The fever of stress and lust are the same
Your head feels hot, not a good feel at all
The body feels pleasure, but far far from bliss
And the mind feels guilt, all this marks of lust
The mind feels disturbed, far far from peace
Blaming God as why me, all this marks of stress
Both are best stayed away from, a good life if one wants
Avoid them as sink sands, and try to come out as soon can
That blissful feeling pervading the hall
And the mind and thought after leaving the hall
Comes from calmness and rest to thoughts
That blissful feeling that blesses us all
Music divine in the name of lord
Has none to compare behold ye all
Created in rhythm a perfected tune
Can grace and confer moksha to all
Give me bliss, the focus to not distract
To not be tempted, by world's tastes
Both gross and refined
Hold me close, in your name and thought
Bless me with rest, and lack of distress
Both worry and ambition, be far from reach
Let there be giving, balance and peace
A life well lived, an example to cherish
A freedom forever, from the samsaric cycles
Post the body's death, there are no senses
There are no more eyes nor ears to hear
There are only impressions, that stay alive
Post the body's death, you are limitless
You realise that, hankerings were, pointless
Post the death, you realise life, was precious
Oh post the death, you realise life's, true purpose
Use your senses, to do what's right
Oh please listen, to your conscience
Be humane, no didactic
They all are right, from where they stand!
I've no doubt seeing some of Sridevi's earlier, works in Tamil cinema, that the Tamil Film industry is what gave her full opportunity to explore her creativity and give it full expression. Be it 16 Vayathinile, Moondram Pirai, Varumayin Niram Sivappu to name a few, you can see the amount of footage and complex, women-centric roles she got to play at such a young age. I'm sure working alongside a talent like Kamal Hassan in many of such films also would have immensely honed her talents.
It's no surprise that after a few years of moving on to Hindi films, she was getting frustrated and began picking and choosing films and reducing the number of films she signed up. This in turn might have distracted her from acting leading to the mistakes in personal life and general unhappiness that plagued her throughout.
She was lucky though that Yash Chopra got her memorable roles in Lamhe and Chandni. And credit to her for only opting for films where she had enough expression for talent like Chalbaaz, Judaai, English Vinglish even though these became few and far between. Good that she didn't get typecast in B Grade Jeetendra remakes of Tamil mass hits.
Yet, one who'd seen Sridevi's innocence, natural child like vice and easy body language in Tamil critically acclaimed films, would immediately notice that these did not suit her in Hindi films. And that she never got those kind of complete roles in Hindi, which over time, would have matured into National award winning characters if she'd stuck to Tamil.
Well, but life has its way with things, and even the beautiful Sridevi chose to go under Hindi cinema for money, and under the knife for beauty, all leading to disastrous results...
Yesterday on the way from Anantapur to Bengaluru, went to use the public toilet next to airport toll. And believe me - and I'm from Mumbai who's seen a lot in suburbs - this was the worst toilet one could have seen.
No celebrity, no politician would have stood next to it irrespective of their claims.
What is the use of an outer shine when inside it's this dirty. And how come such a toilet in even such a prime area. The response I'm sure would be that there is no government funding for maintanence of toilets, funds are perhaps only to build new ones. As a gentleman did so yesterday, better than use such a toilet is to defecate in the open. It is akin to the movie Joker, where as part of free toilet schemes, just the toilet seat was handed to the poor in a well promoted event. What about the piping and drainage, no point in even asking.
Be it toilets or demonetization, a weakness of this government has been to not consider and plan for the aftermath. I hope it takes this feedback and builds on the good work of creating a non-corrupt administration.
Not in the villages, all this social media, why when people know each other already.
It's not the traffic or roads that win votes, where basic amenities of water and shelter a concern.
The Bharat in cities, is a speck in this ocean, of cultures diverse. All bound by the thread, of Sanatana Dharma.
If you want to live a life truly tranquil, not that all do, but the opportunity still resides in its villages
Where trees still cool down, the breeze and paths, and the minds of many a mendicant.
Despite the marauding invasions of Mughals, hell bent upon wiping out cultures, how wonderfully are the Rajasthani traditions preserved.
In the desert heat that nurtured, vegetarian rugged features; where aesthetic music and graceful dances despite prevailed.
How blessed we are that the will persevered, even with scarce resources battling biting cold nights and tempting offers to convert.
This culture great of the state and country, is slowly eroding by a youth nonchalant.
Fed with education that looks at the West as great. As ourselves made up of orthodox mindset.
They look down at themselves their potentials great. And measure success with ability to immigrate..
In every religion they make sure to teach
That this world is not the end in itself
This life is not the only one
That death is not the end of ways
We spend in here a little time
Souls who have come to reap their fruit
Why then this mad rush to destroy at will
What in first place not belong to us
The riches here don't fly aboard
The ship that we take to reach beyond
So share and care for your own good
Earn eternal bliss on Earth and Heaven
The symbol of innocence, the mother cow
With no expression except of love
Always giving and not asking much
The mother cow, watches over us
May she be fed, with food and care
She will bless us as ever, with milk and calm
May she be protected, venerated as Life
Her destiny is ours, we will realise
Flow of time, resembling waves
Inconspicuous little, but precious moment
If you are tensed, the one that freezes
And when in love, the time that flies
I know the time, I feel one moment
And then that moment, passes by
Before I can understand it well
The moment bades me, goodbye
There is a general flow to things
The baby runs in optimum speed
The children find mirth in company
The flowers bloom to impress the sun
I feel this thing on certain days
As if all is fallen to place
The rhythm of life like the beating pulse
Is quiet yet moving like the passing time
To understand the Bharatiya mindset, look at RK Laxman's "Common Man".
He is typically a Witness. That's how Bhartiya spirituality, to be specific Advaita, defines the true self. As the unchangeable witness. It asserts this life at Earth is just a passing dream. Things will happen as per the role of Karma. So the Bhartiya just watches mostly, and moves on. If needed, he'll stick around to clean up the remains. But raising his voice for course correction is not his typical inclination.
The other aspect is his Simplicity. How he makes silly mistakes or looks in wonder and disbelief at happenings around him. He doesn't question or scratch his head to solve. He just observes, accepts it like that and moves on..
The third aspect is his lack of Resources. He's dressed in simple dhoti shirt, an old umbrella-cum-walking stick. Clothes rugged and the general feel of an average lower middle class aging man.
Humorous but much different - thankfully in some aspects - from the Bhartiya of 2018. Not to be taken for a ride, middle class on average, and most importantly, young, with an average age of around 30!
But definitely the mindset of the "Common Man" is our true legacy, something that we should look back upon, cherish, and retain in parts.
For love of the art form
And the artist within
He who explores within
And lives in his own world
The one who feels at peace
When left to his own means
That artist who lives
In closest connect to God
That artist as this poet
Is this my very soul
Dear middle class friends,
In your subconscious want to "belong", let not yourself get fooled.
To be able to grasp for your family what your parents couldn't afford, let the well saved money not get drained.
It was a surprise to see Columbia Asia in Sarjapur so relatively empty yesterday. And all their TVs were running promotional videos. But as a downward spiral unravels, it wasn't hard to see why: When we went to ER, were given a shoddy guesswork diagnostic exercise, with a blatant explanation that they don't have all specialists since it was evening (6pm by the way)!!
I learnt from my ayurvedic doctor today that these corporate hospital managements set surgery targets to the doctor staff, leaving the staff under pressure, violating their oaths and acting unethically and unprofessionally.
But then think about it logically: How would these hospitals that keep up the glossy look and costly machines maintain these. They have made these investments keeping an "estimate" of returns. So they obviously have to create and stick to a "plan" to pay up their bills and debts.
Let's not be foolish as consumers when making our choice of doctors by falling into these honeyed traps. The best doctors I've seen in Bengaluru were practicing still in plain bland offices, not within spanky corporate houses. Which shows that this is the results even the best would be able to earn if they practice ethically.
It is also our responsibility to ensure our ₹ are getting invested, and casting our support behind quality, not a plastic mask!
I often awe my children young
Blessed as you'll are from heaven
Have come to earth to live in here
In this my little humble home
I hope I have made you'll feel welcome
Special and as your own
It's so nice to see you comfortable
To hear you calling this as home
Though I know your truth my little lords
Having graced me the chance to clean your feet
And why this very home is yours
I'm only the servant who kept it clean
I've often mentioned the solution of Bharat's traffic woes lies in public transport.
There's wise reasoning in Singapore taxing cars exorbitantly. The country is so small that it doesn't have the space for more clutter. And actually we've failed to learn experience from the wise: the reason Singapore doesn't want many cars is per capita population and quality of life both.
Bharat, especially Mumbai's efforts are in the correct direction:
- Local trains connecting South Mumbai with North
- Metro trains beginning to connect East Mumbai with West
- Bus transport that has always supported across all directions connecting via main roads
- Autorickshaws and Cabs that help connecting the last mile
With all this, you wouldn't consider taking your car out!
What Bengaluru and other cities need today is to emulate this model just when you see population growth trend crossing a specified threshold.
Since not everything can be affordable to government, especially in the country with poor tax compliance as Bharat, you have to open up infrastructure and transport to private partnership and even majority ownership.
Cars and private vehicles then need to slowly be made pricier with taxes, to give residents the nudge to start adopting public transport. This will in turn increase revenue and make further investments into upkeep and upgrade of transport worthwhile.
In India, with its population, any public transport initiative will surely give profitable returns.
Private vehicles is a model for countries with less per capita population where it won't make economical sense to have (say) a bus run through a route with just 3-4 passengers in it!
Discarded and disrupted, I belong where I am not
Trying and fearing, I fit not where I am
Disillusioned and wavering, the mind longs for calm
Waiting in impatience, the Atman wants to break free
The creative genius always hurting
The one who has sipped the nectar of bliss
When in process of his last creation
He is thirsty again and nothing will quench
As once more that touch of genius
He is restless for inspiration once more
And he feels peace only at the work sublime
Dear lord I cherish, that bliss of devotion
Half opened eyes, in early crimson dawn
Heart filled with love, a joy erupting out
The burning scent of firewood, the chanting of the mantras
The fragrance of ghee, and the calm presence of mind
My lord make me like that, give me back my way
Dear mother who rocks me to sleep
How can I ever repay you
Sacrificing rest you console
My tears in middle of dark night
You feed and forgive and sing for me
While all you need is good sleep
O mother dear mother how can I
Ever repay you
When growing up I forget this
But see this same repeating
When my child's mother wakes up
To cajole to console my child's cry
O mother dear mother how can I
Forget that all you did for me
The sweet ordinary better than bitter greatness
The healthy human is one filled with frailties
This world of irony where the pauper's blessed
Is worth escaping for its sink-sand nature
Give and expect to get nothing
If you ironically want to be happiest
Stay away from money and things it buys
If you ironically want to be richest
There are three categories of people as regards music:
1) Ones who practice and perform it for a living
2) Ones who listen to it and may practice or even may perform it, but mainly for enjoyment
3) Ones who do not like music
The majority of the world falls into the second category. And I think it's better that way.
We see the ones performing music are in deep joy when performing. Of course they might be trying their best to get into the mood of the song so that it comes out well.
And yes they must also be feeling that joy when practicing it, but to get to that stage must be requiring a lot of rigour also.
Still, I feel somehow it causes a side effect. For if you see their lives, of those who live by music alone (or any art form for that matter), their lives end up being quite complex.
The reason in my view is that they get addicted to the high. They expect the same enjoyment in every other aspect of life. Which is not really meant to be so!
And not knowing this, they take steps which are rash, immoral, unhealthy, and eventually at times takes a toll on their practice itself. It sometimes shows in the performance and they fall in self esteem.
The ordinary always has to be balance the divine. Else by the very nature of life is that it tries to balance it with the worst, and the net effect is worse.
We see all companies claiming or patting themselves to be innovators. And yet, you see them pruning budgets at all places which motivate employees: be it salary, benefits, facilities or perks.
The cost cutting measures in Indian companies have reached a limit where toilet paper I hear is sometimes in shortfall. I'm sure they ensure this is not so in the restrooms used during client visits!
Then there is the question of bandwidth: innovation as a goal as trickled down. But not the time to innovate! This leads to unplanned, half-hearted measures just to fill up appraisal forms. You can bet that the ones who come up with significant monetization worth innovation ideas are definitely spending 80% of their bandwidth on it.
If companies want to ingrain innovation, the the way to operate it is to have a focused team. Let me put it more clearly, a "swat" team of developers, architects and leads, under an " innovation" unit. This team then has to pick up one production/implementation project at a time (priority to multi year production support), and walk through their use case with the production team, and maybe even collate some potential ideas from them, but that's it. The existing team has the task to support/implement, and can't be doing justice to both the delivery at hand and the out of box innovation aspired. This should be the task of the innovation team.
There will be projects where the cost to innovate will be higher than the benefits. The innovation team can consider if the cost can be recovered in case the innovation idea can be replicated across other other projects. If not, just drop it and move on to the next project.
If any company is serious about moving beyond bits and pieces innovation, this is the model. Will be an investment or at best a break even for some time. Until reusable code base is created, and thereafter it'll be about picking and plugging the right one. The idea is to have Central control on innovation.
They will search for your loving eyes
They are your children after all
They just need your reassuring smile
They want your hug, your sweetest kiss
They will look at your eyes, for the twinkle in it
As to how special, carrying them is
They will wait to walk with you
They laugh most playing with you
There be no joy, a bliss as father
Dear lord I waited, two lifetimes for this
Since ages and for all around
Has this running race been life
The means to security and daily wage
Has become the very purpose
Why this life, and life after life
Is noy thought even through lifetimes
Just this chase of rush and pleasure
Desires and expectations feeding each other
When will feverish mind calm down
Why not it take a step higher
Why does it fail to see within
And manifest the ocean of bliss
There was once, a beauty called Simplicity
Decked in Austerity, its radiance aglow
Then came the charming, prince called Pleasure
Who gave dreams of Desire, erstwhile unknown
He took her to places, where Greed adorned
Even Simplicity changed, her name to Selfishness
Today was coming through "Fast Tag" toll lanes on Hyderabad to Bengaluru Highway, and was finding the fast tag lane slower than the cash lanes.
This shows why ideas in Bharat are received with cynicism.
The reason here was four-fold:
1) Non-fast tag vehicles were being allowed in the Fast Tag lanes: what's the point of promoting Fast Tag (which carries a device cost btw) when you are not going to give them an incentive.
2) A person has to show his bar code gun to the car Fast tag sticker: Why not have seamless detection. If the technology adopted is weak, know that the idea will be used as an example of weak, patchy implementation.
3) The fast tag lanes are at the extreme corners: This means they are also occupied by big trucks.
4) No feedback mechanism: The government does not keep a ready feedback mechanism even for those who adopt Fast tag. In this case, if they simply would keep a toll free number or email id inviting feedback, citizens like me and others inconvenienced would have a direct means to provide suggestions
I'm not bringing out the issues I faced ordering the fast tag itself. Citizens understand and are willing to tolerate one time or initial glitches.
This is a very beautiful world my lord
Your creation very detailed by cause
The emotions given of love and care
Being the very basis it lives
You have shown all has high and lows
And lives and feeds by their nature
And then you alone have come inside
And watch how far they can go
May parents not be separated from child
For the pain in the hearts of both sting
May life not throw situations
That you have to abandon newborn
Or you have to go far for work
For that very life lost meaning
When it broke the fabric of bonding
Merciless time
Please go back once
Let them relive
That memory lane
Give them a chance
To say what they want
Give them some time
To do it again
Whatever happens, to shining stars
Why do they come, thus shooting down
Do they not see, that burning bright
Is not all why, sun's glory is
Calm down and lighten
In smiling grace
Teach all around
What talent is
Do not bite dust
In such a rush
Let it be
In soothing gaze
Siva in my meditation
May your silence deepen
Krishna in my prayers
May your bhakti rise
Sharada when I read and learn
May jnana reflect vast
Devi in my very actions
May your purpose bloom
When no matter what he says
Just keep speaking, you feel
When her steps sound like
The soothing of music
When life has thrown open
Dams of bliss at moonlight
Know my dear, love has, beckoned your heart
There is, a link, a thread unseen
Why the moon's reflection, aches a heart
Where the world and time
Seem all too floating
Know my dear, has love, made you realise The Self
She never cared for the body
It was the true personality that really mattered
She wasn't into the outer charm
The inner warmth is what she sought
There were no two ways to it
Generous to depths unfathomable
Easily forgotten these steps of life
Piled under timeless generations
Don't be conscious of the world around
Just witness yourself and the world inside
The very awareness of body and mind
Brings out the truth of entire existence
You are One, the only witness
Unknot slowly the ego's effects
The loyalty to a nation
Asks sacrifice of life and family
Where do these people come from
Who weigh intangible over what could have beens
No heavenly palace is too big for these
Who wept tears silent in love of motherland
No salute of yours will suffice
To those who have walked those paths
When one touches
What belongs to you
When you feel cared
Special well treated
When you see oneness
A common purpose going
You get a tingling sensation
A feeling of goosebumps under your skin
Will all the machine learning in this world
Ever bring this subjective touch to life
There couldn't have been a beginning or an end to creation cycle. Because we can see everything going in cyclic form.
Be it night and day or seasons of the year, there is always a cyclic pattern. Life and death and rebirth effect l even if. Health and sickness, poverty and richness, success and failure.
It is all too evident that creation is moving in a cyclic pattern.
If we take it a step higher, it is thus clear that creation and dissolution are cyclic in nature.
As Vedanta puts it, after one dissolution also, what happens is that existence goes unmanifest. Just waiting as the genes/DNA in a seed waiting to manifest.
There is no death. There is no liberation in sense of an escape. There is only a realisation. This realisation "spoils" the game per se. And hence rebirth stops for such a Jiva. All karma good and bad are burnt out leaving no reason also to undergo Samsara.
But know for sure that they exist, unmanifest perhaps from our point of view. But actually, more manifest from the higher point of view, always around and within us, not bound by time or space!
Forget the cursing of the noon time heat
The migraine the mirage to beat a retreat
Just awe at wonder the rise and set
When leaving the world, you will miss the sun
Keep all the worries aside, Just watch it rise
Both ancient yet, taking all in its stride
Was there ever a wonder, than this life giving heat
Was there ever a beauty, than the illumining sunlight
The light green leaves on American soil
They looked a beautiful and flowing colour
They were aplenty across grassland hills
But they were different, I missed something
The dark green colours, many dusted brown
Raise the fragrance of Earth, upon rainy shower
These bright dark green, are what eyes love
Find it familiar, call it their own
When I say I didn't like lunch
You made sure my dinner a feast
When I raise voice losing temper
You keep calm and later forgive with love
When I was sad, crying unhappy
Your tears reflected pain more than mine
Mother can ever a child pay his debt
Mother I am ever so grateful
And the smiling rays bathed me with beauty
I could see them dodging the maze of leaves
The anxious grass grasping for the touch of light
It means a lot to birds and animals alike
To feel the embrace of one that nurtures
The sun is no different
Let there be benediction and respect alike
For the one that enlivens our life on Earth
The mother is quiet
Her expression cold
Bitterness and pain
Have numbed her old
She has lost babies
She has wailed to no worth
This mother O mother
Bears the cross and glows
O Vishnu with your Virat rupa
The angst of life fulfill and make whole
There be not peace in the world distressed
When each is searching and coercing his way
When will you awaken me and filled with love
Spread the joy as never witnessed
The restlessness of when
Pleasure is unfulfilled
The desires torment
Even sleep is not restful
Walking awake seeking more
But there are no sources to take you there
You become a crazy maniac
Stop before you start seeing haze
Step in to let go, bring back the mind within
Do not pursue, accept what comes
Do not want, you will get what's in need
Beneath the big exteriors
The gnawing hollow interiors
A biting cold breeze blowing
Mercilessly cutting
The glass walls easily shatter
At slightest tremor of disturbance
There is not beneath the greenery
The eastern earthworm that lived there forever
I enclosed myself in darkness
Because I fell in love with it
Don't blame this heart for innocence
I'd rather retain its purity
Is not this world destroyed
By those who are its rational force
Let me burn this lamp
To enlighten a few lives
There is not a life lived
On this world the creation of marksmanship
That has lived if not seen
The rising ball of sun at dawn
And the brightened full moon at night
May you not miss the sunrise
In work and senseless pleasures that arise
And keep awake at dead of night
Sleep well and witness the morning glory
Bask in blessings of fresh morning
From none other than the ancient sun
With the touch of simplicity
Does life come to bloom
Simple thoughts simple needs
A simple joy abounds
A deep satisfaction
That no pleasure can buy
A kind of smiling sleep
That no medicine can assure
The bitter sweet tinge
Of the morning wake
Well slept and rested
At sight of cold day
No worries as a child
The craving of the heart
Cherish the simple life of past births
Now beaten to dust by greedy concrete
Bending breaking doing all you can
You make plans build dreams of you will do
You do it thinking it's all in our control
Only to find that it never was in true sense
You do a thousand things right
And get pointed for the one wrong that slips
If you thought it will get overridden
Well no that is considered the most brutal mistake
So set aside these expectations
You have no control over life
Do what you have to
Accept happily what comes back
Your duty only was to do what's right
The result was already written far ahead
This is a world of magic and dreams
Even life and nature no less than magic
Science is only magic you know
The rest is called magic, until you know
The love that bonds, a creature and it's young
The fight that precedes, the choosing of the mate
If this beauty not magic, what word would you choose
But hark remember, not the value you lose
And beyond all this magic, is the magician watching
He who understands, but has sadly forgotten
And stuck in his magic, engrossed and brooding
Searching for the way, out of his own maze
I've learnt some things with the experiences and observations of being part of apartment association.
There are 3 types of individuals you will see when you want to plan an activity, event or anything at involves a change in general:
1) The Doers: These are the people worth emulating. If you are bringing up children, encourage them to be doers. These individuals are on the lookout for opportunities. They just need to be given the right platform to excel. And if not given the platform, they will make one themselves! They thrive in doing, in action. They are the champions, the celebrities, the young leaders, the role models and inspirations of the world. If it involves patient planning, they'll be in for the planning part and might need some motivation and support on the patience part. With experience, they learn the right skills for success in life. To put efforts, to be persistent, and to not be disheartened by failure.
2) The Planners: These are the people who create the platform for the doers. They are the planners on which platforms to be created. They are the ones who identify the doers, and groom nascent abilities to full potentials. These are the coaches, the Guru, the teachers, the senior leaders of the world. They have a huge role to play in the culture, the values, the development and progress of the institution. They have a duty to keep an eye on the big picture always and tread the thin line of what's the direction to give. To make sacrifices, to distinguish between right and wrong, ends and means, truth and false. Not always would they be recognised or appreciated. Nor might be what they want. They are behind the doers, motivating and supporting. Akin to the coach of a champ or the board of director or management consultant behind the CEO. They are the foundation of civilization and the ones who give shape to destinies.
3) The Cribbers: Yes I use a strong word, for what is perhaps an essential role. These are the cynics and criticisers. But without them, there would be no independent thinking. And without that, a team will be made of yes-men which means a lack of introspection and reflection. A major cause of failure to course correct when needed leading to failure in achieving the goal. However, given a free leash, the Cribbers have the enough negative energy to damage, destroy and even enjoy killing projects and the potentially potential in Doers. Hence it is very important to keep them away from the doers. The doers like all humans have their phases of self doubt, and the last thing they need is the shadow of the Cribbers. But it is essential for the Planners to have Cribbers in his team. Importantly, he needs to groom them because he is eventually going to consider the cautions in their advise and not really kill the initiative like the cribber would really like to. So he needs to groom them to have a balance in approach while appreciating and even encouraging his independent thinking.
There will always be Doers and Cribbers in the world. But the direction the world takes ever has been the burden of the Planner.
O Narayana, most loved Jagannathan
Each of your incarnations have led many to bliss
As Rama to Thyagaraja
As Krishna to Meera
As Venkatesa to Annamaya
Bless me with bhakti
At Sabarimala to the divine saint
And Bhadrachalam to Ramadasa
Grace this heart, with ever your presence
A lifetime is wasted, if the bliss of Bhakti not felt
O Dear Mahavishnu, one with the thousand names
May in minds and lips, be always your music
The rain that brings with it, the wafting scents of Earth
The rain that sends messengers, as cooling breezes that blow
The rain that's carried fro, by heavy clouds with gait
That rain I look forward to, my heart with mirthful wait
Keep me immersed in your love dear Mother
Keep me enchanted by your forms O Vishnu
Let me not get distracted by the fleeting
Keep me absorbed in meditation Parameshwara
A thousand lives and still counting
This shortened memory trapped in life's cycle
Deluded to believe everything around as real
Give me Viveka to be engaged in the eternal
The pendulum at one end,
Is the same at the other end
Austerity is as admonishing as Depravity is
You say one religion is violent
The reaction in name of defence, is also violence
As is war murderous of bodies
So is peace only through murder of souls
There never can be just happiness
And pray that there never is
For it would be, the end of all fulfillment
The depth and silence in meditative mind
Takes me there to where peace lies
To the bliss that deep sleep enjoys
But refuses to share and let me keep
I go about mistakes in waking world
I need step back and shrug it off
For none that happened with my intent
Is nothing but Prarabdha in itself potent
This is the kind of service why I discourage people from buying Apple products: It's not enough that they tie up the hardware and software components and do not share their OS software with other manufacturers. Hardware that only works with their own types of charges. And versions that copy features from tried and successful ones from Android. In turn earning around 50% profit while all the while trying to skip tax.
When my iPhone 6 stopped working, I walked into an apple store and be tells me they can't fix. I've to choose among the one of 2-3 icare center' far off in the city (speak of inconvenience).
So I try to show it in tech garage franchise who tells me the bad part is out of stock (Apple won't supply on time).
I walk in finally into icare and they are offended I tried someplace else. They call it "unauthorised service performed" and won't fix it.
Really!! Stop calling it "iCare". They only care for profits.
Maha Vishnu Bless me with devotion
May the thirst of pleasures be gone forever
Replace it forever with the bliss I feel now
Replace it I pray with overflowing love
Your beauty magnificent
As Narayana and Krishna
May this bubble over my world
May I lord not forget this feeling
May it not lose it and pain for it
May I not be deluded by all that the world offers
I fall at your lotus feet to fulfill this prayer
Dear Sharade, whose one thought drives away all impurities in mind
Mother Sharade, who keeps her children always under her watch
May your grace always be upon us
Jnaana pradaayani, one with face radiating austere calm
Who carries a book, that initiates children on Vidyarambham
May you remove the ignorance that clouds our knowledge
Moksha pradaayani, with the rosary in hand
Be my Guru and grant me my mantra
Give me your vision that frees me from Samsara
There is this ill-advised rush to emulate role models. Definitely do so in their work ethic or sadhanas which are in tune with Dharma. But please do not let it supersede your logic and values.
What the role models i.e. the succesful ones in their field of work, and their fans / followers need to realise that we all are just the medium. Instruments in the hands of a higher force, or God to put it simply. This higher force carries out both the good and the bad and also the destruction of the bad by the good and the rekindling of the bad. For that is the balance of nature.
Even these role models are not the doers but the agents. The followers need to realise that it could very well have been them. But instead this person was made to be the agent. And that too primarily due to his Karma in the previous birth! Knowing this fact, will keep you at peace with yourself. Without disturbance in mind, this knowledge let's you focus on what is right, on what is good.
On keeping the balance, because it's definitely not worth getting success at work losing out on family. Or success in studies without sports and all-round personality development. May parents realise this, and refrain from pressuring their children for not doing enough. The child has come with his set of karma. Your duty is in making sure he/she has a complete childhood, to the best you can. Let go the results!
With this knowledge, do not emulate your role models and drink liquor because they do, or use swear words because the class topper also does. Do not likewise be upset that despite all your efforts you don't get the results that people putting half the efforts have achieved. They've earned it, in their previous life!
Likewise those at the other end, the succesful ones, may they realise this too and let success not go over their heads. To inspite lead a balanced life and also accept that even with doing all things exactly the same way, success could even elude them some day. Don't worry about it. Go about living a good, complete life at all times.
In short, do your best and lead a balanced life.
In love at its purest form, the body is not seen
The face is seen to recognise the individual
But otherwise even that didn't matter
Only matters is the presence of the person
One that evokes the sweetest pain
It even comes along with memory or thought
Involving that one closest to heart
One pines the presence to deepen the memory
To variegate the experience, still not needing even touch
This purest love, hope all have loved
And moved on too to leave it unblemished
Only to love and cherish, as fragrant memory
Wake up from Tamas, don't force yourself sleep
If child awakes after 5, let him enjoy sunlight
Call not it rest, forcing body back to sleep
If you have been laying, for 6 hours at night
The early morning dreams, do nothing than agitate
Of what use that sleep, where tamas rouses rajas
There is nothing more of beauty, than that of sunrise
Let those rays brighten mind and body, ushering a majestic day
The rising red ball of fire
The one that turns into a rounded laddoo
My love that comes with cool morning air
That golden sun may I see once
The nights are busy, my child weeps
He refuses to go into a good night's sleep
He demands stories and wakes up late
I wish he were there to welcome you home
The work and calls and needless thoughts
They all that keep me away from beloved
The beautiful sun that brightens my day
I wish to pray to my each morning
Where is it now, the freedom to walk
To run and fly, on the water trail
The freedom to cherish, to fulfill a desire
To caress and kiss, the fleeting butterflies
Where are the carefree, moments of day
The windy afternoons, the cosy nights
Advaita, as some might know, is that viewpoint of Vedanta which talks in terms of 'Non Dualism'. It simply says "Aham Brahmasmi". That we all are that one Atman.
And among the best of the corrolaries of this philosophy, is that it accepts all viewpoints. It's equally accepting of all religious paths and even atheists.
Advaitins do not see a difference between one and other, be it living or non-living. We in essence are the witness consciousness in all of us, projecting whatever we see and perceive around us.
Advaita doesn't stop us from whatever we follow or do as spiritual practice. The foundation or Sadhana of Advaita are the Sadhana Chatushtaya including Viveka (Being able to separate the eternal from the fleeting), Vairagya (renunciation of the fleeting), Shatsampat or six-fold disciplines (Kshama or mind control, Dhama or sense control, Uparati or withdrawal from the external world, Titiksha or forbearance or tolerance of external situations, Shraddha or a starting faith or belief to start on the path, Samadhaanam being a contentment out settling for the spiritual path chosen) and Mumukshatvam (desire of moksha, the highest purpose). Note that none of the above expect a belief in God or a higher power.
While the final goal is the dawn of realisation or Samadhi, Nirvana as other religions, the sadhanas / practices itself are totally accepting of all faiths. Be it a religious path or not, it implies that if the Sadhana Chatushtaya is followed, Advaita is open to you. One must point out that the Sadhana Chatushtaya, placing a premium on withdrawal from the external, fleeting and eternal, is very much thus based upon general morality while at the same time being tolerant of practices that are not in contradiction to the conscience.
One must also point out, that in Advaita, external includes, at the highest level, everything witnessed by the Atman or witness consciousness, which includes the mind and selfish ego. We all are one, then why the feeling of lust or the feeling of hatred. All this is a projection, then what is there to possess and what is to achieve. This feeling logically leads to a feeling of peace at the individual level and a natural tendency to use this body-mind tool for helping all around. Want or a sense of possession of nothing for self clearly is established. Which today is the root at all that ails us.
If Bharat, and the world, goes about accepting the principles of Advaita as the guiding factor for governance and policy making, two things will be achieved. Religious tolerance, no policies with religion in mind, no conversions or berating or drum beating. Religion becomes a part of one's personal/social spiritual practice but not having a bearing of how we as a society should live. Tolerance truly sets in not only religion but also day to day living.
Advaitic meditation ascribes the continuous awareness that everything around (this includes the thoughts) are being reflected in one consciousness). Such mindfulness will automatically lead to a person responding to a situation in a more pragmatic way once the me/you influence of ego is set aside. One would also stop abusing nature considering it as one's own.
Then will truly dawn the potential of a different, harmonious way of measuring progress in economy and society, than the sliding slope we are on now.
They ignore the polluted lakes and rivers
And fight over human rights and religion
They turn away from dignity the poor struggle to retain
And strut with high talk of morality and values
You talk of the castes, the minority and poor
When you are the one, who keep them so..
Like a Love of the long lost kind
Like a tree that dries by day
Like that moment, you regret the most
Time does not, travel backwards
I wish the mind had stopped tearing my head
I wish I collected, calmed it right then
I wish there are moments under our control
A wish that ever stands the test of time
Where the mud digs deep
And pulls out the water in thirst
Not bothered ever, what about my kids
Where the rain is disrespected, taken for granted
And their course decides, that of governments
That sort of a shallow marsh, has all this come to
Where it's considered orthodox
To even pray to Gods
That sort of a complex
Have we unashamed developed
Whom all should I be thankful to
To parents who sacrifice all
To teachers who personify patience
To friends who shared their time and care
All those who willingly shared their love
Who else is left to be thankful for
Who else completed this delusional field
All these bodies that I give life
All these lives are projections of mine
See yourself as playing a role.
And one day you will be able to see yourself as even the producer (not the director, which is the karmic law). You will realise yourself as the one that projects this all.
Let go of all fear, that of being one in a crowd, or of losing things you value, or of even death. See yourself as just the agent, never the doer. What was meant to happen, will happen. You just plan and do the tasks being assigned by the empirical world. Don't even worry about both the plan and the tasks turning up wrong. The outcome will be what is meant to be. Your duty is only to have the correct intention.
And one day you will realise you are the not even the agent. Just a witness of all these agents. And these agents, and even the time and place they are in, is also within you.
Sitting by the ghats, I waited my dear
As lifetimes passed away, drowning sorrow in my tears
The mistakes that I made, were perhaps due to haste
Maybe I didn't wait, for eternal love's bait
The moonlight now reflects, showing me the path
At the dawn of realisation, beckoning me to bath
Advaita called complex is made so only to explain in depth.
But the very essence of it is the same as Bhakthi.
Advaita speaks of all as a projection. From the very consciousness that gets reflected in us all. Suggesting that in essence we all are one. Including all living and also non living.
In so many words it says we are pervaded and that it's like a dream and that it even can't be expressed in words. Or even to lengths we can't ask why as causation is within Maya.
This is because the great philosophers took it upon themselves to explain Advaita.
But listen to Sri Ramakrishna, look at his life story. Or Swami Vivekanand or even Adi Sankaracharya. These greatest proponents of Advaita did not shun Bhakthi.
So don't pay much heed to the scholars looking too deep into Advaita and in essence confusing everybody by saying things like there is no birth itself then why rebirth, a sort of avoiding the questions.
Look at Advaita as simply telling us: We all are projected out of love. Which is also what is implied in saying that all are one.
Lose all concerns and rest assured that all is well taken care of.
Don't worry and do your duties with no tension. Try and stop seeing others as "others". Keep reminding oneself that we all, living and non living are one and love everything and everyone equally.
Sweeter than the sweet pain of love is this bliss
Stronger than the stormy wind is this bliss
Deeper than the ocean with calmness within
Potent than the forest fire is bliss
Use all the means of spirituality you like
Do not fight over which is right
Indeed they all have their place in flight
Choose each one and transcend that
The world was not meant for spreading religion
Nor was life to enforce religion
These are meant for your own Nirvana
Do prevent Adharma and be at peace
Know all religions and religion's practices
As sadhanas the pole vaults for progress
Prepare to let go at the right time
And leave attachment itself towards freedom
There is a good series from the Fit Tuber channel on YouTube about healthier Bhartiya options about various daily used consumables. This includes soap, toothpastes, oil, shampoos.
Recently the anchor Vivek covered a 5 minute review of biscuits. It is very valuable and informative like his other videos.
I have been a big fan of Parle since it was not part of a conglomerate unlike Brittania (belonging to Wadia group) or Sunfeast ( belonging to ITC- Indian Tobacco Company).
But had been shocked recently to realise that all their biscuits including the non-cream varieties like Krakjack and Monaco and even the ubiquitous Parle G was loaded with Transfat.
I felt cheated that generations of loyalists had been slowly been poisoned by the Parle brand itself.
I would never back ITC which has made its money by selling cigarettes and is now trying to rebuild its image albeit without even showing remorse by changing its name.
But was pleasantly surprised to realise that Brittania products are always zero transfat. Including their cream biscuits.
The video by Fit Tuber makes the case that even these Brittania products are not healthy (he seems to have missed mentioning that all Parle products contain transfat).
Vivek has advised to look for other ingredients to avoid like Artificial sweeteners. This was an eye opener to learn that all products claiming 0% sugar actually add artificial sweeteners. As Vivek rightly mentions, better to feed sugar to children that Artificial sweeteners. He even shows biscuit labels mentioning the same!
The other ingredients to look out for and avoid are raising agents, refined flour, artificial flavours and colours.
The video also provides healthier alternatives that are made in Bharat.
A must watch, must know and better followed!
This is a critical piece of self value evaluation each professional has to do: What is he valued more for in the organisation he works at. Is it for his knowledge and skill. Or is it for his hard work and team player attitude.
Because the aim of every professional in this era of knowledge and technology at the driving seat of rapid change, you need to reach the stage where you are valued more for your professional skills than just your work ethic.
This is not to downplay the importance of having the right attitude to work. I must also hasten to add that the best in any field will be those who have both: the skill as well as the work ethic. But always remember that this is the era of machine learning, of robotics, of artificial intelligence. So no matter how hard working you are, you are replaceable if you don't have the knowledge and skills to stand apart from them.
I'm sure your managers perhaps value you more for toiling for them, at least that would be their first impression. But believe me, if you have the skills to speak for you and your performance, in the long term, they will overlook and even spend time mentoring you on the soft skills part.
So spend time in a disciplined manner daily towards skill enhancement. There would be nothing that you can learn in a day. It'll require identifying a course online (I use Udemy), working towards studying, assignments and getting a certificate to show for.
But this discipline to study and learn daily will be the key to your survival and success!!
There lay in the mind desiring a feverish soul
Mistaking it to be a true heart's wish he burnt
All that was happy, content and truly worth
To ashes that howled and cursed their lot
The diseased mind imagined
Though wrong as a must
The ego claiming pride
Over Mother Nature's trust
Training and initiating children to take up games or sports, especially competitive is an art in itself.
Some children have an innate talent for certain sports (and not others) while others won't. Sport is seldom taught for them to excel in it, but more so they developed the skills to collaborate and develop healthy competitiveness in a social environment.
But what one wouldn't want is the child losing interest in the game due to many losses early on. Or worse, lose confidence and self-belief in his ability to succeed in social dealings.
Here the parent or coach should play a guiding role. Initially, find out the child's calibre. Then, make him play with others lower in calibre so that the child wins and develops interest and confidence. The parent/ coach could even themselves play with the child and deliberately lose the overall game. But one may win some points all the while teaching the child the mistake he made due to which he lost the point.
The fact that he overall could still win the game will instill confidence. And prod himself to improve and try harder.
As the child thus nurtured in basic and core abilities is then exposed to peers of similar calibre and made to taste an equal number of victories and defeats, he learns to take defeats in the stride and deal with them in a balanced manner.
The child's training can stop at this point unless he has the interest to continue training further, or has the talent needed for going to national/international levels of the game.
If not, even then the coach has done his job and apart from teaching the rules of the game and the techniques of how to play it, he has instilled life- skills in the child for how to deal with social / professional settings involving a mix of success and failures.
Leave while the sun shines
Before the darkness envelopes in blindness
There is no going back
To hear the chirps of evening birds
Gleeful in the joy of homecoming
There no imagination to match
The imagery of the crimson setting sun
The rays rising from the back of palatial clouds
The glory of nature to be held by all
The brave warriors once
Relied on their kings
Lives though short lived
Spent in battle fatigues
The body and mind endured
Yet found their greatest joy
No longer monotonous life then
Could get back the thrill
Benevolent Guru, accept me
May thy grace be upon me
Mother Sharada, watch over me
May thy Jnana enlighten me
There be no birth after this
Jagannatha please ensure this
Two pretty boys
They jumped with joy
At their birthday party
They wish not did
But come it did
Their wonderful party
Mummy's planning
Her joy organising
And Daddy's all over the place now
With you two steps nimble
The twosome tumble
Their joy knows no bounds forever
A lot of AI's success will hinge on ROI. That it's very costly is not debated and also explains why it's taken a long time to come along. An of course, also because it's still in the learning curve.
The venture capitalists and Angel investors will still keep looking for a lot of data and evidence before they would want to put their money. And that POC is too early to even exist.
So choosing the right use cases in terms of cost and feasibility will be critical. This is where I think companies with experience in doing due diligence before investing money will success i.e. IT service companies.
These companies are closest to the clients and know what will bring the biggest bang for the buck. The startups of the world will be either niche / narrow-focused which could lead to limited success. Or disconnected to what are the biggest pain points companies will be willing to invest on AI to address.
The focus of the Service industry today should be to dig into their body of experience and rank use case candidates for AI implementation using a combination of Cost, Feasibility and Customer pain point as parameters.
They should validate this list with the relevant clients across domains.
This body of knowledge will be a gold mine using which the foundation of "Pragmatic AI" can be established.
And when you've found
Your space in this world
You breathe the oxygen
Out of the air
And when you've tasted it
What you most like
There is nothing that can
Take out the happiness from smile
If it weren't for the sensual wholeness of Kalidasa
If it weren't for the love of rains and nature in Tagore
If it wasn't for the Bhakthi in Sankara
I wouldn't be the poet that I realise to be today
Driving indiscipline, especially among the cab drivers, is growing. Due to this, even those who've recently returned from foreign trips with the resolve to drive the same defensive way here, lose hope and go back to their old ways.
If you show the lane change signal for example, the car behind steps up the accelerator so he can block you, instead of letting you come this way. To add effect, he'll also blow the horn to confuse and suggest that he's already fast and you mustn't get this way.
Then there is the usual scene where if one is waiting on the lane to turn right at an intersection, cars will come from other lanes and get into yours when the traffic lights turn green. Complete disrespect for those following the rules and staying in queue.
Today I saw similar behaviour when coming out of a parking lot, in a school no less. Parents fail to realise that they are indirectly teaching their children to take short cuts this way.
There is nothing in life that can achieved through short cuts. Those who get ahead this way - and I mean not just on the road - will only get blocked and end up frustrated, apart from having already suffered the pricking conscience.
Have we really forgotten these basic lessons? Or lost trust in them??!!
It is not so hard, this Life that we live
We confuse and collate, and don't know what to say
The happiest life is by, forgetting what we don't need
We hang on and plot, and invite diseases within
I feel as if all of humanity's remorse for generations past and those to come will not even be enough to pay for the sufferings endured during slavery..
The movie is gut wrenching and very disturbing.. That it's based on facts makes it credible.
Why did humanity have such persecution available in the system.. And this is just perhaps a sample.. Similar terrible things have happened across the world and in India..
It is only now we read these in the papers and prevalent media.
No wonder there is so much anger simmering even today.. There are pained souls who seek solace.. May they find it in moksha, bliss and peace than retribution and wrath.
Why this world became non residable for purists
Why idealism is mocked, by people to whom entrusted
Why there is no trust, and aggrandizement the norm
If the laws and economy doesn't encourage distribution and hard work
Isn't it time to find a new way
Today was reading an article of how trafficking of North eastern girls is rampant in Mizoram and Manipur. Where three sets of agents first lure them to Myanmar, then change their identity and then post them in Singapore as someone else respectively...
When I go around in Bengaluru, I'm impressed to see so many North eastern. Since they resemble Asian foreigners, there is a sense of awe and class bestowed automatically by the rest of us with the hinterland Indian looks. I'd prefer that than the erstwhile violence a few years back against North Easterners in Bengaluru leading them to leave the city en masse.
Connect the two above and my advice is: There are enough jobs and opportunities within India itself. Please North eastern brothers and sisters, do not fall into the lure of fast money and put your lives at risk.
Let's integrate as a nation. As you migrate within, you'll be embraced and understood better. You'll prepare the nation to be more tolerant of immigration from foreigners be it Africans or Caucasians. You'll marry within the country and lead to the cross pollination of cultures. This is very much needed if India is to stay as one country than disintegrate under foreign rule as has happened many times in the past!
Why the jitters, when I am good
To talk to present, to express confidence
Fake it till you make it
And make it you always did
I'm not the doer, why then any anxious
They all are me, imbibe as fact is
I enjoy it, I want to do it
I am blessed, by Saraswathi herself
It'll all be well, settle in this trust
No amount of life is enough for peace
Who is right, nobody actually is wrong
There is only one way, for freedom from Samsara
The path of Moksha, of Thyaga, Vairagya
This world is thus, it's not those who inhabit
It's nature is opposites, it's neither you nor me
In a different World, where all around it's perfect
There will be no need, of happiness or sadness
My confused child, called you the sun at night
And why not, you looked like the sun at dusk
Though not with, the painted clouds
Your glory was, an incomparable beauty
I bid you well, your burning haze
Oh take some rest, come out bright and white
Your look of intent and sometimes piercing
A mix of calmness and fearless intensity
You laughter careless, innocence beguiling
O child you teach us indeed on how to live
Your tightening embrace, the amount of trust
You hold my hand, and follow into the world
You suckle your mother, eat out my hand
I feel so special, blessed and entrusted
Great Atman you have chosen this
To live out your karmas you have chosen this
As I watch you sleep your divinity aglow
There is no fulfillment that matches this feeling
Beautiful, Talented, Hard working! Those are perhaps just three qualities to describe the immensely gifted Aishwarya Rai.
Crowned Miss world in 1994, committed to donatingher eyes after death, chose the film line and definitely didn't have it easy.
She has struggled as any successful star has, to gain recognition and reaching the top.
Her performances improved and reached their peak with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Sarabjit and Devdas.
Her discipline with dancing skills also kept improving and reached their with Devdas and Dhoom 2.
Aishwarya had her share of heartbreaks but maintained a steady dignity in public. Eventually settling now as a mother of a beautiful girl with nice guy Abhishek Bachchan.
It is at times sad to see some call her plastic, maybe she should take it as a compliment for her looks.
I think Aishwarya has definitely can play senior roles and grey shades well as has been seen in a couple of her movies. She should continue to choose and play good roles!
The orange painted sky
That magnificent view daily different
The rich canvas viewed from building terrace
O memory its sweetness do not wipe
The cycle that I loved
That I learnt my cycling from
That built my muscles for life
Took me every road to school and home
That I would shine every Thursday afternoon
That cycle may I remember, always even if it never could
Those books and chess and football tests
The poetry recitations byheart
The days of life in old years gone by
This Life is made of trifles as school father said
O memories may these you always carry ahead
