Abhisara - the Tryst

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)

He was a Indian poet, short story writer, song composer, playwright, essayist and painter. In 1913 he became the first non European to recieve the Nobel prize for literature entitled Gitanjali. 

His volumes of poetry are

 Manasi or The Ideal One (1890)

Sonar Tari or The Golden Boat (1894)

Katha O Kahini (1899)

Gitanjali or Song Offering (1901)

Gitimalya or Wreath of Songs (1914)

Balaka or The Flight of Cranes (1916) 

The Gardener (1913)

Fruit Gathering (1916)

The Fugitive (1921) 

Abhisara was written in Bengali by Rabindranath in 1899. He translated this poem into English for a collection of eighty six translated poems called Fruit Gathering, brought out in 1916 by Macmillan. 

This is a story poem based on Upagupta, a Buddhist monk who lived in the 300 BCE and was revered by Emperor Ashoka. 

Abhisara - the Tryst

Poem Analysis

Setting

The story of the poem, as already discussed, is based on the legends of the Buddhist monk Upagupta. So, the poem is set in 300 BCE. The place mentioned in the poem is Mathura city, India. Two meetings between Upagupta and Vasavadatta took place within a year, in a difference of several months.

It was August, the monsoon, when Vasavadatta stumbled upon Upagupta for the first time while their second meeting happened in April, the springtime. Both the meetings took place during the night time.

While the first meeting took place in a gloomy atmosphere with the murky sky, lightning and growling storm, the second meeting was in a rather cheery condition with the fool moon, notes of a flute floating around and the birds chirping. And notably, the atmosphere in both the scenes contradict with the state of life Vasavadatta was living in. Maybe this is a deliberate attempt from the poet to remind us how people’s fate changes with time and that the outer world may not reflect our inner condition.

Title

The Bengali word “abhisar” and the English word “tryst” mean the same – a private romantic meeting between two lovers. Though the present poem doesn’t really deal with a conventional kind of romantic love affair, the meeting between Upagupta and Vasavadatta outside the Mathura city wall when she needed someone the most to take care of her was no less than a tryst. It was a higher kind of love on display – spiritual love.

Upagupta, being a Buddhist monk, believed in selfless service to humanity. He attended and cared for Vasavadatta when the entire city showed apathy towards her. It was a secret meeting between them and a secret love affair which nobody in the city knew about. So, the title of the poem “Abhisara - The Tryst” is not only justified but also very meaningful.

Themes

Tagore’s poem “The Tryst” conveys a number of messages to the readers. The prominent themes in the poem are –

Transitory nature of youth and beauty

In the poem, we see how Vasavadatta, who once was a beautiful and proud woman and a famous dancing girl, was thrown out of the city when she suffered from an epidemic. This reminds us that youth and beauty are not permanent. So, we should not be proud of such qualities which are temporary in nature.

Human compassion

Upagupta was a disciple of Lord Buddha and he believed in selfless service to mankind. When he found Vasavadatta in an abandoned state, he showed his kindness and took great care of her. Upagupta ‘took her head on his knees’, ‘moistened her lips with water’ and ‘smeared her body with balm’ to give solace to her sores.

Vasavadatta’s address was so fitting when he asked, “Who are you, merciful one?” Upagupta indeed was ‘merciful’ not only to Vasavadatta but to the entire humanity by his philosophical and spiritual faith.

Spiritual love and wisdom

The poem “The Tryst”, as the name suggests, can be seen as a love story too. But this is not the traditional romantic love. It’s rather spiritual love which is unconditional and asexual.

The hermit, Upagupta was wise enough to politely refuse Vasavadatta’s invitation for a rest at her home in the first part of the poem. He knew that at that time she needed no help from him. So, he promised to visit her when the time was right.

And that time finally came even before a year was passed. Vasavadatta was struck with an epidemic and nobody was there to care for her. Upagupta visited the deserted woman and offered his selfless service out of his love for her, out of his love for the entire mankind.

Symbols

Light and darkness

Tagore in his poem “Abhisara - The Tryst” has used light and darkness symbolically to give a glimpse of the inner world of the two characters in the poem.

In the first part of the story, it was a dark August night when the beautiful lady Vasavadatta met the hermit, Upagupta. Though the lady was glittering with jewels, she was actually in the dark, i.e., she was ignorant of how temporary her youth and beauty was. Again, the flash of the lightning might be suggestive of the inner light of wisdom that Upagupta showed by politely refusing her suggestion to go with her.

In the later stage of the poem, the brightness of the moon suggests the same inner light of the monk that remains intact.

Monsoon and spring

The poem “The Tryst” depicts two meetings between Upagupta and Vasavadatta, one in monsoon and the other in Springtime. The changing seasons in nature symbolises the changing conditions of our life. In the poem we see how Vasavadatta’s fate changes with time. Once she was the most beautiful and most desired lady in the town, but later she was abandoned by everyone.

A Living God by Lafcadio Hearn

A Living God by Lafcadio Hearn

Brief Story

Lafcadio Hearn’s “A Living God” recounts the extraordinary courage and foresight of Hamaguchi Gohei, an elderly village headman in a quiet coastal settlement of Japan. Known as the “muraosa,” Hamaguchi was a man of integrity (truthfulness) , prudence (wisdom),  and compassion (sympathy) . Though richer than most villagers, he lived a humble life in his farmhouse on a small hill that overlooked the broad rice fields stretching down to the bay.

The community prospered through hard work and mutual cooperation, depending largely on agriculture for livelihood. The story begins during a season of abundance (richness) . The villagers, delighted by a successful harvest, gather at the beach to celebrate a festival in honor of their harvest god. Laughter, music, and dance fill the air as the people rejoice beneath the brilliant sunset.

From his veranda, Hamaguchi observes the scene contentedly (eagerly) until a faint yet persistent (constantly)  tremor (tremble) runs through the ground. Though mild and almost unnoticeable to others, it unsettles the old man. Hamaguchi has lived long enough to recognize the strange manner of the shaking—it lasts too long, and its rhythm is unnatural.

He peers toward the sea and notices something peculiar: the ocean is receding rapidly, retreating far into the horizon and exposing gleaming sand ribs and broken shells that no one had ever seen before. Curious villagers, unaware of the danger, hurry to the beach to explore the newly uncovered seabed.

A terrifying memory stirs within Hamaguchi. He had once heard stories from his grandfather about a similar phenomenon that preceded (go ahead) a devastating tsunami. Understanding the peril (danger)  yet realizing there is no time to run down and warn everyone, Hamaguchi desperately seeks a way to attract their attention.

Suddenly, he has an idea that only a man of great presence of mind could conceive. He commands his grandson Tada to bring a torch and sets fire to his own rice stacks—the symbols of his year’s prosperity and wealth. Flames rise high into the twilight sky, and thick black smoke spirals toward the bell tower on the hilltop temple. Alarmed monks ring the large bell, and the sound echoes across the valley. Seeing the fire and hearing the gong, the villagers abandon (left) the shoreline and rush uphill toward Hamaguchi’s house to offer help.

Just as the last of them reaches safety, a thunderous roar fills the air. The sea, now a monstrous wall of water, returns with unstoppable fury, swallowing the village in moments. The waves crash repeatedly, tearing apart homes and flooding the fields. When the sea finally recedes, nothing remains of the coastal settlement. The villagers stand speechless at the hilltop, staring in awe (fright) and gratitude at Hamaguchi, whose timely sacrifice has saved them all.

Despite losing every possession he owned, Hamaguchi does not lament (mourn) his loss. The people, deeply moved, decide to honor him permanently by building a temple in his name and worshipping him as a “living god.” Through his wisdom and selflessness, Hamaguchi transcends(cross over) ordinary human stature (height), becoming a symbol of divine humanity and enduring (stable) spiritual strength.

Story Video link

Story

Stories

 

1. Thinking Out of the Box

Once upon a time, a merchant named Sam owed a huge sum of money to Tom, a money lender. The time came when the merchant ran out of the last chance given to him to give the money back.

Sam had a beautiful daughter who was very affectionate with her father. Tom asked the merchant to give all the money back failing which he will marry his beautiful daughter.

Tom was not at all good looking and ill minded and so the merchant was in dilemma. Tom proposed a new condition. There was a mix of black and white pebbles on the ground where they were standing. He will take two pebbles on both hands, one will be white and the other will be black.

If the daughter correctly chooses the white pebble, then Tom will write off all the debt and leave the marriage proposal too. But if she chooses the black pebble, he will write off the debt but will marry the daughter.

Tom bent down to pick the pebbles from the ground and the daughter noticed that he took black pebbles on both hands. The girl had three choices- to notify the same to her father which may provoke Tom, take the black pebble and sacrifice her life or simply refuse to take the pebble which might land her father into trouble. But what she did totally surprise Tom.

She took the pebble from his hand and ‘accidentally’ the pebble fell off from her hand to ground. She then asked Tom to see which color pebble was left in his hand to identify the color she picked. Tom had no other choice but to show the black color pebble in his hand and set both of them free.

Moral: Sometimes, life offers you situations which not only demands hard work and perseverance but some creative thinking which saves the situation.

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2. The Group of Frogs

Some frogs were traveling through woods and two of them accidentally fell into a pit. The other frogs which were safe upside understood how deep the pit was and saw no hope for the frogs to escape out of it.

Both of these frogs started trying to get out of the pit but failed many times. The frogs on the safe side shouted at them to give up the pain of trying as it was not possible.

Eventually, one frog heard the other frogs and decided to stop trying and fell down to death. However, the other frog went on trying and at last managed to reach the top.

The other frogs asked him, “Did you not hear us?” He explained that he was deaf and thought other frogs were encouraging him to get out.

Moral: Some people around you may ask you to be on a safer side always and stop trying and taking risks. However, there is no gain without pain. So try hard to achieve success in life despite what life offers you.

3. Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand

Once a professor entered the classroom with a glass jar, rocks, pebbles, and sand. The students were amused to see what he was up to. First, he started filling the rock parts into the jar until he couldn’t add any more.

He asked the students if the jar was full and everybody nodded yes. He then started putting the pebbles inside the jar which went inside through the small gaps and he shakes the jar to allow the pebbles to get into those vacant spaces in between the rocks.

He asked the same question to the students and they again said that the jar was full. Finally, he poured the sand inside the jar which went through the minute gaps and got filled in the jar.

The professor explained that this is how you should set priorities in life. Rock is like your family, while pebbles are like your career while sand is like the least priorities in life and unnecessary quarrels and egos.

If you put sand on the jar first, it will get easily filled up leaving no space for rocks and pebbles.

Moral: You should identify your priorities in life and develop a good strategy to work towards fulfilling it rather than wasting your time and effort on unnecessary aspects of life.

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4. Struggles develop strength

One day a man was passing by a garden when he saw a butterfly cocoon which was about to get open.

He saw a small opening on it and watched the several hours of struggles the butterfly came through to get the body out of it. After many hours, it seemed that the butterfly stopped trying as there was no progress.

He thought to help the butterfly by cutting the cocoon with a scissor. So the butterfly came out easily but the wings were shriveled and the body was tiny and withered.

Unfortunately, the butterfly was not able to take flight and spend the rest of life crawling with a wounded body.

Moral: This is nature’s way of telling the importance of struggles in life. Sometimes, different kinds of struggles are needed in life to make you stronger in the future. Never feel disappointed in life and stop trying when life offers you struggles but keep on fighting until you see success.

List of the questions

1) What is creative thinking explain by the first story ' Thinking out of the Box'.

2) How the girl save her life from the Tom in the first story?

3) What have you learnt from the frogs in the second story?

4) Which are the three things discussed in the third story? Which are the your priorities in your life?

5) What happened if you will not trying in your life? explain by the help of the fourth story.

6) What have you learnt from the all four stories?

7) Which story do you like more ? 

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Gulliver's Travels part -4

Part - 4

A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms

Chapter - 1

He continued at home with his wife and children about five months in a very happy condition. He left his poor wife and child and accepted an advantageous offer made him to be Captain of the Adventure. They set sail from Portsmouth upon the 7th Day of September, 1710 and on the fourteenth they met with captain Pocock at Tenariff who was going to the Bay of campechy to cut Logwood. On the Sixteenth, he was parted from them by a storm. 

He had several men die in his ship of Calentures, so that he was forced to get recruit out of Barbados and the Leeward Islands. Those rogues whom he had picked up debauched his other men and they all formed a conspiracy and bound him. They sailed many weeks and traded with the Indians. On 9th may, 1711, one James Welch came down to his cabbin and said he had orders from the Captain to set him at shore. They forced him into the long boat, letting him put on his best suit of cloaths which were as good as new and a small bundle of Linen but no arms accept his hanger. They were so civil as not to search his pocket into which he conveyed money he had with some necessaries. They set him down on a strand where he didn't. know the country. 

In that desolate condition he advanced forward and soon got upon ground where he sat down on a bank to rest himself. When he was little refreshed he went up into the country. The land was divided by long rows of trees not regularly planted but naturally growing; there was plenty of grass and several fields of oats. He walked very circumspectly for fear of being surprised or suddenly shot with an arrow from behind or on either side. He fell into a beaten road where he saw many tracks of human feet and some of cows but most of horses. At last he beheld several animals in a field and one or two of the same kind sitting in trees. Their shape was very singular and deformed which a little discomposed him so that he lay down behind a thicket to observe them better. Their heads and brests were covered with a thick hair, they had beards like goats and a long ridge of hair down their backs and the fore parts of their legs and feet. Their skins which were of a brown buff colour. They had no tails and they often stood on their hind feet. They climbed high trees as a squirrel, for they had strong extended claws before and behind, terminating in sharp points and hooked. The females were not so large as the males. Then he met one of these creatures full in his way and coming up directly to him. It stared as at an object he had never seen before then he lifted up his fore paw whether out of curiosity or mischief he could not tell. But he drew his hanger and gave him a good blow with the flat side of it. But the beast was smart he drew back and roared so loud that a herd of at least forty came flocking about him from the next field but he ran to the body of a tree and leaning his back against it kept them away by waving his hanger. Thus he escaped pretty well by sticking close to the stem of the tree. 

In the midst of this distress he observed them all to run away on a sudden as fast as they could, at which he ventured to leave the tree and pursue the road, wondering what it was that could put them into this fright. But looking on his left hand he saw a horse walking softly in the field. The horse looked full in his face with manifest tokens of wonder: he viewed his hands and feet, walking round him several times. They stood gazing at each other for some time; at last he took the boldness, to reach his hands towards his neck as normally man doing but he shook his head and bent his brows softly raising up his right fore foot to remove his hand. Then he neighed three or four times as he was speaking to himself in some language of his own. 

While they both were employed another horse came up; who applying himself to the first in a very formal manner. He was amazed to see such actions and behaviours in brute beasts. The two horses came up close to him, looking with great earnestness upon his face and hands. They both looked with wonder. Upon the whole, the behaviour of these animals was so orderly and rational, so acute and judicious that he at last concluded they must needs be Magicians. He could frequently distinguish the word Yahoo, which was repeated by each of them several times so while the two horses were busy in conversation, he endeavoured to practice this word upon his tongue and as soon as they were silent, he boldly pronounced Yahoo in a loud voice. At which they both visibly surprised and the gray repeated the same word twice as if he meant to teach him the right pronunciation. Then they tried to teach second word much harder to pronounced: Houyhnhnm. He did not succeed in this so well as the former but after two or three farther trials, he had better fortune and they both appeared amazed at his capacity. 

After some further discourse the two friends took their leave and made him signs that he should walk before him. Then he tired at that time he gave him to understand as well as he could that he was not able to walk faster upon which he would stand a while to let him rest. 

Chapter 2

Having travelled about three miles, they came to a long kind of building, made of timber, stuck in the ground, the roof was low and covered with straw. The horse made him a sign to go in first; it was a large room with a smooth clay floor. There were three nags and two mares, not eating, but some of them sitting down upon their hams and wondered more to see the rest employed in domestic business. 

There were other three rooms, Gray walked in first and I waited in the second room and got ready his presents for the master and mistress of the house. The horse neighed three or four times and he waited to hear some answers in a human voice but he heard no other returns. He thought that that house must belong to some person. Then gray horse came to the door and made him a sign to follow him into the third room where he saw a very comely mare, together with a colt and fole, sitting on their Haunches upon matra of straw, not unartfully made, and perfectly neat and clean. 

The mare soon after his entrance rose from her matt and coming up close after having nicely observed his hands and face then turning to the horse, he heard the word Yahoo aften repeated between them. Then he led him out into a kind of court where was another building at some distance from the house. There they entered and he saw three of creatures whom he first met after his landing which he afterwards found that of asses and dogs and then a cow dead by accident or disease. They were all tyed by the neck. The master horse ordered a sorrel Nag, one of his servant to untie the largest of  those animals and take him into the yard. The beast and he were brought close together and both master and servant compared and repeated several times the word Yahoo. His horror and fear are not be described when he observed that animal, a perfect human figure, the face of it was flat, nose depressed, lips large but those differences are common to all nations. The fore feet of the Yahoo differed from his hands in nothing else but the length of the nails, brownness of the palms and the hairiness on the backs. 

Then the sorrel Nag offered him a root which he took it in his hand and having smelt it and returned it to him. Then he brought out a piece of ass's flesh but he didn't accept. He afterwards shewed him a whisp of hay and a fetlock full of oats but he shook his head to signify that neither of those were food for him. While they were engaged in that conversation he observed a cow passing by, where he pointed to her and express a desire to let him go and milk her. This had its effects so he led him back into the house and ordered a mare servant to open a room where a good store of milk lay in wooden vessels. She gave him a large bowl full in cleanly manner which he drank and found himself well refreshed. 

About noon he saw a kind of vehicle coming towards the house which drawn by four yahoos. Each horse and mare eat their own mash of oats and milk. Then he was ordered to speak the few words which he understood and while they were at dinner the master taught him the names for oats, milk, fire, water and some others which he could ready to pronounce and learning language. 

When dinner was done, the master horse took him aside and by signs and words made him understand the concern that he had nothing to eat. Oats in their tongue are called hlunnh. So he pronounced that word two or three times to make bread from oats. The horse immediately ordered a white mare- servant of his family to bring him a good quantity of oats in wooden tray. Then he made bread out of that oats. Thus he eat bread with milk. He often gathered some herbs which he boiled or eat as salads with his bread. Rarely he made a little butter and drank the whey. This is enough to say upon the subject of his dyet. He sustenance for three years in such a country. 

When it grew towards evening, the master horse ordered a place for him to lodge in: but it was six yards from the house and separated from the stable of the yahoos. Here he got some straw and covering himself with his own cloaths, slept very sound. 

Chapter 3 

His aim was to learn the language which his master and his children and every servant of his house were desirous to teach him. He pointed to every thing and enquired the name of it which he wrote down in his journal book when he was alone, and tried to correct his pronounciation. In that work a Sorrel Nag was ready to assist him. In speaking they pronounced through the nose and throat, and their language was nearest to the high dutch or German. 

The curiosity and impatience of his master was so great that he spent many hours to instruct him. He was convinced that he must be a Yahoo but he was most perplexed about his cloaths and reasoning sometimes with himself whether they were a part of his body; for he never pulled them off till the family were asleep and weared them before they waked in the morning. His master was eager to learn from where he came and how he acquired those appearance of reason. 

Thus, in about ten weeks time he was able to understand most of his questions and in three months could give him some tolerable answers. He was extremely curious to know from what part of the country he came, and how he was taught to imitate a rational creature. So he answered that he came over the sea from a far place with many others of his own kind in a great vessel made of trees. He replied that he must needs be mistaken. For they have no word in their language to express lying. He knew it was impossible that there could be a country beyond the sea or wooden vessel can float upon water. 

He was at a lose for expression but would improve as fast as he could; and hoped in a short time he should be able to tell him wonders. Many horses came to meet him and see that how wonderfully he can converse like yahoos. Thus he made so great a progress that in five months from his arrival, he understood whatever was spoke and could express himself tolerably well. 

The Houyhnhnms who came to visit his master with the design of seeing and talking with him, could hardly believe him to be a right yahoo, because his body had a different covering from others of his kind. He discovered that secret to his master upon an accident, which happened about a fortnight before. 

At every night when the family were gone to bed it was his custom, to strip and cover himself with his cloaths: it happened one morning early that his master sent Sorrel Nag to call him so when he was asleep, his cloaths fallen off on one side. And he awakened at the noise he made and nag seen him. After that he went to his master and in a great fright gave him a very confused account of what he had seen. Thus his secret of his dress came out. He make that secret to distinguish himself from yahoos. But then he told his master that in the country from when he came, those of his kind always covered their bodies with the hairs of certain animals prepared by art to make safe their body by air of hot and cold. 

They can't understand that why they need to cover body when it gives from nature so he put off his cloaths and the master horse observe him with great curiosity. He was the same like the rest of the yahoos but only differ that was his softness, whiteness and smoothness of his skin and affection of walking on his two hinder feet. Then he returned his cloaths. He requested to keep this secret because he hatred the yahoos and he don't want to look like them. The master agreed in this. 

He described the story that how they are living in their country and about the making vessel made from wood of big size. They asked him who made the ship and how it was possible that the Houyhnhnms of his country would leave it to the management of brutes? He took the promise from them and said that ship made by the creature like him. But they thought that whatever he is telling that is invented story out of his own head. They believe that Houyhnhnms should be the presiding creature of a nation and a Yahoo the brute. 

Chapter 4

His master heard him with great appearances of uneasiness because doubting or not believing are known in this country. He was describing the nature of manhood in other parts of the world. He felt much difficulty to make him understand that what he meant. They talked about the use of language and he asserted that the yahoos were the only governing animals in his Country. His master desired to know that they had Houyhnhnms among them, and what was their employment: he told him that he had great numbers that in summer they grazed in the fields, and in winter were kept in houses with hay and oats, when Yahoo servants were employed to rub their skins smooth, comb their manes, pick their feet, serve them with food and make their beds. His master said that he understand well. 

Then he insisted in commanding him to let him know the best and the worst: he told him that the Houyhnhnms among them whom they called horses, were the most generous and comely animal they had. They are using them in travelling, racing, or drawing chariots,  they were treated with much kindness and care, till they fell into diseases and then they were sold and used to all kind of drudgery till they died. After that their skins were sold and their bodies left for dogs and birds of prey. But the common race of horses had not so good fortune, being kept by farmers and carriers who put them to greater labor and feed them worse. 

His master wondered that how they dared to venture upon Houyhnhnms' back because the weakest servant in his house would be able to shake of the strongest Yahoo. Then he answered that horses were trained up from three or four years old. They were severely beaten while they were young for any mischievous. 

Then he also explained the Outlook of yahoos in human world. They also find the foult in yahoo's body like their eyes placed directly in the front so that they could not look on either side without turning his head. Without using his hands he can't able to eat. 

Thus, he described many things from our world. He also described his birth and parents. Then he also explained the nature of several crimes and vices done by the human. He was wholly at a loss to know what could be the use of practicing those vices. To clerify he said that they were doing these things to get power and richness, effect of lust, malice and envy. All this he was forced to define by putting of case. There were no such words in their language so it was little difficult to make them understood. Thus, he described his country. 

Chapter 5

He discoursed of trade and manufacture, arts and Sciences and the answers of all the questions which they asked. He also talked about the long war with France and said that a millions of yahoos might have been killed in the whole progress of it, and perhaps hundred or more cities taken and many ships burnt or sunk. He asked that what were the causes that one country go to war with another. He replied that the ambition of Princes, sometimes the corruption of minister. Sometimes the quarrel between two Princes. He also mentioned that the trade of a soldier is held the most honourable of all others because a soldier is a Yahoo hired to kill of his own species. Thus he talked about war in detail. He also gave him a discription of pistol, bullet, powder, sword, battles, undermines, sea fights. 

Then he described about the law and lawyer, judges and the whole system of justice. 

Then he described everything about cow and their diseases. Then once again about the person done crime against state so what is the method that also he described and said that lawyer can save the criminal by all forms of law. On this point his master said that it was pity that creatures had such mindset.

Thus he described many things. 

Chapter 6

He described to him the use of money and the value of the metals that when a Yahoo had got a great store of this precious substance, he was able to purchase whatever he had a mind to, the finest clothes, the noblest houses, great land, the most coastly meats and drink. And have choice of the most beautiful female. The richman enjoyed the fruit of poor man's labour. The vast numbers of their people are compelled to seek their livelihood by begging, robbing, stealing, cheating, pimping, lying, hectoring, whoring, etc. 

Then he also talked about wine and its effects on human body and said that it made their lives uncomfortable and short. Then he also mentioned the profession of doctors. He also described the various diseases and remedy of those diseases. He discussed the nature of government in general and the constitution. He said that there are three methods by which a man may to be chief minister. The first is by knowing how with prudence to dispose of a wife, a daughter or a sister. The second, by betraying or undermining his predecessor and the third is by a furious zeal in public assemblies against the corruptions of the court. But a wise Prince would rather choose to employ those who practice the last of these methods. 

One day in discourse his master said that he was sure that he must have been born of some noble family because he far exceeded in shape, colour and cleanliness, all the yahoos of his nation. 

He said that among the Houyhnhnms, the white and the sorrel and iron gray were not exactly shaped as the bay, the dapple grey and the black; nor born with equal talents of the mind or a capacity to improve them. He explained the marriage that how they were doing marriages. The productions of such marriages are generally scrophulous, ricketty or deformed children; by which means the family seldom continues. 

Chapter 7

When he had answered all his questions and his curiosity seemed to be fully satisfied; he sent for him one morning early and commanded him to sit down at some distance, and he said He had been very seriously considering his whole story. He said that they disarmed themselves of the few abilities she had bestowed, had been very successful in multiplying their original wants and seemed to spend their whole lives in vain. That as to himself, it was manifest he had neither the strength or ability of a common Yahoo, that he walked infirmly on his hinder feet, had found out a contrivance to make his claws of no use or defence, he could neither run with speed nor climb trees like the yahoos in this country. 

He said that their institutions of Government and law were plainly owing to their gross defects in reason and by consequence in vertue because reason alone is sufficient to govern a rational creature. 

He was the more confirmed in this opinion because he observed that as he agreed in every feature of his body with other yahoos that where it was to his real disadvantage in point of strength, speed and activity, the shortness of his claws. He said him about our lives, manners and our actions. His master said the yahoos were known to hate one another more than they did any different species of animals. He said that if they thrown among five yahoos as much food as would be sufficient for fifty, they will instead of eating peaceably, fall togather by the ears, each single one impatient to have all to itself; and therefore a servant was usually employed to stand by while they were feeding abroad, and those kept at home were tied at a distance from each other: that if a cow died of age or accident, before a Houyhnhnms could secure it for his own yahoos; those in the neighbourhood would come in herds to seize it. 

In some fields of his country there are certain shining stones of several colours, whereof the yahoos are violently gond, and when part of these stones is fixed in the earth, they will dig with their claws for whole days to get them out, then carry them away, and hide them by heaps in their kennels, but still looking round with great caution for fear that comrades should find out their treasure. His master said that he could never discover the reason of this and how those stones could be of any use of yahoos, but now he believe when Gulivar described about mankind. Once by way of experiment, Houyhnhnms privately removed a heap of those stones from the place where one of his yahoos had burried it: when he found that his treasure missing, by his loud lamenting brought the whole herd to the place, there miserably howled, then fell to biting and tearing the rest, began to pine away, would neither eat, nor sleep, nor work till he ordered a servant privately to convey the stones into the same hole and hide them as before and when he found, he recovered and hide it at better place. 

It was common when two yahoos discovered such a stone in a field, and both fight for it and third would take the advantage and carry it away from them. Then he also said about rare roots and compare with wine.   As to Learning, Government, Arts, and the like his master confessed he could find little or no resemblance between the yahoos of that country and in ours. 

Then he also shared some qualities of yahoos like other brutes had their females in common but in this they differed, that the she yahoos would admit the male,  other was a fancy would sometimes take a Yahoo, to retire into a corner, to lie down and howl, wanted neither food nor water only remedy that found was to set him to hard work. Then he also said about the behaviour of males and females with each other. 

Chapter 8

He asked for a favour to let him go among the herds of yahoos in the neighbourhood, to whome he convinced that the hatred he bore those brutes, would never suffer him to be corrupted by them; and his honour ordered Sorrel nag to be his guard. There he discovered that the yahoos appear to be the most unteachable of all animals, their capacities never reaching higher than to draw or carry burthens.  

The Houyhnhnms keep the yahoos in huts not far from the house but the rest are sent abroad to certain fields, where they dig up roots, eat several kinds of herbs, sometimes catch luhimuhs (a sort of wild rat). Nature has taught them to dig deep holes with their nails on the side of a rising ground, wherein they lie by themselves, only the kennels of the females are larger, sufficient to hold two or three cubs. They sweem like frogs and able to continue long under water, where they take fish which the females carry home to their young. One day the weather too hot so he go to take bath in the river and at that time one of the female Yahoo attack on him from attraction. And Sorrel nag saved him from her. 

Friendship and benevolence are the two principal virtues among the Houyhnhnms, and these not to particular objects but universal to the whole race. For a stranger from the remotest part is equally treated with the nearest neighbour. They preserve decency and civility in the highest degree. In their marriages they are exactly careful to choose such colours as will not make any disagreeable mixture in the breed. Strength is chiefly values in the male and comeliness in the female, not upon the account of love but to preserve the race from degenerating. Courtship, love, presents, settlement have no place in their Thoughts or terms. The young couple meet and are joyned merely because it is the determination of their parents and friends: It is as one of the necessary actions of rational being. But the violation of marriage or any other unchastity was never heard of: and the marriage pair pass their lives with the same friendship, and mutual benevolence that they bear to all others of the same species, who came in their way without jealousy, fondness, quarrelling or discontent. 

Temperance, industry, exercise and cleanliness are the lessons equally enjoyed to the young one's of both sexes: and his master thought it monstrous in us to give the females a different kind of education from the males. 

But the Houyhnhnms train up their youth to strength, speed and hardiness by exercising them in running races up down steep hills, and over hard and stony ground, leap over head and ears into a pond or river. Four times a year the youth of a certain district meet to shew their proficoiency in running and leaping and feats of strength where the victor is rewarded with a song made in his or her praise. On this festival the servant drive a herd of yahoos into the field, laden with hay, oats and milk for Houyhnhnms after which these brutes are immediately driven back again for fear of being noisome to the assembly. 

They assembled four times in a year and make settlement of oats, hay, cow and yahoos. They also settled children: as like if a Houyhnhnm had two males so he changes one of them with another that had two females and when a child had been lost by any casualty, where the mother is past breeding, it is determined what family in the district shall breed another to supply the loss. 

Chapter 9

One of these grand assemblies was held in his time and his master went there as the representative of their district and after came back from there he described everything to Gulliver. 

The question to be debated was whether the yahoos should be exterminated from the face of the earth? One of the member presented his argument that yahoos were the most filthy, noisome, and deformed animal which Nature ever produced. They were the most restive and indocile, mischievous and malicious: they would privately stuck the teats of the Houyhnhnms cows, kill and devour their cats, trample down their oats and grass. He said about yahoos tradition that yahoos had not been always in that Country: but that many ages ago, two of the yahoos appeared togather upon a mountain, wether produced by the heat of the sun upon corrupted mud and slime, or from the ooze or froth of the sea, was never known. And in short time their breed grew so speedy. 

 His master also said about Gulliver in that assembly that how he came and about his clothes and how he discovered about it. He also said that in their country yahoos are ruling over Houyhnhnms and other animals. 

Houyhnhnms calculate the year by the revolution of the sun and the moon but no subdivisions into weeks. 

In poetry they must be allowed to excel all other mortals: the content either some about friendship and benevolence or the praise of those victors in races. 

If they can avoide casualties, they died only of old age and are buried in the obscurest places. They live generally to seventy or seventy five years. 

He could with great pleasure enlarge further upon the manners and virtues of this people. 

Chapter 10

His master had ordered a room to be made for him six yards from home. The sides and floors of which he plastered with clay and covered with rush mats of his own contriving. He made two chairs with his knife, Sorrel Nag helped him in that. He also made cloaths for himself out of skins of rabbets and of a certain beautiful animals about the same size. He soled his shoes with wood which he cut from a tree. He also got honey out of trees which he mingled with water and eat with his bread. Necessity is the mother of invention. He can live there healthy and peaceful life. 

He freely confess that all the little knowledge he has of any value, was acquired by the lectures he received from his master and from hearing the discourse of him and his friends. It will help him during the rest of his life. When he thought of his family, his friends, his countrymen or Human race in general, he considered them as they really were yahoos in shape and disposition, perhaps a little more civilized. 

When he looked upon himself to be fully settled for life, his master sent for him one morning a little earlier than his usual hour. He observed his master that he confused how to start the talk. After a short silence his master told him that in the last general assembly when they were talking about the yahoos, one of the representative had taken offence as he is keeping a Yahoo in his family more like a Houyhnhnm. They said that such a practice was not agreeable to reason or Nature, nor a thing ever heard of before among them. The assembly did therefore exhort him, either to employ him like the rest of his species or command him to swim back to the place from where he came. It would be impossible for him to swim to another country and therefore he would contrive some sort of vehicle as he described to him, that might carry him on the sea. In that work he should need the assistance of his own servants. Then he started making vessel by the help of Sorrel Nag and others. He used wood and skin of yahoos in that. And in six weeks time he can able to make sort of Indian canoo, but much larger, four paddles. He laid in a stock of boiled flesh of rabbets and fowls, and took vessels one filled with milk and the other with water. 

When all was ready, and the day came for his departure, he took leave of his master and lady, his eyes flowing with tears. He wait for above an hour for the tide. Thus he paid his respect to the rest of the Houyhnhnms in his honour's company. 

Chapter 11

He start that voyage on 15 February, 1714/5, then he tried to discover some small Island. Then he reached at New Holland, he lay all night in his canoo. From there he started his voyage in the early morning. He saw no inhabitants in the place where he landed  and being unarmed, he found some shell fishes on the shore and eat them, not daring to kindle a fire for fear of being discovered by the natives. There he rest for some days. On the fourth day in the morning he saw twenty or thirty natives. He discovered by the smoak, one of them spied then he tried to escape himself but not succeed. They observed him closely. First he said that he was poor yahoos banished from Houyhnhnms. They spoke to him with great humanity and said they were sure  the captain would carry him gratis to Lisbon, from where he might return his home. 

Captain's name was Pedro De Mendez. Their voyage passed without any considerable accident. They arrived at Lisbon on 5th November, 1715. He said to captain that he want to live with his wife and children so he asked for help. He sailed him in a boat which going to his native with the necessaries and money. On the 5 th December, 1715 and his wife and family received him with great surprised and joy. It was difficult to see many yahoos. 

After reaching there hecould not endure his wife or children in his presence, smell of them were intolerable. Then he buy young horses, he took care of them and converse with them four hours every day. 

Point of Views regarding the religion in India

Functions of Religion 

Religion plays a very important role in every aspect of human life irrespective of place and culture. Religion remains the most important element in the basic human character building. Centres of worship have always shaped human life in different ways and influenced human towards doing various things in a positive manner and help maintain a social culture of respect towards the community. Religion has dominated as an important factor in our lives in determining the human behaviour. Religion is not a mere necessity, but a very significant part of human life and influences our lives in one way or the other. Religion has both cultural as well as a moral impact on our lives. Most people would find it very tough to live without religion or spirituality, on the other hand, there are peoples who find it hard to follow it because of various religious rules and practices that need to be followed.

• Religion Enhances Self-Importance: Religion enhances the self-importance of a person, expands one's self to infinite proportions. Man unites himself with the Infinite and feels ennobled. The society also gains from the self-flattery provided by religious belief and man tends to become aware of his willpower. Religion assures a greater reward in the afterlife to worldly failures than to successful life and hence motivates one towards good causes as well. Such kind of assurance encourages members to continue to play their part in society.
• Religion Explains Individual Suffering: To understand the reasons for your suffering and your purpose of life, it is very important for a person to have religious knowledge that empowers a person to find answers to these questions. Man does not live by knowledge alone and is an emotional creature; we are related to our moral behaviour more openly than our academic fields. Religion serves to the emotions of the man in times of his sufferings and disappointment when we become confused about sufferings in our life and do not know which way to choose. On God religion puts faith and entertains the belief that some unseen power moves in mysterious ways to make even his loss meaningful and sufferings meaningful and the reason behind the suffering is revealed. In this way, religion gives release from sorrow and release from fear. It helps man to bear his frustration and integrate his personality with the proper knowledge of all the deeds and misdeeds with the reason for sufferings.
• Religion Encourages Social Welfare: Religion is not only limited to self-purification or service towards God, but religion is also far more than what people usually expect. Though religion helps an individual realize the purpose of his life and introduces with some universal truths of life, religion has also performed some other services to humanity like the provision of work, the priesthood often dedicated to art and culture. Religion also promotes community service and service towards the needy people. The priesthood lays the foundation of this by helping out the needy ones. It also fulfils the functions of scholars and scientists related to art and culture as in ancient times religious places were the only places to impart education. Religion has served humanity through the spreading of education and also creating the habit of charity among the people who open many charitable institutions like hospitals, rest houses, temples and to help the poor. Religion promotes the helping hand. It is not only in Hindu culture, that promotes helping the needy in fact every religion has a space for some charity work wherein all the preachers are encouraged to participate with full enthusiasm.
• Religion holds Social Control: Social behaviour of a community to a large extent depends upon their behaviour and religion. Religion is the main source or the block of social behaviour of a human. A person learns most from his ancestors or predecessors, and religion is something related to mans cultural background. Religion provides a model for the life following which a person can lead a healthy and prosperous life that would be cherished able for him, his family and community as well. It upholds certain ideals and values for life. The believer practices these ideals and values in his life for a happy and healthy life. Religion can help youth generation to become moral, disciplined and socialized citizens of society. Following the religious path, a person can well balance his social life towards leading a prosperous life with great respect in society and his community.

Role of Religion

The religion provides a framework to pass a decent and happy life in the light of universal principles and guidelines. Every religion teaches its followers to choose right over wrong, good over evil, truth over lies, and live a prosperous life with peace and harmony. Religion tends to teach us all the moral values that need to be learnt to live in a social atmosphere where you interact with outer human beings also. It would not be wrong to say that, religion is the central element in the life of civilization. Throughout the ages, it is proof of its values and teachings. Religion has been the propagator of basic values and ethical code which provide an individual with an opportunity to make him presentable and respectable in society and enhance his overall personality. Religion most importantly leads man towards a consciousness of moral responsibility towards his family or society in everything he does, whether great or small. There is a constant stress on the establishment of right and the abolition of wrong in every religion, hence various roles can be:

• Principles of Morality: Religion plays an important part towards promotion of the principles of morality like justice, honesty, brotherhood, equality, tolerance, sacrifice, help to the needy people and other kindred virtues. A true religion always encourages its followers towards a righteous path that is beneficial for one and all. These principles hold a very important place in our lives and are the virtues without which, not only our life will lose its order and normalcy but it is very likely to be turned into a chaos, something that no one would cherish and also bring along a feeling of hatred from others. Though it is possible to acquire these moral and social qualities without the aid of religion, certainly in the absence of firm religious belief, these values appear to lose their meaning and become series recommendations without any particular reason or explanation. In such a case they do not amount to more than a piece of advice that is commonly termed as a lecture and discarded by everyone. Hence the association of morality with religion holds a great importance. These qualities are rather based on an internal feeling and faith and are naturally beyond the scope of the ordinary law.
• Motivation Towards Life: Religion provides power for facing various adversities of life and serves as a defensive wall against undesirable reactions of despair and hopelessness. A religious man, with firm belief, never finds himself in lack of motivation and emotional support even in the worst moments of his life, because he knows well that he is under the protection of superpower. With true faith it is not difficult to find a solution to any problem and every deadlock can be resolved with faith, we can overcome every disappointment and hopelessness with a positive attitude that is provided to us by Almighty. Religion gives the power to overcome a difficult situation, this is the reason, that a truly religious man never suffers from the reactions of desperation like suicide, nervous breakdown or psychic ailments which are products of frustration and defeatism, no matter how tough the situations can get for him.
• Abolish Discrimination: Every Religion strongly opposes any kind of discrimination based on colour, race or class, because religion always regards all human beings as God's creation and every country as God's country. According to religious beliefs, all enjoy God's love and kindness equally and as such, all are equal, no man can be superior to another man on the basis of his colour, race, descent, language or class. Religion always inculcates a feeling of brotherhood and helpfulness towards the needy people. Though the problem of discrimination still prevails in the world but provided religious study never encourage this type of behaviour, the community has led to much-sophisticated approach towards the discrimination and always discourage such behaviour among humans.
• Provides Ideology: Man cannot live his whole life under the belief of false superstitions and ideological vacuum. Without proper religious teachings, his intellectual life is not filled with sound beliefs and healthy teachings. Understanding one’s religion gives a clear ideology and clears all the superstitious beliefs. Superstitious and even destructive ideas may find a way into spiritual firmament and may forever pollute the human brain. Instances of man's tendency towards diverse superstitions and credulity regarding the influence of irrational things over destiny can be witnessed even in the lives of world intellectuals. Hence proper ideology is something that can save us from all of these things and helps to distinguish between what can be right or wrong for us.

Presentation Skill- Self and peer Introduction

 

Making effective self and peer introduction

 

What is Self-Introduction?

It is the act of introducing or the state of being introduced. In simple language, Self-introduction is where you tell people who you are, what you do, what your interests are, where you are from, what you have done with your life. Self-Introduction is concerned with telling the person in front of you about yourself. It seems quite easy to think about that but the reality is different. There are several places where self-introduction is required. Interviews are the most common form of these examples. Some other places are 1st day in the class, 1st day at the workplace, before making a speech telling about you, etc.

Things to Take Care while giving Self Introduction

 

Start with a smile on your face & give details about Name, Place after greeting. If necessary only add your family details. Tell me about your educational details. Share about why you want to do your job and about your Project in Brief.  The person who inspired you a lot? Then about your interests/hobbies. Also how you will spend your time when you are free. Tell about skills. Then conclude by saying THANKS to the person who is listening to you.

 

Never use myself, herself, and himself (instead of these words you can use my name is or I am……. Never introduce your family members’ names like my dad is James and mom is Katherine (You can use my dad is an agent and mom is house maker) Always be confident (not overconfident). Be sure that you are in a simple dress scene (like light colors). Be with a good little smile. Maintain time punctuality

 

An Example

Good Morning Sir/Madam. My name is Ayesha Umar. I was born and brought up in Punjab, a province of Pakistan. As far as my educational qualification is concerned, I have done my graduation from Superior University which is affiliated with GC University with an aggregate of 75%. I did my schooling from Govt. High School Sialkot securing 75% in my 12th and 77% in my 10th. Coming to my family, I live with my mother and my younger sister. My mother works as a teacher in a school and my sister studies in class 9th. My strength is I am an optimistic person, I see positive in every situation and I am very patient by nature.

Everyone has weak point but my weakness is that I can’t express my emotions in front of my family. I can overcome this problem by discussing it with my friends. Also, it’s hard for me to say “NO” if someone requests me to do him/her a favor or their set of work. About my hobbies and interest, I spend my free time surfing the internet and reading books, and interacting with people. And finally, my short-term goal is want to create a special identity for myself in your company and my long-term goal is to be a successful personality in my field and society as well. That’s all about Me Sir/Madam. Thank you for giving me an opportunity.

Positive and Negative Traits

 

In both cases, the hiring manager is trying to determine what assets you have that will help you succeed in the job, if you are hired, as well as what could be problematic. In both cases, it’s important to put a positive spin on your attributes when responding.

My Strengths are:

I am self-confident and a positive attitude. Good team worker and dedicated to my work. I can easily adapt to any situation. Good listener. Be friendly with all the people and eager to help. I can work in pressure conditions and deliver. My Weaknesses are: Never ashamed to ask small questions from others. Sometimes get annoyed when work does not go according to my plan. I trust people very easily. I cannot cram up things, I can only learn via a practical approach.

Peer Group

 

A peer group is both a social group and a primary group of people who have similar interests, age, background, and social status. The members of this group are likely to influence the person’s beliefs and behavior. Peer groups contain hierarchies and distinct patterns of behavior.

We tend to get influenced by the lifestyle of our peers. Their thinking, choices, and behavior influence us. We feel compelled to follow them. That’s peer pressure. It is beneficial to a certain extent. But its negative effects are more apparent. Peer pressure can be of two types, negative and positive. The section of society that is most vulnerable to the effects of peer pressure is teenagers. Adolescents are also a party to peer pressure. In Adolescence, peer pressure leads to smoking, drinking, doing drugs, and many other unlawful and health-affecting things.

Positive Traits of My Peer Group

 

Following are the positive changes that can be achieved with help of a peer group

 

1. Adopting Good Habits
2. Exposure to the World
3. Giving Up Bad Habits
4. Helping each other in every problem
5. Giving Valuable advice and suggestions as and when required
6. Standing by with each other for all types of fights to pounce upon