Stay steadfast on the path of 'Dharma'

Stay steadfast on the path of 'Dharma'
(Copied but quite relevant)
Once there was a king. He was a strong spiritualist, a dharmika. Whatever he said he did and whatever he did he said. One day the king declared that he would buy anything that remained unsold in the village market. People flocked to the market.

A sculptor brought an idol of the goddess Alaksmi, which negates wealth. Who would want to keep an idol Alaksmi in their house? Nobody bought it. In the evening the sculptor came to the king and said: "Please take this idol and be true to your words." The king bought it.

Alaksmi entered the palace. At midnight the king heard a woman weeping. He approached her, asking, "Mother, why are you weeping? What is the matter"? "I am the goddess of wealth, Rajyalaksmi", she replied. "Now that Alaksmi has entered the palace, how can I live here?" The king said, "Very well, for the protection of dharma I have to keep Alaksmi here. If you do not want to live here, you may go". So the goddess of wealth left.

After some time the Raja heard the sound of footsteps. He saw a man and asked, "Who are you?" The reply was: "I am Narayana." The king asked: "Where are you going?" Narayana replied: "Lakshmi has left the palace, so I shall not live here." The king said, "To protect dharma, I have to keep Alaksmi, and so if you want to leave the palace, you may go; what can I do?" Narayana left. After that all the gods and goddesses left the palace. The king said, "If you all so desire you may go". In the end a glorious personality appeared. "Who are you?" asked the king. The reply was" "I am dharma raja, the king of dharma. As all the other gods and goddesses have left the palace, I am also leaving." The king replied, "It cannot be. To protect dharma I kept Alaksmi. Oh Dharmaraja, how can you leave me?" Dharma Raja said, "You are right. I will not leave."

Since Dharma remained there, Narayana slowly entered through the back door. The king said to him, "If you wish you may come." Lakshmi followed him, covering her face, because she did not dare to show her face to the king. Then all the gods and goddesses started entering. They said "Where there is dharma, where there is Narayana and Lakshmi, we shall also go and remain."

Dharmabala is the biggest force. For those who have such a force, the worldly force is meaningless. You were with Dharma, you are with Dharma and you will be with Dharma. Don't fear anybody. We should move on the path of Dharma even if Lakshmi leaves. Those who oppose Dharma will be destroyed.
There are three stages of people: Uttama or superior, madhyama or middle standard, adhama or inferior. The adhama people always think, "Can I do that great work, can I do? Shall I do? No, perhaps, I won't be able to do great work." They always avoid such work. The madhyama people come forward, associate them to do great work but when obstacles come, they dissociate themselves from the great work. The uttama people always participate in great work. Such people cannot come from the path of Dharma because there are impediments on that path. They will be victorious. So you must be adhering to Dharma. Victory is in your pocket. You shouldn't cry for victory. You shouldn't run after victory; rather victory will seek you out.

Rain Rain Go Away

Laila has helped Chennai by showering her blessings on Chennai but not before wreaking havoc on the commuting public inside the city and its suburbs. Roads now resemble a beach resort where boats may ply. Every rain brings to the fore its own share of problems like water-clogged streets, power cuts, phone line failures, etc which we remember only till the next bout of summer dries out our roads. The expectations from local bodies in the city are mainly to provide motorable roads throughout the year, Drinking water and General Cleanliness/Hygiene. If the local bodies are not able to provide even these it takes away the charm of living in a metro and its suburbs. Ofcourse we are partly to blame by throwing all types of plastic garbage into the storm water drains. It is high time we take up a social view and think before dumping our waste.

Will power and ability

This is about a small anecdote about Buddha I read yesterday in Hindi. Buddha on realizing the miseries available in life tried various methods physical and meta-physical to arrive at the solution to life's problems. He was at one point exhausted and started back to home. En route he became thirsty and had a drink from a Big river. After that Buddha took a rest in the river banks when he noticed a small squirrel splashing water from the spring on to the banks. The squirrel kept on doing this. Buddha became inquisitive on seeing this action. He went and asked the squirrel what it was doing. The squirrel replied that the river had swollen in the rains and killed all its Kids and destroyed its nest and she was now taking revenge on the river by emptying her. Buddha laughed and said with your efforts it will take many generations for drying the river and your lifetime is also small. The Squirrel replied whether i'm successful or not in my efforts I'll make a dedicated effort and I'm not worried about the result(an example of extraordinary will power).
On hearing this Buddha realized that he also was more tuned towards attaining enlightenment than putting the required effort. Then he once again returned to his penance and attained enlightenment.
Thus goes the story but what's there in it for us?

My idea is many of (y)our good tasks may go unrewarded today but we should not stop doing them. Our focus should be on our deed rather than on the result. Too philosophical isn't it but there is an element of practicality in it too, since Expectations create anxiety. The task may be beyond your ability but we should always apply ourselves with will power.

First Flight

After dreaming for a long time and hesitating many times, ultimately I took my first flight from Chennai to Delhi in a Plane (only domestic but nevertheless a plane). After telling (boasting to) every soul that talked to me in person as well as on phone for the previous week that I was going in a plane the D Day finally arrived. After writing an exam (which necessitated the Plane travel) I came back home and started to the airport at 3.30 pm itself (flight was at 6.10 pm) in a call taxi. After reaching the air port I scanned my luggage (with fears that my bathroom chappal will be discovered and thrown out) and attempted to get my Boarding pass for my air India flight Changing Three queues (luggage tag was not working in one, printer in another) all other flyers had only two or three persons standing whereas Air India counters looked like a vegetable market (Finding no 1: Now I know why Air India is running in Loss, too many employees but too little efficiency).
After an age of waiting in queue my colleague got his boarding pass (He had only hand luggage with him). “MY TURN CAME” but the counter person made a startling observation- “Your Boarding pass is already taken at 04.53 pm” the time was 04.57 pm then. I started arguing (begging) with him when I remembered one more colleague had to come and we both booked the ticket in a single transaction. Immediately I started to frantically search for him. After three panicky mobile conversations I was able to locate him at a distance of ten feet from me. After learning that he had my boarding pass too I heaved a sigh of relief. The relief vanished as soon as I was told that razors, scissors, etc are not allowed in Hand luggage (I had them in my bag so had to take them only in cargo). I almost swooned on looking back at the queue. My colleague’s smart negotiations with the staff there pointing out their obvious mistake of giving two boarding passes without verifying Identity not only made luggage booking easier but also got us a front seat in bay 8. (Finding no 2: If you catch AI in the wrong footing you can get them to do a lot of favors).
After entering the gate it was a long wait before boarding was announced. In the airport everyone I saw resembled a celebrity. In staring here and there I almost missed our Home minister P Chidambaram coming inside the boarding area. I just got a glimpse of him before he went inside the airport and was pleasantly shocked to see him seated in seat 1 in my plane and reading a Tamil newspaper.
I got myself to my seat 8B which was near the emergency exit. I was just about to sit when the airhostess told me that I cannot even have a small bag on me since I was near the exit. I had to put it away in the luggage compartment. She also explained the way to open the emergency exit in a hurry and then only allowed me to sit (it was quite informative for a first time flyer).
Air India proved that they will delay flights even if the Home minister is on Board and started almost an hour later thanks to some drunken foreign lady (http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/chennai/Drunken-woman-delays-flight-with-PC-on-board/Article1-541419.aspx.) .
At last I was airborne. It was quite a good feeling. The in-flight entertainment was good but they last only half an hour and repeated again. After listening to a comedy talk show by shekhar suman thrice and some TV serial called Forgotten twice, I was bought to Delhi but the pilot taxied the airport many times before finally stopping but not before getting curses from many passengers.
I was frankly amazed to see PC board a bus with us, get down, pick up his own luggage and move out of the airport. Quite a simple guy for his status!!!
Even though we have evolved enough to undertake air journeys the queue barging, jostling spirit has not died. This was evidenced at the cargo luggage conveyor belt. If people stood five feet away from the belt and moved closer only when they see their luggage everyone will find it easier, but no chance everyone has to stand touching the belt (reminding me of Thirupathi laddoo queue) obstructing the view of those behind. I had to run behind my suitcase and got it after three valiant attempts. PC and my friend with hand baggage only are truly intelligent people. (Finding no 3: Less luggage is always more comfort).
Thus ended my first flight saga. Though I’ll seldom fly even after this day, I’ll always recall this first flight with fond memories. It reminds me how fortunate I’m.

Sastiapthapoorthi or 60th birthday

Tomorrow one of my colleagues is celebrating his Sastiapthapoorthi or completion of 60 years (he's retiring next month). What an occasion in life. You have grown up, you have done all your duties towards family in the best manner possible. Your kids have grown and they have their own budding families.

A cycle has happened from complete dependence in childhood to independence in manhood and once again clinging to dear ones for physical help as age catches up.

Fortunate are people who can say that their kids are taking care of the function. If a person has to take full charge of his 60th birthday function also is either a workaholic or a loner.

It is a opportunity for the kids to show their respect and love towards their parents. I lost my opportunities because I was too young when my father turned 60 and I was not financially independent for his 70. I'm eagerly expecting his 80th birthday to celebrate the day.

Those of you who think celebrating birthdays is a waste of time (me included) should reconsider if the birthday is someone else's 60/70/80th birthday, because what may only look like a birthday is actually a recognition or more of a life time achievement award for them. So participate with Josh in such functions.

My colleague has achieved success in all walks of life and is a contended, happy man. May god bless him with long, peaceful and purposeful retired life.

first view

What does one Blog about if not about the mundane things that happen in daily life? Geniuses may write about ideas, but I can write only about the events that happened or are happening to me.

Writing your mind out is a tricky thing, the most candid auto biography will reveal only the tip of the ice berg in terms of the defects and fallacies of that person. after all you can't blame him, every man is a hero to himself and who would want a weak, losing hero. The circumstances may be evil but the hero never is.

Hope to share my mind and not my prejudices. Hope you find it interesting to read.