Essay - Is Studying Grammar Better than Practicing Conversation

Studying Grammar is definitely better than practicing conversation. As all know that language is the most effective means of communication and the ability of people to talk is one of the skills that makes human way different from the rest of the animal world. Animals have simple language to communicate as in few of the noises they make. But on the other hand, human are known to speak many languages throughout the world.

Practicing conversation could be very easy, all one has to know words and speak or write them. But knowing words alone does not suffice . Each and every word has to be put in a definite order so that they make sense when spoken, and this is where grammar plays its role. Grammar teaches us to use words in proper punctuation and sequence which provides complete justice to the conversation we are having. 

People who plan to govern the language by practicing conversation without studying grammar fail miserably in their efforts to communicate with others. In turn during such conversations such people can be misunderstood more often. By doing so they make a complete fool of themselves with their lack of knowledge of Grammar. But on the other hand a person who has studied grammar and uses it effortlessly in his conversation can make an impression on to his listeners. Such person stands out in the crowd and gains success with his remarkable communication skills.

Tales of Tenali Raman - Tenali Raman and Goddess Kali's Blessing

Once upon a time in a small village called Tenali in the state Karnataka, there lived a young boy named Ramakrishna who was great devotee of Kalika Devi. Ramakrishna used to worship the goddess daily at the village temple.

So one afternoon when Ramakrishna was offering his prayers at the temple, a sage passed by. The sage saw a young boy praying the goddess and was impressed with his devotion. He came to the young lad and enquired whether he visited the temple daily. The young lad answered yes.

On listening his answer the sage asked Ramakrishna, " Do you young lad, worship her daily without fail ?" To this the lad answered, " Yes, I do worship her daily without fail."

So the sage out of curiosity questioned, " Ramakrishna, do you worship the goddess faithfully?". To this Ramakrishna smiled and answered, " Yes, absolutely as the goddess looks after me and cares for me." The sage who now was enjoying the conversation carried on, " Have you ever seen her?". To this the innocent Ramakrishna answered, " No, I haven't been that lucky yet, but I am very much eager to see her. You think I can see her someday?" To this the sage replied, " Yes, why not? If you are really one of her great devotees then she will definitely meet you. But then you do have to prove it to her, impress her. Let me help you, here I will give you one mantra, this you should pray to her whole night. She will definitely appear before you. But mind you, don't you get scared with her ferocious looks."

Ramakrishna smiled to this and said eagerly, " No, I would never be afraid of the goddess as I worship her everyday." Smiling and satisfied with the answer, the sage guided Ramakrishna with the mantra that he needed to chant with full concentration and after blessing him left. Ramakrishna followed the sage's instructions and sincerely chanted the mantra with full concentration. He was so engrossed with the chanting that he didn't even realize that the night had passed and the sun had rose. Ramakrishna was abruptly disturbed by a sweet voice that was calling out to him. As Ramakrishna opened his eyes he was awestruck to see Goddess Kali standing in front of him in her glorious yet ferocious avatar. The young lad continued to look at the goddess dumbstruck. Then suddenly he started laughing out loudly. This made the goddess angry and ask, " What's wrong Raman, are you not afraid? To this Raman replied, " No Mother Goddess! How can I be afraid of you. When I worship you". Goddess Kali was amused by the answer," So, tell me Raman, why are you laughing?"

To this Raman fearlessly answered, " O Mother Goddess, when I first saw you I was impressed with your glorious avatar, but the thing that made me laugh is that though you have thousand faces, how come you have just two hands?" Goddess Kali looked amused and confused, to this Raman explained, " O Goddess, all I am saying is, see I have one nose and two hands, so when I catch a cold it still gets difficult for me to manage my running nose with both hands. You on the other hand have countless noses. I seriously wonder how you wipe and manage them with just two hands. Listen, Mother Goddess please don't get angry with me and curse me for this; but I seriously want to know." 

Goddess Kali was impressed with the child's vivid imagination and genuine curiosity. His innocence made her laugh. She said, " Ramakishna, I simply love your modesty, quick wittedness and imagination. So from now on, You will be known as Tenali Raman and I am making you a 'VIKATAKAVI'. With my blessing you shall be famous throughout the world and would be known as a witty and wise man. Go to Vijayanagar kingdom and meet King Krishnadevaraya." And by saying so, she blessed the lad and disappeared.

Young Ramakrishna was indeed very happy. He decided to follow the Goddess's advice and go to Vijayanagar Kingdom. Thus the young Tenali Raman started his long journey which finally changed his destiny.

Jataka Tales - The Story of the Clever Vaidya

Once upon a time, in a village named Chandrapur lived a hard working farmer named Mohan. Mohan was a young and kind person. He took care of his farm and the pair of bulls he had bought just the previous day from the cattle fair. He promised himself that he would feed them well only with fresh grass, bathe them and then take them to work on field. This would be his regular routine, A content man, Mohan would never miss his routine.

Next day, after finishing his work for the first half of the day, Mohan sat down under the tree for lunch. He and his bulls had worked hard for five hours and they needed a break. Content with his work he dozed off for a couple of hours unaware of the fact that he was been watched. A thief had been keeping an eye on Mohan since morning. He had been looking for an opportunity to get his hands on the bulls. The bulls would make him rich for a while, as selling them would fetch him a good price.

Seizing the opportunity, the thief tiptoed towards the bulls and led them away. But he hadn't got a bit far, when suddenly Mohan woke up. Shocked by what he saw, Mohan demanded angrily, "What do you think you are doing?"

The thief snapped back, "Who do you think you are to ask me this? These are my bulls and I can take them wherever I wish." Mohan was outraged by his answer but he was a smart man and couldn't be tricked easily. He held the thief's wrist and wouldn't let him go. 

The quarrel between them caught attention of farmers from the nearby fields. They all gathered around the two wondering what was going on. Since Mohan claimed that he had bought the bulls just the previous day and they had not seen him with them, the farmers couldn't take his side. This made Mohan unhappy. He wondered how this problem would resolve.

Finally one of the farmer suggested, "Let's take these bulls to our Vaidya. He is a wise man and can easily solve this problem." Agreeing with the suggestion made, the bulls were led to the local Vaidya. The Vaidya listened patiently to both the sides and then became quiet. Within minutes he knew what he had to do.

The Vaidya first turned to the thief and asked, "What did you feed the bulls?" Without any delay the thief replied, "Sir, I fed them boiled rice and two pumpkins!" Then the Vaidya asked the farmer, "And what about you?" The farmer said, "Vaidyaji, I fed them fresh grass!"

The Vaidya then went inside his house and came back with some liquid that he gave the bulls. Immediately the bulls threw up and wonder what came out - half digested grass! The Vaidya smiled and remarked, "So, now you know who the rightful owner is!" The farmer sighed in relief, took his bulls and went back home.

How Scorpions Can Survive Without Eating

Scorpions can face adverse situations and at times survive for months without food. Scorpions eat insects as food. When such situation occur, scorpions slow down their metabolism to one-third of its normal scale. With this routine they are able to use very little oxygen and can survive on just one insect a year.

This doesn't mean the scorpion can't spring up quickly enough in action on sight of it's food given hos low metabolism. Well no!! that's not the case. It still can hunt with the same zing as in normal circumstances. 

How to Fight Depression Naturally

Most of us suffer from depression at some point in our lives. The feeling of trapped in my head can be due to depression. It could be mild to moderated depression, a result of stresses in life or even some incidents that can affect us beyond limit. Depression is a serious problem and shouldn't be ignored. It is said that pill-popping and prescriptions to anti-depressants have risen over the last decade, But mind you, this pill popping doesn't actually work for everyone. And for the rest of those who are benefited with anti-depressants, experience various side-effects such as anxiety, insomnia and restlessness among others. Always remember anti-depressants only take care of the symptoms and not the cause of the problems. Hence it is advisable to look for natural alternatives which would help you overcome depression and dark thoughts that usually flood your mind and also prevent the development of mental disorders. Let's learn how to fight depression naturally.

Working Out

It is commonly known that exercise can improve your mood and make you feel better. Exercising releases endorphins which is actually a make-you-feel-good chemical. Regular exercising offers a feeling of achievement which can boost self esteem. Exercise in any form; be it hitting a gym, yoga, dancing, jogging, weight lifting etc would be good. Practice of yoga is highly recommended to fight depression as the breathing techniques can help calm mind and help one feel better.

Being Outdoors Help

Being outdoors definitely helps to fight depression naturally. Research has suggested that one feels better being outdoors rather than indoors during depression. People suffering from depression usually try being indoors ending up being a couch potato. Taking a walk, exercising outside, going for a jog, gardening are some of the activities that can immensely help to combat depression. A stroll in the park amidst beautiful greenery is just the thing that works wonders for the disturbed state of mind.

A Good Balanced Diet

People suffering from depression go frenzy with food. Either they eat less or they just gorge. But when they gorge they prefer foods ladden with fats and salts. Foods such as chips, crisps, icecreams, chocolates, aerated sugary drinks become part of their diet. This further worsens the problem. Just eating some fresh fruits or vegetables can actually uplift our mood. Try including fruits, dry fruits, whole grains, cheese, eggs, fish (omega-3 rich fishes such as mackerel) etc in your daily diet. This will help in mood boosting.

Brighten your Mood

Do anything that brightens and improves your mood. Get a massage, it helps reliving the tension and improves mood. A deep body massage helps relax your muscles and releases tension. This indeed brightens your mood. Listening to songs that make you happy also brightens the mood. Spending a day shopping with friends cheers you up. Having lunch with people you enjoy spending time with can indeed brighten your mood. Starting a day with a smile can brighten your mood.

Nothing is as good as Music

Music is known to benefit our souls at emotional levels. Music heals thy soul! Music helps brain to relax and helps beat insomnia caused due to depression. To beat depression a little deviation is necessary. What better than music! Learn a musical instrument or attend musical workshop or give a shot at singing. Singing your heart out can remove the depressed feelings stuck inside your soul. Attending musical workshops will remove you from isolation and help you fight depression.

Take up Reading

Books are man's best friend and friends is what you need to combat depression. One just has to discover the healing power of books! Reading books of great authors actually inspire you and help you to cope up with life and its suffering. We relate to literature someway or the other by relating to personalities or characters of a book who delve in same situations as we do. When we read how this character fights all the barriers and fends for himself, we are motivated to come out of our difficult situation.

Adopt or Foster a Pet

They love you without a single selfish bone in their body. No expectations and loads of love in return! That's what love of a pet is all about, especially dogs. Nobody knows how actually it happens, but yes it does. Adopting or fostering pets can help you fight depression naturally. You may just forget about the anti-depressants! Loving a pet and getting loads of love in return can be a effective drug-free therapy where a person suffering from depression will engage himself in a joyful session with the adorable pets. Joining groups that care for animals, volunteering in fostering activities for abandoned pets  or animal shelters can take all the heaviness from your mind and make you happy beyond boundaries.

Talk about it

The best way to fight depression is by talking about it. What one needs during such time is a good listener. Talking about our problems and discussing them makes us feel as if some weight has been lifted from our shoulders. Then we start to relax. So talk to somebody whose company you prefer. Call you best buddy who would feel your pain. If you don't wish to talk to anybody in particular then write about it or else blog about it. Pour your heart out in some way or the other.

Thus take a step forward towards fighting depression naturally and everything else will fall into it's place perfectly.

How to Avoid your Child's Disobedience

Disobeying is in our blood, wouldn't you agree to that! We ask ourselves, have we been the obedient kind? Our kids somewhere in their part of growing up get this trait from us. It's not something we ask them to learn from us. Our children pick and learn from daily observation - observing us! So this is how some children accidentally learn disobeying from their parents. It is also a behavioral trait that a child can develop in it's adolescent stage due to mental repression of their feelings.

How to deal with a disobedient child

- First we ask ourselves! Would it be right to spank or verbally abuse a child for disobeying? Is anger the right weapon to handle your child's tantrum. Is yelling back or punishing a child the right approach to reinforce obedience. Should we be taking a child's disobedience  personally and act accordingly. No!! certainly not.

- It takes a lot of patience on the part of parent to act as a responsible parent. First all we need to do is deal with this situation with patience and calm.

- Finding the actual reason behind child's disobedience could be the first step that you take to tackle it. Why is your child behaving so can help you answer a lot of questions and also help find solution.

- If the disobedience of your child comes from his curiosity then all it needs is good reasoning and patience to deal with the situation. Help them by providing solutions and answers to their curiosity.

- If a child is confused then clearing their confusion helps. Talk to them! Let them know the rights and wrongs.

- Tantrums can be the worst behavior trait a parent would wish to handle. A moody child needs to handle with loads of patience and calm. Try to divert their attention to change thier moods. Be calm and reasoning while doing so.

- Provide attention to your child. In order to avoid your child's disobedience spend some quality time with them so they don't go seeking your attention by being disobedient. Make it rule - in spite of your busy schedule, you will spend few hours of your day or maybe weekends with your children. Let your children know how much you love them.

- Don't encourage a child's disobedience during primary stages. Don't give into their unnecessary and unworthy demands every now and then. Teach them discipline.

- Don't punish your children every now and then. Be firm on decision you make if you think they are right for them. Certain instructions or rules should not be changed even for once. Any threat which you don't intend to follow shouldn't be made.

- Set an example. If you wish your child to follow rules, see that you too follow the same. For example, If you ask a child to eat vegetables but he doesn't see you eating them. Or you ask your child not to watch television while eating food but you watch. How do you expect a child to obey in such cases.

- At times a child disobeys because he feels his behavior is right. In such cases providing a little legroom or space helps. For instance a child would learn to obey if he experiences certain things, other then following your instruction out and out. 

Why do Children Disobey

It hurts as parents, that our children disobey! We always wanted to inculcate good habits and practices in our children and all the outcome that we get for our efforts is disobedience from them. This is definitely not what we expected! So why should this even happen, and that too to us. Where we went wrong! Imagine the anger and frustration that built up within us at their disobedience or the embarrassment they cause to us in front of others. A child may tend to obey but this can happen only after a parent is is on the verge of exploding after repeating their commands over and over.

Should we really worry about our child's disobedience

Disobedience is said to be a natural tendency for children at an adolescent stage. But if a parent ignores a child's disobedience at this levels then maybe you are making a clear statement to your child that it is okay to disobey. Consistent disobedient behavior cannot be encouraged by parents.We need to get to the bottom of the problem for why a child is behaving so.

Causes of child's disobedience

- Children usually wish to do things their parents don't want them to do. This could be about anything viz.choices about food, clothing, studies or following certain rules such as following hygiene, going to bed early, watching television while eating, behaving well in front of guests etc.

- Disobedience usually happens on certain domains where it feels good to disobey. Children also disobey when they are curious about certain reasons. They wish to know why they should do what they are told  to do.

- What feels like disobedience to parents can actually be a right behavior for the child. They themselves too feel right about their behavior and hence disobey their parents.

- Confusion over certain matters can also lead a child to disobey. Often a child doesn't have an idea of how to react or behave on a particular set of rules laid to them by their parents which leads to disobedience.

- A child tends to grow up with his own personal identity or we could put it as he gets his own understanding about his personal identity.  A child grows with his own perception and wisdom. This leads a child to choose or decide things for example, say clothing or particular activity like growing hair, gelling or styling hair etc, that he assumes is good for him or looks good on him. When a parent objects to such behavior, a child could disobey.

- Mood tantrums of children are not new to parents. A child can be moody at times and this definitely affects his behavior. At times when a child can be found cheerful and in matter of minutes turn cranky and stubborn. This stubbornness can lead to disobedience.

- Children are attention seekers, They want and expect their parents to pay attention to them or to spend time with them. In today's world it gets difficult for parents to provide quality time to their kids. Lack of attention can lead to disobedience in children.

- Family feuds and constant arguments between parents can disturb a child mentally. A child being unaware of reasons for why his parents argue; gets confused and this confusion can constantly worry him. If the child is left alone with such worries and none attention is paid to him by parents, then the mental disturbance caused by such reasons can lead to disobedience.