The only way to express love
The surprise kiss can none surpass
And then I learnt that she was mute
It was that bad she wanted me
We have met not just now but a lot before
And meet again birth after death, to profess love for each other
The playful girl, she jumped on back
A child so heavy, I strained my back
I still reached home and told my wife
To give her candies for sharing mirth
No addiction can win by indulgence. There has to be a discipline to keep away. And then when gradually given the choice, one will be happier not to indulge.
In the battle against addiction, one must first accept the power of the object, the addictive power of Maya.
Admit that surely the object is a source of much pleasure. But also that one seeks higher happiness. The satisfaction felt in not indulging in that object, the source of addiction.
And it truly needn't be a victory in one birth. The vasanas could reside dormant. But the effort is worth it, even if temporary. The satisfaction during the period when one keeps away from the addictive object, one needs to keep contemplating upon and relishing. That happiness only if imbibed will the mind ever let the vasanas be completely destroyed.
Realise that you are no smaller than the Rishis, nor greater than those steeped in addiction.
You were once the one drowning in addiction, and you will once be the Rishi who has destroyed all vasanas for the object.
Let onward be your journey!
In Vedanta we have the example of the 10 friends who upon crossing a river try to check if all have crossed safely. The person counting forgets to count himself and they all end up ruing the loss of one friend in the waters.
The example is used to show how the Self can never really be experienced or understood as an object. For it's the very subject trying to look for the answer.
Note here that the friends lost someone, they know so. They don't know who but still mourn it.
But different is the experience when there are 2 and 1 is lost. For the loss is numbing than expressive. You express when there are others watching and you sub-consciously look for consolation.
But if there were only two and one is lost forever, there is no one else to express this to. It doesn't matter. Such loss is deeper. You go quiet.
Such vacuum either leads to freedom by realisation of the true self that knows no attachment. Or into a black hole that knows not how to handle this and takes the mind into depression.
Have we ever thought
From where did spring all these countries
These borders and the wars for them
We belong to nature and she didn't create these
Why can't we just share and get along
Will these fights exist if are from one nation
If our country and citizenship is One?
All these man conceived concepts of nationality
Would that bluff not be called out
We die and kill and hate and live
With this thing called patriotism we create
Let's love us all, let's not exploit
Let's help one another, no rich nor poor
When you admire the Acharya of Sringeri
Or the martial artists defying gravity
Know these all to be tendencies
From births gone by, your own history
We are dragged back here by desire
Lost chances for the release we aspired
Each birth a blink in eye of eternity
Yet unending our vanity, the ego of importance
Pursue the Sadhana Chatushtaya
Watch through the wrong desires rising
Spread the word of Vedanta
Let life be service selfless
Not like a river, enbanked and diverted
Not like the dams that channel a waterfall
Not like fire left burning in furnaces
Let the devotion in heart be like a free breeze
Be it rotating the windmill or chasing the clouds
Be it climbing mountains or caressing leaves
Be it evaporating water, or even fanning a fire
Let devotion be sincere, to the one attended
The wind does settle, on nights heavy and humid
It does at times, not even dry a farmers cries
It does need rest, and time for itself too
Let devotion be not judged, and free from all deceit
.. One only has to see the lives of Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson and other such celebrities who had it all, and from the practical standpoint, simply blue it. But this is also an over simplifying the phenomenon itself.
There was also the case of a super rich person simply committing suicide because he had done it all - everything there was that could offer pleasure - and got bored by them, and hence only had suicide left to give some thrill!
People who could rather have done so much more with their lives...
"Freedom" is not more precious than the value of human life.
Inculcating the 4 Purusharthas (In order of priority: Duty/Charity, Wealth/Means, Pleasure/Happiness, Moksha/Spirituality) is needed very much needed in every human life, than letting life sway away like a wayward dry leaf.
So that one always has a reference or a guiding light to the order of priority and sense of purpose in each life.
Each child be taught that freedom pursued within these broad parameters is a sure guide to a fulfilling life!
All through Advaita and Advaitins keep harping that we are Brahman, and so is all around.
There are Advaitins who go to great lengths with this view to even explain (rather deny) the Vyavaharika and Sukshma. For example, when asked about reincarnation they say there is no life, then what to say about reincarnation. Likewise when asked about expressing anger, they say it's only in mind and not in Brahman. This doesn't help the common man and instead confuses and drives them away from Advaita as something very abstract and not helpful for practical life.
Of course the true masters of Advaita as Adi Shankaracharya, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda and even Swami Sarvapriyananda and others understand this, and hence always recommend that we start with Bhakti. This is the simplest means for the masses. Then to pair it with Raja Yoga (meditation, Pranayama, asanas). And then to grow into Karma yoga. And only later into Jnana yoga / Advaita.
Vedanta itself says that the world is considered Mithya not because it's false but appears as something else.
Likewise all of us are Jiva right now, a combination of pure Brahman with impure Sukshma that carries vasanas across births and bound by causality, space and time.
Knowing this, we all need to adhere to Sadhanas, respect and follow all the Yogas, for now only "knowing" that the truth that Brahman only Is. But something that we have to yet "realise" at some point in time (yes within the confines of Maya before being freed from it)!
The world is said to be disrupting, and once more due to technology.
There was a time when computers made the jobs of data entry and space/process for manual archival redundant.
But this in turn reduced the costs associated with running a business and led to many not opening up; in turn this led to more number of jobs being created.
There have been social impacts due to this: society became more consumption-driven. Less cooking is happening at home and refrigerators, microwave ovens, washing machines have become a staple at homes. This meant the cost of living went up and both husband and wife had to work. This in turn is leading to filial tensions and less care and attention involved in the upbringing of the next generation. This is the state of things as it stands now.
Now they said AI will take away some more jobs. First the white collar rudimentary ones like on-call customer service that has already started. Then the complex blue collar ones that machines already hadn't like that of house maids.
While this has to lead to opening of new sectors, this is not necessarily a wave that will lead to the opening of newer sectors.
The bulk of any population is the middle class. When their jobs are at stake there will be a lot of heartburn. The previous data entry disruption or the e-commerce boom did not really touch the bulk of blue collared. That had been done and consolidated by the industrial revolution a century ago.
There is the other risk of machine learning being a continuous process and gulping more jobs than one can fathom.
It behoves nations to have the vision and enforce strict population planning. And to give visible benefits thereof by providing free high quality education to be skilled enough to ride the wave of controlling machines than being controlled/replaced by them!
Where we spent lifetimes past
Memories buried in sweetest dust
Where the lucky few and grown this big
Are you too willing, to bade it bye
A village is a community, a self sufficing one
Where give and take, they did of all
Not a place like a building
Where we meet only, when needs it be
Village is where, our culture has grown
Language, feasts, the festivities too
What we wear and how we behave
It was all, thanks to Village
Now it seems, time for byes
Time to let go, a centuries old structure
It's time to move, into your cages
One above the other, the sleep depraven
In this world, that has never seen peace
Where somewhere or else there is war
Where people are instigated by their very minds
There is no hope, for a spiritual growth
There is mob hysteria, out of control
There is the revenge, called an honour that too
Are we all not brethren, do we all not make mistakes
I may be just mere words
There are ones facing deep hurt
Can they for once submit
To a higher will that we all learn..
Forever content, the five great lakes
That quench the thirst, of a nation hardworking
With people that both, work and play hard
With people that once, cared for family and God
The nation built, as close to nature
With equal opportunities, and outcomes earned
Today it bleeds, on violence and lust
Ain't not the roots, on which it thrived
And someday the lakes, will have questions to ask
Of what they served, are those men past
Is it a shadow, of the glory that was
That nation beloved, built on sweat to last
I just came to say goodbye
Couldn't touch you and just leave you by
A melting of emotions is an embrace worth
I think not it wasn't worth the regret
A sweet remembrance of beautiful days gone by
Can be desserts for a lifetime of swinging desires that fly
Usher in, the big blue sky
The wind and sun, let them in bright
Your Matchbox homes are not for living
They are best, only for sleeping
Let your feet, kick up dust
Let your legs, wade in waters
Learn to climb, the mountains strong
Let your arms, do help to all
Without this nature and sky, you are nothing
You were created, as their own children
I met this middle aged woman in Mumbai airport. Professionally dressed in white shirt and trousers, she was headed to Ahmedabad.
Her incomplete American accent gave away that she was raised in Bharat. But what impressed me was her spirit of Entrepreneurship!
Although having a home in North Carolina, Bela now spent most of her time in Bharat. She headed a school in Ahmedabad and was keeping busy with it. Unfortunately, I couldn't gather much further information about the school itself. But it was interesting to note that she was actually lending a helping hand to her son who was actually running the school.
Typically women in India of her age would sit by the cot killing time in gossip. Though a significant lot help with home or get involved in spirituality, religious activities, most don't get the needed opportunity/encouragement/support and will power to get involved in social and volunteer services.
Bela not only understood the opportunity she was getting and chose to get involved than live off her son's efforts.
Truly laudable!
It's not that needed, the flight to worth
By proving I am better than thou
We all live for just few years
After which who cares who won
I am of Bliss, and so are you
And we talk even if not in words
Then why the anxious need to fight
Let's work out something that holds for now
Until there are, better times..
There are a lot of documented experiences on those who go through near-death experience on how they seem to have "eyes and ears everywhere". Are able to communicate with the creator. And how Sri Sri Ravishankar explains that this is a 2-3 day phenomenon. After which the body mostly chooses to move "forward" to the heavenly realm away from this world and experiences, than stay on.
The most important lesson for the loved ones left behind is to apart from mourning the loss, also encourage the departed soul to move on, not worry about us, and to express gratitude for all that they gave us during this life. This can be in silence, in thoughts, for the departed are not restricted to feel and know anything during this time.
My interest now is to share my point of view on how, from the Advaitic standpoint of Chaitanyam, does this work:
We know that when the Sthoola Shareera (body) dies, the Sukshma Shareera (prana/life force, mind) moves out, rests and comes back to take up another body unless it has realised its oneness with Brahman. Its next birth in this world will be determined by its karmas stored as vasanas (impressions) in the mind.
If it has realised its oneness with Brahman, then there are no impressions left due to its utter conviction about the nature of life, and so the Sukshma dissolves into Brahman, never to return unless divinely ordained, as the Avataras come back. (What isn't clear to me still is that for me, a Jivamukta state is necessary to reach this. If Videhamukta, it means the Sukshma Shareera after losing the body only realises Brahman, but that's too late in my view and would have impressions before body's death).
This Sukshma, which includes the Prana, and pervaded by Chaitanyam, is the reason why there is life throbbing. Without the Chaitanyam, Life would exist without "Awareness" of its existence. And this role of Chaitanyam convinces me that the tiniest insect, the plants, they all are aware. Of their existence and of those around. And that the only reason humans raced ahead is the added gift/tool of "mind".
And this Chaitanyam that pervades all is also the reason why Sukshma uses its awareness to see and hear those around. To take stock of its new status (as without a body) and settle to that fact. And then Sukshma leaves for an abode which I don't understand much. Apparently also a place where one meets ancestors (pithru), Gods, and then plans for its next birth into a body, to rid itself of its impressions.
The pursuit as always being to dissolve into Brahman..
I do not get it, how you think
This body is you, and you will die
I know the pain and pleasure, you do feel
But so do you, for your family too
If anything at all, you can mistake as mind
Of where you do, truly reside
Look at this body as garment, or as your car
A tool you use, for your daily life
This one inside me, Is the doer, and I the medium
I the instrument, he the hand at work
I surrender all, that comes out, is created, to Him
I watch in reverence, In silent veneration
He does it all, Pray not look at me
I the ever perfect, He dirties himself
His Maya the playground, he runs/laughs/hurts himself
Why would want I the heavens, where He rests
Those heavens even, when created in Self?
At the great altar of dreams
You surrender your impressions
The karmas that burn you inside
You shed in sacred homa
No control of the happenings
They scare and bring joy at times
The mind made turmoil
Or the pangs of the soul to let go
I bring now only sage advise
To not suffer in oversleep
For the dreams in early morning stupor
Bring no rest only turmoil
What I saw in this sleep, was only a dream
What I saw in my quiet, was the chaos of thoughts
What I saw in my day, is the flow of the way
What "I" saw all this, is only the Witness forthwith
As for the rain, and the gloom in day
I do not feel the slightest, chance at bay
Until comes in a throbbing
Behind eyes as peace robbing
That tenacious migraine pain
To excavate the day's gain
For put me in my prayers, in your bosom Bliss
I seek not this world, for all it has only fits a fist
My Devi and I, spend the time mother-child
Not wanting anyone else, despite the torment that forbids
I care not for heaven, my Mother please grace me
Keep me in Samadhi, absorbed in your mist
Only right upto embrace does deified light live
It's darkness that guides those spaces bereft of it
Without a reset, has no computer lived on
Or confidence for that matter, to sustain life
It is a hopeless battle, to fear and try escape the shadow
It is a needless cause, for its the other half that completes
View from flight, Is sheer delight
Crimson sunlight, against graying night
The clouds float below, retaining white
The yellow horizon, puts up a fight
In content riseth, leaving all left behind
Come to pass, my creator's phase
In his glory I choose, to be calm inside
And feel his touch, to open my eyes
Beyond all clouds, we all have lived
Forgotten for in memory we believe
These impressions arise, when the creator wills
Yes the one, who witnesses within
Oh silent mind, you need not mind
The words and taunts, of the wordly crew
They just keep sailing, reaching nowhere
They only chide, to gather some pride
Oh gracious presence, you need not bend
For the gifts or stresses, they chose for you
They only did so, for they are jealous
Of your composure, that they never gained
Oh desireless heart, ever stay unattached
Those tugging for things, never stopped yearning
They tell you otherwise, but aren't the wise
And crave the most, the bliss you host
Amme you continue to test me
In various forms you express yourself
In every form I have not received you well
I have cried and complained
I have hurt and restrained
I have not deserved the love you poured
I stay obliged with downcast eyes
Amme please continue to bless me
Do not forsake those downtrodden
May I serve your every form
Please do bathe me, with devotion's nectar
You are firstly not, this body and mind
Whatever its nature, is surely not thine
In this deep misconception, is this universe alive
Your freedom from the fathomless, is only to realise
In this world called greedy, ask any parent to trade their child, and you won't get one
In this world called selfish, ask a parent to keep the best for themselves first before giving to child, and you won't find one
In the world called lustful, see if a couple choose it over rearing children, and you'll be surprised
A lot is made about this world, a lot true, a lot false
The only truth lies in the knowing, that Mother Nature runs the world
Woven together with her fine thread of balance
See the tiredness your feel within
But also feel it dissolving away
Your very presence is not just today
Meditate, Balance, do rest for the day
I had an inkling that you were there
When I laid down I felt your touch
The God within made up of Bliss
Embracing me in sleep of love
The birds and their young shivering in their nests
The leaves shuddering in the gusts of breeze
The cats and dogs, cowering under rocks
While nature plays its games of adventure
You and I sit and miss all the fun
Sipping our coffee, the body decaying
No spirit left in mind, to brave those rains
Leaves us with no mirth, to live this gift of a life
My son he's the best
Can get me going
Carries my life safely within
My Son he's my lord
Watching him I learn
How childhood was
And parenthood is
My Son My Gift
Born into my arms
A bundle of joy
Struts around flaunting money
His status by fake generosity
Has nothing to call of his own
A big shot of some sort
His cars are what attract the girls
And they in turn the paparazzi
His life and style invite envy
Despite the world has the hungry many
Big shot of some sort
Do some good off Daddy's cash
Or the day is not far when you die
Of drug overdose in a costly hotel
There is none but I
In the rivers and waters leading to the sea
There is none but I
In the car loan vast realms of the sky
All variety is me, all diversity mine
There is none but I
In the creative thoughts of the mind
I was never away, though the mind was at times quiet
I never was awake, though proud of the my intellect's domain
The Gurus who are, bravery exemplified
Both within and in the, world lived out
Pray help and bless me, with true form of bravery
The Gurus who taught, even householder life is spiritual
The Gurus who synthesized, both the physical and spiritual
Pray guide and bless me, to achieve true balance
The Gurus who were, the very face of benevolence
Who gave in charity, their possessions and lives
Pray fill my life-sense too, to give selflessly all
The world seems all but praise for speed
Ignoring the never ending need to recede
It's all about giving it, right now and quick,
Whatever happened, to the old times slick
The stress and disease, and the dissatisfaction of doing
Of things when done fast, only brings ruin
Look around to this life, we have come for a reason
And all we are doing, is miss the passing season
A lifetime is gone, with your running around with none
Forgot to sit back, and speak a little to some
In the race of life, the rabbits we've become
Forgetting it was the steady, tortoises that won
I lay not in wait, for the sun rays to rise
Nor for the call, from the messenger of God
These last breaths my dear, are only in thy name
For a time so we relive, the life we had together
They say you should leave, with no attachments behind
Lo behold do they know, the heart touch of a good-bye
Not for him, rimless or half rimmed
Or the colourful, fashionable shades
He just wore the big black glasses
And adjust it when he needed
You wouldn't catch him ever, in cap/hat varieties of those
An umbrella was just fine, for wind, rain and sunshine
And though a shirt whenever, needed to step out of home
This dhoti clad man, had never the need for a pant
Wiping his sweatened brow, with the same towel for bath
Why carry a kerchief in pocket, when a towel perched at shoulder
The long gone simplicity, this man carried for our land
He reminds us why a car, when the walk/cycle suffices
Rest assured are such men, speak less and touch feet in respect
Will stay few in number, until the dawn of wisdom rises
What use is it, looking back at life
When you don't share, O wise old one
Admitted some don't listen, don't even want to hear
But some seek your words, only shy to ask
History must teach, though the lessons are hard
Each life is a context, those around must learn
Drive home your point, O wise old one
The rather be forgotten, as the forgone point
All this reading can help, but only for you to think
To learn and then apply, else it's all for naught
The scriptures are to imbibe, the teachings of forefathers bygone
They want us to learn and follow, and reach the highest goals
But of what use is all these scriptures, if you read it and sleep
Give not a thought to contemplate, to practice them in life
If one looks above, there are a lot of things to see. The sky, the lights, the birds, the trees.
But if one looks down at a reflecting medium, say a lake or a mirror placed on the ground, all of these get reflected on this single medium.
This is how eyesight functions too. Vice versa, this is why space looks dark despite the sun being there.
Does the source have any meaning without a medium to reflect it?
Let's keep aside the religion, why forget we all are Indians. The most ancient "civilized" nation.
Why in the pursuit of certain religions have we chosen to give up our way of life.
Our food habits, dress code, the way we greet, the languages we speak.
All these did not come from a certain religious aspect. This is us!
The sooner we realise this, the more we will Feel and Be, United!!
There was not one mind, unkempt, untrained
With concentration ferocious, they all did strain
Yet just hundred, or perhaps a thousand today
Made the cut to top ranks, choice of stream and place
Was mine a dream too, but some best unfulfilled
The important thing being, the dream was that Big!
The film industry in Bharat no longer makes the big money by focusing on the domestic market alone. Films have to be made by keeping the fan following from international audiences.
Such international appeal money also naturally leads to improvement in the technical aspects of film making: choreography, fights, locations.
It also tends to attract the best talent in music and singing.
This invariably also leads to films being made based out of those locations where the fan (read: the money) is located. This is specifically so for regional audiences who otherwise have just the regional state as their revenue source, versus say the Hindi film industry which can count almost the whole country as their market.
In general, Telugu films thus rely on US, Tamil films on the Singapore, Malaysia markets, Punjabi films in Canada and Malayalam films on the Gulf market. This is just representative to point out the major source of foreign revenue and not to claim that (say) Tamil or Malayalam films don't get released or don't earn much revenue from US.
The risk now in this is that it automatically shows only the glossier, and immediately visible developed side of these countries. The natural effect in 80% of the audiences then is to develop a distaste towards living conditions in Bharat and an aspiration to relocate to those countries.
In some ways this is good because the general population starts pushing their elected representatives asking why conditions can't be better and at least comparable to those shown in the foreign locales. But the downside is losing the talented folks who consider it as a lucky escape once they are able to relocate. Of course which is not the right choice for those reasons, as happiness is subjective and not an objective feeling.
The other point to note is how the revenue source and hence storyline changes when the immigration equations change. For example, Malayalam film industry which traditionally has depended on lower class labour force in the Middle East and was already short on big money, gets further hit when Gulf policies are to send back these laborers.
One more time, you will play in my lap
One more time, I will give you your bath
One more time, we will play hide and seek
One more time, I will guide what you seek
You are your brother, my one more child
A lifetime's wait has this, life borne fruit
I can't wait your brother, says for all that he wants
I can't wait to love you, One more time all over!
For the reason that the rivers moisten the soil
My eyes wet ecstatic for that touch of love
There was never a time when I was not brimming
Oh for the moments I lost, sad and complaining
If there is one feeling we must all touch upon
It is of Love, hopeless, timeless, encompassing!
As a dress that we like to wear
We adorn and wash and throw at will
Thus this body, we carry through life
Why obsess, why crave, the grave is its
I see so many, sweat in gyms
With one sprain of strain, they walk with a limp
Do what's needed, for health of body and prana
Do not overdo, those muscles that you leave back
The impressions are what we carry through lives
Know this, habituate, meditate what's worth
Live life of purpose, this exalted goal
Of truly liberating, both body and soul
Immoral is not he, when he sleeps and pays a Veshya
Immoral is the one who, covets his neighbor's wife
Immorality is not when, he burns his life in cigarettes
Immorality is the making, money off the smoke that kills them
Don't lecture others on morality, lessons no one sought for
Just see within and look for, the true intent of mind
No matter what, the ups and downs
The memories you cherish and even ones regret
Both insults and kisses, and even all you learn
They all will erase, be it in your lives or mine
Nothing oh nothing, sticks to us
So hold back not, this world can laugh
But even they hold back, in secret regret
Go out and live, in this playfield
You got this life, to live simple and full
For you be sure, Nothing sticks to us
When we Realise, there was no one else
Your father, mother, all you loved are You
The one you hate, the one you abhor
Are none else, but only You
This universe, it's creation destruction
Concepts you yourself have created
Why grieve, why fear, when all these too
Emotions you yourself have created
We all are One, My own projection
I stand as witness, and will take you in
Rest assured on creation, as only a dream
And an awakening, a concept of Time
The taste of desire is ever lasting
As long as you live on this planet
Engulfed by Maya, there is no escape
The only freedom is to stay apart
It's just like one chooses to keep away
From those that addictively ailing
The cigarettes, the drugs, the alcohol
We know them tempting if you once start
So too stay away from food formed animals
Our bodies were never, built to eat them
So too stay away from stress, anger and lust
Our minds were never, build to bear them
Blessings, O Devi, I seek from your feet
My prostrations, My prayers
For your kind eyes to shine upon
This devotee of thee
I am your child, my Mother please see
Caress me as a baby, smiling on thy lap
There be no desires, let me be free
Free me Mahamaye, from this world's retreat
Come there is no genius
We are all, come here with mental states
Accumulated over lifetimes not years
We come here to exhaust Karma
Not understanding we termed genius
Live and die confused
Think we are special but really not
Only as special as each one is
Recognise and devote in pursuit of the divine
Once you fulfill the grace gifted
The grayed out clouds' gloom even while the evening sun shines. The jaundiced shade to the day, while one expects (and prefers) orange.
Just a drip of raindrops enough for the earth to emanate the sweetest scent.
I wonder why we just can't sit together, share and stare..
Why the blood letting and angst, when even sin can be confronted by a stern but happy will!
Make good the promises
Of the births gone by
Travails have been various
Of soul tormented by life
You are the one, just the only one
Experience and then die
Only to come back once again
Into that tireless circle called Life
Dry earth parched by fire spewing winds
There be no respite only reptiles live
Walk in two cowboys in search of their horses
Their throats parched with just whisky to drink
No help them guns in front of desert sprawling
Better beseech the rains, before the jeans start a fire
I had reconciled to a nice, siesta in shade
But realised no trees, will be left for my children
I had started to relax, and read up a book
Only to notice, the next generation's contempt
We have to be teachers, role models and guides
Not less this evening, for such a pursuit divine
... Thereafter it was never like before alike
Passions had arisen never to surmise
The gift of coolness had now been belied
It had to be Him to restore order
Shiva called he, but nameless in truth
Was he only who drank up the poison
Leaving behind a nectar for aeons of healing
The calming moonlight has now gone to sleep
My dear love sleeps, my children sleep
The dew drops drip, and tip tap sound
Chirping crickets and frogs can't sleep
The cooling breeze from a rain drenched night
There is no heart, that it can't melt
I thought so I will never grow up
My children proved I still have not!
For the fallen society has no respite
They stand condemned for entire life
May they not look upon themselves with shame
The others condescend but they are the same
Rather use this experience to free us
Learn that none cares and turn fearless
So get up, dust it and go move ahead
So far ahead that the world has to forget
I've always had this feeling that
I'm watching, I'm someone else watching
And every act and pursuit practised
Seems only to make me forget That
I pray that I remember Me again
And take My-Self to a liberated place
There were none that standing still
Was a night to dance away the the chill
I forgot what day and for how long
I know had not let hair down since long
Eyes opened when sun shone on sand blown breeze
But heart ached and I found that time stood still
In a world where 8 people put together earn as much as half of the world
In a world where 1 in 9 go to bed hungry
In a world that exploits its Children and Mother Nature
How can it sustain, this Family and Home Earth
How small our petty wants, why not we go out and rather help
Give for richer is the one who gives, and not the one who earns
Of what use the rush, the insatiable deadlines
What has come of thinking, that is not clear and calm
Companies have fallen, with sight on the quarters
Only those will live, where stakeholders at ease
You say today's the deadline, could you go back and ask
To self and the rest, won't they prefer the job done right
Things will take their time, and have humans at work
You give them balance, and leave all with less rework!
Those delved in pleasure, oh they miss bliss
I feel so compassionate, so sorry for them
They know not that, they could stand at the helm
Remember that feeling, when you hold a loved one's hands
What you absorb, when the dawn's rays shine
Is there any pleasure, that can match that bliss
Why then do we, roil in desires
Why then this world, of petty wants and disputes
Engage in what you do, not pursue the result
Find a meaningful activity for purpose, balance your life
And feel that joy, a thousand desires cannot satisfy
I feel there is not a place in the world as conducive to pursue spirituality as is Bharat. It has become so due to centuries and aeons of cultural, religious and philosophical heritage around spiritual progress.
Instead of competing with other countries on the same parameters as they do to measure development, those brought up here should appreciate our heritage and introspect our unique USPs. Something like how Bhutan measures itself on Gross Happiness Quotient. My challenge to our nation is: Why can't we measure ourselves on (say) Gross Enlightenment Quotient.
By doing this we'll first be forced to reflect, then introspect, and then come up with a way forward. The reason an entity, be it an individual, or a country looks outside for guidance, is the recognition that we have made mistakes. And the inferiority complex that goes with it. In the context of Bharat, it was the embarrassing fact that although united by religion and philosophy, the rulers never chose to be united. Which is why for centuries we were plundered and enslaved. Even our joint families don't survive because of that, we just refuse to adjust and share with one another and have a selfishness of my inheritance for my progeny alone.
I think the British rule was the last straw and the way nation-states are shaped in this day and age has also kept us together. But you can see from the corruption and the way political parties fleece their vote banks (which is nothing but segregation of the country), the way caste and religion still decides whom we befriend and marry, that we have still not grown above the mentality that led us to servility in the first place. So there is definitely a need to introspect, own up to our shortcomings, and plan corrective and checks-and-balances systems before we adopt a new development measure.
In the next edition, I'll go a level easier with an analogy of how we have the spiritual establishments in place already to help us seek the Gross Enlightenment goals.
No time to sit in one place for us
There's just the tiring, draining, travel for us
Long train journeys, gusty breeze on face
The peculiar stench that evening baths wash
The dusty bus rides, nauseating roads
Oh to our envy, the carefree cyclist grins
But nothing makes up for, the memories built
Unlike the flight taken, over unfamiliar clouds
