Don’t disrupt…construct!
Every quarter, I sit through a few presentations of people who want to change the world. A very few of them, if any, end up…
Your daily dose of Yog
The bitter pill of entrepreneurship…
Those who have been following me may know that I am reading Elon Musk’s biography, and what an interesting read it is! Now, am not…
Five essential commandments…
1. Question every requirement. Each should come with the name of the person who made it. You should never accept that a requirement came from…
The origin of Sanskrit grammar…
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…
Let’s see the Ganapati in others:)
गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहेकविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम् ।ज्येष्ठराजं ब्रह्मणां ब्रह्मणस्पतआ नः शृण्वन्नूतिभिः सीद सादनम् ॥ Gannaanaam Tvaa Ganna-Patim HavaamaheKavim Kaviinaam-Upama-Shravastamam |Jyessttha-Raajam Brahmannaam BrahmannaspataAa Nah Shrnnvan-Uutibhih Siida Saadanam || Among the Ganas (Group of Prayers), to you who is the Ganapati (Deva of Prayers), we offer this…
Shri Ganeshaya Namah!
ॐ गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहेकविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम् ।ज्येष्ठराजं ब्रह्मणां ब्रह्मणस्पतआ नः शृण्वन्नूतिभिः सीद सादनम् ॥ ॐ महागणाधिपतये नमः ॥ Gannaanaam Tvaa Ganna-Patim HavaamaheKavim Kaviinaam-Upama-Shravastamam |Jyessttha-Raajam Brahmannaam BrahmannaspataAa Nah Shrnnvan-Uutibhih Siida Saadanam || Rig Veda 2.23.1 Om, O Ganapati, To You Who are the Lord of…
You are very important…in your head
We are a mere speck, on a planet that is a mere speck in the solar system that is a mere speck in a galaxy…
73 and counting…
Well, I don’t have to take you through the journey of the man – most of you already know it, or at least some parts…
Bharat, that is India…
Bharat that is India. Or India, that is Bharat. Kiran Bedi: Did we make a mistake in converting our name from Bharat to India? Sadhguru:…
Of monkeys and unsolicited advice…
वानरचटकदंपतीकथा The story of the money and the sparrow couple On a big tree in a forest not so far away from here, lived a…
How deep is your clean?
Is deep cleaning done by maids on steroids? That’s the question I shot back when I was told that this process would take less than…
Oh the drama of the senses…
manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi – the mind is the sixth sense – says the Bhagavad Gita. Swami Sivananda said that ‘the Indriyas are the prolongation of the mind’. Our mind…
Every breath you take…not the song…
“In breathing, as in everything in life, the numbers are staggering—indeed fantastical. Every time you breathe, you exhale some 25 sextillion (that’s 2.5 x 1022) molecules…
Of 15s and electronic q-tips…
The iPhone 15 is around the corner, and so are the done-to-death “sell my kidney” jokes. Do I upgrade? Well, err…ummm….anyone looking for a Gold…
Of massy and classy…
What exactly is mass? As in ‘massy cinema’ – a term that has got critical err…mass of late. I get the point of escapism in…
A few bits from here and there…
Reframe Your Day “Instead of feeling that you lost the day after a bad morning, Reframe each day as 4 quarters: • morning • midday…
On Krishna Janmashtami…
Krishna Janmashtami, also known simply as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.It is observed according…
Oh Kishan mere…happy birthday!
Krishna, Kishan, Madhav, Banke Bihari, Gopala, Kanhaiya, Ranchhod, Parthasarathy, Ishvara…the many names and the many facets of the personality of the most loved God in…
He dances, he loves, he rejoices…he is Keshav…
God is all-powerful, controls the Universe – fear God, they say – since He is looking at all your bad deeds and will punish you.…
Nara and Narayana…
Narayana and Nara are supposed to have taken form as Sri Krishna and Arjuna. They were almost like twins, working together living together, eating together, one being in…
Paint me in your love:)
The devotee’s love for Krishna cannot be expressed in words – but some do come close. The kiran of Sri Krishna is full of celebration,…
You say it best, when you say nothing at all…
The story of Sudama is touching indeed. He was very poor, and was always dressed in rags. On the insistence of his wife, he trudged…
The power of Quiet…
“Now that you’re an adult, you might still feel a pang of guilt when you decline a dinner invitation in favor of a good book.…
Do you like things the way they are?
Status-quo bias – The tendency for people to stay committed to current situations, for fear of changing to the unknown. Status quo bias is also…
Of dreams and cognition…
बन्धुउद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन: ॥ ५ ॥ बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जित: ।अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥ ६ ॥ uddhared ātmanātmānaṁnātmānam avasādayetātmaiva hy ātmano bandhurātmaiva…
रक्षाबन्धनवर्णनम् – A bond that transcends…
Rākhī derives from the Sanskrit rakṣikā, a join: rakṣā protection. Raksha Bandhan is observed on the last day of the Hindu lunar calendar month of…
The Budo way…
A lot is spoken of the word “Budo”. Budō is a compound of the root bu (武:ぶ), meaning “war” or “martial”; and dō (道:どう; dào in Chinese), meaning “path” or “way.…
Of pickles and savory memories…
Saw a beautiful movie today. Of Bengaluru, my town, in the 60’s and 70’s, the place I grew up in, far removed from the bustling…
Of Epishura and Li Ziqi…
Two bits of information that may catch your attention today. One is about Epishura, and the second was about Li Ziqi. Now, chances are that…
Kyokushin…fito!
Yog is a way of life, that combines asanas (postures) and pranayama ( breathing), mudras (gestures) and bandhas (body locks)… Breathing is an essential part of…
Ahem, good to be the first!
We did it:) The first nation in the world to land at the South Pole of the moon! यशोधिगन्तुं सुखलिप्सया वा मनुष्यसंख्यामतिवर्तितुं वा | निरुत्सकानामभियोगभाजां समुत्सुके…
The path to learning…
आदौ नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः परिगम्यते । इहामुत्रफलभोगविरागस्तदनन्तरम्शमादिषट्कसम्पत्तिर्मुमुक्षुत्वमिति स्फुटम् ॥ १९ ॥ ādau nityānityavastuvivekaḥ parigamyate | ihāmutraphalabhogavirāgastadanantaramśamādiṣaṭkasampattirmumukṣutvamiti sphuṭam from Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, written by Jagadguru Adi Śaṅkarācārya First is enumerated discrimination between the…
Of aims and best laid plans…
Life is a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get… Forrest Gump “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans…
Drinking food and chewing water…
आहार शुद्धौ सत्त्व शुद्धिः सत्त्व शुद्धौ ध्रुवा स्मृतिः स्मृति लम्भे सर्व ग्रन्थीनांविप्र मोक्षः || āhāra-śuddhau sattva-śuddhiḥ sattva-śuddhau dhruvāsmṛtiḥ smṛtilambhe sarva-granthīnām vipramokṣaḥ If one…
Of weddings and mice…
There was a beautiful hermitage on the bank of river Gangā, where a group of hermits lived in peace. The hermits were disciples of a…
To kill or not to kill…
Should we as a society, support the death penalty? More importantly, is it right? This seemingly innocent question can at first instance, be answered in a…
Around India in 80 trains…
I don’t know how I came across this book, but I’m glad that I did. Not a fan of travelogues usually, since I am not…
A quick review of an un-reviewable book…
The “Bhagavad Gita”: A Biography by Richard H. Davis My rating: 5 of 5 stars There have been many translations of the Bhagavad Gita, which is perhaps the…
A miracle of sorts…
Bharata, or India, is not short of a miracle in itself. While Bharatvarsha has existed for thousands of years, it has seldom functioned as a…
An independent, and spiritual nation…
Two important days coming up. The 77th day of our independence on the 15th (tomorrow), and Sri Krishna Janmashtami in the first week of September.…
A few pages that I liked…
The reading habit is fast dying…its decline hastened by, among other things, our decreasing attention spans (thank you Social Media) and availability of lesser alternatives…
What you truly want lies close by…
An elderly couple lived in great poverty, on the brink of a huge forest. They used to walk through the forest everyday, to gather firewood…
How far from the stage are you?
I am a new parent, and so I am experiencing everything for the first time. A lot of questions that I had, are now being…
Happy World Lion Day…PS: Don’t make one.
Today is World Lion Day. And so here is a lion story! Education ranks lower than common sense, and so seek intelligence. Senseless Brahmins in…
The Panchatantra on dealing with enemies…
“According to Manusmiriti, there are six policies of dealing with such an issue – Sandhi (peace treaty), Vigraha (war), Yaana (preparation for war), Asana (neutrality), Samsraya (forming alliances) and Dvaidhibhava (double-dealing or pretending to be friendly). So…
On thirst and wants…
भोगा न भुक्ता वयमेव भुक्ताः, तपो न तप्तं वयमेव तप्ताः । कालो न यातो वयमेव याताः तृष्णा न जीर्णा वयमेव जीर्णाः ॥ bhogā na bhuktā vayameva…
Of machines and consciousness…
Physics describes patterns in spacetime that correspond to particles moving around. If the particle arrangements obey certain principles, they give rise to emergent phenomena that…
The mudras of knowledge…
The Bihar School of Yoga elaborates on the spiritual aspects of the jñāna and chin mudras. Jñāna means wisdom or knowledge, and jñāna mudra is a gesture of intuitive knowledge. Chin,…
Of rishis seven…
Those who are familiar with financial planning know the importance of diversification of assets – allocating monies to different asset classes (property, mutual funds, stocks,…
Slow down…
The past decade has been one of growth. Very good growth. Most of us think that everything has to keep going in just one direction…
And then an opportunity…
Read the previous part here. Aha. So I wrote this yesterday, and opportunity presented itself today. Actually, I wouldn’t call it a welcome opportunity, but well,…
A few thoughts on regimen…
We have all been there isn’t it? The big resolve to do something, to start anew. An exercise regime, a diet, a new productivity mantra,…
The law of Ghuna…
Damanaka replied -“Even in this difficult situation, my intelligence is intact… I will break their friendship. It is said… एकं हन्यान् न वा हन्याद् इषुः…
Of ones and tens…
Today is Ekādashi – the 11th day of a fortnight in a lunar month, as per the Hindu calendar. Since there are two fortnights, Ekādashi…
Just one mother of us all…
I read somewhere that we have the best healthcare accessible to us – best that we as a species have ever had. But we also…
Of lice and bugs…
मन्दविसर्पिणीमत्कुणकथा The Story of the slow-moving louse and the bug In a palace not so far away from here, was a beautiful bedroom, where the…
A book a day…keeps the AI away…
Books. If there is one thing that defines me as a person, it is my love for reading. And along with this love for reading…
Of octopuses and bubbles…
Anyone who has been through a toddler knows the importance of bubbles in their lives. They demand it at will, and the popping of these…
Of eternal melodies and present maladies…
A few days back, I was listening to Lata Mangeshkar’s playlist on Apple Music – they come up with different names – eternal Lata, Lata…
The one who defeated the mighty Arjuna…
Arjuna was the most prominent warrior in the Mahabharata. The best archer in the world, with the avatar of Sri Vishnu as a guide, and…
The four levels of closeness…
The Tamil word ‘anbu’ doesn’t translate well into English. Love is a small word for a feeling that describes the melting of a heart in the…
Of being the best in class…
विभूति: (vibhutih)- mighty, powerful, great power आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान् ।मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी ॥ २१ ॥ ādityānām ahaṁ viṣṇurjyotiṣāṁ ravir aṁśumānmarīcir marutām asminakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī Of the…
Of dolls three…
Today, let me tell you a story. The great emperor Kṛṣṇadevarāya (Krishnadevaraya) had a lot of wise ministers in his court. The wisest of them…
Of ashes and lives…
On the banks of the river Yamunā, lies a place named Brahmasthala (the abode of Brahmins). There lived a Brahmin named Agnisvāmin (the lord of Agni), and he had…
On food and mindfulness…
आहार शुद्धौ सत्त्व शुद्धिः सत्त्व शुद्धौ ध्रुवा स्मृतिः स्मृति लम्भे सर्व ग्रन्थीनांविप्र मोक्षः || āhāra-śuddhau sattva-śuddhiḥ sattva-śuddhau dhruvāsmṛtiḥ smṛtilambhe sarva-granthīnām vipramokṣaḥ If…
AI – the next, and possibly last frontier…
Yesterday, saw Tom Cruise battle Hollywood’s interpretation of AI. The movies always speak of grandiose plans to take over the world. Which, however remote, is…
Mission possible…again
I was never a hardcore Mission Impossible fan, but I always liked these movies. The franchise grew on me and soon enough, it became a…
Chandrayaan 3
The third mission. 45 days to go. If successful, the fourth only country to land on the moon. Yes, I am excited! Those who know…
The story of the rabbit and the sparrow…
शशकपिञ्जलकथा The story of the rabbit and Kapinjala (the sparrow) I once lived on a tree not so far away from here. In the hollow…
Preserving tradition…a small thought…
Ed Schein, now retired from the MIT School of Management, taught that a group’s culture can be studied in three ways: by looking at its…
Hiring and then some…
So we are on a hiring mini-spree. Back to interviews, shortlisting and final rounds. Meeting new people. Learning new things. All in the hope that…
Sweet Kaaram life…
By the way, we are already in the second half of the year. Wasn’t it the first day of 2023 just a few days back?…
Of collections and hearts…
Collectibles. We all have them – some big, some small. A treasure trove of memories that we keep around us to remind us of good…
Oh, the stress of prosperity!
Life, in most ways, has vastly improved for all of us. Humankind currently enjoys a much better standard of living than it has ever had.…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 29
Sri Rama made Vibhishana the King of Lanka. Vibhishana wanted Sri Rama to take rest so that He could leave for Ayodhya, next day. But as Bharata is taking severe austerities and waiting for…
Not all teachers are gurus…
We may remember Teachers Day as the day when we decorated the blackboard (or green board, as was in our case), and wished our teachers…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 28
At Rama’s bidding Hanuman entered Lanka after getting Vibhishana’s permission and reported Rama’s success to Sita. Sita was stunned by the joyful news and remained silent. “Mother, why do you not speak…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 27
Indrajit went to battle again. With his magic he became invisible and rained arrows on the vanaras. He tormented his opponents and tried to frighten Lakshmana. In the…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 26
Kumbhakarna sallied forth into the battlefield. The vanaras were terrified when they saw the huge monstrous form advancing towards them. The mighty rakshasa killed hundreds of vanaras and spread panic in their…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 24
The great war began badly for the rakshasas. Their chieftains met with many ill omens on the way to the battlefield and few returned. Enraged at…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 24
Millions of vanaras were at work. They brought huge boulders from the hills and tall trees from the forests. Skilful workers laid them side-by-side and built a…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 23
Meanwhile many things were happening in Lanka. Ravana was disturbed by the havoc wrought by a single vanara. The rakshasas urged Ravana to raise a. huge army and rout Rama and his vanara hordes. Vibhishana,…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 22
Back among his own kind, Hanuman had a gripping story to tell. The vanaras were jubilant that the mission had succeeded. Hanuman gave Rama an account of all that had happened…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 21
Hanuman heard the two incidents narrated by Sita with rapt attention, so that he might repeat them verbatim to Rama and so that, on hearing them, Rama would not have…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 20
Maruthi of matchless intellect, climbed upon a lofty simsupa tree that was nearby and hid behind its leaves. Expecting the appearance of Sita from any quarter he…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 19
In Lanka, Hanuman began his search examining every mansion and scanning every nook and corner. He entered the palace of Ravana and saw therein the Pushpaka Vimana, the magic vimana of Kubera, which…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 18
Hanuman met many obstacles on the way but so great was his strength and so deep his devotion to the task ahead that nothing could stop…
What is Yoga…again:)
Every International Yoga Day, I write about yoga. And a whole year passes so fast… Here is what I wrote last year, with a few…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 17
All the vanaras helped in the search for Sita. One of the groups which went south learnt from Sampathi, the brother of Jatayu, that Sita was a prisoner of…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 16
Vali was a very powerful warrior and possessed many boons against defeat and failure. Sugriva doubted if Rama, was a match for Vali. Rama showed his prowess by performing…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 15
Near Pampa, the princes met a wise monkey called Hanuman who was the minister to Sugriva. Hanuman immediately took a liking for the princes and became a faithful friend…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 14
Meanwhile in Dandakarnya Rama, returning exhausted from the deer-hunt, met Lakshmana on the way. Rama rebuked his brother for having left Sita alone in the cottage and feared that she…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 13
Ravana spoke of his great prowess and wealth and asked Sita to go with him to Lanka. He made many promises and said Rama was unworthy of her. When all his…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 12
Maricha, another rakshasa, would take the form of a beautiful golden deer and go to Panchavati. He would stray near Rama’s cottage. On seeing the enchanting deer, Sita was certain…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 11
Thoroughly disgraced and bleeding all over, Surpanakha hastened to Janasthana where her brother, Khara, was the chieftain. Khara was enraged at the wrong done to his sister. Accompanied by his…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 10
On their way to Panchavati the princes saw a huge bird, which they mistook for a rakshasa in disguise. But Io! the bird spoke in a soft voice full…
What kind of animal are you?
What kind of Animal are you? You may have played this game in your teens or college, but today’s post is not about that. It’s…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 9
Rama was unhappy that the people of Ayodhya were forgetting their duties and daily cares in their love for him. He thought that if he stayed near Ayodhya…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 8
Rama was deeply moved to hear the sad tale that Bharata told him. Bharata said, “Ayodhya is yours. How can I, a younger brother, bear the burden of ruling…
Of long walks and long talks…
What started as a stop-gap arrangement, has now turned into a standard practice exercise routine. From the past few months, I have been taking non-essential…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 7
Here in Ayodhya, Dasaratha never recovered from his grief. Soon the land was without a ruler and Bharata, who had gone to his uncle’s place, was sent for. The…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 6
Rama took leave of Kaikeyi and went to his mother’s apartments. Kausalya was shocked to hear that her son must part from her for full fourteen years. Rama comforted…
Just one more thing…
Every once in around a decade, Apple comes out with a product that is not incremental, not even exponential…it changes things in a way that…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 5
The news that Rama was to be crowned thrilled the whole of Ayodhya. Everyone was happy—all except an old hunchbacked woman named Manthara. Manthara, who was an attendant on Kaikeyi,…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 4
After a short while, Rama and his brothers, with their brides, started on their way back to Ayodhya. Hardly had they begun their journey when they were confronted…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 3
At Mithila, King Janaka showed the princes the mighty bow of Shiva, the Destroyer. So far no one had been able to lift the bow or bend it even…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 2
On the way to the sacrificial spot Viswamitra taught the princes many valuable lessons in the course of which he told them how they could…
Illustrated Ramayana – Part 1
Sriman Narayana, which is another name for Vishnu, asked the Devas to take courage and shed their fears. He assured them he would appear on earth as a mortal…
Gayatri Ramayanam – Part 4
१९. य –यस्य विक्रममासाद्य राक्षसा निधनं गताः |तं मन्ये राघवं वीरं नारायणमनामयम् || ६-७२-११ “On the strength of whose valour many rakshasas lost their lives that valiant…
Gayatri Ramayanam – Part 3
१३. स –स निर्जित्य पुरीं श्रेष्ठां लङ्का तां कामरूपिणीम् |विक्रमेण महातेजा हनूमान् कपिसत्तमः || ५-४-१ Having conquered by his valour the guarding deity of Lankapuri, who was…
We enter a new era…
सं ग॑च्छध्वं॒ सं व॑दध्वं॒ सं वो॒ मनां॑सि जानताम् । दे॒वा भा॒गं यथा॒ पूर्वे॑ संजाना॒ना उ॒पास॑ते ॥सं गच्छध्वं सं वदध्वं सं वो मनांसि जानताम् । देवा…
Gayatri Ramayanam – Part 2
७. नि –निरीक्ष्य स मुहूर्तं तु ददर्श भरतो गुरुम् |उटजे राममासीनं जटामण्डलधारिणम् || २-९९-२५ – अयोध्याकाण्डम् Bharata (after sighting the hermitage of Rama), spent a…
Gayatri Ramayanam – Part 1
तत्सवितुर्वरॆण्यंभर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियॊ यॊ नः प्रचोदयात् We are all familiar with the Gayatri Mahamantra above. The Valmiki Ramayana contains 24,000 slokas divided into 7…
Nama Ramayana – Uttara Kaandam – Part 3
धर्मस्थापनतत्पर राम् ॥१०१॥ Dharma-Sthaapana-Tatpara Raam ||101|| 101: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who is Eager to Establish Dharma in the World. भक्तिपरायणमुक्तिद राम् ॥१०२॥ Bhakti-Paraayanna-Mukti-Da Raam ||102|| 102:…
Nama Ramayana – Uttara Kaandam – Part 2
स्वर्गतशम्बुकसंस्तुत राम् ॥९३॥ Svargata-Shambuka-Samstuta Raam ||93|| 93: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who was Praised by Shambuka who then Went to Heaven. स्वतनयकुशलवनन्दित राम् ॥९४॥ Sva-Tanaya-Kusha-Lava-Nandita Raam ||94||…
Nama Ramayana – Uttara Kaandam – Part 1
॥ उत्तरकाण्डम् ॥ || Uttara-Kaannddam || The Last Chapter आगतमुनिगणसंस्तुत राम् ॥८७॥ Aagata-Muni-Ganna-Samstuta Raam ||87|| 87: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who was Praised by All the Visiting…
Nama Ramayana – Yudhda Kaandam – Part 3
भरतप्राणप्रियकर राम् ॥७७॥ Bharata-Praanna-Priyakara Raam ||77|| 77: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who brought Joy to the Life of Bharata after His return. साकेतपुरीभूषण राम् ॥७८॥ Saaketa-Purii-Bhuussanna Raam…
Life can be cryptic…
It was written 600 years ago. It’s 234 pages long. It’s been studied by cryptographers and codebreakers alike. And yet, we still have no idea…
Working with passion…
This week was brutal – and today was the culmination. I don’t get this tired often, but I am today. So it’s time for a…
Oh there he goes sniff sniff…
So the young one has a blocked nose – again. So he goes sniff sniff (and ‘wow’ in the middle of the night, a new…
Than what I was yesterday instead…
Aim high, for the stars they say, But the stars are impossible, says me. Why don’t I aim to be higher, better, stronger than what…
Nama Ramayana – Yudhda Kaandam – Part 2
अहिमहिरावणचारण राम् ॥६९॥ Ahimahiraavanna-Caaranna Raam ||69|| 69: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who Destroyed Mahiravana (through Hanuman) who Trapped Him in Patala Loka. संहृतदशमुखरावण राम् ॥७०॥ Samhrta-Dasha-Mukha-Raavanna Raam…
History rising…
Witnessed a beautiful sight this Ekādashi – the rise of the first stone mandir in Abu Dhabi. I don’t want to get into the details…
Nama Ramayana – Yudhda Kaandam – Part 1
॥ युध्दकाण्डम् ॥ || Yudhda-Kaannddam || The Chapter on Battle रावणनिधनप्रस्थित राम् ॥६२॥ Raavanna-Nidhana-Prasthita Raam ||62|| 62: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who Set out to destroy Ravana.…
Nama Ramayana – Sundara Kaandam
॥ सुन्दरकाण्डम् ॥ || Sundara-Kaannddam || The Chapter on Hanuman’s meeting with Devi Sita at Lanka कपिवरसन्ततसंस्मृत राम् ॥५४॥ Kapi-Vara-Santata-Samsmrta Raam ||54|| 54: I take Refuge in Sri Rama,…
How artificial is intelligence?
Google will now help you write email. Bard will make your searches so good that you may not even need to search anymore. Open AI…
Nama Ramayana – Kisskindhaa Kaandam – Part 1
॥ किष्किन्धाकाण्डम् ॥ || Kisskindhaa-Kaannddam || The Chapter on Kisskindhaa, the Empire of the Vanaras हनुमत्सेवितनिजपद राम् ॥४९॥ Hanumat-Sevita-Nija-Pada Raam ||49|| 49: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Whose…
Nama Ramayana – Arannya Kaandam – Part 2
शूर्पणखार्तिविधायक राम् ॥४१॥ Shuurpannakha[a-A]arti-Vidhaayaka Raam ||41|| 41: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who caused Surpanakha pain for her wicked intentions. खरदूषणमुखसूदक राम् ॥४२॥ Khara-Duussanna-Mukha-Suudaka Raam ||42|| 42: I…
Nama Ramayana – Arannya Kaandam – Part 1
॥ अरण्यकाण्डम् ॥ || Arannya-Kaannddam || In the Forest दण्डकवनजनपावन राम् ॥३५॥ Dannddakavana-Jana-Paavana Raam ||35|| 35: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who Purified the Dandakaranya Forest by slaying…
Steps away from me…
When you attend your very first day at school, I will be there, holding your hand, taking you in, Watching you as you walk apprehensively…
Nama Ramayana – Ayodhya Kaandam – Part 1
॥ अयोध्याकाण्डम् ॥ || Ayodhyaa-Kaannddam || The Chapter on Ayodhya अगणितगुणगणभूषित राम् ॥२३॥ Agannita-Gunna-Ganna-Bhuussita Raam ||23|| 23: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who was Adorned with Inumerable Virtues.…
Nama Ramayana – Bala Kaandam – Part 3
Nama Ramayana sums up the epic Ramayana written by sage Valmiki. It describes Lord Rama’s divine form, qualities and pastimes. It consists of 108 padas which are…
Nama Ramayana – Bala Kaandam – Part 2
Nama Ramayana sums up the epic Ramayana written by sage Valmiki. It describes Lord Rama’s divine form, qualities and pastimes. It consists of 108 padas which are…
Nama Ramayana – Bala Kaandam – Part 1
Nama Ramayana sums up the epic Ramayana written by sage Valmiki. It describes Lord Rama’s divine form, qualities and pastimes. It consists of 108 padas…
It starts with one, and also ends with one…
आदौ राम तपोवनादि गमनं हत्वा मृगं कांचनं । वैदेही हरणं जटायु मरणं सुग्रीव सम्भाषणं ॥ वाली निर्ग्रहणं समुद्र तरणं लंकापुरी दाहनं । पश्चात रावण कुम्बकर्ण हननं…
And then there was one…
मां निषाद प्रतिष्ठां- त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः। यत्क्रौंचम- िथुनादेकम्- अवधीः काममोहितम् || “mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhāṁ tvamagamaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ yat krauñcamithunādekam avadhīḥ kāmamohitam” “You will find no rest…
A quick one…
What’s better than one new project? Two new projects! So we have a new way of communicating updates and news, and I am pretty excited…
Fall down seven…get up eight…
Fall down seven and get up eight, that my friend, is the way to be. For life throws more than just a punch or two…
A rose by any other name will NOT smell as sweet…
Some of you came back to me after yesterday’s blog. How do we know if a name is authentic? And anyways, why so much fuss…
What’s in a name err..Shanaaya?
ॐ दिवं च रोह पृथिवीं च रोह राष्ट्रं च रोह द्रविणं च रोह।प्रजां च रोहामृतं च रोह रोहितेन तन्वं सं स्पृशस्व ॥ dívaṃ ca róha pr̥tʰivī́ṃ…
Two points to ponder…
எண்ணித் துணிகக் கருமம் துணிந்தபின்எண்ணுவம் என்பது இழுக்கு enni thuniga karumam thuninthapinennuvam enbathu izhukku (467) कार्यनिर्वहणोपायमादौ ज्ञात्वा क्रियां कुरु ।प्रविश्य कार्ये नोपायचिन्तनं कार्यसाधकम् ॥ (४६७) होना प्रवृत्त…
Of times and exponential changes…
Ok. So you know that I have been researching on Artificial Intelligence for a while now. I have also been trying out a variety of…
And so began a tale…
Many many years ago, in Bhāratvarsha, there was a kingdom called Dhārānagara. It’s king Gandharvasen, had four queens, and six well learned and powerful sons. It…
And the next one is…
अयंनिजःपरोवेतिगणनालघु-चेतसाम्। उदार चरितानांतु वसुधैवकुटुम्बकम्॥ ayaṃ nijaḥ paro veti gaṇanā laghu-cetasām |udāra-caritānāṃ tu vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam || 37 || This is mine, and that is yours – such thinking…
The white father of Somasharma…
Manthara reached home by evening. “My dear, my dear”, he called out as he walked through the door. Seeing her in the kitchen, he went…
For the sake of the Self, everything is dear…
Akshayais a Sanskrit word meaning ‘unending’ or ‘indestructible’. On this day, the Pandavas received the Akshaya Patra (upon worshipping Surya deva), a vessel that never…
A small business is not that small anymore!
A small business is anything but small. What it lacks in size, it makes up in impact. If you think of it, prior to the…
Of idlis and doshas…
As I began my day today at Hariprasad, my favorite neighborhood (nearly) Kannadiga food joint here, I wondered about the origins of the dish that…
Yet another eclipse…
Tomorrow is a solar eclipse. यत्त्वा॑ सूर्य॒ स्व॑र्भानु॒स्तम॒सावि॑ध्यदासु॒रः । अक्षे॑त्रवि॒द्यथा॑ मु॒ग्धो भुव॑नान्यदीधयुः ॥यत्त्वा सूर्य स्वर्भानुस्तमसाविध्यदासुरः । अक्षेत्रविद्यथा मुग्धो भुवनान्यदीधयुः ॥ yat tvā sūrya svarbhānus tamasāvidhyad…
Beyond the six…
Yesterday was all about what we have been doing. Today is about what we want to do. The good thing about goals is that you…
Turning six? No!
Life is what happens when you are busy planning for other things. 10 Leaves was not a planned exercise. There was an opportunity to create…
The beauty of not doing anything
Somehow, from the time we start school, we are taught to ‘fill up’ our day. You have to keep doing something, else you are termed…
Day 1 of a new life?
It’s done! Day 1 went better than expected. He woke relatively earlier, was in a good mood, ate a hearty breakfast and off he went.…
And blocks he will build…
Well, almost. After a lot of visiting, reading and thinking (and dilly dallying), we finally settled for one just down the road. Building Blocks, they…
Friendship, and suspicion, and fast thinking monkeys…
समुत्पन्नेषु कार्येषु बुद्धिर् यस्य न हीयते ।स एव दुर्गं तरति जलस्थो वानरो यथा ॥ १ ॥ samutpanneṣu kāryeṣu buddhir yasya na hīyate |sa eva durgaṃ tarati…
I had a err…question…
Had a short, but interesting conversation with a new contact who has just relocated from London to Dubai. We spoke about fintech prospects here in…
zzzzzzz…..again
Have been having erratic sleep of late. I can’t think of anything specific, so maybe this is a phase. Also, since Rohāmrta sleeps next to…
A trip to the Suffer-i…
An eventful Sunday. A trip to the Dubai Desert Park. With the young one. Who fell asleep during the main part – the 45-minute bus…
Staycation plans, again!
It’s been over a year and a half since I wrote about taking a staycation, and err…haven’t yet got down to it! It’s surprising sometimes,…
Of big things and small things…
It’s good to be reminded of somethings sometimes. So today, as you wake up to birds chirping outside, and as you step into the washroom…
The beauty of a koan is it’s simplicity…
Two monks were arguing about the temple flag waving in the wind.One said, “The flag moves.”The other said, “The wind moves.”They argued back and forth…
Dolls not of the Barbie variety…
The great emperor Kṛṣṇadevarāya (Krishnadevaraya) had a lot of wise ministers in his court. The wisest of them was Tenali Ramakrishna. One day, a merchant came to…
Of recycling and little else…
I chanced upon a very elaborate arrangement for recycling in our community today. Long instructions written on separation of what constitutes plastic and what doesn’t…
Of stories and deeper meanings…
In a palace not so far away from here, was a beautiful bedroom, where the king used to sleep. On that bed, in between a…
Making sense of it all…
An elderly couple lived in great poverty, on the brink of a huge forest. They used to walk through the forest everyday, to gather firewood…
Of AI- both artificial and ancient…
After long, I chanced upon a book that gave me the movie equivalent of a blockbuster entry scene – the prelude blew me away! I’ve…
Of battles and more…
The Devi smiled again. “Yes, it is true. They are very strong. But what can I do since I took that ill-considered vow, even though…
Jai Shri Ram!
द्विः शरं नाभिसन्धत्ते द्विः स्थापयति नाश्रितान् ।द्विर्ददाति न चार्थिभ्यो, रामो द्विर्नाभिभाषते ॥ Rāma doesn’t aim twice, he doesn’t give refuge twice, Rāma does not give…
Your true nature…
Well, we have understood how to overcome tamas, and rajas. Next is sattva. But wait – sattva is a good guna, so why should we…
Overcame Rajas? What’s next?
Well, we have understood how to overcome tamas, and rajas. Next is sattva. But wait – sattva is a good guna, so why should be…
Rajas day 2…
If you thought overcoming Tamas was tough, you may already be finding Rajas more difficult to overcome. Technology has not just brought about a change…
Handling sensory overload…
We addressed the tāmasic self in the past three days. We now look at rajas guna. Rajas is the quality of change, activity, and turbulence.…
Tamas – Day 3
So, how did the weekend start? Hopefully an hour earlier than it used to:) Today is the last day of our attack on tamas, before…
Tamas – Day 2
How was day 1 of the Tamas-purge? Tomorrow is Saturday and then Sunday. The weekend. The days when you tend to wake late, eat wrong…
A nine-day cleanse…
A nine-day cleanse. Vasanta Navratri begins today. And while I keep the Navratri fast in October, I like to make use of this opportunity provided…
Yuga-ādi – to new beginnings!
Tomorrow is Ugādi — the first day of Chaitrā māsā, or the beginning of the new year. Largely celebrated in South India (where I am from), Maharashtra…
The great purge…
Step 1 in reconstruction is breaking everything down first. The way you work, the way you exercise, the way you eat, sleep, read, everything. You…
Crafting a new you…
Change is the only constant – so says the cliche and every other LinkedIn profile. But it is true. And one has to keep reinventing…
Do you love what you do?
During the course of my interviews with many candidates, I come to learn of their passions outside work. They want to pursue these vocations, but…
Dino Dino cute little Dino?
My son loves dinosaurs. Until they appear on TV that is. Anyways, I never thought that toddlers would love Dinos of all things. I mean…
Questions, questions, questions…
Is there a God? Are there many Gods? Who writes our destinies? Are they even written? Or does life play out in it’s own way…
Do you believe?
Is your dream too big? Or too small? Or do you have one at all? Do they say its not going to happen, this dream…
Of the queen’s language and my own…
I had written this around a year back, and revisited it today. Recalled it because of a visit to a nearby pre-nursery that apparently teaches…
నాటు నాటు నాటు, నాటు నాటు నాటు వీర నాటు…
The whole world swings to Naatu Naatu today. We won an Oscar, finally! Well, so what? India has the biggest film industry in the world,…
On a balanced life…
அமைந்தொருபால்கோடாமை சான்றோர்க் கணி. मध्ये स्थिता तुला द्रव्यं न्यायतस्तुलयेद्यथा ।तथा निष्पक्षपातित्वं माध्यस्थं लक्षणं सताम् ॥ (११८) To be unbiased like a balanced weighing scale, is a…
To nursery or to Montessori…
Research begins again, this time after some site visits to nearby nurseries. I remember a time when there was KG1 (Kindergarten 1), KG2 and then…
Whose is wealth?
ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥ īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat | tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam || Isha…
Of duties and giving all up…
संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दु:खमाप्तुमयोगत: |योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म नचिरेणाधिगच्छति || 6|| sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho duḥkham āptum ayogataḥyoga-yukto munir brahma na chireṇādhigachchhati Perfect renunciation (karm sanyās) is difficult to attain without…
Forever give…
धारणात् खनकस्यापि धरण्या इव नि:समा ।स्वापराधिषु या क्षान्ति: स धर्म: परमो नृणाम् ॥ To bear with those who revile us, just as the earth bears…
Life is a celebration…
Festivals are beautiful. They are fun, filled with joy, food and enjoyment. We celebrate, because life should be a celebration, with a bit of work…
Of parenting and choices…
पितृदेवातिथीपिता विद्याप्रदानेन पण्डिताग्रेसरं सुतम् ।यदि कुर्यात्सुतस्यैतत् महत् साह्यमुदीर्यते ॥ The best thing parents can do for their children is to prepare them stand foremost in…
Of trigonometry and mortgages…
Today I read a piece by Richard Branson where he spoke of applied maths, the mathematics that you need in real life. I have also…
Of falling apples and better marketing…
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…
Vāk shakti and the power of speech…
There have been a lot of things said about good speech, but the first phrase that comes to mind is Kabir’s famous doha – बोली एक…
On Grihastashrama…
पितृदेवातिथीनां च बन्धूनामात्मनस्तथा ।सत्कृतिर्धर्ममागेंण गृहस्थस्य वरा मता ॥ A good householder has five duties to perform – towards God, his ancestors, guests, family and himself.…
Of education and knowledge…
अकारादेव निर्यान्ति समस्तान्यक्षराणि च ।चराचरप्रपञ्चोऽय मीश्वरादेव जायते ॥ The alphabet begins with the “A” sound, so does the Universe begin with the universal consciousness. The…
Of guests and gods…
शिरीषपुष्पमाघ्राणात् म्लानं संजायते यथा ।तथाऽतिथीनां वदनं स्याद् गृहस्थे पराङ्मुखे ॥ The delicate blossom of the anicham flower withers when merely smelled; an unwelcome look is…
Of show and devotion…
यत् कृतं शुद्धमनसा स धर्म इति कथ्यते ।हच्छुद्धिरहितं कर्म केवलाडम्बरार्थकम् ॥ A mind free of impurity, is the basis of all virtue. Everything else is…
Of action and liberation…
இருள்சேர் இருவினையும் சேரா இறைவன்பொருள்சேர் புகழ்புரிந்தார் மாட்டு. Those who are content in God’s praise, are not affected by the delusions caused by good deeds and bad.…
Two sides…
The two sides of life. Witnessed on my way back home today. Stuck in a traffic jam, we realized that the cause was an accident…
Company secretary lessons for free…
Last night, I took corporate secretarial lessons from none other than Joseph Vijay, the star of the “very watchable but suspend your logic brain” Varisu.…
On interactions and spins…
I attended a meeting today. The agenda of the meeting was not very specific, and the nature of the meeting was such that I expected…
On water and worship…
துப்பார்க்குத் துப்பாய துப்பாக்கித் துப்பார்க்குத்துப்பாய தூஉம் மழை. Thuppaarkkuth Thuppaaya Thuppaakkith ThuppaarkkuthThuppaaya Thooum Mazhai (12) All food is produced because of rain, which itself is food again.…
What is self-restraint?
ज्ञातव्यं तत्वतो ज्ञात्वा संयमी यो भवेन्नर: ।महात्मनां गुणाज्ञानां कृपया स सुखी वसेत् ॥ (१२३) If one exercises self-restraint with knowledge and intent, he will be…
A bit on charity…
செய்யாமல் செய்த உதவிக்கு வையகமும்வானகமும் ஆற்றல் அரிது. Seyyaamal Seydha Udhavikku VaiyakamumVaanakamum Aatral Aridhu (101) The gift of heaven and earth is not an equivalent for help…
Of the exciting and the mundane…
I was watching a series earlier today…its a story set in 2005. What comes to your mind when you think of 2005? Surely does not…
Of Shiva and perception…
Only the most painful circumstances yield the most intense prayers. The uncertainty that lies in front of us makes us appeal to the higher consciousness…
The night of the Shiva…
Mahashivratri. The night when you stay awake, and pray to Shiva, the ultimate Yogi. A lot of questions may arise in our minds, when we…
V for victory!
यतो यतो निश्चलति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् ।ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥ २६ ॥ yato yato niścalatimanaś cañcalam asthiramtatas tato niyamyaitadātmany eva vaśaṁ nayet From wherever the mind…
50 shades of paneer…
It’s not enough being vegetarian. No sir. In some parts of the world, you have to specify – no meat, no fish. No chicken even.…
Of daily picks!
Rohāmrta has his daily pick. One toy, one piece of stuff – can be anything from a spoon to his car. This thing then becomes…
Of CEOs and vision…
Today, I visited one of the offices of a very famous CEO in Dubai. The business in itself is quite interesting, but even more interesting…
Of Fakes and chosen paths…
I had written this a while back, and revisited it today. Was watching Farzi on Prime (Shahid Kapoor and Vijay Sethupathi) – seems inspired from…
And sometimes…
Sometimes I wonder if the world could be a better place, where people say what they mean and mean what they say… Sometimes I wonder…
Om Bhur Bhuvah…
Gaya means “Vital energies” and trayte means “protects, preserves, grants liberation, gives deliverance.” In simple words, and language Gayatri means “May the divine light of the supreme being…
Mundan was mundane – thankfully!
All’s well that not only ends well, but goes well as well. Too many wells. And too much concern over nothing. All we needed was…
Chudākarana Samskara
Chaulam is also called Cūḍākarma (चूडाकर्म) and Cūḍākaraṇam ((चूडाकरणम्) Chudakarana). Cūḍā means tuft (of hair) that is kept on the back side of the head…
Give me more!
The technology sector is apparently slowing down in the US. The threat of the looming recession, coupled with the larger threat of Artificial Intelligence wiping…
short and sweet…
चूडाकरण (Chudakarana) is one of the 16 samskārās in Sanatana Dharma. Also known as मुण्डन (Mundana), this is when the child receives his or her…
Of possessiveness and age…
Another day well spent. Today was Abhismita’s birthday, but we went to see her only in the evening, so the rest of the day was…
Of wins and experiences…
Is life all about winning? Or is it about experiencing? Yes, winning feels good, no one likes to lose, no one looks forward to losing…but…
Of points of pain and fruits that hang low…
What are your pain points? Let’s touch base and leverage synergies on this topic… Sounds familiar? While I did have such ‘pain points’ before, they…
Of company and backbiters…
The Panchatantra is such a huge treasure trove of information, not just for kids, but for adults as well. There are so many life lessons…
A day well spent…
A day well spent! Started with a his favorite breakfast, then bath, puja at home and a visit to the swanky new temple. He slept…
And just like that, two years pass…
Two years back, on the 1st of February, my life changed forever. Yes, everyone said it would. They warned me. They said that I wouldn’t…
What is friendship?
And so Laghupatakana said “Dear Hiranyaka… सतां साप्तपदं मैत्रम् इत्य् आहुर् विबुधा जनाः ।तस्मात् त्वं मित्रतां प्राप्तो वचनं मम तच् छृणु ॥ ४८ ॥ satāṃ…
Of cakes and party hats…
Children’s birthdays – always a tough one. Rohāmrta turns two in a couple of days – and we are yet to figure out what to…
Of domains and bullets…
Domains domains everywhere, and many a payment to make! I manage close to 20 domains of my own, and stuff is bound to happen. A…
Of appraisals and teams…
It’s appraisal time! Sent a form to all our employees for their annual appraisal. We do stuff a bit differently, but this initial step is…
One nation, one proud Republic!
Ah, the Indian Republic Day! The tribute at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, the parades, the tableaus, the march past…the show of strength… I remember when…
Can you create?
If you have seen Kamal Hassan’s Vikram, you would have mostly been pleasantly surprised during the wedding sequence. Yes, You Tube Tatha was there! I…
Express yourself…
One of my team members wants to write. Aha! She is interested in taking up content writing, and wanted to undertake a course. I suggested…
Of information and knowledge…
तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया |उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिन: || tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśhnena sevayāupadekṣhyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśhinaḥ Srimad Bhagavad Gīta 4.34 Learn the Truth…
Fauda fauda…
Fauda Fauda! Yes, the series Season 4 that premiered this weekend on Netflix, and the fauda in our collective health since the beginning of 2022.…
Accomplishments, big or small…
The following is part of the Sādhanā series exercises. I remembered this one today since I actually accomplished quite a bit of work in the…
Of tomatoes and Artificial Intelligence…
The debate on AI refuses to die down. Was discussing the latest developments in the sector with a client today when he remarked that schools…
Time and tide, and somethings in between…
Ok, a flurry of activity on the work front, with a license a day coming in, and a new employee joining on Monday. Also, my…
Of grandiose titles and exes…
I met a gentleman today, who had two lines of qualification-related acronyms written next to his name on his business card. Not two, but two…
Of saving and losing…
A few comments on my post from yesterday – a budding poet, they say! Far from it, I just write and I’ve written many many…
Of hobbies that aren’t…
Well surprise surprise! I added to my collection today. Earlier it used to be perfume bottles, nowadays its cough syrups. Apparently this one is to…
Of tilts and heavenly journeys…
The earth is tilted on it’s axis, and this is what gives rise to the seasons. This is the reason why we do not receive…
Of Telugu movie marathons…
Ok. So I’ve fallen sick (again) and it’s the same sniff sniff and cough cough. This is fast becoming a monthly affair:( Have to work…
A birthday, and then some…
Today is Rohāmrta’s second tithi birthday. Went off eventfully, with me falling sick at the end of it:)) Anyways, here is something that I write…
Of kathas and paramparas…
All our scriptures, including the great epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata) were carried forward in an oral tradition – with Sanskrit as the medium, and hence…
Of destiny and mice…
प्राप्तव्यम् अर्थं लभते मनुष्यो देवो ऽपि तं लङ्घयितुं न शक्तः ।तस्मान् न शोचामि न विस्मयो मे यद् अस्मदीयं न हि तत् परेषाम् ॥ १११ ॥…
Of tipping points…
I got some questions from readers on my last article. Some wanted to know what to learn, so as to be prepared, others wanted specifics…
Of medical transcription and Desk-top publishing…
I was reading about the AR/VR headset that’s due for release by Apple sometime this year. A truly disruptive product, if it does even half…
A few drops, and then some…
Last year, it rained on January 3rd. This year too, but today it rained quite heavily. I just repeated what I did last year. Chill,…
A cold, cold day…
With warm, warm interactions:) I knew it was a packed day the moment I woke. At 5. But I couldn’t really get up till past…
Of steel – both actual and resolve…
Have you heard of Wootz steel? Chances are that you haven’t. Have you heard of the swords of Tipu Sultan? AHA. Well, they were made…
The lottery…
Went for a haircut after long. My barber, oh sorry, ‘hairdresser’, was in a jovial mood today. Turns out that his mom was coming for…
Think different…
We had an important milestone in our firm today. One that we prepared for, and for many months. The individual in question worked hard, and…
ah…two days already?
And two days already pass by. Do you remember what you did on the second day of 2022? or 2021? or 2020? Chances are that…
A sweet decision it is!
My first decision of the year – quit sugar. A tall order this is, considering that I have quite the sweet tooth. But the decision…
Wish you a very happy 2023!
Life is a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get… Forrest Gump “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans…
And here we are…
Tomorrow is the last day of the calendar year. Another year flies by, without us really knowing what happened.Last year it was COVID, this year…
End of the year, and then some…
Top 10 books, top 10 movies, top 10 sayings, to 10 learnings.. A lot of top 10s float around on the web, in the dying…
Of listening to music and surfing the net…
We are on a recruitment drive and so its that time of the year when I look through a lot of resumes. Most still follow…
A drop, a song, a thought and a dream…
I revisited this blogpost today. The weather in Dubai is great at the moment, light rains, drop in temperatures, and an overall good feeling. Not…
Of songs and idols…
Indian Idol Season 13. I am not a fan of reality shows, but somehow have taken a liking to this. No, not to the scripted…
A week to go!
Things get lazier as the year inches towards the 31st. Calls get postponed, people go on vacation and the holiday mood sets in. For some…
Of all the small things…
Saturday early mornings are usually spent at Hariprasad, a Kannadiga food joint nearby. As I got down from my car, I saw a man rushing…
Our last team meeting for 2022…
Today we had the year end team meeting. Reminiscing on the year gone by, and plans for the year ahead. Not just me, but all…
Of a hundred channels and a thousand memories…
Nostalgia is an odd feeling. One is nostalgic at all points in life – it’s almost as if the times that we passed by were…
Of Messi and Messy Diapers…
I know it’s a bit late in the day, but I ain’t a football fan, so its ok. The match was available for free on…
That time of the year again?
And so the COVID looms over us again. A sudden peak in China, and a few other countries registering significant numbers, all of a sudden,…
A few tips on English grammar…
Now that Wren and Martin is history, and Grammarly is in, we have slowly but surely, lost our touch with English Grammar. When you depend…
Vikram Vedha:)
This is an extract from the Vetāla series. I enjoyed compiling this and of course, reading the series again, this time the full version. You…
Of grapevine and conversing bots…
A cursory glance at Twitter trends throws light on the condition of social media today. Over 90% of those trends are bot-driven, an in-your-face attempt…
Twenty five years a lifetime…
So I interviewed someone for a senior position today. She had worked for 25 years in her last organization. In fact, that was the first…
And life comes a circle…
Am reading this intriguing book called ‘The Fourth Turning’ by Neil Howe and William Strauss. This was written in 1996, yet is very relevant not just…
Are you intelligent, or are you artificial?
As I sit down to write this post, I can’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. After all, it’s not every day that someone…
Nine Nine Eight…
998. That’s the number of days of continuous blogging since I first started in March 2020. Every single day, without fail. I believe this to…
Happy birthday, SuperStar!
And today is the day when a birthday celebrates it’s Rajinikanth:) The release of a movie of Rajnikanth is a festival in itself…from the announcement,…
I, me, myself…
As with most people who are well-raised, well-educated and financially secure, Dr. Tokai only thought of himself… Men without Women, Haruki Murakami Who am I?…
How deep is deep?
So the deep cleaning was not so deep after all. Basically, a glorified wipe down, with the pièce de résistance being a machine whose claim…
Of deep clean and filthy bots…
Is deep cleaning done by maids on steroids? That’s the question I shot back when I was told that this process would take less than…
Of trying and outcomes…
And just when they were wondering where the Modi wave went, he responded with a tsunami. The best showing EVER, with 156 seats and an…
Of problems and solutions…
Solving problems. Sounds challenging and exciting right? Depends. On the problem that you claim to solve. A standard question in VC funding lingo is –…
Of messages and distances…
Thank you everyone for your suggestions and comments on my post yesterday. The community brain does help! Speaking of brains, I have recently discovered Haruki Murakami.…
A little help needed:)
I need some help from you guys. Been battling allergy symptoms for a large part of this year, and tried mostly everything. Tablets, steam, nasal…
30*30 done, what next?
And the journey goes on… We had an exciting 30 days of fitness this November, as part of the 30*30 initiative. We managed to find…
Of bits, bytes and clicks…
Ok so my router died today. One can survive without food and water nowadays, but without the internet?? You got to be kidding me. And…
Of Babils and Shanayas…
Qala was a good movie, but only for the performances of the lead pair – Tripti Dimri and Babil Khan. The direction was a bit…
Of four colors here, and four colors there…
A lot of people get in touch with me seeking jobs in the UAE. I do try to help whenever I can. But very few…
Of sand and ambition…
Tomorrow we enter the long weekend – a weekend of celebration. A celebration of a young, but ambitious nation. One that was built not on…
A looooong weekend!
Tomorrow is the last working day, before a 5-day weekend. And as usual, I am thinking of how to spend my time productively. Holidays are…
Of words and tongues…
He is nearly two and yet the only comprehensible words that come out of his mouth are Tethe and saaaa. And yes, a hit of…
Of meds and mitochondria…
I read somewhere that we have the best healthcare accessible to us – best that we as a species have ever had. But we also…
Shop till you drop…and then some
It’s Black Friday. Or Yellow Friday, or White Wednesday, or whatever color is offered in this part of the world by a particular retailer. It’s…
Entha Maraya!
How does 16 become 400? I finally saw Kantara. And loved it. For once, priests are not shown to be vile. For once, traditions are…
Of two tires and a hundred gears…
It’s the season of sport. And upsets. First comes the huge upset win of Saudi Arabia over Messi…sorry, Argentina. And today Japan won against Germany.…
Of two wheels and twenty gears…
Ok, so I am in the market for a bicycle. Not counting the last couple of times I bought one, my last serious attempt at…
A mere speck on a mere speck on a mere speck…
We are a mere speck, on a planet that is a mere speck in the solar system that is a mere speck in a galaxy…
The ancient art of eating…
A lot of posts on exercise, but not much on eating. And while eating tastes may vary, there is one commonality that does not depend…
Wakanda Forever!
A good day, a great movie and a wonderful meal. Unwinding done:) Saw Wakanda Forever – the movie should serve as a template for how…
The demise of common sense…
What if I give you colorful pieces of paper in exchange for real money, and say that you can use them to buy stuff, but…
Be a tree…
Next time you pass by a big tree, stop and observe it a bit. It probably has been standing there for many years, silent, leaves…
The good news and the bad news…
Apparently, I am leading the 30*30. That’s good news and bad news. Good because, well, I am 45 years old, the oldest in my firm…
How to free up even more time…
Did you try the steps I spoke about yesterday? If not, then do make an attempt from tomorrow. If you did, then here is part…
I have no time!
I am so busy, I don’t have time to exercise… If the above statement is you, it’s time to change it. There is some spring…
Of flat packing and new thinking…
I visited Ikea after long, many many years in fact. The route, the format was the same, the prices surprisingly lower than the last time…
Of punches and kicks…
All these days, I spoke about āsanās and a bit of prānāyāmā. Good, but generally considered soft. Today I speak of martial arts. Good, but…
Beauty and simplicity…
Beauty mostly lies in simplicity, doesn’t it? This is true for design, for speech and writing, in makeup and dressing up, and also in health…
Of cobras and poses…
Today’s āsanā is a bit difficult for beginners, and often done wrong. Would suggest that you go through some basic āsanās before trying this one…
State of motivation?
The 30*30 challenge continues, but contrary to my expectations, I lag behind my teammates. Happy in a way, but the competitor in me is awake…
Stand up for yourself, and correctly…
There are a hundred exercises to choose from when you go to a gym. Well, it isn’t even called a gym anymore. Its called a…
And then he turned 45…
45 is an odd number. Yes, odd from the number system perspective. But also odd from the perspective of life. It’s not a crossroads number…
The beauty of no-mind…
How many of you find it difficult to just sit, for around 30 minutes? By sit I don’t mean on a computer, or watching Netflix.…
Nandini vs Kundavai – Round 1
I saw Ponniyin Selvan 1 yesterday. I know some people (non-Tamil) were possibly disappointed, since they expected something on the lines of Bahubali, whereas PS1…
Ekādashi blues…
Today is Ekādashi. Vratā, but work continues, and today was a busier day than usual. But the 30*30 challenge continues, and so I took my…
Of twists and stop-gaps…
What started as a stop-gap arrangement, has now turned into a standard practice exercise routine. From the past two days, I have been taking non-essential…
A near miss!
Today started with me not being able to do the daily yog. Was held up the whole day in calls and meetings, so missed the…
The world is a village…
The world is a village, and explorers we all are… Visited Global Village after 15 years. Yes, fifteen. Actually, I never took a fancy to…
Sense of purpose…
Day 3. Was able to complete the morning and the evening routines. Good work! Brings along a small sense of achievement, and a lot of…
Watch out for Day 15!
Day 2 started well, with yog, prānāyāma and meditation. I missed the evening workout though, since there was a puja to attend. No worries, will…
Day 1 – better than anticipated!
And what a Day 1 it was! I woke up a bit later than I wanted to (courtesy Rohāmrta), but I did my yog and…
Day 1 starts tomorrow!
Tomorrow is Day 1 of the 10 Leaves 30*30. I have been lax the past couple of months, but tomorrow will get back into full…
Its ME time!
It’s ME time. For everyone in office. Here is a circular that I sent out today. Health is wealth – everyone knows that, but how…
Of Yama and sisters…
पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन्समूह ।तेजः यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत्ते पश्यामि योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि ॥ १६ ॥ pūṣannekarṣe yama sūrya prājāpatya vyūha raśmīnsamūha |tejaḥ…
Of eclipses and ancestors…
यत्त्वा॑ सूर्य॒ स्व॑र्भानु॒स्तम॒सावि॑ध्यदासु॒रः । अक्षे॑त्रवि॒द्यथा॑ मु॒ग्धो भुव॑नान्यदीधयुः ॥यत्त्वा सूर्य स्वर्भानुस्तमसाविध्यदासुरः । अक्षेत्रविद्यथा मुग्धो भुवनान्यदीधयुः ॥ yat tvā sūrya svarbhānus tamasāvidhyad āsuraḥ | akṣetravid yathā mugdho…
Happy Deepavali!
आप सब को दीपावली की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ! जय श्री लक्ष्मी माता! If you chose to celebrate in full abandon, happy Diwali to you! If you…
Naraka Chaturdashi…and Deepotsava
Deepavali is known as the Festival of lights. Arguably the most well-known festival from India, Deepavali (or Diwali) is celebrated around the world, even in the…
Of gold, silver and thought…
So, bought your gold and silver today? If you did, well done! If you didn’t, it’s not too late. Add a bit of richness to…
Dhanatrayodashi, or Dhanteras…
Did you know that today is celebrated as the National Ayurveda Day? Mostly not. We have come to associate this day with buying gold or…
you are in me, and I am in you…
“In breathing, as in everything in life, the numbers are staggering—indeed fantastical. Every time you breathe, you exhale some 25 sextillion (that’s 2.5 x 1022) molecules…
Moments made just for you…
For all you instagrammers out there, a few thoughts to ponder on:) As I lie back and watch the blue sky Clouds, shapes, a bit…
Of seasons and changes…
This is something that I wrote around a year back. Revisited it today when I had a brief discussion with someone much older than me.…
On studying one’s culture…
Ed Schein, now retired from the MIT School of Management, taught that a group’s culture can be studied in three ways: by looking at its…
Of old schools and new technology…
My school WhatsApp group has effectively served as a birthday reminder. When I joined the group, I had thought that it would work as an…
And Deepawali week begins!
Right. The biggest festival of them all is upon us. Deepavali (as I like to call it) signifies much more than what most of us…
Vibhuti Yog – Part 2
Read the previous part here… The true Advaitin is the master of the world. He does not know a good deal of his chosen subject; he knows…
Karwa Chauth…
Tis the time of the year when we jump from one festivity to another, one celebration to another. And one controversy to another. Today its…
Vibhuti Yog…
विभूति: (vibhutih)- mighty, powerful, great power आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान् ।मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी ॥ २१ ॥ ādityānām ahaṁ viṣṇurjyotiṣāṁ ravir aṁśumānmarīcir marutām asminakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī Of…
Jai Shri Mahakāl!
अवन्तिकायां विहितावतारंमुक्तिप्रदानाय च सज्जनानाम् ।अकालमृत्योः परिरक्षणार्थंवन्दे महाकालमहं सुरेशम् avantikāyāṃ vihitāvatāraṃmuktipradānāya ca sajjanānām ;akālamṛtyoḥ parirakṣaṇārthaṃvande mahākālamahaṃ sureśam द्वादशलिङ्गस्तोत्रम् dvādaśaliṅgastotramShiva Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram The first two lines of…
Are you content yet?
यश्चेमां वसुधां कृत्स्नां प्रशासेदखिलां नृपः ।तुल्याश्मकाञ्चनो यश्च स कृतार्थो न पार्थिवः ॥ yaścemāṃ vasudhāṃ kṛtsnāṃ praśāsedakhilāṃ nṛpaḥ ।tulyāśmakāñcano yaśca sa kṛtārtho na pārthivaḥ ॥ Mahabharata…
Is my syrup better than your syrup?
An odd thing I notice nowadays. One, parents (like me) trudge down to the Emergency ever so often, this time for a chest congestion. I…
Of sick toddlers and best laid plans…
A busy Navrātri, the leaving of a guest and the preparations for Deepavali. And Rohāmrta chooses this time to fall sick:) A usual cough and…
And the prep begins…
As Navratri ends, the preparation for Deepavali begins. From one journey, to another. Deepavali is the biggest celebration in India, and the beginning of a…
The inner meaning…
Read the previous part here… They fought in the skies, toe to toe, until the Devi lifted him, whirled him around and threw him to the…
A victory…once again!
Time is a Circle? Einstein’s field equations predict a universe which curves back upon itself, such that anyone traveling in a wide enough circle across the…
Victory is near…
As Navrātri draws to a close, one tries to reflect on the past nine days. Vratā is tapas, a struggle to control and fight against…
Jai Ma Durga!
Read the previous part here… The Devi smiled again. “Yes, it is true. They are very strong. But what can I do since I took that…
Of complications and allegories…
We humans are complicated. I mean, things can be simple but we tend to make them complicated. We leave things unsaid, tasks undone and people…
Oh Kolkata, where art thou…
The spirit of the Pujo is something else in Kolkata. Kolkata. The name evokes memories of history, heritage, art, food…and Durga Puja. As the flight…
What is good, and what is bad?
The concept of bad and good exists only in Western philosophy. Sanātana Dharma only speaks of action, and consequences. Every karmā, or every action, has…
The enemy within?
You can fight an enemy who is outside, but how do you fight the enemy within? Spirituality is all about knowing yourself. If you are…
The great reset…
Once you observe Ekādashi vratā regularly, Navrātri is a breeze. Conditioning one’s body to work on reduced inputs helps in times of need, but if…
Of math and life…
In mathematics, summation is the addition of a sequence of any kind of numbers, called addends or summands; the result is their sum or total. So is life – a summation of many moments that we experience. The…
The significance of number nine…
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु विष्णुमायेति शब्दिता । नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥ yā devī sarvabhūteṣu viṣṇumāyeti śabditā ।namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ ॥ The number nine holds…
And it begins…
Tomorrow is Mahalaya, the advent of the Devi… And the day after is Navratri… As always, I will be writing a series for the next…
Of 14s and electronic q-tips…
The iPhone 14 is here, and so are the done-to-death “sell my kidney” jokes. Do I upgrade? Well, err…ummm….anyone looking for a Gold iPhone 12…
Dheena Karunakarane Nataraja…
Dheena Karunakarane Nataraja…Neelakantane… A few days back I had written about Rohāmrta’s fascination for ‘The Wheels on the Bus’, an American folk song that turned…
Om Shanti Gajodhar bhaiyya
Shri Raju Srivastava, best known for his Gajodhar bhaiyya performances, has passed. In an era where comedy is now synonymous with four-letter words and obscene…
And who am I?
Who am I? This simple question has elicited many responses over the course of the existence of humankind. And these responses have been a lot…
Forever and ever?
The question of eternal life is as old as life itself. Humankind has made great strides in life expectancy, from an average of 30 years…
Of math and human communication…
Here’s a fun fact about resending lost data: you can never be 100% certain that both people, communicating on a network where information might get…
Of culture and dinosaurs…
I’m reading a book interestingly titled “How to take over the world”, by Ryan North. I know it sounds a bit off, but it really…
September 17th, 1950
Ok, a lot of you knew this post was coming, isn’t it? Well, I don’t have to take you through the journey of the man…
An investigation, and a crime scene
Ok so I have been taking this tablet from the past three months, to control an allergy that apparently popped out of nowhere. The nose…
Preparing for Navratri
Navratri is around the corner, and I am gearing up for it by starting the salad diet from this week. The vrata calls for a…
The tale of Dantila and Gorambha!
यो ह्य् अपकर्तुम् अशक्तः कुप्यति किम् असौ नरो ऽत्र निर्लज्जः ।उत्पतितो ऽपि हि चणकः शक्तः किं भ्राष्ट्रकं भङ्क्तुम् ॥ १४३ ॥ yo hy apakartum aśaktaḥ…
Some random musings…
And we enter the season of festivals. The next one and a half months will be a roller coaster ride of fun, frolic, fasting and…
One of my favorite songs:)
Not many songs touch a chord the way this one does. Melody, classical touches and beautiful picturisation, an ode to my favorite Krishna, what else…
Crows, owls, rabbits and elephants…
“This is so funny! Of all the peacocks, swans, cuckoos, parrots, pigeons, ducks and cranes of this world – you chose an ugly owl?” He…
Happy Onam!
Asura is typically construed as evil, and is used interchangeably with Danavas, Daityas and Rākshasās, mainly because in English, they are all demons! But all…
Can you do it?
The issue is not that you are not capable of doing it…the issue is that I know you are capable but you don’t. A phrase…
Teachers, not all Gurus:)
We may remember Teachers Day as the day when we decorated the blackboard (or green board, as was in our case), and wished our teachers…
Just begin!
Had an interesting conversation with family friends today. This revolved around exploring what one is good at, and putting it out there for the world…
Of parents and walks…
I take a walk with Rohāmrta a few times a week. Not very far, just inside our community, which is pretty well spread out, and…
Workplace wellness and happiness…
A large part of performing well at work is being in the right frame of mind. We underestimate this part of our work personalities, and…
A short story…
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…
Let’s find the Ganesha in others…
गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहेकविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम् ।ज्येष्ठराजं ब्रह्मणां ब्रह्मणस्पतआ नः शृण्वन्नूतिभिः सीद सादनम् ॥ Gannaanaam Tvaa Ganna-Patim HavaamaheKavim Kaviinaam-Upama-Shravastamam |Jyessttha-Raajam Brahmannaam BrahmannaspataAa Nah Shrnnvan-Uutibhih Siida Saadanam || Among the Ganas (Group of Prayers), to you who is the Ganapati (Deva of Prayers), we offer this…
श्री गणेशाय नमः! – Shri Ganeshaya Namah!
श्री गणेशाय नमः! Shri Ganesha is among the most popular deities in the Hindu Pantheon. He is worshipped in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bali,…
Of fishes and tricks…
As the frog said, “the one with thousand tricks sat on the head of the fisherman, the one with hundred tricks is hanging by the…
Of hitting balls and falling towers…
The unthinkable happened today. Usually, on the day of an India-Pakistan encounter, nothing else matters. From news channels to social media, only one thing trends.…
The end of an era…
There may not be many who have not seen, or at least heard of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, the shows created and produced…
The choices we make…
What role does choice play in our lives? I read a book somewhere that spoke about parallel realities. Every time we are faced with a…
Acchoo…cough cough…
Falling sick is not anyone’s favorite hobby, but when I fall sick, a silver lining is the time I get to watch movies. And watch…
An extra hour?
I had written this in 2020, as part of the Sādhanā series, and I don’t think I thought it would be as relevant even today.…
And this is how much you apparently cost…
What costs US$ 168 to build? The human body, by some accounts. Actually, an episode in Nova, a science show on PBS, came up with…
Eat a frog?
Eating frogs is tough. In case you are wondering if I changed to an alternate (and alarming) diet of croakers, especially after extolling the virtues…
Old MacDonald anyone?
One of the perks (at least thinking of them this way makes it easier) of feeding toddlers is the playing of rhymes – makes it…
The after-effects:)
So yesterday was a good day – filled with fasting , celebration, food and finery. Sri Krishna took centerstage, both in our mandir at home…
A day of love, and a day to love…
Every year on this day, the post remains the same. As I mentioned yesterday, Sri Krishna Janmashtami is one day that I feel at peace.…
And the day is near…
One of my favorite times of the year is a couple of days away. श्री कृष्ण जनमाष्टमी is on Friday. It’s a bit odd- I…
A few (not so) random thoughts…
Is there a God? Are there many Gods? Who writes our destinies? Are they even written? Or does life play out in it’s own way…
The five pledges…
पाँच प्रण – Five pledges. 1. A developed Bharat. 2. Complete removal of the colonized mindset 3. Pride in our culture and civilisation 4. Ek…
India – a miracle of commonality…
Bharata, or India, is not short of a miracle in itself. While Bharatvarsha has existed for thousands of years, it has seldom functioned as a…