Knowledge is an illusion. No, this isn’t some catchline – it really is an illusion. We all think of ourselves as rational beings, able to view situations and make informed judgements, but studies have shown that we always thought in groups. From the time we hunted, till the time we went to the Moon, and …
The debate on AI refuses to die down. Was discussing the latest developments in the sector with a client earlier when he remarked that schools were concerned that students were increasingly turning to ChatGPT to ‘write’ their essays. I took a contrarian view on the subject. Why do students have to write essays? I said. …
संयोगाभावे गुरुत्वात् पतनम् ॥५।१।७॥ Saṃyogābhāve gurutvāt patanam (5.1.7)In the absence of action, the object falls by gravity. कार्य्यविरोधि कर्म ॥१।१।१४॥ Kāryyavirodhi karma (1.1.14).Action is opposed by reaction. These are extracts from the Vaiśeṣika Sūtra and are attributed to Kaṇāda. Sound familiar? Also, have you ever heard of कणाद (Kaṇāda)? He was an ancient Indian Rishi and philosopher who founded …
A few days back, I was listening to Lata Mangeshkar’s playlist on Apple Music – they come up with different names – eternal Lata, Lata essentials etc, but they are all small compilations drawn from the ocean of music that was Lataji. I recall what I wrote when she died – To think of it, she …
Ok. What’s common between bolt, buckle, clip, consult, left, dust, screen and Rohāmrta? They are all contronyms. That is, they can, depending on context, have opposite or contradictory meanings. For instance, bolt can mean to secure, or to flee, dust can mean adding fine particles, or removing them…and so on. Which is why many words …
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, …
Thandhai Makarkaatrum Nandri AvaiyaththuMundhi Iruppach Cheyal (67) The best thing parents can do for their children is to prepare them stand foremost in the assembly of the learned. पितृदेवातिथीपिता विद्याप्रदानेन पण्डिताग्रेसरं सुतम् ।यदि कुर्यात्सुतस्यैतत् महत् साह्यमुदीर्यते ॥ (६७) पिता करे उपकार यह, जिससे निज संतान ।पंडित-सभा-समाज में, पावे अग्रस्थान ॥ (६७) ತಂದೆಯಾದವನು ತನ್ನ ಮಗನಿಗೆ ಮಾಡುವ …
