I am currently reading 'Gem in the Lotus' by Abraham Eraly. The book details the history of ancient India upto the Mauryan Empire. Without commenting on content (with which, I confess, I do have some reservations) I want to applaud the masterful manner in which he has dealt with the subject matter. He has succinctly and in pristine English traced the socio-cultural history and ethos of the Indian sub-continent. His skill in and mastery over language and the depth and scope of the detailed coverage leave the reader astounded.
Here are two examples:
IN THE BEGINNING THERE was no India. All the landmass of the earth then lay huddled together in protocontinents in the lap of the idling primeval sea. Around 170 million years ago this cluster of continents began to break up and drift apart, because of the movements of the crustal plates jacketing the semi-molten interior of the earth, a geological process called plate tectonics. In the process, some 100 million years ago, a huge and roughly triangular chunk of land broke off from the eastern flank of Africa above Madagascar, and, pivoting slightly anticlockwise, began a millennially slow, 4000-odd-kilometre-long slide north-eastward across the ancient Tethys Sea, bearing stark, crystalline massif like a granite sail. Eventually, after about a forty-million-year-long ocean journey, it docked into the soft underbelly of the sprawling Asian landmass, to become the land that would be known many aeons later as India.
The Ganga-Yamuna-Brahmaputra river systems hang from the neck of the Himalayas like the strands of an askew necklace, their broad estuary a braided pendant.
Hereis Eraly on the Brahmanas
The Brahmanas are priestly fancy gone berserk. These works, instead of clarifying Vedic practices , often make them more obscure, by their “ pedantic and cruel pursuit of detail,” and over-elaborate, involutes and ponderous narrative style. As Macdonnell says in a harsh but essentially valid comment, the Brahmanas “form an aggregate of shallow and pedantic discussion, full of sacerdotal conceits, and fanciful, or even abused, identifications.”
Friday, March 21, 2008
Gnana: The Only Route?
Some of my thoughts would show that I am inclined towards Advaitha. This is not to say that I am insensible to the efficacy of "Karma: and "Bkakthi" as routes to salvation. They are.
Different, yet the same!
It is only when we interact with people that we understand the innumerable differences that exist between them as also the essential similarities of our lives and ambitions. Right from the quotidian details of day to day living to the deep rooted and passionately pursued goals of a life well lived, we are different and yet the same! Does this sound paradoxical?
Friday, March 14, 2008
I am at Gurgaon
I am now in Gurgaon on an assignment. As a staunch Chennai guy, I am unable to help commenting that for all its Hitech culture and 
High raise buildings, GurGaon is still dusty and full of polution. The poverty and grime go hand in hand. When you enter the Air Conditioned Ivory towers of the IT and BPO companies, you are totally protected. But when you come out it's the heat and Dust again.The new metro and other infrastructure work may bring some relief. But that will happen only by 2010.
High raise buildings, GurGaon is still dusty and full of polution. The poverty and grime go hand in hand. When you enter the Air Conditioned Ivory towers of the IT and BPO companies, you are totally protected. But when you come out it's the heat and Dust again.The new metro and other infrastructure work may bring some relief. But that will happen only by 2010.We pass by the Qutub on our way from the guest house in Saket. 
So here's a snap.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
SatSanghis
Satsangh means good company or good association. In Baja Govindam Adi Sankara avers that Satsang leads to Jeevan Mukthi or Salvation.
My good friend, mentor and popular trainer Keshav who runs Mantra, has started a new group called Satsanghi , which meets every month at the Chinmaya Heritage Centre, 2, 13th Avenue, Harrington Road.
At every meeting a learned speaker is invited who ddresses the group on a topic generally relating to Indian Heritage, Spirituality or Philosophy. The membership is Rs. 600/- for six months. The Speaker is called Shreyasi (Meaning Pure one).
The Satsanghi meeting was preceded by a brief video of a 1975 Satsangh with Pujya Swami Chinmayananda. It was quite energising. Swamiji spet Atonement as At-One_Ment with OM!
The December Shreyasi was Dr. M B Athreya. I missed it. But, I could make it today to listen to Mr. N R Kumar a Chartered Accountant and Management Consultant. Mr. Kumar speaks Sanskrit fluently and during the discourse told us an entire story in simple easily understandable Sanskrit.
His Talk was on Scientific Heritage of India. He took us through various Scientific dscoveries and showed us that they have recorded origins in India.
For example, he spoke of how soldiers whose noses were cut off by Tipu Sultan were treated by a Mahratta Vaidya using Plastic Surgery. This was reported in the Madras Gazette and read by Dr. J C Carpue who took it to England. Dr. Graefe of Germany read about this in a detailed report in the Gentleman Magazine in Oct 1794. Thus was born Rhinoplasty, which was used by Actress Sridevi to reshape her nose, bringing the Circle back to India but this time as the receiver of a knowledge rather than the proud propogator thereof.
Kumar deplored the fact that we have lost this treasurehouse of knowledge. He gave numerous examples of profound truths that were stated casually in our ancient heritage.
One point he made about Memory and Knowledge was a bit vague. But I think he was actually referring to Data versus Knowledge. He felt that unless you bring passion and experience to any information, you don't own it, you merely hold it.
He also made the point that the chanters of Vedic hymns are mere couriers who deliver the Mantras bereft of their true meaning.
But, his refernce to himself as a Sanskrit Speaking Aryan could have bben avoided as the Dravidian/Aryan delineation is too thin to be stressed. Morover the Sanskrit that is used today is arguably not the same sanskrit used by the Vedic Aryans. There is a lot of Pali and even Dravidian influence in Post Vedic Sanskrit.
His point that Vyasa, Sushrutha and Aryabhatta were not individuals but rather the common name for a series of compilers and correspondents is quite interesting. Sushrutha means one who listens well. Charaka is one who keeps moving (from place to place) to collect information and Vakbhatta was an eloquent man. These people possibly broke away from the existing oral tradition and documented medical practices then prevalent from their first hand observation or from interviewing practitioners.
His talk triggered me into remembering a verse from Kamban's Ramayanam in the Hiranya Vadhai Padalam (Verse 253)where Kamban makes Prahalad say, "Yes Hari is everywhere, in this Pillar, even in that Kone which is the hundreth part of an Atom...!" This would mean that Ancient Tamils knew about the Atom and that it was divisible far earlier than western science accepted Atomic Fission! In Verse 296 he speaks of Nanosecond. (1/1000th of a second)
But, what is the point in talking about past greatness. Actually for all his laudable research, and argument, N R Kumar did not really offer any viable long term suggestions for documenting and studying these things. But his Passion is palpable and infectious. Most of us walked out with the conviction that we should do something about researching and documenting our Ancient Indian Heritage. Or as Keshav succinctly put it at the end, It is time t o stop crying and start Trying!
My good friend, mentor and popular trainer Keshav who runs Mantra, has started a new group called Satsanghi , which meets every month at the Chinmaya Heritage Centre, 2, 13th Avenue, Harrington Road.
At every meeting a learned speaker is invited who ddresses the group on a topic generally relating to Indian Heritage, Spirituality or Philosophy. The membership is Rs. 600/- for six months. The Speaker is called Shreyasi (Meaning Pure one).
The Satsanghi meeting was preceded by a brief video of a 1975 Satsangh with Pujya Swami Chinmayananda. It was quite energising. Swamiji spet Atonement as At-One_Ment with OM!
The December Shreyasi was Dr. M B Athreya. I missed it. But, I could make it today to listen to Mr. N R Kumar a Chartered Accountant and Management Consultant. Mr. Kumar speaks Sanskrit fluently and during the discourse told us an entire story in simple easily understandable Sanskrit.
His Talk was on Scientific Heritage of India. He took us through various Scientific dscoveries and showed us that they have recorded origins in India.
For example, he spoke of how soldiers whose noses were cut off by Tipu Sultan were treated by a Mahratta Vaidya using Plastic Surgery. This was reported in the Madras Gazette and read by Dr. J C Carpue who took it to England. Dr. Graefe of Germany read about this in a detailed report in the Gentleman Magazine in Oct 1794. Thus was born Rhinoplasty, which was used by Actress Sridevi to reshape her nose, bringing the Circle back to India but this time as the receiver of a knowledge rather than the proud propogator thereof.
Kumar deplored the fact that we have lost this treasurehouse of knowledge. He gave numerous examples of profound truths that were stated casually in our ancient heritage.
One point he made about Memory and Knowledge was a bit vague. But I think he was actually referring to Data versus Knowledge. He felt that unless you bring passion and experience to any information, you don't own it, you merely hold it.
He also made the point that the chanters of Vedic hymns are mere couriers who deliver the Mantras bereft of their true meaning.
But, his refernce to himself as a Sanskrit Speaking Aryan could have bben avoided as the Dravidian/Aryan delineation is too thin to be stressed. Morover the Sanskrit that is used today is arguably not the same sanskrit used by the Vedic Aryans. There is a lot of Pali and even Dravidian influence in Post Vedic Sanskrit.
His point that Vyasa, Sushrutha and Aryabhatta were not individuals but rather the common name for a series of compilers and correspondents is quite interesting. Sushrutha means one who listens well. Charaka is one who keeps moving (from place to place) to collect information and Vakbhatta was an eloquent man. These people possibly broke away from the existing oral tradition and documented medical practices then prevalent from their first hand observation or from interviewing practitioners.
His talk triggered me into remembering a verse from Kamban's Ramayanam in the Hiranya Vadhai Padalam (Verse 253)where Kamban makes Prahalad say, "Yes Hari is everywhere, in this Pillar, even in that Kone which is the hundreth part of an Atom...!" This would mean that Ancient Tamils knew about the Atom and that it was divisible far earlier than western science accepted Atomic Fission! In Verse 296 he speaks of Nanosecond. (1/1000th of a second)
But, what is the point in talking about past greatness. Actually for all his laudable research, and argument, N R Kumar did not really offer any viable long term suggestions for documenting and studying these things. But his Passion is palpable and infectious. Most of us walked out with the conviction that we should do something about researching and documenting our Ancient Indian Heritage. Or as Keshav succinctly put it at the end, It is time t o stop crying and start Trying!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Eternal Youth - A Boon or a Curse?
Youth - Eternal
Eternal youth
A Curse or Blessing?
After all, when the innocence is gone
what is the appearnce of youth
but a source of envy; a fear of Loss?
Sreesri
Eternal youth
A Curse or Blessing?
After all, when the innocence is gone
what is the appearnce of youth
but a source of envy; a fear of Loss?
Sreesri
As I was preparing for my bath, I saw a cat basking in the sun. I was impressed by the absolute non-chalance and the air of superiority exhibited by her. I used maximum zoom in my Nikon to get that air of supercilious superiority that only a cat can display. And for extreme indolence and laid back attitude, Cats take the cup!
Most of us feel a bit guilty about resting or relaxing. We try to justify it by a bout of action, before or after the period of rest. But a cat will relax as if there is no need for justifying it. As if relaxing is the purpose of life!
That is possibly why a deep and undisturbed sleep during the day for about half an hour is called a Cat Nap!
Go ahead! Relax! It is allowed for Humans too!
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Murudeeshwar