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“Brief and powerless is man's life; on him and all his race the slow, sure doom falls pitiless and dark.”
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President Obama hails 'fundamental shift' on nuke security
President Barack Obama hailed a 'fundamental shift' in international efforts to fight nuclear terrorism as 35 countries pledged Tuesday to turn guidelines on nuclear security into national laws. All 53 countries that participated in the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague (Netherlands) agreed Tuesday to keep looking for ways to ensure that nuclear material doesn't fall into the hands of terrorists. Speaking to The Associated Press after the summit, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the number who signed up was beyond his expectations and he expects more nations to sign up in coming days. Since President Obama launched the summits in 2010, the number of countries that have enough material to build a nuclear weapon has fallen from 39 to 25.
West, Russia signal line drawn in Ukraine crisis
Russia and the West drew a tentative line under the Ukraine crisis on Tuesday after US President Barack Obama and his allies agreed to hold off on more damaging economic sanctions unless Moscow goes beyond the seizure of Crimea.
Russian, Ukrainian ministers meet for 1st time
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met for the first time Monday with his Ukrainian counterpart to discuss the crisis that has grown into one of the gravest security challenges to Europe since the end of the Cold War. Lavrov, who spoke to reporters after meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia in The Hague, where both attended an international security summit, said he outlined the steps that Moscow believes the new Ukrainian government has to make to defuse the crisis. The meeting was the first encounter between the two ministers since last month's ouster of Ukraine's pro-Russian president and Russia's annexation of Crimea. The meeting Monday was at the highest level since the new Ukrainian government took power a month ago.
Global stocks up on US consumer data; Russia rebounds
Stocks on Wall Street rose in volatile trade on Tuesday following robust US consumer confidence data, while Russian assets rose after major industrialized nations warned of additional sanctions without committing to a particular action. US consumer confidence rose more than expected in March, climbing to its highest level since January 2008. Investor spirits brightened after a meeting of Western leaders ended with little more than fist-shaking at Russia and news emerged that Moscow's and Kiev's foreign ministers had held an impromptu first meeting. Shares in Moscow rose, with the Micex Index gaining 2 per cent.
Video of the Day:
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| World Round-Up |
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Narendra Modi attacks Arvind Kejriwal with 'AK-49' barb
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New Delhi/Udhampur: Tearing into his political opponents, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a direct attack on Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal by referring to him as one among the three 'AKs' that are working to further Pakistan's interests.
Addressing a massive rally at Hiranagar in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, Modi said, “There are three people who are being praised in Pakistan - they are three AKs. The first one is AK-47 that is used to spill the blood of innocents, the second is Defence Minister of India, AK Antony, who had said that those who beheaded the Indian soldiers were terrorists in Pakistan Army uniforms and the third is AK-49. This AK-49 just gave birth to a new party and on his party's official website, the map shows Kashmir is given to Pakistan and one his most trusted aides has favoured plebiscite in Kashmir....Pakistan’s papers are full of praise for them. They are enemies of the country. They speak in favour of Pakistan.”
“We need to identify and know the real nature of these Aks,”he added.
While he did not directly name Kejriwal, the direct attack on the AAP leader suggests that Modi has finally decided to take him on.
Modi also chided Rahul Gandhi by referring to him as “shehzada”. “Congress leader 'shehzade' says that Congress is idea but I say they are wondering from where has this 'chai wallah' come...the country has been destroyed by your idea, the nation has had enough of you.”
The BJP stalwart once again sought 60 months for him in power and promised to changed the lives of people. “The path I am on needs 18 hours of hard work, the Congress can't come on this path,” he said while also hitting out at dynasty politics. The rally in Jammu and Kashmir was the first of the 185 'Bharat Vijay' rallies Modi will address across the country. Prior to the rally today, Modi reached the famed Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Trikuta hills, Katra, and sought blessings of the Goddess. He will also hold similar rallies in Bulandshahr and Nagina in Uttar Pradesh. The Gujarat Chief Minister will then attend a rally in New Delhi at 7.00 pm.
"Bharat Vijay rallies will be characterised by a unique mix of a standardised format adapted to suit localised requirements, including chargesheets on each state ruled by the opposition," senior party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
"They will be remarkably different from traditional rallies in terms of attracting masses and communicating with them," Naqvi added.
The BJP is employing novel campaign strategies to ensure maximum impact for the 'Bharat Vijay' rallies. Starting with personalised invitation letters to targeted dissemination of Modi's vision and message, the party has planned the exercise to the last detail.
Another novel idea is the introduction of "Namo Sujhav Patras" for people to give their suggestions on the way forward. The party will also carry out on-ground fund raising for "Modi For PM" Fund. While Modi would be leading from the front, the party will also be banking on president Rajnath Singh and other top leaders like LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Murli Manohar Joshi and the chief ministers to campaign aggressively across the country.
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Astrology
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Aries March 21 to April 19 You may feel restless now and perhaps eager to begin a new project or undertake a new challenge. Tension may develop as you attempt to balance responsibilities at home with the need for adventure of your own. With the moon in your sector of home and family today, you will have an appreciation for the security offered there, but Uranus will challenge the moon and will ask that you pay attention to your own creative self-expression as well.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
 You may receive an unexpected email or phone call from someone who needs to discuss an issue from your past. With an emphasis on your partnership sector, progress may be made in relationships that may need attention because of recent conflict. Open communication will be imperative, and with the moon in your communication sector in ultra-sensitive Cancer, you will easily find the right words to express yourself clearly.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
 Your creativity will be heightened today, but you will be unusually sensitive to harsh words and criticism of the ideas that you bring forth. You may encounter clashes at work with people who disagree with you. In discussions with colleagues, try to focus on remaining objective and carefully consider which ideas are most valuable to the project as a whole. Teamwork will be emphasized now, and group creativity can flourish in an open and supportive atmosphere.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
 Today you could face a challenge in balancing your need for personal recognition with your need to work with a group toward a greater cause. A well-placed moon in Cancer suggests that sudden insights may come easily to you, paving a way for the recognition and creative expression you desire. Allow your intuition to carry creative projects forward, but look out for obstacles that may arise from people who do not completely understand your vision.
Leo July 23 to Aug. 22
 You may start the day with energy and enthusiasm to direct toward a project, only to meet unexpected opposition from family or colleagues. Tension between the moon and Uranus suggests that opposition may come from people whose ideas are very different from your own, and distance will be needed in order to find a compromise. Try not to let seemingly irreconcilable differences discourage you; your natural leadership skills will help in ultimately reaching a solution.
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Hunt for Malaysian Flight 370 resumes in calmer seas
KUALA LUMPUR: As frustration was setting in, calmer seas returned on Wednesday and the search for the remains of Malaysian Flight 370 began anew in remote waters of the Indian Ocean off western Australia.
Gale-force winds that forced an all-day delay Tuesday died down, allowing a total of 12 planes and two ships from the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand to resume the hunt for any pieces of the Malaysia Airlines jet — tangible evidence for the families seeking closure after more than two weeks of anguished uncertainty.
A day earlier, angry relatives shouted "Liars!" in the streets of Beijing about Malaysia's declaration that the plane went down with all aboard.
Although officials sharply narrowed the search zone based on the last satellite signals received from the Boeing 777, it was still estimated at 1.6 million square kilometers (622,000 square miles), an area bigger than Texas and Oklahoma combined.
"We're not searching for a needle in a haystack — we're still trying to define where the haystack is,"Australia's deputy defense chief, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, told reporters Tuesday at a military base in the Australian west coast city of Perth as idle planes stood behind him.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which coordinates the search on Malaysia's behalf, said Wednesday's search will focus on 80,000 square kilometers (30,900 square miles) of ocean. The search area is about 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) southwest of Perth.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told Nine network television on Wednesday: "We're throwing everything we have at this search."
"This is about the most inaccessible spot imaginable. It's thousands of kilometers from anywhere, but nevertheless, we are the closest nation. We are a capable nation. We will do what we can to solve this riddle," he later told Seven Network television.
Malaysia announced Monday that an analysis of satellite data received after Flight 370 left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on March 8 indicated the plane had gone down in the Indian Ocean, killing all 239 people aboard.
The finding did not answer troubling questions about why the plane was so far off-course. China, home to 153 of the passengers, demanded that Malaysia turn over the satellite data used to determine the plane's fate.
The airline's chairman, Mohammed Nor Mohammed Yusof, said it may take time for further answers to become clear. "The investigation still underway may yet prove to be even longer and more complex than it has been since March 8th," he said.
The search for the wreckage and the plane's flight data and cockpit voice recorders could take years because the ocean can extend to up to 7,000 meters (23,000 feet) deep in some parts. It took two years to find the black box from an Air France jet that went down in the Atlantic Ocean on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris in 2009, and searchers knew within days where the crash site was.
There is a race against the clock to find Flight 370's black boxes, whose battery-powered "pinger" could stop sending signals within two weeks. The batteries are designed to last at least a month. David Ferreira, an oceanographer at the University of Reading in Britain, said little is known about the detailed topography of the seabed where the plane is believed to have crashed.
"We know much more about the surface of the moon than we do about the ocean floor in that part of the Indian Ocean," Ferreira said. Searching for a needle in a haystack would be simple by comparison, he said. "This haystack is in the dark, two or three miles underwater, hundreds of miles from land, and in a field no one has even seen before, let alone mapped," Ferreira added.
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Read the first sign of tooth decay
If your teeth are showing the first sign of decay, here's how you can remineralise them naturally
You can brush, you can floss, but you can't escape tooth decay — or that's what you have been told. The truth though is that your teeth aren't designed to rot. Before you helplessly let bacteria drill cavities into your pearly whites, you can restore their strength, density and sparkle by remineralising them.
Tooth matters
Remineralisation refers to your teeth's natural healing mechanism; a process in which minerals are restored to the tooth's molecular structure. It is essentially the reversing of demineralisation — the first stage of tooth decay where your teeth lose minerals and become 'sensitive'. So if your teeth have chalky white discolouration or brownish black pits, you may just be in time to remineralise them.
Studies have shown that people who didn't eat modern foods had flawless tooth structure and virtually no tooth decay. Noted anthropologist Earnest Hooton once said, "It is store food that has given us store teeth." While modern foods are to be blamed — refined flour, refined sugar, fast foods and colas — the problem is compounded when the enamel isn't strong to begin with.
In 1883, Dr W D Miller, a pioneer in modern dentistry, said that a strong, dense tooth would "indefinitely resist" an attack from acid; be it from bacteria or food. The difference between Dr Miller's 130-yearold theory and today's dentistry is summed up aptly in Ramiel Nagel's book Cure Tooth Decay. "Dr Miller knew that the tooth's density and structure are what protected it against tooth decay, whereas today, dentists are taught that it is the bacteria by themselves that cause tooth decay," Nagel points out.
Remineralise up
While conventional dentistry harps on what foods bacteria might be feeding off on, the solution lies in realising what food you might be feeding the bacteria. Dentist Dr Pooja Gunjikar says foods high in sugar and acidic content encourage plaque, setting off demineralisation. "For instance, eating chocolates makes your pH level drop, which causes formation of acids that erode the enamel of your teeth," she says.
Calcium and phosphorous are the most vital minerals for healthy teeth, followed by magnesium, copper, iron and manganese. "Calcium and phosphorous help form hydroxyapatite in the enamel, which replenishes the teeth's molecular structure," she says.
Foods that work
Calcium-rich foods like dairy products, leafy greens, tofu, broccoli, almonds and sardines help boost teeth health. For your phosphorous fix, eat pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds and cheese. But it's the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K that are critical in helping our bodies utilise minerals.
Phosphorous, calcium and hormones need vitamins A and D for our cells to produce osteocalcin — the protein responsible for deposition of calcium and phosphorous into our bones and teeth. For vitamin A, you can pick from sweet potato, carrot, watermelon, eggs, spinach, oatmeal and chicken liver, while sunlight, seafood, raw butter and eggs are excellent sources of vitamin D. The best twoin-one option for teeth health is cod liver oil.
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Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22  Daydreaming may be inevitable today and may divert your attention to memories and connections with the past. Rather than fighting to stay focused, give yourself a few minutes during your day to reflect. A break from your routine at home or at work can provide the space you will need to be alone with your thoughts. Once you can refocus, you will feel more relaxed and better equipped to tackle the mental tasks required of you today.
Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22 Challenges you have encountered lately surrounding your needs within a relationship may be intensified today, and now may be a time to determine if you can improve some aspects of your closest relationships. Consider the needs of your partner as well. Finding a balance between autonomy and security in a relationship will be important. Keep in mind that progress may be made now, as a spotlight will shine on any area within your relationship that may need improvement.
Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21 Today you may feel divided by your need for self-expression and the obligations that you feel coming from family or colleagues. You may feel tempted to break away from the established order of your life but could be drawn back by the appeal of security and stability that routine brings. A tension between Venus and Mars today suggests that solutions will come by looking for ways to find balance in your life.
Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
 Today you may feel a need to convince others to accept your beliefs, and controversy may arise. Even if heated debates are necessary to reach common ground, in the end, greater appreciation for all viewpoints will be a welcome result. A challenge between the moon and Uranus suggests that tensions can mount, and you may feel a particular need to defend your position. However, intense emotions will subside in coming days when Venus moves into Sagittarius.
Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
 You may feel under-appreciated today and could benefit from open conversation with a partner or friend to reinforce connections. The Cancer moon in your partnership sector suggests an extra need to feel security in your intimate relationship, but a challenge from Uranus may cause uneasiness until you make an effort to address the situation. The tendency may be to protect yourself emotionally, but make an effort to be as open as possible in communications.
Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18  You may have trouble with a boss or another authority figure today, and any confrontations that result could be intense. Interplay between Venus and Mars suggests basic differences of opinion, so think twice before speaking but also be careful to listen fully and understand the other person's ideas. Cooperation may seem elusive today but may be achieved with additional energy directed toward reaching compromises. Positive outcomes are possible if you show sensitivity to another person's viewpoints.
Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20  Your innate creativity may feel blocked today and if you work in a creative field, this might be especially frustrating. Distractions may come from unsettling memories that surface and draw your attention away from the task. Be patient and give yourself time to let creative ideas take hold. With an emphasis in your sector of philosophy and spirituality, your thoughts may expand naturally if you let ideas develop without pressuring yourself.
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Moral Story
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SMS
“Life is all memory except for the one present moment that goes by so quick you can hardly catch it going.”
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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
"Distance means so little when someone means so much."
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS
“Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.”
A husband visited a marriage counsellor and said, "When we were first married,
I would come home from the office, my wife would bring my
slippers and our cute little dog would run around barking. Now after ten years
it's all different, I come home, the dog brings the slippers and my
wife runs around barking."
"Why complain?" said the counsellor. "You're still getting the same service!"
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CBSE to shift history lessons outdoors
CHANDIGARH: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked its affiliated schools to take students on excursions to historical sites to make studying history more interesting.
A CBSE official said: "This has been done keeping in mind that the subject is normally not considered very interesting. History, if taught by taking students near historical monuments and sites, will become fascinating. This move will be of assistance to students and they will be able to study in an enhanced manner. It will also help students do well in projects."
Rakesh Sachdeva, principal, DAV Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 15, and CBSE exams counsellor, echoed similar sentiments: "Visual contact has a different impact on students. For example, if we talk about a monument mentioned in the history book and take them on a visit to the structure, it will be really interesting and easy to learn facts about it." She added, "Expenses do not matter if the kid is learning something out of it".
Students and parents too appreciated the board move.
Aditi Singh, a Class IX student of Hansraj Public School, said: "It's easier to see the places than cram textbooks. It is going to be a great experience to see the places and monuments. It would seem as if the pictures and words would come out and present themselves in the form of historical places."
Jitender Verma, whose child is admitted to a CBSE-affiliated school, said: "It's a good step by the CBSE. I won't mind paying money for the excursion. My child would learn something in a more interesting manner. And if the school plans trips in groups, the fun would be doubled."
Some feel that the subject could be made more interesting through video clips and plays. Amita Khurana, principal, Shishu Niketan School, Sector 22, said," Since the board has now asked schools to conduct these trips, the subject will get more interesting. But there are various other options as well like video clippings or movie. As we have smart schools here, we should take advantage of that".
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Dzeko downs United to give City derby spoils
MANCHESTER: Manchester City snuffed out Manchester United's recent revival and closed on Premier League leaders Chelsea as Edin Dzeko scored twice in a 3-0 win at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Schedule & Results | Points Table | Top Scorers
United had been encouraged by wins over Olympiakos and West Ham United, but Dzeko needed only 43 seconds to put City ahead in the 150th league derby between the teams and the hosts never threatened to respond.
Dzeko claimed his second goal early in the second half before Yaya Toure added a late third to leave Manuel Pellegrini's side three points behind leaders Chelsea, with two games in hand, ahead of Saturday's trip to Arsenal.
The Bosnia international's brace gave City a third consecutive victory at Old Trafford and prevented United from avenging their 4-1 humiliation at the Etihad Stadium in September.
Defeat left David Moyes's United 12 points adrift of the top four and to compound matters, while they slumped to a sixth home defeat of the campaign, next week's Champions League opponents Bayern Munich were beating Hertha Berlin to secure the Bundesliga title in record time.
Eager to avoid a repeat of United's recent 3-0 loss at home to Liverpool, Moyes stiffened his midfield by deploying Tom Cleverley alongside Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini, but the hosts were behind within a minute.
After Rafael da Silva had thrown himself into a block to deny David Silva, City worked the ball wide to Samir Nasri on the left and when his shot came back off the near post, Dzeko tapped in.
Momentarily United looked dazed, and their sloppiness on the edge of their own box only invited City to attack them.
Jones had to slide in to block from Silva after Carrick lost the ball, while United goalkeeper David de Gea produced a superb one-handed save to thwart Dzeko and atone for a loose kick of his own.
Gradually the hosts began to make inroads, but City goalkeeper Joe Hart was able to save comfortably from first Wayne Rooney and then Fellaini, while Juan Mata lashed over from a Rafael cut-back.
Fellaini, meanwhile, was fortunate to make it to half-time after being shown only a yellow card by referee Michael Oliver despite appearing to catch City right-back Pablo Zabaleta with a deliberately raised elbow.
Moyes introduced Shinji Kagawa in place of Cleverley at half-time, but it was City who took the upper hand.
United were given warnings -- Fernandinho heading over from an offside position, Jones producing a last-ditch tackle to deny Dzeko -- but they did not heed them and in the 56th minute it was 2-0.
Nasri shaped a corner towards the near post from the right-hand side and Dzeko left Rio Ferdinand in his wake to steer a right-foot volley into the top-right corner.
With victory secure, City's fans delved into their songbook, goading both Moyes and his predecessor, Alex Ferguson, as well as proclaiming their side "the pride of Manchester".
There were opportunities for United to reduce the arrears in the latter stages, but Hart saved twice from England colleague Danny Welbeck and then boxed a deflected free-kick by Mata over the bar.
It was left to Toure to apply the coup de grace, collecting a deflected cross from substitute James Milner in the 90th minute and drilling a low shot into the bottom-left corner to notch his 21st goal of the season.
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Youngistaan
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Youngistaan
Movie Name : Youngistaan
Release Date : March 28, 2014
Genre : Drama
Producer : Vashu Bhagnani
Director : Syed Ahmad Afzal
Music Director : Jeet Ganguly, Sneha Khanwalkar, Shiraz Uppal, Shree Isshq
Cast : Jackky Bhagnani, Neha Sharma, Farooq Sheikh, Boman Irani, Kayoze Irani, Meeta Vasisht.
Synopsis:
Youngistaan is an upcoming Bollywood film directed by Syed Ahmad Afzal releasing on 28 March 2014. It stars Jackky Bhagnani, Neha Sharma, Farooq Sheikh and Kayoze Irani in lead roles.
The film is a love story set against the backdrop of Indian politics. The first trailer of Youngistaan was unveiled at a suburban multiplex in Mumbai on 1 February 2014. Farooq Shaikh died on 27 December 2013, Youngistaan would be his last film he acted in.
The film is believed to be a remake of the 2010 Telugu film 'Leader' written and directed by Sekhar Kammula with debutant Rana Daggubati in lead.
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the names of all continents both start and end with the same letter.
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" INSPIRING STORY "
Importance of keeping one’s word
We all know that the pandavas left their kingdom for 13 long years for keeping up their word! Well, for Arjuna going away from the bhogas of a king, for the sake of truth, was not new. He did it once well before the aranyavaas. The story goes like this:
The kalyaanam of pandavas with Draupadi was an unusual one. However, it was perfectly according to dharma shastras. Infact Draupadi is one of the greatest pativratas and praised even by Lord Krishna for her Dharma vartana. A few reasons to justify the kalyaanam:
Kunti Devi, the mother of pandavas, who never knew what a lie was, gave her will.
Vyaasa Maharshi, one of the avataar of Lord Vishnu, ordered the kalyaanam to be done.
Lord Shiva, pleased with her tapas, gave a boon to Draupadi to marry the pandavas.
Pandavas, though were five physically, were all amshas of Indra, the King of the Gods. Hence, pandavas were actually one.
Naarada, again an avataar of Lord Vishnu, suggested some rules to be followed by pandavas and Draupadi for living together.
This is because, though they were amshas of Gods and Godesses, since they had a human form some addition rules according to dharma shastras needed to be followed.
One of the rules was that: Draupadi should spend one year with each of the pandavas and while she was with one of them, no other pandavas should visit the palace where they might be.
In case of any breach of their rule, one-year pilgrimage was prescribed by way of penance leaving the kingdom.
The pandavas and Draupadi were living happily until one day: a brahmana came running to Arjuna saying that the thieves had stolen his cows.
Arjuna wanted to rush with him to catch the thieves but he realised that his bow and arrows were kept in Yudhisthira's palace and he was there in the company of Draupadi.
He hesitated for a while, then seeing brahmana's plight he rushed in to Yudhisthira 's palace took his bow and arrows and ran to catch the thieves.
After he caught the thieves and punished them, after restoring the cows of the brahmana, Arjuna came back to Yudhisthira and told him about his transgression of the rule.
Yudhisthira, knowing the reason of the breach of their rule, said their is no need for Arjuna to take the pilgrimage.
Since it is a mistake committed towards him, and that too for a good reason, he will pardon arjuna .
However, Arjuna would never break his word. He immediately set out for a one-year pilgrimage. May be this is why Arjuna is such a favourite sakha of Lord Krishna.
Morals in the Story:
The story shows how important it is to keep up ones word, whether it is of any consequence or not, how much ever difficult it is.
Arjuna, knowing that he will be punished for breaching the rule, did not stop doing his duty as a king to protect his people and punish the theif. Thus, one must always perform his duty without any laziness or any kind of fear.
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“When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile. ”
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