Neelkanth........................... Mahadev

After a really really long time, I read a book that was gripping enough to keep me at the edge of my seat as I turned each page.

Although it was released almost a year and half back, I got to know about it only after one of my colleagues kept raving that it was the book that couldn’t be put down until it was finished. She claimed it was the next ‘Harry Potter series’ only to be written by an Indian author. Now being a hardcore Harry Potter fan, I found it a little unsettling, but nevertheless thought it was a shot worth trying.

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After much an await, I finally laid my hand on – ‘The immortals of Meluha’ – the first of the ‘Shiva Trilogy’ written by yet another IIM pass out. Now, don’t get me wrong.  I have nothing against the IIM’s guys.  But most of the IIM pass-outs who have turned out to become writers have ventured into the already trodden path of - college life, rich dads, poor girl friends, sex, inter-religion/inter-caste marriage, starting their own business and the likes of it. And I thought this guy was no different.

But, for a change, Amish’s writing turned out to be different. His writing was a journey of a lesser known tribesman to become one of the greatest Gods known to the mankind – that of Shiva, Neelkanth or Mahadev as he comes to be identified as! Not only had he done his homework on the subject, but he transcended them into such easy flowing words – that it was impossible to put the book down! The book is definitely a page turner!

The March of Daffodils

The month of March is here. It's the month of colours (Holi), the month of Woman's day and how can I forget……. It's the month of exams.

I remember slogging my *** off in school during the month of March. Coz that was the month when I finally woke up, realized the enormous amount of lessons I had to study, panic on whether I would be able to finish them before the exams begun, set into an absolutely biologically impossible rhythm trying to finish off the enormous portions in an absolutely limited time frame and finally bow down to the powers of almighty to have me scrap through the exams with a decent percentage which would give me the courage to stand before my teachers & parents when I went to collect my marks card.

High School was particularly difficult for me for the simple reason that I choose to have my first language as English when compared to the horror of having to choose Sanskrit. I prefer to be bred as a decent English lady than being bred as a Sanskrit pundit wherein I wouldn't be using the language for any other reason than to get good grades during the 3 years of my high school.

So obviously the language of English was accompanied by its entire clan of phonetics, sentence formation, correct usage of words and dissecting the sentences into simple & complex sentences. Not to mention that the Subject itself was split up into Literature, grammar & poetry. How did I manage to get through those 3 years of absolute drudgery??? I still wonder about it sometimes!

As much as I hated doing all the boring work in the subject, what particularly interested me was the part of poetry. I loved 'The Daffodils' by William Wordsworth.

The Best Religion…..

A brief dialogue between a Brazilian theologist Leonardo Boff and the Dalai Lama.

In a round table discussion about religion and freedom in which Dalai Lama and myself (Leonardo Boff) were participating at recess, I maliciously and also with interest asked him: “Your holiness what is the best religion?”

I thought he would say “The Tibetan Buddhism” or “The oriental religions, much older than Christianity.”

The Dalai Lama paused, smiled and looked me in the eyes which surprised me because I knew of the malice contained in my question. He answered “The best religion is that one that gets your closer to God. It is the one that makes you a better person.” 

To get out of my embarrassment with such a wise answer, I asked: What is that makes me better?”

He responded “Whatever makes you more compassionate, more sensible, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsive, and more ethical. The religion that will do that for you is the best religion”.

I was silent for a moment marveling and even today thinking of his wise and irrefutable reply. “I am not interested, my friend about your religion, or if you are religious or not. What really is important to me is your behavior in front of your peers, family, work commitment and in front of the world. Remember the universe is the echo of our actions and our thoughts.” “The law of action and reaction is not exclusively for physics. It is also of human relations. If I act with goodness, I will receive goodness. If I act with evil, I will get evil.”

“What our grand-parents told us is the pure truth. You will always have what your desire for others. Being happy is not a matter of desire. It is a matter of options.”

Finally, he said: “Take care of your Thoughts because they become your Words. Take care of your Words because they become your Actions. Take care of your Actions because they become your Habits. Take care of your Habits because they become your Character. Take care of your Character because they become your Destiny and your Destiny will be your Life and “There is no religion higher than Truth.”

~ Borrowed from the internet

Full Circle

It's strange how life turns around when you are least expecting it.

2008 - 2010 has been extremely taxing on me, in terms of personal life, relationships, professional life and in terms of maintaining my sanity as a person, as an individual. I always had this thoughts that I was bound with shackles which was making it very difficult for me to think, strategize and come out with a solution. It was like I was on the brink of insanity and many of my previous posts have reflected this.

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The last 2 years, I've realized emotions which I've never expected, experienced frustration at its peak, desperation clawing in me and depression killing me from inside. But if there's something that I must be proud about in these 2 years, it is the ability of having grown as a person internally and individually. The ability of having to withstand negative emotions without reacting to it. The ability of being indifferent towards people and towards circumstances which I no longer cared about. The ability of controlling my anger towards people and towards circumstances.

Just when I had given up hopes of a brighter tomorrow, the sun shone with its glorious rays encapsulating me with a warm glow of contentment from within.

Delays are not denials - I had read this as somebody's status message on gtalk a couple of days ago. When i had read the message, I was filled with rage. Because for me, delays have always turned out to be denials.

But then I also do believe in the adage of a silver lining for every dark cloud. And Trust me; I believe this now more than ever.

It's strange how life turns a full circle when you are least expecting it.

Unconditional Love

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A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.

"Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but I've a favor to ask. I have a friend I'd like to bring home with me."

"Sure," they replied, "we'd love to meet him."

"There's something you should know the son continued, "he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mind and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us."

"I'm sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live."

"No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us."

A Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime

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People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON . . . It is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die.

Sometimes they walk away.

Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realise is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered. And now it is time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON . . . Because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. 

~ Borrowed from the internet

The Great Greek king, Alexander

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The great Greek king, Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and he was bedridden for months. With death drawing close, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword and all his wealth were of no use.

He called his generals and said, “I will depart from this world soon. But I have three wishes. Please fulfill my wishes without fail.” With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king’s last wishes.

“My first desire is that,” said Alexander, “my physicians alone must carry my coffin. Secondly, when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard should be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury. My third and last wish is that both my hands should be kept dangling out of my coffin.” The people who had gathered there wondered at the king’s strange wishes. But no one dared to question. Alexander’s favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. “O king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?

At this Alexander took a deep breath and said, “I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt.

I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure anybody. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted.

The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is to tell people that not even a fraction of gold can be taken by me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.

And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I want people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world.”

Alexander’s last words: “Bury my body, do not build any monument, keep my hands outside so that the world knows the person who won the world had nothing in his hands when dying.”

~ Borrowed from the internet