Giving – easy in theory, quite difficult in reality. We have been so conditioned to take, that giving doesn’t come easily to us. Yes, we are able to give what we have “far in excess” of what we need, but true giving is being able to part with what you need, for the benefit of …
Countless stars in the sky, all looking down at me what is it that you desire, they seem to say you have everything that you wished for, and beyond… why then, are you looking upwards, and asking for more? Countless stars in the sky, all looking down at me So many opportunities, they seem to …
Piece by piece, block by block, segment by segment…my wall-to-wall bookshelf took a while to get made. Once the frame was done, wrapped and complete…at 3 meters tall and 4 meters wide, it is now big enough to host around 600 books, or in other words, my current collection, give and take a few. Which …
We underestimate our own capabilities. And by we, I mean everyone. Without exception. I have seen this in various fields – be it martial arts, studies or work. We think that we aim high, but we aim a lot lower than we are capable of. No, I don’t want to sound like one of those hyper …
Everyone who knows me, knows that I buy books. Many people do, but I buy a little bit more. A teeny weeny bit more – ok, actually a lot more. Usual book purchase trips involve me walking out with shopping trolleys filled with the stuff. The most obvious question that I get asked is – …
भोगा न भुक्ता वयमेव भुक्ताः, तपो न तप्तं वयमेव तप्ताः । कालो न यातो वयमेव याताः तृष्णा न जीर्णा वयमेव जीर्णाः ॥ bhogā na bhuktā vayameva bhuktāḥ, tapo na taptaṃ vayameva taptāḥ ।kālo na yāto vayameva yātāḥ, tṛṣṇā na jīrṇā vayameva jīrṇāḥ ॥ Vairagya Shatakam by Bhartṛhari Pleasures aren’t satisfied, only we are consumed by our …
We have been trained to learn the wrong way. The system of education that we went through encouraged spoon feeding of information, with little regard to understanding concepts – a focus on rote learning with the sole objective of clearing examinations. This type of learning, frankly, requires un-learning, if we are to compete in the …
या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी |यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुने: || 69|| yā niśhā sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti sanyamīyasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśhā paśhyato muneḥ What all beings consider as day is the night of ignorance for the wise, and what all creatures see as night is the day for the introspective yogi. …
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादय: |लोकसंग्रहमेवापि सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि || 20||यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जन: |स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते || 21|| karmaṇaiva hi sansiddhim āsthitā janakādayaḥloka-saṅgraham evāpi sampaśhyan kartum arhasiyad yad ācharati śhreṣhṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥsa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate By performing their prescribed duties, King Janak and others attained perfection. You should also perform your duties …
There is an interesting story as to how Panini, the originator of Sanskrit grammar, received knowledge from Shiva. He was supposed to be the dullest of the students in a group that was studying from a Guru in Taxila, Taksha Shila. The other boys were very intelligent. Panini was the most stupid, the least intelligent, …
