The visible change with spirituality: the way we respond

All of us who balance worldly and spiritual life I'm sure face these questions:

1) Why do we firstly come into spiritual life. 

2) Is there any practical purpose to this

3) If the spiritual goal isn't reached, is it all naught

Well to answer the first question, I think many attribute various reasons. 

-> Oft attributed is difficulty in wordly life:

• Bereavement
• A sense of failure be it in educational result, office projects, or relationship
• Poor circumstances be it health or financial
• As a stress-buster

This usually wanes off when that particular feeling is assuaged or situation is taken care of. And as it often happens, life moves in waves. So things change, and the commitment to spirituality changes if this was the reason

-> Oft seen though is retirement from active duties. A sense of realization and acceptance that the end of life is appearing.

Typically people who get into spirituality at this stage in life, are there mostly to pass time and socialize with like minded people. Some of those who pursue spirituality during personal time are the more serious ones. But also at this stage, situations in health or family commitments etc means one is slower to grasp the deeper fundamentals and less likely to go further than Bhakti or Karma yoga..

-> The only reason that can sustain spiritual pursuit is an inner need to pursue it, and despite worldly commitments. If you find yourself young and successful personally and financially, with all the joys of worldly life beckoning and meeting you time and again, and yet don't feel attached to them. If you find yourself seeking something more profound. If you find yourself finding and taking time out to do sadhana and serve when you could be doing things that would profit you more in worldly life. Then you are someone who is spiritually advanced. You are one of the few who will hang on to spirituality.

Before getting into the second question, I'll take the third.

It's because the answer I don't have to give for this. The same question was posed by Arjuna to Krishna, and it's recorded in the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna's response was that your progress will show results in the next life. And this something one can logically have Shraddha towards. For if you see, people are born in various cicumstances. And with various tendencies (vasanas) and bent of mind (mental attitudes). This is all attributed to the Karmic outcomes of actions and efforts in the previous lives.

The Second question is the primary concern of this article.

And the answer I'll try to keep simple so that the message is forcefully conveyed.

There is indeed an indirect benefit to how we transact in worldly life, owing to our pursuit of spirituality. It's in the way we Respond to situations. 

We are very much engaged, involved, purposeful in our actions; but yet unattached. To the result, to the response, the reactions. To even the ownership of the action (not the accountability); neither credit nor blame. You firmly know you are just the medium. You have let-go in the mind already. You live and are rooted in the moment. You have no hankering for titles or pay, you love the responsibility, the task at hand. Your focus and concentration is impeccable, even when multitasking! Your mind is relaxed, free of tension. There is no question of needing a stress-buster, because you never feel stressed. This is different from the mind or body feeling exhausted. That you even feel after a good session of exercise or having satisfyingly worked on a mathematics problem. 

In short you are much much more efficient. And if not for lofty purposes as Moksha, for this benefit of being more relaxed and efficient itself, I hope people dedicate time to spirituality!

Stages of spirituality - 1

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.

I Alone am This, then what to Desire

Oh what's there in this world, that I must desire
When the whole world exists, in my consciousness

This world disappears, when I go to sleep
Time and place happens, when I look for it

What do I desire from it, when I only am This
Nay, not just, but more than any This

Why fear should exist, why see differences around
When everything is only, like waves or bubbles within me

It all comes from Within

It's not in the rain, the dance and the play
That I find joy, don't you realize
It all comes from Within

It's not in the moonlight, or mother's lap or kiss
That I find sleep, don't you realize
It all comes from Within

It's not in the looks, fragrance or voice
That I find love, don't you realize
It all comes from Within

There was never an other, place to settle
There was none for ever, other than myself
This world, this creation, don't you realize
Yes very much, It all comes from Within

Unlearn your Identity

Our problems begin when we begin to have an identity. And an identity is a must, a name and number (Aadhar or SSN) in this much-populated world, to have a semblance of order.

But the problems I refer to are those to do with living our personal life itself. This name and sense of self-identity, so very important during a child's growth, is equally important to be unlearnt, as part of the final phase of educational life.

Because it is after this phase, that one steps out independently to the world outside. And applies whatever he / she's learnt. I wish if this final phase be to  instill in us the feeling that the world, including nature is something that's been handed over to us, by generations and centuries of living beings. It's something to be honored and protected. That our self-identity, which we held so preciously to make ourselves skilled in our chosen vocations for so long, is now to be unlearnt, so we can learn to apply our skills selflessly. 

And most importantly, so that we may consider every our element, living and non-living around us, as brethren, all children of the same Mother Nature.

Our self-identity is the hardest fortress we have created around us,..what to speak of biases, personal, religious and nationalistic ones...If only we accept that the person next to us is a child of the same creator, won't we be more open to accepting his for his personal choices (be it clothes, religion, food, even sexual orientation). For isn't that what true love is: One that pours out, not wants in return. You begin to be more accepting. Inter-religious or inter-race marriages won't matter.

People will be less inclined to be anti-social. When the whole world is your family, whom to hurt, and with what end...

Race and Class are quickly forgotten. Won't you want to distribute your wealth for the benefit of your family. 

Environment is safeguarded: You would try your best to protect and nurture the life around you, be it nature or species of animals and plants. The sense of exploitation will go away. You begin appreciating why our forefathers took permission from the Gods when they had to kill life to consume as food. The sense of greed disappears.

Alas that all this hasn't happened yet. And hope that it someday will!!

Running out of film titles

When "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.." title was announced, I realized that indeed film-makers are running short of movie titles. And who's to blame them! Each year, there are apparently over 400 Hindi films. Sometimes film titles are repeated, but with the advent of social media, this causes confusion. You don't stand out as upon search of your film title, the older one also shows up.

So the film-makers have started "plagiarizing" popular songs. "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" and "Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan" are film titles from the same popular film song from the 1950's (YouTube Link) - albeit Mumbai was known as Bombay back then.

Next I bet they'll go after stand-out dialogues from popular hits of the past.

With these I wonder if royalty is provided to those original creators of these lines..Food for Thought!

The struggle in life and the feeling of being out of place

When you struggle is the time realization dawns, that this isn't just correct. It's not in rhythm; that you do not belong here. Of course, this is as quickly forgotten when times are good.

This is why the wise do not belittle the role of worldly suffering. For those mired in Maya, this is what gives the needed push to take a step back, a step up, and look beyond. It helps them handle the present difficult situation, and an anchor to hold on life to, a new meaning and purpose to life.

What's important is to hold on to what you reflect and determine during these times. I don't really believe that there are lessons to be learnt to avoid similar situations. Those lessons are already known, but still difficult times happen. And even if you implement the "lessons" from a past experience, you will definitely face some predicament of a different nature. Again, this is not to say that one should not takeaway what one can. For, putting your hand in the fire repeatedly despite the knowledge and experience that your hand will burn, is only a sign of insanity.

But at all times if you hold greater meanings and purposes to your life: Sadhana towards achieving Enlightenment; Serving selflessly those around, the society and nature at large. These give something to cherish, and the strength to not be bogged down by any bad situation in life. It also gives a broader perspective, beyond narrow religion/caste/community even nationalistic tendencies. It makes you an even more mature and patient colleague at work too. So there's much to be gained, but don't obsess behind it.

In the end, what you should be left with is the realization that the "struggle" is also a natural event. It has a rhythm and role of its own. And each of these would be a litmus test of your spiritual progress, of whether you are able to hold on to your compassion and bliss despite!

Good is what reduces attachment with Samsara, Evil is what increases it

In the pursuit of Vedanta, you learn to transcend, to accept the Good and the Evil as necessities of the dichotomy in Maya. Birth means Death has to follow. The rise of Day also foretells the fall of Night.

If it's Happily Ever After, you are being cheated to say the least. You are not in the real world.
But you can go beyond, beyond happiness and joy, with dispassion in whatever you do. And be in Bliss no matter what pain you feel at the relatively gross levels.

But there is the risk still of falling into a "so what" non-chalancy. Of accepting things as they were, enjoying the bliss of non-attachment.
There is also the risk of "delusion" which I felt when I watched the film Aks where the serial-killer kept quoting the Gita. Or when I learnt that Hitler and co kept referring to the Gita to justify mass murder.

There is better understanding now, and Swami Sarvapriyanandaji's talks have helped a lot. He defines Good as what reduces our attachment with Samsara, and Evil as what increases it. So when at the level of the Samsara, you refuse to turn a blind eye, you refuse to serve. Or worse, you start causing pain to those around, then you are a form of Evil. It'll tie you down to Samsara. There is nothing called not doing action. So the only way is to do Morally Good action and dedicate it to Lord, or by such means not taking credit to the result..

Pursuit of pleasure means you don't know Joy

Where outside do you seek, this joy within
Why not imbibed still, all your learning

They will only tire you, the pleasures outer
Deny you the bliss, veil it inside

It is said, that you seek pleasure
It is pitiful, that you are hurting

But know that the balm, cannot be the cause
Transcend this world, connect to the bliss within

Let there be Rain

Let there be rain, the one that blooms
Countless trees, and flowers within

Let there be thunder, not the one that scares
But the one that beats the drums of joy

Let there be lightning, like a countless moons
And the mirth of beholding someone greater that self

I look forward to rains, the green and wet earth
To bask in the dry sun, beneath flowing clouds

Deep sleep like maya dissolution

I went to deep sleep, the world disappeared
I woke up only then it's back

There were no people, no objects, no life
Why do you think really this world exists

Yes things have changed, the day has moved
But then this Maya, she even let's you think

How then, within Maya, can you answer
Why not you start, by first accepting Maya

Even Maya dissolves, in sleep or pralaya
Know that you can, you do control Maya

What constitutes Seva

Seva (Selfless Service) is intrinsic to the the culture of Bharat. As much as "lokah samastha sukhino bhavantu" and "Sahana vavatu". There isn't a sense of competition.

Although for those in the corporate structure, Service is used loosely for industries ranging from Hospitality to IT Support. But in the Bharat of old, all these would have been "Dharma". Your duty as per your role in society. So the meaning of Seva had to be specified as "Selfless Service" than just "Service".

But I see "spiritual" NGOs today deploying to their advantage, an army of volunteers, to market and execute their work, earn revenue, and yet be made felt as doing "Seva".

This article is to introspect my point of view of this, which I'm sure is a question that comes in the mind of many.

It's very easy to determine when, on behalf of the NGO, you serve a third-party. Like a village or a charity. That is no-doubt Seva.

It is also easy to understand when you serve free food on behalf of the organization to those seeking food.

But what when you are working on activities that benefit the organization monetarily, would it be Seva? Well, what if you don't want any money. Well, then it definitely is Seva. But if the organization doesn't have a policy or plan to pay you, but will only go seeking other volunteers, it becomes a Business Model in my view, a very profitable one.

I've seen some organizations like the Art of Living channelizing the volunteer movement very effectively. The free follow-ups after you attend their courses, imply that they pay rent of the place they conduct these follow-ups, and the generous time and Seva of the teachers, in turn benefit you. For Rs 1500 Basic course, you get free Annadanam and lifelong follow-ups. And I've seen how, in the Art of Living, the followers themselves volunteer to go further. There is no pressure for me to get involved if I don't want to. There is no money talk, just comity. So definitely they've come up with a unique model of making people feel part of something bigger than themselves, perhaps at minimal cost in terms of teaching, but definitely worthwhile in terms of the follow-ups.

But what has irked me is when their followers use "Seva" for calling out people to market their courses. I've also seen very less "Seva" to outsiders, all seva at the ground level seems to be for internal revenue generation. 

Being an NGO, all their money goes into upkeep or charity. But does it go into funding AOLs subsidiary businesses on FMCG and Ayurvedic hospitals.

End of the day, I'd like to think there are systems where all this is duly audited. And while the Seva model by the AOL has its pros and cons, no question about the fact that they have involved in big money charity in countries they've been involved in. And Guruji's been very assertive in speaking his mind, be in social issues or in defence of our heritage. Given his stature, name and fame gained, there was no push on him too. That has indeed been a great form of Seva.

Attachment to objects: It's within

A strange thing happened recently: My car (and actually my father's) which I use for daily office commute, was being taken away by the pickup guy for regular maintenance.

And I feel a pang: as if a loved one was being separated from me! My mind took a step back to seek to understand this better. How can I feel thus, for something that's clearly a non-living object. Up until now, I would rationalize this feeling when placed for living beings, especially humans. This pang resembled when my son was going to Anantapur for a week in 2014 after we'd just moved back, to give me and wife time to set up home in Bengaluru. And of course, there is no comparing the two for me, in mind and heart. I'm hardly attached (at least I thought so) to what's "material".

I had to now accept it: This pang was irrespective of living or non-living. This was nothing but a feeling of possession, an attachment! And "material" constituted both the living and non-living. For me, for all of us!

And this realization is the first step. This awareness that this attachment is irrespective of the object. It's the feeling of attachment that lies within. It shows, no matter what you think you are, you still have some distance to cover in the practice of detachment.

And why's that detachment important? The further tied down, the lesser the freedom, the experience of true bliss. The less this feeling of pure happiness, the more the desire, the seeking of pleasure, and delusion, the pursuit of objects (aims/ambitions including) in this world.

Analogies of Brahman

On Brahman, the common analogy is that of a "witness". It's difficult to understand because of the problem of deep sleep: If Brahman (Atman) is the witness, why don't I witness/experience my deep sleep. I know I was in deep sleep only because I wake up afresh!

Brahman has two aspects for lack of a better word that comes to mind:
- Aspect 1: It lights up the Prana/Jiva/Individual Self
- Aspect 2: It gets mirrored/reflected/borrowed by the Individual Self to light-up/enliven the embodiment/body-mind

VishishtAdvaita is partly correct, its only problem being that it doesn't go into the next level of depth: We the individual self are not a sparkling image of the Perfected Being (not yet), but once enlightened (and we end up as Jivamukta / Videhamukta), there is no difference.

The Witness analogy is only applicable to Aspect 1 above, and that too only during the individual self's waking and dream-sleep/REM-sleep state.
The Mind (Ego+Intellect+Manas/Memory/Thought) turns off in deep sleep (in dream-state it still is partly active). Without the Mind, the Individual Self cannot be experienced. If the Mind is off, Brahman has nothing to reflect upon.
It is the same analogy as sunlight in space: Space seems dark because there is nothing to reflect light. Come an asteroid or satellite or planet, we see it beaming in sunlight! And this is why the Witness analogy fails in the deep sleep context.
The Witness analogy definitely should be practiced during the Jagrat (waking) state and is easy to reflect upon and understand the Swapna (dream) state.
So a combination of the Sun lighting-up objects and Witness analogies should be used to appreciate Aspect 1 of Brahman.

The Sun reflecting on objects analogy can  be used to understand Aspect 2 of Brahman.
Just as the sun falling upon the mirror in a room, then gets reflected by the mirror to the rest of the room, so too does Brahman enliven the Jiva, which otherwise does not have an existence of its own (the stand taken by Advaita).
Thus the quality of the mirror (Samaras/impressions on the Jiva built up by the collective past births and current birth) determines the quality of the reflection.
Likewise, the sun getting reflected upon a number of buckets of water is an analogy to (apparent) multiplicity of Brahman. Again in this analogy, the quality of reflection depends upon the purity/turbidity of water.
Another way of looking at Aspect 2 is like the relationship of the Ocean and a Wave in the Ocean. Water in the wave is same as in the ocean. But the nature of the wave can be foamy/small/large.
Thus a combination of analogies of wave-in-water and sun's reflection-on-objects is needed to understand Aspect 2 of Brahman.

There we go again

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

Nature is Us

From the core of this Earth, is the lava flowing
Like the anger suppressed, that boils in our hearts

Not one but generations will suffer its wrath
As we do without letting go, through multiple births

There is no way, you can win against nature
It can wreak its revenge, stealing your peace of mind

For you are It, you just refuse to recognize
That we are created, run by the same God that is Us

Adi Sankara and Vivekananda: Social Reforming Vedantins

The greatly revered Advaitins Adi Sankaracharya and Swami Vivekananda have a striking common theme in their lives: Not just were both of them great Communicators, but also tireless Social Reformers.

Both have written Bhashyas that have been held in high regard. While Sankaracharya achieved a vast more number of self written material in a systematic manner, Vivekananda's talks and lectures (published in the Complete Works) makes him seem a walking encyclopaedia.

Both are poets and convincing speakers with the power to influence listeners considerably.

While these are monumental achievements by themselves, these two stalwarts are best known for matching and exceeding their words with their work.

Both Swamiji and Jagadguru Bhagavatpada tried their best to rid the society of the negative effects of pedantic orthodoxy.

They exhorted listeners/readers to look beyond the ritualistic aspects of religion. Both asserted boldly that God resides within us, neigh verily God is nothing but our true realised Self. This is why their message had universal appeal.

While Vivekananda set up the Ramakrishna Mission to channelize the direction of the followers towards the spread of Jnana yoga, Sankaracharya had a much more daunting task of reviving the real Hinduism i.e. Sanatana Dharma itself. For this he set up four Mattas in the four corners of the country, all covered on foot. Vivekananda on the other hand, apart from being the rationalist, nationalist, fire-in-the-belly spiritual giant in Bharat, he crossed the seven seas reaching the shores of America, half the world away. A task no less daunting considering he was out spreading the word amongst a populace that was no doubt open hearted, but still which had never been exposed to such profound philosophy.

And as is seen today, so it will be in the future. While their teachings will continue to light up the minds of listeners, the more relevant change is the seed they've planted in the hearts of humans and humanity.

Analogies of Maya

Every teacher understands that a concept is best taught with analogies. A child would not understand what and why we do 1+1=2, until it's shown the relevance with an example, say mangoes.

This becomes all the more important when explaining profound philosophies of spirituality as Maya and Brahman.

For long if your spiritual reading is from also-ran articles on spirituality as in newspapers and magazines, the oft-referred example is that of the rope appearing as the snake. Well, it's important, but yet just an incomplete analogy, even difficult to grasp in its fullness if used as the first one.

For one, that analogy is used best to explain Maya. I have seen some usage of the snake-on-rope analogy to explain Brahman, but in my current view using it thus only confuses.

There are two powers of Maya: The Projecting power and the Veiling power.

I will elaborate how the snake-on-rope analogy is used to explain Maya:
- The Projecting power is that Maya projects the rope as the snake.
- The Veiling power is that it covers the fact that's it's in reality snake.
The Projecting power in itself is not bad. If I know it's a rope, then even that rope looks like a snake,  it wouldn't bother me.
The Veiling power, the fact that Maya hides the fact that it's a rope until conscious understanding, is the problem behind understanding this life and the world around us. The feeling that it's a snake I'm seeing, freezes me and makes me act in ways I otherwise wouldn't.

This is where the example falters in my opinion. In general, once I understand that it's not a snake, just a rope, my eyes will stop seeing the snake. But this isn't how Maya works in reality. Seekers, due to the dissection of this analogy, expect that after enlightenment they'd stop seeing the world; it's not so.

I'd rather use the analogy of the mirage in a desert. The mirage is projected on the desert; the desert is veiled by the mirage. But significantly, even after you know it's not water, you still see the mirage of water. That's precisely how powerful Maya is.

This is not to downplay the analogy in itself: When the enlightened King Janaka is praised by Sage Yagnavalka, it is by calling him "fearless". The reason why we are trapped in Samsara, is because we are unable to see the Brahman behind Maya and are deluded by fear. The root cause of desire (the need to possess) is fear. The snake-on-rope analogy reassures us to rid ourselves of fear. Which is why my take is that this is an analogy to be used in the advanced phase of transcending Maya, than to understand Maya itself.

Why feel happy that you have limitations

Why desperate to be, one among many
Why embrace the common, the pervasive anonymity

Know you are special, feel it with humility
Seek out and contribute, your skills as if duty

Know that potential, for supreme is infinite
Realize that verily, this is your identity

Eyes

The eyes, your eyes, have dreamt huge dreams
They have expressed wonder, and the desire to live

To cherish and remember, this world so living
To watch in silence, the sun and the shining

Come close have these eyes, to deep meditation
For in sleep there is nowhere, to trust and envision

Jallikattu: The messaging has to be different

Numerous bans, portrays of violence and gore, and years of turmoil. And all through this, the real message was not shared.

As with everything else, traditional practices had a reason behind it. While the case of choosing more civilized practices is something you can't push down, let not the intent be allowed to be swept under the mat.

Once such topic is Jallikattu: the traditional bull sport. One look at the event, and you'd write it off as barbaric. Both for the participants who could lose their lives, and the injury and trauma both the humans and especially the bull would go through.

But what was the reason for this sport being practiced. It was to find the more virile bull, that is then chosen to breed for the next generation. It was to ensure the healthiest variety of protein continues and perhaps the main reason it has passed on for centuries.

And what's being missed behind the calls for banning the sport, is the ulterior motive also. Corporates who want Jersey cows to be imported and used in our country.

As with Allopathy, as with fertilizers, and as with even cultural embrace of the Western world, be it dress codes or nuclear families, why do we choose to ignore of the problems they currently face: guns, sociopaths, divorce, terminal illnesses. And realize we are heading that way. Of course, the practice of corruption since independence has made our soul quite hollow. But still doesn't mean we can't redeem yet.

Why do we ignore our strength in world population being 1/6th. We are a progressing nation. I'm all for everyone learning English, but let Sanskrit be a close second. Wear the western clothes, but wear yours too equally. Choose Allopathy for quick relief, but stick to Ayurveda at all other times.

Viveka: That's the first practice taught in our spiritual disciplines, but what we utilize last.

Yes, choose to ban the sport if needed, but ensure there's an equally capable and sustainable alternative plan first to ensure the Indian breed is accepted by consensus.

Bite the bullet: If it's chewable you made it, if not it's experience!

Why hold back, just go chew it
What prevents you, from being struck by lightning

You know not how much, time you have in hand
You know not the next crippling experience that arrives

You have been blessed, you were born and grew up
Consider yourself, the most special to be here

Just don't go back, on the couch into a shell
Go out there, or the drawing board, make the big plans

There's nothing to lose, we all die to be sure
Just bite the bullet, go for it,
Go find out if, you were chosen for this!

The caught-on people

You see a lot of people from India in the US, some of who really don't fit-in, but just want to. Instead of holding on to who they really are, they want to gel-in. It's like they want to forget who they are, where they come from.  It' like the red-necks in downtown. But while the farmer holds on to identity, these Indians don't want to. I think it's an Inferiority complex, a low self-esteem.

These are people from the villages of India, those who'd even find the Indian city life alien. Typically the city-bred Indians are those who most easily fit in the US. Easily connect with their US compeers as they've both grown up watching the same TV shows and games. There is a cultural connect just right there. They think in English, like their US counterparts. They have a sense of how they carry themselves, very naturally being accustomed to the cosmopolitan life. Much of US is just that, a melting pot of the world's cultures, a nation of immigrants.
It is also these city-bred Indians who don't mind coming back home. But to an Indian city mind you. Because they were just as happy with the city life here, as they were with the life in the US. Given the right choices (career, online services, specialty hospitals, excellent education standard) , they will weigh options of family also being in India and just fly back without regret.

But the Indians from the villages are there first for the money. And there after to rub off who they are. They show that sense of belonging only when they want to show off back in their village. They'll even send pictures of their poor upbringing to their friends in the US, and vice-versa show back to the villagers back home, that they are still the same old village-bumpkin who loves dal-chaawal the most. But deep within they resent it, they are relieved they escaped it, and fear what if they have to come back here. To be fair, even an Indian city is as alien to these folks as a US downtown or suburb.
And so they've decided to just cling on. They are desperate to make, and clutch on to Caucasian friends. Also maybe African-Americans. They keenly observe these friends, and try to adapt their ways of life. But deep within, they are just not comfortable. They don't know why. If only they realized, that even by accepting their true selves, America will equally hold them in embrace.

Sigh, these caught-on people!

Atman just Is: Even Time is Within Atman

O Those of you, Who say Atman is Eternal
Why do you, knowing twist the point

For Atman is from where, the time-concept arose
Atman right now, past or future just don't say

With Atman realized, you go beyond time and space
Verily this whole universe, this very Atman projects

It is to be realized, but It wants Itself to be masked
Say legends that Creation cast
For Atman to forget loneliness

Catching up on email is fine, but don't lose the point

There are a lot of people who tell me at work "Got to catch-up on email". I wish like telling them back "Hope just the relevant ones". For beyond that, it's just plain reading. Not very efficient usage of time. Something that you can catch up on in a single status update meeting.

As the world has caught on to email, and gone beyond to messaging, it's time to realize just that. That now Email is a Saturated Medium.
I, for one, use a combination of Filters to ensure I read the emails from clients and important stakeholders. There could be other methods than filtering by Sender, depends on your context.

It's about Messaging, and the WhatsApp groups and Slack channels are all for this.

And above all, and I think for all time to come, will continue to be conversation between two people. Ideally face-to-face, but if not, over video call or via the phone. No form of text communication will ever be able to replace that.

Realize, and Prioritize for efficiency!

Infosys paintings: the profusion of talent

There were a series of paintings exhibited in the Infosys campus recently. And I was struck by how professional it all seemed like! I also kept an eye on who the painters were, and their employee numbers:

• Some of them must be straight out of college, and what amazed me was the keen eye to detail. 
• While others seemed to be quite senior employee numbers, which means they were devoting a significant part of their personal time towards this pursuit.
• I also noted that the same painter at times had multiple paintings. Each of them wonderful. Meaning this was genuine talent at display.

I wish our country had more avenues for them to prosper, just as painters. It's very obviously their first love, but they can't earn their meal with just it. Well, in another time maybe!

Hats off to each of them!!

The desire to possess, and then boredom

This is so true of anything you want to possess in this world. At the base level, objects. Be it the latest gadget or car or even home. And yet deeper, the desire to possess family: First the anticipation / the thrill of even not knowing what to expect, and then the boredom.
I have felt it for every gadget I looked forward to, whether purchased or gifted to me didn't seem to make a difference. Only the fact that it belonged to me, like the laptop from work or the Android phone I purchased. But in time, I've felt the feeling wane down. So much so, I now recognize and know that this is what will happen!
Likewise it is with family, you start a family and automatically have a series of expectations. Only it's all unfair. You can only, and only, do your duty. To them, your family. It's for yourself you are doing this duty, whether you like to portray as a sacrifice or not. With children, this expectation is even more deep-seated. For you truly change everything about yourself to make their life be good. But still, realize, you are doing it only for yourself.
The possessing or owning of things and being part of community, be it family or society is not incorrect. But the feeling of possessing or owning it is the beginning of the downfall. Have the feeling of serving each of the roles entrusted to you, and let each one fall off when you start with the next role, be it in your day, or your life. And feel that liberated feeling, the load lifting off, the openness in your embrace!!

Unattached

Of all the mud and dust that flies
There is not one that sticks

I am freedom, cannot bind me thus
This body I only desist

I am you, and you are me
There is nothing called duality

If you must, really realize
Then call me just my Self

There were gatherings, and fire blaze struck
There were chimes and dances too

But know that I am unattached
Though appear to enjoy too!

Ekantham movie Review

Plot Outline: Estranged brothers brought together by loneliness. (IMDB Link)

Plot Summary:

Elder brother (played by Thilakan), pained by loneliness, revisits his past. Goes back to meet his brother (played by Murali) who still lives at their ancestral home.

A terminal illness being suffered by Murali brings them closer.

The movie also goes a little into natural healing, and how inner psychology plays a bigger role in the status of a person's illness. 

Supporting cast of Bindu Panicker, Salim Kumar, Manoj K Jayan and Meera Vasudevan are ok.

I wouldn't call it a must-watch. But a nice one for slow / art movie lovers.

I rated it 7 (Good in my view).

Detective Byomkesh Bakshy movie review

This movie was most predictable and a let-down to the Detective Byomkesh Bakshy TV series that starred Rajat Gupta, KK Raina as Detective Bakshy and his assistant Ajit.

The movie also maintained a slow pace of things although attempting to show things moving quickly. The characters seemed to be moving fast, but the story didn't have much of a suspense beyond common sense.

The only saving grace was the climax scene saved by a superb / calculated  performance by Neeraj Kabi as Yang Guang. His last cry-out left us wanting more, and no wonder keeps the sequel wanting.

The movie poster also was to put it politely quite unimaginative. A dhoti-clad Sushant Singh Rajput showing dodging bullets, and that too a view from the shoe/dhoti up. Really silly. Left no attraction to move into the theater.

A cult following could be developed owing to the high IMDB rating of 7.7. But the credit must go to the ending again for that.

I hope they change the writer / director Dibakar Banerjee, ideally keep the writer / director of a movie like Kahaani (Sujay Ghosh).

I rated it 6 on IMDB (Average in my view). Could easily have been a 5 but for the ending.

Baby Dearest

Dear Baby fragile, and most beautiful
Been born you have, at a God graced moment
Nice and fulfilling, your birth has touched us
Giving the family, a sense of completion

Lovely Child, we felt anxious
As you arrived, earlier than expected
But you give the assurance, that it was in time
With your pleasant disposition, and health that picked up

O Jewel of our  home, we felt scared
To pick up in arms, your body so tiny
But you showed us, the comfort you felt
When cuddled and hugged, by all of us

Flower of our hearts, our baby dearest
May you bloom, as the season of Spring
May you soar, as birds in the sky
May you feel ever, peace of the calm

Yawn of a cold day

Have you felt that too
When the dew is lit up
When the mist is like a cloud
And your bed feels like
The warmest place around

It's like an afternoon
On a cold winter day

The body wants nothing more 

Than a cuddly blanket's care

A hot cup of chocolate 

Could well be a respite 

But nothing can be more joyful 

Than the yawn before my nap

Of Where Thy Want to Be

Of the likeness, the leaflets, the gongs of temple bells
With the waves of merriment, the joy of delight yells

I lived my life, in a daze as a witness
Seeking to know, what needn't be sought at

Just dive in, if you, want to win in this world then
Or step back further, to reach your true Self

The stone had the statue hidden, the sculptor only uncovered it

It is imperative in life to get rid of the claim of doership. As a Swamiji from Mata Amritananadamayi Matt put it so well recently: Even in our scriptures it is said that the potential for any outcome is within the raw material provided by nature itself. It's messaged thus that the stone has the statue hidden, the sculptor only uncovers it. In any other culture, it would not be so. The credit would go to the scultpor's creativity, skill and imagination. Or the credit would be "stolen" by the sponsor of the statue. But in the Vedantic thought, we all are just a medium. This understanding gives us an immense sense of freedom, and it takes us closer to Liberation / Moksha.

It is the sense of doership that fuels Ego and Competition. Once we take up the role of being a blessed medium in the Lord's hands, failure will not discourage us, nor would success go into our heads. One must hasten to add that this is not to encourage cessation of all activities. For it is clearly proven that there is no such thing. Even breathing is an activity. The attitude should be to incessantly serve, learn and get closer to the purpose for which is this human life i.e. to achieve Moksha.

A New Year

A New Day, brings in, freshness as morning
A New Year, bounds in, with joy of chill winter

Celebrations, with firecrackers
Joy sounds at 12am

There was no, comparing,
The one sleeping, has missed it

There is this flavour, an Indian life brings it
You have New Years at midnight
You have New Years in mornings

The beauty as ever, is hidden in the meaning
The joy as anything, is hidden in our self

Look for this essence
Capture in true sense

And live life that each day,
Brings new meaning to living

Reflect, upon it
With joyous unattachment

Where did we lose ourselves..

Who cares for the lonely soul
Walking in the scorching sun
Who cares whether he's eaten or not

Who thinks of his age and caste
When he has no money to show
Who wants him to be theirs to care

There was once a country who created Guest as God
There was once a people who would feed the passerby

Who was that crying baby
Who is this father lonely
Why is this mother crying so bitterly

Who wants your books and knowledge
What for your health and lustre
When not a poor soul you serve

This was once a spiritual abode for us all
This was once the richest place for our souls..

Realization

Of divine beauty, is eternal Bliss
Ever peaceful, serene and Complete
Unshaking, Irrespective, of storm around
Realizing, Forever, my life abounds

I never was, tied to this Power
I ever Fulfilled, silent watchful
Forgetting true nature, if say so I may
Searching, worried, for what already I am

The Farmer in the City

This is a story I tell my son. This is a story economists should tell their protégées. This is a story law-makers should contemplate upon: A story of self-sufficiency vs consumerism:

There was once a farmer, who lived in a small village. Happy, healthy, and provided, he had his home and his farm. He had clothes and simple meals to eat. He woke early, prayed and got to his farm. He felt the rush of happiness after a day's tiring work. He met people, they talked and sang God's name together. He meditated and slept well.

And then came his school-friend, who'd come to this native. And lure him, the friend did the farmer, to the merits that await in city. Uncourageous he taunted, had the farmer been all life. And so the farmer took this, his old friend's advice. And off he left for "high-lands", if only for a few weeks at first. The friend bade him farewell, as he stayed back on vacation.

Day 1 the farmer spent, watching all day TV. Never had he been, in such big hotel rooms.
But by end of day he felt, the eyes tired and burning, and yet the body lazy.
He slept not well, he realized for once, what sleeplessness meant.

Day 2 the farmer decided, he should spend out shopping. Never had he needed, as all his money did spend.
By end of day with guilt, he rushed back at the shock.
The cherished value for money, he had all but lost.

Day 3 the farmer made up, will be spent in watching. The beauty he had come for, the life that city promises.
And ate he all he could, and walked about in boredom.
For what beauty lies, buildings lined in space crunch.

Day 4 he learnt illness, what he'd hardly known in life
For no sweat was he breaking, and only junk been eating

Day 5 he set out, to buy his own vegetables
And realized that money's, not fair like barter exchange

I'm reminded of Khaleel Dhantejvi's Ab Main Ration ki Qataaron mein Nazar aata hoon (YouTube Link)

Day 6 he sat sulking, at the cost of city life
(A habit he had not known)
And what he gained, and what he lost
At arriving here on friend's advice

Not wait for Day 7 did he,
Rushed back to village he did
And found his friend recuperating
Detoxing addictions and diseases

Rediscover Life, through the eyes of a Child

The child's eyes, are an opener to ours
With innocence we've lost, they look out for us
And point out the beauty, in smallest of things
Enlighten with curiosity, what we'd taken for granted

The vision of children, and what they love most
Is what we should aspire, and drive forces toward
They don't want gadgets, but only our time
They take out our patience, to only fill it with joy

Questions and Clarifications on Advaita Vedanta - 1

Have been listening to a lot of wonderful Youtube videos on Advaita Vedanta by Swami Sarvapriyananda: Drig Dishya Viveka (YouTube Link) and Aparokshanubhuti (YouTube Link).

Some of these do lead to questions, which is both a natural and healthy process for any learning and growth. As I hear most of these videos when I'm in commute, I want to document questions I remember and clarifications I receive for those in individual Blog Posts.

So here goes:

• Q: We say that there is blankness in deep sleep. And the mind is turned off. How then, if there is stomach pain, do we wake up from sleep. When we say that mind controls the senses, and the mind itself is turned off. While the consciousness is not connected to the senses
• Q: We say the mind turns off during deep sleep. And so Brahman has nothing to reflect upon. Now how does the mind turn back on: does Brahman do it or does it happen by itself (either by the mind-matter or the Jivatman as proposed by VishishtAdvaita)
• Q: If Sukshma Shareera (Mind) transmigrates from birth to birth, why aren't memories from the previous birth retained.
• 
  

Any answers from readers welcome

Narasimham series Part 8: The visit to temples

Part 7 | When I came out of the meditation, did I realize. What seemed like eternity, was just a few moments passed. And such is the beauty of true meditation, the ability to grasp the Source. I stood up now quite sure. The dawn had just broken, and the crimson sun was on the rise. The Devi and Narasimham temples would just have opened. I performed my ablutions in a nearby stream. Quenched my thirst, my hunger long mastered. And briskly darted to the temples at visible distance. The Narasimham temple was first, to express my gratitude. Though for reasons unknown, it was he who protected, this mortal life at risk. As I sat in quietness, within the sanctified temple premises, I felt that bliss again, settle deep within. The temple pujari I knew, but he too knew I'd renounced. So there was a surprise in his look, but the priority were the morning Abhishekam. When the pujari stepped out of the sanctum, he suddenly startled looking at me. And down fell the thali, with the kumkum he was getting for me.. 

Life is Short, Keep it Simple

From the brushes off painting are countless insects destroyed

Not a step in life, where death we can avoid

Yet cling on to mortal, do we day and night

Yet greed and vice pervade us, next generations not in mind

Not every quarter needs growth, there is a life to fulfill

Let not the short gains blind side, the beauty that lies within

Not every thing of beauty, would be any much in sync

Realize the need and hope to, keep this life simple

The point in meditation when you transcend time

There is that time, when sat still in peace
Be it meditation, contemplation or prayer
Comes an event that transcends time

This does come, when engrossed in work
This does come, when blithe in play
But the experience that comes, when you meditate
Takes you the closest, to the source of power

It's like how, the alarm rings in morn
And one awakes amazed
Wasn't it a minute before I slept

Rested and refreshed
Is meditation greatest
When you connect with the truth
When you embrace bliss forever

Silence and Sound

As I walk in a moonlight night
With the scent of night-bloomed flowers
An eerie silence makes me restless
As one that looks at sound for peace

Silence deafening, silence maddening
Silence if this was before creation
Then this silence I do not cherish
This this silence I do not want

This life is opposites, it's wicked and wise
This life is balance, it's both act and rest
Look not for only, the strive to escape
Live well the life here, do serve to help

Lessons from the movie The Pursuit of Happyness

IMDB Link: Indeed, a most touching movie. A man who loves his son and aspires to set things right from the financial perspective. His struggles with homelessness, and the very fact that all this is based on a true story.

The tragedy of having to fail in a difficult marriage, of losing equipment that are his livelihood, of having to give away $5 to a boss, something which he cannot afford. Staying in shelter homes, even once in a public restroom..it was absolutely hearbreaking.

Vindicates from the many acts where what he lost kept coming back, and that he was still able to give his child joy, that if you hang it, you'll make it.

Was very pleased to read that the protagonist, entrepreneur and finance expert Chris Gardner based on whom this movie was, made it big in life and is still an influential figure (Wikipedia Link).

Spoiler: The movie has a happy ending

PS: His struggle is emotionally overwhelming, the mere thought of the scenes in the movie fills me up. Can't write all in a single sitting. Might have to keep coming back to edit this article

Lessons from the movie Thor on Bharat-Pak relations

I see the rhetoric of Bharat-Pak relations going the wrong way..a recent viewing of the movie Thor (IMDB Link) was a stark reminder that while war might objectively have a win/lose result on the face of it, if you go deeper the losses are more than what it's worth.

Defending one's nation is paramount. I'm not one to say to be submissive. But diplomacy should be the strategy than formal army-led "surgical strike" machismo.
There might be a lot of mileage being sought or not, but the move in itself was not good. Instead, RAW-led disturbances, or at the very least, not making global news of it should have been the restraint shown.

Indeed, was very happy with Pak acknowledging the global isolation that Indian diplomacy was aggressively moving to. It's a tragic story there, where the elected democrats are more puppets at the hands of the army and radical clerics. I wonder how and why minorities there survive there than migrating and seeking asylum in other countries. And to say that such a nation, even starts talking of J&K issues is something worth taunting and belittled at. But that's how the country stays relevant...

Bharat, on the other hand, has been progressively moving forward. Our entrepreneurs caught the software services way at just the correct time. We need to go from strength to strength. The last thing we need is a war. We do not want our soldiers hurt, leave aside lose their lives. Let's invest in technology (drones, robots, unmanned aircrafts). Invest in civil nuclear to take the country forward to achieve power self-sufficiency to the extent there are no power cuts, and not only that. To the extent that we have a surplus that can be directed to making sea-water potable.

Indeed, steps taken by our PM Narendra Modi, including the impromptu stopover once to meet their PM, sadly was not reciprocated by the Pak PM Nawaz Sharif. His rhetorics on J&K despite all these positive measures are what actually started this downward spiral.

Isolate Pak in every aspect (sports, artists - ignore the hypocrite Bollywood artistes who don't understand loss of land or life as long as their fortunes stay intact). It is these elites of Pak that should then influence their policies to improve relations with Bharat. Unless their pockets are burnt, they won't have a need to do this.

Isolation is costlier to Pak. Any attacks on them will only insinuate and vindicate their radical elements. Let's pursue an aggressive posture in these lines.

Blessed Gifts

O Son, as you lay on my lap these thoughts
Of benedictions that you have you poured

These bliss of experiences, as I step aside and watch
O the mirth you share, by just being yourself

Dear Gods, you've blessed me, with another gift too
The Shakti of Devi, the one to grace us

While mountains and rivers, is the glory of nature
The family, purushartas, the story of life

Devi, your mere sight

My Mother, Dear Devi, your mere sight
Reminds me of love, poured by doting mother on child

You loving look at me, as the Ganga gushing forth
Your mere sight gave goosebumps, had the prana throbbing inside
I could feel the change within, as something unexplained

You are mother that feeds, the Shakti that nurtures
You bless us with child, and the love to pour on child
You are Mata Bhavani, the giver of courage,
With you within me, why the world do I fear

True knowledge may dawn, this all my illumined projection
Ishta Devi Saraswati, may your sight invoke  this insight

You are Mata Bhadrakali, with blood oozing all around
Your drive away abhorrence, blessing all with devotion
You are the power that takes us, past the beginningless Samsara
Why, your mere sight Mata, wipes out aeons of my Karmas

From Tamas to Rajas and only then Sattva

I recently read that while anger and depression fall under the tamasic guna, passion and desire fall under rajasic.

This is something that modern medicine and spirituality should focus attention on.
To medicine and psychiatric healing this is a vindication: their methods and therapies generally aimed at making the patient love life again, by setting goals to look forward to in this life, is a must to first get the patient out of his melancholy.

But as with the nature of Rajas, this victory could be short-lived. For Rajas has the range of a pendulum; this world and life thrives on this guna. So when it swings toward the negative, the mental tendencies can make the patient cherish Tamas again.

The only way out is to take the patient towards Sattva, once he comes out of Tamas and gets settled in Rajas. This is only when and imperatively where spirituality should come in.

While in Tamas you teach workouts, in Rajas you teach Yoga. While in Tamas you make him run outdoors, in Rajas you have him start Pranayama. Let him eat all he enjoys while roiling in Tamas, make him watch what he eats, when he starts establishing in Rajas.

And then you start giving him sips of nectar: the royal road of Vedanta is what he should tread. Once he starts on that journey, there is no coming back. Not to Tamas, not at all, maybe Rajas during struggle.

Lessons from the movie Atmakadha

Atmakadha (IMDB Link), is a heartwarming story of a self-reliant blind man. With some very good and natural performances, it gives a view of how a blind man also can have a complete life. Even showing a blind couple managing a home and bringing up offspring. The movie shows the role churches (and such religious places of worship) have a role to play in assisting the disabled to gain their self-esteem.

Srinivasan couldn't bring out a tear like a Mohanlal or Mammootty could have, but perhaps that was never the intent. Also the movie should not have shown the child also turning blind; it does undo the good work done in displaying how two blind people can have healthy offspring. Also the daughter could have been shown as completing her exams irrespective. This would be the guidance to the audience to show how such a person can secure her future. These things could have been highlighted upon, but perhaps the director wanted to keep the scope of the script as the protagonist himself, Simple.

You are your present..

You are your present, though your past has made you
You have to breathe now, breathless though you have been

I have the freedom to choose, every minute, every second
I have the responsibility to focus, it is my awareness, my nature

To express first lose one-self, how profound are these words
Dear Mother you have insight, that lifetimes take to occur

Reduce breaths and live longer

It's been my continuous experience in meditation: Breaths automatically slowing down. To the point of not breathing. And yet, the feeling of being relaxed. Then, very slowly, breathing happening slowly. But once I get conscious of this, I feel the breath rhythm is disturbed.

But I had this theory, which I recently also heard again coming from a Vedantin. That of the 21,600 breaths in a day (with each breath of 4 seconds), as you reduce a few, you live longer.

Another aspect of breath as we know: If you breathe deeper, your mind is calmer. When you are in agitation, be it physical, mental or emotional, you breathe faster. If this prolongs in day, you exceed the 21,600 count and it reduces the life-span by that much. Which also holds up scientifically, where it's well-known that prolonged agitation of these aspects is bound to make us ill, which will obviously reduce life-span.

In the end, what we need is the primary awareness of life being a game, a dream in a forever cycle. So take the awareness of a witness while involved in Karma, fulfill your role and come out of this cycle.

So..let's breathe deep!

I am Infinite

In the rhythm of the flute, that I sat hearing
I could see, the coconut trees sway

And leaves seem dancing, in blissful merriment
I know they knew, that I am watching

We all are one, the Brahman infinite
They were expressing only, the feelings in Heart

You take the body away, but I live on
Oh foolish people, to have attachments at all

The Lonely Path

There was once a lonely path
I walked on it alone
Amidst the crowd unnoticed
At peace with myself on own

Then had I held a hand
And this gave me respect
In eyes of those who walk by
But for this I didn't care

Then we have two young hands
And this has given me bliss
Although just the taste of
Which I cannot rest till I achieve

So I look forward to the lonely path
But this time I know where to
I know now what I look for
I know now what to share

The creator's folly

There is no meaning left, in the sizzle and bustle of crowds
You can have as many, but people will only distract

A quiet reflection, when there was just One
Has created this marvel, this system of creation

I was but a loner, and then I wanted too many
Regret do I that this has, cost me my identity

Forgotten have I who I was
Forgotten have I who I am...

The Child is Spontaneous

I know not what relation it is..
I daze at you with unending bliss
Every antic my little child
Does extract a little a smile

How you do it is just being yourself
What a truthful teaching it is

The world would have a hearty laugh
if you do it, but frown on it, if ever I did

Sau Tarah Ke Rog Le Lu...Lyrics gone too far?

I was listening to this song "Sau Tarah Ke Rog Le Lu" from a recent film (YouTube Link). The music sounded jazzy. But pay attention to the lyrics, and it seems to be more about a one-night stand. And then you realize that the lyrics seem to be downplaying STDs. As if, I can't help it now, I'd rather take on the disease.

 I don't know if these lyrics raise a hue a cry or not, or the "chill it man" generation just passed it on as another test of their "openness". But it should have, the way the "Choli" songs in '93 or Govinda-Karishma songs in '95 / '95 did. That negative promotion did some damage in making it not worth having suggestive lyrics in films.

Lyrics like these need to be scrutinized by the Censor Board; not sure if it currently comes under their purview. I know the board is under pressure these days for lack of "consistency" and "moral policing" / "lack of maturity" etc etc. That can be a separate debate, but lyrics like these which undermine the gravity of such diseases while also promoting unhealthy behaviors towards sexuality, definitely need condoning!

Onam Days

(As received in a forward)

The Ten Days of Onam Celebrations

The celebrations of Onam start on Atham day, 10 days before Thiruvonam. The 10 days are part of the traditional Onam celebrations and each day has its own importance in various rituals and traditions.

1. Atham 5th Sept 2016
The first day of Onam celebrations starts with Atham day in the Malayalam month of Chingam. It is believed that King Mahabali starts his preparations to descend from Pathala to Kerala on this day. The day also marks the start of festivities at Thrikkakara temple, which is considered as one of the centers of Onam and the abode of Mahabali, with the raising of the festival flag. The traditional ritual of laying pookkalam (floral carpet) starts on Atham day. The pookkalam on this day is called Athapoo, and it is relatively small in size. The size of the pookkalam grows in size progressively with each day of the Onam festival. Only yellow flowers will be used on Atham and the design is kept simple. Statues or figurines of Mahabali and Vamana are also installed at the entrance of each house on this day.

2. Chithira 6th Sept 2016
The pookkalam design on the second day consists of a second layer added on top with 2 different colours apart from yellow (mostly orange and creamy yellow). On this day, people start cleaning the household to prepare for the Thiruvonam day.

3. Chodhi 7th Sept 2016
On the third day of Onam celebrations, the pookalam starts growing in its size by adding new layers or designs with at least 4 to 5 different flowers. The day also marks the start of shopping activities. Onam is associated with gifting new clothes, hence from this day onwards people start buying new clothes and jewellery.

4. Vishakam 8th Sept 2016
The fourth day of Onam celebrations. Vishakam is considered to be one of the most auspicious days of Onam. In olden days, the markets open their harvest sale on this day, making one of the busiest days in the markets for public. Nowadays, Vishakam marks the start of many Onam-related competitions such as Pookkalam competition.

5. Anizham 9th Sept 2016
The fifth day of Onam celebrations is one of the most important days in the Onam celebration, as it kicks off the great Vallamkali (Snake boat race) in many parts of Kerala. The snake boats are prepared for participation in the boat race at Aranmula Uthrattathi Vallamkali. A mock Vallamkali is conducted on this day at Aranmula as a dress-rehearsal for the final boat race which will be held after Onam.

6. Thriketa 10th Sept 2016
The sixth day of Onam celebrations. By the sixth day, the public frenzy starts building up. Most of the schools and public offices are granted holiday from this day onwards and people start packing their bags to their native homes to celebrate the festival with their dear ones. The pookkalam design will be very large by this time, with at least 5 to 6 new flowers types added to the original designs.

7. Moolam 11th Sept 2016
The seventh day of Onam celebrations. On this day, the smaller versions of traditional Ona Sadya (Onam lunch feast) start in many places. Most of the temples offer special sadyas on from this day. Festivities include Puli Kali (masked leopard dance) and traditional dance forms like Kaikotti Kali which are performed in various functions.

8. Pooradam 12th Sept 2016
The eight day of Onam celebrations. The day starts off with a major traditional ritual where the small statues of Mahabali and Vamana will be washed and cleaned and taken around the house in a procession. It will be later installed in the center of the pookkalam smeared with a rice-flour batter. The smearing is done by small children who are called Poorada unnikal. From this day onwards, the statue will be called Onathappan. The pookkalam design from Pooradam day onwards gets much bigger and complex in design.

9.Uthradom 13th Sept 2016
The ninth day of Onam Celebrations. Uthradom is the ninth and the penultimate day of the festival of Onam. It is considered as Onam eve and celebrated in a very big way. The importance of this day is last minute extreme shopping frenzy called as Uthradappachil and is considered the most auspicious day for purchase of fresh vegetables and fruits along with other provisions from the Thiruvonam day.

Uthradam is known as 'First Onam' because it marks the day when King Mahabali descends onto Kerala. Traditional myths say that the king will spend the next four days touring his erstwhile kingdom and blessing the subjects. Due to this, Uthradom is celebrated in a very pompous manner with larger pookkalams and celebrations in all households. The Uthradom lunch is generally grand. Women normally cut the first set of vegetables on this day that marks the celebrations of Thiruvonam in each household and preparations for grand Thiruvonam feast also start during the evening of Uthradom day.

10.Thiruvonam 14 Sept 2016
The tenth and final day Onam celebrations that culminates the 10 days of Onam Carnival. The day is known as Thiru-Onam (Sacred Onam Day) also known as 'Second Onam'. Myth says that this was the day Mahabali was sent to the netherworld ( Pathalam) by Vamana. The day marks the return of Mahabali to his fabled land (Kerala), as per the boon he received from Vamana to meet his subjects and bless them. Apart from this myth, this day is considered auspicious being birthdays of several temple deities representing Vishnu, like Vamana of Thrikkakara temple, Sree Padmanabha Swamy of Thiruvananthapuram etc.

Lessons from the movie Kaththi

First up, let's call a spade as it is. Kaththi (IMDb link) is mass movie starring Vijay, with him in double role that too exactly resembling someone unrelated, and where he can beat up tons of goons to the extent to give an adrenaline rush. And where the heroine has nothing more than face value to fill up the songs.

But I chose to mention it here because I was happy that even with the wrapping of a mass movie, the film chose to highlight a ticking social bomb as the core message: the water crisis.

Where water is pumped out from villages, snatching the livelihood of dependant farmers, while in turn sowing seeds for a food crisis.

They show Satyagraha as the modicum how they win the battle. No permanent solutions, because there are none as long as our population keeps growing and wasting water.

But at least an important message at the heart of the film. I'd recommend this film to all.

Narasimham series Part 7: Why am I back

Part 6 | But I had left it all. Why am I now back. Yes, I had to get answers. Of why were soldiers sent after me, this life. And I had to appreciate, why has Narasimha started to possess me.

The sight of the palace, or is it the Devi who presides over this kingdom, is now giving me clarity. I need to find out reasons. I had turned to the path of bliss, given this all up. Left all to their Karma. But there was the gnawing question deep within. What of my Karma: Is there a redemption, or is it for my next life.

I think the answer is close. If my tapas has purified me enough that the Lord himself takes refuge to protect this body, there is more left. I need to check why.

Dawn was to break, and the first ray had glowed my energies. I hardly needed sleep now. I rose and went off to meditation. The ocean of bliss, I could access at will! | Part 8

Dream is a hint of reality

Dream has that, the hint of Truth
It tells us that, this Life is a bluff

As in the dream, all looks true
So of this world, all looks good

I know this is hard, but think coincidence
I know this shakes up, but ask what's unfair

For knowing there is hope, for knowing what is True
That you, Your Self, is the only Real Truth

Perfection is not for here

Where there be, a perfect seed
Not like thus possible, in this life bead

The universe exists, to imperfection manifest
Even symmetry doesn't grant, beauty's best

For all that we create, is destruction certain
Life's not made, to achieve satisfaction

You are here to yearn, to gain your freedom
You are here to achieve, where perfection lives

First things first: Improve Infrastructure, Development will come

There is beautiful and cogent article one must read on the correlation of Infrastructure and Economic Growth (Article Link).

Today you drive on Indian city roads, where roads do exist, but congested, and you have no guarantee about the commitment that can be placed on reaching from point A to B. How will business people or entrepreneurs thrive.
Or if you go on rural roads, they are either non-existent or blatantly unmaintained. How does rural demand and small scale industry grow then?

There are many factors to focus on for development. But infrastructure is a no-brainer. The article I mentioned also highlights how the GDP growth, and traffic demand is of a cyclic nature. Likewise, how washroom, drinking water facilities at various points are paramount.

The Shiv Sena started the ambitious Slum Rehabilitation program to decongest Mumbai. I don't think it had the willpower to make significant progress. Today even their website (link) doesn't open! Here's another link from one of the developers involved in such projects (Builder website). Of course there were challenges, political lobbies and illegal activities happening there were being threatened. But tackling population growth is a different problem, first try to manage the population that currently exists, that was the focus! So it was a great step and in the correct direction. Build highrises, make way for transport.

Then there is sanity required in handling the private transport lobby. Look how Singapore does it (link). Public transport won't give good returns in countries with low population. But in places like India, they can be perfectly feasible. The Volvo AC public buses are a step in the correct direction to attract the upper middle class. We need to made owning private vehicles prohibitory. Lack of vision is allowing 2 million new cars to hit the roads each year (News Link)! We are ruining our environment, and thus our health and future in this manner!

The seventh pay commission mandating contributing salary towards health insurance is a step in the correct direction towards this. Not only does it get government employees access to sophisticated medical help, but also helps in hospital development in India.

And last must no the least is the job generation that it'll lead to, the way it helped America come out of depression and sow the seeds to make it attractive to business (Article Link).

Let this be the primary focus of Indian growth: Infrastructure development!

Devi Prasadam

Devi you have blessed us
Born in Mind and graced us

I had felt your presence among us
In Ashram's Devi Puja had tears welled

We carry you as hope now
You are Shakti, you already rule us

Liberate me, make me deservent
Of having borne you, as nimitham

As Durga bless benevolence
You grace and your powers
As Kali help me win over
The ignorance that veils us

Who is a Bharat Ratna and When

Let's keep the legal / constitutional / defined definitions aside.

For the common man, a Bharat Ratna is a Role Model.
And we don't award, this is Bharat Ratna for Music, or Bharat Ratna for Science. We award Bharat Ratna to the Citizen. In the sense, the person must have been exemplary in one field, but still should have been a model citizen.
And this applies to the awards from Padmashri onwards too.

This is why Sanjay Dutt or Salman Khan should and would never get it.
There was a huge ask for Saif Ali Khan to return his Padmashri when he manhandled someone in a restaurant, whatever be the context.

And hence there was the sagacity in those giving out the awards to give it out at the later part of such an achiever's life. Or even posthumously, which perhaps was taking things a bit far.
But the thought behind it always was to hold out to the world and future generations of what a Model Indian should be like.

Let's consider the tarnish to the award done by giving it to Sachin Tendulkar for example:
The very fact that the definition of comes in-scope of getting the award was changed to accommodate him, makes it all look fishy. But I'm not against the change in definition itself.

My point of view is only to ask if he was a model citizen apart from being the God of Batting.
Hmmm, well, he's only 43. There is a long life ahead of him. Too soon to say! And that's my only concern.
Consider this article (link), written before he got the award. It's not as if Sachin had been a model citizen prior to the award even. Why then had the highest national honour to be given by our most judicious then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, but for an opportunistic eye on getting some positive points for himself and his party after a scandal-led disastrous governance.

And now consider his current "performance" in the Rajya Sabha (News Link). Going by the twist in definition, of including "performance", wouldn't having given him a Bharat Ratna now look to have been done hastily?

And if a cricketer, why not the people from the Armed Forces, or the Police Forces, what about them?
Their "performance" and their sacrifices are what keeps the country standing.
Why are they confined to Gallantry awards. Indeed, they are our true Role Models.

Path to bliss: first choose happiness

Yes there is, a beautiful bliss
A bliss that's mind you, beyond happiness and grief

But to reach that bliss, first choose happiness
Get a glimpse to see, if you have the readiness

Not all can hold on, to that smile in adversity
Not every eye can peer through, the reasons with magnanimity

But try you must, it's lifetimes of cobwebs
Won't be easy but someday, get in touch with your best

The amazing Ramanujam and the power of intuition

The Ramanujam Fellowship was in the news recently for being the reason why Indian-educated scientists were coming back, leaving behind lucrative careers in the west (News Link).
While this is in itself great news for the country, and a topic to write on about by itself, the subject of this article is something different.

This article reminded me about a movie on the mathematician Ramanujam that I'd seen a few months ago (IMDB Link: The Man Who Knew Infinity). I'd been wanting to write about this great mathematician since then.

I'd read about Ramanujam growing up, as many other high-school children would have. And the Ramanujam Number 1729 (Wikipedia Link). And how numbers were such friends to this true definition of a genius. I'd already read with interest on how it seemed Goddess Namagiri (Wikipedia Link) of Namakkal in Tamil Nadu used to cause intuitions on the solutions, the equations to difficult problems. Answers Ramanujam would arrive at without going through the labour of steps arriving at them. I'd also read about how Prof Hardy was instrumental in recognizing Ramanujam's talent and getting him to England to collaborate with him. I'd also read how Ramanujam passed away at an early age and what at loss to Mathematics this was.

But the movie truly revealed many other aspects of Ramanujam's personal life and hardships which were not known to me, growing up in the era where the Internet's "networks" were just being formed. It was a great movie, who revealed his human side. It was an honest movie. How Ramanujam once even attempted suicide. How despite his professor's commitments and patience with his unscientific talent, was more interested in just going back to the place where his work wouldn't have found its due purpose.

The point I want to highlight in this article is not even this. What I want to point out is that the movie should be watched, to observe and appreciate how the power of intuition is a much greater aspect that the power of reason. At times, or I dare say most times after we've learnt to "hear" it as well as Ramanujam had, we should listen to the voice of intuition than what reason would suggest. Intuition comes from the harmony of Conscience and your God's or Inner Self's grace. It would have to be in harmony with the way things must be. If reason be the pure basis of action, then VIKI from the "I, Robot" film is far from wrong.

While scientific temper and the rigor is needed, it should in my view be a parallel thread. There is a whole world of limitations that we have to leap past, if we have progress faster. And this is not just in science, but all aspects. If one were listening to their inner voice than the brain-washing, the conditioning that happens at various levels, be it societal or marketing, the human life would be move faster towards its core purpose of fulfillment, of freedom.

Intuition is how the Vedas came to us, how the ancient Rishis made the major leaps in astronomy, medicine and philosophy. Somewhere in time, we regressed, so much that today those are just looked up with wonder, or worse, mixed up with superstition. In either case, it's not helping us.

Just as Ayurveda and Yoga are now getting new-found acceptance in the past few decades, the time has come to appreciate and accept Intuition too. To listen to those in tune with the voices in respective areas, be it Ramanujam in Maths or RD Burman in Music. Free them from the rigor to just do this (the reason why Ramanujam was getting disillusioned in England). Let's make investments on this promise from Intuition (although it sounds preposterous today) and get past mental barriers and narrow view to things. A lot of that's lost from the past will start making sense, and we can take them to stretches farther than we can today imagine.

Let's get in touch with our Inner Voice.

Whom to be First Thankful to

Should I be first thankful to the parents who got me birth
Or myself for having deserved this birth

Should I first thank the merciful lord
For giving my redemption a chance
Or the teachers who made me realise
The reasons for my birth that this is why

The economically poor: The culture torch bearers

You look out of the window, at the poor construction worker family. With thatched makeshift huts, their home at the street side. And watch closely, at what they eat, what they wear.
When I say poor, I mean economically lower, but not beggars. I mean the ones who toil, but still just make ends meet. The ones who never even had the equal opportunity to get ahead in life.
Look closely at them, and you see the model of the true Indian. And again, I don't mean to say this from the economic perspective, but from the cultural perspective. You give the woman a choice, but still she'd prefer her Saree over any other dress. She'll still cook the chapati than buy a bread. The fast-ageing father will take his children to temple, more than any other affluent family visits.
And you think to realize, God's world is strange, but it can't be unfair. When Jesus said, The meek will inherit the kingdom of heaven, there was a meaning to it. These so-called poor, are really more content than us. They are the ones who'd certainly attain bliss, for they are right at the cusp. Of course but, they are not the target audience of the globe-trotting, true Jnani gurus.
Yes, if you ask them of their future, they'd worry too. But don't we too, despite all our pay cheques and bank balances too?
They don't have the time to idle, their work keeps them engaged and happy. They don't have the money to get pulled into consumerist marketing, the junk food, the idle brain's food - the TV or the games.
Their kids, we only have to ensure they get a good education, because the true teachings, of the Vedanta are within their family's day-to-day living. If they only get the opportunity to study, they can guide us, and the country too.

Why are teachers paid less

Why in any nation are teachers paid less

Why their sacrifice earns such disrespect

Is really market economy the answer to all

How can a by-quarter world view be best for all

A seed once sown, takes months to bear fruit

A human generation, two decades to gain trust

Those who nurture and protect

Should be heralded the best

Must become the guiding policy

For a nation's interest

There was that beautiful bliss

It felt like a walk in a forest
With sun rays passing through as arrows
It felt like standing on sandy beaches
With gusty winds blowing on
I know not how to describe it best
It felt like a holiday afternoon
With feet on sofa, and reading a book

But no, that doesn't, even tell it best
I guess it was just beyond
Just beyond any pleasure felt

Bliss is what we all pursue
But bliss is all, we really are
It's just the illusion, the covering of karma
Else bliss is where, we all came from

Use ego to win over senses. Then go beyond ego

Achieving bliss, is ironically, a war
Conditioned by senses, our likes, our dislikes
There is no out with
Every moment a test, every action a reaction

The journey then, is a series of steps
And a step a time, could even slip nine
I introspect thus, to fight iron with iron
And use the stronger iron, to scale the mountain

If Ego is bigger, put it to effect
Use it as weapon, in the battle with senses
Your anger, your tastes, your lust, avarice
Set these as targets, your Ego could win it

And once the battle is done,
With Ego weary or bloated
Have it look around then
Who ever cares for your win..

Don't Honk..but does it make sense?

Read an article about Bengaluru being the second most noisiest. And saw a pic with Rahul Dravid holding an "I don't honk" sticker. Agreed, being second noisiest is something for the traffic and transport departments to take notice about. But to deflect the blame to "honking" is pure escapism!

The reasons were in the article itself: They said people honked to express frustration. Traffic Jam, or some other driver making a mistake. Well, then what you have to fix are the traffic jams, the honking will automatically stop.

My point is I've seen this about USA too. People there, especially in the suburbs hold honking in very low esteem. But go to the downtowns with actually filled up roads, and then you see the difference. It's all honking, no different from a metro in India.

The reason I honk does fall into the other category, where driving habits, and traffic rules are poorly enforced. And it is indeed mostly linked to the traffic jams (or potential traffic jams ahead why drivers have gotten used to be so much in a hurry, something in the blind spot or not!). So I better honk, at a passing stray dog, the pedestrian who's looking the other way and crossing, or the motor cyclist who's joining the road from a T-junction, but doesn't even bother to look if vehicles are coming at speed at him before joining.

So what the message needs to go out, loud and clear - even by Rahul Dravid if he could kindly - is represent the motorists, and go to the traffic department, and with them to the transport department, and with them to the planning and financing department, and with them to the chief minister even if need be: Bengaluru is the second noisiest already, please fix it!

You can be higher than the Gods you pray

Those who became Gods, asked to be, and accepted that fate.
Power and perhaps, even pleasure abounds.
But as nature of pleasure goes: Habit forming, transitional, they find no end to it.
And as far as power goes, even controlling natural elements, is but limited.

To free themselves of this, they have to take birth
And birth as none else, but humans on Earth

So while you are here, may you use them as models
But not for once, choose them as ideals

Realize your worth, make the realization intuitive
Filled with compassion and love, merged will All with you Go

Serve

This Earth may be dream, but do not deride it
There are things to be done, do not deny these

Of human contribution, and not concern result
Is all this life is, do not forget this

The time has come now, you should not lose it
Coming back to finish, would take another birth this

Grace of the Divine

O Deva Subrahmanya, the bestower of boons
Ever since you established, your presence in Swadishtana
You blessed me progeny, You granted me thus immortality

Dear Mother Kali, you guide me to liberation
I ask you of all, as a child demands of mother
In one stroke of  Sword, you have rid me of ego
Your Trishulam defends, keeps my senses in control

Ayurveda treats the root cause, maybe not the effects

This I learnt when I took my son to the Ayurvedic Pediatric doctor at Punarjani in Bengaluru. To cure my son's back-to-back ear infections, the approach to cure was ensuring he doesn't get his cold again.

And that's what the Allopathy doctor's parting shot had been, for which they had no medicine, only cure if it occurred.

But Ayurveda had natural medications - bitter quite a bit - but ones that quickly showed effect. The approach of Ayurveda is in general to help build the body's immunity through herbal supplements. So there are no side effects, and the body builds up its defenses to fight the infections that earlier it was so prone to.

I guess this is why Ayurveda should, and must, build and market itself as the preventive cure that this and coming generations really need!

Light and Rain

Light and rain, it's a drainy mix right away
I wake up, get feet wet, and dance away

There was no sunset, so sunrise I missed
I just stayed awake, the body may have slept

There is no such as me, there will be many more
I'm still the One, the drop that completes the ocean