Reflections

तत्त्वमसि: That You Are {Chhandogy Upanishad} : You are that Supreme Brahman. Similarly you have the phrase अहं ब्रम्हास्मि {I am Brahman} from the Bruhadaranyak Upanishad. Both these simple phrases are the keys to an underlying truth that is simplicity itself in its statement, and yet profound in their import while also being incredibly complex and hard to fathom fully in their true depth of meaning and implications that lie dormant in them. This article does not attempt to do any of the above; I am using these phrases as the opening into my introduction to one or two of the foundational realities of the world around us, based on solid scriptural authority. The objective is to instill questioning attitude in the readers’ mind, and hopefully encourage to study it for themselves For starters, both the simple phrases above are by themselves enough to really let loose a series of questions in ourselves : for, if all of us have a Divine presence in us, that we all have the cap...

As we go past yet another new year, yet another winter, the news is again splashed with articles on Pollution… just the same as last year. While this year, realization is wider, happily – but the changes are insufficient, given the scale of the issue. As Humans and their Science progresses, as Population grows, as consumption grows and needs grow – these and similar problems will continue. There are no easy solutions; no easy answers. Solutions will have to be a combination of kneejerk & planned; these will partially alleviate, while leaving the core problems untouched, leaving   a scope for future isssues to arise. A circular circle… one that needs to be broken! THE CORE To understand these issues from the core requires an acceptance that it is we Humans, our Science, and our Consumption that lies at the core. This is a hard thing for people to grant – especially the last 2 points. Our Scientific Progress is held in high   esteem by most; and it is this pro...

The Hidden Children : The Lost Grimoire is a book written by Reshma K Barshikar , and stands as perhaps the only book to render me speechless, or rather wordless as a book reviewer. Penning a review entails giving an opinion – for that, the pre-requisite is that I should have one! And, once I have formed an opinion, I should have idea of what to write, or how to express myself in words. In both, I honestly admit to having faced great difficulty. After much deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that this book rates 3 to 3.5 Stars in my scale; I settle for 3 stars. Why? Read on! THE BOOK The book is about, well, magic. Almost. And, the book is also not about magic. Confused? Good. That will keep you glued -   I hope – to the end of this review. The book blurb at the back doesn’t reveal much, and neither shall I. The book is about a teenaged young lady, 17-ish, avid sportsperson and a good student {rare combination, that} – and her travails as she meets & b...

I opened the morning news site, The Indian Express, my daily first site – to a rather shocking, though unsurprising bit of news. This news, based on a survey of 34,700 organisations is deeply disquieting, and was regarding rampant job losses in some sectors of our economy. Before I continue – the article in question covers primarily the Job Scenario; but also raises points on earnings & profitability – which in my opinion needs a focused and detailed look. And this article was just the latest in a series of articles I have run across that raise the question of the impact of Demonetisation & GST on the MSME and unorganized sectors of our economy. We will look at those aspects in other articles – including a book review on the concerned topic of a latest book – The Big Reverse: How Demonetisation Knocked India Out . { This review will be uploaded sometime next month }. My point – there is plenty of other evidence from a variety of sources, people etc all of which poi...

Mumbai Pune Mumbai – the Marathi Movie Franchise, is now in its 3 rd installment – and is easily the most famous movie franchise in Marathi cinema at least in the first two parts. To top that, the lead pair – Swapnil/Mukta is also probably the most famous and well liked pair in Marathi entertainment, with their pairing being a popular one in several movies.   Thus, extending it to a third part was both an opportunity as well as a risk; as it turned out, it proved to be a risk worth taking! STORY As is by now usual for Marathi Cinema, the story is pretty much unique. The third part of this iconic franchise has iconic lead actors Gauri and Gautam [probably by now household names in a majority of Marathi homes} going the family way. This is the story of the lovers, into the 3 rd year of their marriage, planning a child {or rather, having a child]. And it is the story of the Pregnancy. That, my friends, is the story. They get the good news, 9 months pass, and they becom...

Shillong Times – by Nilanjan P Choudhury Shillong Times – by Nilanjan P Choudhury – is a book that started off its rating in my own mind at 2 stars, but firmly, slowly, clawed its way up through sheer dint of imaginative writing, deep storyline, faultless story progression, meaningful concept, and attention to detail, winding up at 4 stars overall  rating. The many many positives in this book successfully overcame the one or two minor negatives that were evident early on. And even these negatives are subjective in nature, others may not find them negative! THE BOOK This is a story of ethnicity based politics, told through the travails of 3 teenage children, from two communities in the town of Shillong. The backdrop  is Shillong of the 80s, and the two communities are Bengalis & other Non Tribals, and the Khasis, both of whom have very different ideas indeed. This is the story of a good student who undergoes some ragging and worse from the other commu...

Truth : Another Reminder सत्येन वायुरावाति सत्येनादित्यो रोचते दिवि सत्यं वाचः प्रतिष्ठा सत्ये सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितं तस्मात्सत्यं परमं वदन्ति || {Anuvaak 79, Mahanarayan Upanishad} By Truth, the wind blows. By Truth the sun shines in the sky. Truth is the foundation of speech. Everything in practical life depends on truth. Therefore, they say Truth is the supreme means of liberation These words above are from our scriptures; and this verse is just one among many that speaks of truth, its importance and its supremacy. In July this year,   I had shared another, also from the Mahanarayan Upanishad; { Travelling The Path Of Satya In The Professional World }The Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta also lays great emphasis on the importance and irreducible minimal requirement of Satyabhaashan, among other favourable attributes. These are all supportive of the need of being completely truthful in life… something that any number of us, perhaps self included, find ...