To Learn to Unlearn

It took one life time, to teach myself
That I am this, not someone else
I am not one, watching from out
I am this, and this is my life

And now when I read, I'd quitened wrong voice
The inner was once, and always right
That I am not this, that I am that
Witness to all, and not the Doer at all

Vairagya..

He talks on phone, she listens to music
They keep doing things, they need not be

The musk lies within, yet the deer keeps searching
What need for outside, when inner world is reaping

I pray to Narayana, I pray to the Lotus
It all does not matter, for all are just me

When fire burns to ashes, where does the body go
When thought and sound leave, with whom do they merge

The universe outside, lies also within me
This knowledge is enough, let happenings just be

Vehicle Dress Codes

For some reason, I always relate a man in formals, even wearing a tie (but not a suit), as the perfect dress code for a motorcycle rider. Somehow it always matches, in my mind...don't know why..

But it put me to thought, about other vehicles, and how my mind perceives them. I realized indeed, the mind has a lot of fixations on many vehicles.
That man in suit, who's not on the motorcycle, has to be sitting in the back of a sedan, which has leather seats!
The gearless scooter goes best with riden by women, or college-going guys in track shorts or pants..

Why oh why has the mind formed these biases, and in how many other topics has it done so, God knows!

One might think that it's simply experience, what the mind has seen the most of, it perceives as correct. Kind of how marketing sells us stuff via advertisements. But ponder this: My mind sees the man in motorcycle will equally suit well in the Hero Ranger kind of big tyred cycles? Why? Maybe because it's almost a half-sized motorcycle?

Hatchbacks have to be driven best by short-sleeved guys in t-shirt!! Now, how do I go to work?? :-O

Verses for the day..

जब डॉक्टर ने आइस-क्रीम खाने पर रोक डाला
मानो मरने का आसान तरीका खोल दिया

The greater the diligence, the faster the delivery
OR
The more you are careful, the faster you deliver

Also..

The calmer you are, the faster you drive
The deeper the rest, the more dynamic the activity

A blank mind merged with nothingness
Can see all, transcending time and space

Thoughts on Yahoo-RnD leaving..

Like many an IT guy, I'm sure sure it did not augur well to learn that Yahoo was moving its RnD division back to the US, and laying off the rest of the techies in India (of course, management tugs strings enough to be itself transported to the US)...hope they at least had the common sense to move the sharp techies also to the US, than live to regret it years later..

But this move kind of came as a surprising news. It kind of reverberated GE's steps towards moving manufacturing back to the US, as the automation achieved and cost of logistics brought more business sense into manufacturing within the US itself.

But how does moving Yahoo's RnD to US really make sense. There were some details in the news clipping like a change in working style to keeping fewer locations fore more collaboration (It was consistent to Marissa Mayer stopping work from home with a similar logic). But what about brains? And the cost? And c'mon, in this era of globalization and virtualization, what are we, moving back in time Yahoo??

The trusting child..

Its a sight that never fails to break a smile on my face. A child seated on the arms of its parent (typically mother within the Infosys campus). And the child exploring us people around, or the happenings around. Never a fuss, never a scare, just complete trust. The child doesn't look to check on whose arms it is, or whether it is safe there. For that's all he/she wants to be.

And from that perch, look out to the world. It's a beautiful feeling, difficult to express in words. Just even for the onlooker to see this beautiful bond of trust..

I hope the parent feels it, and feels proud of this feeling. I feel this a lot when Shravan's in my arms. He's happy to be picked up, and then he's singing his songs..

May this trust in a child, may this innocent view of the world never be spoilt. May we never destroy this experience for a child. May we just watch, with him, and like him, the world around, in all it's beautiful glory.

We are but visitors here, for a few years at a time, let's bask in this amazing magic of nature and life around, and let it breathe through us..

The Rude Shock of Slope..

Just the day after I had written the "Magic of Second Gear" post, where I was thanking the stars for not having got me stuck on a slope yet, as if arranged by karmic forces, the very next day I got caught in the exact same situation!

I go up full speed in first gear on parking lot slopes because I did not want a recurrence of the scenario where the security guy had to drive up the car to help me out. And on this fateful day, I'm going full speed and screech just behind another car stuck on the parking lot slope (with a loud "Oh Shit" exclamation to boot!).

Full credit to the guy in front, when he had his turn, he calmly got his car up the slope, even though there was but only a whisker of space between our cars. And as if this was truly a play of nature, while I sat shuddering what to do next, and kept looking behind for other cars on the slope, there strangely was no car coming up. For if I'd seen another one coming, I'd have panicked even more. This breather really helped. No car in front or back. I slowly put the hand-brake exercise to practise, and lo and behold! The car went smoothly up!

Imagine my amazement, relief and surprise. But the incident left its mark for sure. I was shivering even after parking my car in the lot...

Poems for Shravan: Bath Time

Bath Time, Bath Time,
It is Bath Time for Shravan
Shravan is a Good Boy
Shravan is a Good Boy
Shravan is a Very Very Very Good Boy

The Magic of Second Gear

Back in India recently with wife and kid, the need inevitably arose to have a car. And since I was paranoid about driving on the roads here, I opted for at least a familiar vehicle style i.e. auto-gear car. But then this was mostly for my wife's commute, and the need invariably arose for me to use a car to office. That's when my father passed over his car in Mumbai which was lying unused..but this was a manual gear...

And while both I and my wife had started lessons months ago, we'd resigned to being unable to actually drive in a manual gear car, especially after getting comfortable with the auto-gear. We'd even left the lessons incomplete. And so when Daddy's Maruti Swift arrived, the first thing I did was to systematically resume my lessons. While in parallel to start driving the Swift to nearby open spaces to practice. But the shift from gear to gear at different speeds, in my opinion, was needless. Necessary though in developing countries dependant on oil imports, owing to the fuel-mileage savings (apparently aroun 5km difference per litre!).

And so I kept struggling. Especially after one experience where I got stuck on the road and a parking lot slope the same day. One of the security staff had to then drive the vehicle up..really shuddered my confidence a bit. But continuing the lessons in parallel really helped. And Prakash, my driving instructor, is one patient and wonderful teacher. I could ask him areas I was getting stuck and he kept helping me out with tips and practice.

And the biggest of them were these two:

1) If I keep half-clutch on second-gear, no matter how slow the vehicle gets, it won't stop. You can't imagine what a boon this tip is on huge speed-breakers or heavy but not-stopping traffic situations. Obviously, if it's stop-and-go, or whenever vehicle stops, one does have to go to first-gear.

2) If you are stuck on a steep slope, lift the hand brake up, without fixing it. Your car will at-least stop moving back when you lift your leg off the brake now. And then press the accelerator and slowly lower the hand-brake. The car just moves forward! If anything, slight pressure-release on the first gear is only needed. I've had to use this a couple of times now, even today, and has been very helpful (thankfully not in a steep slope traffic block situation yet).

The two tips above have been big contributors for me gaining confidence back in my driving!

The third confirmation / tip was from my sister that we can confidently keep ourselves in first gear and push the car up slopes. I'm still not sure why this works, even when we are going at higher speed up the slope. This doubt came to mind especially after the time I got stuck in the slope.

Well, that's lessons revision for now..hope most major ones are done now.

Picking up trash, but with flowers in hair

No sight of grace touched me more. When they say no job is below anybody's dignity, I saw it within trash-cleaners in our apartment. They value their job, and it doesn't make them feel small. So hygienic, they'd worn neat modest sarees, foreheads showing they'd been to the temple. I couln't be more inspired. I bow to them.

And we learn that life gives as one has sowed. I hope then they get bountiful good in return later...

In life we speak of intent and action. Krishna said right intent of following Dharma is more important, whatever is the vocation you seek.

But does correct intent justify misbehavior or violence to others. Does intent rule over action. I think not. I think the "correct"ness of the intent itself is relative. We might think we are defending our liberty of expression when telling all. But a national security matter might be at stake. This is where document-leaking journalists at times go wrong.
Rather, if intent is to do one's Dharma of reporting, without the intent to hurt, you'd stop when authorities and other journalists explain the repercussions.

Now does action rule over intent. I think that's a clear no. For example, a cruel policeman might be saving a woman from a rapist, but actually beating him to death to quench his blood-lust. So that doesn't count. If the same were being done with the intent being to hurt the rapist, in anger of having hurt the woman, it's different. But the highest is the attitude of just doing his job, not as a robot, but out of true compassion. That like a true soldier!

The lessons life teaches, it teaches in trickles...

To Reconcile various paths..

This journey, this quest of knowledge to understand life itself is very satisfying. And interestingly, even though various sects have been holding on to their stances, I see various commonalities. Actually, I'd like to think that actually there is no difference between the various sects in Sanatana Dharma. Or as claimed by a former Sringeri Jagadguru, even amongst religions. Since Sanatana Dharma rests on eternal laws (dharmas) as speaking the truth, right conduct, faith in God and as such, there is no religion that can claim to be teaching anything different. The only point of contrast could be in Sanatana Dharma using the Vedas as the source of truth - the eternal laws' vakya. Well then, to reconcile, firstly all religions will agree that various scriptures, even after the Vedas in Sanatana Dharma have been written to either delve in detail, or explain the laws in layman terms. Including in modern Hindu religion, where the Bhagavad Gita is now considered its most holy book.

Now within Sanatana Dharma, or now Hinduism, there is the Advaita (Self is God) Philosophy, then there is the Monotheist (One Supreme God) philosophy, and then there is the Polytheist (Many Gods with various functions) philosophy. On the face of it, these are three different sets of belief. But if we listen to the Vedas, or the Bhagavad Gita, all three are true. Devotion, or spiritual journey, cannot start without an object of devotion. An idol, a guru, a set of beliefs. Even the Vedas are taught after the student first affirms he has faith in it and his guru. So Devotion is the most important requirement. It is the truth for people in this phase of the spiritual journey, and there is no arguing this.

And thus, people will choose an object of devotion, a God, whose attributes they feel closest to. Again, here the devotion is most important. And second that the God chosen by the devotee adheres to the basic values: truth, correct attitude and intent, peace, love. If in the name of this God the devotee obtains justification to resort to violence, the devotee has definitely been misguided and misdirected away from the spiritual path.

Taking this further, a devotee might love multiple Gods for their distinct attributes. These Gods are but symbols of our creation. Or they are exemplary individuals from our past. We seek inspiration from these heroes (whether mythological or real) to be able to become like them. To strive and attain their qualities which align with the Sanatana Dharma laws.

As the spiritual journey progresses, the individual begins seeing all others as equal. No one is above the others. It starts with realizing all humans are God's creation. Then that all living beings are God's creation. Then that the whole world, animate and inanimate is God's creation. And slowly that good (or God) resides even in the most evil of people. Then the spirit of inquiry of what governs the results of good and bad behavior, and the understanding of the Law of Karma.

Eventually, at a great and deep state of maturity, the realization enters that God is beyond good and bad. And this not just the saying, like I'm doing now. But the intrinsic realization, the ability of seeing this truth from within the mind's eyes. And that God is the very source of this existence, and hence cannot be claimed to be of just human form. He is without attributes, and takes the attributes of the object reflecting it (the stone, the dog or the human). The energy, consciousness and matter combination only varies. From this point, the scriptures (actually, only the Vedas at this point) help to understand, that everything is really energy (just like the atoms were found to take up the nature of matter and wave at different times).

So really, this is an individual journey. He may or may not follow the above sequence of steps to reach the final realization. But when realizes, he definitely understands it for what it is. It really does not benefit a community or people following a set of beliefs then to fight over who's correct. The teachings are best served when individually followed!

Sun the destroyer, Sun the creator

The Sun rose over the vast green fields
It grew in size, from crimson to bright

Its body was fire, yet light serene
The very heat, cremating blood of streams

So when there was Adharma, and Dharma to restore
Destruction happened, through nature or man

Yet this very Sun, this heat and light
Rejuvenated all, and Life reshaped

Thoughts on Yugas and Vasanas

In Sanatana Dharma, you see all this mention of the Four Yugas, and how we are in the Kalki Yuga. I shared an article on Google Plus yesterday on a coincidental reflection of why these Yugas are not really periods in time, as much as in Dimension. And I saw this being elaborated in the article I shared.

I've read books and heard talks of how there are angels who guide us. Perhaps departed well-wishing souls. Perhaps forms of Energy which are symbolized in idols. Where do these angels live in. If we have a concept of time in our world, there must be a similar concept in theirs. The souls we see departing from human life go to a state of rest. There must be a concept of time after which they come back. And for simplicity sake, there must be a concept of space to where they rest. Perhaps that's where the four Yugas exist as Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kalki. Based on their Karmas in human life, the Vasanas that get built them, take them to the corresponding Yuga (dimension).

And then all that's mentioned in multiple articles makes sense. The lives in each Yuga ranging from blissful (Satya Yuga) to incrementally less peaceful in each...makes the heaven-hell concept in Christianity easier to understand too.

The article I shared had a wonderful insight into this, as aspect I had not thought of. The Four Yugas could be a reflection of stages of self-realization. We, in this Life itself are in Kalki to Satya based on our level of Self-Realization. Or, as Swami Vivekananda had once analogized, when our soul expands beyond a stage (yuga), we are unable to stay within the cage of the human body. And we depart this body, while entering the next stage. But it's quite clear in multiple expositions, that "life" continues. "Life" based on our human wordly perception is what ceases, and too perhaps just temporarily. So maybe there's a threshold of Yuga we can achieve while staying in human life, after which the next stage involves leaving this body. I'm not sure what this threshold is; could be the Dwapara, or who knows, the Satya Yuga itself!

Kalki to Satya might play out after departure from human life too, reflecting the fluidity of life-force itself. And that's where the concept of Vasanas can help explain..

When the Gita says intent, not the action itself, is supreme; or when sages have said the last thought before departure from human life plays a part. What they are all alluding to is the "impressions" or Vasanas like Sri Sri Ravi Sankar straight away explained it as. I saw it specified in another article how the subtle body behind the physical form is on which these impressions or vasanas are getting recorded. It was also an interesting mention that both good and bad karmas cause the vasanas, and there cannot be a balance of either good or bad, for us to stop the cycle of rebirth. To "dissolve" these Karmas, is why Ravi Sankar advises doing every action in the mode of awareness. That in itself separates the seer from the doer. Or the Jagadguru's teachings advise - in a more easier form to understand for the layman - to dedicate every action to God.

This is perhaps how the intelligent force behind creation does not carry any bad Karmas even after natural calamities. Or even when wars happened and lives were lost in his incarnations. These weren't happening because of his intent. He is just playing the medium for Karmic results to play out..

A strange universe we will in, which exists within this soul and where we are part of every galaxy. Where time and space are no restriction. Which is how Sadhus and realized souls easily look into us and tell us things from our past and future..of a Satya Yuga full of bliss from where can come back to human life only when we choose to, or else we live there forever (concept of Heaven)..Amazing! If only we "Realize"!!

Devi as Mother

With cries and good looks, he came to this world
I ran to his aid, but my loyalty with you

You had brought him to this world, little does he realize
More than him I feel indebted, you are the Devi herself

There are traits that are childish, but the spirit has a spark
You are the Mother beloved, tireless and devoted

No matter where you go, your heart, stays in whom you Love
No matter where you are your energy, blesses and guides us

Poems for Shravan: Bath Time

Bath Time, Bath Time
It is Bath Time for Shravan
Shravan is a Good Boy, Shravan is a Good Boy
Shravan is a Very Very Very Good Boy!

Death not sleep, but awakening

It was that morning sunlight
That woke me up from slumber
Not money, not fame
Not Yoga nor scripture

It was just nature, fresh breath of air
That blew me off this world

While all men said I'd gone to sleep
Only few knew that I had woken up

When you meditate...

When you meditate...do not try hard. The intent is to relax, so whatever you do, don't end up being more exerted at the end of the session, than before!

Both Swami Vivekananda and Sri Sri Ravi Sankar encourage letting the thoughts flow. Vivekananda compared it to a stone causing ripples in the water. Let a stone come and disturb the water, it'll just ripple away. Ravi Sankar asks us to just be "aware" of the flow of thoughts. And I believe Sadhguru suggests we watch the breath. Ravi Sankar also suggests breath as a way to control our emotions. He explained how breath is the link between emotion and mind. Remarkable! And so true!

When meditating or in prayer, do visit and your "angels". Yes, that's the term so many religions term it as. In Hinduism the religion, deities could have been introduced to serve that concept. There are angels for creation (Brahma) and learning (Saraswathi), angels for protection (Vishnu) and prosperity (Lakshmi), and angels for power (Shakthi) and renunciation towards moksha (Shiva). Visit their abodes, thank them for standing by you, through various births that you have taken. So have been so lucky to be born in this human life, which is conscious of self and consciousness of choice. Thank them, thank them all!

When meditating, realize that your true self is joyous. Realize that you are different from this body. And, over time, realize even that you are different from this mind. Which is why almost all of us do not remember our previous births. Only the impressions have carried forward, and only those whose impressions have been that strong, remember bits of their previous birth. I'm sure at a certain level of subconscious this memory exists which can be tapped for all of us, but even there this would be strong impressions that have left their mark on the soul.

Awareness, Sri Sri Ravi Sankar said, will dissolve all Karma. If you are enjoying something, keeping yourself "detached" and watching yourself enjoying, apparently the Karma will be dissolved then and there itself. Hold on to this knowledge during meditation, and try to keep awareness alive.

And the best message of all by Ravi Sankar was that, what's the use of practising meditation if you are unable to carry over that feeling even after meditation. So remember this feeling of bliss, and enjoy it even with your eyes open!

K.J. Yesudas Vs. Kishore Kumar

Dr K.J. Yesudas, the true Gana Gandharvan. The deepest, most beautiful voice music in India has ever heard. There is no doubt about that. His film-career spanned from the late 60's if I'm not wrong till even the late 00's. While his most notable but unnoticed achievement is bringing popularity to Classical music. Even yours truly can attribute to that. He continues to perform classical concerts, and due to his brand power in film, it automatically brings at least some audiences in just owing to that fact.  Yesudas has sung in almost every Indian language, although the luckiest state is the one he hailed from, Kerala. He's also been handsomely awarded by National, state and film awards for his performances and contributions. But there is a flaw...in my opinion. I think his singing lacked total immersement. I felt so most in the sentimental, romantic, or tragic songs. And also in some of the comic songs. There is a certain detachment to the the singing. You know he's singing a romantic number or a song of angst, but I give more credit to its outcome to the wonderful lyricists and equally excellent musicians of Malayalam film music. Which is also why I think he never was as great a success in other languages. Without the support of equally talented musicians, the passion in the voice, must have been caught missing. Which is where S.P. Balasubramaniam capitalized in almost every other South Indian Language.

Kishore Kumar on the other hand, was this eccentric, sometimes melancholic, and most times comic character, who seemed to be hiding a certain pain. And this pain came out, oh very vividly so, in the many sentimental, philosophical and sad songs he's sung. Like another contemporary singer Mahendra Kapoor once commented, Kishore grasped the emotion of the song very easily. And he was so talented, that he could even sing some classical songs by purely mimicking and learning from the music director. His talent was peerless as he dabbled (competently) in acting, direction, music and lyrics, although singer was what defined him. Obviously he could never have sung most Carnatic or Hindustani classicals. But the range of his songs crossed the barriers of masses and classes alike; he's sung songs of every genre. Even though his singing calibre would not have reached Mohd Rafi's. His voice though is the best Hindi film industry has heard. Kishore Kumar's best songs have come under music director R.D. Burman. A large part of the memorable songs in Kishore's collections are owing to Burman's music. Although Burman was his most ardent supporter too. According to Burman, Kishore was the best singer a music director could get. He'd mimic the song just exactly as the music director wanted it to be recited, thus giving justice to the vision of the song.

When I think back or listen to the songs sung by Yesudas and Kishore, while Yesudas' songs leave me with admiration of the singing talent, Kishore's songs touch the core of some feeling in my heart. And while this makes Yesudas hands down the Best singer according to me, Kishore will always be my favorite singer!!

Influences from WWE

WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), which I knew most of my life as WWF (World Wrestling Federation), was something of an enigma, an inspiration for fitness, and hero-worship, when growing up in Mumbai. We used to collect post-card pictures, and make scrap books with these. We used to have card-games with these, talk about the wrestlers, imagine how matches between them would fare..all sorts of things..

I remember the top stars at the time, the early 90's used to be Bret "The Hitman" Hart, The Undertaker, Razor Ramon..these were the heroes, or the "face" as I recently learnt is the term used within the company. And then there were the villains (heel), like Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Owen Hart, Yokozuna! I was always a big fan of Bret Hart. His wrestling style clearly showed how he stuck to the basics. No high-flying moves, focus on the opponent's weaknesses, and never give up. Kind of how I am too. I'm sure he was a boring superstar..

After I think the 9th standard, I lost touch of WWF, and crucial career-defining studies (at least in India) of Std 10th and 12th took over. I remember the last match being Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels in WrestleMania '94, which he controversially lost. I watched this match with my favorite cousin, Biju Ettan. Throughout this era though, it was discussed but mostly agreed upon that the matches were not anyway rigged. There were some rules to follow, but the outcome is totally like a sport!

When I got back to watching Wrestling, in around '99, I was disappointed to see Hitman had been turned heel. There is an extended documentary where even he explains he had a lot of concerns about this move by the company. I saw Stone Cold Steve Austin win King-of-the-Ring. A bad guy with no respect but a lot of guts. I hated him when promos revealed how he was targetting the "old generation" that Hitman reflected, and the intense rivalry between them. I loved seeing how Hitman beat him in that match. And yet, since Stone Cold never gave up, he won my and the fans' respect.

I thought I was done with WWF after this, as Hitman's era seemed to have ended, but the WWE (which it was known as by then) had a real surprise storyline up their sleeve. The Stone Cold vs. Vince McMohan the boss was a damn good entertainer! Mind you, even at this phase I had no idea all these are cooked up storylines. And I applauded how Stone Cold won the championship against all odds from the boss, dumped all norms, and stayed himself all through. He defended the belt against the best contenders, the Undertaker, Kane, Mick Foley, The Rock. But sometime in between, Engineering studies got hectic, and I let go.

And since then, the guts of Stone Cold and resilience of the Hit Man have always stayed as cherished inspirations.

I recently found out how these are all storylines, including that entire fights are choreographed. I still am amazed how they do it...
But with that understanding though, I might never go back into it the way it was back in the 90's and early '00s.

But from a fan who really learnt a lot about inspirational qualities in life from examples of characters that were created, a Big Thank You to the WWE and a Bigger Salute to the Stars, the inspiring Wrestlers!!

The Road to Moksha

There was first, the search for Purpose. Two things have - perhaps partly, but surely - answered: 1) The worldly responsibilities; 2) The knowledge that Maya is like a game.  For I see that in my mind, the restlessness of a search is gone.

As knowledge grew, I'm realizing that this is, and will not be, our first visit here. That we never really lose our loved ones. We all are but one. And we keep meeting in subsequent births. This has helped, the knowledge from various aspects, the scientific (the book "Many Lives, Many Masters"), and the spiritual (talks and material from "Art of Living" and the Vedic material on the internet). It has helped to drop the fear of death, to have no regrets, and to as much possible per current capability, perceive the nature of life. It will all come around...

There is also a golden "method" I now have in hand, thanks to the "Art of Living" talks. To stay in the "Mode of Awareness". Not just when meditating, but in every activity of life. Sri Sri Ravi Sankar has explained, that it is this that helps dissolve the Karmic influences. Obviously there is much, much room for improvement for me. I'll do my best. Yoga and my attempts to reduce the need for sleep have helped. For deeper meditation, even though my office workload, and illnessess while the body builds immunity to the Bangalore weather, have delayed. But Adi Sankaracharya's point that Yoga and Meditation in itself do not help achieve Moksha, but indirectly help in creating the mental state to achieve it, have been both an insightful point, and an introspective one on how long this journey could be.

Or maybe not! As I write this, I'm thinking, I agree with Adi Sankaracharya based on two experiences: 1) Even great Yoga acharya's are known for sexual scandals, and not really directly achievers of Moksha. In itself, there is nothing wrong in sexual conduct and I'm not attempting to be judgemental about it. It's like my experience with artistes. When you hear them talk, when you learn their thoughts, you realize that no matter how great they are in their fields, be it music or film or in this case Yoga, their spiritual development has not hand-in-hand. So it takes something else.. 2) Sri Sri Ravi Sankar's exhortions that there is nothing like someday, suddenly, Enlightenment will come from somewhere. All the sadhana is like removing husk from the grain. What we are to achieve, already exists within. In this aspect, the insightful book "Siddhartha" also helped. Denying oneself will not help us "realize". Accepting all is what helps.

Among Vedic purusharthas, is also mentioned the goal of "Moksha". That it's not akin to running away from the worldly life. It's akin to how children love their small toys, and find their ultimate joy in it. While as adults we grow over it. It this this mode of realizing what the true nature of everything is, that helps their interactions with us in the world does not add up to Karmic bindings, be it good or bad! Foremost thing is to realize and accept, that everything, absolutely everything that's happening to us, is nobody else's fault, or even credit. It's the adding up of our own Karma. Difficult to realize, but one must also strive to achieve complete harmony and balance in all four purusharthas, that I believe is what would be the measure of a truly successful life. Everything in Life Just Happens, one can only have the Intent!