I have not blogged a piece in the Jignyaasaa blog for about an year now. Once wisdom dawns, the wise say, that there is only silence. Was I, or am I "there", then? Well, far from it, going by this urge again to share and blog, with this interim of an year mostly occupied with the passionate desire to see a printed version of it.!!!!!
This unedifying desire was troubling me, till on an off-chance, while channel surfing in TV, I got to see a scene from a Hollywood film. There is a dialog between two guys and this goes like this: (Uncannily similar to my persona !!!!!!!)
First person : What do you do?
Second one : I am a writer........
FP : what do you write on?
Second : Oh I usually blog my pieces.
FP : Oh I see, Blogging is nothing but some graffiti with punctuation!!
Regardless of the sarcasm (rebuke?) I couldn't help appreciate the import of this observation.
Perhaps there is this sub-conscious feeling all along, that a book would make me to get to the grade as a writer(!!) & which is manifesting itself as a desire to get the blog into a book form....... How sad...... especially since this is spiritual Jignyaasaa by the way......
And in deference to the profoundness of this Film's dialog, I am tempted to start this blog with a few Vichisms.... (Vichu's profound graffiti expressed as aphorisms with punctuation )
Here I go:
1.God's blessing seems like a an Oxymoron: It comes without my knowing and as per my desire.... ( Thannai Ariyaamal, yathechhaya in Tamil) ......
2.Love is blind (is only a belief ) and so gives pain when there is no reciprocity.
3.Bhakthi however is complete surrender, in a fully conscious state, without any expectation of reciprocity & in absolute trust in Him, that He will deliver....
This blog was about Gita so where is the connection one may ask. Patience my lord, here they are....
I will quote from two verses and express them as aphorisms :
First is a Verse from the second Chapter (the beginning of Gita Upadesa...) and is very profound ......
Karmanyeva adhikaarasthe.....(Your rights are solely confined to performing your duties, karmaas....)
The other is in the final 18th Chapter, which while appearing simple on the face of it, to me seems most profound.........
Maam Ekam Sharanam ......(Surrender unto Me alone.....)
There is this essay Titled "On Doing Nothing", by one J.B. Priestly which was part of my English class in the 10th Standard. Wish I had been wise enough in those days to tell my English teacher who used to feel mesmerized by this essay, that this is an oxymoron at the best.
Our texts are very clear that there can be no moment in the lives of us mortals which can be without "doing"..... A saying by Vyaasaa goes further with some profound import
"all our karmaas are prescribed and are to be performed in order to rid ourselves of doing karma without expectations of fruits ..... " (Much more profound & meaningful?) I am digressing, and so let me get back to the Verses.
You first start off with believing in God, do His ordained karmaa, expecting Him to give you all kinds of boons as if it is a kind of barter, and feel disappointed, angry, frustrated, and start blaspheming when He apparently gives you a feeling that He isn't listening.... ..... The Verse is clearly implying "thou shalt just do his/her duty" period.... doing thus will act as a cleanser, & lead you to that stage of Nishkaama karma (doing one's duty without expectation of a result) .... In other words, getting to that stage of "Doing one's karmaa for the sake of karma alone without either a trace of self consciousness & ego, or any kind of attachment to the fruits of such action.....
The Verse in the final Chapter then tells you about transcending thence to the ultimate stage, where you, i, he or karma, etc all Cease to exist, and what remains is I the non-dual ONE.
Rest of the interim verses are more about Arjun's jignyaasaa driven Qs and the Lord's step by step Ans; a la Guru & Shishyaa samvaad about the "Hows" to reach that stage of merger unto Him in "ONE" .... the only purpose of this life.....as a human being.....
It's for one to take a choice; either follow the two aphorisms & merge ultimately or
be so fascinated with the "hows", that you are trapped enjoying its beauty in perpetuity..... Rishi Bharadwaj was so fascinated with mastering the Vedas that he had to be told by Narad Muni to chuck it, & go on meditation to realize himself.....
Contrary to what may appear to be a bit of cowardice to leave everything to Him in total trust, this requires one to be brave enough to remain steadfast in the face of all privations He may choose to visit you.
Fortune favors the brave is a saying, others eternally wait for fortune to favor them
Choice therefore is clear......
Ekalavya alias Vichu
This unedifying desire was troubling me, till on an off-chance, while channel surfing in TV, I got to see a scene from a Hollywood film. There is a dialog between two guys and this goes like this: (Uncannily similar to my persona !!!!!!!)
First person : What do you do?
Second one : I am a writer........
FP : what do you write on?
Second : Oh I usually blog my pieces.
FP : Oh I see, Blogging is nothing but some graffiti with punctuation!!
Regardless of the sarcasm (rebuke?) I couldn't help appreciate the import of this observation.
Perhaps there is this sub-conscious feeling all along, that a book would make me to get to the grade as a writer(!!) & which is manifesting itself as a desire to get the blog into a book form....... How sad...... especially since this is spiritual Jignyaasaa by the way......
And in deference to the profoundness of this Film's dialog, I am tempted to start this blog with a few Vichisms.... (Vichu's profound graffiti expressed as aphorisms with punctuation )
Here I go:
1.God's blessing seems like a an Oxymoron: It comes without my knowing and as per my desire.... ( Thannai Ariyaamal, yathechhaya in Tamil) ......
2.Love is blind (is only a belief ) and so gives pain when there is no reciprocity.
3.Bhakthi however is complete surrender, in a fully conscious state, without any expectation of reciprocity & in absolute trust in Him, that He will deliver....
This blog was about Gita so where is the connection one may ask. Patience my lord, here they are....
I will quote from two verses and express them as aphorisms :
First is a Verse from the second Chapter (the beginning of Gita Upadesa...) and is very profound ......
Karmanyeva adhikaarasthe.....(Your rights are solely confined to performing your duties, karmaas....)
The other is in the final 18th Chapter, which while appearing simple on the face of it, to me seems most profound.........
Maam Ekam Sharanam ......(Surrender unto Me alone.....)
There is this essay Titled "On Doing Nothing", by one J.B. Priestly which was part of my English class in the 10th Standard. Wish I had been wise enough in those days to tell my English teacher who used to feel mesmerized by this essay, that this is an oxymoron at the best.
Our texts are very clear that there can be no moment in the lives of us mortals which can be without "doing"..... A saying by Vyaasaa goes further with some profound import
"all our karmaas are prescribed and are to be performed in order to rid ourselves of doing karma without expectations of fruits ..... " (Much more profound & meaningful?) I am digressing, and so let me get back to the Verses.
You first start off with believing in God, do His ordained karmaa, expecting Him to give you all kinds of boons as if it is a kind of barter, and feel disappointed, angry, frustrated, and start blaspheming when He apparently gives you a feeling that He isn't listening.... ..... The Verse is clearly implying "thou shalt just do his/her duty" period.... doing thus will act as a cleanser, & lead you to that stage of Nishkaama karma (doing one's duty without expectation of a result) .... In other words, getting to that stage of "Doing one's karmaa for the sake of karma alone without either a trace of self consciousness & ego, or any kind of attachment to the fruits of such action.....
The Verse in the final Chapter then tells you about transcending thence to the ultimate stage, where you, i, he or karma, etc all Cease to exist, and what remains is I the non-dual ONE.
Rest of the interim verses are more about Arjun's jignyaasaa driven Qs and the Lord's step by step Ans; a la Guru & Shishyaa samvaad about the "Hows" to reach that stage of merger unto Him in "ONE" .... the only purpose of this life.....as a human being.....
It's for one to take a choice; either follow the two aphorisms & merge ultimately or
be so fascinated with the "hows", that you are trapped enjoying its beauty in perpetuity..... Rishi Bharadwaj was so fascinated with mastering the Vedas that he had to be told by Narad Muni to chuck it, & go on meditation to realize himself.....
Contrary to what may appear to be a bit of cowardice to leave everything to Him in total trust, this requires one to be brave enough to remain steadfast in the face of all privations He may choose to visit you.
Fortune favors the brave is a saying, others eternally wait for fortune to favor them
Choice therefore is clear......
Ekalavya alias Vichu
No comments:
Post a Comment