Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Have You Ever...

Have you ever seen the silent withering of autumn flowers,
Dropping their petals and remaining motionless,
Have you ever walked down the street in a chilled winter eve,
without even feeling the coldness.
Have you ever thought of wistful regret
For those who are not yet here to regret.
Or of the waterfall,
Or music heard so deeply,
That its not heard at all.
Have you ever been through the noisiest lane,
Without hearing..
Have you ever looked beyond the window pane
Without observing..
Have you ever pondered like me,
To feel these simply complicated things?

Friday, January 11, 2008

A little Self Indulgence..

I stayed in the Royal Garden Estates’s ‘Kingston’ Appartment for initial 12 days of joining. The accommodation was provided by CSC (for initial 2 weeks) & not to mention everything was perfect or rather Superb. We lived a Regal life there. However what I wish to share here is an incident which was very touching one. In those days I was on high spirits exploring various new things & just trying to grasp few aspects of Corporate world, at that time I cried.. for reasons just read down

We were six girls provided a 3 BHK flat & there were two attendants (RajKumar & Sazoi, both were residents of Nepal and their hindi was terrible & English was just understandable). My check-in date was same as the joining date i.e. 6th Aug. My Dad was there to drop me & when I entered apartment Pooja was also along with me. We both being from same college took the same room. The day was hectic & as Dad left around 7:30 pm, Pooja decided to rest.

I though tired of the days proceedings thought of interacting with other Girls but then I dropped the idea seeing the newspapers & just went on reading the news. Meanwhile, I interacted with the Servants and asked few general questions to them like their names, place of residence, & since how long they are here etc. After having the dinner (it was tough for me to eat even few morsels ‘coz it was damn spicy.. I just ate one chappati with the sweet pickle), we retired to sleep.

Both attendants were too good. Within two days RajKumar (the other one Sazoi was too quiet I have hardly heard him) knew that I don’t drink cold water so he used to give me normal water & prepared less spicy food :-) The only strange thing was everyday he asked me for the food which is to be cooked for the day. I always insisted him to ask this with the other girls too. To which he replied. “:Nahin Ma’am aap hi bata do …wahi banayenge”. I said why this partiality with others. He said, “Aap hi sahi se baat karti ho … itna politely”. I looked at him and smiled.

Since third day it was daily routine that he’ll ask for breakfast and dinner menu from me. I & Pooja use to decide it. However he was always disturbed by my food habits, as I ate hardly two chappatis. He once said, “Ma’am, aap itna kam khati ho, kya khana achcha nahin banata?”. I said, “Gar khaana achcha nahi hota to daily register mein compliments ki jagah comments hote..You are an expert cook…” ( I daily filled the suggestion register which was kept over there.. And there were only few people before me who have bothered to spare their few moments appreciating the hospitality of these two meticulous Guys, anyways I never missed to do that throughout my stay there)

One day He cooked rice& said, “Ma’am aaj rice fry kiya hai, aap please thoda sa le lo” ( I normally don’t eat rice but that day I couldn’t say no) After eating it I said it was too tasty I’ll love to have it again someday. And to my surprise next day also he prepared it. The truth was I didn’t liked it at all however I was bowled by the feeling with which he has cooked & served me. And just to honor that I would go for eating anything ( howsoever I disliked that) anytime.

On Sunday, I was going through the daily newspapers when RajKumar came & said, “Ma’am, humein aapse kuch phoochna hai” I responded, “Ji phoochiye…” He said, “Ma’am, yahan bahut se Sir’s aur Madams aate hain Guest house mein. Hum sabko serve karte hain. Sabki 1 month ki salary shayad mere poore year ki salary se jyada rehti hogi (He was paid a mere 3000 Rs per month). Mere do bachche hain aur main chahta hoon ki who aapki tarah engg bane…. Ma’am yeh bataiye kitna padhana hoga is k liye?”

I thought about it and frankly saying I was running short of words. What shall I say to him? I could see and of course understand the significance of his dreams. But then thinking from his perspective, the reality is, there are many hurdles for his dreams to materialize.. I suggested him few feasible alternatives (taking in note that the goals I set are in his reach) & told him to continue with proper schooling of his wards & one day your dream will certainly come true. He was happy hearing my reply.

After that I came to my room & don’t know why few tears rolled down my cheeks. The conclusion of any piece of syllogistic reasoning does not enable us to learn anything new other than what is already contained in its premise. You have the same limitation with inductive logic where you arrive at general truths from particular examples. Was RajKumar wrong in dreaming this? I don’t think he was.. ‘coz mind grasps reality by establishing relationships between entities that it perceives newly & the perceptions that it carries from the past.

However I do pray to God for the fulfilment of his dreams….

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Jog your memory to find out who you really are

Worry is like a rocking chair. It keeps you busy but leads nowhere. Many things in life do not happen as per our expectations. Yet, if we can keep our mind calm and stay committed, A different level of motivation happens.

Most of us are forgetful; this is due to fear & worry that drain our mental energy. When that happens, the ability to retain what we have studied gets affected. For example, tell a person to walk on a road that is two feet wide. He can walk very easily. Let him walk on the two feet wide space that is placed 500 feet high, he will be nervous. Why is it so? Fear & worry erode efficiency.

Stay calm and focus on the present. Worrying happens, when we imagine what will happen if we fail. This negative auto-suggestion should be replaced by positive thoughts. Let the mind say; “I can, I can”
The ‘Can’s’ create success and ‘can’t s’ create failure.

Incidentally we tend to ‘forget’ the significance of ancient customs & traditions. How many of us know why we break coconuts in the temple? It symbolizes the breaking of ego. Inside the coconut there is sweet water. When ego is broken, the sweet water of joy & love emerges. The ‘Tilak’ we draw on the forehead symbolizes the third eye, the eye of intuition.

Consider this real- life incident that occurred many years ago in Thailand. An ancient statue of Buddha, made of clay, was being shifted to another place. During the journey, it started raining heavily. Some of the helpers held umbrellas over the idol. Others fashioned a thatched roof over the idol with coconut leaves. Still, the idol got wet & the clay was getting washed away. Lo & behold, the disappearing clay revealed a figure of gold. A golden idol had been camouflaged in clay to prevent thieves from stealing it. This is the story of the ‘Golden Buddha’ in Thailand.

Once a beggar who lived under a tree died. A year later, when the land was being ploughed, workers found buried treasure of money, rubies, diamonds buried beneath the spot where the beggar lived. Adi Shankaracharya pointed out that most of us like the beggar, are seated on great treasures. There is treasure of Love, Joy & Silence within us but our worrying mind makes us live like beggars. We are forgetful. Remind yourselves that you are not a Beggar.

How i spent my off days...

I’ve thought of being regular in posting some stuff on my blog. But since last two days I haven’t wrote anything except my diary which I hardly miss. So let me today post the same & will return back with certain serious stuff soon..


8th Jan ‘08
Tuesday

I woke up at 12:30. Called up Sumit, its his B’day today. Have uploaded my pics and skipped the lunch. Its almost 6 P.M. now & I’m feeling a bit hungry. Has anyone ever tried eating “kurkure” with “kissan mixed fruit jam” well let me tell you its terrible, don’t ever go for even trying it.

Since last two days I’ve watched 4 movies.
Shawshank redemption (for 3rd time)
Annapolis
Elizabeth Town
Antitrust

I like shawshank redemption or else wouldn’t have repeated it. Annapolis & Antitrust were fine. However Elizabeth Town wasn’t as per my expectations from Ornaldo Bloom & Kristen Dunst. Anyways I’ve completed 5th stage of the game I installed day before yesterday on my lappy. Now I can move on to its next stage with these cheat codes. It took nearly 4 hrs to reach until here. However I enjoyed it.

Now I’ve finished up with the installation of “Mummy Maze” its too childish game… I’ll play it for 2 more hours….. :-)

End of College life … A Beginning Forever

“ Is this the little girl I carried? Is this the little boy at play? I don’t remember growing older. When did they?’’ goes the little lump-in-the throat song from the movie, Fiddler on the roof. Time for Daddy’s l’il girl to walk down the aisle?....

My first briefing to this Corporate world was filled with anxiety, surprises and what not? I’m so sure of myself. Emotionally though. However at few instances still as vulnerable as a butterfly’s wing. Sometimes I’m taken aback by my typically changing mood swings.

[Written by me on 8th Aug ’07 i.e. on 3rd day after joining CSC :-) ]

Monday, January 7, 2008

WORDS

I Like this song for no reasons...

"Words"
Smile, an everlasting smile
A smile can bring you near to me
Don't ever let me find you wrong
Cause that would bring a tear to me
This world has lost it's glory
Lets start a brand new story
Now my love
You think that
I don't even mean
A single word I say...

It's only words
And words are all I have
To take your heart away
Talk, in everlasting words
And dedicate them all, to me

And I will give you all my life
I'm here if you should call to me
You think that I don't even mean
a single word I say...

Da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da da

This world has lost it's glory
Let's start a brand new story
Now, my love
You think that
I don't even mean
a single word I say...

boyzone - words.mp...

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Fame

There are several career paths which are very lucrative. They have that charm that might lure and cast its spell on others. Among them the prominent are like film industry and Politics. I won’t write anything about the former ‘coz we all know pretty much about it. Let me pen down few of my thoughts on the either one.

I asked that very simple question once to one of my relative in this field (politics) that what motivated you to try your luck in this field. Well He is pretty successful or rather lucky in this field. And he answered there is lot of fame here. I just heard Him and kept quiet ‘coz I normally don’t speak much before Him.

However what I feel is Fame is an illusive thing – here today, gone tomorrow. The fickle shallow mob raises its heroes to the pinnacle of approval today & hurls them into oblivion tomorrow at the slightest whim; cheers today; hisses tomorrow; utter forgetfulness in a few months.

My initial days in college.

I joined the institute to complete my B.Tech. Within few days I faced that hard reality which has ruined our education system. There is lack of good teachers. If you have any doubts on my thoughts I would suggest you to come to any U.P.T.U. college and you’ll certainly get more than needed proofs which would validate what I said. I discussed this with one of my seniors here today and she said, “Yahan par padai khud se karni hoti hai… Grow up Baby. Ab spoon feeding nahi hogi.This is technical institute”.

I am missing my dear teachers who have thought me so well in my school days. I have a heap of books in front of me and I’m completely unaware of as how to proceed reading them. No one to guide me here.

We are drowning in information but starving for knowledge and wisdom. Strategically applied knowledge translates into wisdom which in turn translates into success. The role of educator is vital. A teacher affects Eternity. The ripple effect is immeasurable.
Education ought to teach us not only how to make a living but also how to LIVE.

Simplicity

The attraction of simplicity is mysterious because it draws us in a completely opposite direction from where most of the world seems to be going; away from conspicuous display, accumulation, egoism and public visibility – towards a life more silent, humble, and transparent than anything known to the extroverted culture of consumption.

Man falls from the pursuit of the ideals of plain living and high thinking the moment he wants to multiply his daily wants. Man’s happiness really lies in contentment.

The Secret Book of Secrets…

The Greatest hunger in Life is not for food, money, success, status, security or even Love from opposite sex. Time and again people have achieved all of these things and wound up still feeling dissatisfied- indeed, often more dissatisfied than when they began. The deepest hunger in life is a secret that is revealed only when a person is willing to unlock a hidden part of the Self.

The secret hunger that gnaws at people’s souls has nothing to do with externals like money, status, and security. It’s the inner person who craves meaning in life, the end of suffering, and answers to the riddles of Love, Death, God, the Soul, Good and Evil. A Life spent on the surface will never answer these questions.
You are a book of secrets waiting to be opened, although you probably see yourself in totally different terms. Ultimately, you have to believe that your Life is worth investigating with total passion and commitment. It took thousands of tiny decisions to keep the book of secrets closed, but it takes only a single moment to open it again…..

I'm Learning...

Since last few days I am reading “Bhagvad-Gita As It Is” by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Lets just ponder upon and devote few of our minutes on This Spiritual Book. Frankly saying its every verse has Divinity embodied in it. Below is the “Shloka” I’m presently reading:

Yoga-stath kuru karmani sangam tyaktva dhananjaya siddhy-asiddhyoh samo bhutva samatvam yoga ucyate
It means: Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called Yoga.


Life is in itself a laboratory that helps us observe and learn if only we keep our eyes and ears open. To learn from life and one’s experiences one must be open, receptive & flexible. Learning is a state of consciousness that enables one to learn from all situations if only one retains the innocence of a child. Even a humble servant can teach us qualities of generosity, forgiveness, unselfishness and the strength to bear burdens.

The road sign “U Turn” could be taken as an indicator that we ought to turn the direction of our life towards spirituality instead of trying to change others. Ordinarily when we listen to Saints, read scriptures and attend Satsangs we examine and dissect the speech and actions of the Saint, Even if he is One’s Guru. Thus we shift from Guru to Guru, looking through the prism of ego. We are unable to understand the essence of teachings because we fail to become a Disciple. So, even when Krishna Himself asks us to accept success & failure with equanimity once our job is done, we still get extremely miserable at failures and are elated at success.

To understand wisdom one need not listen to moralistic lectures, or intellectual sermons. All one needs is a child like mind, a mind free of concepts and rigid ideas. With such a flexible mentality, wisdom flows from every side; from road signs, servants, spiders, snakes, courtesans, children etc. Then all of existence becomes one’s Guru because one is a Disciple. One would be able to face all kind s of situations and there would be no reason to run to Sages for practical advice on how to manage one’s daily Life.

Better a Diamond with a flaw than a pebble without”…

FIRST LOVE

FIRST LOVE

It’s New Year once again, a time not just for resolutions but also reminiscences. Haven’t the opening words got you misty-eyed and brought a smile to your lips, crowned as they might be with a barely-there black line, lovingly nurtured handlebar or the venerable white bushy crop? Or for that matter, lips that are touched up with boroline or the latest lip-gloss? Nobody, no matter how much one protests, has been left untouched by Cupid’s arrows. Whatever one’s age, the bare mention of the first time when their hearts had fluttered for that “Special” person, is enough to send one right back to those heady days when nothing else mattered but a Glimpse of “That” face.

People are unable to make lasting attachments. The mobile phone is golden gift to adultery. It has launched millions of affairs and assisted in the conduct of a thousand more, serving as a vital link for two people for whom it is vital that their link remains a secret. Sadly, nobody in their heart of hearts believes love will last forever anymore.
Yet falling in love is as easy as falling off a bicycle and just as painful.

Enjoy the little things. The point in life is to know whats enough…. With the happiness held in one inch-square heart. You can fill the whole space between Heaven & Earth.
The Supreme happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved.