Ode to Persia

O Persia,
In your sweet land,
I have lost  myself,
I have found myself.

In the madness
Of my love for you,
I have discovered the meaning of
Truth, beauty and love.

ey zindagi

ऐ ज़िन्दगी! कभी फुर्सत में मिलेगी
तो फिर तुझसे दिल खोलके बात करेंगे
तेरा आना तो  कभी भूलता ही नहीं
तेरे जाने  को भी दिल खोलके याद करेंगे 

Fall leaves

Oh behold! there's Fall walking away
in its pretty dress
Both beautiful and sad at once.
It wants to invite the Spring
But it's knocking on winter's door!

(bulana toh bahaar ko chahta hai
par darwaza sardi ka khatkhata raha hai)

The discovery of self

कर्म किए जा, फल की चिंता मत कर ए इंसान

जैसा जैसा कर्म करेगा, फल देगा भगवान।।

- भगवतम् गीता 

(Keep doing your duty, don't worry about the results

God will bless you as per your deeds

- The Bhagwat Gita)

Gofta to bandegi kon koo bande parvar aiad

(You do your service and the rewards will follow)

- Hafez Shirazi

Man kheyli door raftam

Donbaale shoma geshtam

Khodam raa paida kardam

Va be vatanam bazgashtam

Hala montazer nimanam ke

Shoma be man khahi amad

Khodet raa paida khahi kard

Shoma ham baz khahi gasht

I came to a foreign land
Searching for you
I found myself
And went back

Now I don't wait for you
To come to me
I know you'll find yourself
And go back

हम बहुत दूर चलें आए
तुम्हेँ ढूँढ़ते हुए
ख़ुदको पा लिया
और वापस चलें आए

अब हम इंतज़ार नहीं करते
की आओगे एक दिन तुम
हम जानते है की तुम भी खुदको
ढूंढ़कर वापस चलें जाओगे

Words I distrust

There are three words I distrust the most: God, Love and Truth.

If you believe in them, and look out for them, with your eyes open, they are everywhere.

But if close your eyes even for a minute, they disappear.

That one moment in your darkest hour when you question the existence of God, he don't find him anywhere.

That one moment you make an important decision for your life that doesn't align with your joint interests, puff love disappears in a matter of seconds.

And truth - its the worst of them all. It appears different to different people. It appears different to the same person at different times.

They are all like cake. They are not necessary for survival, they just taste good. In the worst of times, they tempt us, content us for a few seconds and in disappear in a matter of seconds. And you are fat for the rest of your life.

verses

खो जाते है तुम्हारे खयालों में
फिर लोट आने का भी दिन आता है
जिंदिगी भर कहाँ कोई
किसी को याद रखता है
इक दिन तो भूल जाना का भी दिन आता है

रूठ जाने का भी तरीका होता है
मानाने का भी तरीका होता है
मीठी मीठी बॉतों से
परया कर दे किसी को
अपनाने का भी ऐसा तरीका होता है 

Gham ka nasha

ग़म को तू अपने
दवा समाज के पी जा
जो नशा इसमे है
वो ख़ुशी जताने में कहाँ ?

ग़म को दूसरे के
एक नशा समाज के पीजा
जो दवा इसमें है
वो ख़ुशी जताने में कहाँ ?

Under the black veil

The identity of truth must be questioned.
It's real self pulled from under the veil it puts.
It makes the dull shine
And dulls the bright light.
It carelessly walks around in its black veil
inconsiderate of what else tramples under
Its casual yet deliberate steps.

It hides the whole reality of life
under that black dress
Only its shiny bright eyes piercing into yours
It laughs loud while a tear rolls
And sobs with bright wide-open eyes
Seducing and terrifying at once
While you want to go closer to know more,
You can feel your own self being deluded.

Should you laugh with the voice or the eyes?
Should you look into them or look away?
Should you pull the veil off brazenly?
Or wait patiently hoping one day
To be engulfed in its warmth.
Pulled in closer to where its heart lies
So you can vibrate with the sound of its laughter
Unaware of the tears that roll off its eyes

Should you go in hungry or fed?

Random lessons of a random Wednesday

1. If there is one rhetoric that you need to delete from your head completely, it is:
What will others think?

Delete it now. Absolutely everyone - friends, family, bosses, colleagues, strangers.

It is easier to predict or even control what GOD will think of you when you die, but if there is one thing that is absolutely and utterly beyond your control it is the opinions of others.

Delete that inner dialogue NOW.

Your foolishness and shyness and fear will prevent you from meeting new people or doing cool things that due to their own fear are shying away from you. Erase your fear and go to them. Just as Rumi said: What you are seeking is seeking you. And again, just as he pointed out, You don't have to find love, you have to find the barriers inside you that prevent you from finding love.

2. Fight the design of the media that inadvertently attracts you to "beautiful" people. Train your mind to surpass that instinct and go to the core, the soul as soon as possible.

Look beyond the outer, the obvious, the material - all that is immaterial. As Einstein said, all that can be counted, doesn't always count and what counts, can't always be counted.

Develop the skill of immediately noticing the soul than the contours of a person's body.

That also includes keeping your FB profile clear of profile picture updates and such superficial shit. Maintain a page that talks about your dreams, your opinions and your interests.

Others will likewise like you for the love and energy you radiate, not your looks. Keep them clean, tidy and fit, but stop there. If you must make something up, make up your energy and gratitude. Leave your face clear.

3. Shoot for world class. Shoot for excellence. Don't settle for mediocre. World class results require world class routines, world class thoughts, world class discipline, grace, energy.

4. Find the others, but not by going into their path. Find them in your own path. Create your path. Find the shortest path to reach another. And that path usually is the direct personal path. Stop relying on others to introduce, connect, recommend you or others. Go direct. Make your own independent connection and build on it. Feed your relationship the diet of positivity, appreciation and gratitude.

Appreciate the effort that heavens have put into bringing you into the same room as others, now think about what do you want to do about it.

5. You can either be shy or be great. You decide. Do the things that scare you - do them daily, do them often. Life is better than you can imagine, your fears prevent you from seeing the glory of it all. Do not hesitate to compliment. Do it quick and mean it. Learn to be genuinely happy for others.

6. Be ambivalent. Khushi mein khush mat ho, gham mein dukhi mat ho. Anyone can say nice things to nice people. Anyone can say bad things to nice people, but the true test of your humanity and spiritual development will be when you can look into the eye of your enemy and say: "Khosh-hallam az ashanaiye-shoma" and mean every word of it. It is indeed a pleasure to have an acquaintance of the devil - only the lucky ones get to know the devil and learn from him. Anyone can pass by a God and not give a damn. But only a few can learn from the devil.

7. Do not lower your game. Don't get stuck in the mud other people throw at you or at others. Also, as a general rule - make 90% of your conversation about the "You" - the other person and only "10%" of it about "Me" - that is yourself. Make 0% of it about "Him/Her" - some other person who is not a part of the talk.

8. Keep your stories ready.

9. When you meet a talented person: Step 1: Compliment them. In a blink of an eye. No second thoughts, not ifs and buts. Compliment people!! Step 2: Thank God for introducing you to them. He worked very hard to make this happen. Step 3: Quickly pick up what you can learn from them. And just as quickly adapt it. Never ever be jealous of other people's talents. They have not been handed a light to blow out your fire. They have been handed a light to help fuel your fire when the winds are strong and you need some help. Blowing up their light out of your own jealousy makes the world a darker place. Instead of being jealous of people, questioning their purpose, or impeding their way, brighten your own light, sharpen your own axe and focus on your purpose in life.

10. Purpose is the thing that breathes air in you. It is not the thing that you get praised for. It maybe the thing you get most harshly criticized for. But you still stick with it, because the choice in life will not be should I do it whether I am praised or not, but should I continue living if I dont get to do it.

11. Learn to identify the purpose of others in life - it will most likely not be to praise you or support you, it'll be to show the way. You will have to walk it alone.

Homesick

This is not the land I grew in.
I am just a potted plant here.
I grew else where.

You have brought me here and potted me.
Then you say that I am not the same color I used to be.

You get that special soil from my land
to fill the pot with.
You water me with this special water.

But it is not in the soil or water.
The wind here is not the same.

You want to know where I come from?
Ask the wind. It'll take you there.
Through the seven seas
Into that great land
Into that small town
Into that small patch of land
Where I was born.

Ask the wind.
It'll tell you the song my heart wishes to sing.

It can't find me here.
But in that small town,
over that small patch of land,
It blows wild and loud and free.
It knows each and every groove
The abode of each and every small flower.

Call the wind. Take me there.
Where I belong.

Happy Independence Day India! :)

Earthly love

We could have sat together

for hours

reading Sufi poems to each other

all night

Exhilarated by the age old wisdom

Soaking in the enchantments of the universe

The stars, moons, their paths and purposes

The hands touch, the bodies meet

The concreteness of the world

more graspable than the dust

of stellar treasures

Lets us be human for today

Thoughts

On power of words: If you can convince the whole world that your enemy is their enemy too, you'll soon have the army that you need to defeat the enemy.

What would my Identity Capital look like?

Came across this Ted talk today: http://www.ted.com/talks/meg_jay_why_30_is_not_the_new_20.html

and it got me thinking about what would I like to build as my Identity Capital and carry with me into my next decade or perhaps the rest of my life.

Couple of points that I can think right off the bat are:

1. Developing leaders, motivating young talent - has been the theme of my life for more than 5 years now. As one of the freshies in IITB told me (I was one of the mentors that time) - "You are like a fundae lady!"

Best constructive criticism ever - made me realize that while I love giving advice and most of it might be useful too - one can't get too preachy and not all the time at least. Restrict yourself to few useful words.

2. Social good - keeping the circle of your benefits much wider than your personal space, develop yourself passionately not because of what you can achieve with it but because of what you can deliver.

3. This is more of a note to self - develop good eating habits now, learn to control temptation now else you'll be a fat impulsive grandmother with your grandchildren displaying greater self-control than you!

4. Another work in progress is how to be patient with people and circumstances, not stress or worry too much, take life as it comes, one day at a time.

5. GRIT - learning this one obstacle at a time - do not give up in face of obstacles!

Attachment

I held so tight to you,
I just let myself go.

Refugee

This poem is dedicated to my students at FLC, most of whom are refugees. I have always felt a connection with them due to the history of my people who also had to vacate their homes due to political reasons. Sometimes I find myself calling them refugees or calling myself a refugee and then I realize who isn't? Temporary are our existences on this strange land.

Mahajer (urdu for refugee)

हमारी तरह, तु भी है महाजेर एक,
पन्ना में अल्लाह की।
चल रहा है  इशारों पे उनके।
न किसी रेत पे निशाँ हैं तुम्हारे,
न किसी शहर में हमारा ठिकाना।
पन्ना में अल्लाह की।
चल रहा है  इशारों पे उनके।

करता चल शुकराना, ऐ महाजेर,
कि फिर निकली आज धूप है।
कल रेत में खो जाने है तेरे
कर्म और करतब,
तूफानो संग बह जाने है अल्फ़ाज़ हमारे।
पन्ना में अल्लाह की।
चल रहा है  इशारों पे उनके।

The first fight

The fight is within.

The fight is with the tiny fists of doubt that constantly wrestle with your mind.

The fight is with the two seemingly glorious paths.

The fight with the separation between you and the thought.

Before you jump into the battle field of life,

and dream to conquer other things and people,

win over your thought.

Make the thought a part of your being.

So strongly interwoven into your body, your nerves and veins

That no amount of talking or convincing can separate you from it.

Make sure that part of your flesh is torn and your body bleeds

in the act of separating you and your thought.
Let the thought flow in your blood.
Let it beat in your heart.

Then you are ready to fight.

The first fight is with yourself.

The first fight is inside your own mind.

The first fight is to conquer the thought.

Yet another ode to failure

Any one who has achieved anything big will tell you they didn't succeed at it, they failed at something even bigger. Any one who shoots for small thing will point to an even smaller thing and brag about how they succeeded! Shoot for the stars and embrace the tiny speck of dust you fall on. It's that tiny speck of dust that carries you around the universe.

Zen and the Art of Running by Larry Shapiro

Mindfulness

Right Effort

Meditation

Awareness

The Middle Path

Impermanence

Buddha says:

A jug fills drop by drop.

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it from without.

We are what we think. With our thoughts, we make the world.

He is able who thinks he is able.

To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, and to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's mind.

It is better to travel well than arrive.

The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.

No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. 

We ourselves must walk the path.

It is a person's own mind, not his enemy or foe, 

that lures him to evil ways.

There is nothing more terrible than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that ruins friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts. 

It is a sword that kills.

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way and not starting.

The secret of health for mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, 

but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.

Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.

I do not believe in a fate that falls on people however they act. 

But I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act.

All things appear and disappear...

Zen and the art of living

Ah! Yet another new year! Time just flies, doesn't it?

I decided to go without making any resolutions this year - growing up I guess. Plus I have been doing everything that I would like to do in life and just need to continue on the path instead of adding new items to the list or stressing myself out about my performance.

One thing that has definitely been a welcome change is the frequency at which I got to read books in the last couple of weeks in spite of such a hectic work schedule. The next two posts are summaries of the books I read recently.

Zen and the Art of Running by Larry Shapiro

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

Sacrifice of a rose

A devil sat in a garden of roses
Plucked a flower
Started pulling out a petal at a time.

The leaves stood up tight and screamed:
That's a rose!
You don't pull it out.
You just look and smell.

The devil smiled and went his way
Till the flower remained no more
Just its fragrance lingered on about.

One day a prince came riding along
Spotted the devil
Tightened his bow, his aim unmistakable

Just then,
The leaves stood up tight and screamed:
Wait! That's a rose!
You don't shoot at it.
You just look and smell.