एक खूप सुंदर लेख वाचायला मिळाला आज 'सकाळ' मध्ये...
खरच स्वतः च्या प्रेमात पडून पहवाच एकदा तरी... सगला जगच सुंदर होऊं जाता मग... हा आहे माझा अनुभवही!
पहा तुम्ही पण हा लेख वाचून... आणि पड़ा प्रेमात तुमच्याच...
आहे माझ्यावर माझं प्रेम!
(आरती कदम)
स्वतःच्या प्रेमात पडणं म्हणजे आपल्यातली अमर्याद प्रेम करण्याची ताकद ओळखणं. एकदा का ही ताकद ओळखली, की आपण स्वतःवरच नव्हे, तर सगळ्यांवरच प्रेम करू लागतो. .......
तुम्ही स्वतःच्या कधी प्रेमात पडला आहात? स्वतःच स्वतःला खूप आवडला आहात? विचित्र वाटतोय प्रश्न, की असा कधी विचारच आला नाही मनात?
हा काही आध्यात्मिक प्रश्न नाहीए. साधा सरळ विचार आहे. आपण आपल्याला आवडणे यासारखी सुंदर गोष्ट नाही. आपण नेहमीच इतरांशी असलेल्या आपल्या नात्यांविषयी बोलत असतो, पण आपलं आपल्याशीही काही नातं असतं, याचा अनेकदा विचारच करत नाही. आपण आपल्यालाच काही देणं असतो. आपलं आपल्याशीच काही मागणं असतं. कधी मनाच्या या आवाजाचा विचार केला आहे? इथे आतला आवाज (सोनिया गांधी आठवल्या असतील) म्हणजे आपली विवेकबुद्धी अपेक्षित नाही. तो तर मनाचा एक वेगळाच कप्पा आहे... आपल्याला अंतर्बाह्य सच्चा ठेवणारा. हा आवाज आहे आपल्याला आनंददायी जगणं शिकवणारा. आपल्याला आपल्यावरच प्रेम करायला शिकवणारा. कारण एकदा का तुम्ही स्वतःच्या प्रेमात पडलात, की जगणंही सुंदर होऊन जातं.
स्वतःच्या प्रेमात पडणं म्हणजे आत्मकेंद्री, स्वार्थी प्रेम नव्हे, तर ते आहे आपल्यातली अमर्याद प्रेम करण्याची ताकद ओळखणं. एकदा का ही ताकद ओळखली, की आपण स्वतःवरच नव्हे, तर सगळ्यांवरच प्रेम करू लागतो. कारण आपल्याला जग होकारार्थी भासू लागतं. जगातली प्रत्येक गोष्ट आपल्याला हवी आहे तशी घडू लागते. कामात आपण जादा ऍक्टिव्ह होतो. मग त्याच्याशी जे जे संबंधित असतात ते खूष. समोरचे खूष की आपण खूष. विन विन सिच्युएशन!
म्हणूनच म्हटलं, तुम्ही कधी स्वतःच्या प्रेमात पडला आहात? नसलं तर पडून बघा. हे प्रेम म्हणजे काय, तर आपण आपल्यावर खूष असणं. तुम्ही कधी तुम्हा स्वतःला गिफ्ट दिलं आहे? म्हणजे कपडे, बॅगा, इतर गरजेच्या वस्तू या आपण गरजेच्या वस्तू म्हणून घेत असतो किंवा आवडलं म्हणून घेत असतो. (पैसे आहेत ते कुठे संपवायचे, म्हणूनही अनेक जण घेत असतील) पण एखादी ठरवलेली गोष्ट केली, किंवा बराच काळ रेंगाळलेलं, रखडलेलं काम पुढाकार घेऊन पूर्ण केलं म्हणून खूष होऊन स्वतःला बक्षीस देऊ केलंय? देऊन बघा. इथं फक्त एखादी वस्तू स्वतःला प्रेझेंट करण्यापर्यंत, किंवा आवडती खायची वस्तू घेण्यापुरतंच हे मर्यादित नाही. तर मनाला आवडेल ती गोष्ट करायची. कोणाला जर संपूर्ण दिवस लोळत काढायचा असेल तर यथेच्छ काढावा (इथं स्वतःचं घर हवं किंवा घरातल्यांना ही गोष्ट पटवून द्यायला हवी. सॉरी!) पण उलटंही आहे बरं! एखादी गोष्ट नाही घडली मनासारखी तर खूप वेदना होतात. अशा वेळी लोकांच्या भिडेस्तव दुःख मनाशी दाबून टाकतो. नकोच करायला असं. मनाचं ऐकायचं, मनसोक्त रडून घ्यायचं. मन स्वच्छ होऊन जाईल. मोकळं मोकळं!
आयटीच्या विद्यार्थ्यांसमोर बोलताना "तरुणांचा" लेखक चेतन भगत यानेही याचाच वेगळ्या शब्दांत उल्लेख केला आहे. त्याने या भावनेला तुमच्यातला स्पार्क जिवंत ठेवणं, असं म्हटलं आहे. हा स्पार्क जिवंत असला की तुम्ही भरभरून जगू शकता. एकदा का तो स्पार्क धूसर झाला, की जगणं साचलेलं डबकं होऊन जातं. म्हणूनच हा स्पार्क कायम ठेवण्यासाठी त्याने अपेक्षाभंग, नैराश्य आणि एकटेपणा या बाबी आयुष्यातून काढून टाकायला हव्यात, असं सांगितलं आहे. यात एक उदाहरण देताना त्यानं लिहिलंय, "मी नाही ऐश्वर्या रायसारखा सुंदर, पण म्हणून काय झालं! माझी दोन मुलं तिच्यापेक्षा सुंदर आहेत!' चेतनचा हा दृष्टिकोन, आणि अर्थातच त्यामागची भावना म्हणजेच स्वतःवर प्रेम करणं!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Hello, Anybody There?
The recent series of bomb blasts in two major cities in India made me rethink a lot of things I have already been worrying about.. We need to think about the safety issues concerned, after all, with our own country.. Well, I came across this TOI editorial, July 29, 2008, addressing these issues and much more.. It ignites a thought in the minds of the readers about personal responsibilities.. If we call ourselves the biggest democratic country, why don't we act as a part of it?
Have a look at this:
TOI EDITORIAL: Hello, Anybody There?
India is under siege. With two serial blasts that killed 50 people and injured many more, live bombs defused in Surat and Ahmedabad, and bomb alerts in Kerala, Chennai and Delhi, fear is ruling the minds of people across the country. We wonder every day where terrorists will strike next. Make no mistake, this is a cunning, low-intensity war against the country, aimed at wrecking its social and economic fabric. Regrettably, the response of our governments — state and central — is hardly reassuring. The sheer incompetence of our security mechanism can only serve as an incentive to continuing attacks. We, however, should not turn into cynics or merely shrug at the failure of our administrators to meet the challenge posed by the merchants of terror. A hard look at India's experience in dealing with terrorism is urgently necessary to analyse why our institutions have failed to check the onslaught of terror.
There are multiple agencies to fight terrorism. They generate a huge mass of data. But how much of it is actionable intelligence? Very little, it appears. Take the Gujarat blasts. The attacks in Ahmedabad took place a day after Bangalore was targeted and when the state was already under a high security alert. In other words, the information from intelligence agencies was not sufficient to prevent the attacks or nab the attackers after they had set off the bombs. Of course, these terrorist groups choose their targets and execute the attacks after a great deal of planning with precision. But why are they almost always a step ahead of our sleuths? Over 550 people have died in various terrorist attacks since 2005. How many of the attackers have been arrested and prosecuted?
Security agencies have made arrests after terror strikes, but how many of these cases have withstood the scrutiny of the law? Obviously, there is something seriously inadequate in our security apparatus. Citizens of this country have the right to know where exactly the deficiencies lie. Are the intelligence agencies not adequately funded? Are the personnel improperly trained or not equipped with the latest technology? Surely, the Union home minister can find time to answer such questions.
The prime minister and the home minister have talked of setting up a new federal agency to counter terrorism. We have supported the suggestion in these columns. Law and order is a state subject. There are federal agencies — like the CBI and the IB — besides state police and local intelligence networks. The CBI has no mandate or resources to gather intelligence and its role as an investigating agency is subject to state governments' requests. In fact, a multiplicity of security agencies probably hampers any real crackdown on terrorism unless there is proper coordination among them. The US experience may be worth examining to help India relook at its security system. After 9/11, the US brought various government agencies under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, a new cabinet department in the White House. Coordination became much easier and information sharing between agencies became the norm rather than the exception it was.
Even though India has been one of the earliest victims of cross-border terrorism, our security apparatus has remained largely unchanged. Terrorism has changed a great deal in the last decade. Today, it is a globally-networked phenomenon and its highly motivated foot soldiers do not respect geographical boundaries. And their concerns are not always local grievances. In such a situation, standard methods of policing may not be effective though the international dimension of today's terrorism does not diminish the role of local intelligence.
On the contrary, there has to be more emphasis on local intelligence to spot and monitor radical tendencies in society. Intelligence agencies may have to recruit more personnel from under-represented sections of the people to gain dependable awareness of complex undercurrents in our polity. And the political masters should allow the agencies a free hand to focus on their core job, which is dealing with the security of citizens. A new internal security doctrine, that is in tune with the new circumstances and takes careful note of international experience, needs to be worked out. The time for it is now.
While the government revamps the intelligence gathering apparatus and investigation mechanism, it should act fast on the legal system. When charges of terrorism are pressed in court, it takes years before they are settled. Suspects are jailed for inordinately long periods, often only to be cleared of charges. Such miscarriage of justice adds to the general suspicion that public institutions like the police and the judiciary are prejudiced. The judicial process not only has to be fast, fair and firm; it should appear to be so. More fast-track courts to try terror charges should be set up, more judges recruited.
A case is often made for draconian laws in the aftermath of terror strikes. However, there is no evidence to back the claim that laws like POTA help the state machinery to contain terrorism. Terrorists simply take advantage of the incompetence of the existing security apparatus and not of our allegedly liberal legal framework. Bad laws only undermine the democratic foundations of the country and create social resentment. There are no alternatives to effective policing backed by inclusive public policies. To achieve that, the government must wake up to the gathering storm of low-intensity conflict and act on a war footing.
I hope we will soon have a realization! India needs an awakening movement..
Have a look at this:
TOI EDITORIAL: Hello, Anybody There?
India is under siege. With two serial blasts that killed 50 people and injured many more, live bombs defused in Surat and Ahmedabad, and bomb alerts in Kerala, Chennai and Delhi, fear is ruling the minds of people across the country. We wonder every day where terrorists will strike next. Make no mistake, this is a cunning, low-intensity war against the country, aimed at wrecking its social and economic fabric. Regrettably, the response of our governments — state and central — is hardly reassuring. The sheer incompetence of our security mechanism can only serve as an incentive to continuing attacks. We, however, should not turn into cynics or merely shrug at the failure of our administrators to meet the challenge posed by the merchants of terror. A hard look at India's experience in dealing with terrorism is urgently necessary to analyse why our institutions have failed to check the onslaught of terror.
There are multiple agencies to fight terrorism. They generate a huge mass of data. But how much of it is actionable intelligence? Very little, it appears. Take the Gujarat blasts. The attacks in Ahmedabad took place a day after Bangalore was targeted and when the state was already under a high security alert. In other words, the information from intelligence agencies was not sufficient to prevent the attacks or nab the attackers after they had set off the bombs. Of course, these terrorist groups choose their targets and execute the attacks after a great deal of planning with precision. But why are they almost always a step ahead of our sleuths? Over 550 people have died in various terrorist attacks since 2005. How many of the attackers have been arrested and prosecuted?
Security agencies have made arrests after terror strikes, but how many of these cases have withstood the scrutiny of the law? Obviously, there is something seriously inadequate in our security apparatus. Citizens of this country have the right to know where exactly the deficiencies lie. Are the intelligence agencies not adequately funded? Are the personnel improperly trained or not equipped with the latest technology? Surely, the Union home minister can find time to answer such questions.
The prime minister and the home minister have talked of setting up a new federal agency to counter terrorism. We have supported the suggestion in these columns. Law and order is a state subject. There are federal agencies — like the CBI and the IB — besides state police and local intelligence networks. The CBI has no mandate or resources to gather intelligence and its role as an investigating agency is subject to state governments' requests. In fact, a multiplicity of security agencies probably hampers any real crackdown on terrorism unless there is proper coordination among them. The US experience may be worth examining to help India relook at its security system. After 9/11, the US brought various government agencies under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, a new cabinet department in the White House. Coordination became much easier and information sharing between agencies became the norm rather than the exception it was.
Even though India has been one of the earliest victims of cross-border terrorism, our security apparatus has remained largely unchanged. Terrorism has changed a great deal in the last decade. Today, it is a globally-networked phenomenon and its highly motivated foot soldiers do not respect geographical boundaries. And their concerns are not always local grievances. In such a situation, standard methods of policing may not be effective though the international dimension of today's terrorism does not diminish the role of local intelligence.
On the contrary, there has to be more emphasis on local intelligence to spot and monitor radical tendencies in society. Intelligence agencies may have to recruit more personnel from under-represented sections of the people to gain dependable awareness of complex undercurrents in our polity. And the political masters should allow the agencies a free hand to focus on their core job, which is dealing with the security of citizens. A new internal security doctrine, that is in tune with the new circumstances and takes careful note of international experience, needs to be worked out. The time for it is now.
While the government revamps the intelligence gathering apparatus and investigation mechanism, it should act fast on the legal system. When charges of terrorism are pressed in court, it takes years before they are settled. Suspects are jailed for inordinately long periods, often only to be cleared of charges. Such miscarriage of justice adds to the general suspicion that public institutions like the police and the judiciary are prejudiced. The judicial process not only has to be fast, fair and firm; it should appear to be so. More fast-track courts to try terror charges should be set up, more judges recruited.
A case is often made for draconian laws in the aftermath of terror strikes. However, there is no evidence to back the claim that laws like POTA help the state machinery to contain terrorism. Terrorists simply take advantage of the incompetence of the existing security apparatus and not of our allegedly liberal legal framework. Bad laws only undermine the democratic foundations of the country and create social resentment. There are no alternatives to effective policing backed by inclusive public policies. To achieve that, the government must wake up to the gathering storm of low-intensity conflict and act on a war footing.
I hope we will soon have a realization! India needs an awakening movement..
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Progress towards ....?
"पुणेकरांचे आभार :
पेट्रोल व डिझेलच्या मागणीत देशभरात सर्वाधिक वाढ पुण्यात होत आहे. राज्यातील काही जिल्ह्यांमध्ये इंधन टंचाई निर्माण झालेली असताना पुण्यात तशी स्थिती निर्माण झाली नाही."
This is what I read in Pune's leading news paper. I am highly surprised to know that someone congratulates Puneites for polluting the air more.. Well, this is an utter shame on us. Probably, even I do not have a right to say anything about pollution because even I owned a bike sometime..
There was another news regarding a proposed hike Rs. 10 hike in petrol, Rs. 5 diesel and Rs. 50 in cooking gas prizes. With this rate, I can picture us-common people spending a considerable amount of our incomes on gas.. And still, we will not be able to compensate on this expenditure since otherwise we will feel impaired!
I am pretty sure many wise people have already understood that the world is indeed heading towards its destruction at a faster rate than expected.. Global warming and exhausting resources may soon even cause wars, if the trend continues.. Is there any way out? Do we have any hope left?
पेट्रोल व डिझेलच्या मागणीत देशभरात सर्वाधिक वाढ पुण्यात होत आहे. राज्यातील काही जिल्ह्यांमध्ये इंधन टंचाई निर्माण झालेली असताना पुण्यात तशी स्थिती निर्माण झाली नाही."
This is what I read in Pune's leading news paper. I am highly surprised to know that someone congratulates Puneites for polluting the air more.. Well, this is an utter shame on us. Probably, even I do not have a right to say anything about pollution because even I owned a bike sometime..
There was another news regarding a proposed hike Rs. 10 hike in petrol, Rs. 5 diesel and Rs. 50 in cooking gas prizes. With this rate, I can picture us-common people spending a considerable amount of our incomes on gas.. And still, we will not be able to compensate on this expenditure since otherwise we will feel impaired!
I am pretty sure many wise people have already understood that the world is indeed heading towards its destruction at a faster rate than expected.. Global warming and exhausting resources may soon even cause wars, if the trend continues.. Is there any way out? Do we have any hope left?
Friday, May 23, 2008
Customer Care (?!)
"ग्राहक: देवो भव|" seemed to have the new motto of the industry. We see numerous products coming out in the market oriented specifically to satisfy the customer needs. But, to sustain in this highly competitive world, the major part of the industry is the post-sell service. The customer care section is the one which is expected to do this job. Well, they do it, but not always in an appreciated manner. I should say, some call center employee simply scare a customer away! No need to mention that companies with very good customer care are highly popular even if the product is not so competitive.
I had some bad experiences with the customer care one of the companies very recently. I was completely exasperated by the rudeness of the call center guy. And that's when I got into a debate with one of my friends on 'why they do this job'. His argument was they don't like the job but for supporting the family they do it. My argument was, if they are not happy with the job, they should leave it or continue doing it as a responsibility. Otherwise, they are neither being honest to their employer nor to themselves! If they want to have the money, they should follow the work ethic and morality. Well, I was baffled by my friend's response. He said, "You see, not everyone has ethics and morals". Hmmm.. So, is that what happens at most of the workplaces? I guess that's why job satisfaction comes as the first priority when you expect to get the most out of people..
I had some bad experiences with the customer care one of the companies very recently. I was completely exasperated by the rudeness of the call center guy. And that's when I got into a debate with one of my friends on 'why they do this job'. His argument was they don't like the job but for supporting the family they do it. My argument was, if they are not happy with the job, they should leave it or continue doing it as a responsibility. Otherwise, they are neither being honest to their employer nor to themselves! If they want to have the money, they should follow the work ethic and morality. Well, I was baffled by my friend's response. He said, "You see, not everyone has ethics and morals". Hmmm.. So, is that what happens at most of the workplaces? I guess that's why job satisfaction comes as the first priority when you expect to get the most out of people..
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Fantasy and reality
I am writing a blog after a long long time... Well, it is kind of difficult to decide of which thoughts I should pen down in my diary and what should I write here..
There is a nice subject I found to resume my blog writing.. Fantasies of youngsters.. I recently came across this book called "Into the wild" by Jon Krakauer. A book about a guy of almost my age who 'walks into the wild..' to have a better conversation with himself. He comes to a tragic end in his 'Great Alaskan Odyssey' which allowed his critics to curse him to be a feckless slacker, adrift and baffled, racked by existential despair. To the contrary, as the author researches and puts forth from this book:
Christopher J. McCandless's life hummed with meaning and purpose. The meaning he wrested from the existence lay beyond the comfortable path: McCandless distrusted the value of things that come easily. He demanded much of himself - more, in the end, than he could deliver.
No wonder he could survive on minimum resources for 112 days in Alaska.
Well, surprisingly enough, I was reading a lot of myself in this book, in this guy and other adventurous people mentioned in this book.. I am sure many of the young people will feel the same while reading the book.. But of all romantic people, McCandless was on a spiritual quest. Simply the way he was seeking answers was his own way.. Kind of reflecting the wilderness originated by the passions and longings of youth..
I liked a few paragraphs from the my read.. They are mostly excerpts from the books McCandless was carrying with him in the wild..
It is true that many creative people fail to make mature relationships, and some are extremely isolated. It is also true that in some instances, trauma, in the shape of early separation or bereavement, has steered the potentially creative person toward developing aspects of his personality which can find fulfillment in comparative isolation. (But this does not mean that solitary, creative pursuits are themselves pathological...)
[A]voidance behavior is a response designed to protect the infant from behavioral disorganization. If we transfer this concept to adult life, we can see than an avoidant infant might very well develop into a person whose principal need was to find some kind of meaning and order in life which was not entirely, or even chiefly, dependent upon interpersonal relationship.
--Anthony Storr, Solitude: A return to the self.
Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth. I sat at a table where were rich food and wine in abundance, an obsequious attendance, but sincerity and truth were not; and I went away hungry from the inhospitable board. The hospitality was as cold as the ices.
--Henry David Thoreau,
Walden, or Life in the woods.
For children are innocent and love justice, while most of us are wicked and naturally prefer mercy.
--G.K.Chesterton
Now what is history? It is the centuries of systematic explorations of the riddle of death, with a view to overcoming death. That's why people discover mathematical infinity and electromagnetic waves, that's why they write symphonies. Now, you can't advance in this direction without a certain faith. You can't make such discoveries without spiritual equipment. And the basic elements of this equipment are in the Gospels. What are they? To begin with, love of one's neighbor, which is the supreme form of vital energy. Once it fills the heart of man it has to overflow and spend itself. And then the two basic ideals of modern man - without them he is unthinkable - the idea of free personality and the idea of life as sacrifice.
--Boris Pasternak,
Doctor Zhivago
I don't understand much about sacrifice as yet.. But this book makes me rethink about my fantasy land I had been dreaming about since childhood.. I used to long for a small equipped place in deep forest with ample supply of food. A well connectivity to the outside world with a cell phone say and just me alone in the company of lots and lots of books.. Well, now I think about this to be a sheer fantasy. Reality is, I have to live in this world amongst humans, not off the land...
There is a nice subject I found to resume my blog writing.. Fantasies of youngsters.. I recently came across this book called "Into the wild" by Jon Krakauer. A book about a guy of almost my age who 'walks into the wild..' to have a better conversation with himself. He comes to a tragic end in his 'Great Alaskan Odyssey' which allowed his critics to curse him to be a feckless slacker, adrift and baffled, racked by existential despair. To the contrary, as the author researches and puts forth from this book:
Christopher J. McCandless's life hummed with meaning and purpose. The meaning he wrested from the existence lay beyond the comfortable path: McCandless distrusted the value of things that come easily. He demanded much of himself - more, in the end, than he could deliver.
No wonder he could survive on minimum resources for 112 days in Alaska.
Well, surprisingly enough, I was reading a lot of myself in this book, in this guy and other adventurous people mentioned in this book.. I am sure many of the young people will feel the same while reading the book.. But of all romantic people, McCandless was on a spiritual quest. Simply the way he was seeking answers was his own way.. Kind of reflecting the wilderness originated by the passions and longings of youth..
I liked a few paragraphs from the my read.. They are mostly excerpts from the books McCandless was carrying with him in the wild..
It is true that many creative people fail to make mature relationships, and some are extremely isolated. It is also true that in some instances, trauma, in the shape of early separation or bereavement, has steered the potentially creative person toward developing aspects of his personality which can find fulfillment in comparative isolation. (But this does not mean that solitary, creative pursuits are themselves pathological...)
[A]voidance behavior is a response designed to protect the infant from behavioral disorganization. If we transfer this concept to adult life, we can see than an avoidant infant might very well develop into a person whose principal need was to find some kind of meaning and order in life which was not entirely, or even chiefly, dependent upon interpersonal relationship.
--Anthony Storr, Solitude: A return to the self.
Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth. I sat at a table where were rich food and wine in abundance, an obsequious attendance, but sincerity and truth were not; and I went away hungry from the inhospitable board. The hospitality was as cold as the ices.
--Henry David Thoreau,
Walden, or Life in the woods.
For children are innocent and love justice, while most of us are wicked and naturally prefer mercy.
--G.K.Chesterton
Now what is history? It is the centuries of systematic explorations of the riddle of death, with a view to overcoming death. That's why people discover mathematical infinity and electromagnetic waves, that's why they write symphonies. Now, you can't advance in this direction without a certain faith. You can't make such discoveries without spiritual equipment. And the basic elements of this equipment are in the Gospels. What are they? To begin with, love of one's neighbor, which is the supreme form of vital energy. Once it fills the heart of man it has to overflow and spend itself. And then the two basic ideals of modern man - without them he is unthinkable - the idea of free personality and the idea of life as sacrifice.
--Boris Pasternak,
Doctor Zhivago
I don't understand much about sacrifice as yet.. But this book makes me rethink about my fantasy land I had been dreaming about since childhood.. I used to long for a small equipped place in deep forest with ample supply of food. A well connectivity to the outside world with a cell phone say and just me alone in the company of lots and lots of books.. Well, now I think about this to be a sheer fantasy. Reality is, I have to live in this world amongst humans, not off the land...
Monday, January 21, 2008
Verses from Geetanjali..
Well, I just finished reading Geetanjali.. I loved the book.. Tagore is a great poet and a great philosopher as well.. His poems have intrinsic meaning.. probably n number of meanings.. it depends on the way one takes.. I read it in completely non-scientific and non-spiritual perspective.. I took a hell lot of time to read that tiny book of just 103 verses.. Anyways, I am writing down 2 verses here.. The first one is pretty common but it is still very close to my heart and the second one touched me a lot and I think, from my tiny span of knowledge it is by far the best, concise way of putting the whole philosophy of one's life..
Here they are ..
Verse: 35
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action---
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Verse 96:
When I go from here hence let this be my parting word, that what I have seen is unsurpassable.
I have tasted of the hidden honey of this lotus that expands on the ocean of light, and thus am I blessed --- let this be my parting word.
In this playhouse of infinite forms I have had my play and here have I caught sight of him that is formless.
My whole body and my limbs have thrilled with his touch who is beyond touch;
and if the end comes here, let it come --- let this be my parting word.
Here they are ..
Verse: 35
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action---
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Verse 96:
When I go from here hence let this be my parting word, that what I have seen is unsurpassable.
I have tasted of the hidden honey of this lotus that expands on the ocean of light, and thus am I blessed --- let this be my parting word.
In this playhouse of infinite forms I have had my play and here have I caught sight of him that is formless.
My whole body and my limbs have thrilled with his touch who is beyond touch;
and if the end comes here, let it come --- let this be my parting word.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
spreading smiles..
I can sketch people on a drawing paper better than I can with a pen and paper.. But this time I am going to give a try to sketch one personality here..
... You are rushing for the morning classes.. You manage to barely catch this bus.. But when you enter the bus, you are greeted by a broad smile and a "Good morning!.. How are you doing today?! ".. I smile back.. And there I know that my day is going to be as bright as that smile! You must have guessed whom I am talking about. There is this BT (our college bus) driver I am speaking about. I am fortunate enough to travel most of the times by his bus and that's why I could observe him in detail..
I would like to mention here that my conception about social attitudes of people with different colors and from different places completely failed when I came in proximity of this person. I found a lovely zephyr in that elderly smile. This was indeed soothing while I was surrounded by hypocrites in a foreign country.
I would like to tell here an incident because of which my reverence for this man reached a point where I started seeing a fatherly image in him.. It is 9.40am.. Not everyone is in a rush for the classes.. We reach some place where two grannies (80+) get in with a 'gifted' lady. (I have adopted this word from one of my friends. It is the best way to tell everyone who the mentally challenged people really are.. ) There comes one more 50+ lady with one more person in wheelchair. The man in wheelchair hardly can make any movements. You look at the group and start thinking about how a human can be challenged by life and start feeling sympathy about the lot.. But before you even realize anything about the lot, our driver uncle gets up from his chair.. Greets them with his broad, cheering smile and helps them get in the bus one by one.. Welcomes all with a number of "Good morning!.."s, even to the gifted one without getting exasperated at all.. While helping the wheelchair secure on the bus, humbly tells them "I am so glad to have you all today with me!..." .. This is the first time I saw someone doing so much for others in this country.. When other students were getting irritated because of the slight delay and the humdrum going on, this person was doing his duty with a heart full of love! That incident made my day!
There are more people in the world who face everyone with a grim or a straight face.. there are a few who greet people selectively.. and there are very few who spread smiles contiguously that is irrespective to whom they are smiling at.. It is said that one simple innocent smile can make significant difference in someone's life. I am sure I found at least one person from that category here in USA... :)
... You are rushing for the morning classes.. You manage to barely catch this bus.. But when you enter the bus, you are greeted by a broad smile and a "Good morning!.. How are you doing today?! ".. I smile back.. And there I know that my day is going to be as bright as that smile! You must have guessed whom I am talking about. There is this BT (our college bus) driver I am speaking about. I am fortunate enough to travel most of the times by his bus and that's why I could observe him in detail..
I would like to mention here that my conception about social attitudes of people with different colors and from different places completely failed when I came in proximity of this person. I found a lovely zephyr in that elderly smile. This was indeed soothing while I was surrounded by hypocrites in a foreign country.
I would like to tell here an incident because of which my reverence for this man reached a point where I started seeing a fatherly image in him.. It is 9.40am.. Not everyone is in a rush for the classes.. We reach some place where two grannies (80+) get in with a 'gifted' lady. (I have adopted this word from one of my friends. It is the best way to tell everyone who the mentally challenged people really are.. ) There comes one more 50+ lady with one more person in wheelchair. The man in wheelchair hardly can make any movements. You look at the group and start thinking about how a human can be challenged by life and start feeling sympathy about the lot.. But before you even realize anything about the lot, our driver uncle gets up from his chair.. Greets them with his broad, cheering smile and helps them get in the bus one by one.. Welcomes all with a number of "Good morning!.."s, even to the gifted one without getting exasperated at all.. While helping the wheelchair secure on the bus, humbly tells them "I am so glad to have you all today with me!..." .. This is the first time I saw someone doing so much for others in this country.. When other students were getting irritated because of the slight delay and the humdrum going on, this person was doing his duty with a heart full of love! That incident made my day!
There are more people in the world who face everyone with a grim or a straight face.. there are a few who greet people selectively.. and there are very few who spread smiles contiguously that is irrespective to whom they are smiling at.. It is said that one simple innocent smile can make significant difference in someone's life. I am sure I found at least one person from that category here in USA... :)
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