Yesterday , was April 13th . It was 8th day of the new year , first month being chaitra . This date, April 13th, has a special meaning for me . 31 years ago , on Wednesday , 13th April 1988 , was my last day at school and first day of life . I was 4 months short of turning 18 , but I knew life ahead needed me to walk and slog for a long time . At around 1030 am , my chemistry practical exam finished and I walked back to the ND Block PitamPura bus stand , alone . It was a sloppy yet bright mildly warm typical Delhi morning , but that 10 minute walk, was like the most deeply engraved 10 minute memory of my teenage. I knew , what's ahead was not a fun filled journey , the typical excitement of a teenager to get out of school was missing . I Didn't know a lot of things , like, what would be a good career , what is the purpose of my life , what's my true calling and what are my inherent superpowers ? I used to think simple things , like how do i make 3000 rs a month and soon , How do i afford a bike ? Will i ever have enough money to add a portion to our house and will I ever be able to travel overseas ? That walk ended soon enough , I looked back at that street again , I never went back to ND Block Pitampura Delhi again ever . I have thought about that moment though , once a year I recollect it , or whenever I have been in emergency units in Hospitals , or being wheeled in and out of Operation theatres . That day will stay , because this journey has been taxing . I pretend to be indefatigable and undiminishable but the reality is that I am fatigued and diminishing . In years to follow , Johnnie Walker Black Label used to be my favourite drink and they have a slogan ....Keep Walking
Today's blog is about some more thoughts ;
जिस दिन से चला हूँ, मुसलसल चल ही रहा हूँ ,
आँखों ने अभी तक मंज़िल का पता नहीं देखा
ये फूल मुझे किसी विरासत में नहीं मिले है,
किसी ने मेरा काँटों भरा बिस्तर नहीं देखा
ख़त ऐसा लिखा है कि नगीने से जड़े है,
वो हाथ के जिसने कोई ज़ेवर नहीं देखा
आँखों में रहा,दिल में उतर कर नहीं देखा,
कश्ती के मुसाफ़िर ने समंन्दर नहीं देखा
How much do u weigh : There is so much talk about soul or aatma or that software that makes this hardware of human body work . Is this soul even for real , I discovered that there is a scientific study published in 1907 by Duncan MacDougall, a physician from Massachusetts. MacDougall hypothesised that souls have physical weight, and attempted to measure the mass lost by a human when the soul departed the body. So a living person on a weighing scale , once dead will be lighter by 3/4th of an ounce . I guess that's all our "true" weight is , the rest of the hardware doesn't matter , if its toned , fit , obese or slim. That's all what matters , the soul is 3/4th of an ounce . that all we are , there is another observation I often think about , an average infant is born 2.4 kilos and look at the urn in which the cold ashes are poured from the cremation ground , usually its a steel (never copper) urn . I had done last rites for both my maternal grandparents and when we needed to buy the urn , I was told , it was a standard 2.5 kilo urn . It could be coincidental but while pouring cold ashes with my hands I realised , that the human weight is actually nothing but 2.5 kilos and 21 grammes .
3 In One : One more aspect of human life I often introspect about . What's the most important part of a human , particularly male existence , what the benchmark of true life worthiness , is it Life , Living or Livelihood or is it the ability to Seek, Search and Explore, or is it just one aspect . The richer u die , the better you were ? I get answers in Krishna's life , He was the warrior who killed his Mama and ended the kingdom of ego , revenged for his siblings death in a way . Then he comes across as an eternal lover with Radha but never marries her , moves to Dwarka and becomes Dwarkadheesh and plays the role of a righteousness coach and mentor in Mahabharata. Which aspect of his life justifies his existence , the answer is simple , which Krishna do you see in the temple . Radha Krishna . It's Love and compassion , the universe is about love . Krishna's other roles inspire but his divinity is from his love . If we notice , Goodness and Intelligence is a rare combination , intelligence can make one a crook, he can fool, to fool also you need intellect . He was the powerful king too but power and talent is a rare combination , so his king form is not worshipped. . Also talent and discipline are a rare combination as well . Talent is rebellion as well . so what's divine about Krishna , I guess his love and righteousness first .
Debate within : The first step to a spiritual journey is deep and constant introspection within , the silent argumentative, self critical monologue within . Asking the questions to stimulate critical thinking and to draw out ideas and underlying presuppositions. , Socrates once said , I know one thing that I know nothing , I read a Punjabi verse the other day .
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This The more I read and introspect , the more darkness I encounter. I often feel that success has destroyed more people than failures. Success takes away the ability to pause and introspect . Yesterday I deleted all my social media accounts , Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, I am convinced that our connections with the universe are by redefining existing concepts and relationships and making it clearer to ourselves . The noise on social media makes you comparative , which lets you not hear the sounds around you . I realise , most people play music , hear the sounds but don't listen to the sounds and the poetry together . Spirituality is about letting the silence talk . There is a "Soul Family" somewhere, the people that we connect with at a soul level, not by blood or social arrangements but at a soul level, find the soul family. I am often also worried about the business of life ...
Life is a business, the Doctors, Nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals companies are aggressively driving, Death is a Business, war and war equipment is needed to build the fear and they are pushing it well but in between Happiness is not a business, it's not anyone's job to make you happy . It's your own pursuit. The debate within was to build more silence (hence abstinence from social media) , build a soul family and keep walking .
This hymn from Sikh religious texts is so suited to clarity needed in this journey .
Khalsa Soi Jo Nindaa Tiaagay
खालसा सोइ जो निंदा त्यागे
Khalsa is the one, who renounces calumny, does not criticise anyone
Khalsa Soi Jo Larhay Hoi Aagai
खालसा सोइ लड़े होइ आगै
Khalsa is the one who volunteers to contend in the first rank.
Khalsa Soi Jo Panch Ko Maarai
खालसा सोइ जो पंच को मारै
Khalsa is the one who annuls the five vices (Lust, anger , ego, greed and attachments )
Khalsa Soi Maan Jo Tiaagai
खालसा सोइ मान जो तिआगै
Khalsa is the one who relinquishes the ego.
Khalsa Soi Parasiddhi Ko Tiaagay
खालसा सोइ प्रसिद्धि को तिआगे
Khalsa is the one who does not seek fame .
Khalsa Soi Niradhan Ko Paalai
खालसा सोइ निरधन को पालै
Khalsa is the one who looks after the poor.
Khalsa Soi Dusaat Ko Gaalay
खालसा सोइ दुस़ट को गाले
Khalsa is the one who annihilates the the evil-doers
Khalsa Soi Saasatar Ko Dhaarai
खालसा सोइ स़सतर को धारै
Khalsa is the one who adorns the arms.
Khalsa Soi Malaychh Par Charhe
खालसा सोइ मलेछ पर चढ़े
Khalsa is the one who invades the barbarians
Khalsa Soi Jo Karay Nit Jang
खालसा सोइ जो करे नित जंग
Khalsa is the one who is constantly fighting the righteous war
So Keep walking till you have breath and keep fighting ....
Today's song is a Mohit Chauhan one , good music will always be created as long as there are good listeners ....
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