When I Die - Poem by Rumi

When I Die

When I die
when my coffin
is being taken out
you must never think
i am missing this world

don't shed any tears
don't lament or
feel sorry
i'm not falling
into a monster's abyss

when you see
my corpse is being carried
don't cry for my leaving
i'm not leaving
i'm arriving at eternal love

when you leave me
in the grave
don't say goodbye
remember a grave is
only a curtain
for the paradise behind

you'll only see me
descending into a grave
now watch me rise
how can there be an end
when the sun sets or
the moon goes down

it looks like the end
it seems like a sunset
but in reality it is a dawn
when the grave locks you up
that is when your soul is freed

have you ever seen
a seed fallen to earth
not rise with a new life
why should you doubt the rise
of a seed named human

have you ever seen
a bucket lowered into a well
coming back empty
why lament for a soul
when it can come back
like Joseph from the well

when for the last time
you close your mouth
your words and soul
will belong to the world of
no place no time

Life gives a chance

It happened in a flash of a moment - literally. Barely five feet to go to the exit, the fireball enveloped me. The heat seared through my skin and thick black smoke made it impossible to breath. Five or ten seconds more, I would have become tandoor...roasted alive. Then it occurred to one of my companions to tear open the door and I tumbled out, followed by a huge fireball, movie style, close on my heels.

Rest of the events are pretty imaginable. whisked away to first aid post and transported 200 km to the nearest hospital, twenty agonizing days to substantial recovery, the support and goodwill of my staff, friends and colleagues to my wife and the tender care by hospital staff.... I suppose a mere thank you to all of them would be never enough. I presume Santosh Gupta, Choudhary, Satya, Banu Pratap, Chandrasekhar Y Pawar, Durgaprasad, Brijesh Kumar, Devika, Brinda, Anju Kumari, VK Sharma, SV Syed, Surya Bhattacharya, Ambika, Farah Patil, and my dear Mona have become now part of my living memory. May God bless them all and grant them His liberal grace in all their life's undertakings.

Throughout those twenty days, somethings else kept playing out in my mind like a gramophone record - those few moments when I stood inside the envelope of fire. Strangely, I did not feel an iota of fear. Fully aware that the fireball has me in its grip, I was conscious of just three things: one, I may last a few more moments; two, I should not change the direction in which I was going (towards the exit) for I would get disoriented soon; three, not to look around since my eyes will burn out. Keeping both my fore arms to cover my face, I just proceeded ahead, in time to tumble out of the entrance. In fact my hands got burnt in the process of opening the cover on the entrance when one of assistants also helped to pull me out.

I kept asking myself as to how come I did not panic; how the mind remained absolutely clear and unfazed. While a score of explanations like upbringing, training, attitude, physical stamina, etc, kept popping up, the simplest of the explanations holds the fort - life gives a chance. It always and in every absurdly hopeless situation too, it gives a chance. Like Paulo Coelho says, the symbols are ever present. It is upto us to take it and move forward or ignore and be done with.

Osho in every breath says that it is being aware which is essential. Be aware. Awareness is life and not being aware is death. Life calls for an awareness of our being that is beyond mere physical senses. It is transcendental in nature. Every time there is a close call, believe that life is actually giving us a chance. Take it. 

I am my own puzzle..unsolved

Friends are the touchstone of our life. They reflect the real you and many times the reality that they reflect back puzzles you. This is what I felt when a friend of mine asked me a simple question - what do I think my objectives in life were?

Having scored half past a century, I was smug in my comfort zone that I have reached where I want to and the remaining life is just to be lived off the brownies that I have already earned. That is when this poser from a friend came. Sitting back, I reflected on the so called brownies in my kitty. The more deep down I went, the more I realized the transient nature of our objectives in life. The more you garner, the more appears necessary. The playing field never has a definable boundary. That is when I begin to feel that the actual playing field is not outside in the physical world that surrounds me. It is inside. The more the heart craves, the larger the field becomes.

So do I become a Buddha? Give up 'desires'. Stop moving and the field ends there. It is nice to imagine that the mind (and the heart) could be frozen. Like Osho says "be still". Being still is not a product of the control that we have on our mind. It is rather the awareness that we have no desire to control. To be in control is an acknowledgement of desire. It is also an acknowledgement of fear - the fear of having to face the unknown which by controlling we want to avoid encountering.

All our life we try to control things around us. In reality, it is the desire to feel secure in the environment that we feel we keep under our control. Fallacy though it may be, for the forces of nature and those around us exercise larger influence over our life than what we think we control, we still believe that we are in charge.

If that be so, then what objectives do I have or should I have? To control or consciously let go? MDQ - million dollar question. There is an interesting line in the song by Olivia Newton-John:

If you love me, let me know.

If you don't, let me go.

I can take another meaning

of a day without you in it....

Though the song may be on a romantic note, the deeper meaning is worthy of reflection. Let go of control for in essence we own nothing.

Coming back to my friend's question...well, the debate is open.

   

Imaging our gods - the science behind god-making

One of my friends recently sent me a message asking whether I knew that the Shiv Ling is made as per scientific principles. I asked him to explain the scientific principles. He replied saying he was told emphatically by his guru that it is written in the shastras that Ling is the ultimate expression of divinity and therefore it is the most scientific physical representation. I asked him to find out which ‘shastras’ and ‘what is scientific’. He replied that he felt offended by such agnostic questions coming from me.

I was taken back, though it was nice to see someone so devoted to his guru. While I expressed my sincere apologies to him for offending his sensibilities, I thought I must also share what little bit that I do know.

There are two periods of Indian history when India can be said to have reached the pinnacles of intellectual acumen. First was from 2500 to 500 AD and the next is from 400 to 1500 BC. In the first period came the Vedas and Upanishads as the result of a peaceful pastoral Indian community searching for the purpose of life. The second period saw the birth of Vedanga (the six sciences), mathematics, astronomy, astrology and a host of other sciences. One of the Vedangas is the science of constructing divine images called SHILPA SHASTRA. In fact experts believe though Panini and Patanjali of 500 BC were familiar with images of gods, no evidence exists of constructing ‘pratima’ for worship. The art and science of constructing images for worship grew thereafter and in 1500 AD, the SHILPA SHASTRA was written.

There are very few experts who can be said to know the Shilpa Sashtra now. In the early 1930s, Dr AN Tagore, Dr A Coomaraswami, Mr OC Ganguly, etc were considered to be expert art-critics with deep insights into Shilpa Shastra.

It is Shilpa Shastra that defines what measurements are to be taken in constructing images of gods. Measurements in Shilpa Shastra are in ‘angula’. An ‘angula’ is 1/4^th of a ‘musti’, meaning closed fist. Sukra Niti, Maya Sastra and Matsya Puran further give various measurements and criteria for constructing the images of gods with stone, metal or even painting them.

The measurements are for three purposes – to give aesthetic beauty, to mark the purpose of that particular image and to physically symbolize the god as described in Purans. For example, gods with the thumb of the open palm of either hand touching the chest symbolize ‘protection’. That means the bhakt will seek to be protected by the deity. The image with the palm touching the abdomen symbolizes ‘vardhan’, that means the bhakt will seek boons. There may be deities with one palm near the chest and another near the abdomen. This deity is worshipped for both protection and boons.

Now let us see the construction of Shiv Ling. In the Shiv and other Purans, Shiv is the only god described as TRIMURTHI. Brahma, as we know is just Brahma. In so far as Visnu is concerned, we say ‘Sivaya Visnu rupaya, Siva Rupaya Visnave’ – meaning both are same. So, TRIMURTI is a god who has to be represented as the one carrying out all three functions in equal measure. Also, he cannot be represented in human form as the description of Brahma, Visnu and Siva is quite distinct from each other. Therefore, Trimurti is represented as an oval (all encompassing, the whole), mounted on a circular platform with a base. Each of these segments is to be of equal height to symbolize that He carries on the three acts of creation, protection and destruction equally.

This is the science behind Shiv Ling. Have a great day.

Strange Are the Ways of Krishna

There have been a variety of teachers, mystics and messiahs in the history of mankind. But none like Krishna. It is immaterial whether he actually lived or not. Two thousand six hundred years have passed since Buddha walked the earth. Two thousand years since Christ came. One thousand four hundred years since Mohammed (PBUH). None of us have actually seen them. Whatever we know of them is from the writings of somebody or the other. To be honest, it does not actually matter whether they lived. What is material however, is the relevance of their teaching to our life and our faith in what they said. So, let's get back to Krishna.

There are three aspects, incidents and sayings of Krishna without understanding which, whatever else we may talk about would be just stories or conjectures or both. Let us therefore talk about them one by one.

Scene 1: We will begin at the end. At the end of the war, Pandavas get installed in the throne and Krishna goes back to Dwarka. Many months pass and Kunthi becomes agitated by his absence. She commissions Vidur to fetch Krishna from Dwarka. Krishna accepts the invitation and sets out on Vidur's chariot towards Indraprastha. Through the journey Krishna finds Vidur unusually withdrawn and subdued. He queries him only to be told that the questioner being Lord of the Universe should know why. Krishna goads him to ask and eventually Vidur obliges. The conversation goes something like this:

'You are god. Had you just wished both brothers must live in peace, today we would have the entire clan alive. Why didn't you?'

'Since you know the complete sequence, Vidur, tell me what did the brothers desire?'

'Well, when Duryodan and Arjun came to seek your assistance, you made it clear that you will not take up weapons and fight. So, Duryodan asked you to give your army to him. Arjuna on the other hand, asked you to drive his chariot on the battlefield'.

'Did the brothers broach peace and seek my help to live peaceably?'

'Not at all. In fact, they both sought war and your support for it'.

'Vidur, can't you see that they obtained what they desired. Why are you blaming me for the desires of your heart? What you seek with the craving of your heart is what you shall attain'. Vidur understood.

Scene 2: In the course of exhorting Arjuna to give battle, in the Gita, Krishna makes two important statements:

‘There is no one I consider as worthy of my love. Nor is there someone that I hate’.

‘I have said what I have to. Now it is up to you to take it or leave’.

Both these sentences are addressed to Arjuna, whom the world considers as the foremost of the disciples of Krishna. We of the world can never imagine the two without each other. However, Krishna by his cited statements, makes it abundantly clear that it is not so. Further he says:

‘I do what I have to, irrespective of someone's likes or dislikes. In order to ensure that the universe continues to function the way it does, I must continue to do what I have to’.

Scene 3: Earlier in Mahabharata, when Duschasan attempts to disrobe Draupati, she makes feeble attempts to resist him. She then goes on to appeal to the good conscience of Dridrashtra, Bhishma, Drona and the like. Finding no help, she usurps her husbands but finds them incapacitated by their deeds. After having exhausted all options, she throws up her hands in surrender and cries out to Krishna. He instantly saves her honor.

When we sequentially arrange the lessons in these stories, we come to know why Krishna is like no other. Let us see the lessons:

1. There is no special devotee or hated opponent. All are equal in god's eyes.

2. He will neither change nor alter what is ordained in the universe. Nothing will be changed for anyone so as to advantage him or disadvantage him.

3. You will attain what you seek. There is nothing that god will grant you separately and beyond what you desire.

4. If you really want Him to do anything, then you have to completely give up your ego, honor, wants and everything. Only when you completely surrender yourself to Him, He will take you in. When that happens, He will possess you so completely that you will be left with none of your former self.

Such are the ways of Krishna. Other messiahs asked you to believe, to pray, to forgive, to love and to renounce. Krishna actually leaves everything on you. You do. You desire. You attain.

Strange indeed are the ways of Krishna.

Did we say it was a Monday?

Champa, our maid, simply ordered us to remain seated in the bed so that she can mop the floor without all of us flopping around. I do not know if maids elsewhere have the same habit of either talking to themselves or addressing someone throughout the process of their sweeping and mopping. In India, they do. Particularly if you have hired a Bengali housemaid, DBS comes as part of the package, whether you asked for it or not (for the uninitiated, DBS is Daily Broadcasting Service that doles out essentially unconnected news, randomized depending on the mood of the broadcaster, and aired whether listeners are tuned in or out). Today the broadcast was about mothering children in the 'modern, tech savvy world'.

And, as is perhaps typical of every mother, she complained about her fourteen year old son's addiction to smart phones. 'Chapat, chapat (indicating the key pad beeps his phone makes), chapat , chapat, all the time'.

'You know, he kept asking me every five minutes "mom, has it become alright?" throughout the other day when his phone had some glitch and I had given it for servicing. Till it came back, every five minutes it was "mom, mom and mom". Now that it is back, for the past two days, mom simply doesn't exist'.

The half hearted way in which she made the complaint brought smiles on our face. It was wonderful to feel the pride that her son was tech savvy and the 'loss' of attention he gave her before the smart phone arrived perfectly balanced in her tone. But that was not all.

Addressing my niece sitting on the edge of the bed, Champa continued.

'Look at my daughters. Twenty four hours (round the clock) it is cartoons and more cartoons on the TV. It is as though movies and other soap opera do not exist. Walking into my own house, do you know how I feel? As though I am a cartoon myself.'

I just couldn't stop myself. My niece was actually trying to avoid Champa's gaze. Giggling happily at the niece's cost, I told  Champa that she should repeat the last dialogue to my niece's mom.

'Why?'

'Because you are telling this to a person whose mom feels exactly the same way you feel about cartoons on TV' I said.

'Ooi, maa' she exclaimed the way only a Bengali can. 'Look at who I am complaining to'.

By then, the entire household was laughing. Can you ask for a better start on a Monday, I wonder.

Did we say Human Rights?

The World Human Rights Day (HRD) was observed on 10 December.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, in his statement issued on HRD, specifically noted the remarkable peaceful efforts of individuals like Liu Xiaobo of China, Ahmed Maher of Egypt, Eskinder Nega of Ethiopia, Azimjon Askarov of the Kyrgyz Republic and exhorted governments and individuals alike to strive to fulfill the promise of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

In India, the day was celebrated by organizing the political conferences, meetings, exhibitions, cultural events, debates and many more programs to discuss all the issues of human rights. Several governmental, civil and nongovernmental associations actively take part in the human rights event celebration, each calling upon government and the civil society alike to give full meaning to human rights by observing them in practice.

human rights must be more than mere aspirations, and declarations cannot simply be slogans. Nor are they discretionary, they are fundamental. - See more at: http://thecommonwealth.org/media/news/secretary-generals-statement-human-rights-day-2014#sthash.WJVJf4Ss.dpuf

The Secretary General of Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma, while stressing upon the relevance and importance of HRD, said that human rights are not mere aspirations and declarations are not mere slogans; nor are they discretionary, they are fundamental.

Across Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Pacific nations, NGOs, organizations and people observed HRD with solemn pledges, many with the hope that their own life will be transformed. How did West Asia observe? While everyone else made speeches and took pledges, West Asia, particularly Israel, made a statement so loud and so precise in a manner that actually exemplifies the need to uphold human rights everywhere:  

On 10 December, Palestinian minister Ziad Abu Ain led a group of people in the West bank village of Turmusaya protesting Israeli occupation and violations.

How do they protest? By planting olive trees.

So what does Israel do? A group of Israeli soldiers pounce on the people planting trees and specifically target the minister by thrashing him black and blue. No shots fired by anyone, no bombs, no tear gas, no water cannon. Just thrashing. [see the full coverage by Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/10/us-mideast-israel-palestinians-idUSKBN0JO10720141210]

What happens to Ziad Abu Ain? He dies.

Now who is this Ziad Abu Ain? He is a minister in the Palestinian government. Incidentally, Palestine, though not having a territory of its own, has been recognized as a country by the UN in 2012. Last week, Sweden became the 135th country in the world to formally recognize Palestine as a nation. And, Ziad Abu Ain was a minister of a country called Palestine.

There is hardly anything else that needs to be said about respecting the sovereign institutions (including individuals who may represent such institutions by virtue of the office that they may occupy) of countries. The recognition and respect that we pay to these symbols form the foundation of international relations and helps us as countries to construct meaningful dialogues with each other on any and every issue that needs deliberation. But if X country shows impudent disrespect for sovereign institutions of other countries, then the world order and peace are at serious peril. In such a climate, talking of human rights is exactly what the Secretary General said: remain a mere slogan.

World Human Rights Day, well, we seem to have a long way to go towards translating good slogans into meaningful action. It is just sixty five years since UDHR has come about. Considering the 460 thousand years of human history, this is not even a wink. Things do take time to become convictions. Our parents spent twenty years average teaching us to abide by truth. At times we do give it a slip. It takes sixty/seventy years in a person's life to actually feel convinced about anything. Some of us will be shaking hands with St Peter without ever having had any conviction at all. It happens. Sad.   

eli settlements in the occupied West Bank village of Turmus'aya. - See more at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/Media.aspx?IsMediaPage=true&LangID=E#sthash.FKu0HvDe.dpuf

Palestinian Minister Ziad Abu Ein after Israeli troops clashed with protesters on 10 December. Ziad Abu Ein died following an assault by an Israeli soldier during an olive-tree planting protest against illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank village of Turmus'aya. - See more at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/Media.aspx?IsMediaPage=true&LangID=E#sthash.FKu0HvDe.dpuf