Shiva and Shankar are not the same

I had been thinking about this as to even if shiva and shankar are not the same why do we always take their name in the same breath. And why confuse shiva with shankar only.
Found this link to be very useful in answering some of these questions
http://www.shivbaba.org.pl/en/?name=basic-shiva-shankar
Posting the contents of the link here for easy reference..

Shiva and Shankar - basic knowledge
It has been depicted here that actually Shiva is separate and Shankar is separate. By mistake we combined both of them. But it is not a mistake, but our misunderstanding. Due to this, the Brahma Kumars and Brahma Kumaris are entangled in that misunderstanding. Which misunderstanding took place? When the Supreme Soul, an incorporeal Point of Light [jyoti-bindu] comes in this world, he will definitely make someone equal to him and teach him. When he teaches, then a student would certainly emerge, who inculcates [understands] the knowledge cent percent. So that incorporeal Point of Light Shiva gets revealed in the world through this form of Shankar, and both become equal [as Shiva-Shankar]. You see, no one says that Shiva and Brahma are the same. Why the name of Brahma is not joined with Shiva? Why the name of Vishnu is not joined with Shiva? Why the name of only Shankar is joined with Shiva? It is joined because Shankar is so deeply immersed in the remembrance of Shiva that he immerses Shiva in him. The stage of merger, i.e., Shiva and Shankar are one, becomes famous all over the world. Actually, both are different souls. The Supreme Soul Shiva never comes into the cycle of birth and death. That is why his memorial is known as "Shiv-Ling [phallus like idol]. It is not known as "Shankar-Ling. His festival is known as "Shiv-Ratri [Night of Shiva] and not "Shankar-Ratri [Night of Shankara]. God Father Shiva is beyond the sins [paap] and virtues [punya]; whereas the bodily human beings get entangled in the cycle of sins and virtues. Now you see, Shankar is seated in meditation. If he himself is a form of Supreme Soul [Parmatma] then whom is he meditating upon? If you visit the old temples you will observe a Shivling [Phallus like idol] kept in an important place in the centre and the idols of all other deities including Shankar are placed around the Shivling. What does it prove? Among the 33krores deities, the deity Shankar is the Dev-Dev-Mahadev [Greatest of all the deities], but he is not the Supreme Soul. He is also sitting in front of Him and praying Him. In front of whom is he sitting? He is sitting in front of Shivling. Therefore, Shiva is the point of light [jyotirbindu], the Supreme Soul and Shankar is the one who plays the role of a Hero of this World Drama stage.

Two Legged Affair

Saying it's been a looong time since i updated this blog would be to make a long thing short....but there are quite a few valid reasons why i cudnt get the time to put any of my thoughts....and no...it is not that i have been too busy with my work...actually i have been trying to bell that feline being(CAT) that has kept many a mortals guessing. Now that things are more or less clear about what i am going to do for the next 1 year of my life i thought of taking out some time and scribbling something.
I have been thinking this for quite sometime now. Have any of you noticed any difference in the way couples used to travel on their bikes ,say about a decade ago. While even now it is the guy who is running the bike, it is the damsels sitting at the back that i am talking about. When i used to go to school i used to see a lot of bhaiyas and didis on bikes with didis sitting at the back in salwar kameez with both their legs on one side of the bike. That has changed now to legs on either side of the bike even in salwar kameez. And this is the question that has me thinking that what is it that this change represents. Have the ladies become more equal to men than they were earlier. Is it a sign of them bcoming more bold and carefree. Does this mean that ladies now think less of what others might think or see as long as they are comfortable with it. Or does this mean that i do not have anything else to think about.
Think about it while i go and do some work as my last day in office is fast approaching. 20th April in case anyone wants to know.

My letter to Dad

Papa I need to talk to you for a few minutes. I want to keep two facts in front of you which you may or may not like.
1)I cant live for a moment without my family.
2)I cant live for a day without her.

I feel very embarrassed after saying this but I have no choice I had to say this. Had mom been there I would have said this to mom and she would have conveyed this to you in a much better way but now that she is no more the only person I can plead to is you. No parents , absolutely none would want there kids to be unhappy. You might have an impression that this whole affair is a trivial thing and can be forgotten just like that and I would live happily ever after. But I am afraid papa, it is not so. We have been together for more than 5 yrs dad and now are unable to think of anyone else as our life partners. Please forgive me for being so audacious but it is a fact.

Dad when mom was alive the only reason I wanted to pursue MBA was because my dream was to give her every pleasure in the world which money could buy as she had been through a lot of troubled times in her life. For things which money could not buy I tried my best to be a good son. After she left us, I lost my ambition to do an MBA. What was the use of it? What for? It was she who told me that I still have a family to take care of. I have a father who is shattered, couple of kids who need a mother’s love. I don’t know if you have ever noticed but I have tried to break all the barriers that could ever creep in because of me being so elder to them. I can never take mom’s place but I have tried to make sure the kids never feel they do not have anyone to plead to or share with or get angry at.
But where do I plead dad???
I have no one except you. Please don’t kill me by telling me to leave you or send me into a coma by saying not to marry her. Why do people marry dad?? Not only for starting their own happy family but also to keep the existing family happy. She loves the kids as much as I do and she will look after every need of theirs and care for them. I promise you she will be the best daughter in law you could ever imagine and keep this family together like fevicol.
Dad I am worthless child right now since I have the misfortune of having to choose between my family and my love. It is only you who can make me worthwhile by accepting me along with her. Please dad I beg of you!!!

N.B. My dad is against my relationship as the girl is a bengali and myself a UPite

My dads response:
You pig, your family is dead for you from today. You are no longer my son. You are barred from entering the house or having a morsel of food here. You get out from my house and find yourself a rented place.

Isse Bura-qa

The supposed ban on burqa has been generatin a lot of debate in our society for the past few days.Should it be banned because it supresses woman or should woman have a right to choose regarding what they want to wear.I dont think there is any need to make a judgement in any sort of a hurry.According to Sarkozy(and many others) the burqa is a symbol of suppression of the freedom women that has beeen carried out since ages and hence it does not have any place in the modern world.I agree.But the fact is that since it has been carried out for ages the burqa has now become a part of life of even those who are not oppressed. If you try to ban it will be viewed as an attack on their religion. Chances are, women do not don the burqa too will start wearing it to show solidarity with their sisters who do.
Yes, we do need to do away with this symbol of oppression but let the people do that,dont force it upon them. Start a campaign against burqa.Convince people that the viel in no way protects women from any kind of attacks.Look at all the oppression and attacks that have been taking place in the society of Pak-Afghan istan where most women have been putting on this viel for decades.Tell people that unknowingly they are continuing a symbol of oppression,that it is a curb on their freedom.This might take time but i am sure it will be more effective.

UPA 2nd Innings

The 2nd term of the UPA is going to be a much more challenging one much in contrast to the previous government which somehow completed its 5 year term without taking any strong political decision.Some would point out that the Nuclear Deal was a big step forward.Sure it was, but people forget that the Prime Minister had himself given up on the deal saying it was not the end of the world. The government started making noises about the deal only about 6-8 months before the next elections were due.I think it was a well thought out strategy.If the government survived and the deal went through it could rightfully claim credit for this huge step forward.If it did not, it could go to the people seeking sympathy since it had been toppled while trying to do something percieved to be good for the massess.So the credit of the nuclear deal does go to Manmohan Singh but i dont think he was very brave in putting "his government at stake" for the remainder 6 months time.
But this time things are different.Not only does the government have the increased weight of expectation due to the decisive mandate it has recieved,the situaion on the ground too is not rosy.Hardly a month into the term and Mr Singh has Lagarh,Air India and most importantly the looming threat of poor monsoon to deal with.How he tackles these problems will give us a good idea how this government will be functioning in the coming years.