Saturday, August 13, 2005
Blogged In Space
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Life: Time pass / Opportunity?
The more I think about Life, the more I get confused and curious.
What is life? What is our reason for being here? Why so many of us? Why such varied kind? Why are we here at the first place? Why are we moving towards self destruction? Why few good people, and few bad? Is that a way to create balance in the world? Is that a way to ensure that the world lives for only so much time?
What is life?
A time-pass?
We're just brought here, through the force of nature. The planet started with nothing on it, and then things happend, and life started in the form of an algae, the single cell smallest living being. And from then, to millions of years down, we're looking at a highly skilled species, capable of destroying every possible thing in existence today. Yes, you guess it right, I'm talking bout us, humans.
There're so many of us, doing so many things. Doctors, Laywers, Peace-makers, Robbers, Terrorists, Activits, Teachers, Chefs, Businesmen, Middle Class, Labor class, Women, Men, Eunichs, Midgets, Children, Man eaters, Vegeterians, Non-vegetarians, sophisticated people, hollywood stars, real-life heros, Saints, man-eaters, and majority of these who're still trying to figure out what to do.
We're here, doing the same old thing, every single day. Get up, go earn your living, get back home, feed the family, sleep, start the day again. Where are we heading, with all this? Is there a destination somewhere, or its just a time-pass, to keep us busy with nothing? Its like a toy (our Planet) given to so many kids (humans) to play with. Basically a closed system (as nothing is beyond Earth), but open within, as there're so many volatile portions, humans, birds, animals, reptiles, mammals and million other species, to keep the value of probability low. And on top of that, we're part of the cosmic galaxy, and have inner and outer danger of being wiped out!
What're we doing here? Why are we here? What's the purpose?
An Opportunity?
Or is this whole Cosmic arrangement a Design. As Sufi's call it - 'Naqshbandi'?
Everything has a reason. And there must be a reason for nature to create such a beautiful planet, bless it with water, air, food, and species, in such harmony, that they're all living together. Made man walk on two legs, so he could rise up from the ground, and gave brain, that can store more than anyone's imagination goes, gave hands and knowledge to understand and create more knowledge. And spread it across to wherever possible. Made a man sufficient enough, that everything is in a man's hand, except birth & death.
Why at this place? Why do so much work, to put this all together? Just to let it get destroyed, and go waste oneday, someday?
I don't think so. There must be a reason behind this. From our daily chores and tasks that we must do to feed our families, there are human beings who take the task on the global level, and consider, responsibilities for more than one man. These are the one's who are looking beyond today, trying to make a difference. Scientists, Saints, Sufis, Visionaries, Independent people, who are inventing and re-inventing. And I'm not talking about tangible inventions / findings. Its non-tangible which we can carry. As we were born here, naked, nothing in our hands, when we came to this world, and that's how we'd go back as well. So tangible won't take us nowhere. Its just the non-tangible, that can make a difference.
And I believe, each and everyone of us have this opportunity, to grow, be someone, and make that difference in the world, that we live in. Maybe the difference won't be made, while we're living, but the point, then on, things would be different, and the only reason that'd be, is coz, "one of us, did our part", and made that difference.
What is life? What is our reason for being here? Why so many of us? Why such varied kind? Why are we here at the first place? Why are we moving towards self destruction? Why few good people, and few bad? Is that a way to create balance in the world? Is that a way to ensure that the world lives for only so much time?
What is life?
A time-pass?
We're just brought here, through the force of nature. The planet started with nothing on it, and then things happend, and life started in the form of an algae, the single cell smallest living being. And from then, to millions of years down, we're looking at a highly skilled species, capable of destroying every possible thing in existence today. Yes, you guess it right, I'm talking bout us, humans.
There're so many of us, doing so many things. Doctors, Laywers, Peace-makers, Robbers, Terrorists, Activits, Teachers, Chefs, Businesmen, Middle Class, Labor class, Women, Men, Eunichs, Midgets, Children, Man eaters, Vegeterians, Non-vegetarians, sophisticated people, hollywood stars, real-life heros, Saints, man-eaters, and majority of these who're still trying to figure out what to do.
We're here, doing the same old thing, every single day. Get up, go earn your living, get back home, feed the family, sleep, start the day again. Where are we heading, with all this? Is there a destination somewhere, or its just a time-pass, to keep us busy with nothing? Its like a toy (our Planet) given to so many kids (humans) to play with. Basically a closed system (as nothing is beyond Earth), but open within, as there're so many volatile portions, humans, birds, animals, reptiles, mammals and million other species, to keep the value of probability low. And on top of that, we're part of the cosmic galaxy, and have inner and outer danger of being wiped out!
What're we doing here? Why are we here? What's the purpose?
An Opportunity?
Or is this whole Cosmic arrangement a Design. As Sufi's call it - 'Naqshbandi'?
Everything has a reason. And there must be a reason for nature to create such a beautiful planet, bless it with water, air, food, and species, in such harmony, that they're all living together. Made man walk on two legs, so he could rise up from the ground, and gave brain, that can store more than anyone's imagination goes, gave hands and knowledge to understand and create more knowledge. And spread it across to wherever possible. Made a man sufficient enough, that everything is in a man's hand, except birth & death.
Why at this place? Why do so much work, to put this all together? Just to let it get destroyed, and go waste oneday, someday?
I don't think so. There must be a reason behind this. From our daily chores and tasks that we must do to feed our families, there are human beings who take the task on the global level, and consider, responsibilities for more than one man. These are the one's who are looking beyond today, trying to make a difference. Scientists, Saints, Sufis, Visionaries, Independent people, who are inventing and re-inventing. And I'm not talking about tangible inventions / findings. Its non-tangible which we can carry. As we were born here, naked, nothing in our hands, when we came to this world, and that's how we'd go back as well. So tangible won't take us nowhere. Its just the non-tangible, that can make a difference.
And I believe, each and everyone of us have this opportunity, to grow, be someone, and make that difference in the world, that we live in. Maybe the difference won't be made, while we're living, but the point, then on, things would be different, and the only reason that'd be, is coz, "one of us, did our part", and made that difference.
Our Roots
Ever wondered why when people go out of their country, far away from their mother land, away from families and friends, and known society, they gradually become more and more attached to their motherland, and want to get back. Though not true for everyone, but for most of us.
Like they say, grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Its not that people in their own country, stayin there, are non-patriotic, do not understand / realise their roots. But the fact that when they go out, the rest of the world is curious to find out where they're coming from, what're the cultures, how is the society, how are the things done, and what're the things that're not done. And behind every how, and what, comes a "Why?". And that's where the seed is born. One is made to think, why is it that we are the way we are? Why is it that we do things this way back home? Why do people behave this way? Why do we have such and these customs and traditions? And we find answers, either within our own selves, tryin to put two & two togetehr, or we go out in search for these answers.
One looks everywhere, whether it be Internet, or when we call back home, or when we meet someone from our native land, or reading books or any other sources possible. And when finds the details and the reason for those things, the way they are, we start learning more bout our own culture, than what one ever will / would have, if one'd've never moved out. And that seed grows up, and one learns more, starts understanding the reasons for the customs, traditions, and the endless "this is how you do it, that's it" lists, that we get answer to.
This is what happened and is happening with me. Being far away, I'm getting more and more bonded to my own roots. Like my previous post here on "Gayatri Mantra". Back home, I recived this infinite number of times, my whole life, but never did I ask what it means. Or even if i would've it'd've been ages back, and I don't remember now. But y'day, when a friend of mine asked what it means, I was ashamed to acknowledge, that I don't know what it means, other than the fact that its the "purest mantra" since time immemorial.
But thanks to that question, 'Now I Know!'
Like they say, grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Its not that people in their own country, stayin there, are non-patriotic, do not understand / realise their roots. But the fact that when they go out, the rest of the world is curious to find out where they're coming from, what're the cultures, how is the society, how are the things done, and what're the things that're not done. And behind every how, and what, comes a "Why?". And that's where the seed is born. One is made to think, why is it that we are the way we are? Why is it that we do things this way back home? Why do people behave this way? Why do we have such and these customs and traditions? And we find answers, either within our own selves, tryin to put two & two togetehr, or we go out in search for these answers.
One looks everywhere, whether it be Internet, or when we call back home, or when we meet someone from our native land, or reading books or any other sources possible. And when finds the details and the reason for those things, the way they are, we start learning more bout our own culture, than what one ever will / would have, if one'd've never moved out. And that seed grows up, and one learns more, starts understanding the reasons for the customs, traditions, and the endless "this is how you do it, that's it" lists, that we get answer to.
This is what happened and is happening with me. Being far away, I'm getting more and more bonded to my own roots. Like my previous post here on "Gayatri Mantra". Back home, I recived this infinite number of times, my whole life, but never did I ask what it means. Or even if i would've it'd've been ages back, and I don't remember now. But y'day, when a friend of mine asked what it means, I was ashamed to acknowledge, that I don't know what it means, other than the fact that its the "purest mantra" since time immemorial.
But thanks to that question, 'Now I Know!'
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Gayatri Mantra
"Aum Bhoor Bhuwah Swaha,Tat Savitur Varenyambhargo Devasaya Dheemahidhiyo Yo Naha Prachodayat"
Summary of the Mantra
Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life,
Remover of pain and sorrow,
The Bestower of happiness,
Oh! Creator of the Universe,
May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light,
May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction
Word for Word Meaning of the Mantra
Aum = Brahma ;
bhoor = embodiment of vital spiritual energy(pran) ;
bhuwah = destroyer of sufferings ;
swaha = embodiment of happiness ;
tat = that ;
savitur = bright like sun ;
varenyam = best choicest ;
bhargo = destroyer of sins ;
devasya = divine ;
dheemahi = may imbibe ;
dhiyo = intellect ;
yo = who ;
naha = our ;
prachodayat = may inspire!
Meaning of Gayatri Mantra
Rishis selected the words of various Mantras and arranged them so that they not only convey meaning but also create specific power through their utterance.
Gayatri Mantra inspires wisdom. Its meaning is that "May the Almighty God illuminate our intellect to lead us along the righteous path". All the problems of a person are solved if he/she is endowed with the gift of righteous wisdom. Once endowed with far-sighted wisdom, a man is neither entangled in calamity nor does he tread the wrong path. A wise man finds solution to all outstanding problems. Only those persons who do not think correctly find difficulty and take wrong steps due to foolishness.
Chanting of Gayatri Mantra removes this deficiency. The teachings and powers incorporated in the Gayatri Mantra fulfill this purpose. Righteous wisdom starts emerging soon after Jap(recitation) of this Mantra is performed.
What is Gayatri Mantra?
The Gayatri mantra (Vedic prayer to illuminate the intelligence) is a sacred mantra that demonstrates the unity that underlies manifoldness in creation. It is through the recognition of this unity that we can understand the multiplicity. Clay is one and the same thing, though pots of different shapes and sizes can be made from it. Gold is one, though gold ornaments can be multifarious. The Atma (Divine Self) is one, though the embodied forms in which it resides may be many. Whatever the colour of the cow, the milk is always white
Listen to Gayatri Mantra
Gayatri Mantra by Rattan Mohan Sharma - http://www.eaglespace.com/gayatri_invo.mp3
Chants of India by Ravi Shankar - http://www.eaglespace.com/gayatri_chant.mp3
There is no Why attached to this post. This is the most sacred mantra, heard it after a long time, and realised where my roots are. Even being far away from the country, listening to the Gayatri Mantra, took me back, in a flash.
Summary of the Mantra
Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life,
Remover of pain and sorrow,
The Bestower of happiness,
Oh! Creator of the Universe,
May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light,
May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction
Word for Word Meaning of the Mantra
Aum = Brahma ;
bhoor = embodiment of vital spiritual energy(pran) ;
bhuwah = destroyer of sufferings ;
swaha = embodiment of happiness ;
tat = that ;
savitur = bright like sun ;
varenyam = best choicest ;
bhargo = destroyer of sins ;
devasya = divine ;
dheemahi = may imbibe ;
dhiyo = intellect ;
yo = who ;
naha = our ;
prachodayat = may inspire!
Meaning of Gayatri Mantra
Rishis selected the words of various Mantras and arranged them so that they not only convey meaning but also create specific power through their utterance.
Gayatri Mantra inspires wisdom. Its meaning is that "May the Almighty God illuminate our intellect to lead us along the righteous path". All the problems of a person are solved if he/she is endowed with the gift of righteous wisdom. Once endowed with far-sighted wisdom, a man is neither entangled in calamity nor does he tread the wrong path. A wise man finds solution to all outstanding problems. Only those persons who do not think correctly find difficulty and take wrong steps due to foolishness.
Chanting of Gayatri Mantra removes this deficiency. The teachings and powers incorporated in the Gayatri Mantra fulfill this purpose. Righteous wisdom starts emerging soon after Jap(recitation) of this Mantra is performed.
What is Gayatri Mantra?
The Gayatri mantra (Vedic prayer to illuminate the intelligence) is a sacred mantra that demonstrates the unity that underlies manifoldness in creation. It is through the recognition of this unity that we can understand the multiplicity. Clay is one and the same thing, though pots of different shapes and sizes can be made from it. Gold is one, though gold ornaments can be multifarious. The Atma (Divine Self) is one, though the embodied forms in which it resides may be many. Whatever the colour of the cow, the milk is always white
Listen to Gayatri Mantra
Gayatri Mantra by Rattan Mohan Sharma - http://www.eaglespace.com/gayatri_invo.mp3
Chants of India by Ravi Shankar - http://www.eaglespace.com/gayatri_chant.mp3
There is no Why attached to this post. This is the most sacred mantra, heard it after a long time, and realised where my roots are. Even being far away from the country, listening to the Gayatri Mantra, took me back, in a flash.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
say CHEESE
Child's first photogarph, he is not even in thy senses, and is just looking around, trying to learn how to breath in air, as against the previous habbit of 9 months, of breathing in water like surroundings. Claps, noises go all around, to grab the attention of the kid, to make thy look where one wants to. The child reacts to what thy hears, and moves thy head towards the direction of sound. See's people's faces light up, and they behind something that has an eye, and few words are being spoken, to which the child has no corelation to coz the only language that the child knows is: 'make sound when hungry, make sound when thirsty, make sound when something happens, and make sound when nothings happening'. And the people around the kid are saying few words, which the child doesn't understand, and can't comprehend, but somehow, they're being told to him, being put inside the head. The words spoken to the child .... "smile" .. "say cheese" .... Why? And that's my question.
Since the time we're on our first ever picture, we're told to smile. Picture taking, becomes part of a family, and the family gets ready, and prepared for the picture. Sure does make sense, coz pictures are memories, of the times, which were there. And good pictures, sure can bring incredible memories, and as pictures are part of our memories, thus, we try and make them look as we'd want to look at them later, or as how we want them to be.
But the thing that goes missing from this is the point, that one does not have to smile / look good in every picture. Its all about being oneself, the way you want to be represented, the way you want to be looked at, and the way you want yourself. But the thoughts, ingrained in our minds, at the way early stages of our life, "Smile .. you're on camera", keep running through our heads, and want us to look good, to smile when we're on camera.
And most of the people, look great, just the way they are, i.e. while they're not 'putting up' that smile. Coz, people by their very self, are beautiful. Yes, smile does enhance the face value, but should not be looked at the very basis of the picture, and definitely should not be the pre-requisit, for one's picture.
I like the sentence from one of the movies that I watched few weeks back. The lady was taking picture of a person, for library membership. She puts the camera towards the guy and says "Smile if you like"...
Since the time we're on our first ever picture, we're told to smile. Picture taking, becomes part of a family, and the family gets ready, and prepared for the picture. Sure does make sense, coz pictures are memories, of the times, which were there. And good pictures, sure can bring incredible memories, and as pictures are part of our memories, thus, we try and make them look as we'd want to look at them later, or as how we want them to be.
But the thing that goes missing from this is the point, that one does not have to smile / look good in every picture. Its all about being oneself, the way you want to be represented, the way you want to be looked at, and the way you want yourself. But the thoughts, ingrained in our minds, at the way early stages of our life, "Smile .. you're on camera", keep running through our heads, and want us to look good, to smile when we're on camera.
And most of the people, look great, just the way they are, i.e. while they're not 'putting up' that smile. Coz, people by their very self, are beautiful. Yes, smile does enhance the face value, but should not be looked at the very basis of the picture, and definitely should not be the pre-requisit, for one's picture.
I like the sentence from one of the movies that I watched few weeks back. The lady was taking picture of a person, for library membership. She puts the camera towards the guy and says "Smile if you like"...
