Nature, this one word reminds us of what? Of course, Mother Nature and also on second thought our nature that is our way of dealing with the world. Now how these two things are related?
Nature has got importance in every aspect of our lives, yes by every, I mean every. It has got survival value, without it we can’t survive. Aesthetic value, every beautiful thing on this earth is because of nature. Economic value, yes, we have every economic activity because of nature, nature has given us food, clothes, land also oil, a global regulator of economic activity. And last but not the least spiritual value, only Mother Nature & our nature can give us peace of mind. The beautiful, colorful & fragrant flowers depict the beauty in the world, flowing rivers signifies passing time & also the fact that nothing stops & no two moments are same, the high mountains show that immovable will power of the great personalities becomes abode and protector of many other life forms, free air infer freedom , day & night i.e. sunrise & sunset say about our good & bad times....everything is related. In fact nothing is different....as nature takes care of us we need to take care of her. If we can destroy nature by nuclear & atomic bombs and day today pollution, Nature can also destroy us via natural calamities like volcanoes, tsunamies, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, famines and what not.
Here comes our nature, the nature of the earth's most responsible and intelligent creature. What is our nature? Rather what should be our nature? How seriously we take our earth? How do we respond to the nature's needs whether less pollution or more trees? How much broad our outlook regarding our nature is? Where we place her?
It’s not about organizing protests, it’s not about organizing rallies, it’s not about long speeches, it’s not about researches, its not about seminars, its not about summits……it’s all about our nature towards Mother Nature. It is not about altruism rather it is all about selfishness because what we will give to Mother Nature we will get back.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
Love...3 storys and a beautiful, divine & pure emotion full of devotion, unselfishness & forgiveness
Love, beautiful word. Isn't it? It is really one of the most pure & divine feeling on earth. Not only we, the humans but animals and even plants also love. But, what is love? How can anyone sense love? No, here I am not interested in defining love rather I am just trying to pen down my feelings about WHAT LOVE IS NOT OR CAN NEVER BE?
Most of us are familiar with the famous novel “Devdas” written by Late.Shri Saratchandra Chattopadhyay & its famous character Devdas, who lost his childhood love Paro, drowned himself in liquor & ultimately died. People call it love and the story as a tragic love story. But I am sorry, I would like to take the privilege to call it “A Saga of selfishness & revenge".
Love is a beautiful creation! Can it really end up in something so sad and destructive? Can we really call it love? The character Devdas, a lover of Paro....when Paro married another man, he renounced his family and his duty towards his mother & grandmother , no surprise he didn’t think his responsibility towards his society, humanity or country but he thought only about himself. He didn’t think that his plight would hurt everyone who loves him. In fact, he did so to hurt them including Paro. Can it be love ?
Love originates from unselfish devotion for somebody. It cannot result into hurting anybody at least not the person whom we love. Love can’t make one selfish to such an extent. Love is about subjectivism rather than objectivism. Love has no objective to own somebody or something one loves rather it is all about giving our unconditional love. Love brings us closer to our near ones and if it does the opposite, I feel it can’t be called LOVE.
Few years ago a very sentimental story ran across internet. It was about a simple boy who was a mediocre soccer player. He outperformed on the final day of his match, and when he was asked how ? His answer was that his blind father who used to come everyday to the match was no more, and it was the first day he was seeing the match from the heaven. He could drown himself in the ocean of sadness but it was true love which inspired him to play at his level best to make his father happy even in the heaven. His tribute to his father was true love.
I started this article with a story from a novel, to quote one more example I would like to tell you about “Nandini” a short story by veteran Indian author Premchanda. In this beautifully woven story an aimless boy gets the meaning of life because of Nandini, a cow. When Nandini came into his life, it became the pivot of his life but Nandini was taken away by a landlord and this boy lost everything he acquired. But he truly loves Nandindi & doesn’t go back to his old mundane lifestyle but gets himself indulged into productive activities. A tribute to his love. He retained the happiness Nandini brought into his life.
All these facts about love may sound idealistic but it is also true that love helps us to rise above. It is difficult but not impossible.
Not only in fiction but in reality also true love resulted into great creations and achievements. The great poets & authors like saint Meerabai, Tulsidas & Saraswati Chandra are legendary examples of this.
I understand, love is accompanied with pain. But trust me, love has the power to heal also, we just need to trust love.
My purpose of this article is simple: no matter if we get what we love: a person, a passion or anything but first we should realize the true nature of this divine feeling and our love should always result in something beautiful & fruitful to the life on earth. Love can never make us to run away from our duties, from our near and dear ones, from our lives but can only bring us closer to these.
Love is the offspring of unselfish & unconditional devotion and dedication, it can never make a person selfish. Love become a center of somebody’s life but can never make a person self-centered.
One can have different views on it and can quote different examples but one thing is for sure: Love can never be a saga of selfishness & revenge but a always a beautiful & pure emotion full of devotion, unselfishness & forgiveness.
With a pure smile,
Pragati Soni
PS: I wrote this aritcle around 4-5 years back. I kept the title as "Devdas - A Saga of Selfishness & Revenge" however now I feel, positive feelings should have more positivity hence I have changed the title.
Most of us are familiar with the famous novel “Devdas” written by Late.Shri Saratchandra Chattopadhyay & its famous character Devdas, who lost his childhood love Paro, drowned himself in liquor & ultimately died. People call it love and the story as a tragic love story. But I am sorry, I would like to take the privilege to call it “A Saga of selfishness & revenge".
Love is a beautiful creation! Can it really end up in something so sad and destructive? Can we really call it love? The character Devdas, a lover of Paro....when Paro married another man, he renounced his family and his duty towards his mother & grandmother , no surprise he didn’t think his responsibility towards his society, humanity or country but he thought only about himself. He didn’t think that his plight would hurt everyone who loves him. In fact, he did so to hurt them including Paro. Can it be love ?
Love originates from unselfish devotion for somebody. It cannot result into hurting anybody at least not the person whom we love. Love can’t make one selfish to such an extent. Love is about subjectivism rather than objectivism. Love has no objective to own somebody or something one loves rather it is all about giving our unconditional love. Love brings us closer to our near ones and if it does the opposite, I feel it can’t be called LOVE.
Few years ago a very sentimental story ran across internet. It was about a simple boy who was a mediocre soccer player. He outperformed on the final day of his match, and when he was asked how ? His answer was that his blind father who used to come everyday to the match was no more, and it was the first day he was seeing the match from the heaven. He could drown himself in the ocean of sadness but it was true love which inspired him to play at his level best to make his father happy even in the heaven. His tribute to his father was true love.
I started this article with a story from a novel, to quote one more example I would like to tell you about “Nandini” a short story by veteran Indian author Premchanda. In this beautifully woven story an aimless boy gets the meaning of life because of Nandini, a cow. When Nandini came into his life, it became the pivot of his life but Nandini was taken away by a landlord and this boy lost everything he acquired. But he truly loves Nandindi & doesn’t go back to his old mundane lifestyle but gets himself indulged into productive activities. A tribute to his love. He retained the happiness Nandini brought into his life.
All these facts about love may sound idealistic but it is also true that love helps us to rise above. It is difficult but not impossible.
Not only in fiction but in reality also true love resulted into great creations and achievements. The great poets & authors like saint Meerabai, Tulsidas & Saraswati Chandra are legendary examples of this.
I understand, love is accompanied with pain. But trust me, love has the power to heal also, we just need to trust love.
My purpose of this article is simple: no matter if we get what we love: a person, a passion or anything but first we should realize the true nature of this divine feeling and our love should always result in something beautiful & fruitful to the life on earth. Love can never make us to run away from our duties, from our near and dear ones, from our lives but can only bring us closer to these.
Love is the offspring of unselfish & unconditional devotion and dedication, it can never make a person selfish. Love become a center of somebody’s life but can never make a person self-centered.
One can have different views on it and can quote different examples but one thing is for sure: Love can never be a saga of selfishness & revenge but a always a beautiful & pure emotion full of devotion, unselfishness & forgiveness.
With a pure smile,
Pragati Soni
PS: I wrote this aritcle around 4-5 years back. I kept the title as "Devdas - A Saga of Selfishness & Revenge" however now I feel, positive feelings should have more positivity hence I have changed the title.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Valmiki
‘Valmiki’, what is the first thing that strikes our mind when we listen, read or utter this word, obviously, the great epic Ramayana. So, am I going to make u read about Ramayana or Valmiki? Well absolutely not. I am not going to talk about Ramayana or Valmiki but something different...
I believe that we not only live life but also learn life every moment. No one comes on this earth as a teacher of life but we all are students in Life's classroom. Even Arjun, one of the five Padavas & great scholar sought the knowledge of life from Lord Krishna. We are simple ‘Human Beings’ and bound to learn life, sometimes from somebody's experience and most of the times from our own.
During our lives it happens many times that we commit mistakes and even blunders. Many people follow wrong paths. Some commit crimes and even sins. Sometimes we may be the privileged ones to realize these. But then what? We feel ashamed of themselves, we go into our shells, we blame themselves, we cry, we punish ourselves, we go into depression that may be chronic, we even recline to commit suicide and if alive we may make our life hell. We waste our lives in doing something futile and even fatal and that is ‘Regret’. We fail to realize the fact that life is too short for repentance & we need to come out of the guilt to do something to compensate any wrong deed.
Now, why we tend to do all the above mentioned negative things? Well, it may be because of lack of support, lack of self confidence, lack of motivation or may be because these are the easiest things to do. Whatever may be the reason but the ultimate loser is the mankind.
The toughest thing to do is to rise above ourselves & to make a comeback in the world of good deeds and it requires: willpower to change & hope that we can bring that change. The toughest thing is perhaps the transition from bad to good. The toughest thing is perhaps to have the willpower to hang on in our efforts to re-enter in the world. The toughest thing is to keep the hope when there is no hope at all. And that’s where I would like to recall Valmiki. Who was he? A Bandit! But do we recall that? No, obviously not. What we recall is his greatest creation and a gift to mankind: the Ramayana. He did one of the most difficult things on this earth, not writing the Ramayana but having the willpower and hope to change from a bandit to a saint, a transition from bad to good.
Here I am not saying that we can do any bad thing on this earth as we can always return from that path. No, absolutely not. We may not have the same people around whom we can ask forgiveness. We may not have the breadth to go and ask for forgiveness. Life is uncertain. That’s what I believe, do good deeds as there is no tomorrow and abstain from the bad ones as we may have no tomorrow.
All what we need to remember is that life is meant to live, to live in such a manner that we would be able to smile after our day's work and in the twilight of our life. Though difficult to live but we have only one life to live and to help others to live & smile. Past is always a past. We can neither rest on our laurels nor waste in holding on anything bad.
And it is an eternal truth that good deeds can always overcome bad deeds. If not, then how come only the word ‘Ramayana’ clicks to our mind when we listen, read or utter the word ‘Valmiki’?
With a smile willing to change for better,
Pragati Soni
I believe that we not only live life but also learn life every moment. No one comes on this earth as a teacher of life but we all are students in Life's classroom. Even Arjun, one of the five Padavas & great scholar sought the knowledge of life from Lord Krishna. We are simple ‘Human Beings’ and bound to learn life, sometimes from somebody's experience and most of the times from our own.
During our lives it happens many times that we commit mistakes and even blunders. Many people follow wrong paths. Some commit crimes and even sins. Sometimes we may be the privileged ones to realize these. But then what? We feel ashamed of themselves, we go into our shells, we blame themselves, we cry, we punish ourselves, we go into depression that may be chronic, we even recline to commit suicide and if alive we may make our life hell. We waste our lives in doing something futile and even fatal and that is ‘Regret’. We fail to realize the fact that life is too short for repentance & we need to come out of the guilt to do something to compensate any wrong deed.
Now, why we tend to do all the above mentioned negative things? Well, it may be because of lack of support, lack of self confidence, lack of motivation or may be because these are the easiest things to do. Whatever may be the reason but the ultimate loser is the mankind.
The toughest thing to do is to rise above ourselves & to make a comeback in the world of good deeds and it requires: willpower to change & hope that we can bring that change. The toughest thing is perhaps the transition from bad to good. The toughest thing is perhaps to have the willpower to hang on in our efforts to re-enter in the world. The toughest thing is to keep the hope when there is no hope at all. And that’s where I would like to recall Valmiki. Who was he? A Bandit! But do we recall that? No, obviously not. What we recall is his greatest creation and a gift to mankind: the Ramayana. He did one of the most difficult things on this earth, not writing the Ramayana but having the willpower and hope to change from a bandit to a saint, a transition from bad to good.
Here I am not saying that we can do any bad thing on this earth as we can always return from that path. No, absolutely not. We may not have the same people around whom we can ask forgiveness. We may not have the breadth to go and ask for forgiveness. Life is uncertain. That’s what I believe, do good deeds as there is no tomorrow and abstain from the bad ones as we may have no tomorrow.
All what we need to remember is that life is meant to live, to live in such a manner that we would be able to smile after our day's work and in the twilight of our life. Though difficult to live but we have only one life to live and to help others to live & smile. Past is always a past. We can neither rest on our laurels nor waste in holding on anything bad.
And it is an eternal truth that good deeds can always overcome bad deeds. If not, then how come only the word ‘Ramayana’ clicks to our mind when we listen, read or utter the word ‘Valmiki’?
With a smile willing to change for better,
Pragati Soni
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Heart Over Matter
I hope you agree with me that we all are living beings...to be more precise human beings. God's greatest creation.
What is the purpose of this God's greatest creation???
It is to earn money and earn money and earn lots of money and earn lots and lots of money...but earn money for??? Obviously for buying land, bungalows, flats, shares, car, home theatre, music system, latest mobiles, refrigerators, washing machine, furniture, antique items........and if we have one-one of all these...then again one more set of land, shares, car, home theatre, music system, latest mobiles.....and after that 1 more set and this goes on and goes on and goes on....
So you must be thinking the title should be 'Man Over Matter' or 'Matter Over Everything' rather than Heart Over Matter....So here we go..
Actually the truth is that in the race of acquiring all these materialistic things...we really suppose our lust for paper money and eventually the above mentioned non-living things of comfort as the voice of our heart. But there is a truth that every heart knows. Our heart wants love, friendship, togetherness, peace...in one word happiness.
Here the point is not that we should not work or earn money or not buy all these ...but the point is not to forget we are human beings; we are having higher purpose on this earth; to serve not only human beings but also our mother earth; not only to reach stars but also to reach hearts, not only to teach our next generation how to operate computer or playstation but also how to have a compassionate heart; not only to invent higher technology but also to safeguard what nature has given us; not only to increase our bank balance but also to preserve fresh air and pure water.
We believe what we see. And we see only matter. We never see heart. Heart is something that can only be felt and in this fast moving world, we rarely get time to feel. People alienate themselves with what is happening around them and they indulge themselves in all the luxury they can afford. They think that this attachment and detachment can bring them happiness. But if this had been true then we would not have so many cases of depression or the lifestyle diseases. Some people think that they are not millionaires like Warren Buffet or Bill Gates or Tatas or Ambanis, they have their own needs so that should strive to achieve their personal goals. Some people think that they don't have time to join any NGO or any community service. But our earth can also be served by small small acts, it doesn't always need lots of money or time. It just needs heart and sometimes only smile.
The truth is and will always be that happiness is all what we need. Everything has got its own significance and may be a part of life but the heart of life is love, friendship, peace....and in two words..true happiness. Value your family, love & friends. Have a compassionate heart that can feel others pain & joy. Serve mother earth.
Work smartly with passion, earn money with dignity & spend for need as well as luxury (there is absolutely no harm in that) but to enjoy the bliss of true happiness..we need to keep in mind that 'Matter' always comes after 'Heart' and 'Heart is always before, after & over Matter'.
That is it!!!
What is the purpose of this God's greatest creation???
It is to earn money and earn money and earn lots of money and earn lots and lots of money...but earn money for??? Obviously for buying land, bungalows, flats, shares, car, home theatre, music system, latest mobiles, refrigerators, washing machine, furniture, antique items........and if we have one-one of all these...then again one more set of land, shares, car, home theatre, music system, latest mobiles.....and after that 1 more set and this goes on and goes on and goes on....
So you must be thinking the title should be 'Man Over Matter' or 'Matter Over Everything' rather than Heart Over Matter....So here we go..
Actually the truth is that in the race of acquiring all these materialistic things...we really suppose our lust for paper money and eventually the above mentioned non-living things of comfort as the voice of our heart. But there is a truth that every heart knows. Our heart wants love, friendship, togetherness, peace...in one word happiness.
Here the point is not that we should not work or earn money or not buy all these ...but the point is not to forget we are human beings; we are having higher purpose on this earth; to serve not only human beings but also our mother earth; not only to reach stars but also to reach hearts, not only to teach our next generation how to operate computer or playstation but also how to have a compassionate heart; not only to invent higher technology but also to safeguard what nature has given us; not only to increase our bank balance but also to preserve fresh air and pure water.
We believe what we see. And we see only matter. We never see heart. Heart is something that can only be felt and in this fast moving world, we rarely get time to feel. People alienate themselves with what is happening around them and they indulge themselves in all the luxury they can afford. They think that this attachment and detachment can bring them happiness. But if this had been true then we would not have so many cases of depression or the lifestyle diseases. Some people think that they are not millionaires like Warren Buffet or Bill Gates or Tatas or Ambanis, they have their own needs so that should strive to achieve their personal goals. Some people think that they don't have time to join any NGO or any community service. But our earth can also be served by small small acts, it doesn't always need lots of money or time. It just needs heart and sometimes only smile.
The truth is and will always be that happiness is all what we need. Everything has got its own significance and may be a part of life but the heart of life is love, friendship, peace....and in two words..true happiness. Value your family, love & friends. Have a compassionate heart that can feel others pain & joy. Serve mother earth.
Work smartly with passion, earn money with dignity & spend for need as well as luxury (there is absolutely no harm in that) but to enjoy the bliss of true happiness..we need to keep in mind that 'Matter' always comes after 'Heart' and 'Heart is always before, after & over Matter'.
That is it!!!
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