Pravat Surya
Loud Thinking
Friday, May 17, 2013
Indians or Himus
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
Indian Answer to Search for Excellence*
In this context my submission is, if a certain set of qualities are good or worthy enough for the supreme divinity status (i.e. Purusottama), then the same set of qualities should be sufficient for most of the mortal human beings (i.e. purus ). The current article is restricted to identification of that set of 16 qualities. The following is a list of 16-Kalas or qualities as have been identified with Lord Krishna. Followed by anather set of 16-Kalas according to a different view which focuses on states of existence. The idea is to provide at one place the complete list with translation for easy comprehension.
2) Pranamaya
3) Mano Maya
4) Vigyanamaya
5) Anandamaya
6) Atishayini
7) Viparinabhini
8) Sankramini
9) Prabhavi
10) Kunthini
11) Vikasini
12) Maryadini
13) Sanhaladini
14) Ahladini
15) Paripurna
16) Swarupavasthitha
But, before concluding I must draw the attention of the readers to two issues (these are my interpretation hence could be biased opinion) –
- First, one must bear in mind that each set of qualities or Kala’s of various Avatars have their own merits and demerits as well!! To appreciate the last point further and its rationale one must understand the concept of Karma. However, at the moment it would be sufficient to say that, no set of kala is necessarily better than others.
- And, the term used is Kala not Guna i.e. these are supposed to be acquired or acquirable skills or abilities that render quality; rather than being part of one’s nature or traits (archetypes?). A corollary hypothesis is anyone worshiping any Avatar must pay attention to the Kala's rather than engrossing only with the rituals.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Short story about a young Ghost
Yet so great was his obsession for life that he continued to live even after his body petrified and all the elements of his body had been assimilated in nature. Thus, he continued living among people with such skill that few ever realised that he is a phantom!! Death changed nothing - except his pride. In fact to his surprise similar things kept happening to him even after death as they were happening when he was alive.
May be time flows in a circular fashion or in his case - it was only a matter of "old habits". So while he continued his search for truth, beauty, love and justice - and kept indulging in activities like: reading, writing, cycling, net surfing, & spending time with friends. His friends both old and new kept claiming - his honesty, loyalty and adaptability are some of the qualities that make him adorable - the way they were doing while he was alive. But after a while he realised, death has given him an ability to see - past / present / future as a single unit!!
Thus these days he introduces himself as "I am the Dream I am the reality I am the temporal I am the eternity - I am the devil I am the divine - I am the confusion I am the solution" - I am just me!! – a soul Living on the edge ~ committed to all yet connected to none. Do I have any dreams or hopes no one would ever know!! But my dear never say or feel sorry for this young ghost because there is no room for sorry for a man who has ever been in "????".
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Is it foolish to be a genius?
Is it foolish to be a genius?*
In English there is a saying which goes like this, “practice makes a man perfect”. But, trainers and spiritual masters tell us no one other than god is perfect hence rest of us can become excellent but never perfect. So, we may change the saying as “practice can make a man excellent or genius”. However, if we take our discussion to the Hindu philosophical realm then we find each man is in essence not only child of GOD (Amrutashya Santan) but also there are schools that inspires each to attain Godhood (Pragyanam ..... Shivo ahm). The point is each of us has the choice and ability to be the master of his or her own destiny. Let me not digress; rather return to the original topic that is, “what is the stuff geniuses are made up of”.
A dictionary definition for “genius” is: “Someone who has an unusually high level of intelligence, mental skill or artistic ability.” Thomas Edison the great inventor used spend long period of time in the laboratory, trying and testing hypotheses till he finally got them right. He hardly ever went home, and never gave up. Speaking of his trials he once said: "I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work." The take home is hard work and Persistence. Secrete has been revealed by Albert Einstein, when he said, "It's not that I'm so smart; it's just that I stay with problems longer." According to Floyd Maxwell, geniuses have three traits in common: organized, orderly approach to solving problems; maintain an attitude of wonder about the world around them, a habit of seeing things from a fresh, open perspective; and ability to concentrate harder and longer than the average person on whatever interests them.
The website www.studygs.net, puts the following nine approaches about how anyone can think and solve lives problems like a genius – 1) Rethink! Look at problems in many different ways. 2) Visualize! Utilize diagrams and imagery to analyze your dilemma. 3) Produce! Genius is productive. 4) Combine! Make novel combinations... 5) Form! Form relationships. 6) Opposite! Think in opposites. 7) Metaphor/simile! Think metaphorically. 8) Failure! Learning from your mistakes is one example of using failure. 9) Patience! Don't confuse inspiration with ideas.
My personal take on this issue is very simple. More than the genes it is our response to our environment that makes us either a genius or an awe stricken under achiever; marvelling at the acts and accomplishments of the masters. To begin with we must try and find out with an open mind about the how aspect of things that we are bothered at any point of time. And, then put time and effort to excel at it with a sense of purpose. Soon, we shall find people around will start appreciating us.
So .. See you at the top !!!
* Will soon be published in Canvas
Friday, April 02, 2010
Be thy own Master
In simple words it means, realisation as well as non-realisation of our dreams, desires and hopes, are within our control. All those theories seem to have some common themes. Like -
Follow your dreams
Believe yourself
Upgrade your Skills
Be optimist
Network
.... etc
Based on my own limited experience i can testify that, once we internalise this view and act acording to it, there after the story of one's life can at best be described by words like - magic, Divine act etc.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Be bold and ....
The point is simple, fear is one of the most common human emotions, it is also natural to be afraid but what is important is, to know that it can be managed. However, if it is not managed by us than fear can have adverse effect on our life and achievement's. To this line of discussion let me add one more punch line.
May be, i shall do the explanation sometime later. But as a parting note let me say - more often than not as a rule - beauty is attracted to the bold. However, A word of caution (? condition apply/disclaimer) - Any young fellow out there who may take my stray thoughts to be some kind of gospel, do take note), - being bold is not same as carelessness risk taking or foolhardiness.
Live this moment well !!!
And, it is worth trading against, everything else in this world. A life well lived is the only thing worth pursuing, for anyway everything in this world is temporal. I think the purpose of all religions, trainings, education and teachings - is to prepare us, to live this single life of ours well.
But, the problem is no one can teach anyone else the tricks of living a happy life. One must learn and realise it oneself. It is just like, no one tells us when one is in love - people just know it themselves.