undiplomatic times: The Eternally Stupid Politics of Religion

undiplomatic times: The Eternally Stupid Politics of Religion

By the laws of the universe

My father Dr.P.N.Srinivasarao was a man who made me think out of the box. The time 4am to 6am every morning was a learning.

He grew up with the precinct of the Udupi temple, where the Madhwa siddanta rules supreme. One thing Madhwa Acharya taught his students and they conveniently forgot is the power to question, and reason. Even with Vayu jeevothama and Hari Sarvothama, ie air is life sustaining and the Lord is all pervading, the intellect was free to think, understand and interpret.

One of the many things he told is the translation of the Einstein’s law, and its metaphysical manifestation. We are but microcosms, of the all pervading macrocosm. This is best illustrated as the co-related visual of the solar system and the atomic structure.

Whether we acknowledge it or not we are made of these atomic structures giving us energy in various forms, the thermal, the electric, chemical etc. so are all living creatures. Energy is neither created, nor destroyed. Which means the energy destroyed by the devastation of animals, birds, flora and fauna has to transform. The only thing that seem to explode is mankind, so these energies are transformed into human energies, debasing man, the laws of the jungle have began to take over. But there is loss of the animal integrity as that social support is no longer there. The social support and learning is human.

So we have begun vandalizing nature with animal strength and human intellect. This also made him understand and accept the changing human instincts and values.

coming togather

Coming together.

When there is a disaster or emergency like people come together, lend a helping hand.

But is that the only time we need to get tighter?

Humans seem to come together only on face of a tragedy, it’s then the lending hand comes. This experience is often a life changing one for those is welling to turn helpers or care givers. We feel like we are finally doing something relevant, or important. We feel more connected to the people we help and humanity in general.

We find that it is easier to be happy when we are motivated in an effort to make the world a better place considering the benefits of kind gestures it is surprising we do not devote more of our lives to serve people. This could be because a small action of kindness does not create wave energy.

Maybe it is time we shifted little bit from our sports and movie icons and lauded the real heroes.

on sight and vision

On sight and vision.

My father Dr.Srinivasarao P.N. was an ophthalmologist. This was how he explained vision and sight to me.

Sight is the capacity to see the physical world and vision is the gift to see beyond it.

Sight allows up to perceive colours, shapes, size and participate with knowledge. It helps us to feel in control allowing us to see what is coming towards us, where we are headed and which way we are going.

Ask a person who has lost their eyesight. Things are clearer when you cannot see through your eyes that are the reason why meditation gurus ask us to close our eyes. That’s when the vision takes over, external distraction is shut off. Vision navigates our thought, feeling and emotions. It enables us to see things that are not yet manifested, in the world of form. It also connects us to ourselves that exists separately from the world of form.

As we are our sight diminishes, sharpening the vision this is probably the time for us to step back and start on that journey that cannot be mapped. We need to rely on our intuition to take us on the journey of the spirit.

life in a small

Life in a small town.

In an urban set up we are so busy running from point A to point B we forget to enjoy the journey.

Like ants we are busy rushing around at such terrible speed that we don’t pay attention to leaves on the shrubs and clouds in the sky. We prefer ATM’s and online banking it saves us the travel time and the effort to smile at the cashier.

In this mad physical rush does not allow soul to enjoy life. People in the cities reveal in the rush, it gives them a sense of achievement and empowers them with the confidence that they can do so many things.

But it is the people of the small town who move at slower paces who have fuller lives. They have time for themselves, the security of relationship, familiar strangers etc.

Its not that the people in the city do not or cannot life a full life it is just that it takes a little more effort to be aware of things.

One simple thing would e everyday take time of for 10mnts. Look around notice the nature around you. Cultivate people like the assistant at the mart. Those people who travel in the train or the bus with you. You will find the same small town gifts even in the city.

Row row row a boat,

Gently down the stream

Merrily, merrily, merrily

Life is but a dream.

We have hummed this ditty long enough. How profound. Life is a dream, and illusion, something like a play where we all act out our roles. Yet we take our achievements, or failures, so seriously.

How nice it would be if could be aware that this is a dream and walk through it with all awareness. There are lot of people who do it, when there is a surprise spring they enjoy it, it is a surprise sprung on them then they improvise.

Improvisation is like making a choice. The more we accept the illusionary accept of life, the more lighter we become, and less judgemental on ourselves, others and the planet. Its only then we can play with shadow cast by the projection without being bogged down by the onus of success and failure.

on goes the river, and outpast the mills

away down the valley and away from hills.

Feeling Lonely

Feeling lonely

There are days when we all feel lonely this idea comes from the notion that we are separate from others, and that we are mutually disconnected from one another. But we cannot really be separate from the world; we are like the fish swimming in water. But when we begin to define our boundaries what we see as solid is actually porous it’s difficult to say where our skin ceases and air begins. Look at the we way we are affected by atmosphere. When it is dry our skin dries, when it is humid we sweat our skin becomes moist and supple.

By the same logic it is difficult to separate one person from the other after all we entwined by our action on the subtle plane we pick up people’s energy whether we mean to or not. We tend to attune to surrounding moods contagious.

This could be the reason the guru’s ask us to align towards positive energy or focus on light like meditating facing the sun in the morning. The sun the egoless nurturer could inspire us to dissolve our ego.

We could work on the porous to feel the oneness with all. Then we can appreciate that we are not really alone.

You are your own mentor

Guru’s, Mentor’s, teacher’s many of them follow the path that they prescribe. Equal numbers of people go looking for these. Nothing really wrong in this finding the right person at the right time definitely helps if someone like that is available.


But it is also necessary to recognize the right one.

In the absence of one like I like to imagine the outer world as a mirror and the inner world as a magnetic force that draws the necessary ingredients for us evolve. That is to say we can embark on the path on our own. We carry all that is necessary for self realization within us and the outré world acts as a mirror from where the inner magnetic force draws us evolve to the next level.

All that we need to have is a belief in ourselves and let go of the belief that we need to look outside for help.

We have heard of rainbow and with treasure pot at the end of it. This is just a metaphor for the illusion that most of us harbour about the mythical Shambala.

Happiness is transient until the next want emerges, but joy of living is internal and within us. Most Gurus’ emphasis that the elixir is within us and we need to find it. Finding it is not a rational or intense intellectual exercise. But for us to ask, and let go, be patient till the answer emerges the most important factor being recognizing this answer when it emerges.

The more practise we me the more we trust the process in turn we look less for external crutches for successfully we become our own.

are we scared to meditate?

Afraid to meditate?


Hagalu ninna neneyallila

Hasivu trisheyinda,

Irulu ninna neneyallila

Nidreya bharadinda,

Ee yeradara bhadege nanolagaadeno puranda vittala.

This Kannada poetry talk of an adept who complains to the lord that he could not meditate during the day because of hunger and thirst, he could not in the night because of sleep. Does this sound familiar?

Why do we procrastinate when it comes to our meditation? Is it that we are avoiding our true power?

How many times have we put off meditating citing zillion excuses like time, place, work etc. but those are the precise reasons that we need to look past the illusions and connect with the infinite the is timeless and without boundaries.

Maybe we need to ask ourselves why are we putting this off? Why are we scared of slowing down our frantic pace? Are we running away from the undeniable self we have created by the choices we made? Or are we scared of the onus of decisions we need to take to align ourselves in line with the universe energy and its flow?

The truth is when we co-operate with the universe by creating life from the truth of our being this automatically become less scary. If we can find time to meditate, we could find ourselves alone with the infinite energy that could inspire us to re-invent, refocus and make us aware of the energy and light we are made of. This knowledge could help us unravel our highest potential.

things we can't control

Over the past few months I realized the day will go on whether I like it or not and experience scheduled for that day will go on too. I have the choice to make a noise about it or accept it gracefully , and things did go graceful when I accepted the guiding hands of universe.


Somewhere we have become control freaks; from building shelters to communities we evolved to what we call a civilization. Controlling nature and exploiting her too. But suddenly sometimes nature throws a surprise maybe a Tsunami or an earthquake, she also gives us the resources to face and overcome it. I am not about normal human beings not the Cabot’s and Lodges are worried about the share market when disaster strikes.

Maybe if we take responsibility for things we can control like food gatherings, shelter, love and caring for our loved ones. If we believe in our dreams and dedicate ourselves to them we can genuinely be empowered by the strength of the universe.

This I realize requires great trust, greater than just accepting things to turn out the way we want them. It means developing equanimity and grace to every situation. For life unfolds exactly the way it should.

Believe in success and work like you have got it, seems the new mantra.


Yet you don’t see successes the way they should be visible.

Many a times I think its because the perception of success is not ours, we are gauging it by someone else’s standards. If we sat down and figured what we think is worth achieving and go about it in all sincerity we should achieve it.

Another thing that occurs to me many a times is that people of my father’s generation believed if they worked sincerely and hard enough towards excellence they would achieve success, and success interestingly was a sense of satisfaction, achievement and third in the order came monetary and material things.

Maybe I am old fashioned, but it is that conviction in ourselves is what we are missing. That is something intrinsic no workshop can put it there.

cow day

The bay area behenji’s are here with their kids for a holiday. Their husband has finished up the three weeks leave and is working from Bangalore/Pune/home/or returned to Uncle Sam’s land.


The behenji’s are sharing India with their kids, the n relatives to be met at Bangalore, Chennai or udupi or urban India. Then it is tourism through incredible India the musts Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Tirupati Ajanta Ellora etc.

Interestingly in Uncle Sam’s land today is the annual appreciate the cow day. This was instated to bring about awareness in the urban children about the dairy industry. It is made educative by spending day at a form or dairy working hands on including milking, churning butter making ice-cream by cranking a hand cranked ice-cream machine. Naming the new born calves and looking round restored 18th century farmhouses

Some semi-urban schools have picked up adopt a cow program.

Maybe it is time for the urban Indian kids to learn; maybe we should adopt this program as part of the deepavali Go-pujan.

Incidentally a cow day is defined by the veterinarian as –for one day used as a measure of pasture required to fully feed a cow in peak lactation.

voice within

The external voices that I like to hear are the ones that are soft, well modulated and sound sincere.


Singers MLVasanta Kumari, Pattammal are great favourites, MS Subbalakshmi’s voice quality makes up for the atrocious pronunciations which massacres the meaning of rendering. Dwaram Lakshmi from the Tirupati women’s university is probably the most unforgettable voice. Then there is Upali from shantiniketan her Baul singing can cause emotional catharsis.

Apart from all this the best voice is the voice of silence that awakens the inner voice of the soul.

The inner voice is always calm and pleasant

The inner voice always speaks with love

The inner voice always speaks the truth.

We may choose to call it intuition. It is that voice that guides us to our inner peace and abundance. We may to listen to it for it might ask for a change. It is this inner voice that makes like or dislikes people when we meet them for the first time.

I would be true, for there are those who trust me

I would be pure, for there are those who care

I would be strong for there is much to suffer

I would be brave for there is so much to dare.

--Howard Arnold Walter/

comfort clutter

Decluttering to make space in life.

I am reorganizing my house after nearly 8months of neglect.

It is amazing some things that I have really are irrelevant now. Will it be relevant sometime later I do not know. But this baggage of clutter has stayed hoarded.

Maybe giving away of souvenirs are scary, because the memory of it might fade.

Maybe be giving away of trophies are scary because achievements maybe forgotten. After all those are our protections against our own inadequacies.

Maybe gifts remind us that we are loveable too.

But once we accept the emotional security these mementoes and souvenirs give, and then give away the material representation of these emotional identities we might gain space and vitality to create and achieve something new.

summer songs

Summer sounds


Actually one does not really pay much attention to it. Its only when the poets highlight it that we notice it.

to the kids it means no more pencils no more books, no more teachers dirty looks. To mothers it means no lunchboxes to pack, to Indian grandparents it means grandkids home.

To mother nature—sings a different song, there is an unreal element here like a mirage, the heat saps the enmity between predators, you don’t need wealth to cool your life like the famous Indian poet Bhana says, the season allows it by itself by sending the breeze through the sweat which is coolant.

The Indian summer is legendary, the cracking of dawn is with the chirping of migratory birds, then come the crackling parrots, on tree tops, these slowly leave the stage for droning bees that come to the jasmine flowers as they are at the peak of their fragrance. As the day moves on it’s a mirage of peace and harmony between predators created by the lethargy of the summer heat.

ಗ್ರಿಷ್ಮದ ಧ್ವನಿ.

ನಿಜ ಹೇಳಬೇಕಾದರೆ, ನಿಷ್ಕಾಮವಾಗಿ ಹಾಡುತ್ತಿರವ ಗ್ರಿಷ್ಮದ ಹಾಡನ್ನು ಬೆದರಿಸುವ ಉರಿ ನುಂಗುತ್ತದೆ.

ಬಿಸಿಗೆಯೆಂದರೆ, ಶಾಲೆ,ಪ್ರಾಧ್ಯಾಪಕರ ದಭಾಲಿಕೆಯಿಂದ ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೆ ಮುಕ್ತಿಯಾದರೆ, ಡಬ್ಬಿ ತುಂಬುವ್ದರಿಂದ ತಾಯಿಯನ್ದಿರಿಗೆ ಮುಕ್ತಿ. ಹಪ್ಪಳ, ಉಪ್ಪಿನಕಾಯಿಯ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಮಮ್ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಮೇಳ.

ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಪ್ರಾಣಿಗಳೂ ತಮ್ಮ ನಿಜ ಸ್ವಭಾವದಿಂದ ರಜೆ ತೆಗೆದಂತೆ ಆಲಸ್ಯದ ಮಂಪರು ಸವೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಸೂರ್ಯನನ್ನೇ ಬೆದರಿಸುವ ಉರಿಯಿಂದ ಕವಿ ಭಾಣನು ಎರಡು ಪರಿಹಾರ ಕೊಡುತ್ತಾನೆ.

ಮೊದಲೆಯದಾಗಿ, ಶ್ರೀದೇವಿಯ ಸಹಾಯದಿಂದ ಹವಾನಿಯಂತ್ರಣ ,ಜಲಕ್ರಿಡೇಯಾಡಿ ತಂಪಾಗ ಬಹುದು, ಇಲ್ಲ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಯ ಶರಣಾಗಿ ಅವಳಿಂದ ಬೀಸುವ ಗಾಳಿಯು ಮೈ ಬೆವರ ಮೇಲೆ ತೀಲಿದಾಗ ರೋಮಂಚ ತಂಪಿನ ಅನುಭವ ಪಡೆಯಬಹುದು. ಭಾಣನು concrete ಕಾಡಿನಲ್ಲಿ ನೆಲಸಲಿಲ್ಲವಲ್ಲ.

ಅರುನೋದಯದಲ್ಲಿ, ಹಾರುವ ಹಕ್ಕಿಯ ಇಂಚರ ಅದ್ದನ್ನು ಬೆನ್ನಟ್ಟಿ ಬರುವ ಶುಕನ ಶಗುಣ,ರವಿ ಏರಿದಂತೆ ಮಳಿಗೆ ಜಾಜಿಯನ್ನು ಆರಿಸಿ ಬರುವ ದುಂಬಿಯ ಜ್ಹೆಂಖರ ಮಧ್ಯಾನ್ಹದ ಉರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಶಾಂತ ಉಸಿರೆಳೆಯುವ ಆಲಸಿ ಆಕಳು, ಗೊಧುಲಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಗೂಡನ್ನು ಅರಿಸಿಬರುವ ಪಕ್ಷಿಗಳು, ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನು ಸ್ವಾಗತಿಸುವ ಸಾಗರದ ಅರ್ಭಟ ಅಲೆಗಳು

ಮತ್ತೆ ಸೂರ್ಯನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಶಾಂತವಾಗುವ ಈ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಯ ಧ್ವನಿಗಳು.

money bliss or misery

Can money buy happiness?


I am confused,

Remember the Lexus ads. That said”whoever said money cannot buy happiness is not spending it right” may be this is right.

I think (I could be wrong) it essentially depends on whether you are a person of money bliss or money misery. 

Let’s consider it under standard parameters

Money and time

• Money bliss says it gives you the ability to outsource work you don’t want to do.

• Money misery says Outsourcing means paying so you are in the circle of having to earn more.

Money and freedom

• Money bliss-- gives you the choice of what to buy and when to buy

• Money misery--makes you greedy and want more things.

Money and stuff—shopping is like hunting and gathering.

• Money bliss--You have the choice to buying things for people you love.

• Money misery--The joy of possessing is only temporary then you get used to it.

Money and experiences

• Money bliss--lets you travel and enjoy the finer things of life.

• Money misery--All these are short lived and do not count in the long run.

Money and stress

• Money bliss--Having money means from freedom from worry to means to pay bills.

• Money misery--Once the basic needs are met, then additional money means stress of money management.

Essentially as I mentioned it is not money but our attitude to it.

Sociological researcher Glen Firebaugh from Pennsylvania University has proved with a cohesive study that people with money are more relaxed and happier than those with less.

This is because factors like greed, jealousy also play a role in creating happiness. It’s also a myth that has been created about rich being bad, but without donations from people like Bill Gates many projects would run dry.

As Esther and Jerry Hicks wrote in their book Ask and its yours “money is neither the root cause of happiness nor is it the root cause of evil. Money is the result of how line up energy”

The Hindu philosophy personifies this and calls this Lakshmi the goddess of wealth. For nothing is separate from God or spiritual energy. Money is the spiritual substance made to manifest, the creative energy of spirituality stepped down to visibility.

As the Atharva Veda says ignorance and poverty are sins and a truly successful man is the one who uses his talents to create wealth and manages the wealth efficiently.

unforgetables

What is it that I am good in remembering, what is that I tend to forget


Rather than remembering which to me is a checklist, I have a to do list neatly filed in 6 top priorities format. So I would rather talk about not forgetting than remembering.

There are moments of joy, there are moments of despair, there are hands that help when in despair, those hands I cannot forget.

There are teachers, who create an awareness within you, not necessarily at a school they are what I cannot forget,

There are lessons learnt in humility, and wonderment of life those are the moments I cannot forget

For the rest of the mundane things to remember like dates, time appointments I have check lists and mobile alarms.

ಸ್ಮೃತಿ

ನೀವೇನು ಸ್ಮರಣೆ ಮಾಡಬಲ್ಲಿರಿ? ಏನು ಮರೆಯಬಲ್ಲಿರ್ರಯೆಂದು ಪ್ಲಿನ್ಕ್ಯ್ ಕೇಳುತ್ತಲೇ.

ಹರಿಯ ಸ್ಮರಣೆ ಎನ್ನೋದು ಬಹಳ ಸುಲಭ. ಆದರೆ ಸ್ಮರಣೆ ನೆನಪುಗಲಾದರೆ ಅದು ಬೇರೇನೂ ಆಗುತ್ತದೆ.

ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಬಂದ ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಪುಟ್ಟ ಕ್ಷಣಗಳು, ದುಃಖದಲ್ಲಿ ನೆರವು ನೀಡಿದ ಕೈಗಳು, ಬಿಸಿಲಲ್ಲಿ ನೆರಳು ನೀಡಿದ ಮರಗಳು,ಇವುಗಲ್ಲನ್ನು ಮರೆಯಬಲ್ಲೇವೆ?

ಜಾರಿದಾಗ ಎಬ್ಬಿಸದ ಕೈಗಳು, ಜೀವನದ ಮೂಲ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ಕಳಿಸಿದ ಸುಪ್ತ ಗುರುಗಳು. ಜೀವನದ ವಿಸ್ಮಯವನ್ನು ಅರಿವುಮಾದಿಸಿದ ಜೀನರುe ಇವರನ್ನು ಸ್ಮರಿಸುತ್ತೆವಲ್ಲ.

ಮಿಕ್ಕಿದ್ದ ಸಣ್ಣಪುಟ್ಟ ಕಾರ್ಯಗಳಿಗೆ ಅಂದರೆ ಮುಹೂರ್ತ,ವೆಳಾಪಟ್ಟಿ, ಸಾಮಾನು ಪಟ್ಟಿ ಅಂತ ಪಟ್ಟಿ ಮಾಡೋದಿದೆ

worry

In bed hospitalized, for more than a month and half, isolation.


An unwanted, trait started dominating, you guessed right, worry.

I was worried about everything but now ask me what exactly worried me I don’t know, maybe it was because I was not in control of situations that surrounded me, I could not be sure of the end result. When an unknown woman told me, you have been awakened to do something, just do it.

I just tried to sit up the first few times it hurt, and then I figured how to get up without hurting myself.

Putting off was another way. It was just my fear talking.

That’s when it occurred that I was fantasizing or rather creating situations and reacting to it. After all worry is the extension of fear and lack of self confidence. Maybe this worry makes me attract things and situation that I don’t want or need in my life.

Maybe it is time to put a little faith in myself and my guardian angels.

onus of life

The biggest responsibility ever,


I, me, myself. When the maker sent me down he sent me with a purpose, something to learn, something to achieve. It is my responsibility to myself that I do it and not throw away the life, running after mundane things. If I can make that small difference to the world then I have to. to discover the perfection that I am after all God does not make defective pieces.

Second is the nurturing of my two daughters, to guide to realize their strengths and learn their weakness. To make them live and experience the wonder that we call nature and the magic we call life.

The most important like the Buddha said, is to start and to finish.



ನನ್ನಗೆ ಹೊರೆಸಿದ ಅತಿ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಪ್ಲಿನ್ಕ್ಯ್ ಕೇಳುತ್ತಾಳೆ

ನನ್ನ, ನಾನು ಮರೆತರೇನು ಸುಖವಿದೆ? ತನ್ನತನವ ತೊರೆದರೇನು ಸೊಗಸಿದೆ? ಆತ್ಮಜ್ಞಾನ ಈ ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾವೇನೋ ಕಲಿಯುವುದು ಇದೆ, ನಾವೇನೋ ಹಂಚಿಕೊಲ್ಲುವುದಿದೆ ಇದೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಕೂಡಲ ಸಂಗನನು ಒಲಿಸುವ ಪರಿ.

ಇನ್ನೊದು ನನ್ನ ಮಗಳನ್ದಿರು, ಅವರಿಗೂ ಈ ಅರಿವು ಬೇಕು, ಅವರ ಬಾಳ ಹದಯಾಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಾವು ತೋರುಕಂಬಗಷ್ಟೇ, ಆದರೆ ಅದರ ಅಗತ್ಯವಿದೆ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಯ ವಿಸ್ಮಯ ಆತ್ಮದ ಜ್ಞಾನ ಸತ್ಯ ನಿತ್ಯದ ಸಂತುಲ ಪಡೆಯುವುದು ಅಗತ್ಯ.

ಅಂತರ್ ಜ್ಯೋತಿ, ಬಾಹರ್ ಜ್ಯೋತಿ, ಪ್ರತಜ್ಯೋತಿ ಪರಾತ್ಪರಂ, ಜ್ಯೋತಿರ್ಜ್ಯೋತಿ ಆತ್ಮಜ್ಯೋತಿ ಶಿವತ್ಮಕಂ.

ಎಲ್ಲಕಿಂತಃ ಮುಖ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಸಾಖ್ಯ ಮುನಿ ಅಂದಂತೆ ಯಾತ್ರೆ ಪ್ರಾರಂಭಿಸುವುದು ಮುಖ್ಯ ಅಂತೆಯೇ ಅದರ ಅನ್ತ್ಯಸೆರುವುದು ಮುಖ್ಯ.

reactions in life

Every time I see a motorcycle turning the impulse is to scream to pull my leg into a secure zone, or when I see fire even on the television is utter panic. I want to push my kids out of the room! Though with time the panic of the motorcycle reduces it is still there.


Our past experiences seem effect actions, thinking in short it seem to colour everything. Right from how we see the world, our emotions reactions and responses.

Sometimes I feel there is no right or wrong, just experiences sometimes even forgotten yet when a similar moment arises we react just the same way.