Tania wanted a dog for a long time. Her dad promised one for her sixth birthday. So the day she turned six, and her father woke her up to wish her, all he heard was – “Papa, can we go look for a dog today?”
Her dad laughed.
“Please papa? You promised.”
“Yes Tania. I remember! Let’s go today evening.”
Tania was visibly excited.
“Thank you papa. We must find the perfect dog!”
Her dad wasn’t sure what was in store. “Perfect dog Tania? How will that be?”
“It will be small and cute papa. More than that, it will be spotless white.”
“Spotless white? I am sure we can find one.”
Her dad spoke too soon, for it led them on a hunt across several kennels and stores. All white dogs either had a brown patch, or a small scar or not “clean white”. The hunt happened for more than a week and he was losing patience.
“Tania, we *must* get a dog today.”
“But papa, what if it is not perfect?”
“I don’t care, really!”
Tears welled up in Tania’s eyes. Her dad’s stance softened. After all, they were going to do this only once, at least in the near future.
“OK, let’s find you a perfect dog!”
As fate would have it, they found one that same day.
“Oh papa, it’s spotless white. It’s perfect!”
The puppy was small and cute and took an instant liking to Tania; almost like it was waiting for her to pick it up. All through the drive back home, Tania getting her face licked was becoming very usual. Her dad was relieved that he could put a long overdue promise to rest.
“So Tania, what are you going to name him?”
“Oh papa, I should think of a perfect name!”
Her dad sighed! Two days passed, but no name was in sight yet.
“Tania, no name yet? We are finding it difficult to call him!”
“Papa, I am going to wash him and scrub him today. I will think of a name after that.”
That evening, her dad returned home to find Tania weeping bitterly.
“What happened Tania?”
“Papa!” and she hugged him.
“I was scrubbing the puppy today, and I found a black spot inside his white hair papa. It’s not perfect!”
Her dad was really annoyed.
“But Tania, we searched so long for this puppy!”
“Papa, the spot was hidden.”
“What do you want to do?”, he asked, expecting the worst.
“Let’s return this puppy and look for a better one papa.”
Her dad knew it would not be possible to convince Tania. So he decided to stretch the exercise to its due end.
“Tania, ok – but remember, whatever dog you pick next – you must keep it. Perfect or not! Take a good look before you choose the puppy.”
“OK papa!”
“Promise?”
“I promise”. Tania became happy again. He wondered how children switched emotions so radically and deeply.
That evening at the kennel store again!
The puppy was licking Tania’s face as usual. He didn’t have a clue of what was about to transpire. The kennel did not have any other perfect puppies, so they decided to drop this puppy off and continue the search. The owner wasn’t very happy, but decided to take the puppy back anyway.
As Tania was about to hand this back to the owner, the puppy gave her another lick on the cheek. Tania looked at the puppy’s eyes and they shone with happiness and love, his small tail wagging fiercely.
Tania’s eyes welled up with tears and she gave the puppy a hug.
“Papa, I can’t return him.”
“Why not?”, her dad asked, surprised.
“He’s perfect papa. I cannot let him go. Please papa!”
“Perfect? He has a black spot Tania. How did he become perfect?”
“Papa, *but I love him*. I don’t care if he has a black spot. I don’t care if he gets black spots all over his white hair. Let’s keep him papa, please!”
Her dad smiled. Tania had unlocked the secret of perfection over a moment of communion and gave him a lesson as well in the process.
“Ok sweetie. We can take him back home. Say thank you to the uncle here for giving you the perfect puppy!”
“I will let the puppy thank him papa.” And she allowed the puppy to give a loving lick to the kennel owner.
As they moved out, Tania said – “Papa, I also know what we’re going to call him. Let’s call him ‘Spotty’”
“And so, in the blink of an eye, the imperfect dog became perfect and Mr. Spotless became ‘Spotty’”, Tania’s dad was telling her mother later that night.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
How do you want to die?
I don't know why I am writing about this, but it is important, so the why is irrelevant I guess.
Are you ready for death? I guess, a good thumb rule would be to check the answer to the question - "Are you ready to go now? - Right now?" If the answer is no, there is much work to be done!
Truth is, we don't get to see much people in that state. Enlightened humans aside, I was thinking of people who faced death with acceptance - not necessarily joy, but with "I am ready. Go on!". It could be peace, bravery or defiance. I want to illustrate four contrasting instances below. Unfortunately, most of them have a violent context to it, but the way it happened has a beauty to it because of the way the person undergoes it. They are in no particular order.
1) Vishnudasan, from the movie Dasavatharam. Though it is a movie, it has a historical truth to it. He refuses to obey the kings command to sing Panchaksharam and sings the Ashtakshram. Just watching it on the movie was so empowering! If you haven't, see this piece alone - where he literally stares death on its face when he starts reciting the verse. The tune also had a lot of strength with it.
2) The priest from the Nazi concentration camp: No names. The story goes that when the camps became full, the soldiers read numbers in random and shot off the people with those numbers, and buried/burned them enmasse. It happened that one mans number was called, but he was too terrified to die. Seeing his state, a priest took his number and got shot. The man incidentally was freed after that and never lived this incident down. Think about that priest. Without a second thought, he took that number and went in his place. How must he have lived his life to do that at that instant without any second thought?
3) Bharathi (yes, the fire-poet!): I am inferring this from the movie. Just before dying he says, "Oh Yama, I treat you like little grass. Come near my feet, I will trample you so slightly!". I don't have to testify for Bharathi - the way he lived would do that!
Incidentally, I would like to narrate another incident where a social-activist in Chennai was violently attacked because he was going against some vested interest (politician presumably!). Violent meaning, it was an attempted murder -he was hacked with knives. In the hospital, bandaged up - Vikatan went to interview him. Among many other questions, they asked him - "Aren't you afraid now after whatever happened?". He replied "How can I be? With Bharathi sitting inside me and singing 'அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை' (no fear, no fear)". To this day, I am not able to get over this incident. I unfortunately don't remember his name!
4) My darling Damscene! He was Immaculee Illibigiza's brother. He died the most brutal of deaths. I cannot explain how here -it is too gory to describe. Worse, it was his friend who was among those who hacked him to death that way! But before dying, the killers ask him "Where is Immaculee?"
He says "I do not know. Even if I did, I would not tell you. You will never find her. She is much smarter than all of you put together." (I think they even offer to let him go if he gave away Immaculee's whereabouts. They wouldn't have - that is another matter! But just think about some one responding to a group of killers with machetes in that fashion.)
And then he goes on to say that he would pray for the forgiveness of the killers-to-be. It was such a shame to kill someone like that. Betrayed by a friend, killed by another friend, yet upheld his dignity and his love for his sister until the last moment and faced the most brutal of deaths with courage. People like him don't come everyday! I am so sorry Damscene!
Sadhguru said "Very few die peacefully. A fewer die happily. Even fewer die joyfully. A rare few die blissfully!"
In that context, I would like to quote Paramahansa Yoganandas portrayal of how his Guru, Sri Yukteswar left his body. [Autobiography of a Yogi. The entire book is available online here:]
"I entered the ashram room where Master's body, unimaginably lifelike, was sitting in the lotus posture - a picture of health and loveliness. A short time before his passing, my guru had been slightly ill with fever, but before the day of his ascension into the Infinite, his body had become completely well. No matter how often I looked at his dear form I could not realize that its life had departed. His skin was smooth and soft; in his face was a beatific expression of tranquillity. He had consciously relinquished his body at the hour of mystic summoning."
I think that is the ultimate way to go! But then, we need to work on ourselves when we live! Life passes by so fast in a daze. We need to knock on ourselves every moment before death does!
Are you ready for death? I guess, a good thumb rule would be to check the answer to the question - "Are you ready to go now? - Right now?" If the answer is no, there is much work to be done!
Truth is, we don't get to see much people in that state. Enlightened humans aside, I was thinking of people who faced death with acceptance - not necessarily joy, but with "I am ready. Go on!". It could be peace, bravery or defiance. I want to illustrate four contrasting instances below. Unfortunately, most of them have a violent context to it, but the way it happened has a beauty to it because of the way the person undergoes it. They are in no particular order.
1) Vishnudasan, from the movie Dasavatharam. Though it is a movie, it has a historical truth to it. He refuses to obey the kings command to sing Panchaksharam and sings the Ashtakshram. Just watching it on the movie was so empowering! If you haven't, see this piece alone - where he literally stares death on its face when he starts reciting the verse. The tune also had a lot of strength with it.
2) The priest from the Nazi concentration camp: No names. The story goes that when the camps became full, the soldiers read numbers in random and shot off the people with those numbers, and buried/burned them enmasse. It happened that one mans number was called, but he was too terrified to die. Seeing his state, a priest took his number and got shot. The man incidentally was freed after that and never lived this incident down. Think about that priest. Without a second thought, he took that number and went in his place. How must he have lived his life to do that at that instant without any second thought?
3) Bharathi (yes, the fire-poet!): I am inferring this from the movie. Just before dying he says, "Oh Yama, I treat you like little grass. Come near my feet, I will trample you so slightly!". I don't have to testify for Bharathi - the way he lived would do that!
Incidentally, I would like to narrate another incident where a social-activist in Chennai was violently attacked because he was going against some vested interest (politician presumably!). Violent meaning, it was an attempted murder -he was hacked with knives. In the hospital, bandaged up - Vikatan went to interview him. Among many other questions, they asked him - "Aren't you afraid now after whatever happened?". He replied "How can I be? With Bharathi sitting inside me and singing 'அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை' (no fear, no fear)". To this day, I am not able to get over this incident. I unfortunately don't remember his name!
4) My darling Damscene! He was Immaculee Illibigiza's brother. He died the most brutal of deaths. I cannot explain how here -it is too gory to describe. Worse, it was his friend who was among those who hacked him to death that way! But before dying, the killers ask him "Where is Immaculee?"
He says "I do not know. Even if I did, I would not tell you. You will never find her. She is much smarter than all of you put together." (I think they even offer to let him go if he gave away Immaculee's whereabouts. They wouldn't have - that is another matter! But just think about some one responding to a group of killers with machetes in that fashion.)
And then he goes on to say that he would pray for the forgiveness of the killers-to-be. It was such a shame to kill someone like that. Betrayed by a friend, killed by another friend, yet upheld his dignity and his love for his sister until the last moment and faced the most brutal of deaths with courage. People like him don't come everyday! I am so sorry Damscene!
Sadhguru said "Very few die peacefully. A fewer die happily. Even fewer die joyfully. A rare few die blissfully!"
In that context, I would like to quote Paramahansa Yoganandas portrayal of how his Guru, Sri Yukteswar left his body. [Autobiography of a Yogi. The entire book is available online here:]
"I entered the ashram room where Master's body, unimaginably lifelike, was sitting in the lotus posture - a picture of health and loveliness. A short time before his passing, my guru had been slightly ill with fever, but before the day of his ascension into the Infinite, his body had become completely well. No matter how often I looked at his dear form I could not realize that its life had departed. His skin was smooth and soft; in his face was a beatific expression of tranquillity. He had consciously relinquished his body at the hour of mystic summoning."
I think that is the ultimate way to go! But then, we need to work on ourselves when we live! Life passes by so fast in a daze. We need to knock on ourselves every moment before death does!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Where we really are!
Too irked by day-to-day events?
Politicians giving you a hard time?
Frustrated about traffic jams and road indiscipline?
Boiling at flimsy customer service?
Work at office too boring?
Feeling a little too much about yourself?
Want to put someone in his/her place?
Well, how about something to put US in our place? We already know this to an extent from school. But see this. They say, just a trek to the Himalayas will make us so small. It is all really mind boggling. The "TRUE" macro perspective into things, the design of it all and the contrasting planes in which we live! I think not everyone will make the same conclusions out of this material. For me, it is "gasp!" and then - spaced out!
Politicians giving you a hard time?
Frustrated about traffic jams and road indiscipline?
Boiling at flimsy customer service?
Work at office too boring?
Feeling a little too much about yourself?
Want to put someone in his/her place?
Well, how about something to put US in our place? We already know this to an extent from school. But see this. They say, just a trek to the Himalayas will make us so small. It is all really mind boggling. The "TRUE" macro perspective into things, the design of it all and the contrasting planes in which we live! I think not everyone will make the same conclusions out of this material. For me, it is "gasp!" and then - spaced out!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Mother's day
I was talking to my mother over phone yesterday night (she's @ Chennai - me @ CBE). Radha nearby was joking by the side as to the gift I gave her. I tried to parody this and asked my mom what gift she gave her mom (my grandma).
Suddenly, Radha gave her a hug and said "Happy Mother's day!".
That was very sweet. I asked her on the phone to give another hug on my behalf which she did as well :)
Just remembered this incident when I read about Mahima's gift to Prasanna.
Well, if you have a context to express your love [or anything else - devotion, gratitude], why not? If you don't have a context - let's say today [or now], even better!
Suddenly, Radha gave her a hug and said "Happy Mother's day!".
That was very sweet. I asked her on the phone to give another hug on my behalf which she did as well :)
Just remembered this incident when I read about Mahima's gift to Prasanna.
Well, if you have a context to express your love [or anything else - devotion, gratitude], why not? If you don't have a context - let's say today [or now], even better!
Monday, May 04, 2009
Engineering Emotions
Today, I read a poster that said this:
When some one speaks, the following are what impact people
- Body language - 55%
- The way the speech (not necessarily a stage speech - even colloquial) is rendered - 38%
- The actual words - 5%
It rings true. If you say something, but the way you portray yourself is counter to that, people will probably receive what your portray with your body language. Ideally, it all should be in sync.
I think, the problem comes when people try to fix this. Typically, the way is to engineer the mannerisms to match the desired behavior.
"Excited tone of voice"
"Look straight at the audience"
"Make eye contact"
"Do not fiddle with your hair"
"Keep your hands loose by the side"
I think it all works - to an extent! The mannerisms or the portrayed behavior is a reflection of how the person is within. Engineering that would be more effective - all outside reflections would fall into place. Doing the reverse would work, provided it is handled with an understanding of the implications of what happens within when the outside is changed.
When some one speaks, the following are what impact people
- Body language - 55%
- The way the speech (not necessarily a stage speech - even colloquial) is rendered - 38%
- The actual words - 5%
It rings true. If you say something, but the way you portray yourself is counter to that, people will probably receive what your portray with your body language. Ideally, it all should be in sync.
I think, the problem comes when people try to fix this. Typically, the way is to engineer the mannerisms to match the desired behavior.
"Excited tone of voice"
"Look straight at the audience"
"Make eye contact"
"Do not fiddle with your hair"
"Keep your hands loose by the side"
I think it all works - to an extent! The mannerisms or the portrayed behavior is a reflection of how the person is within. Engineering that would be more effective - all outside reflections would fall into place. Doing the reverse would work, provided it is handled with an understanding of the implications of what happens within when the outside is changed.
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