Thursday, May 9, 2024

Bliss

I stand before you, bare and naked
As an offering you might like;
As nothing else could stand a chance
For worshipping your enchanting beauty.
I do not have the slightest courage
For seeking your blessings to embrace you,
For I cannot stand in the presence
Of the divine energy dazzling in your eyes.
Thus, I have shed my skin of torture
Renouncing the world of pleasures
To experience your spirit that pervades
The whole Universe of all creation.

Engulf me in your arms swaying the cosmos,
To help me vanquish my malicious thoughts
And be guided by the beacon of wisdom
Obscured within the depths of intuition.
Let there be a reminder in my conscience,
Every second of every day by introspection
That there is no other form of happiness
Than being in your abode of eternal bliss
Spanning throughout the universe.

While I am aware that my mind is blind
In ignoring your everlasting presence,
It doesn't leave me alone until I become a slave to it.
So, help me draw my focus back to yourself,
And lure me towards the touch of your ecstasy
When I lose my reins to the spurious exhibits of joy
Painted by the army of habitual offences led by desire.

It is ironic to give you up for the sake of dark forces
But your arms are always open for me upon my surrender.
I am left in an abyss of confusion that sucks me down
During the tug of war that ensues for choosing a side:
Either the body ruled by lust, limited by unrelenting ego,
Or the soul that reflects your Omnipresent Spirit.

Light the path again that leads to your shelter,
And I will tread it entrusting myself in your able hands.
My breath whispers your name as a prayer with every step
While I begin experiencing the Oneness with you.

Thursday, July 14, 2022

Advaita

Advaita


To the seeker of truth,
Wake up from your dream;
The dream of false reality
Staged by your senses.
Wake up from your slumber;
The slumber of dreaming
With your eyes closed.
Free your mind,
Let go of the veil of illusion;
The illusion painted by
Your worthless ego.
The ego has blinded you and
Obscured the vision of reality.
Lose yourself; shed everything
That you think you have
To know that you have nothing.
Look inside yourself to learn
And realize that what you
See, hear, touch, taste,
Think and feel is one big lie.
Unlearn that this life is permanent
And learn about its fickle nature.
Let your thoughts transcend
Beyond the realm of your body
And discover that your soul
Is no different than
The Spirit of The Universe;
Where life comes and goes
Round and round in an endless cycle.
Believe that only this knowledge 
Of Self-realization is permanent.
Become aware that you are
An indivisible speck of dust
Within the infinite universe.
Still the mind; stop its clamor
From grief and desires.
Accept that you are nothing
And yet you are everything
Both within and without.
Even with your eyes wide open,
Pure consciousness pervading the cosmos
Since the beginning of time
Will be enlightened within you
To experience eternal bliss.
And this is The Ultimate Truth.

July 14, 2022

Saturday, April 23, 2022

Book Review: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

The plot of the story is battle between the pure intellectuals and pure socialists. It describes at length about dispute between two extremes: socialism and objectivism. I found this hard to believe because if individuality is one aspect, then social responsibility is another. These two concepts do overlap at a certain point. Otherwise, without objective, you cannot earn a livelihood and still contribute to society.

Another problem I had reading this book is its enormous length; I felt it was overdone. Rand has used her power of vocabulary to describe same things again and again with different lines, different passages with different sub-plots which makes the chapters redundant. Hence it took me more than an year to finish reading it. From the beginning, all the chapters inch towards the climax: "This is John Galt Speaking"; this chapter could have been a hundred page novel all by itself. It doesn't strike the right chord just by repeatedly intensifying to same issue and drag it to this point. I was tired and almost ready to give up. The work could have been more engaging by being more concise. Yes; the major problem of this novel is its length. With all this criticism, I acknowledge that there are some notable quotes, eye catching lines and passages that really nudges your soul.

It would have been worth your time if the book was cut short to explain its principles, not otherwise. If you really want to enjoy reading Ayn Rand's work on objectivism, try The Fountainhead.

Sunday, July 25, 2021

But One Day

But One Day

"Raise your arms, now your chin,
Then close your eyes and your mouth,"
I said giving a bath to my naughty little boy.
The joy of experiencing such a thing:
The way he responded to my requests
Overpowered me until I took a deep breath,
I realized with a drop of sadness and fading smile
That it wouldn't last forever, but one day.

When he returned home after earning his graduation, 
I couldn't be more proud of what he had achieved
Until with a bag of mixed feelings, I heard him say,
"I'll take it from here," only to figure out that
My boy is a grown-up now, but one day.

The long walk along the country side
With the help of my cane,
Soaking in the sight of birds returning
To their abodes against the backdrop of
Lush green hills along the water stream: 
I indulge myself in such delightful spectacles
Reminiscing about my boy once I carried in my arms -

Until I felt a sudden grab on my shoulder
For my leg slipped and I was about to fall forward.
Then I glanced at the man with gray hair giving me
An assuring nod and my fading smile returned to life.
It is all but a dream that will come true; but one day.

July 25, 2021

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Our Mother

Our Great Mother

Her patience is immeasurable,
Her tolerance - unimaginable.
And yet, she feels burdened
While her patience runs out.
To ease herself, to save her spine,
And to save most of her children,
She forsakes a few of them
With thunder bolts of death,
Warning the rest with fury
Without showing the grief
Withheld in her eyes.
She is, my people,
Our Great Mother,
Nature.