My tooth aches.
AND BADLY.
All the knowledge in the world, can be forgotten in a single instant…not due to a curse, but an aching tooth!
That was not Kant or Socrates, but me speaking from experience.
What is it with toothaches that make them so unbearable?
Is it because they are closer to the centre of control?
Anyway, toochaches hurt and unfortunately, so does the remedy.
In my case, it may be a root canal.
Which I have been avoiding from decades.
Or maybe that is why it has reached this stage…hmmm.
The best way to get over pain, any kind of pain, is to divert the mind. And what better diversion that laughter?
And so, I thought of a post I wrote earlier, on being less serious, and more light-hearted.
Read it, and know that it pays to have a laugh once in a while.
Except today, just don’t tell me that you had a good time. You don’t want me to wish this toothache on you!
See you tomorrow…
निद्रा–प्रियो य: खलु कुम्भकर्णो हतस् समीके स रघूत्तमेन |
वैधव्यम् आपद्यत तस्य कान्ता श्रोतुं समायाति कथां पुराणम् ||
Nidra priyo yah khalu Kumbhakarno hatas samike sa raghuttamen |
Vaidhavyam aapadhyat tasya kanta shrotum samaayaati kathaam puraanam
Kumbhakarna loved Sleep. When he was killed by Rāma,
Sleep was widowed. Now, she spends her time
visiting discourses and sermons.
Who said that Yoga is all about being serious? Sādhanā is contemplation, but laughter as well. Humour is an essential part of life – and being able to see humour in the most serious of situations helps bring down the stress and pressure, and clears the mind. We often take life, and ourselves, a bit too seriously. Sit back a while, and have a good laugh, for at least 5 minutes everyday. Studies have shown that laughter therapy greatly helps reduce and manage stress, is good for the heart, and well…even if it weren’t, you had an enjoyable five minutes anyway!
राधामोहनमन्दिरं जिगमिषोश्चन्द्रावलीमन्दिराद्
राधे क्षेममिति प्रियस्य वचनं श्रुत्वाह चन्द्रावली|
कंस क्षेममये विमुग्धहृदये कंसः क्व दृष्टस्त्वया
राधा क्वेति विलज्जितो नतमुखः स्मेरो हरिः पातु वः||
लीलाशुकबिल्वमङ्गलठक्कुर
rAdhAmohanamandiraM jigamiSozcandrAvalImadirAd
rAdhe kSemamiti priyasya vacanaM zrutvAha candrAvalI| kaMsa kSemamaye vimugdhahRdaye kaMsaH kva dRSTastvayA
rAdhA kveti vilajjito natamukhaH smero hariH pAtu vaH||
Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura
As he was about to leave Chandravali’s pleasure-house for that of Radha, (Krishna) blurted out “Farewell, Radha!” On hearing her lover say these words, Chandravali retorted, “Farewell, Kamsa!”
“O lady with a deluded mind!”, said Krishna, “Where do you see Kamsa?”
“Where’s Radha?”, quipped Chandravali.
At this, Krishna lowered his head and smiled in embarrassment – May that Hari protect you.
Krśna is considered the complete avatar, and Krśna-Leela is an integral part of knowing Krśna. He is an embodiment of love and joy, of Ras-Leela with gopikas, of natkhatpan or mischievousness, and yet he went on to deliver the life-changing message of the Bhagavad Gīta. As with the far-eastern concept of ying and yang, a balance in life is essential to live it to the fullest. Who better an example than Krśna himself?
वैध्यराज नमः तुभ्यं यमराजसहोदर ।
यमः तु हरति प्राणाम् वैध्यराजः धनानि च ॥
vaidhyarAja namaH tubhyaM yamarAjasahodara |
yamaH tu harati prANAm vaidhyarAjaH dhanAni cha ||
O Doctor, I salute you! You are the brother of Yama Raja!
While Yama only takes the life, the doctor takes the money too!
Seeing humour in a situation does not mean being insulting, or disrespectful. The above verse is humorous, but does not intend to insult the profession – after all, we have always maintained that वैद्यो नारायणो हरिः – a doctor is equal to God.
Humour is timeless – since we as humans have not changed much. Oh, what all we try to do to get noticed! A look at your social media feeds will justify that statement. But this isn’t a recent phenomenon:)
घटं भिन्द्यात् पटं छिन्द्यात् कुर्यात् रासभरोहणं ।
येन केन प्रकरेण प्रसिद्धः पुरुषो भवेत् ॥
ghaTaM bhindyAt paTaM ChindyAt kuryAt rAsabharohaNaM |
yena kena prakareNa prasiddhaH puruSho bhavet ||
Breaking a pot, tearing a cloth, or riding on a donkey–
doing something by hook or crook, (everyone) tries to be famous!