- Illustrated Ramayana – Part 2On the way to the sacrificial spot Viswamitra taught the princes many valuable lessons in the course of which he told them how they could endure hardships and use powerful Astras (weapons). As they moved forward, a Rakshasi called Tataka, who was held in dread by the Rishis as well as by the denizens of the forest, accosted them. Viswamitra advised Rama that though …
- Illustrated Ramayana – Part 1Sriman 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 and deal with Ravana and his followers. He announced that He would take the form of the four sons of Dasaratha, Emperor of Ayodhya. He asked the Devas to assume the shape of vanaras and help the …
- Gayatri Ramayanam – Part 4१९. 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 Rama, I think, is the eternal Narayana Himself.” [Note: These are the musings of Ravana when many of his commanders and his brother Kumbhakarna were put to death by Rama and Lakshmana] २०. न …
- Gayatri Ramayanam – Part 3१३. 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 capable of taking any form she desired, Hanuman, son of Vayu and very powerful (scaled the ramparts of Lanka) १४. ध –धन्या देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः |मम पश्यन्ति ये नाथं …
- 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 भागं यथा पूर्वे संजानाना उपासते ॥ saṃ gacchadhvaṃ saṃ vadadhvaṃ saṃ vo manāṃsi jānatām | devā bhāgaṃ yathā pūrve saṃjānānā upāsate || “We pray for a spirit of unity; may …
- Gayatri Ramayanam – Part 2७. नि –निरीक्ष्य स मुहूर्तं तु ददर्श भरतो गुरुम् |उटजे राममासीनं जटामण्डलधारिणम् || २-९९-२५ – अयोध्याकाण्डम् Bharata (after sighting the hermitage of Rama), spent a few minutes looking at it and then saw Rama , his Guru, sitting inside with his matted locks. [Note: The context is Bharata visiting Rama at Chitrakuta with a view to persuading him …
- Gayatri Ramayanam – Part 1तत्सवितुर्वरॆण्यंभर्गो 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 Kandas, namely, Balakanda, Ayodhya Kanda, Aranya Kanda, Kishkindha kanda, Sundara kanda, Yuddha kanda and Uttara Kanda. The first letter of the first sloka in each group of 1,000 slokas …
- Nama Ramayana – Uttara Kaandam – Part 3धर्मस्थापनतत्पर 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: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who Gives Liberation to one Wholly Devoted to Him. सर्वचराचरपालक राम् ॥१०३॥ Sarva-Cara-Acara-Paalaka Raam ||103|| 103: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who is the Guardian …
- Nama Ramayana – Uttara Kaandam – Part 2स्वर्गतशम्बुकसंस्तुत 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|| 94: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who Made Happy His Own Sons Lava and Kusha. अश्वमेधक्रतुदीक्षित राम् ॥९५॥ Ashvamedha-Kratu-Diikssita Raam ||95|| 95: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who was Initiated …
- 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 Sages. विश्रुतदशकण्ठोद्भव राम् ॥८८॥ Vishruta-Dasha-Kannttho-[U]dbhava Raam ||88|| 88: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who heard the origin (i.e. the story) of the Ten-Faced (i.e. Ravana). राम् राम् जय राजा राम् । राम् राम् जय सीता राम् । Raam Raam Jaya Raajaa …
- Nama Ramayana – Yudhda Kaandam – Part 3भरतप्राणप्रियकर 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 ||78|| 78: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who graced the City of Ayodhya after his return from Lanka. सकलस्वीयसमानत राम् ॥७९॥ Sakala-Sviiya-Samaanata Raam ||79|| 79: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, …
- 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 what any of it means. This is the Voynich manuscript. The Voynich manuscript has been studied by many professional and amateur cryptographers, including American and British codebreakers from both World War I and World War II. …
- 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 bit of shut eye and relaxation. Which brings me to something that I had written a couple of years ago. Tomorrow’s another day! It’s late, you are tired, been working …
- 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 word learned) and we go wow with him – basically sleeping in bits and pieces. And today, as he wants a bit of pampering, we give him all we can …
- 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 I was yesterday instead? For goals are best seen closer an intimate connection to you rather than something unreal, something you know will never happen… Be ambitious they say, be …
- Nama Ramayana – Yudhda Kaandam – Part 2अहिमहिरावणचारण 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 ||70|| 70: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who Destroyed the Ten-Faced Ravana in the Battle. विधिभवमुखसुरसंस्तुत राम् ॥७१॥ Vidhi-Bhava-Mukha-Sura-Samstuta Raam ||71|| 71: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who was Praised …
- 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 of the structure – you can google it if you want. The thing that I liked the most though were the carvings – stories etched in stone – kathas of …
- 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. वानरसैन्यसमावृत राम् ॥६३॥ Vaanara-Sainya-Samaavrta Raam ||63|| 63: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who was Surrounded by the Army of Vanaras. शोषितसरिदीशार्थित राम् ॥६४॥ Shossita-Sarid-Iisha-Arthita Raam ||64|| 64: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, …
- 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, Who was Continually Remembered by Hanuman, the most prominent among the Vanaras. तद्गतिविघ्नध्वंसक राम् ॥५५॥ Tad-Gati-Vighna-Dhvamsaka Raam ||55|| 55: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who Removed the Obstacles to the Movement …
- 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 promises that Artificial General Intelligence is not as far away as we think. Midjourney makes such good images that it is nearly impossible to tell them apart from the actual …
- 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 Feet were worshipped by Hanuman. नतसुग्रीवाभीष्टद राम् ॥५०॥ Nata-Sugriiva-Abhiisstta-Da Raam ||50|| 50: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who Granted the Wish of Sugriva who Bowed to Him in Surrender. गर्वितवालिसंहारक राम् ॥५१॥ Garvita-Vaali-Samhaaraka …
- Nama Ramayana – Arannya Kaandam – Part 2शूर्पणखार्तिविधायक 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 take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who removed the Demons Khara and Dushana from the face of the World. सीताप्रियहरिणानुग राम् ॥४३॥ Siitaa-Priya-Harinna-Anuga Raam ||43|| 43: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who …
- 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 the demons. दुष्टविराधविनाशन राम् ॥३६॥ Dusstta-Viraadha-Vinaashana Raam ||36|| 36: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who Destroyed the Wicked Demon Viradha. राम् राम् जय राजा राम् । राम् राम् जय सीता राम् । Raam Raam Jaya Raajaa Raam | Raam Raam Jaya …
- 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 towards those who will be part of your future. And a small step away from me… When you attend your first day at college, I will mostly see you off, …
- 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. अवनीतनयाकामित राम् ॥२४॥ Avanii-Tanayaa-Kaamita Raam ||24|| 24: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who was Desired by the Daughter of the Earth (i.e. Devi Sita). राम् राम् जय राजा राम् । राम् राम् जय सीता राम् । Raam Raam Jaya Raajaa Raam …
- Nama Ramayana – Bala Kaandam – Part 3Nama 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 divided into six chapters: Bala-kanda, Ayodhya-kanda, Aranya-kanda, Kiskindha-kanda, Sundara-kanda and Yuddha-kanda. विदेहमानसरञ्जक राम् ॥१७॥ Videha-Maana-Sa-Ran.jaka Raam ||17|| 17: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who Enhanced the Honour of King Janaka. त्र्यंबककार्मुकभञ्जक राम् ॥१८॥ Try[i]-Ambaka-Kaarmuka-Bhan.jaka Raam …
- Nama Ramayana – Bala Kaandam – Part 2Nama 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 divided into six chapters: Bala-kanda, Ayodhya-kanda, Aranya-kanda, Kiskindha-kanda, Sundara-kanda and Yuddha-kanda. घोरताटकाघातक राम् ॥९॥ Ghora-Taattakaa-Ghaataka Raam ||9|| 9: I take Refuge in Sri Rama, Who was the Slayer of the Terrible Demoness Tataka. मारीचादिनिपातक …
- Nama Ramayana – Bala Kaandam – Part 1Nama 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 divided into six chapters: Bala-kanda, Ayodhya-kanda, Aranya-kanda, Kiskindha-kanda, Sundara-kanda and Yuddha-kanda. नामरामायणम् : शुद्धब्रह्मपरात्पर राम् Nama Ramayanam : Shuddha Brahma Paratpara Raam ॥ बालकाण्डम् ॥ || Baala-Kaannddam || The Chapter on Childhood शुद्धब्रह्मपरात्पर राम् ॥१॥ Shuddha-Brahma-Paraatpara Raam …
- 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 एतहि रामायणं ॥ aadau raama tapovaanadi gamanam , hathva mrugam kaanchanam vaidehi haraNam Jatayu maraNam sugreeva sambhaashaNam, vaali nirgrahaNam, samudra taraNam lanka puri daahanam pashchad raavaNa kumbakarNa hananam yetahi raamayaNam Once when Rama …
- 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 for the long years of Eternity For you killed an unsuspecting bird in love” It is said that all Sanskrit literature originated in its form as sahitya from the time of Sage Valmiki …
- 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 about it. It’s quite a radical form I must say, and challenges the status quo. Will it work? Or will it not? Frankly, if it doesn’t break, might as well …
- 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 and maybe one more than you can dodge, It may hit you square in the jaw, and before you know it, you are floored. Lying there, rubbing your chin, head …
- 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 over a name? A kid will eventually get used to it, they said. True. So does a kid named Tom, Dick or Harry. I guess it boils down to culture. …
A rose by any other name will NOT smell as sweet… Read More »
- 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 ca roha rāṣṭráṃ ca róha dráviṇaṃ ca roha /prajā́ṃ ca róhāmŕ̥taṃ ca roha róhitena tanvà1ṃ sáṃ spr̥śasva // Raise the standards of all the aspects of your life, raise the …
- 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 कर्म में, करके सोच-विचार ।‘हो कर प्रवृत्त सोच लें’, है यह गलत विचार ॥ (४६७) ಆಲೋಚನೆ ಮಾಡಿದ ಮೇಲೇ ಕೆಲಸವನ್ನು ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳುವ ನಿರ್ಧಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಬರಬೇಕು. ಮೊದಲೇ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಲು ನಿರ್ಧರಿಸಿ ಆಮೇಲೆ ಆ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ‘ಆಲೋಚನೆ …
- 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 tools to rebuild our internal tech stack, and I must say – some of these products are genuinely surprising me. They are ingenious, well thought out and more importantly, they …
- 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 so happened that Gandharvasen died in the course of time, and his eldest son, Shanka, was crowned king. Shanka was intelligent, but rude and insolent, and the kingdom suffered under his …
- 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 is for lowly minds. Minds that are noble and wise, think of the entire world as one family. We all have read the Panchatantra. Well, maybe not in totality, but …
- 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 to her and said “My dear, today I had the good fortune of seeing a Yaksha. He has promised to give me whatever I ask for. And so I rushed …
- 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 ran out of food. This day is associated with material wealth and prosperity when people buy gold and start business ventures, but that is perhaps a reflection of what we …
- 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 Industrial Revolution, a majority of the businesses, if not all, were small businesses. Traders, livestock, armorers, home smiths, potters…that sort of thing. Guilds were the next stage of evolution, where …
- 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 I had just ordered. The masala dosa. Legend has it that a Brahmin adiga (cook) was the creator of this popular breakfast item. Brahmins were not allowed to consume anything …
- 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 āsuraḥ | akṣetravid yathā mugdho bhuvanāny adīdhayuḥ || यं वै सूर्यं॒ स्व॑र्भानु॒स्तम॒सावि॑ध्यदासु॒रः । अत्र॑य॒स्तमन्व॑विन्दन्न॒ह्य१॒॑न्ये अश॑क्नुवन् ॥यं वै सूर्यं स्वर्भानुस्तमसाविध्यदासुरः । अत्रयस्तमन्वविन्दन्नह्यन्ये अशक्नुवन् ॥ yaṃ vai sūryaṃ svarbhānus tamasāvidhyad āsuraḥ | …
- 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 get to choose them. Back in the day, there was a standard Vision and Mission statement that was hung upon a wall someplace in every office – big or small. …
- 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 something worthwhile, and I took the plunge. I don’t even remember very well, on how the name 10 Leaves came out. I think the first name that we settled on …
- Hunger…Saw a good movie today – Hunger on Netflix. It’s a Thai movie, and I recommend seeing it in Thai, rather than English. There are subtitles of course. The movie is about the world of fine dining – one that is fiercely competitive and full of stress. It takes a lot to come out with …
- The beauty of not doing anythingSomehow, from the time we start school, we are taught to ‘fill up’ our day. You have to keep doing something, else you are termed lazy and accused of procrastination. Every minute counts – you are told. Don’t waste time – you are told. It continues through college and even work – every self help …
- 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. Well we dropped him actually, and he didn’t even look back. Just went in and started to play. We went and had a coffee, stayed nearby just in case – …
- 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 are called. And I sure hope they end up building well:) And so now it’s a lot of forms, more forms, papers, disclaimers and allergy declarations. We don’t know what …
- 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 jalastho vānaro yathā || 1 || He who keeps calm and uses his intelligence in troubled times, will be able to deal with any tough situation. Much like the monkey who …
Friendship, and suspicion, and fast thinking monkeys… Read More »
- 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 the UAE, and I was pleasantly surprised to know that he had been following our podcasts! You are possibly connected to more people that you think… We also visited a …
- zzzzzzz…..againHave 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 me, maybe I am a bit more careful and hence sleeping more lightly. I do recall writing about this in June last year, so the ‘phase’ seems to be quite …
- 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 trip that took us within inches of bored lions and a massive Bengal Tiger who couldn’t care less. But he did see the Gorilla – a lone big guy living …
- 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, how time passes you by, as you keep making plans and do little to action them. And from the past few days, I’ve realized that it has become essential to …
- 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 you have running (and warm) water, spare a thought for the blessed life you have. Yes, maybe you woke a hour too early or have to leave for work in …
- 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 but could not agree.Hui-neng, the sixth patriarch, said: “Gentlemen! It is not the flag that moves. It is not the wind that moves. It is your mind that moves.”The two …
- 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 the king’s court from a foreign kingdom. He saluted the king and then said, “Your Majesty, I have heard from many people that you have very wise ministers in your …
- 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 – to be sorted into three relatively tiny boxes that seemed more to tick a box (pun intended) rather than to actually provide a mechanism for true recycling. A lot …
- 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 pair of white sheets, lived a louse named Manda-Visarpinee (the one who crawls slowly). She sucked on the king’s blood when he was asleep, and passed her days living happily this way. …
- 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 for their daily needs. One day, Shiva and Parvati were also walking through the same forest, when Parvati happened to see the couple. She was filled with compassion for them, …
- 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 been reading up a lot on AI (Artificial Intelligence for the uninitiated) and unlike the crypto space, this is actually real. And exciting and terrifying both at the same time. …
- 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 it was long ago? Go back and tell them what I said, and let them do what they think is proper in this situation.” Hearing the words of the Devi, …
- 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 twice to a seeker, he doesn’t speak the same thing twice. He does it perfectly the very first time. लक्ष्मीश्चन्द्रादपेयाद्वा हिमवान्वा हिमं त्यजेत्।अतीयात्सागरो वेलां न प्रतिज्ञामहं पितुः॥ lakṣmīścandrādapeyādvā himavānvā himaṃ …
- 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 work on overcoming sattva? What form does Devi take in the next (and final) carita? Who does she fight with? Mala has been removed, Vikshepa has also been taken care …
- 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 work on overcoming sattva? What form does Devi take in the next (and final) carita? Who does she fight with? Read on, to know more:) Tomorrow is Durga Ashtami. I …
- 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 in our lives – it has brought about a behavioral change. We are now hooked to the very tech that promised to make our lives simpler. From the time we …
- 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. It introduces a disequilibrium that upsets an existing balance. Rajas is motivated in its action, ever seeking a goal or an end that gives it power. It possesses outward motion …
- Tamas – Day 3So, how did the weekend start? Hopefully an hour earlier than it used to:) Today is the last day of our attack on tamas, before we move on to rajas guna, which is on the other end of the spectrum. And what better than Surya namaskara, to get rid of that lethargy and laziness that …
- Tamas – Day 2How 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 and binge on OTT. Those exercises that I mentioned yesterday seemed so easy yes? I think you forgot the upcoming weekend:) So the challenge really is to continue the good …
- Tamas…Tendencies – a predisposition to think, act or proceed in a particular way. Indian philosophy speaks of Gunas, which are essentially tendencies that can be divided into three sections – tamas, rajas, and sattva. Tamas – The name comes from the Sanskrit, tamas, meaning “darkness,” “illusion” and “ignorance,” and guna, meaning “quality” or “attribute.” Tamas guna is …
- 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 to us, to clean up my inner and outer self. The process started a few days back, and I will be accelerating it through these nine days. These nine days …
- 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 (as Gudi Padwa), Sindh (as Cheti Chand), and Manipur (as Sajibu Nongma Pānba). It is also the start of Navaratri. Unlike New Year’s day as per the Gregorian calendar, the …
- 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 have to break everything down into small pieces, and then look at them individually, and how they fit in to the overall scheme of things. What does not matter, is …
- 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 oneself every once in a while, mostly with the aim of climbing at least a notch higher… And so here I am, working on reinvention number ‘god knows how much’, …
- 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 don’t usually get the opportunity to do so. And by the time they settle, they don’t have the courage to upset their applecarts and cushioned lives and try to embark …
- 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 cute cuddly animals yes, but prehistoric lizards baring their teeth and making frightening noises? NAH. Nevertheless, he has two that keep him company, and occasionally the sounds they make find …
- 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 and then we die, never to be seen or heard of again? Do we come back? Even if we do, how would we know? What lies beyond the Universe? Science …
- 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 yours Do they make fun of you? Do they tell you to aim lower, to be less reckless To think of a stable future, rather than an unknown one? …
- 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 toddlers three languages – English, Arabic and French. Nice, but doesn’t fit my requirement. Unfortunately, most kids here in Dubai end up with an accent, and I am trying as …
- 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, one that has many industries within itself. It has arguably the most footfalls, the highest number of tickets sold and the biggest variety among all the movie industries globally. Our …
- 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 quality of great men. Impartiality – being just and fair. Tiruvalluvar says that தகுதி எனவொன்று நன்றே பகுதியால்பா ற்பட்டு ஒழுகப் பெறின் – Thakudhi Enavondru Nandre Pakudhiyaal Paarpattu Ozhukap Perin – to be …
- 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 1st standard (or grade). Now, there are more flavors in the market – pre-nursery, pre-school, daycare, early learning etc. etc. Some claim to have syllabi, others are more activity-based daycares. …
- 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 Upanishad The essence of this opening verse from the Isha Upanishad is – Whatever exists in this world, originates from one source. And so, do not covet, for whose is wealth? …
- 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 performing work in devotion (karm yog), O mighty-armed Arjun, but the muni who is adept in karm yog quickly attains the Supreme. Bhagavad Gita 5.6 Living in a cave in the Himalayas, a …
- 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 up those who dig it, is the greatest of virtues. विरोधिष्वपकर्तृणां तिष्ठेदेकदिनं सुखम् ।परद्रोहसहिष्णूनं यावज्जीवं भवद्यश: ॥ The joy of the vengeful lasts only for a day, but the glory …
- 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 to sustain ourselves. Unfortunately, we take things to be the other way around. Usually working ourselves to death, while thinking that the good stuff is just round the corner – …
- 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 the assembly of the learned. किंवा तप: कृतं पित्रा प्राप्तुमेतादृरां सुतम् ।इति लोकै: स्तुत्: पुत्र: पितु: स्यादुपकारक: The son’s duty to his father is to make world ask, ‘By what …
- 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 been thinking on these lines from quite a while. This has been accelerated by the thought of Rohāmrta starting school in a few years from now. I studied math upto …
- 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 by reaction. These are extracts from the Vaiśeṣika Sūtra and are attributed to Kaṇāda. Sound familiar? Also, have you ever heard of कणाद (Kaṇāda)? He was an ancient Indian Rishi and philosopher …
- 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 अनमोल है, जो कोई भी बोले जानि । हिये तराजू तौलि के, तब मुख बाहर आनि।। – words are priceless, and so weigh your words well, before you speak. Our ancestors …
- 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. Most of us think that being spiritual involves growing a long beard, wearing white or saffron robes and renunciation of the world. Tiruvalluvar was probably among the first philosophers to advocate …
- 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 first couplet mentions not the letter A, but the sound ‘a’. This sound is one of the primary sounds that make up any alphabet, and the first of all. 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 enough to wither a guest’s heart. सूंघा ‘अनिच्च’ पुष्प को, तो वह मुरझा जाय ।मुँह फुला कर ताकते, सूख अतिथि-मुख जाय ॥ मातृदेवो भव । पितृदेवो भव । आचार्यदेवो भव …
- 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 empty show. I am reminded of the story of Kanaka Dasa, a renowned Carnatic philosopher and poet who lived in the 16th century. Since he was from a lower cast, Kanaka …
- 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. माहात्म्यमप्रमेयस्य ज्ञात्वा तं भजतां नृणाम् ।अज्ञानमूलकं कर्म द्विविधं चापि नश्यति ॥ (५) Indian philosophy believes in renunciation as a path to liberation. Moksha is the goal, not heaven. Freeing oneself …
- 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 just ahead. Two ambulances, many police cars, and possibly someone severely injured, or maybe even the worst case scenario…we wouldn’t know. And just then from our windows on the left, …
- 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. I learnt that the Chairman of the Board of a public company is all-powerful, and the only one that matters. Also, he is elected not through well-recorded board proceedings, but …
- 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 a positive outcome. Well, it wasn’t anything like what I had expected. Without going into details, let it suffice to say that I came away from the interaction a lot …
- 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. आहारापेक्षलोकस्य भोज्यं धान्यादिकं बहु ।उत्पाथ पेयतामेति स्वयं वर्षे जलात्मना ॥ (१२) Water sustains life as we know it – without water, life would cease to exist. All holy scriptures speak …
- 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 counted among the wise. Nearly every religion, every spiritual path speaks of self-restraint. One must wonder then, about why we have sense organs in the first place, if they have …