The way I see it

I decided to pick a random verse from the Bhagwad Gita today and see if it did help me with something that I have been thinking about. These are the verses that came to me: 3.30: Dedicating all actions to Me, with your mind intent on the Self, free from expectations, free from selfishness, devoid of fever, engage in battle (or fight). 3.31: Those who constantly practice this teaching of Mine with faith and without carping, they are also liberated from actions. Thank You Krishna.

Yesterday night saw this new Hindi movie called "Wake Up Sid". I liked it! Many of the recent Hindi movies were such duds that I was pleasantly surprised to watch this one. The relationship between Sid and Aisha ( the 2 protagonists) was beautifully developed. No awkward moments between them. Even at the end when they express their love for each other, the director did not feel the need of showing a kissing scene. I loved the way they hug each other at the end....it was very warm. On another note, I am always curious to watch the new generation Indians in the movies. I always have a little critical attitude towards their ways in life and feel that its too westernized for what India is in my heart. But today I realized that even though they eat pizza and pastas, call each other "dude, wassup" or are too candid about their sex lives, the essence of "Indianness" is everywhere! In the movie even though Sid disrespects his parents, he cannot relate to his Mom a...

Yesterday evening me and Sachin went for a music concert by Zakir Hussain, Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer. It was such a memorable evening. Apart from the music, meeting the 3 musicians was such a previlige. I was very excited to meet Zakir Hussain. I have respected and adored him and his music since I was a kid. He was amazingly modest. A person of his calibre says to me that I am kind enough to love and appreciate his music!! When he first came on stage he touched the stage with his hands and then to his forehead and heart, the normal Indian custom of showing respect to the stage. After the show was over he bid a good bye to the audience with a namaskar. How lovely are the customs of India. If you can really understand the meaning of these customs, they can make you so humble. Everything about India pricks me these days. My current feelings for my country remind me of something I read in a book (Ghost of Che) that Indians residing outside of India develop a love affair with India. That i...

Everyday is a struggle against our own nature(internal) and the external. We struggle with the external nature with the help of our ideas and technology which reduces the effect of nature's strokes against us(mankind). And then there is the internal nature.....my likes, dislikes, thoughts and actions. I struggle everyday to focus my energies on my goals...immediate and ultimate goals. However strong the feeling of accomplishment there is in the mind, my actions go astray and intertia takes over unknowingly. Everyday I have to remind myself of what it is that I want and whether my actions follow my thoughts. There has to be a constant thought in our minds to remind ourselves of our goals. This is the constant struggle I am talking about. We cannot lose heart or hope if we drift away from our paths for a day, a week or several years. As long as we keep alive that thought in our minds which will constantly remind us of our goals, we will get back on track sooner or later. Life is inde...

My friend Kathleen said a wonderful thing in one of our recent discussions. She was talking about the "evolution of consciousness". The real meaning behind our evolution is the development of our consciousness. And this keeps evolving for all of us until it ultimately merges into the universal consciousness. That is the most wonderful defnition of evolution I ever heard! It is not necessarily about the evolution of mankind from using stone tools to computers but how much are we unfolding the universal Truth within our minds. And everyone of us is at a different stage in this evolution. The earthworm is at a different level than what I am and further the sage is at a much higher level than me. My friend Kalyani always says that everybody's starting point is different as far as their spiritual endeavours go. And this difference I think is because we all are at different stages in this process of evolution. And it encompasses several generations or if I may say several lifet...

I was wondering about destiny. Is everything already planned out by Him and we are the mere instruments? Why does evil exist then? But how do we define evil? What might be evil for us might be a very good thing for someone else. These are just dualities and have no absolute existence. May be we do not have to worry too much about them. All we can do is play our part to the best of our abilities, keeping in mind that we are just the instruments and He is the doer. As Lord Krishna says to Arjuna: Therefore arise for battle, O Arjuna. You will gain fame by conquering the enemy and enjoy a flourishing kingdom. All these warriors have been slain already by Me due to a previous design. You are merely an instrument (nimitta-matra). [11.34] The path we choose in fulfiling our duties then becomes our karma.

Life is tuff, with so much of stuff. I am always stressed to make the right choice, everyone's advice is not my type. I try, try and try listening to my loved ones, yet there is no solace in my little world. Then why should I listen, why should I obey when nothing makes it to the foray. My confidence is weak, my dreams shattered, no one knows my heart is broken. He said, Oh my beloved! Life is wonderful and it is fair I love you my dear, and will take care of you Just open your heart and listen to my voice You will know its your own little voice listen to it, listen to it my dear Follow my path and believe in thy strength Oh Lord, everything unto thee You are the only thing that is mine, you are my final destination.