Being Ram

Rupam dehi jayam dehi yasho dehi dvisho jahi Grant us  beauty , Grant us victory, Grant us welfare, remove all hostility. Dehi saubhagyam arogyam dehi mein paramam sukham Give us auspiciousness , health and ultimate never ending happiness . -Devi Mahatmya. I have been chanting this mantra as a regular part of shodoshopchari Puja (the 16 fold offerings) for years. However this year during Ganesh puja, this mantra brought in a new awareness in my heart .This Mantra kind of started ringing and echoing for the whole day and it just doesn't stop even after Mangal Murti  has left for his divine abode. How much do we ask from the Lord.? Are we into devotion ? or a business of devotion ? "Oh lord we offer you this small Puja and some Modaks and give us almost everything under the sun . Make me handsome , give me wealth , give me sons ( Not one , many :-) :-) ), make me victorious , give me health ." On the one hand we say that the lord is all powerful...

A recent visit to this beautiful shrine, refreshed my reflections on one of the most sublime phenomenon that can occur to human beings ......"A Prayer". What is a Prayer after all? ...in the words of a modern man with scientific acumen, trying hard to preserve his faith, it is an effort to build positive energy in our psyche. A more conservative explaination would be an ardent effort on the part of a devotee to ask for the help , support and guidance from the all mighty. The need of a prayer . It's psychology . The miracles ...that have happened with prayers and some disaapointing stories of life long devotees about prayers do not interest me much ...I love to savour my food more than just fill my belly and thats the reason I feel we must learn to enjoy this very process of uplifting ourselves by an incredibly unique gift provided only to sapiens. I had collected some of the best prayers ever said ( or sung ....music enriches prayers) and I still remember how much I had e...

Human communication has never ceased to interest me. If we closely observe two people talking to each other..talking with or talking at each other .., we realize that it’s not the voices or non verbal signals that are sent across, but a deeper expression of personal selves that is taking place .Words are merely instruments to actualize the feelings of inner self that get communicated. Everyone is very tender and delicate from within .Each one has a need to be cared for; comforted and valued .The world would have been a much better place had we valued the tenderness, the delicacy and vulnerabilities of the people that we are talking to. There is no limit to the joy that we can gain when we provide the warmth and comfort to the ailing heart and donate a smile to someone’s face. This brings me to the famous commentary of Geeta by Saint Dnyneshwar .. One of the verses that really strikes my heart, is Be true ..soft and mild Be sparing and graceful Let you words be like waves of divine ne...

They were packing their bags. A wave of sadness had pervaded my entire house .And though I am particularly troubled by departure moments even of a fairly less acquainted person , I was closely observing the way they were moving around. I was feeling so sad that even my the tears could not find a vent .This couple who had spent their whole life for their only son, who were truly the cause of what he is and where he is, were leaving again back home. My parents had come to stay with me for 3 weeks and they were now leaving. On the one hand Aii and Baba were feeling sad that they are leaving their beloved son and on the other, they were no t comfortable staying in Mumbai where materialism ,money, crowd and noise were the prime disturbances. I remember the moments when they were planning to come to Mumbai to see me. It was all so exciting, that my parents are going to come to stay with us .Three weeks had passed like three seconds and it was time for them to go back .This took me to...

I remember this song by meat loaf. I used to listen to it very often during my Engineering days. Meatloaf for one, used to intrigue me quite a lot. I never understood why a person chooses to dress, act and sing in a manner that makes him look so unusual? Why some of these western singers are so fond of looking weird? In search of elegant artistic expression that I was, I never found answers to these questions though I did find some depth and meaning in the songs of meatloaf as time passed. It was not about the songs, it was about the new references that I had found for myself, that these songs had become meaningful for me. This song was about the visit of Meatloaf to his native place where he remembers of a terrible plane crash that had occurred in his childhood .The rear view mirror of his car shows him objects at the back. But he is much intensely associated with them and they seem closer to his heart. The soul he says is a car and life, a high way. It’s a strange tryst with time tha...

After how many months? may be an year?.....but I am back....inspiration from another blogger across seven seas and I am back to blogging business.The wheels of change have rotated too fast in the past year.....this time all the changes were pleasant.Or have I learnt to take things positively? I don't know.I have given away the Gazzetted Officer's Job. Morale is rocketing . SAP certification.....My God I don't believe I did it. mySAP solution consultant...sounds good....But .The journey hereonwards will be on a totally different path . It will be much different as compared to the previous one. There are dangers lurking on every step and an open and frank person like me can fall into them so easily . I will have to be cautious and careful as I proceed ahead . I am sharply aware of the fact that the coming days will bring with them lots of hardships , yet there will be days full of learning . What ever I may feel I know that a new period of opportunities has been ushered in my...