This discourse centers around the innate tendency to judge ourselves and others' tendency to judge us. Ultimately people are not born good or bad- its their environment that influences their self-identity.
Written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
Episode art by: Priya Shrivastava
***This discourse has previously been published in: Shrivastava, Usha. Jeevan Jeena ek Kala. Gwalior. Shivswarnakshar Design (India) November 2007.
There is no limit in age for learning. Learning is a lifetime ordeal and can be done anywhere and from anyone. Fear of judgement is perhaps a person's only obstacle to reaching their learning potential.
Written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
Episode art by: Parul Khare
***This discourse has previously been published in: Shrivastava, Usha. Jeevan Jeena ek Kala. Gwalior. Shivswarnakshar Design (India) November 2007.
This children's story reminds us of how we all can find connection to nature even when we feel like we don't belong. Validation, although pleasant when shared between peers, can also be sought metaphorically with other seemingly inanimate species. Therefore, we are never truly alone in how we feel.
Written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
Episode art by: Parul Khare
***This story has previously been published in: Shrivastava, Usha. Shabda Vedana. Gwalior. Shivswarnakshar Design (India) November 2007.
Her friend grieves sudden and painful loss as Jyoti transitions from her childhood family life to married family life - poisoned by dowry - leaving behind everything that was common between them.
Written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
Episode art by Parul Khare. Inspired by visualization of Poorti Gupta.
***This story has previously been published in: Shrivastava, Usha. Shabda Vedana. Gwalior. Shivswarnakshar Design (India) November 2007.
Dreams are essential to manifest desires and purpose. This is a story of the journey of a stone affected by the rough waves of a body of water. It is a story of struggle that turns into hope for achieving something more substantial in life.
Written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
Episode art: Picture by Parag Khare
***This story has previously been published in: Shrivastava, Usha. Shabda Vedana. Gwalior. Shivswarnakshar Design (India) November 2007.
This is the story of Minnie and her friends who are mesmerized by the beautiful flowers in a garden. One fine day, Minnie gives her friends a surprise in her small fist. Listen to the story now and find out what it was!
Meant for: Young children under age 10
Story written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
English translation written and recited by: Priyamvada Shrivastava and Parul Khare
Episode art by: Parul Khare and Priyamvada Shrivastava
Published in:
Shrivastava, Usha. Beej Ban Gaye Phool. Gwalior. Shivswarnakshar Design (India) March 2008.
Shrivastava,Usha. "Beej Ban Gaye Phool" Balhans August, 1996
In this discourse the far reaches of the poison called laziness (i.e. indolence) are explored.
Meant for: Young children under age 15
Story written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
English translation and recitation by: Priyamvada Shrivastava and Parul Khare
Episode art:Created on Canva
Published in:
Shrivastava, Usha. Beej Ban Gaye Phool. Gwalior. Shivswarnakshar Design (India) March 2008.
This is a short story that expresses the tale of a young boy and his attachment towards the nature. This story also expresses how a simple act of kindness merged with dedication can bring a lot of happiness around ourselves.
Meant for: Young children under age 10
Story written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
English translation by: Priyamvada Shrivastava
English recitation by: Priyamvada Shrivastava
Episode art painted by: Anjali Kant
Published in:
Shrivastava, Usha. Beej Ban Gaye Phool. Gwalior. Shivswarnakshar Design (India) March 2008.
This is a short story which is based on the condition of most cities. The horrors a city faces in terms of its care and hygiene are presented by the personification of the city. The use of satire in this story, could also be seen in relation to political ceremonies.
Written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
English translation written by: Priyamvada Shrivastava & Parul Khare
English translation recited by: Priyamvada Shrivastava
Episode art: Anjali Kant
***This story has previously been published in:
Shrivastava, Usha. Shabda Vedana. Gwalior. Shivswarnakshar Design (India) November 2007.
"Ek thi Anu" is the story of a young kind-hearted girl Anu, who is full of life and is deeply connected to the nature and her dream of writing all life long. However,her dreams are crushed after her marriage and she finds herself in a dark and suffocated place. Sumi her best friend, finds herself looking into the past and relives her moments with Anu.
Written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
English translation written by: Priyamvada Shrivastava & Parul Khare
English translation recited by: Parul Khare
Episode art: Anjali Kant
***This story has previously been published in:
Shrivastava,Usha. "Ek Thi Anu" Meri Saheli. February, 1997
This is a story of three children – Meenu, Banti and Nenu – who play on a sand dune near a garden. There, following a violent storm, they learn about the circle of life and the connectedness of different beings in nature through dialogue with the petals of a rose.
Meant for: Young children under age 10
Story written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
English translation written and recited by: Priyamvada Shrivastava and Parul Khare
Episode art painted by: Anjali Kant
Published in:
Shrivastava, Usha. Beej Ban Gaye Phool. Gwalior. Shivswarnakshar Design (India) March 2008.
Shrivastava,Usha. "Ekta Ka Bandhan" Baccho Ka Desh August, 2001
In Afsos, an existential dilemma faced by a wooden flowerpot is explored. This story personifies the destructive effects of deforestation and ensuing emotions from the point of view of what used to be a thriving part of a tree.
Written and recited by: Usha Shrivastava
English translation written by: Priyamvada Shrivastava & Parul Khare
English translation recited by: Parul Khare
***This story has previously been published in:
Shrivastava, Usha. Shabdh Vedana. Gwalior. Shivswarnakshar Design (India) November 2007.
To relish in the beauty of one’s own feelings is the hallmark of personal happiness and satisfaction for some and for others a way to add colour to their mundane existence. I feel that by unlocking my experience, filling it up in my pen and etching it as words onto paper, I can manage to encourage people to reflect on their own existence. Words are so powerful that Tulsi Daas’s wife, Ratanawali, could use them to ultimately inspire her husband to write the Ram Charitra Maanas - the epic poetic biography of Rama. This epic is a grand example of how the glory of words is unmatchable. This podcast is an innocent attempt to liberate my own experiences and associated anubhooti in the heart of society and to be heard.
When I turn and look back on this journey called life, I am reminded of the soft knocks of pen on paper - some told, some untold stories. Today, as I try to untangle stories bound in dust-covered books through words engraved on their pages, I hear the characters in those stories call out to be liberated into this world. Through them, I wish to express myself. Obstacles will be ever-present, evolve and multiply as time goes by, but that shouldn’t stop me from fulfilling the promises I have made to those characters in my stories. Grace to my father's blessing and the wisdom, voice and desire for expression that God bestowed upon me, I was able to write. I will now reveal this experience to you.
