I am going to relate an incident which happened to me today. I don't know how many people I have helped overall in my life. Especially when it comes to dealing with the sick, I am quite an amateur. I only run away as far as possible from suffering and sick patients. Very immature and selfish of me to say so, but actually I would attribute it to my incapacity to deal with emergency situations or even giving first aid. I always have the fear, what if I go wrong and something happens to the person? But this time I was the patient--so extremely convenient!
I had an exam today and usually I don't get proper sleep during the previous night of any exam. My stress level coupled with intense stomach cramps was enough to toss my head off. The morning blues started with the short cycles of tensed inspiration and expiration, 'Will I(breathe in)?' or 'Won't I(breathe out)?' get the college bus? The bus driver on the top of it had told me that he might not come. I pestered my mom to drop me by car to the stop which is just 100m away from my house. She too stood along with me ready to wave her dupatta at any yellow bus coming on the road. Many people going for morning walks witnessed our pathetic condition, but a gang of speed bikers swished past us towards the beach. For them, Saturdays meant fun and nothing else but fun. I became mildly jealous of them.
Ha, finally my own bus came and picked me up. What a relief! I gave a smile to my mom which was so lacking in me for many hours. My mom asked me not to worry being a bit worried herself. She must have said bye but by then all I noticed was the dark cosy interior of my own college bus.
Studying or finishing assignments in the bus is something that I have learnt to do but invariably these two are enough to put me to sleep. Nagging my juniors, bugging them with my no care attitude and meddling with their over expensive high funda gadgets are other activities which I normally perform with expertise and enthusiasm. They treat me as a necessary evil and I think they have already put me in their 'beware of' list. So they would carefully choose places away from the place I usually sit.
Today my bus was unusually empty. So I had a great time gazing out of the window. Then lets just fast forward the part where I successfully landed in college and walked up the 'tirupathi padi' upto my class, and finished my exam. After my exam got over, I couldn't leave early cause my friend wanted help with group theory. I sat there the whole time having lunch and explaining the meaning of each and every concept. It was great revisiting those parts and I was surprised that I remembered quite a lot and it also helped me to analyse my flaws in understanding. Then I asked my friend to accompany me to the station where I hoped to catch a train towards home sweet home. The train was at 15:11, I bought the ticket at 15:09 and I ran up the steps. I was shocked that I was unable to carry my own weight. It is these kind of moments which help me realise the importance of physical exercise.
I stupidly chose a place to stand, on the platform. My lack of experience clearly seen in my choice. The train arrived but nowhere I could find the ladies compartment. Then I ran haphazardly towards the engine driver and thankfully I located a group of ladies staring aimlessly out of the window. I rushed in but it proved futile as I could not locate a seat. I moved forward and I sat off on the place marked first class.
People swindle crores and crores of money and break millions of laws but a group of tired ladies should not sit in first class. Some idiot wanted to prove his authority and rudely chased us out of our seats. I was the last to leave among the group and I wanted to spit at his face but I restrained myself lest he throws me out of the fast moving train. I stood there aimlessly for some time quite shaken by the insult to humanity. Then I slowly started moving forward towards the crowded portions of the compartment barely hearing the noise of the people selling oily samosas.
I stood hanging for about a minute, I suddenly could not breathe. I started sweating profusely and with great reluctance I asked to be offered a seat. I knew the minimal lunch, lack of sleep and stomach cramps had done the trick plus the haphazard running to catch the ladies' compartment. A kind lady stood up and forced me to sit in her place. Then questions started pouring in from all directions. B.P.a?, Sugar a?, Please call home. Where is your home? Which station? Did you have anything to eat? Do you bring medicine? Take water. Wash face with water. I sat down and on one side I was too tired to answer and on another side I didn't want to answer as it could trigger more questions. I just wanted to be left alone and peaceful, that's how my family has treated a 'sick me' for years. I nodded my head in every possible direction thinking that it would stop them from asking questions. Suddenly a sleepy old fat lady sitting near the window, got up and everyone along with her in chorus asked me to lie down. I seized the opportunity and moved towards the window. I didn't lie down. I just wanted a small space to sit. I felt too embarrassed. I wanted to dig my head into the soil like an ostrich so I tried to move my head right out the window but unfortunately my head was too big to be pushed out so I stuck myself against the wall.
I couldn't face anyone. I felt too guilty that I had pulled away their luxury because of my sickness. I drew an imaginary halo on top of their heads and prayed that they should all go to heaven. The fat lady who stood for me couldn't stand for a long time. So she pushed a thin perplexed small boy aside and squeezed herself on the seat opposite me. The questions had stopped for some time as I pretended to close my eyes and sleep.
The ladies in the train really took care of me. They were each giving me motherly advice. The fat lady sponsored me a bottle of fruit juice and forced me to drink the whole stuff. Nothing went inside cause it was too cold to be swallowed. I tried returning the bottle to her but she refused to take it and everyone again shouted in chorus "take it! take it! One must not refuse timely help!" The fat lady spoke "I think of you as my daughter. For her I would have surely bought it. So have it!" and she got off in the next station. I had no words, I never knew that the world around was this much good.
From childhood my brain has always thought, "Don't trust strangers! They cheat you!" The important fact here is that there are some people who are good and always ready to help in this fast paced, selfish world. If all people were bad then surely the world would have ended long ago. I again go back to the question I asked in the beginning, "Whom did I help to be offered such heaps and bounds of affection in return?".
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
So whats really needed in life? (contd from previous)
Its surely been such a long time since I last posted. It seemed almost as if this blog had enough of posts and has shut down permanently. 'Magar Picture abhi bakhi hai dosth!!' ;). This is actually going to be a continuation of quite a serious article written previously "Is knowledge alone sufficient in life?"
Who all in this world know very well and clearly what they want in life and from life. Very few people actually know what they want in life. We all simply say we want to be happy, live a very comfortable lifestyle, not have problems and want to get everything we wish for. Nobody actually knows what is going to happen in future, life's twist and turns. For e.g. Superstar Rajinikanth would never have imagined that he would be worshipped by so many people one day and that he would become such a popular hero. We never know whom luck favours. So no one must be underestimated.
Elders say hard work, perseverance, determination and persistance can help achieve what we want in life. Again all this must be done at the right time, in the right bent of mind. One must not work hard to destroy the other person's work! Again right kind of action applying all the knowledge learn' t so far to seek more and find more.
The question is 'What is necessary to solve all life's problems?' That extra special something. Man cannot determine the fruits of all his labour, he can aim, he can have ambitions and aspirations but ultimately what he gets is never under his control. There is something above man which controls, from which all living creatures derive their energy from. Man must open himself to this superior force. It is this superior force which will solve all man's problems which when invoked will help man attain the ultimate perfection and goal in life.
So what is really needed in life is to develop BHAKTHI or devotion. It is very much necessary in today's problematic and hectic lifestyle. Doing something with all faith and devotion leads to the right kind of action which will again lead to attainment of true knowledge. So the base is Bhakthi. Many great spiritual leaders have spoken in detail about this. Bhakthi is like a key to open yourself to the superior force. Bhakthi is strengthened by faith in yourself and faith in this superior force. We must consciously be devout. Devotion does not confine to performing pujas, being ritualistic etc but extends to all actions that one performs. Many people especially in the Western countries be quite devout in their work without actually knowing that they have opened to the superior force. That is why for easy access we give a form to the force and we simply and lovingly call the force as God.
Performing any action consciously for the sake of God is the right kind of action and leads to perfection and knowledge. If I mumble in my sleep that I need water, will anyone pay attention? I must be fully awake and alert and say that I need water then only will someone hear me and fulfill my request. Similar is the case with God. We must be constantly aware of his presence and dedicate everything we do to him. That is the only solution to all our pressing problems and that alone gives us true bliss.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Is knowledge alone sufficient in life?
The previous post dealt with the importance of knowledge and how we must constantly keep learning to progress in life. But the question now arises 'Is knowledge alone sufficient in life?' Just by knowing what to do can the thing be done? Someone is suffering right in front of us and we know that the person has to be admitted in hospital and given emergency treatment but is knowing alone enough? There must be some kind of action taken right? Therefore learning alone is not enough, there must be application of the true learning to the right kind of action.
Again what is 'true learning' and the 'right kind of action'? These terms are so vague. We must first have a concrete purpose in life. Just wanting to seek pleasure in life, always be happy and peaceful is expecting the outward circumstances to act according to the satisfaction of our ego. The external circumstances can never be changed, only our attitude towards it can be changed. We must try to be least affected by the outward happenings and realise that the happiness and peace is purely internal. Now coming to true learning. True learning is learning and absorbing something without judgement, critisicm, accepting everything as it is, i.e. be like the witness to it. For example: When we read a news item in the paper, say, a bomb blast, our anger surges, our whole day is spoilt by thinking and imagining the number of deaths and at the same time fearing for our own safety. Another typical example is when we hear someone gossip or talk ill of another person, we believe them to be true. This greatly influences how we build relationships. Then comes the 'right kind of action'. This is somewhat the consequence of true learning. It means doing something without getting affected by the consequences of it. Lord Krishna has said 'Act but do not cling onto the fruits of it'. For example: helping a person without expecting anything in return.
What happens when we do get attached and affected by learning and the actions we perform? The minute we get attached to something we learn or perform is the minute we stop learning, stop progressing. If we want to be always happy and peaceful we must keep progressing.
It all seems such a difficult task. Our mind is so hard to control how can we learn without forming ideas or opinions? How can we perform action without expecting the fruits of it? Shouldn't there be some incentive? How can an employee work for free in an organisation? The whole thing about right action, true learning is so out of reach especially when it comes to leading our daily lives.
So there is that extra special something. That which solves all our problems. Long long ago, the earth was inhabited by only sages and rishis. For them knowledge alone was sufficient. They survived on air and gained great yogic power by doing sadhana and meditation. Slowly as time went by these sages began to create organisms on the earth and Nature dominated them. Man slowly deviated from knowledge and began to be under the control of nature. Nevertheless, he performed actions with sincerity and began to do extreme amounts of hardwork which itself led to his fulfillment in life.
With the progress of time, man began to think ways to reduce his effort. He created machines and gradually developed qualities of laziness and for every action he expected something in return. He became greedy, jealous and thats how men fought wars and sank into great depths of sorrow. To go back to the rishi-muni state would be near impossible for him now. So again there is only that extra special solution to the problem. Can you guess what it is? (to continue...)
Again what is 'true learning' and the 'right kind of action'? These terms are so vague. We must first have a concrete purpose in life. Just wanting to seek pleasure in life, always be happy and peaceful is expecting the outward circumstances to act according to the satisfaction of our ego. The external circumstances can never be changed, only our attitude towards it can be changed. We must try to be least affected by the outward happenings and realise that the happiness and peace is purely internal. Now coming to true learning. True learning is learning and absorbing something without judgement, critisicm, accepting everything as it is, i.e. be like the witness to it. For example: When we read a news item in the paper, say, a bomb blast, our anger surges, our whole day is spoilt by thinking and imagining the number of deaths and at the same time fearing for our own safety. Another typical example is when we hear someone gossip or talk ill of another person, we believe them to be true. This greatly influences how we build relationships. Then comes the 'right kind of action'. This is somewhat the consequence of true learning. It means doing something without getting affected by the consequences of it. Lord Krishna has said 'Act but do not cling onto the fruits of it'. For example: helping a person without expecting anything in return.
What happens when we do get attached and affected by learning and the actions we perform? The minute we get attached to something we learn or perform is the minute we stop learning, stop progressing. If we want to be always happy and peaceful we must keep progressing.
It all seems such a difficult task. Our mind is so hard to control how can we learn without forming ideas or opinions? How can we perform action without expecting the fruits of it? Shouldn't there be some incentive? How can an employee work for free in an organisation? The whole thing about right action, true learning is so out of reach especially when it comes to leading our daily lives.
So there is that extra special something. That which solves all our problems. Long long ago, the earth was inhabited by only sages and rishis. For them knowledge alone was sufficient. They survived on air and gained great yogic power by doing sadhana and meditation. Slowly as time went by these sages began to create organisms on the earth and Nature dominated them. Man slowly deviated from knowledge and began to be under the control of nature. Nevertheless, he performed actions with sincerity and began to do extreme amounts of hardwork which itself led to his fulfillment in life.
With the progress of time, man began to think ways to reduce his effort. He created machines and gradually developed qualities of laziness and for every action he expected something in return. He became greedy, jealous and thats how men fought wars and sank into great depths of sorrow. To go back to the rishi-muni state would be near impossible for him now. So again there is only that extra special solution to the problem. Can you guess what it is? (to continue...)
Friday, September 9, 2011
Aim of life--to acquire knowledge!
It has been a long time since I last posted. Having started a blog it is truly unfair of me to not give regular updates. The truth is though I had many ideas it was so hard putting it all together and of course there is a problem of typing. For the past few months though many flashes came in my mind, all thoughts seem to converge to one focal point--the purpose of life is to acquire and attain true knowledge.
It is not enough that you build an invisible cage around yourself and stay inside, for there is so much to see, learn and understand. No knowledge is inferior and unnecessary. Even gossiping, watching a movie or chit chatting can provide you with valuable lessons. Of course only the information must get into the head and not opinions, preferences and judgement as they block learning. For e.g. I recently learn't so much from the movie avatar and the gossip session of how one of my friend's cousin's marriage took place.
Books are the most valuable source of knowledge. It is very wise to in fact worship books on Saraswathi pooja day as a token of our gratitude for the knowledge it has provided us. I for my part believe in handling and keeping books neatly and with respect, whether the information inside it has gone inside me and benifited me or not. Tearing, unnnecessary scribbling, or damaging the book in any other way is not a clever thing to do as it clearly shows that you have not learn't much from it or even in life.
The next basic thing is to have a questioning mind. (The exception to this is the faith you have in God or even your loved ones.) The more you have questions, the more you seek answers, the more curiosity you have, the more you learn. One must ask the right questions, at the right moment and to the right person. By right question means meaningful, sensible ones. You must put a great thought into the question, try to find out the answer yourself-from books or other sources(like internet) and if your efforts fail, you can put forward the question to a well qualified person. This is quite intuitive and one gets the knack of asking questions by practice.
Some other ancillary ways to acquire knowledge is to meet and talk to different kinds of people and travel to many places. The most important quality to acquire knowledge is to have courage-believe me loads of them. First have fearlessness and courage then everything else follows. I am one person struggling to develop these qualities. I get scared, nervous and continuously sweat for every new challenge I face in life. This should be avoided for it creates a barrier and it is not going to help me in any way.
To summarise:
It is not enough that you build an invisible cage around yourself and stay inside, for there is so much to see, learn and understand. No knowledge is inferior and unnecessary. Even gossiping, watching a movie or chit chatting can provide you with valuable lessons. Of course only the information must get into the head and not opinions, preferences and judgement as they block learning. For e.g. I recently learn't so much from the movie avatar and the gossip session of how one of my friend's cousin's marriage took place.
Books are the most valuable source of knowledge. It is very wise to in fact worship books on Saraswathi pooja day as a token of our gratitude for the knowledge it has provided us. I for my part believe in handling and keeping books neatly and with respect, whether the information inside it has gone inside me and benifited me or not. Tearing, unnnecessary scribbling, or damaging the book in any other way is not a clever thing to do as it clearly shows that you have not learn't much from it or even in life.
The next basic thing is to have a questioning mind. (The exception to this is the faith you have in God or even your loved ones.) The more you have questions, the more you seek answers, the more curiosity you have, the more you learn. One must ask the right questions, at the right moment and to the right person. By right question means meaningful, sensible ones. You must put a great thought into the question, try to find out the answer yourself-from books or other sources(like internet) and if your efforts fail, you can put forward the question to a well qualified person. This is quite intuitive and one gets the knack of asking questions by practice.
Some other ancillary ways to acquire knowledge is to meet and talk to different kinds of people and travel to many places. The most important quality to acquire knowledge is to have courage-believe me loads of them. First have fearlessness and courage then everything else follows. I am one person struggling to develop these qualities. I get scared, nervous and continuously sweat for every new challenge I face in life. This should be avoided for it creates a barrier and it is not going to help me in any way.
To summarise:
- Read a lot
- Have many friends and keep making many friends
- Learn from everything you do and everything that happens to you
- Travel to many places
- Be courageous
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