India's maiden Mars mission 'Mangalyaan' to be launched today

ISRO a few hours away from historic Mars Mission 

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), informally called Mangalyaan , is a planned Mars orbiter to be launched in November 2013 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The mission is a "technology demonstrator" project aiming to develop the technologies required for design, planning, management and operations of an interplanetary mission.

The Mars Orbiter Mission probe is set to lift-off from First Launch Pad at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, using a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket PSLV C-25 at 2:38 PM on November 5, 2013. The launch window available is for about 20 days starting 28 October. This will be India's first mission to Mars. The official countdown for blast-off of the Indian orbiter, nicknamed "Mangalyaan", began at 06:08 am on November 3, 2013.

PSLV C-25 will put Mangalyaan weighing 1,340 kilograms in the earth orbit. To reach Mars, the spacecraft has to enter three phases, the earth centered phase, the helio centric phase and finally the Martian phase.

According to reports, Mangalyaan, the first inter-planatory mission to the red planet is primarily a technological machine.

It has been configured to carry out observations of the physical features of the Mars and also to carry out a limited study of the Martian atmosphere.

Mars Orbiter Mission Logo

LOVE POEM No. 41 :LIKE GANDHARI

LIKE GANDHARI

Like Gandhari let me tie up my eyes

To be blind to all tempting sights,

That pull me away from your altar

Where I offer myself everyday.

If ever I dare remove the cover

To regain my sight at least for a while,

It would be when I hear you call

Which I can tell even from afar.

Dr. Abraham Karickam

LOVE POEMS No. 40 : FAITHFUL SHEPHERD

FAITHFUL SHEPHERD

Farewell friends, farewell,

Enough of thee and thanks;

Lead me not to confusions

I can’t it any more.

            Ideologies and theologies

Brand new ways of widening gaps;

I have no more faith in walls,

If Berlin falls, then what else can stand?

If you love me and others

And every creature alive on earth,

In spite of their skin and creeds

I shall know you hereafter

Nadan Pattu mela at KIPS in connection with Kerala Day

UPANISHADS OF INDIA - 7

PRASHNOPANISHAD PART –III

Now it is the turn of Kausalyan (Son of Aswala) to approach the great sage Pippalada Muni. He asks the following question: “Bhagavaan where does praana (soul) originate? How does it enter into the body? After that how does it divide itself into five elements and remain there? How does it contain the external universe and at the same time attain spiritual dimensions?

“Thasmai sa hova chaati prashnan prischase.

Brahmishto si ithi thasmathe ham braveemi.” – Part 3:2

Pippalaadan says to Kausalyan that he asked the most difficult question. “This is not easy for ordinary people to comprehend, but because you are a very disciplined disciple I will divulge the secrets to you.

“aathmana eesha praano jaayathe ethaisha purushe

Chayaithasminaetha dathatham mano krithe naayathu smin sareere” - Part 3: 3

[The praana originates from the paramaatman.  As the shadow of human beings exists with the human body, just like that the soul exists with the Paramaatma (Over Soul). It enters the body as per the wish of the mind].

As an emperor deputes his ambassadors in different parts of the realm, the Over Soul designates his aatman to different bodies.

Stanza VI gives a beautiful description of our heart and says that the soul resides in the heart. Our heart has 100 main veins. Each one of this has hundreds of blood vessels and each blood vessel has 72000 blood capillaries. The soul which is called vyana travels through these veins always.

Stanza VII says that there is one important vein among the 100 main veins called sushumna. Aatman (udaanavayu) which travels from the foot to the head always ultimately goes through sushumna. It sends the righteous ones to heaven and others to the world of sinners. Those who have good and bad equally to their credit will be sent to the world of human beings.

Stanza X gives a very important lesson about the journey of the soul. The future of the soul depends on the mental state at the time of its exit. That soul enters to different stages of life as per its final wish.

Stanza XI reads like this:

“Ya eevam vidwan praanam vedha na hasya praja

Hithaye mritho bhavathi thadesha sloka: .”

[The race of a wise one who understands this secret will never perish. He /she attains moksha and the final stanza (XII) clearly states that the one who discerns the origin, state and the magnitude of the soul finds his way to salvation].

DIWALI CELEBRATIONS AT KIPS

KERALA DAY CELEBRATION AT KIPS