Beauty is...

 Beauty is...

To love without attachment

To embrace without possessiveness

To wait without expectation

To cry without bitterness

To remember without regret

To strive without feverishness

To create without pride 

To sing without congregation

To dance without inhibition
To travel without itinerary

To laugh without ridicule

To smile without reason

To listen without preoccupation

To earn without greed

To learn without limit

To explore without fear

To succeed without manipulation

To play without competition

To excel without artifice

To give without calculation

To receive without paucity

To praise without jealousy

To apologise without guilt

To forgive without conditions

To belong without restriction


To be, without pretensions,

To dissolve, without trace.

  

Beauty is ... to live fully. Naturally.

For That's what You Are. Beautiful.

शुभ लाभ and Demonetization

The demonetization move came just 10days after लक्ष्मी-पूजन, which I considered poetic justice. You'll see why.

Here are some old fashioned views that I hold about money:

• Genuinely earned money is never lost.
• There are no shortcuts to value creation.

When you have income because of the real value you added, by providing quality goods and services, only that is शुभ लाभ, which we aim at when we perform लक्ष्मी पूजा। Rest all, even legal means to generate income, like derivatives etc, are not लक्ष्मी but only वित्त। Enjoy, but Never count on such means to last. It would go away in फ़िज़ूलखर्ची in overpriced restaurants or "luxury goods" low in substance or ego boosters like show-off in weddings or in litigation or avoidable health problems.

Plus, just as energy is never destroyed, value too isn't. Some paper currency which will be trashed following the demonetization is just representative of value, for व्यवहार...Not intrinsically valuable like land or gold or foodgrains is, but because it's backed by gold reserves. Shift that backing to new notes from old...Poof go the old ones for those who never actually deserved, on the energy-level. (Yeah, illogical, but then, logic ke haath itne lambe nahi hote ki Truth tak pahunche) ☺

So those professionals & business houses which hold cash to save some tax will just lose out on that much amount which they would have anyways paid to the Government in past years. So don't fret even if you have lost some money in this demonetization. What's deservedly yours will multiply & come back to you soon. As tax is based in constitution, & if that tax would've been used for welfare of our nation, the Government deserves it, now got paid by you, a ऋण fulfilled. If you know you had actually worked for that money which you happen to lose, because of that 200% penalty etc, know that you will earn double in just a short time to come. No one but you will know. And smile.

Yeah, some might laugh and call me naïve. Or not fit to live in 'todays India' as some person actually said few years ago. But this is what I am, and happily so.

But then, YOU KNOW. 

So, such are my principles of handling money -

• Never play with money. Not by playing cards, not in speculative markets...and then I do not know which other ways.
• धन-शुद्धि by contributing to good causes - whether धार्मिक or social.
• Count on only deservedly earned money as yours. Not the money which I have gained by even legal means like stock prices or what is inherited. For such gains, i just consider fortunate and feel grateful to the circumstances that led me to the gains.
• As a corollary, when you add value in any area but do not charge for it, the value comes back to you in some form or the other. It brings 'luck' and prosperity.

That's it. Thanks so much for reading. :)

It's beautiful, feeling blue

Every experience adds meaning to our life,though we may not realize it then. The beauty lies in discovering it. Feeling Blue then turns to feeling the depth that sensitivity brings, once the pain melts away

It's beautiful, feeling the sky

of vast understanding
of infinite possibilities, yes, to fly

of wet heavy raindrops
blending with a ray of light
that splits to reveal a bow
its glorious colours true

of hiding million stars
in the light of the day
of letting them shine
only when it's dark

It's beautiful, felling blue, 
like the sky

It's beautiful, feeling the ocean

of deep meanings,
of million waves, yes, even turbulent

of nestling many islands
lush green with sweetest water
where to play in the sands
and basking in sun new

of hiding million pearls
in the closed oyster shells
of letting them reveal
themselves to true seeker

It's beautiful, feeling blue,
like the ocean 

It's beautiful, feeling The Blue

 

when the mind is in the refuge 
of the melodious flute 
of the sunny robes
of feather light many-hued
with heart soft as butter.
Yes, It's beautiful then,
feeling, even blue.

 - BhairaviParag

Some quiet

The cacophony of noises
the words flung around
just let me be in a space
warm, cool, without sound

let silence surround me
let just the hearts speak
let the music come back
soothing that nerves seek

threads of sentences no end
all tangled, ruffled, to solve
just let me have some quiet
let all the dryness dissolve

Then let some words flow
the words that create silence
a flame will golden glow
it's light bridging the distance

 -BhairaviParag

The Joy of Writing

Why blog? 

Because I like to write.

So what do i write? How to decide? Thousands of thoughts and experiences come and go...some stay with me, most don’t. I am not my thoughts or emotions, am i? I'm much more than the sum-total of my Body Breath Mind Intellect Memory and Ego. But some thoughts have it’s own beauty. When these flow as words, they have value.

So, when i am writing something, am i expressing what is at an experiential level? Then it is a poem, even if it may not look like one, in it's form.

When i am analysing from an intellectual level, arguments may follow. So, it has to be credible, based in facts, for a healthy discussion. 

For writing on a social or political issue, analysis and research is important. Because that’s my view, or opinion on those happenings in the world which i care about; not my experience. And these arguments or debates are healthy, too. 

I love to read. And i keep learning from what i read, even after i’ve kept the book aside. When a learning is at वाचन / श्रवण (Reading/ Listening)level or even मनन (contemplation) level, if i express my views on it, that is open to discussion. When the knowledge has reached the level of “निधिध्यास ”, that is, it has become a part of you, like a treasure, that’s when the beauty of the words is at its fullest.

So, for me, that’s the question to ask myself, before trying a hand at putting down thoughts in words. I may quote from a spiritual or religious text; but i will not interpret it, if it has not become a part of me. Because interpretations may involve खंडन (dissent) of someone’s मत (view). For that, first i must study the same thoroughly. That is, मंडन (affirmative study). Then my argument has value, and the debate is actually healthy, but only if i am feeling up to it. Otherwise, i will keep my understanding with myself, or within a conversation with few.

Also, before forming an opinion on a subject, it is essential to study and assimilate the प्रमाण ग्रन्थ (standard source) for the same. If one has just read a commentary on a scripture, or read reference to the topic from other texts, it is not wise to comment.

For me, as an example, though i love the Navkar mantra and many teachings of the Jain dharma, i will never comment on the same, as i have not read the authentic scriptures.

And at the same time, Shrimad Bhagawat is the Pramaan Granth for Shri Krishna’s life and times. If a discussion on the same is happening somewhere, which is based in personal points of view, i may put my inputs if i've understood the topic well from the better source, and if it’s a friendly talk. Or i may just chose to ignore it.

Just a small test –

When i'm writing something that’s not based on facts and figures but comes from a deeper level, i've to ask myself, whether the words are coming like a poem? Am i feeling gratitude for having an opportunity and ability to put the thoughts in words? Feeling the beauty of the knowledge?

Or is it to prove a point? To show that I know better? 

Is it coming from a Sense of Wonder or is it Questioning!?!

Simple.

If it’s former, Yessss...go ahead, write it...someone reading it may just go back to the practice of prayer or meditation, on their own chosen path, after having a glimpse through the words. It takes a निमित्त (cause) for any action. In total innocence and grace, be that nimitta. It may bring smiles on many a faces!!!