Monica with a sitar…
Around three years back I had written about Keshav’s fascination for Kuldeep Pai’s channel, along with the Cocomelon phase (one that ended thankfully). Last year…
Your daily dose of Yog
The Fourth Turning…
Around a couple of years back, I read this intriguing book called ‘The Fourth Turning’ by Neil Howe and William Strauss. This was written in 1996,…
Do watch silently…
Conflicts starting across the world… People against each other – choosing sides… I am right and he is wrong..this is mine and that is not…
Of gurus and gurus…
Legacy planning. That’s the solution that most lawyers and financial planners peddle to their rich customers. Often with gray-haired square jawed smiling white men in…
Guru Purnima…
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…
On Dreaming…
So, I was reading about iron ore mining in Australia, and I came across a passage that took me on a tangent. This part of…
Ballpoint pens and sunk ships…
Why can’t China make a ballpoint pen? There is what’s regarded in China as a “classic” question of manufacturing. The manufacturing powerhouse of the world…
I, the pencil…
I am a lead pencil—the ordinary wooden pencil familiar to all boys and girls and adults who can read and write. Writing is both my…
Time flies past, doesn’t it?
Time flies past, doesn’t it? The hair that you struggled to control and style now you have to find a hundred ways to stop it…
choices, consequences…
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…
A trip to the bookstore…
A trip to the bookstore… A trail mostly forgotten By most of us who find ‘better’ things to get busy with… A trip to the…
Watch your thoughts – that famous quote…
“Watch your thoughts, they become words;watch your words, they become actions;watch your actions, they become habits;watch your habits, they become character;watch your character, for it…
Of good and bad experiences…
Dr. Rick Hanson, neuropsychologist and author of “Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence”, writes that we humans share ancestors with “bats, begonias…
Let go through writing…
Aparigraha – not holding on to experiences, both positive and negative. Just experiencing. Emotions are just what you feel, not what you are. Suffering happens when you…
Mushin no shin…
Amani Bhava – the concept of no-mind You may have heard of the Zen concept of no-mind. The term no-mind is shortened from Mushin no shin (無心の心), a Zen…
On Mother Nature…
Mother Nature – We are born from nature, we live by nature, and when we are gone, we become part of nature again. Dr. Qing Li…
On embodiment…
Yesterday, we had a look at how Sanatana schools of thought address the concept of collective effervescence. Today, let’s look at embodiment. Most religions usually prescribe…
On Collective effervescence…
In his book – The Anxious Generation – Jonathan Haidt speaks about “drawing on wisdom from ancient traditions and modern psychology to tray to make sense…
Is your attention valuable?
Tristan Harris, a former ethicist at Google, created a PowerPoint presentation for his fellow Google employees in 2013. Titled – A call to minimize distractions…
Just five 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 a…
Public speaking…
“In fact, public speaking anxiety may be primal and quintessentially human, not limited to those of us born with a high-reactive nervous system. One theory,…
The longest day for the oldest way of living…
Today is the International Day of Yoga. SO WHAT IS YOGA? Yoga is…harmony. समत्वं योग उच्यते Samatvam yoga uchyate – says the Bhagavad Gita – a…
Thank you stromatolites…
Say thank you to stromatolites. No really. Stromatolites are living fossils and the oldest living lifeforms on our planet. The name derives from the Greek, stroma,…
On hobbies and wellness…
We have a wellness stipend at office. Staff can claim a certain amount of money every month as wellness expenses – gym, yoga that sort…
All addicts, aren’t we?
Aren’t we? IoS has a feature called “focus”. For those minutes and hours that we need to spend on one thing, without any distractions. This…
On the beauty of rasas…
A couple of years back, I read an engaging book – The Tell-Tale Brain, by Dr. V.S. Ramachandran. An interesting look at what makes us…
On commitments and super commitments…
A few days back I had written on how I found big changes easier to make by using the power of compounding incremental changes everyday.…
Calming the restless mind…
The mind has a tendency to be restless – to constantly keep thinking of hundreds of things at once. Even when you sit still, the…
Rites of passage…
A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant…
On wasted intelligence…
Epishura. Now, chances are that you have not heard of this. Nor had I. Epishura inhabits Lake Baikal, the largest source of freshwater in the…
Oh, for tradition…
अणुभ्यश्च महद्भ्यश्च शास्त्रेभ्यः कुशलो नरः।सर्वतः सारमादद्यात् पुष्पेभ्य इव षट्पदः।। – Skilled people learn from every source, be it big or small, much like honey bees, who…
The end of an era…
The summer of 91. The last exam had ended, and the vacations had begun. And so had my affair with the written word, again. Back…
A bit on those who serve…
Just as the sun, despite being lustrous, cannot shine without its rays, similarly, a king, even though he may be full of majesty, cannot be…
Of losses and gains…
To have gained and lost, is worse than not to have gained at all… Human life is all about striving towards something. Some work towards…
Where did our neighborhoods go??
As mentioned yesterday, am reading “The Anxious Generation” that is quite startling in terms of the subject matter – children are being rewired (actually have…
On food and water…
Tomorrow is Nirjala Ekādashi – a vrata without food and water. Started at sunrise, and will end the day after tomorrow, a bit post sunrise.…
Let’s just breathe…
How do I start yoga? Quite a common question yes? Most people are used to enrolling in the neighbourhood yoga class, where the instructor quickly…
Want to do nothing?
What does it take to slow down nowadays? If you haven’t noticed yet, most of us spend our time in one constant stream of chatter.…
Come, lets twist together…
Vakra means twisted, and hence Vakrasana is called the twisted pose. The Vakrasana yoga posture helps to tone the nerves around the spinal cord, strengthen our abdomen…
On subhāşitas…
A person should examine his own deeds this way everyday – are mine comparable to animals or to that of the noble? The only person…
A favorite song of mine…
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…
Of courage and ideas…
Read this somewhere… The thing that gives people courage is ideas. And it is not only courage that comes from ideas; it is determination; it…
Silappadhigaram – by Ilango Adigal
தேரா மன்னா செப்புவது உடையேன்எள்ளறு சிறப்பின் இமையவர் வியப்பப்புள்ளுறு புன்கண் தீர்த்தோன் அன்றியும் வாயிற் கடைமணி நடுநா நடுங்கஆவின் கடைமணி உகுநீர் நெஞ்சுசுடத் தான்தன்அரும்பெறல் புதல்வனை ஆழியின் மடித்தோன்பெரும்பெயர்ப் புகார்என் பதியே அவ்வூர்ஏசாச் சிறப்பின் இசைவிளங்கு…
On true intentions…
Here is the previous part… As they moved towards deeper waters, RaktaMukha got frightened, held the crocodile tightly, and said “KarālaMukha, please swim slowly. These…
The one with the pigeon and the hunter…
The story of the pigeon and the hunter This is one of the more heart-breaking stories of the Panchatantra, but one that is so beautiful…
All you have to do is…
I hear this in nearly every appraisal that I conduct – I want to improve my communication skills and writing skills. And I have the…
Who defeated 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…
a few lines to end the day…
Was starting a blog on another topic, when I came across some lines that I felt nice about. Here they are… At the age of…
Of choices and choices…
This week has been filled with choices…more than my average week. I don’t like the process of choosing when it comes to trivial matters –…
A thought crossed my mind…
Far from the madding crowd… from the atmosphere of pretentious interaction of cold handshakes and superficial exchanges… from places that are too boring to frequent…
Should we grow our own food?
Do you think that we should grow our own food, whenever we can? Well, not all of it. But at least enough so that we…
Of tiring days and battles sweet…
I was out for a long time today – set out early and just finished work for the day. My better quarter (or is it…
Who is the real you?
न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा न यज्ञाः । अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। About a couple of years back, I had written about the Nirvana Śhatakam. Recently, I stumbled upon another poem, which isn’t anywhere…
Education…or money?
Education, or money?…if you had just one choice to make, what would you choose? Ok, there is a caveat here. A lot of you may…
The Gyan Mudra…
Time commitment : 5 minutes everyday Today, we will practice our second mudra – the jñāna Mudra. I have made a lot of references to this mudra…
Tracking your accomplishments…
This exercise will help you reflect upon your daily tasks, and take the first steps to move from being busy, to being productive. A few…
Yoga and yog…
Last year, we introduced a Wellness Allowance as part of our new compensation package in Dubai. Employees are encouraged to devote some time to their…
On salary and packages…
Designing a salary package is tricky. From an employee perspective, there is a requirement to maximise compensation, and from an employer perspective, one has to…
The culture of 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…
Hydrogen, given enough time…
Hydrogen, given enough time, turns into people… Edward Robert Harrison, 1995 You know it is concerning when someone like Scarlett Johansson has her voice (allegedly)…
A billion struggles…
Around a year back, I read Elon Musk’s biography, and what an interesting read it was! Now, am not a sucker for bios, and surely…
The growth obsession…
We are obsessed with constant growth. Be it in business, where every quarter has to be bigger than the preceding one, or in school, where…
And how do you express yourself?
A few months back, one of my team members told me that she wants to write. Aha! She was interested in taking up content writing,…
Of thoughts and wishes…
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…
Of resolves and execution…
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,…
On the nature of the mind…
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत |श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्ध: स एव स: || sattvānurūpā sarvasya śhraddhā bhavati bhārataśhraddhā-mayo ‘yaṁ puruṣho yo yach-chhraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ…
On creation and creators…
Working on some exciting marketing plans for the company. So much opportunity to learn! The tools available nowadays are quite exhausting – an abundance of…
The big J…
Jealousy is a common human trait. We would have to admit that we have been jealous or envious of someone at some stage of our…
And unicorns sometimes make rainbows…
Rohāmrta has his daily pick. One toy, one piece of stuff – can be anything from a spoon to his car. This thing then becomes…
The third day of in-destructiveness…
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…
How to acquire true 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…
Is there a better time than now?
यदपि स्यादसमये यातो वनमसाविति ।अकालो नास्ति धर्मस्य जीविते चञ्चले सति ॥ yadapi syādasamaye yāto vanamasāviti |akālo nāsti dharmasya jīvite cañcale sati|| Buddhacarita 6.21, by Aśvaghoṣa Though…
In good times and bad…
उदेति सविता ताम्रस्ताम्र एवास्तमेतिच। सम्पतौ च विपत्तौ च महतामेकरूपता॥ udeti savitā tāmras tāmra evāstameti ca | saṃpattau ca vipattau ca mahatāmekarūpatā || Kavya Prakash 7.245…
The route to success…
यशोधिगन्तुं सुखलिप्सया वा मनुष्यसंख्यामतिवर्तितुं वा | निरुत्सकानामभियोगभाजां समुत्सुके वाङ्कमुपैति सिद्धिः || yashodhigantum sukhalipsayā vā manuśyasamkhyāmativartitum vā nirutsakānāmabhiyogabhājām samutsuke vānkmupaiti siddhih Kavya Prakasha Success itself is keen to…
In celebration of our planet…
ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥ īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat | tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam || Īśopaniṣad…
Ok. So what lies ahead?
At some point of time, I do wonder what comes next. In my blog, that is. Do I take up a series? I have been…
On breathing and the key to emotions…
Chandra means the Moon, and bhedana means passing through. In this prānāyāma, the left nostril is used for inhalation and right nostril is used for exhalation. It is…
The Annaprāshana samskāra…
The world searches for peace, for tranquility, and in India, the search has been an integral part of life. Freedom from worry, and detachment from…
The franca of the lingua…
Language is the base of civilization, and India has a lion’s share of the world’s languages and dialects. We have 22 official languages, and we…
Finders and indemnities…
I stumbled upon this blog of mine that I had written around three years back. I thought of it since I encountered a similar scenario,…
The art of giving…
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…
Oh these countless stars…
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…
Lets MRGA!
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…
Do you underestimate yourself?
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…
Let’s Tsundoku!
Everyone who knows me, knows that I buy books. Many people do, but I buy a little bit more. A teeny weeny bit more –…
Are you satisfied with life?
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 seniors and juniors…
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…
Are you searching for him?
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…
On leading by example…
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…
How did grammar originate?
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…
The power of learning, part 2…
Students have to learn to discriminate between what is important and helpful in their educational pursuits, and onward career development, and reject the rest. If…
There is power in learning…
In India, there is no official Dance Day, but I guess we never needed it. Just a glimpse of the Nataraja, is enough to know…
The first sign of true intelligence?
अनारम्भो हि कार्याणां प्रथमं बुद्धि-लक्षणम् ।आरब्धस्यान्त-गमनं द्वितीयं बुद्धि-लक्षणम् ॥ १२७ ॥ anārambho hi kāryāṇāṃ prathamaṃ buddhi-lakṣaṇam |ārabdhasyānta-gamanaṃ dvitīyaṃ buddhi-lakṣaṇam || 127 || The first sign of intelligence…
Perfect the very first time…
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…
Whats in a name?
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…
The Kyokushin way…
A few people contacted me after reading yesterday’s post. We thought Karate was a sport, like tennis or cricket, said an overwhelming majority of those…
The bar has been set too high…
I am wanting to enroll my daughter into karate and I am finding such a hard time looking for a good school and a good…
Do stories need proof?
A few months back, someone told me that they had received credible information (via WhatsApp), that Sita had not actually travelled to Lanka. The story…
Sri Krishna and his best friend…
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…
The sweetness of devotion…
The Madhurāshtakam of Sri Vallabhacharya sounds like a bit excessive at first glance. The lyrics have too much sweetness in them, it is literally in…
On what to give away…
After the great battle of Mahābhārata was over, the victorious Pāndava brothers organized the Ashvamedha Yagna. At the end of this ceremony, King Yudhishthira gave…
On 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…
I, me and myself:)
If I am not for myself…who will be? If I am for myself alone…who am I? If not now…when? And if not you…who? Four phrases…
Can you keep a secret?
A few bits from the Panchatantra – on secrets:) अपिस्वल्पतरंकार्यंयद्भवेत्पृथिवी–पतेः।तन्नवाच्यंसभा–मध्येप्रोवाचेदंबृहस्पतिः॥१०७॥ api svalpataraṃ kāryaṃ yad bhavet pṛthivī-pateḥ |tan na vācyaṃ sabhā-madhye provācedaṃ bṛhaspatiḥ || 107 |||| “Brhaspati has…
And who is a good sevak?
अनभिज्ञोगुणानांयोनभृत्यैर्अनुगम्यते।धनाढ्योऽपिकुलीनोऽपिक्रमायातोऽपिभूपतिः॥७९॥ anabhijño guṇānāṃ yo na bhṛtyair anugamyate |dhanāḍhyo ‘pi kulīno ‘pi kramāYāto ‘pi bhūpatiḥ || 79 || A king may he rich, or of a renowned family…
The point of the Panchatantra…
I buy second hand books from many places in Dubai, one of them being www.bookhero.ae. Was there yesterday and got talking to the owner about books…
A book for all times…
Around a couple of years back, I read this intriguing book called ‘The Fourth Turning’ by Neil Howe and William Strauss. This was written in 1996,…
Keep on watching silently…
Conflicts starting across the world… People against each other – choosing sides… I am right and he is wrong..this is mine and that is not…
Fasting as a medicine…
All religions advocate some kind of fasting on a regular basis. The Vedāntā too advocates mitāharā – mitā means moderate and āharā means food. It is one of the yamās of…
Cricket and our sticky wicket…
It’s the IPL once again. Just one game that dominates our imagination. All other games put together cannot match up to even 10% of our…
Dreamtime…
So, I was reading about iron ore mining in Australia, and I came across a passage that took me on a tangent. This part of…
Ballpoint pens and sunken ships…
Why can’t China make a ballpoint pen? There is what’s regarded in China as a “classic” question of manufacturing. The manufacturing powerhouse of the world…
I am a pencil…
I am a lead pencil—the ordinary wooden pencil familiar to all boys and girls and adults who can read and write. Writing is both my…
Choicest consequences…
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…
On 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…
Just surrender…
श्याम पिया मोरी रंग दे चुनरिया । ऐसी रंग दे, के रंग नहीं छुटे ।धोभिया धोये चाहे सारी उमरिया ॥ लाल ना रंगाऊं मैं, हरी…
Holi hai bhai holi hai!
होली है!! Holi hai! Holi is a popular festival in Sanatana Dharma, originating from India. It is celebrated predominantly in India, but has also spread to…
Is a small business really that small?
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…
The mighty dosha…
I usually begin my Saturdays at Hariprasad, my favorite neighborhood (nearly) Kannadiga food joint here, I usually also think about the origins of the dish…
Fasting on some days, and days passing so fast…
There is so much to do nowadays that I am living between Ekādashis. Days are passing very fast – I manage to keep track only…
Of champions and origins…
In other news, we won again:) A few months back, I read a bit about the origins of some common phrases. Was very interesting! They…
Just a day?
A company is made by its employees… In our case it’s largely made by its women:)) I don’t subscribe to the idea of a day…
The complicated me, and the complicated you…
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…
Kids are the same mostly..
Wakes up 7:30 shouting “Mr Sun!” (He has a nightlight that switches from moon to sun in the morning.) Mommy comes in and says good…
On the building of skills…
Was just having a conversation on education and skills. The current system of education is quite new. For a large part of our existence, we…
It’s the Vetala!
When I finished my meditation in the morning, I realized that the pearl necklace was still with me. I am not a man of the…
Let’s be thankful…
Today, I just feel thankful. It was a very productive day, and by the time it was 6, I had completed whatever I had set…
The madding crowd…
Far from the madding crowd… from the atmosphere of pretentious interaction of cold handshakes and superficial exchanges… from places that are too boring to frequent …
A few 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…
Another purge…
Change is the only constant – so says the cliche and every other LinkedIn profile. But it is true. And one has to keep reinventing…
Is this the real me?
न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा न यज्ञाः । अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। About a couple of years back, I had written about the Nirvana Śhatakam. Recently, I stumbled upon another poem, which isn’t anywhere…
The biggest night of all…
From the past few years, one cannot think of Mahashivratri, without thinking of Sadguru and Isha. The Mahashivratri event has now become the must-see event…
Of perception and Shiva…
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…
On samatva…
उदेति सविता ताम्रस्ताम्र एवास्तमेतिच। सम्पतौ च विपत्तौ च महतामेकरूपता॥ udeti savitā tāmras tāmra evāstameti ca | saṃpattau ca vipattau ca mahatāmekarūpatā || Kavya Prakash 7.245…
The big J…
Jealousy is a common human trait. We would have to admit that we have been jealous or envious of someone at some stage of our…
What’s your daily pick?
Keshav has his daily pick. One toy, one piece of stuff – can be anything from a spoon to his car. This thing then becomes…
Bite size portions…
आदौ राम तपोवनादि गमनं हत्वा मृगं कांचनं । वैदेही हरणं जटायु मरणं सुग्रीव सम्भाषणं ॥ वाली निर्ग्रहणं समुद्र तरणं लंकापुरी दाहनं । पश्चात रावण कुम्बकर्ण हननं…
oh, how we dream…
बन्धुउद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन: ॥ ५ ॥ बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जित: ।अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥ ६ ॥ uddhared ātmanātmānaṁnātmānam avasādayetātmaiva hy ātmano bandhurātmaiva…
Keshav and his Dinos…
My son loves dinosaurs. Until they only appear on TV that is. Anyways, I never thought that such small kids would love Dinos of all…
The most important books are the ones…
I had written this around 18 months back. About building my books collection, from scratch. Well, one wall-to-wall cabinet has been completed, that’s around 600…
Does learning ever go to waste?
Is learning ever wasted? Someone asked me this question the other day. She wanted to go for a course – short-term, around 2 weeks, and…
A bit on connecting with nature…
It’s funny how much our surroundings influence our emotions. Our joys and sorrows, likes and dislikes are colored by our environment so much that often…
Body – a guide for occupants…
Did you know that photons of light have no color, sound waves have no sound, olfactory molecules have no odors, and food molecules have no…
How many dollars was that again?
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…
Centre your 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…
Oh, what is in a name?
Four years back, on the 13th of February, we conducted Keshav’s Namakarana Samskara. A milestone in a child’s life, perhaps the first major one, a…
Are we all worthy?
अमन्त्रमक्षरं नास्ति नास्ति मूलमनौषधम् ।अयोग्यः पुरुषो नास्ति योजकस्तत्र दुर्लभः ॥ amantramakṣaraṃ nāsti nāsti mūlamanauṣadham ।ayogyaḥ puruṣo nāsti yojakastatra durlabhaḥ ॥ Samayocitapadyamālikā There is not a syllable…
Stories for kids, and adults alike…
I started this blog not by design – it just happened. So did the Sadhana series of theory and exercises – one article led to…
Nearly done, thankfully…
A bit of a see-saw day actually. Just when I thought that I would be in near full working condition by tomorrow, I ran a…
The five 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 a…
Are you in tune with your swara?
Discovering your swara Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment : As indicated throughout the day We spoke about knowing the breath, through a preliminary exercise, and…
Of good experiences and bad…
Have you noticed that we tend to remember bad experiences more than good ones? Think of the past few days. Try and recall all the…
Howwzatt!!
So I mostly caught the virus. Which means, cancelled meetings and calls, a bit of work pile and the headache and fever to top it…
Of sniffing and blossoms…
So the young one has a blocked nose – again. So he goes sniff sniff (and ‘apple’ or ‘happy’ in the middle of the night)…
The best time is…
यदपि स्यादसमये यातो वनमसाविति ।अकालो नास्ति धर्मस्य जीविते चञ्चले सति ॥ yadapi syādasamaye yāto vanamasāviti |akālo nāsti dharmasya jīvite cañcale sati|| Buddhacarita 6.21, by Aśvaghoṣa Though…
At the onset of learning…
सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि ।विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥ sarasvati namastubhyaṃ varade kāmarūpiṇi .vidyārambhaṃ kariṣyāmi siddhirbhavatu me sadā .. Namaskar, O Saraswati, grantor of…
And then he will be four…
And then he will be four. Early childhood is a collection of memories that a child never remembers, and parents never forget. Twenty, thirty, forty,…
Of work and emotion…
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन |मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि || You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits…
AI AI everywhere, not an intelligent person in sight…
The past few months have been about AI, but all hell broke loose one Friday when DeepSeek was released (unleashed) to the world. NVIDIA stocks…
Confusion of yepic proportions sir!
No, that isn’t a typo. A few people say that I crack dad jokes. And so, today’s title humors them. There are multiple versions of…
Silappadhigaram
தேரா மன்னா செப்புவது உடையேன்எள்ளறு சிறப்பின் இமையவர் வியப்பப்புள்ளுறு புன்கண் தீர்த்தோன் அன்றியும் வாயிற் கடைமணி நடுநா நடுங்கஆவின் கடைமணி உகுநீர் நெஞ்சுசுடத் தான்தன்அரும்பெறல் புதல்வனை ஆழியின் மடித்தோன்பெரும்பெயர்ப் புகார்என் பதியே அவ்வூர்ஏசாச் சிறப்பின் இசைவிளங்கு…
Of smiles and Social credits…
I have been following the Foodpharmer for quite a while now. In fact, ever since he started his campaign against Bournvita in 2023. He does…
A parade of emotions…
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…
The Patisserie of Unfinished Goodbyes
The café appears only once a decade, perched on a cliff where the ocean forgets its own name. Its sign, written in seafoam script, reads: La…
Learn, unlearn, repeat…
I wrote about learning yesterday, and amazing things started to happen already! Early in the morning, I used AI to make an automated spreadsheet that…
Learn…and unlearn…
2025 is turning out to be a marquee year in more ways than one. The insane pace of AI, our own plans of expansion and…
Fall down seven…
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…
The fear of the unknown…
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…
How we waste our intelligence…
Epishura. Now, chances are that you have not heard of this. Nor had I. Epishura inhabits Lake Baikal, the largest source of freshwater in the…
Of celebrations and birthdays…
Someone makes a wonderful dish. It is right up there with the best you’ve ever tasted, and you can’t have enough of it. “Give me…
Keshav’s tithi janmadina…
ज्योतिषाम् अपि तज् ज्योतिस् तमसः परम् उच्यते । ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञान-गम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य धिष्ठितम् ॥ १८ ॥ jyotiṣām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param ucyate |jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñāna-gamyaṃ…
Read read read a book…or four.
Had an interesting conversation today, where the topic of reading came up. Specifically, the way to read. But is there a way to read? Can…
Oh 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…
Are you stressed?
Stress is not inborn nor is it inherited it does not even exist in nature except in your own mind… Yes that same monkey mind…
The journey northwards…
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…
Satyavan and Savitri…
सन्तो हि सत्येन नयन्ति सूर्यं ।सन्तो भूमिं तपसा धारयन्ति ॥सन्तो गतिर्भूतभव्यस्य राजन् ।सतां मध्येनावसीदन्ति सन्तः ॥ By the Truth the saints lead the sun; by…
Artificial Intelligence, or alien intelligence?
Nexus – by Yuval Noah Harari, is turning out to be a very engaging read. Like in all his books, Yuval takes his time to…
Of your way and mine…
There are many paths to where you want to go, I’m on my way there too, so that you know… I walk the thorny bushes,…
Crazy at work?
Just finished an interesting book by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. Actually two. One is related to the title of this blog. The other…
Of angles bound…
Bhadrasana is also known as Baddha Konasana. The name comes from the Sanskrit words बद्ध, Baddha meaning “bound”, कोण, Koṇa meaning “angle”,[ and आसन, Āsana meaning “posture” or “seat”. The name Baddha…
On good company…
As I was browsing through the archives, I chanced upon this post that I had made approximately a year back. Something happened today that made…
So what lies ahead?
So, what lies ahead? Before we get to that, a question for you. How many of you ‘know’ your grandfather? By know, I mean what…
On acquiring through knowledge…
How do you acquire true knowledge from a Guru? Through – Praṇipātena – Prostration – Not just falling at the feet of the Guru – that is a…
The body – a guide for occupants…
Did you know that photons of light have no color, sound waves have no sound, olfactory molecules have no odors, and food molecules have no…
Of names and good companies…
Have had this question many times, from many people – about the name of my consultancy – 10 Leaves. Why 10? Why Leaves? William Shakespeare…
Of swords and steely resolves…
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…
Oops, day 1 is done already…
And just like that, one day already passed in the New Year. Chances are, we didn’t get much done, post all the revelry on the…
Tamaso ma…
Around five hours to go. This time around, the community management has organized a year-end party, well, right outside my house. So whether I like…
Another year ends…
Tomorrow is the last day of the calendar year. Another year flies by, without us really knowing what happened. Anyways, some plans for meeting close…
A bad tasting chop-suey…
So it’s sick season (once again), this time a bacterial infection that seems to have got to everybody at home, maid included. Not a great…
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…
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…
Subhāşitas…
A person should examine his own deeds this way everyday – are mine comparable to animals or to that of the noble? The only person…
On disruptive startups…
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…
Of courage and ideas…
Read this somewhere… The thing that gives people courage is ideas. And it is not only courage that comes from ideas; it is determination; it…
The blog that started it all
More than four years back, this is the blog that started it all. 1738 days later – still going strong! As I move towards half…
Of savory lemons and life serving lemons…
A nice cozy Saturday in Dubai, except for my allergy that played up today as a consequence of me missing my daily allergy medicine. Wonder…
How to read an Indian calendar…
Reading a Hindu calendar can be complex, especially for beginners. So here is a quick guide, just for you! Start with a Panchāngam – Drink…
Gregory and his confusion…
While we normally follow the Gregorian calendar in our daily lives, the Panchāngam holds a special significance. The Gregorian is quite arbitrary, with months having…
A song, a drop, 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…
The guidance of Vishnu Sharma…
कथामुखं The introduction In a city called Mahilaropya, very far away from here, lived a king named Amarashakti (the ever-powerful). He took very good care…
Pa Pa to Dad…
Today, as Rohāmrta was saying papa papa papa, I recalled the day he started to say da-da-da-da. At that time, I thought he would be…
A season of firsts…
Watching a kid growing up has its (lion’s) share of firsts. Today, I asked Keshav to bring my phone from the living room – also…
When you have limited time…
Time that runs away! Ricardo Gondim I counted my years and found that I will have less time to live from now on than I have…
Sarvajña and his wit…
Every now and then I look back at my posts and find a few good ones that I can re-read. Sarvajña is one of them.…
The one…the only…
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,…
Fomo and skepticism…
Was having a catch-up with the compliance team and we chanced upon a topic that needed a deep dive. I pointed them in the right…
Of books and aachooos!
So the book fair ended – and I now have around 200 books waiting to find their new home (or shelf) as I deem fit.…
Of potters and plain truths…
स्वार्थम् उत्सृज्य यो दम्भी सत्यं ब्रूते सुमन्द-धीः ।स स्वार्थाद् भ्रश्यते नूनं युधिष्ठिर इवापरः ॥ ३८ ॥ svārtham utsṛjya yo dambhī satyaṃ brūte sumanda-dhīḥ |sa svārthād bhraśyate…
Fire nahi…wildfire!
So Pushpa 2 comes along and starts to break all records, as expected. Somehow, cinema from the South has a pulse on the audience, something…
A beginners guide to reading…
1) Read 10 pages to start the day. 2) A good way is to wake up, drink a glass of water, write down 3 things…
Is knowledge an illusion?
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…
AI and tomatoes…
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…
Random musings of a weary holidayer…
And it’s a wrap! Four days flew by, and in between visiting animals and shopping perfumes, and eating food, we pretty much lost track of…
A book or two or one hundred and fifty…
So I visited the Big Bad Wolf book fair for the second time today. Bought a couple of trolley-loads worth of books, and called it…
The laws of Kaṇāda…
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…
Big, bad wolf next to my house…
Books, books books! I missed the Annual Sharjah Book Fair last month, and was pretty miffed about it. Couldn’t find time to travel all the…
All it took was nineteen years…
In continuation of my national day tributes..here is a personal dream that I got an opportunity to realize here in the UAE – my own…
We came to take…but you ended up giving us more than we could ever want…
I had an interesting conversation with an Emirati client a couple of years back. A free zone had asked him to wait 6 months before…
What’s black and yellow and white all over…
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…
Of sports days and sports lives…
Today was Keshav’s first sports day. Went better than expected, with the pressure of competition removed, the kids were able to enjoy a few obstacle…
Of melodies eternal…
A few days back, I was listening to Lata Mangeshkar’s playlist on Apple Music – they come up with different names – eternal Lata, Lata…
Bolt, buckle and dust the kid…
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…
Of pain and points…
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…
History witnessed…
Visited the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Abu Dhabi today. A culmination of a dream that we had seen in August 2015, when the announcement was…
The origin of 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…
Of children and education…
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…
One more month and a few…
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…
A question or two…
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…
A good movie and a dozing toddler…
So it was an eventful Sunday…or not, depending on how you look at it. There was some work to be completed at home, and so…
Of fights and sparring sessions…
The fight. If you haven’t seen it don’t. If you don’t know what I am talking about, even better. I would instead recommend the Taylor…
Design by first principles…
eBay is a shark in the ocean We are a crocodile in the Yangtze River. If we fight in the ocean, we will lose. But…
The village is global…
The world is a village, and explorers we all are… Visited Global Village after a long time. In fifteen years, I’ve visited the place twice,…
Discover yourself…
I discovered something new today. About one of my teammates. She used to run a cookery channel on You Tube – an own initiative undertaken…
On consistent writing…
Many people have asked me about my writing, others have suggested that I make a book. Well, for one, I don’t think I have reached…
A super class of superhero…
Yesterday I wrote about superheroes, both aspiring and reel. I forgot to mention a third category- the real. Yes they do exist. Not the silly…
On the pressure of being a superhero…
I read this interesting article by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox in the Harvard Business Review. Titled “In praise of extreme moderation”, it speaks of the trend of…
Of cakes and words and three kids thrown in:)
So there was a surprise waiting for me at office today. Suddenly, around noon, everyone started to act a bit odd – seemingly coordinating something…
Men, mirrors and marquee days…
Do you see your true self when you look in the mirror? How far have you come in your journey…and are you on a path…
Of friends and enemies…
It is said… शत्रुणा न हि सन्दध्यात् सुश्लिष्टेनापि सन्धिना ।सुतप्तम् अपि पानीयं शमयत्य् एव पावकम् ॥ २३ ॥ śatruṇā na hi sandadhyāt suśliṣṭenāpi sandhinā |sutaptam api…
A slightly different strategy
Maniac Monday was expected, but reality was a bit better. I was able to breeze through work, with not too many distractions. Did spend a…
Yama Dwitiya, and sore muscles…
पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन्समूह ।तेजः यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत्ते पश्यामि योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि ॥ १६ ॥ pūṣannekarṣe yama sūrya prājāpatya vyūha raśmīnsamūha |tejaḥ…
Day 1 off to a good start
Back in the Kyokushin days, we used to have a 45-day training camp before any tournament. Every athlete has a seasonal training schedule – while…
The best version of you…
A few days of festivities are entering a short pause – tomorrow being Govardhana Puja, followed by Bhai Dooj on Sunday, and then someone’s Gregorian…
Tamaso Maa Jyotirgamaya…
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय।तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय।मृत्योर्मामृतं गमय ॥ ॐ शान्ति शान्ति शान्तिः ॥ बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् 1.3.28। asato mā sadgamaya, tamaso mā jyotirgamaya, mṛtyormāmṛtaṃ gamaya Lead us…
Sona chaandi and thora mann…
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…
Artha, or moksha?
Did you know that tomorrow is celebrated as the National Ayurveda Day? Mostly not. We have come to associate this day with buying gold or…
The day repeats every year…
दीप्यते दीपयति वा स्वं परं चेति that which is light and enlightens others is known as Deepa… Tomorrow is my janma tithi, that time of the…
The importance of 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 pujas and 16000 wives…
You can conduct a puja, any puja, with an elaborate set of sāmagri (items), or just one flower. What matters is the feeling within. Likewise,…
Deepavali is upon us…
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…
The seven Rishis…
तदेष श्लोको भवति ।अर्वाग्बिलश्चमस ऊर्ध्वबुध्नः, तस्मिन्यशो निहितं विश्वरूपम् ।तस्यासत ऋषयः सप्त तीरे, वागष्टमी ब्रह्मणा संविदान ॥इति ।‘अर्वाग्बिलश्चमस ऊर्ध्वबुध्नः’ इतीदं तच्छिरः, एष ह्यर्वाग्बिलश्चमस ऊर्ध्वबुध्नः; ‘तस्मिन्यशो निहितं…
Let’s debate?
A day of debates. Actually, a season of debates. From politics, to relationships, to services. It is tough to debate. It is easy to fight…
Choose ME instead…
It’s ME time shortly. For everyone in office. Here is a circular that I sent out a couple of years back. Health is wealth –…
And so we gathered…
And so we gathered, a few colleagues and friends, their spouses and their children – to celebrate the end of the summer, the coming of…
A few shlock’s from the Gayatri Ramayanam…
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…
All wells that end wells…
It went well. A good gathering, employees, spouses, children…all packed into a small room with large memories at the end of it. A few won,…
The way of the worm…
घुणाक्षर न्याय (Gunākshara Nyāya) – The maxim of the letters made by the wood worm, Ghuna. This worm bores holes in wood and in books which sometimes assume…
Can you kill time?
Bhogā na bhuktā vayameva bhuktāḥ – The more we get, the more we want, isn’t it? At the start of my career over twenty years ago, I…
Of certificates and certificates…
I didn’t realize we had so many, until I started to write out their certificates of appreciation:) The 10 Leaves annual celebrations happen this week,…
The third day…
Read the previous part here… “This is because of the boon that Devi granted these asuras”, thought Sri Vishnu as he continued to battle them. “Only…
The second day…
Read the previous part here… Suratha said “Oh revered Rishi! we are grieving. I lost my kingdom, yet I feel attached to everything that is associated…
The first day…
Sri Durga Saptashloki ॐ अस्य श्रीदुर्गासप्तश्लोकीस्तोत्रमहामन्त्रस्य नारायण ऋषिः । अनुष्टुपादीनि छन्दांसि । श्रीमहाकालीमहालक्ष्मीमहासरस्वत्यो देवताः । श्री जगदम्बाप्रीत्यर्थ पाठे विनियोगः ॥ Om Asya Shrii-Durgaa-Sapta-Shlokii-Stotra-Mahaa-MantrasyaNaaraayanna Rssih | Anussttupa-[A]adiini Chanda-Amsi |Shrii-Mahaakaalii-Mahaalakssmii-Mahaasarasvatyo Devataah |Shrii Jagad-Ambaa-Priity[i]-Artha Paatthe Viniyogah || ज्ञानिनामपि चेतांसि देवि भगवती हि सा ।बलादाकृष्य मोहाय महामाया प्रयच्छति ॥१॥ दुर्गे स्मृता हरसि भीतिमशेषजन्तोःस्वस्थैः स्मृता मतिमतीव शुभां ददासि ।दारिद्रयदुःखभयहारिणि का त्वदन्यासर्वोपकारकरणाय सदार्द्र चित्ता ॥२॥ सर्वमंगलमांगल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके ।शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥३॥ शरणागतदीनार्तपरित्राणपरायणे ।सर्वस्यार्तिहरे देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥४॥…
Nine days of questions?
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु विष्णुमायेति शब्दिता । नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥ yā devī sarvabhūteṣu viṣṇumāyeti śabditā ।namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ ॥ The number nine holds…
The acquisition of true knowledge…og
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…
Is there a better time than now?
यदपि स्यादसमये यातो वनमसाविति ।अकालो नास्ति धर्मस्य जीविते चञ्चले सति ॥ yadapi syādasamaye yāto vanamasāviti |akālo nāsti dharmasya jīvite cañcale sati|| Buddhacarita 6.21, by Aśvaghoṣa Though…
In good and bad times…
उदेति सविता ताम्रस्ताम्र एवास्तमेतिच। सम्पतौ च विपत्तौ च महतामेकरूपता॥ udeti savitā tāmras tāmra evāstameti ca | saṃpattau ca vipattau ca mahatāmekarūpatā || Kavya Prakash 7.245…
Is there a recipe for success?
यशोधिगन्तुं सुखलिप्सया वा मनुष्यसंख्यामतिवर्तितुं वा | निरुत्सकानामभियोगभाजां समुत्सुके वाङ्कमुपैति सिद्धिः || yashodhigantum sukhalipsayā vā manuśyasamkhyāmativartitum vā nirutsakānāmabhiyogabhājām samutsuke vānkmupaiti siddhih Kavya Prakasha Success itself is keen to…
In celebration of the planet…
ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥ īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat | tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam || Īśopaniṣad…
What lies ahead?
At some point of time, I do wonder what comes next. In my blog, that is. Do I take up a series? I have been…
Breathing – the key to your emotions
Chandra means the Moon, and bhedana means passing through. In this prānāyāma, the left nostril is used for inhalation and right nostril is used for exhalation. It is…
Annaprāshana
The world searches for peace, for tranquility, and in India, the search has been an integral part of life. Freedom from worry, and detachment from…
Lingua franca?
Language is the base of civilization, and India has a lion’s share of the world’s languages and dialects. We have 22 official languages, and we…
Finders fees and not so professional indemnities…
I stumbled upon this blog of mine that I had written around three years back. I thought of it since I encountered a similar scenario,…
Is there joy in giving?
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…
Countless stars…
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…
On underestimating oneself…
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…
Come back next year!
Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi (Vināyaka Chaturthī) or Vinayaka Chavithi (Vināyaka Chavithī) is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Ganesha. It falls in the months of…
A story before, and a story after…
Read the prologue here… रोहते सायकैर् विद्धं छिन्नं रोहति चासिना ।वचो दुरुक्तं बीभत्सं न प्ररोहति वाक्-क्षतम् ॥ १११ ॥ rohate sāyakair viddhaṃ chinnaṃ rohati cāsinā |vaco…
Of 65 subjects and a load of patience…
I am an engineer…yet never worked a day in engineering… How many here are like me? What do you think of it? The adage goes…
In honor of Kuttichettan, and his enterprising tribe…
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…
On being satisfied with life…
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 juniors and seniors…
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…
Searching for God?
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…
And here it comes!
Here it is! Another Apple event, and another set of iPhones, iPads and AirPods to wow our senses and empty our bank balances. I love…
The origin of 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…
Ganapati Bappa…Moriya!
I had written this around a year back, and it stays as relevant as it was then. Have a read:) ॐ गं गणपतये नमो नम: …
Sri 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…
Oh how we love to procrastinate…
How does one end up with so many things to do and so little time? Work, ideas, new projects, personal plans…the days fly past and…
The power of learning…
In India, there is no official Dance Day, but I guess we never needed it. Just a glimpse of the Nataraja, is enough to know…
The first sign of intelligence…
अनारम्भो हि कार्याणां प्रथमं बुद्धि-लक्षणम् ।आरब्धस्यान्त-गमनं द्वितीयं बुद्धि-लक्षणम् ॥ १२७ ॥ anārambho hi kāryāṇāṃ prathamaṃ buddhi-lakṣaṇam |ārabdhasyānta-gamanaṃ dvitīyaṃ buddhi-lakṣaṇam || 127 || The first sign of intelligence…
A rose by any other name isn’t a rose anymore…
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…
Hitotsu, wareware wa!
A few people contacted me after reading yesterday’s post. We thought Karata was a sport, like tennis or cricket, said an overwhelming majority of those…
Common dear, lets throw a punch now…
I am wanting to enroll my daughter into karate and I am finding such a hard time looking for a good school and a good…
I love it when…
I love it when you hold my hand with your tiny fingers and then grip it tightly and fall asleep… I love it when you…
Do stories have to be proved?
A few months back, someone told me that they had received credible information (via WhatsApp), that Sita had not actually travelled to Lanka. The story…
Of Sridevi and the creator economy….
The past two days, we introduced Keshav to Sridevi:) The best actress of her times, an untimely death snatched her away and left us bereft…
The power of the spoken word…
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…
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…
Let’s celebrate!
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.…
Celebrate – HIS birthday is coming…
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…
How sweet is your devotion?
The Madhurāshtakam of Sri Vallabhacharya sounds like a bit excessive at first glance. The lyrics have too much sweetness in them, it is literally in…
Tri-ceratops!
Three recommendations per week – one book, one song, one article. No lengthly explanations, reasoning, reviews or gyaan. And no particular theme. This week: Book:…
Color me red…
One of my favorite times of the year is just a few days away. श्री कृष्ण जनमाष्टमी is on Monday. It’s a bit odd- I…
And what do you give away?
After the great battle of Mahābhārata was over, the victorious Pāndava brothers organized the Ashvamedha Yagna. At the end of this ceremony, King Yudhishthira gave…
On the occasion of Gayatri Jayanti…
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…
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…
I me myself…
If I am not for myself…who will be? If I am for myself alone…who am I? If not now…when? And if not you…who? Four phrases…
Rishabh Anna – Shubhashayagalu!
Well deserved! Rishabh Shetty just won the Best Actor National Award for his once-in-a-lifetime performance in Katara. Specifically, in the climax. Here is what I…
Three’s a crowd…
Three recommendations per week – one book, one song, one article. No lengthly explanations, reasoning, reviews or gyaan. And no particular theme. This week: Book:…
Of independence and rna…
Two important days coming up. The 77th day of our independence on the 15th, and Sri Krishna Janmashtami on the 26th. Two events that shaped…
On secrets…
A few bits from the Panchatantra – on secrets:) अपिस्वल्पतरंकार्यंयद्भवेत्पृथिवी–पतेः।तन्नवाच्यंसभा–मध्येप्रोवाचेदंबृहस्पतिः॥१०७॥ api svalpataraṃ kāryaṃ yad bhavet pṛthivī-pateḥ |tan na vācyaṃ sabhā-madhye provācedaṃ bṛhaspatiḥ || 107 |||| “Brhaspati has…
The qualities of a good sevak…
अनभिज्ञोगुणानांयोनभृत्यैर्अनुगम्यते।धनाढ्योऽपिकुलीनोऽपिक्रमायातोऽपिभूपतिः॥७९॥ anabhijño guṇānāṃ yo na bhṛtyair anugamyate |dhanāḍhyo ‘pi kulīno ‘pi kramāYāto ‘pi bhūpatiḥ || 79 || A king may he rich, or of a renowned family…
What’s the point of the Panchatantra?
I buy second hand books from many places in Dubai, one of them being www.bookhero.ae. Was there yesterday and got talking to the owner about…
Hasta kaiko hai?
After yesterday’s disastrous attempt at watching the monstrosity that was Indian 2, I needed a redeeming piece of cinema to make it worth my while.…
Of Manchurian and marma galore!
Indian2 is like the Gobi Manchurian that tasted great when you were young, but now you find too oily and salty… My review of the…
Three blind mice in a world that cannot see…
Three recommendations per week – one book, one song, one article. No lengthly explanations, reasoning, reviews or gyaan. And no particular theme. This week: Book:…
Do you know what you are capable of?
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…
A book for the times…
Around a year back, I read this intriguing book called ‘The Fourth Turning’ by Neil Howe and William Strauss. This was written in 1996, yet is…
A weekend well spent…
It’s not often that you manage to squeeze in two beautiful movies on the same weekend. The past two days were exceptional considering that we…
Watch silently…
Conflicts starting across the world… People against each other – choosing sides… I am right and he is wrong..this is mine and that is not…
Fasting is the best medicine…
The Vedāntā advocates mitāharā – mitā means moderate and āharā means food. It is one of the yamās of Yoga. Eat on time, when you are hungry, and the right kind…
Medals medals where art thou…
It’s the Olympics once again. And it’s us once again, clamouring for more than just 1 or 2 medals, and cheering every match in the…
The Dreaming…
So, I was reading about iron ore mining in Australia, and I came across a passage that took me on a tangent. This part of…
Of ballpoints and sunken ships…
Why can’t China make a ballpoint pen? There is what’s regarded in China as a “classic” question of manufacturing. The manufacturing powerhouse of the world…
I, Pencil…
I am a lead pencil—the ordinary wooden pencil familiar to all boys and girls and adults who can read and write. Writing is both my…
Did you know?
Read something intriguing and amusing today. Did you know that Germany was once the leading producer of glass, but at the onset of World War…
Three’s company…
A newsletter that does not waste time in coming to the point. Three recommendations per week – one book, one song, one article. No lengthly…
Choices and consequences…
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…
Of annadaataas and chakki aataas…
Ok the title was just to complete the rhyme. Nothing about chakki aata here. However, a lot of talk about money today. India’s budget has…
Of 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…
Of teachers and Teachers – part 2
गुरुरेव परा काष्ठा गुरुरेव परं धनं । यस्मात्तदुपदेष्टाऽसौ तस्माद्गुरुतरो गुरुरिति ॥ १८॥ gurureva parā kāṣṭhā gurureva paraṁ dhanaṁ | yasmāttadupadeṣṭā’sau tasmādgurutaro gururiti || 18|| Advaya…
Of teachers and Teachers…
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…
Outage outrage…
Thank you Apple. So here is what supposedly happened – one file in a kernel update was corrupted, and Windows crashed worldwide. One file –…
And then there were three…
Started my second newsletter on LinkedIn. Called Three. A newsletter that does not waste time in coming to the point. Three recommendations per week –…
Small bites, always:)
I had been wanting to write regularly from quite some time. It did happen in fits and starts, but didn’t go on to be consistent.…
A trip to the book store…
A trip to the bookstore… A trail mostly forgotten By most of us who find ‘better’ things to get busy with… A trip to the…
Watch your thoughts, they become words…where is this from?
“Watch your thoughts, they become words;watch your words, they become actions;watch your actions, they become habits;watch your habits, they become character;watch your character, for it…
Of bad experiences and good ones…
Dr. Rick Hanson, neuropsychologist and author of “Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence”, writes that we humans share ancestors with “bats, begonias…
Aparigraha…
Time commitment – 10 minutes everyday This exercise is simple. All you need to do, is write something that no one else will see. Just…
Would you like to prepare for death?
Time commitment : 10-15 minutes, after every yogic practice The standing joke in yoga classes, is that everyone’s favourite pose is śavāsana. Most people think of…
Don’t do anything!
Time commitment – 10 minutes every alternate day From observing, to observation. From total involvement, to no involvement. The no-mind exercise has a simple procedure –…
Take a walk…
Time commitment : One hour every week We spoke about connecting with nature in an earlier post. This exercise is an extension of the “walk in…
Embodiment…
Yesterday, we had a look at how Sanatana schools of thought address the concept of collective effervescence. Today, let’s look at embodiment. Most religions usually…
Collective effervescence…
In his book – The Anxious Generation – Jonathan Haidt speaks about “drawing on wisdom from ancient traditions and modern psychology to tray to make sense…
How valuable is your attention?
Tristan Harris, a former ethicist at Google, created a PowerPoint presentation for his fellow Google employees in 2013. Titled – A call to minimize distractions…
Five 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 a…
On public speaking…
“In fact, public speaking anxiety may be primal and quintessentially human, not limited to those of us born with a high-reactive nervous system. One theory,…
Not again!
I visited the doc yesterday – the allergy was getting the better of me. He prescribed some nasal sprays and an allergy tab, and so…
Sniff sniff…again
Ok. So it’s been a while since I had the allergy attack and unfortunately I’ve fallen sick (again) and it’s the same sniff sniff and…
On leisure…
What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. No time to stand beneath the boughs And stare…
On rediscovering one’s passions…
Passions, hobbies, favorite passtimes, avocations, obsessions.. Known by many names – but the feeling is the same. We have known this feeling, many times in…
Aren’t we all addicts?
Aren’t we? IoS has a feature called “focus”. For those minutes and hours that we need to spend on one thing, without any distractions. This…
On the restless mind…
The mind has a tendency to be restless – to constantly keep thinking of hundreds of things at once. Even when you sit still, the…
On rites of passage…
A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves…
The love of tradition…
अणुभ्यश्च महद्भ्यश्च शास्त्रेभ्यः कुशलो नरः।सर्वतः सारमादद्यात् पुष्पेभ्य इव षट्पदः।। – Skilled people learn from every source, be it big or small, much like honey bees, who…
Studies and careers…
I am an engineer…yet never worked a day in engineering… How many here are like me? What do you think of it? The adage goes…
On those who serve…
Just as the sun, despite being lustrous, cannot shine without its rays, similarly, a king, even though he may be full of majesty, cannot be…
Happy International Day of Yoga…
I got a lot of requests to write more on the 8-fold path of yoga – that some refer to as Ashtanga Yoga or Raja…
Of gains and losses…
To have gained and lost, is worse than not to have gained at all… Human life is all about striving towards something. Some work towards…
What happened to our neighborhoods?
As mentioned yesterday, am reading “The Anxious Generation” that is quite startling in terms of the subject matter – children are being rewired (actually have…
The anxious generation…
Today was Nirjala Ekādashi – a vrata without food and water. Started at sunrise, and will end tomorrow a bit post sunrise. 24 hours without…
Just breathe!
How do I start yoga? Quite a common question yes? Most people are used to enrolling in the neighbourhood yoga class, where the instructor quickly…
AAo twist karein…
Vakra means twisted, and hence Vakrasana is called the twisted pose. The Vakrasana yoga posture helps to tone the nerves around the spinal cord, strengthen our abdomen…
Let’s Kanban it!
The Emirates is closed for four days. A long weekend, that is actually a full week of holidays. And so I decided to use this…
A subhāşita…
A person should examine his own deeds this way everyday – are mine comparable to animals or to that of the noble? The only person…
A favorite of mine…
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…
Of ideas and courage…
Read this somewhere… The thing that gives people courage is ideas. And it is not only courage that comes from ideas; it is determination; it…
Main, Narendra Damodardas Modi…
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…
Silappadhigaram
தேரா மன்னா செப்புவது உடையேன்எள்ளறு சிறப்பின் இமையவர் வியப்பப்புள்ளுறு புன்கண் தீர்த்தோன் அன்றியும் வாயிற் கடைமணி நடுநா நடுங்கஆவின் கடைமணி உகுநீர் நெஞ்சுசுடத் தான்தன்அரும்பெறல் புதல்வனை ஆழியின் மடித்தோன்பெரும்பெயர்ப் புகார்என் பதியே அவ்வூர்ஏசாச் சிறப்பின் இசைவிளங்கு…
True intentions…
Here is the previous part… As they moved towards deeper waters, RaktaMukha got frightened, held the crocodile tightly, and said “KarālaMukha, please swim slowly. These…
The pigeon and the hunter…
The story of the pigeon and the hunter This is one of the more heart-breaking stories of the Panchatantra, but one that is so beautiful…
Just read more!
I hear this in nearly every appraisal that I conduct – I want to improve my communication skills and writing skills. And I have the…