The digestive fire of life

Agni or the “digestive fire,” is one of the most important principles in the ancient science of ayurveda. It refers broadly to our ability to process all aspects of life, including food, experiences, memories, and sensory impressions. Agni is responsible for absorbing the nutrients and essential elements the body needs while burning off waste products (agni is the root of the English word “ignite”).

If our agni is strong, we’re able to digest food efficiently and easily assimilate our daily experiences. On the other hand, if agni is weak, our body won’t digest well, creating toxic residue or ama that lodges deep in our cells.


According to ayurvedic teaching, strong agni leads to excellent health and well-being, while the accumulation of ama results in the slow deterioration of the body and—ultimately—disease. The inability to metabolize emotions produces just as much toxic residue as undigested food. In fact, pent-up anger, long-held sadness, and lingering guilt are more debilitating for most people than problems with physical digestion.
Ojas: The Vital Nectar of Life

If we desire perfect health, it’s crucial to eliminate the ama stored in our body and focus on producing ojas, which is the essential life energy. A Sanskrit term meaning “vigor,” ojas is the pure and subtle substance that’s extracted from food that has been completely digested. Ojas circulates throughout the bodily tissues and heart, sustaining the physical self, bringing clarity to the mind and balancing the emotions. In short, when the body produces ojas, the vital nectar of life, we feel blissful. The cells sing with happiness because both the mind and the body are receiving the nourishment they need.

To promote the creation and flow of ojas, we need a good diet focused on pure foods, referred to as “sattvic” in ayurveda. The body can easily digest sattvic food and extract its ojas or prime energy. The most sattvic foods include organic milk, almonds, sesame, honey, rice, and fruits. It’s not necessary to eat these foods exclusively — just focus on having them on a regular basis.

Some foods are difficult if not impossible for the body to convert into ojas, including meat, poultry, fish, oily foods, cheese, leftovers, processed food, and items with an excess of sour or salty tastes. Food that has been canned, frozen, or reheated won’t produce as much ojas as freshly prepared meals. In addition, consuming alcohol and smoking cigarettes destroys ojas.

The following chart will help you determine whether you have healthy ojas or an accumulation of ama in your body. If you’ve been storing toxicity, you can choose now to begin to nourish yourself and enjoy increasing levels of joy and well-being in your life.

Signs of Ojas
You feel rested upon awakening
Your skin has a healthy glow
Your tongue is clear and pink
Your body feels light, regardless of the number on the scale
You feel centered throughout the day
Your digestion is strong without bloating Generalized pain
You feel energized & enthusiastic
Your mind is clear
Your body has a pleasant smell
You rarely get sick


Signs of Ama
Bad breath
Coated tongue
Dull appetite
Delicate digestion
Sluggish or irritable elimination
Fatigue
Depression
Susceptibility to infections
Difficulty manifesting intentions

Creating Nurturing Mealtimes

Our experience while we’re eating is just as important as the kinds of foods we’re consuming. If we’re having a fight with our spouse over the dinner table, our stomach cells are aware of the upset and send distressed chemical messages throughout the body. As a result, we’re not able to create ojas because of the indigestible emotions coursing throughout our cells and organs.

Since ojas is the by-product of all the signals our body receives, we need to create a nurturing atmosphere for our meals, paying attention to all of the senses — taste, sound, sight, touch, and smell. Here are a few tips for making your body happy while you eat:
Eat in a settled atmosphere
Don’t eat when you’re upset.
Always sit down to eat (don’t eat in front of your computer or TV or while you’re driving).
Only eat when you’re hungry.
Dine at a moderate pace. Don’t gulp down your food or eat too slowly.
Minimize raw foods, which are much harder to digest than cooked ones.
Include all six tastes (sweet, sour, astringent, bitter, salty, and pungent) at each meal.

Source: www.chopra.com/agni

To donate or not to

To part with money or not in the first place.
If the decision is in the affirmative, then on whom-self or significant others (spouse, children, parents, numerous relatives, friends) or the needy.

For the needy, ok, some small portion atleast.
Then what kind of need-Those that require food, clothing or shelter, education, medical aid?
Well, say education - then to which needy - boy or girl, Indian or foreigner, Telugu or not, from telangana, rayalaseema or andhra, same caste or different & then the district, village..,,,,

Instead of having to deal with so many choices & making some of the most difficult decisions in life - just follow the tried & tested method and end up buying the nth item for the nth time!

Why can't a needy just remain that without being categorised forever?

Disclaimer : this post is in no way a reflection of how I think or identify a needy.

Standard disclaimer

My blog postings might at best be considered as random thoughts or rather ramblings and are anything but profound. They are not meant to be consequential in the least and therefore, might not lead to conclusions of any sort.

For a change I was watching the live telecast of the Commonwealth games one evening. It was a diving event now, I for one know nothing technical about games of this sort, so was closely following the commentary and relying on it. Soon a 17 year old Australian appeared on screen and apparently did very well with the commentator adding that he stood a good chance of winning at the upcoming Olympics. Now this seriously left me thinking. This guy would have started preparing at a very young age probably at the same age as our kids are geared up to appear for IITs/EAMCETs and what nots. While focus of an average Indian remains on getting their kids educated in professional streams, we still expect India to perform well in sports and bring in golds with meticulous calculations taking into consideration our one billion plus people. But what percentage of this population actually sends its kids to a full fledged sports coaching vis-a-vis education related one is a question we need to ask ourselves let alone answering it. Till then let us at least bask in on producing those who are educated enough to do such mathematics.

Achyutashtakam / Achyutam Kesavam Lyrics

Here is a beautiful gem written by Sri Adi Sankaracharya on Lord Sri Krishna. Thanks to this song, my infant baby calms down in no time when I start singing it. I learnt the lyrics by listening to Jesudas' melodious and incredibly flawless rendition.

Achyutham Kesavam Rama-Narayanam
Krishna-Damodaram Vasudevam Harim;
Sreedharam Madhavam Gopikavallabham
Janakee-Nayakam Ramachandram Bhaje

Achyutham Keshavam Satyabhamadhavam
Madhavam Sreedharam Radhikaradhikam;
Indiramandiram Chetasa Sundaram
Devakee-Nandanam Nandajam Sandadhe

Vishnave Jishnave Sankhine Chakrine
Rukmineeragine Janakeejanaye;
Vallaveevallabha Yarchitayatmane
Kamsavidhvamsine Vamsine Te Namah

Krishna Govinda he Rama Narayana
Sreepate Vasudevajite Sreenidhe;
Achyutananta he Madhavadhokshaja
Dvarakanayaka Draupadee-Rakshakaa

Rakshasakshobhitah Seetayah Shobhito
Dandakaranya Bhoopunyata Karanah;
Lakshmanenanvito Vanariah Sevito
Agastyasampoojito Raghavah Patumam

Dhenukarishtaka Nishtakriddveshinam
Keshiha Kamsahridvamshiko vadakah;
Poothanakopakah Soorajakhelano
Bala-Gopalakah Patu mam Sarvada

Vidyududyotavan Prasphuradvasasam
Pravridambhodavat Prollasavigraham;
Vanyaya Malaya Shobitorasthalam
Lohitanghridvayam Varijaksham Bhaje

Kunchitaih Kuntalairbhrajamananam
Ratnamaulim Lasatkundalam Gandayoh;
Harakeyoorakam Kankanaprojjvalam
Kinkineemanjulam Shyamalam Tam Bhaje

Achyuta syastakam Yah Pathedistadam
Prematah Pratyaham Purushah Saspruham
Vrittatah Sundaram Kartrivisvambharas
Tasya Vasyo Harirjayate Satvaram

Ayurveda & Post natal care

My quest to understand the logic behind the do's and don'ts during my post natal period led me into researching about Ayurveda and here is what I found:

Most women these days are able to trace thier illnesses back to their post natal period. If the mother develops any disease during the post partum phase, the new born gets affected directly. Hence post natal care is specifically important for both the mother and the baby.

According to Ayurveda, vata, Agni and kapha elements are present in human body. So long as these three elements are in balance our body remains healthy. Post delivery this balance typically tends to get disturbed warranting additional care to the new mother as in most cases, vata is vitiated, Agni is at low ebb and kapha needs to be maintained.

While vata (air) increases in the body during the delivery and more so for ceaserean sections (when the abdomen is opened a lot of air goes into the body) it has to get back to it's natural state of balance postpartum so the mother can recover fully from
the birth and regain her health.

New mothers are therefore advised to keep their ears covered so the air outside doesn't get into the body. This is specifically important in cold climates as it also helps in preventing colds.
Maintaining the body on heat by avoiding cold food/ drinks, wearing footwear even while walking indoors helps prevent colds. Also bacteria is more likely to breed on cold food. Warm food and drinks are therefore recommended. During the confinement period, Malays are not allowed to use fans/air conditioning reason being cold temperature throws kapha off its balance resulting in colds and coughs.

Light foods make a better choice because digestion gets affected in most women. Boiled watery vegetables such as ridge gourd, snake gourd, bottle gourd with cumin seed, coriander powder, turmeric seasoning are not only light on the stomach but are also nutritous and aid in increasing milk supply because of the high water content in them. Such foods are also low on calorie counts. Seasoning not only makes the food tasty but also builds immunity which would be at an all time low post delivery.
Eating light yet nutritous foods also goes a long way in devoiding babies of colic.

The advantages of having only warm water are manifold. It not only prevents water borne diseases but also aids the elimination process by relieving constipation, a problem most common in many women postnatally. Warm water supposedly burns excess fat and hence can be considered as an added advantage.

Ghee and dry Ginger (sonth, sonthi) are highly recommended for reigniting the Agni (fire) in the body. The Chinese also use a lot of Ginger in their post natal diet.

Traditional post natal massages including Malay and Ayurvedic massages / abhyangana are excellent ways to not only relax the body but to also help the body release excess vata. Such massages typically increase blood circulation, relieve pains and aches post delivery, break celluloid and eliminate stale blood.

The tummy binder/girdle tied post massage helps prevent air from forming in the hollow space left in the abdomen after birth. It also helps in breaking slimming the body.

Disclaimer: do I need to give any for my own blog! Anyways, most of the blog reflects my experience, findings from secondary research and my reasonings. I am in no way related to Ayurveda otherwise even remotely.

Life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it

Learn from the past, live in the present and work for the future

The Changing Indian Parivar Legacy - IPL

After a long time got inspired to blog bcos of cricket strangely enough. Once a decent cricket enthusiast, have stopped following cricket post the match fixing scandal many years ago. Even ipl or the T20 couldn't lure me back to the gentlemen's (?) game. Alas, one insignificant subtraction from a cricket crazy nation does not alter equations which I know! However, with 2 ardent followers of the game at home I can see the kinda mindspace it gets besides the time investment.

Having followed the ipl saga closely I thought if consolidating my take as well.
Simply put it is a betrayal for me in more ways than one. Even letting aside the extreme commercialisation, improper deal allotments and money minting it is the corrupt practices and the indiscriminate spending of tax payers money that bothers me most. When the Mumbai blasts happened most of us were charged up enough to act against corruption of any sort but all that zeal seems to have fizzled out. Despite the hullaballo the TRPs of ipl doesn't seem
to dwindle. Are we then so apathetic or self centered enough to be only concerned of getting entertained or resistant to scams and scandals of any magnitude? Are we to believe the ipl provides pristine entertainment amidst the rumours of match fixing!

Even ignoring the above two aspects considering the common man cannot be bothered about issues larger and complicated with an insignificant role in resolving them.

Hopefully v can atleast be concerned about the impact ipl in generalnor cricket in particular is making to the legacy of the Indian parivar. An average indian parivar during the ipl season spends an average of 6 hours a day for about a month watching it. It is the time of the day when