contradictions galore...

I cannot help contradicting myself often because I am just a human being..

It should be the same with others too..

But many consider that they should dish out platitudes and appear to be rational and intellectually correct.. 

That is only one stage in life.. 

The spiritual, and philosophical being inside us will tell us many things and ask us to behave is a prescribed manner.. 

Of course, that facet should be the core ideal inside us.(imho)..

But the intellectual, and the child are also working with us.

The child might make us frivolous and even silly.. 

The intellectual will force us to play roles and prod us to put on a face which would be appealing to the audience.. 

The interaction, the camaraderie and conflicts among these three is an ongoing process which no one can escape.. 

We can see this idea germane in Indian thoughts as also in western philosophy...

Actually the Parent Adult Child model and the transactional analysis, are products of this line of thinking..

But I am just trying to articulate the idea in my own layman's naive fashion.

One advantage for me appears to be that I have read and tried to assimilate many ideas over the years, but I am not indoctrinated.. 

Do not Judge others.. said jesus, but Jesus was Divine.. 

Krishna the blessed lord can tell so many things in Gita and elsewhere..

But the gap between the Divine and the mundane is too wide..

I think it will be okay for us if we can remain just ordinary human and not devilish most of the time.. Maybe we can have rare flashes of divinity too..

But I have to confess, sometimes, I get baffled by my own contradiction..

they are the salt of the earth.....

गोभिर् विप्रैश्च वेदैश्च सतीभिर्सत्यवादिभिः
अलुब्धैर्दानशीलैश्च सप्तभिर् धार्यते मही॥
gobhir vipraiśca vedaiśca satībhirsatyavādibhiḥ
alubdhairdānaśīlaiśca saptabhir dhāryate mahī||

The earth is borne and maintained in its pleasant and balanced state by the presence of
1.. The cows
2..The learned persons.. vipraas
4.. The Vedas
4.. Chaste ladies
5.. Those who speak truth at any cost
6.. Those who are not stingy
7.. Those who are magnanimous and charitable by nature..

The sloka speaks for itself.. No elaboration seems necessary..

the danger that befell the dancer

A  crow was flying around collecting crumbs of food for the  day.. It so happened that he came across a group of peacocks near a green bush..

 The weather was fine and there were some clouds gathering afar. The peacocks were very happy.. and they spread their colourful feathers and started to dance. 

It is not known whether it was jealousy or feeling of inferiority that caught up with  the crow..

 He said to himself.  “ How beautiful those peacocks are..What a dress  and dance!   Let me also take my chance at such fun and frolicking”..

So when the royal birds left the scene, the crow could see that some worn feathers of the attractive birds were lying where they had been dancing.  He picked up these colourful pieces carefully and tucked them among his own dark ugly feathers.. He thought to himself that with these new pieces in place, he had become very beautiful and that  he was now ready for  a ballet.

 First, he made his own funny noises for music and danced alone to gain confidence.. Then he chased around the group of peacocks who  had found another locale for their dance. 

 He tried to join the troupe and  was trying to sway and swirl along with those beautiful birds..  First he was ignored as an insignificant interference.. But as the crow persisted with his stellar performance, he was noticed and  the bigger birds lost no time in just driving away the intruder with stern warnings.

.Justifiably they felt that the ugly crow was bringing disrepute to them by donning their feathers and imitating their steps so clumsily.

The crow was not a fellow who was ready to give up.. He thought..

 “ Maybe, I am  not rehearsed properly to join the troupe of peacocks.  But my colourful new  feathers and the experience I have gained in the company of the peacocks,  my talents  as a beautiful bird who can also dance should bring pride to my kinsmen, the crows. 

So he came back to his group..with new feathers and all.. He lost no time in flaunting his histrionic talents.  He started crowing and dancing.. Other crows saw him.. “ What happened to this fellow?   New feathers and dance?  Has he gone mad?”

First they laughed and teased.. But when the nuisance persisted  crow  the dancer was driven out of his own family group.

(This is an adaptation of  an Aesop’s story)

BURNED BISCUITS.

this is a forward from my dearest friend Karunakaran.  It touches certain parts of the heart in an inexplicable way

BURNED BISCUITS...............
 
When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!
When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"
 
You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else.
What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.
We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!
"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own."

God Bless You.....  Now, and Always....  

--

the real law of Aarshabharatham

the real law of Aarshabharatham

श्रदधदानाः शुभां विद्यां आदेयादवरादपि।
अन्त्यादति परां धर्मं स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि।।


sradhadhadhaanah shubhaam vidhyaam aadheyaadhavaradaadapi
anthyaadapi param dharmam sthreerathnam dushkulaadhapi

ശ്രദ്ധദാനാഃ ശുഭാം വിദ്യാം ആദേയാദവരദാദപി
അന്ത്യാദപിനപരാംധര്‍മ്മം സ്ത്രീരത്നം ദുഷ്കുലാദപി

we in India have always learned to decry all our old thoughts as conservative, pro-elite, and inflexible.  This edict one from one of the master lawmakers, (I find from my references) 
Aapasthamba.

those who have intense yearning and interest in learning should not hesitate to go and learn from a person with knowledge in the field even if he is not of matching caste, status etc.,  the ultimate dharma of life should be begged and acquired even if the source for such knowledge is the lowest born human being if the latter is capable of imparting it. And one should not consider about the bad name or status of the family while accepting a gem-like girl in marriage

What else can you expect from the most mature civilization in this world?  We have heard only about jathibhedam and mathadwesham but ours was always a country without such discrimination as proclaimed by the greatest Narayana guru.  If the evil souls manipulated the noble thoughts and law to suit their ulterior motives it was only the failure of the system.  
Not the noble preceptors. 
All know the experience of sankara before a chandala  with four dogs who appeared before him in his path and Shankara asked Him to move away from the path because the Chandalas proximity was polluting. Then Chandala asks about who was impure, whether the body of the Chandala or the Atman residing inside him.Shankara is humbled and it so happens that the Chandala was Lord Shankara Himself, and the four dogs he was leading were the four Vedas..

Friends, I would request you to forward this one to every friend of yours who  loves India and I may be given a copy of it.  I am sure such simple bul unadulerated law can arise only in this great sacred land

the real law of Aarshabharatham

श्रदधदानाः शुभां विद्यां आदेयादवरादपि।
अन्त्यादति परें धर्मं स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि।।


sradhadhadhaanah shubhaam vidhyaam aadheyaadhavaradaadapi
anthyaadapi param dharmam sthreerathnam dushkulaadhapi

ശ്രദ്ധദാനാഃ ശുഭാം വിദ്യാം ആദേയാദവരദാദപി
അന്ത്യാദപിനപരാംധര്മംസ്ത്നീരത്നം ദുഷ്കുലാദപി

we have alway learned to decry all out old thoughts as conservative, pro-elite, and inflexible.  this is one from one of the master lawmakers, i think aapasthamba.

those who have intense yearning and interest in learning should not hesitate to go and learn from a person with knowledge in the field even if he is not of matching caste status etc.,  the ultimate dharma of life should be begged and acquired from even the lowest born human being if the latter is capable of imparting it. And one should consider about the bad name or status of the family while accepting a gem like girl in marriage

What else can you expect from the most mature civilization in this world.   We have heard only about jathibhedam and mathadwesham but this was always a country without such discrimination as proclaimed by the greatest Narayana guru.  If the evil souls manipulated the noble thoughts and law to suit their ulterior motives it was only the failure of the system.  Not the noble preceptors. All know the experience of sankara before a chandala

Friends, I would request you to forward this one to every friend of yours who  loves India and I may be given a copy of it.  I am sure such simple bul unaulerated law can arise only in this great sacred land