old Flames Never Die" - A Pledge to my Valentine. These Flames kindled a fire in my heart on September 22, 1971 and that fire still burns. I shall keep the Flame alive in my future.

As the saying goes, “Old Flames Never Die”. The Flame lives in my Consciousness. On this Valentine’s Day, I pledge that I will keep the Flame alive in my future. The message that I want to send to my Valentine is ; “My past, my present, and my future is a continuum.”  I share the pain and grief that my Valentine has experienced in the past and is experiencing now. We both understand the Challenge, share a common hope and expectation of a better future. The Spirit of my Valentine languishes in Darkness. The darkness of military occupation has enveloped my Flame threatening her very existence. She needs a breath of fresh air to survive. I promise that I am the Breath of my Valentine’s life.   

I seek the Compassion of Buddha to keep the Flame Alive and fulfil the Pledge made to my Valentine.

The Butter Lamps lit in my Unit’s Gonpa( Gompa ) are still glowing. I seek the Compassion of Buddha to keep the Flames Alive.   

Buddham Saranam Gacchami,   

Dhammam Saranam Gachhami,   

Sangham Saranam Gachhami.   

I seek the Path of Triple Refuge to keep the Old Flames Alive. I seek the Refuge of Buddha. I seek the Refuge of ‘Dharma’. I seek the Refuge of ‘Sangha’.   

The Path of Triple Refuge to keep the Old Flames Alive.

 TIBETAN NEW YEAR-LOSAR – IRON TIGER YEAR   2137 :  

Tibetans celebrate their New Year in the traditions of their Lunar Calendar. The Valentine’s Day this year has coincided with their New Year – LOSAR celebration.In due recognition of the pain, suffering, and misery that is  experienced by Tibetans inside Tibet, the Tibetan Community has refused to celebrate LOSAR this year. I send my greetings of  “TASHI DELEK” to all of my former associates and people who  defend Tibetan Identity.  

Please view the related blog post titled ‘The Problem of Tibet – Evict the Occupier’  

http://bhavanajagat.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/the-problem-of-tibet-evict-the-occupier/  

Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham,  

Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India,  

M.B.B.S.,  Class of  April,  1970.   

NINE YEARS SERVICE MEDAL – A SALUTE TO THE LAW OF TEMPERANCE

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John Milton (1608-1674). Milton wrote many of ...

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NINE YEARS LONG SERVICE MEDAL AWARDED BY INDIAN ARMY SYMBOLIZES GOOD CONDUCT AND TEMPERANCE

THE LAW OF TEMPERANCE  :

John Milton (1608 – 1674), in his greatest poetic achievement of ‘PARADISE LOST’ describes Man’s First Disobedience of God, and the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein Man was placed. Adam, the first Man who was created in God’s image and likeness brought Death into the World. God declares that Adam and Eve could no longer abide in ‘Garden of Eden‘, the Paradise. God sends Angel Michael with a Band of Cherubim to dispossess them. Michael reveals to Adam the ‘Law of Temperance’ which could help him to live for many long years. Angel Michael also comforted Adam by assuring him that if he observes the ‘Law of Temperance’, Death would be like the gentle act of gathering a ripe fruit when fully mature.

PARADISE LOST, BOOK XI ( 520-540)  :     

 

 

 

In John Milton's epic poem of Paradise Lost, angel Michael explained 'The Law of Temperance' to Adam, the first created man to face the threat of death.

 

I yield it just, said Adam, and submit.

But is there yet no other way, besides

These painful passages, how we may come

To Death, and mix with our connatural dust ?

There is, said Michael, if thou well observe

The rule of not too much, by temperance taught

In what thou eatst and drinkst, seeking from thence

Due nourishment, not gluttonous delight,

Till many years over thy head return:

So maist thou live, till like ripe Fruit thou drop

Into thy Mother lap, or be with ease

Gathered, not harshly pluckt, for Death mature:

THE NATURE OF TEMPERANCE  :

The essence of Temperance is choosing moderation and deliberately avoid excess. In Indian Culture, and Tradition, living in moderation and living in virtue are almost identical. Socrates suggests that one should “choose that which is orderly and sufficient and has a due provision for daily needs”. He compares the intemperate man “to a vessel full of holes, because it can never be satisfied”. Socrates describes the temperate man as able to satisfy his limited desires, whereas the intemperate man of boundless desire, can never pause in his search of pleasure. According to Freud, when “the ego learns that it must inevitably go without immediate satisfaction, postpone gratification, learn to endure a degree of pain, and altogether renounce certain sources of pleasure”, it “becomes ‘reasonable’, is no longer controlled by the pleasure-principle, but follows the reality-principle”, which seeks ” a delayed and diminished pleasure, one which is assured by its realization of fact, its relation to reality”.

TEMPERANCE AND COURAGE  :  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saint Thomas Aquinas and 'The Law of Temperance'.

 

Thomas Aquinas has defined Temperance as “a disposition of the soul, moderating any passions or acts, so as to keep them within bounds. Temperate refers to a man who abstains from bodily pleasures and delights in this very fact. A man not only acts temperately, but is temperate in character, when his desires are themselves habitually moderated to be in accord with reason. A temperate man is not pained at the absence of pleasure or by his abstinence from it. Temperance contributes the virtue of Fortitude which strengthens men against “the enticement of pleasure” as well as against the fear of pain. A man who is able to stand firm against the onslaught of pleasures is more able to remain firm against the dangers of death. And so “Temperance can be said to be Brave”. The endurance of pain is central to the nature of Courage. Temperance and Courage are not distinct virtues as both are based upon an ability to stand firm against pain and danger.

NINE YEARS LONG SERVICE MEDAL – A SALUTE TO THE LAW OF TEMPERANCE  : 

During my service in the Indian Army Medical Corps, I learned the values of Temperance, Fortitude, Courage, and delaying gratification of desires, and avoid seeking physical comforts and pleasures.

 

During the first nine years of my Indian Army Service, apart from taking part in the War of Liberation of Bangladesh, I had participated in a variety of Army Operations that keep the men ready and prepared for a battle. Military Training and Service can be best described as habituation for a temperate character. The nature of Army Operations and Tactics always demand overcoming the onslaught of sense pleasures and voluntarily delaying the gratification of personal desires. A life style based upon physical ease and comfort, and indulgence in food and alcohol is not compatible with the Army way of life. The nature of Army Operations is influenced by terrain, climatic conditions, distances and the availability of transportation. There is no scope to cater for physical comfort, relaxation, and entertainment. The supply of rations and food provisions is limited because of the problems of their bulk and weight. Army Rules and the Code of Conduct would emphasize that men should honor their commitment to serve more than anything else. Such commitment to Serve with Honor would only be possible only when the man in uniform lives in accordance with the Law of Temperance.

Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham,

Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India,

M.B.B.S.,  Class  of  April,  1970.

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FROM KASHMIR TO KANYAKUMARI – ONE LAND AND ONE DESTINY

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THE CONTINENTAL SHUFFLE

The Land of India as we know today did not exist when our planet Earth was created and had arrived to take its place in the solar system.Our lives depend upon the life giving force of the rivers that flow down our Land and the most important rivers such as Sindhu, Ganges and Brahmaputra take their birth in the Himalayan mountains.We need to know about the formation of the Himalayas, the future of Himalayas and also know the consequences of climate change and be aware of the dangers of losing the glaciers which are the life giving source of our fresh water.We need to defend our Himalayan Frontier as our ‘DESTINY’ is inexorably linked to their health and vitality.In an emotional sense, the idea of defending Himalayas has a great appeal and I had served in the Indian Army to defend this frontier and in response to the Chinese aggression in 1962. Apart from the threat posed by the enemy, we need to understand the bigger threat of global warming and its impact upon the Himalayan glaciers.

Over 250 million years ago, India, Africa, Australia, South America and Antarctica were all one continent called ‘ PANGEA’and is also known as ‘ GONDWANA LAND ‘. Over the next several million years, this giant southern continent proceeded to break up, forming the continents we know today. What ultimately formed the majestic Himalayas about 60 million years ago, was the rapid movement of India northward toward the continent of Euro Asia(LAURASIA). India charged across the equator at rates up to 15 cm/year in the process closing an ocean named Tethys that had separated fragments of Pangea. This ocean is entirely gone today. To understand the fascinating mechanics of the collision of India with Asia, we must first look beneath the Earth’s surface. For at least 80 million years, the oceanic Indian Plate continued its inexorable collision with southern Asia, including Tibet. The Indian sub-continent began to be driven horizontally beneath Tibet like a giant wedge, forcing Tibet upwards and this process continues today. In about 10 million years, India will plow into Tibet a further 180 km and the country of Nepal will technically cease to exist. But the mountain range we know as the Himalaya will not go away.

We are assured that the Himalaya would continue to exist in the future but our future depends upon the survival of the snow fields of the Himalaya.

 

India must defend Tibet to defend its Himalayan Frontier.