Wednesday, 1 August 2012

Ethics, Manners & Etiquette - Leaf - 2!



In an animating and bountiful display of divine architecture, God put together an entire universe, all in one piece and that too out of nothingness. No measurements were taken, no adhesive used either; He fixed the massive stars and planets all in one go, at locations which remain unexplored by man even to this day. The basic elements which went in to piece together an infinite universe comprising all forms of life were eternal love, divine truth, omniscience and omnipotence. Incidentally, the creation of universe by the Almighty was preceded by God chastising the devils for their act of rebellion against divine will.  Through this one act of creation the Almighty established a dividing line which separated divinity from humanity, infinite from finite and spirit from matter.  And man, as the ruler of the universe, was positioned at one edge of the finite world while the other extreme came to be occupied by Satan led by Lucifer and his bad angels. 

The only barrier that separated one from the other was death in the case of human beings and eternal damnation for the devils.  However, neither had the liberty to stray in to the domain of the other without the explicit nod of the Almighty.


It may be worth recalling that God created angels in His own mystical image thereby ordaining them to exist with all splendour, radiance and resplendence in the company of other angelic spirits much like God Himself.  After many millions of divine years, God decided to create the universe and all creatures with it. This done, He gave charge of the universe to his supreme creation namely man.  The bad angels under Lucifer could not withstand the Almighty lavishing love sublime on human beings ranked below them.  A section of such angels rebelled against God which act of theirs attracted the wrath of Almighty who ordered His archangels to banish them out of the celestial bliss in to a state of deprivation in hell. 


Relegated to a nadir of abysmal existence and having forefeited their right to exist either as part of an infinite realm or in a finite world with human beings as company, and having been made an outcast, detested by all, deprived of a graceful existence, and above all having lost the grace and favour of God Almighty Himself, Satan has had to resign himself to his eternal fate and languish for ever in hell in solitude and damnation.  Satan in his attempt to obviate his antipathy towards human beings contemplated a plot to avenge the drubbing and humiliation received at the hands of Almighty by successfully driving a wedge between man vis-à-vis his creator, the Almighty and Everlasting God.


Incidentally, Satan deemed it an ignominous scourge to exist within the periphery of infinity under abject deprivation. Forelorn and despondent, having been denied access to human world and pushed to leading a life as evil spirits within the narrow confines of eternal doom, he made good his plan of floating unproductive and hazardous elements in to the world, with an eye to wean away as many of the human beings in to his domain, namely hell. To this end he put in his all, by toiling day in and day out so as to make man his fodder and the world an eyesore to his own creator.



Hard-work, devotion, dedication, patience, spirit of denial, sacrifice and to top them all perseverance. Virtues in abundance!  You name them. He has them all – the Devil!


If there is any single trait that we ought to learn from the devil, it is perseverance. As a matter of fact, perseverance is an attribute the devil is so possessive about and would not dare part with even grudgingly for a no-return. He has been on the job for millions of years, industriously straining his lacerated physique, toiling hard in the hope of weaning away as many humans into his abstract world of despair and devastation. A ghost of an enigma and an outcast of divine wrath, devil can never abide by the dictum of God or His angels. He observes no law; obtains no justice. Like a live and pale shadow, he goes about his chores profusely pining for the lost bliss of celestial serenity. Having squandered away his divine gift, he has been destined to survive in isolation away from the bliss of divinity and God! And the greatest slight he has had to bear was creation of the universe and man followed by his redemption.


Satan has been on the prowl ever since the beginning of creation.  Being barred by God Almighty from making direct contact with human beings, which act could spell disastrous for the weak creatures namely man, a malignant Satan indulged in proxy war directly on human beings but indirectly on God. He did this by floating pernicious instincts that could rent apart the honour and dignity of human beings and by infesting the universe with a spell of pointed discord, malaise, destruction, devastation, melancholy and death upon man in a manner that could leave the humans vexed with a life of indignity and dishonour.


We live in a universe that was wholly and graciously gifted to man by God Himself through an act of predilection.  However, the host who caters to man is the devil himself who has the entire universe hijacked for his amusement, in a manner that the universe might appear lacerated and famished as Satan is. There is therefore, no wonder that life provides a lot of disconnect among human beings which are but an outcome of misperceptions, misunderstandings or misprojections by people and nations who deem it their exclusive right to abide by each one’s temperament.  Incidentally, the emerging trend among human beings is indicative of a colossal departure from the strategic design and divine will originally outlined by God for man and the universe.  


Strategic meddling and rampant maneuvering in core aspects of creation as also in the overall activities of man by Satan, by and large disturbed the rhythem with which life first started.  Moreover, the devil wasted no time in twisting man made laws and faking judgements to suit his sinister designs in order to pit one against the other.  An avalanche of divided perceptions lashed the citadel and the fortifications of man’s inner trust and mutual harmony, all of which took a beating at the dexterous manipulations by Satan.  Even the huge strides made in the field of Science and Technology did not stand up to the quantum expectations of a civilized world. In his effort to augument the prospects of a pompous life, man started eyeing to attain excellence. Excel he did, but his inferior instinct gave the game away.  


As is bound to happen, when shine starts enveloping the universe, the darker elements take advantage of the sparkle.  An arrogant man found himself groping through a vicious circle of his own make in an attempt to buy himself peace and tranquility, which was not to be.  For by the time comfort and luxury of his choice showed up, life had altogether become a haphazard trap wherein man’s interaction with other human beings drew flak, as a result of which he only met with stumbling block at every cross road. He was unable to proceed with errands without doling out largesse in his manners, approach and attitude with people in order to keep them in good humour for having his way.  Incidentally, man strayed far too much in to a realm of peevishness; thanks to an imp playing his part exceedingly well to the detriment of man and the universe.


In this context, it needs to be emphasized that the goodness of God is infinite.  The onus for all the perils and hazards including the curse of destruction, devastation and death falls squarely on the one only adversary of God namely Satan, who deliberately played false with the fate of man and pinned him down to such a state of helplessness.  God as the supreme Good can only vouchsafe to protect the free will endowed on Satan and his entire creation including man. Satan has been untiringly sawing the seed of pain, suffering, discomfiture, discord, death, and likewise inflicting heavy casualties on human beings through natural catastrophes such as earthquakes, volcanos, tsunamis or other perils and even displacing the good due to man by delaying the sequence of peace, happiness and prosperity.


When Satan engages a proxy to play host to guests (read human beings) who have been gifted with the entire universe by Almighty Himself, man has every right to assert his prowess to overcome the hazards so placed by Satan.  Whatever situation the world may be in as of today, is on account of man’s mistrust of his creator or on account of his towing a different line.  This needs amendment.  As of today, the world is a divided lot with one side wholly and flourishingly following the diktat of Satan. On the other hand there is hardly a handful of faithful ones following the precepts of the supreme Creator.  Obviously a tussle would always exist between the two in the form of competition or prod. What may then emerge would be grotesquely a blurred picture of misunderstanding by some, high handedness by few and a host of evil instincts let loose by Satan creating havoc for the just ones.  A finite man loses count on all aspects but God does not.  When a close relative of his passes away man appears overcome with grief, whereas when someone else far away falls victim to another’s misadventure, he merely looks on with casual approach.    There is need for introspection. There is need to open up to a universal conduct, a universal approach and a universal attitude. 

Man was created by God out of love and predilection that he might bear testimony for the infinite love bestowed on him through His eternal and divine truth manifested in His omniscience and omnipotence. Being the only heir to an infinite creation, man is greatly indebted to and owes total allegiance to God only. As such, his primary objective ought to be to strive towards greater glory of God which can best be achieved through a life adorned with human attributes namely ‘Ethics, Manners & Etiquette’.


Survival is vital for existence for it is the flavour of life, a flavour which lingers on till you fade away from the world; in like manner flavour or survival demands dignity, which being the cream adorning one’s life and which caters to one’s ambitions and aspirations. With cream and the flavour in hand, one only needs to give shape to the material aspect which makes the difference viz. the goal one sets for oneself.  The voyage you are on should not be anchored until you attain a wholesome success, a renowned fame and an envious reputation which should shape your destiny and provide the needed impetus to the onward thrust, add dimension to your thrill and confer on you a cause for celebrations.  So destine your future with élan, bestride an elegant world of sophistication, profess a broad outlook, lead a circle of your closest friends with dynamism and allow your future to smile on you to the delight of your near and dear ones with a new episode titled “Ethics, Manners & EtiquetteLeaf – 2”.


A unique concept styled ‘Ethics, Manners & Etiquette’, minutely framed to broadly include all the required features intended to give one and all a direction on how to go about their journey to fame, reputation and success and savour the glory of a carefree life is submitted herein for the benefit of everyone.  Every attempt has been made to include all categories of people in to paving the way for a pleasant and peaceful destiny.  Special care has also been taken to bring about an environment for coexistence of all sections of people from every walk of life and people from all disciplines, irrespective of category, profession or standing in the society, to enable advance with a secured identity of their own.  With the world progressing at a fast pace and the demand for absorbing knowledge, experience and competence far exceeding the schedule and timeframe as determined for each, the elite who would stand to succed in life would have to minimize inordinate delays in tackling certain areas of expression and articulation. It is of paramount importance that we keep in mind the effectiveness of clear-cut expression, communication and articulation. 


One should also bear in mind the time-frame by which one needs to devise ways and means of skipping unnecessary and time consuming work out so as to keep abreast of the challenge being faced by the present day generation, which far exceeds one’s capacity, capability and speed.  Seeing the need for people to cover extensive stretches of ground before arriving at a plausible distance of one’s goal, attempt has also been made to give a boost to a virtuous life far surpassing the normal stretch of mediocrity and lack of professionalism.   With the standards having fallen far below the affordable levels, and which would necessarily warrant an increased and enhanced foresight by both young and old in attaining one’s goal, and for providing a cosmopolitan approach to people and their lives, every minutest of details have been taken care of so that a Chapter for the reform of life and attitude of people may reach every section of people so as to benefit equally one and all. 


The overall features have been meticulously framed and a pattern adopted with rigorous exercise keeping the need of time and generation.  It is important to remember that progress in life demands novelty in approach, positive interaction with people and ability to communicate with people with grace. Any let up in projecting oneself with ease could result in decline in one’s image which can psychologically affect the momentum, the focus and resultantly tardy the progress. ‘Ethics, Manners & Etiquette’ attempts to formulate this exercise whereby people with determination and skill may not lag behind in attaining the pinnacle of glory to the advantage of themselves, the society, the nation and the world.  The purpose and aim in defining the theme for success of all is to place everyone within the parameters of a vocation for achieving recognition so that the entire exercise would tantamount to a life-long experience that would necessarily come to stay for the betterment of people who matter in a society.


The moment you step out on to the road, be sure, you are being watched by hundreds of people from different walks of life. These may constitute businessmen, professionals, educated, uneducated, powerful, influential, prominent or high-ranking and besides of course, your neighbors, acquaintances and the list goes on to level up to the present day population.  However, it is up to you to convert people’s looks or advances in to a line up for your friendship. And what would you make of this line up, an archive? Friends make up your day-to-day strength to surmount problems in life. Be sure, your attitude test starts the moment you are on the road to achieving a goal. 


Life does not provide a magic for attaining position, authority or for fulfillment of one’s dreams.  Likewise, a path to recognition, an achievement, fame, success, reputation etc. has to be traced through tireless efforts combined with determination and skill.  An accomplishment of any of the aforesaid glory, when achieved by way of a virtuous life, dedication and competency will alone add milestones to your lingering reputation and herald an era of joy and fulfillment.  Such a disposition alone would positively make an impact on your life and a supreme acknowledgement of your achievement endorsed by those who would later on flock to you for guidance.  People who feel inclined to taking up such challenge, ought to brace themselves up for any eventuality mindful of the fact that nothing comes free in life and mediocrity and half-heartedness would serve no purpose till you achieve the goal set out for yourself.  Your adversaries would strike when and where you least suspect.  Ostensibly the unscrupulous or wayward elements may even attempt to drift you off the mark. And the extraordinarily gutsy elements might even attempt a cakewalk or a free ride over your self-respect and good demeanour.  Be not dismayed nor should you lose heart, for even as you renew your efforts to gain control of yourself, the necessary windfall boost will come your way for “the reward for hard work and a dedicated effort is always decided by the giver of life, the creator”.  You only need to accomplish your part i.e. the endorsement of God’s will and the world is yours!


In our dealings it is vital that we be prepared to face people of diverse nature and category be it in age, education, culture, view or social standing. Even so, it is of paramount importance to be on extra alert always while maneuvering to achieve our errand or submitting a view at the disposal of others or even at soliciting an advice or opinion.  Remember, on most occasions your activities would be suspect in the eye of shadowy elements or proxies who may or may not have your good in mind and hence vulnerable to attempts of sabotage by shrewed and dastardly elements lying in wait for people on fastrack.  Never lose sight of your goal, for you are there not to reverse a process or to distance your destination, much less to sideline your means to achieve the end. Remember, your end is your success and means your attitude. If you persevere in your focused approach, you stand chances of enhancing the prospects of a glorious end through “Ethics, Manners & Etiquette”.


Our elders aver that “idleness is the mirror of the devil”.  In the same breath they also caution us that “excessive speed gets one nowhere” (Chinese proverb).  In order to tread on a safer alley to avoid tripping over inadvertently we need to adopt a focused approach, lest the enemies catch us unawares and consequently our progress get hindered.


Maya Angelou is on record with her “I find it interesting that the meanest life, the poorest existence, is attributed to God’s will, but as human beings become more affluent, as their living standard and style begin to ascend the material scale, God descends the scale of responsibility at a commensurate speed”.


A caution, therefore, for those aspiring to attain their goals is to remind oneself time and again that their activities are always under the scanner of the evil elements and an occupied mind is as much prone to devil’s agents.  Once you decide to plunge in to the arena of competitiveness, you would have to get accustomed to tremors from the devil’s proxies who would not sit idle till you fail them.  You would be playing a battle of wits. Things could drag you to embarrassing moments.  However, such adversities are bound to prop up time and again for the devil knows well that the proxies engaged by him would never reach the final destination but are bound to fall back somewhere in the race.  Beware of the prod by the devil.  Utilize your weapon namely patience, fortitude, forbearance and valour.  He who rides rough shod over your integrity would get weakened with the passage of time. Take an earthly assurance that those who battle your integrity today, belittle your esteem, make light of your self-respect and those who do not heed your courteous gestures and moves would one day stand in awe at the sparkling image you would radiate even as the pursuit of your goal would reach near fulfillment.  They would then hang their heads in shame at the folly of having played foul throughout. 


As for a solemn assurance, you have the convincing words under a divine assurance from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself who said “I am the way, the truth and the life” when he emphatically taught that -

Mathew 5:10-11

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.


People who wish to advance in life; they would have to be on their toes keeping humour and cheap talks at bay. Be of a focused mind as well as maintain a focused approach with determination that can surpass falling prey to attempts by people with inferior instinct at demeaning your self respect.  The unruly and treacherous elements could exploit your attitude to the hilt. Always remember, you are there in your interest and your interest is your goal, to be achieved at all costs. Dare them, and the evil shall vanish at Godspeed!


However, in order to achieve a vertical climb, in order to attain the glory of fame, honour and reputation, one requires a soul mate – to be precise a friend.  A friend who would qualify to be one when you grope about for solace of trust, one who would have the sanctity within capable of linking the finite with infinite, a friend who would have an image of your reflection, image like yourself which would satisfy your craving for perfection, human perfection – him you might term a friend.  A friend who would remind you of yesterday, satisfy your today. And above all a friend who would assure you of a tomorrow. Such a friend would have the potential to not only boost your image but even to add a chain of like friends to your following and even multiply the number to form a circle that would allow you a free interaction as also enhance your prominence, your prestige and your prospects.


When you need a favour, be it material or even if it be of a spiritual nature, of all the neighbors around, you sure can count on your friend to deliver and he alone will do so diligently.  A time tested mutual friend would always have your interest in equal measure as his.  A friend would be a friend in life, a friend in adversity and a friend till infinity who would have no qualms about making sacrifices to any extent for a friend who can buy our trust even to death.


Chieri is a tiny hamlet on the outskirts of Turin in Italy.  It was a quiet evening on the night between 3 and 4 April, 1837.  John Bosco, now Saint Don Bosco (1815 - 1888) was seated by his study table, engrossed in reading and recollection. Alongside the study was a dormitory with nearly twenty seminarians of his age, preparing for a night’s rest.

All at once a thunderous eruption rent the air. Strong winds lashed at the latched doors and windows flinging them wide open. There was rattling sound all around. The impact was beyond comprehension and the magnitude beyond human confabulations. The entire apartment shook below the feet or so it appeared. An earth quake of such magnitude could be understandable, but a heavens quake was never desirable, especially at a time when the young seminarians were retiring for a night’s rest after a hectic day’s schedule. The roaring winds deafened the curious minds in to exchanging bewildered looks all around as also at each other unable to gasp for breath at such astonishing developments that confused their minds. In short, it was a night portending unforeseen disasters.  Then as though from nowhere in the vicinity, a tender glow of celestial light wafted over an otherwise hilarious heaven. All eyes were fixed on to the gush of light steaming out of thickened heavens. As light spread out with swirling intensity, a soothing melody followed by a mild tune chimed out of the flooded lights, generating bliss like radiance all around. As the humming of music died down in streaks, a soft voice echoed out of nowhere. “Bosco, my friend – I am saved”. The voice echoed away in to distant night and the music retreated in to timeless memory. The serenity of the night returned while the nearly two dozen youngsters sat clustered around each other unable to fathom what the mirage was all about. The entire episode brought about a thrill of horror in to the advancing night.  However, for Don Bosco it was a unique event which rendered his conviction a consummation.  He recognized the voice as that of Luigi Comollo, an intimate friend and colleague who pursued his studies in the Seminary where he passed away on April 2, 1837.


Luigi Comollo and Don Bosco had casually entered in to a pact that whosoever passed away first would return to convey to the other where and in what state he was.  Born on April 7, 1817 in Pra, Cinzano, Italy, Comollo pursued his studies in the Seminary where he passed away on April 2, 1837. Within two days of his passing away Comollo hastened back to earth to fulfil the promise made by him to Don Bosco, his most trusted friend. 


St. Don Bosco on various occasions referred to the episode narrated above. However, on all occasions he cautioned his students and colleagues to refrain from making such a pact since it was fraught with dangerous consequences for the very reason that the two realms of humanity and divinity are poles apart from one another and any attempt to bring them together could jeopardize the equilibrium of the lesser denomination viz. human nature or the universe.  Nonetheless, the readers would do well to carry away a great lesson Don Bosco himself wanted to teach others viz. the totality of selfless love for a neighbour which we in human terms call ‘friend’.  It would have been nearest to impossible for a person to return to a finite realm of human existence after having left the world whereby the soul of a person had parted from the human body.  By coincidence, there is reason to believe that this may perhaps have been one unique instance of a pact arrived at between friends and a logical fulfilment of pact under peculiar circumstances despite tremendous odds to the contrary.


Much stands debated though, but man’s attempt to piece out an exact or closest definition or identity of friend have always made him rely on the one only inspired Holy Book, the BibleWho is a friend

Friendship accords us a plank. Friendship provides us with an opportunity to theme our lives.  Friendship shapes an occasion to repose our trust in someone who would match our image and likeness, of the resemblance that God made man. Much of what we profess, much of what we learn and all of what we own, we owe it to a friend or friends, young or old, inferior or superior, opponent or well wisher.  Only a negligible percentage of the knowledge we possess is the outcome of our own hardwork. Friendship provides us with an exercise that moulds our thoughts, our deeds, our experience, our years, our lives but above all our own attitude.


Fame, success and reputation can only stem from a well founded base embedded in knowledge, virtues and congeniality.  Ethics is an exercise in this direction.  Much of the resistance we encounter in practical life arises out of our rigidness born out of arrogance or ignorance.  But if we succeed in bending our perspectives uniformly with a mellowed voice, an appealing tone, a pitch with a rhythem that can chime in to the ears of others, an entreat, a request with regret for intrusion, then there are chances of a success in mollifying an adversary or breaking the freeze in people’s attitude.

Ethics, Manners & Etiquette” are traits which render man a specie apart from all other creatures roaming the earth or hovering the skies.  Although the three characteristics namely “Ethics, Manners & Etiquette”  merely complement each other, yet what goes a long way in moulding one in to an upright man in the eye of the society, as also the one single aspect which prominently distinguishes a person as extraordinary from the other human beings is Ethics.  Ethics forms an integral part of any dignified living while the remaining two namely Manners & Etiquette merely feature as compliments to the former for purposes of decency and decorum in life.


Having arrived at the threshold of Ethics, it is important to point out how for trifles we are in the forefront, eager to demean others, to strip people of their dignity without the least respect & reverence for what they are or for what they merit or for what they command. In our eagerness to promote our ‘ego’, we push people in to pits of despair and devastation, not even allowing them to make amends for slight and finite errors. Attitude demands a greater degree of tolerance, which we all lack.  “Ethics, Manners & Etiquette” covers much for bringing about herculean change within such capricious people who make no bone of their attempts to browbeat people who deserve utmost respect.

Ethics is an esthetic art which enables one to sense, evaluate, judge, concur or act morally, justly and accurately with a positive frame of mind as also in a disciplined manner on issues of common interest relating to spirituality and human life.  Incidentally, Ethics relates to acts of perceiving, deliberating upon, deciding or acting on any aspect of divine or human life within the frame-work of morality and virtuousness. Although the term ‘Ethics’ is commonly referred to philosophically as the art of deciding the right and wrong side of life and resultant activities but in real life it encompasses a wider perspective having a larger meaning to supplement one’s ability  and to infallibly deal with all aspects concerning life. 


How ethics came to be born? After many million years of existence in solitude, God descended over the universe of infinite time and eternal matter.  For a moment the essence of time, infinity and eternity came to a standstill and the clock of creation started ticking for man.  It was at this juncture that God created a positive concept called man. He did this in His own image and likeness.  He then infused in to him a soul which portrayed the grace and radiance of divine presence within his human physique that constituted man in his prime stage of creation.  This way man came to exist.  However, after man’s fall from grace due to treacherous connivance by Satan, man imbibed certain idiosyncrasies wholly and exclusively owned by the devil whereby the body of man got contaminated in to a naked waste with ruined countenance prone to decay and destruction.  The curse of Satan got the better of man and man lost the grace, favour and right to evoke the grace of the Almighty.  Ethics was born the day our first parents disobeyed God.  The structure of man’s composition changed to mere flesh and blood ultimately destined to end at the instance of devil’s spitefulness.  A man who, through no fault of his, was drained of his graceful and sublime senses, made to part with the gracious instinct endowed by God and made to fall through unfathomable depths of meanest instincts imbibed from the devil himself. That same man is now destined to rise in pursuit of a goal, fame, success and reputation through a novel standard envisaged as the one only path to ascending the pinnacle of glory and which is now brought to you under a new episode titled “Ethics, Manners & Etiquette – Leaf – 2”.



Ethics is all about moral values, positive psyche, conscious assessment, dignified approach, broadened outlook and a host of other virtuous connotations, all comprehensively envisioned and effectively positioned with conviction and grace.  Dignity of every person grows with reason and realization, much the way he advances in age and wisdom.  The root element and the depth of dignity lies in age, reason and realization as also the manner in which a person conducts himself, the maturity he reveals within and the equilibrium he projects with utmost ease.  A well founded base possessing advantages like knowledge, virtue and good demeanour can stimulate a person to ascend to heights of fame, success and reputation with ease.


Ethics is a unique apparatus capable of monitoring human instinct, human senses and negativity in life. Human nature is prone to insinuation by way of circumstance, temptation, prod, nag, goad and similar antagonizing attempts to divert one’s goal, attention or focus. Be you of steady mind and never allow such negativity to gnaw in to key areas where you need to focus your thrust or where you have achieved partial or full success, for it is never easy to recover a lost ground.  However, valiant people will bypass all such temptations and forge ahead with determination and thrust.  Maintain your mental equilibrium and all adversity will fade away with the passing of time.

Ethics, Manners & Ettiquette”, if linked to practical life, the very chances of survival of law and the courts would appear bleak. Remember, in your pursuit of your goal of your choice, every aspect of life would be on your side including state, law and administration because you hold the flame of ‘honesty, simplicity and truth’ of the like of ‘silence, simplicity and steadfastness of resolve’, under your banner “Ethics, Manners & Etiquette”. 


And what is a law that has done precious little to make man conscious of his duties and responsibilities towards society? What after all is a judgment that needs years to arrive at a manipulated truth? Seeing the time lag between the first motion and the final judgment, it can safely be inferred that considerable manipulations have taken place with the passage of time vis-à-vis the incident, the place of occurrence and the circumstances of a crime. Moreover, a judgment too is passed based on deliberations by Counsels, where even the judge would never have steered out of his seat to arrive at a just judgement or to hasten a process of justice. In a nutshell, a ridiculous instance of delivering a wrong judgement!

Incidentally, man has become a mere spectator and at best a casualty under the vigilant eye of law and justice, allowing innocents or those without criminal bent of mind to become one or to languish in jails or at best silently bear the ignominious pain of death and devastation under fabricated laws and judgments.


Devil is aware that the only power on earth capable of resurrecting, restructuring or renovating and rebuilding the creation back to its original shape prior to the first sin, is God Himself who alone can dispense justice to humans.

Be focused for your destination is nigh. You cannot change your features, but the attitude you can, at nobody’s expense. With the universe galloping towards an unknown destination, with its original features disfigured having encountered a perilous journey through millions of years in succession, the only trust you can repose is in yourself, your attitude, your good demeanour to arrive safely at your projected destination. In order to counter the evil that you might come by at appropriate intervals there is only one solution to rely on, namely “Ethics, Manners & Etiquette”.


Your magic is in your own hands and if you have the courage to hold aloft the trinity flame of “Ethics, Manners & Etiquette”, then fame, success and reputation will be yours to reach out for. The magic has to be evolved by you and this can best be achieved through a process of everlasting consequence. Hence await the next episode of ‘Ethics, Manners & Etiquette”.

Sunday, 8 April 2012

For the Greater Glory of God!: Ethics, Manners & Etiquette - Leaf - 1

For the Greater Glory of God!: Ethics, Manners & Etiquette - Leaf - 1: A positive approach to life, enhanced respect, healthy formation and an eternal value are criteria that can make a perilous world lim...

Ethics, Manners & Etiquette - Leaf - 1



A positive approach to life, enhanced respect, healthy formation and an eternal value are criteria that can make a perilous world limp back to the Almighty, a penitent in atonement for the crude joke committed by man on life and its Creator.  Where did the world go wrong so much that man failed to act right? 


Life is a two-pronged testimony which carries an everlasting message of eternal consequence. A one-time acid test in the form of life could be a boon or a blow to man’s aspirations in this life and the life to be.

Human beings may view life in a trinity of ways namely, as a divine grace to have become the elite of God’s creation, as a means to cherish human life with all its happiness and last but not the least, as a bargain in return for a heavenly bliss in the life to be. 

Human beings are conceived, given birth, reared, educated, married and then settled in a lucrative career or business as the case may be. They lead cozy lives with families and acquaintances. However as they advance in age they retire to a calm and sedate life till death does them apart. Prior to leaving the world, they would have ensured their children of positions similar or a couple of levels up the ladder of fame and achievements. The process of survival continues in this fashion till posterity. 


Death is an inevitable end and all creation must submit to this finale. Death renders man wretched and at the mercy of the supreme and infinite fountainhead of eternity and divinity, where he would have no one to plead for on his behalf. All glory, fame and achievements relished by man during the course of life shrink to an ambiguous past. Man might have during his lifetime brushed past a life of comfort with scores of human beings attending to him at his beck and call.  However, in the court of divine majesty his voice and only strength would be his past life, over which he would have by such time lost access too.


Indeed, formation of life is vital for man because it acts as the decisive factor for the aftermath.  None of the vane aspirations which man encounters in this life can spruce up his skeleton that goes up the pyre, to make even a iota of sense in the eye of the creator.  All the vain successes that man aims to achieve will be reduced to nothing without proper formation of life in letter and in spirit. As a matter of fact, all of man’s formative years, right from childhood till old age, might have been grudgingly molded to achieve mean possession of wealth, marital bliss and material happiness.  Unfortunately, these do not count in the sight of the Almighty. Formation of life demands a high level of morale, dignified standards, altitude in attitude and an impeccable character. A ‘Leaf-1’ in this direction comes to you under a new supplement toEthics, Manners & Etiquette”. 


Creation of an endless universe with a blue planet oddly suspended from nowhere in the zenith, flanked by scores of heavenly bodies in the form of stars, planets, moons, satellites etc. made no impact on the young minds, when as students they were told that the earth is slightly slanting with its north pole inclined towards the south.  What did it matter if the earth had an axis imaginary enough for the scientists to claim a discovery?


Apparently, such hard to digest truths and cumbersome facts would not so much as even amuse a world of nonchalant young minds for whom frolicking and experimenting with individual aptitudes make better sense in a world of carefree adolescence. Moreover, it is a universally acknowledged fact that no amount of cajolery or enticement can kindle curiosity, arouse enthusiasm or light up the capricious minds of youngsters whose only passion, among others, would hinge on a sumptuous treat with dainties and delicacies to sweeten their tongues! 


But with a no holds barred nuclear world positioning itself threateningly to drag humanity in to extinction, what is a kindergarten stuff like ‘Ethics, Manners & Etiquette’ aiming to crack? Obviously the old nuts! That the much published and parleyed about spherical globe is falling flat on standards and principles!  This could pose a dilemma if not a cause for alarm, since the safety of the universe, humanity and life in general would reflect handsomely on one’s ability to handle people, society and the world with élan. Moreover, the pronounced manner in which the world is gradually discarding norms of decency and discipline goes to suggest that there is need to intensify efforts to sharpen one’s attitude within the framework of “Ethics, Manners & Etiquette”.  Incidentally, these golden traits which go to piece out a life of righteousness are either becoming defunct or extinct altogether.


Looking at the present scenario and the way things stand as of now, do we draw an inference to ascertain as to where the equations went wrong, how the permutations took a leap forward? What instigated a handful of misguided elements backed by stray nations to take the centre stage in getting the battle lines drawn, in an affront to all norms of propriety and decency? And what went through the minds of these diehard murderers of modern day world to resort to annihilation of innocent human beings despite stiff resistance from the rest of the world?    


The message is loud and clear that when it comes to life and death, the world is ominously divided. Sadly so because the long vigil observed by human beings for bringing about a lull in the wake of two successive world wars only met with frustrating and defiant backlash by religious fanatics in the form of ‘extremism’ under a newly invented call for ‘jihad’.  All attempts by man to buy peace and bring about a period of serenity and tranquility were nipped in the bud by a bunch of wayward elements in connivance with few stray nations who engineered the call to make religion an irrefutable hood, jihad a plank and martyrdom an excuse to wipe humanity off the globe.


In effect, the long drawn out era of turmoil by way of conquests and aggressions, years of uprisings, bloodshed, battles, wars and persecutions all of which badly mauled a delicately knit web of human achievements only provided an impetus to an altogether new radical obscurantism which pervaded a hitherto beleaguered world. There was therefore, nowhere an occasion for man to even subtly cherish a semblance of respite from an overwhelmingly shocking disillusionment by a cross section of the populace. These and a string of related developments widened the gap between nations and people, bringing in to focus the great chasm of a divide which could, in all likelihood, culminate in a showdown by the two opponents namely ‘the righteous nations’ on the one hand and the ‘extremists’ on the other.


The entire globe is in the grip of a menace which ought not, under any circumstance, be taken lightly. Man has the potential, the will and the divine backing to surmount all manmade problems.  Overcome he must and that too intelligently and gracefully!

Sounding the alarm is no viable a solution! The world must counter the existing trend. In order to achieve this, man needs to set a process in motion. There is no dearth of options with the Almighty, but man as the ultimate beneficiary of life, needs to, of his own, evolve a way out of the mess. A moment of contemplation would do even the devil a plethora of good.  Unfortunately the devil’s attempt to do good unto himself gets thwarted by the evil within him, hence his prod at man.

Should the world plunge headlong in to a conflict that can have serious repercussions for world and humanity to the extent of risking its very existence?  Or should the intelligent beings maneuver a diplomatic solution to bring the naïve elements around to a common standpoint through reason and logic?


The imaginary axis on which the security of the world and the human beings rests has a slant that never was upright enough to face the creator who authored the balance of creation. The crux of the problem is not feminism or sexuality, not profanity either and definitely not religion. For the moment the security edge veers round to a critical area of deficiency namely attitude. 

Man’s slant tends to be imaginary and attitude flexible when it comes to gaining an edge over others, for a gain or a profit.  In order to snatch a favour he would even crawl on all fours. But for claiming an undue favour he asserts his unknown self to project himself heads above others.  In such instances, he acknowledges no age, capability, intelligence or even worship and spirituality.  This tantamount to outdoing one’s ignorance or bargaining for what world cannot give. The present day world is thus facing a gigantic dilemma where the axis has suddenly disappeared for good.  It is here that the focus of the world has been concentrated to all of a sudden!


“Ethics, Manners & Etiquette” starts with “Silence, simplicity and steadfastness of resolve”. It must be borne in mind that Silence is Eternity – Creation is Time - and – Man with a soul the image. When all three merge in to one, they form the Eternal & Supreme Being God.

Life is an experience, a very precious one too. And this experience becomes a fountain of knowledge for human beings.  The knowledge so acquired becomes the essence of a person’s worth.  But once this life ebbs out of a person, he loses his worth and the knowledge with it.  If a person does desire to attach any importance or worth to his life, he must put his knowledge to right use within the span of his lifetime.  In order to do this or to achieve one’s worth man needs to adopt certain norms in his day to day life. If neglected, he would run the risk of endangering first his own self, the society and the world. Consequently, life might as well become a war of attrition and man a torn wreck, human or otherwise.


As time progressed, the universe too aged.  It traversed the length and breadth of millions of years to the delight of man and his descendants. Nevertheless, it maintained the balance set in motion by Almighty Himself.  Despite encountering enormous hurdles on its voyage to attaining a full-fledged, fully populated and scientifically advanced epoch in creative history, it traced for itself a path unto destiny designed through divine will.  So did man who inherited the grandiose of a universe, and endured in succession the pitfalls and frailties of human life. However, he failed to stick to his steadfastness for long. His faith dithered, attitude wavered and circumstances found him impatient even with his contemporaries. Although he stood the ground and proceeded on to rear up his descendants, generation after generation, he could not take the world along. He failed to maintain the tempo, per force having to take in his stride the intricacies of a vitiated and badly mauled up atmosphere, surroundings, human beings and a world maligned to fall apart in the thick of deceit, fraud, jealousy, arrogance and selfishness.  These and a host of other factors made his task of mastering the art of interaction with fellow beings, born and bred on the same planet, difficult. His attitude gradually turned sour, interaction crude and his overall reaction extremely poignant.  As a result, the level of spirituality too dipped to levels of unfathomable depths. On the face of it, the one criteria that emerged as a saving grace was man’s intent to survive. Survive, despite a string of odds to the contrary like volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires, asteroid hits, global warming and a long list of such compelling developments. These and such other catastrophes did not deter man from climbing the ladder of success in succession. The chain of successes, discoveries and inventions made him a force to reckon with. 

It may be recalled that for billions of years the universe lay enveloped in darkness till God the Eternal Spirit brought time and infinity to a standstill. The dark void then ceased to exist and the resplendence of divine glow submerged the dark universe. God then infused His own image and spirit in to the physique of Man.  He called him by name ‘Adam’.

The initial act of creation of man was followed by a sequel whereby God put Adam to sleep and out of the stillness of silent slumber, removed a rib from his side to shape woman, whom he gave to Adam as a companion. He called her ‘Eve’.

Through the centuries, the women category managed to rise to be the centre of attraction in a world of peevishness and boredom. By virtue of their gait, appearance and soft spoken ness, females managed to bolster their image as well as clout in a world of feminism which could otherwise have suffered an all time low with male populace monopolizing most disciplines in life. Women thus managed to command considerable respect both from among themselves as also from males. Would one attribute beauty alone as the key aspect which placed females distinctly apart from the males? No doubt such an argument might gain acceptance but more than the beauty what places them apart is their attitude. 


In a reckless world of hate and crime man needed to be reminded off and on, on the one only sublime lesson that God Himself wanted to teach the world namely ‘silence’ by means whereof He kept aloof from His creation for millions of years enabling man to abide by the gift of free will endowed by Almighty on his creation. Thus was coined the age old maxim namely “Speech is silver but silence is golden” by the learned men of ancient times.  Even though this masterpiece of knowledge settled down in the depth of men’s hearts, it was very seldom made use of by the not so perfect human beings.  So sublime was the lesson that human beings miss the fragrance of it only after they have had their say.  Yet, when life starts weighing down over daily chores how human beings wished that God had relieved them of their frailties.  But even in such a situation, howsoever worried they may be, whatsoever problems they may have in hand, the hapless humans take time off to look up and say “God help”.  Thereafter, there was a feeling of relief that they had placed their woes at the feet of the Almighty.  Then they took a deep breath and went on, quite relieved that whatever miseries they might come across would have to be faced in life, for there is no other way but to endure them till the end.  They least complained about the problems of their life to their neighbor, they did not smash their heads in despair because in the ‘silence’ of their hearts, they knew that there is a super human being up there to watch safe all.  This is the first lesson God himself wanted to teach us – ‘silence’.


Alas, the way man gave a twist to history is quite reminiscent of the golden age of creation and a carefree life in Paradise. How after many million years of human survival through several ages beginning Stone Age, Medieval Age right up to the present day age of computer and technology, how a cleavage of ideology within man’s core aspect of spirituality forced a section of the populace to thunder their wrath upon innocents sending thousands in to areas of irretrievable domain! How a narrow leaning by man to hammer down individual priorities forced an ambiguous thrust on hapless humans, thus bringing about an eerie culture of extremism! How come man failed to see eye to eye with his creator? Can man summon as much courage to witness the horrendous atrocities being heaped upon his own brethren in the name of the very creator who vouchsafes the entire universe? Humanity has passed through a long history of narrowing mentality which had the potential of destruction despite a chain of creative achievements in Science and Technology.  A peep in to history will suffice to make a judgment on man’s acts of naiveté inflicted on his own brethren!  Do we take a retrospective glance in to history to find out what transpired when?


The world leaders and heads of state went in to a huddle as bodies of scores of human beings both wounded and killed started flooding hospitals and mortuaries inside the US.  Agonizing pain, anger and defiance was writ large on the faces of people who stood straining their necks to avidly buy in to the news of the first ever mayhem wreaked by an orchestrated gang of terrorists.  The entire nation was outraged and the world aghast at the audacity of a handful of misguided youths playing havoc with lives of innocents, that too right at the heart of and in to an intellectually renowned edifice viz. the Twin Towers.  The gory incident set the tone for a show-down by the world against the perpetrators of crime; the world termed the move a ‘War on terror’. That was about the lingering image and aftermath of 9/11. 

The treacherous thrust and conspicuous brute force with which the extremists sought to demoralize the world through an attack on World Trade Centre only aggravated the resolve by the world  to root out the menace of extremism at all costs.  Consequently, the so called war on terror turned out to be a power game by both sides viz. the impulsive instinct discernible in the scores of thoroughly brainwashed youth lining up to face suicidal mission and the collective resolve by a determined world throwing their weight in to one whole in a bid to rid the world of extremism.


Where in the world is a whole universe heading for?  First man brought in democracy that gave people a right to air their views, hammer down their demands and stand up to higher-ups in a show of defiance tantamount to flouting all norms of discipline. Apparently, it amounted to peasants rising to be kings.  Gradually, such clamor for achieving people’s rights eventually got transformed in to a free for all tussle between haves and have not’s, weak and the powerful, people and the government, each unable to contain an urge to transform a demand for an otherwise assumed right in to a spate of devastation and mayhem. In short, mob playing the role of high heeled judges as though assuming the world to be at their beck and call. Close on the heels of democracy came Law & Judiciary followed by a honking media as if owning a license to blare out all that occurs or are uttered, at times even blowing incidents out of proportion.

The media apart, the focus has now shifted to the internet. An area free of all hazards which gives a free ride to people of all walks, to yell their unholy judgments in the manner they desired. As a matter of fact there is no dearth of sites on the net for those aching to yell hoarse any and all abusive comments the manner they desired, on any topic that suited them best. And the individual writers freely providing ample opportunity to these morally polluted muscle-wielding traders of utter nonsense to proclaim their views unleashed.


A free democracy has brought the inevitable upon a world of innocents.  Provocative comments rebutted with equally provocative remarks are traded freely on the assumption that the world was approving their judgments.

In the meantime, a process of reconciliation started ages ago between India and Pakistan has remained unresolved. Each side abusing the other and assuming that one has convinced the lapses of the other; as a result there has been no forward move to a peace process started long time ago.

In the meantime, extremism took the Indian sub-continent too by surprise and the confronting parties are unaware of what needs to be set right first, the border dispute or the extremist strikes.  Where the mob considered one particular section as their enemy, the fellow community confirms that they have nothing to do with the incidents being carried out by their fellowmen.


Then came about a 26/11.  Things got aggravated and instead of bringing to end a conflict of views and news, people just kept humming away their own side of frustration. In the melee, Ajmal Kasab, one of the extremist elements nabbed during the shootout in the 26/11 came to take the centre stage and all the ire is now directed against him.

Incidentally, there is no let up in the outrageous comments against one side or the other. To leash the mob fury on the net is nearest to impossible. Man needs to bear in mind that the world is running behind time. People have lost their morale and standard of ethics.  Man has lost control over man and life moves on with one group indulging in devastating acts while the other looks on in utter dismay.

Enough harm has been done to vitiate the atmosphere, the society, the nation and the world.  But there is more to follow.


It should be borne in mind that while the Law & Judiciary was fiddling with case files pertaining to 15 years or more, the 26/11 took place. So that meant another file added to the archives of human indulgence. Will man ever learn reason?

Mikhail Bakunin is forthright in his assertion when he averred that “to revolt is a natural tendency of life? Even a worm turns against the foot that crushes it. In general the vitality and relative dignity of an animal can be measured by the intensity of its instinct to revolt”. Do we see essence of reason in his statement?


Enough harm has been done in the name of chat and rights. It is time to bring the world around. The surest and safest way to achieve this is “Silence, simplicity and steadfastness of resolve”.

The immediate need for man is to come out of the reverie he is in, set aside his self complacency, and don a positive approach through ‘Silence, simplicity and steadfastness’. It is crucial to bear in mind that every word, deed or act would spontaneously invite a reaction from the other. Even a casual say once uttered to satisfy one’s impulse would meet with a response which could go either way, ignored or received in good part or with a retort that could wrong the ego of either of the individuals.  As such, it is vital that the world gave a serious thought to utterances lest the issue became a point to be regretted at a later stage.  It goes without saying that as long as the former is conceived in the right direction within the ambit of balanced perception and keeping general good and the well being of the universe in view, the reaction would not tilt the balance.  Otherwise it is disaster for the world, humanity and God.  Yes for God as well for then the gain of life changes hands. Therefore, it is crucial that we adopt a dual approach to seal any recurrence by first balancing our say, our action as also our reaction before passing on our mind or message at the court of another.


We discover scores of anomalies, in individuals, in the society we live in and our lives as well. Primary among them being, our temptation to overact or react to trifles, even if they never caused any injury. May be a slip of the tongue or an un-intentioned ‘bullshit’, a comment by way of humor, a frustrated retort or even an impatient frown. Unfortunately, we use different yardsticks for different people. We are low in “Ethics, Manners & Etiquette” and carry an extremely impatient ‘ego’ which might appear a stumbling block for those with whom we come in contact. We deliver homilies extolling lives of virtuous men, living or dead. But really, do our hopes, expectations, exhortations and the world of good we intend to project for others to follow carry the desired thrust? How we go about holding profiles copied to perfection but drawn from someone else’s imagination and holding certificates issued by men who might be worse off than ourselves in terms of righteousness with the sole intent to impress upon people who mattered! In retrospect, have we retreated in to our real selves to find out if we have undergone the required formation to place ourselves in a position to deliver? Can we rectify our tendencies, our advances or our utterances by adding a pint of sugar in to other’s lives, with a refined approach, calculated wording or an appealing smile? The sweeteners known as ‘smile’ could remove all ailments. If adopted, the world might take a leap forward!


Man makes light of even the weightiest of initiatives with least regard for the well-meaning intentions.  This amounts to outdoing one’s ignorance and bargaining for what the world or even God would not deign to give.  Man reacts hastily, sleeps over issues, procreates matters, and formulates replies to get back ready to trounce the opponent who least suspects these behind the screen maneuvers.  Then, armed with ready-made replies the former gets set to confront the opponent only to find the efforts go awry when cast. The reaction does not coincide with the well intentioned gestures of the latter. As a result provocation reverses by the latter. Both come under the grip of impulsiveness and the matter gets precipitated with a not-so-accurate an action that trounces the former to seal his fate. Both go down with none gaining an edge.

In a world diminishing in attitude and standards of morale, human beings have developed a penchant to physically possess, snatch or hold sway over tangible goods, benefits, territories and areas in abundance beyond human need and capacity to possess. This disposition has got man transformed in to a creature with instincts akin to Satan. As time progressed in to centuries, this instinct to possess took a sudden turn for the worse absorbing with it a farfetched stigma to annihilate human beings having no other course to prove their point. However, it only proved these killers and marauders to be losing a battle of conviction with no one, not even the ones professing their faith hastening to their rescue. It is proving the point that no man can claim victory by undoing God’s own creation through destroying life in entirety. Man’s instinct has thus become a farfetched dilemma to act supreme with intent to belittle human beings by outdoing ignorance. Man has thus become a hostage to man at the hands of satan.

Curiously though, with all the gruesome atrocities giving man sleepless nights, should one accept life as measuring up to a cheap hangover of fate to befall man when he least suspects or is it all a hallucination? A dig in to reality might provide the answer. Imagine for a while one such horrendous element getting trapped by way or an earthquake or similar disaster and ending up with a massive wall of earth shutting him out of any form of rescue by human beings and confined to a dungeon of death and destruction. If in such a state, Almighty Himself stole up to him and offered the saving grace of a choice to make, to either live a thousand years but in that very state and situation, or to die an instant death, what would his choice be, life or death?

Man submits to life on the plea of enjoying an uncertain life, a wee bit of comfort, a bagful of wealth, a company of relatives and friends accompanying him in life, which if snatched by fate, he would but opt for the pain which we name death.

Formation of life demands a certain degree of maturity, a realization of one’s aptitude and a conviction which should surpass the opponent’s thrust.  To this end one needs to own the right say at the appropriate time. Till then hold on to your ‘Silence, simplicity and Steadfastness of resolve’.

Why harp on the same theme namely ‘Silence’? Silence amounts to stretching a moment for reflection, contemplation or to regain the tempo.  Either way, it amounts to a pause or suspense! Silence may be at will, deliberate or forced upon but provides one with a chance to listen to another, to analyze the existing version or for a larger perspective for taking a peep in to how the world around us intends to react.


Silence has the capacity to deliver but not the age or experience. To succeed in areas of competition, one must cultivate a vibrant and emphatic attitude which can convey a strong and positive say across without thrusting one’s ego on another. It is here that the triplets namely ‘Ethics, Manners & Etiquette’ come in handy for transforming a down to earth human being in to a successful person.

A spirited silence can rout your opponents and drag them on to back foot.  It can reverse the thought process of critics, leaving them gasping for breath. Silence would leave the staunchest of hardliners in the lurch, with loss of composure and utterly confounded!  What need you further to launch your show of attitude under “Ethics, Manners & Etiquette?


Remember, a good listener attracts a keen friend, renders an atmosphere of congeniality and also assists in forming a circle of like minded people. However, in order to cherish an everlasting friendship one must have within him a sublime attitude, an unblemished morality and a sophisticated mode of ethics. Silence conforming to such a formula, where impulsiveness can be kept at bay, can supplement friendship. Friendship draws like minded people around.  Winning over a friend does not warrant an ability to influence others; rather friendship gives one an opportunity to broaden one’s outlook, enlarge one’s vision and provides with a soothing relaxation to mind.  But in order to achieve a celestial friendship, one ought to have the capacity to translate attitude in to words for which one needs to repose trust in ‘Silence, Simplicity and Steadfastness of resolve’. This segment of life deals with the oft forgotten and sidetracked topic viz. Ethics, Manners & Etiquette. ‘Ethics, Manners & Etiquette’ can garner friendship or enhance one’s reputation at public places.

Before tracing our footsteps towards ‘Friendship’ there is need to base ourselves on a firm footing namely ‘attitude’. Let us not forget that friendship accords us a plank, an opportunity to theme our lives on and a circle to rely upon.


In order to get acquainted with right people at the right place and in right numbers, it is necessary that you uphold a morale that should speak for your personality. Always project an image that should appeal to those around. When people are about, you need to ensure that you project a clean image in you.  At the same time ensure an image appealing to your colleagues especially your friends. But take care to seal this projection of yours within the minds of those around you, so as not to be construed as an ostentatious gesture. Rather, make it spontaneous by sharing the image with others. Impress upon people your unique image but keep within limits. And of course avoid bragging.  Let not your image allow harboring ill will or hatred for any one who may have not acted the way you would have expected.


Everyone cherishes a desire to ascend the ‘Pinnacle’. Why then dig holes in to your pockets when it comes to you superficially cheap? Tarry not! Be not an enigma but trace your answers to your dilemma in the next supplement of ‘Ethics, Manners & Etiquette’.

The writer is a Roman Catholic hailing from Kerala (a state known in India as ‘God’s own country’). His forefathers converted to Christianity after the arrival of St. Thomas, the Apostles of Jesus Christ, who set foot in Kerala in 53 A.D. That was nearly 250 years before Constantine was converted to Christianity and Christianity accepted worldwide as a Religion in 300 A.D.