SABN Classic - 03 - Priorities of Life

SABN Speaketh: How ironical it is that, the human mind considers the defeat of the ego more excruciating than the suffering or even death of the body!

We sow all the chemicals our children reap

Brothers and sisters,

I just came across this wonderful site that is the web address for a movie that documents a very sick-to-the-stomach bit of information: Since the end of WWII, modern humans have been exposed to 100,000 chemicals a day in a society that has created roughly 500,000 million tons of chemicals.

Are they affecting your to-be-born children? This documentary has to be unsettling, if not just informative. http://www.underkastelsen.se/

Karma has to be the greatest invention of God.

The Seven Drops of Supporting your Mother

Today, I started another dropintheocean activity to support our planet.

As of today, I have quit shampoo and face wash with the purchase of a environment and animal-friendly substitutes from Body Shop. At five times the price of the generic (sprayed-into-rabbits'-eyes tested) versions, they are a hole-in-your-pocket, even if they be a goal for your soul. Still, He watches and weighs, and eventually, everything matters.

On Earth Day, I also started my tooth-brushing ritual with mugs of water, rather than with a running faucet. I don't know how many litres I have not drained Mother Earth by with this endeavour till date, but I really am not about numbers. I know what you are thinking, but insanity is just on the far side of inspiration.

Seven drops will surely make an ocean.

Tube vision

Took the Metro finally. It's quite what you expect it to be, smooth, silent and uneventful. And surprisingly crowded,- probably the Friday effect.

A return from Deira City Centre to Mall of the Emirates costs AED 11/- per person, and another AED 2000/- if you want to stop wherever you want. Also, for another AED 200/-, you can also eat and drink on board.

That apart, it's actually a very fresh perspective on Dubai, and the city really looks greener on the high side. Like Dhanya noted, Sheikh Mohammed truly had something that the rest of the Peninsula didn't,- vision. In spite of having oil sprouting out of the ground, none of our neighbours could conceive of anything remotely close, and many still don't seem to have figured it out.

If it weren't for the recession that even our friendly-neighbourhood conmen from Wall Street couldn't predict, Dubai would have steamed ahead even more. Talking about prediction, they sure didn't predict it, as they actually invented it for all of us to suffer.

Anyway, great going Dubai.

Reading Between the Lines - 18 - Ms. Point UK

The National, 19-05-2010: Baroness Warsi is UK's first female Muslim minister

P's C: As a faithful friend of the States, the Kingdom replicates even in marketing. The latest, well-intentioned, but evidently diplomatic overkill was to rope in a nobody, but specifically Pakistani-Muslim-Woman, to become a Minister of Cameron's cabinet.

Cameron’s appointment of Baroness Warsi has been welcomed as a “great honour” for those who realize how important it is for the Kingdom to appease the minority as a form of remaining the majority. Her Highestness the Baroness has been entrusted with the challenging portfolio of 'being the UK's first female Muslim minister'.

Caption: Baroness Warsi described her rise from a working-class lass to an absolutely-no-portfolio minister as 'humbling'.

Reading Between the Lines - 17 - Miss (the Point) USA

Kansas City, 18-05-2010: Arab-American from Michigan crowned 2010 Miss USA

P's C: America makes diplomatic headway into the Arab world by crowning Arab-America as Miss USA. This is significant, since this well-clad parade is exactly what the Arab world wants strong representation for from America. Talking about the contest itself, it is very noteworthy to remember that before the winner bursts into tears, she always confesses that she wants to 'be an ambassador for world peace'.

That's before she steps into movies or magazines.

Akshaya Trituya

Alukkas brings me spiritual Joy.

They are so kind enough to remind me of that mythical, yet auspicious festival, Akshaya Trituya (hope I have even got the spelling right), which, although unknown like till yesterday, is so very important that it has to be celebrated with purchase of gold. Alukkas also confirms that 'Only gold is auspicious', dispelling my doubt that cement was also a very auspicious commodity.

Such spiritual guidance can only come from your friendly neighbourhood jeweller Guru. In fact, Alukkas reminds us that purchase of gold on this very important Hindu (or was it Buddhist or maybe it was Zionist) festival day will ensure prosperity for the rest of the year. Now, wasn't there this guy who bought gold on this very important day last year and drowned in the Pacific Ocean a few weeks later?

Either way, with the current rate of gold, the rich can be assured that only they will be able to afford prosperity for the year ahead.

The Ideal Conference

Disclaimer: The following report is a fictitious article. All innuendos are unintentional, and the speakers referred to are all fake, I mean 'fake' as the antonym of 'real', not the synonym of 'one who engages in only lip-service'.

We had a great Conference yesterday. It was a meaningful exercise and the hotel atmosphere made it worth the effort. There were two types of juices for breakfast, and the muffins were actually eggless. The lunch prasad was a feast, with three types of dessert, and at least five dishes, just right to further our sadhana of sense-control.

All in all, a great experience. Although this could have been conducted in our Mandir itself, it was decided otherwise, as a Mandir conference wouldn't afford the opportunity for spending AED 150/- per person, and the hotel venue would ensure that only the rich can participate.

By the way, I also learned a few important things that I never knew till now:

• I am also God (no, seriously!).
• Love all, Serve All (one can never have any Conference without this very strong statement fired from hollow cylinders).
• God made the universe as the Vedas say so (with audio effects to make it sound even more impressive).
• I should see God in everyone (not joking, although this came from a speaker well-known for doing just the opposite).

But my dear friends, I also have to reveal a shocking bit of news relayed by an old student during our workshop, and this will shake you to your spiritual core, which is the stomach. "There is politics even in OUR organization!!!" I know this comes as a shock to you, but yes, it is true. The whole workshop shook with the concurrent gasps of 40 appalled participants, as this student made this statement.

But if this is true, I do hope it remains at the lower levels of the organization, and not at the level of the eminent preachers, I mean speakers, who are mostly above the spiritual law of practice what we preach. In fact, one of the true-blue preakers (preacher-speaker) averred that: 'I am not nothing, I am everything'. The overpowering conviction of this person's statement, founded on the ubiquitous officer-level air of being indispensable to the movement, made me realize how much emptier I have to be inside before I can reach the level of a spiritual smooth-talker of that preaker's lofty stature.

But this shock (from the old student) apart, it was a great Conference. And there was enough ice-cream for everyone.

Perspective is Everything

Richard Feynman:

There are 10^11 stars in the galaxy. That used to be a huge number. But it's only a hundred billion. It's less than the national deficit! We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers.

Arabia as you have never known it

Sometimes, stereotyping is wrong. Other times, it's totally wrong. Syria is a perfect example for the latter. You will not believe that all this dance and song was in a Muslim country. And they just won't have it any other way.

The women and men were dancing and singing like there was no Saudi Arabia. And it really didn't seem gross,- they seemed perfectly convivial. The picture was taken in the Damascus Gate, the world's largest restaurant as per the Guinness Book of Records. It is, also, not coincidentally, the world's largest single source of hummus.

The occasion was a gala dinner for all the participants of the Medical Conference which Dhanya attended, and where, I too tagged along (as usual). The dancers were leading medicos in their field, just free to be themselves, and perfectly hospitable. Sometimes, freedom doesn't hurt, especially, if in measure.

Extremes usually lead to extremism.

Syrian sojourn

In Damascus, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Also, the oldest city in the world to keep getting invaded continuously,- which is also a reflection of mankind's general tendency for conflict out of habit.

On the bright side, every woman in the street has to be Aishwarya Rai, and every man, Matt Damon. These people are incredibly beautiful, and incredibly modern, considering that it is a Muslim state. Throughout the last three days, I have seen just one fully-veiled woman. Figured out later that she was a delegate from Saudi (where else) who had come for Dhanya's medical conference. Speaking of which, this is a pretty high-profile conference. Dhanya was a speaker, and the second speaker after her was the Minister of Health from Sudan. Wonder when I will get into such a un-humbling situation.

Back to Syria, did you know that this town with the most narrow roads in the world for the oldest city in the world is also one of the most expensive cities to live in? Not that the amenities are much to talk about. But then, that is Syria. Everything is fine except that it is within shouting distance of Israel and Palestine (with their natural propensity of violence as exercise), and so a bit of Israelistine attitude is in them.

But that apart, beautiful place, beautiful people, bad roads.

N.B.: Pictured inside Obayyad Mosque, probably the only place in Syria where the women have to be seen with a gown and head covered, more because they are in a mosque, rather than in Syria.

Reading Between the Lines - 15 - United effort

Daily Markets 04-05-2010: United, Continental Merge Into World’s Largest Airline

P's C: United, Continental Merge Into World’s Largest misplacer of luggage

Bullet-riddled strategy

This is a great labyrinth that explains to the US Military heads, how to win the Afghan war. Or was it the Iraq war? I mean, it was some kind of war, maybe in Somalia. I mean, don't they have nukes in Somalia?

Anyways, this powerpoint explains how complicated the powerpoint is, if not the ground-reality of Afghanistan. It leaked (of course) to the press, who, as usual, made hay.

That aside, I reckon the best exit strategy for the US from Afghanistan would be through Pakistan (wink!). But, unfortunately, they seem to be planning it through Iran.

Also, do get your hands full of any military vendor's stocks. You won't be sorry.

SABN Classic - 02 - Between then and now

SABN Speaketh: It only takes a moment for Life to turn topsy turvy.

This is so relevant that is feels so irrelevant. Why? Because we take everything for granted. Tomorrow's sunrise, next year's promotion, and our respiratory system. Nobody can predict the weekend, much less retirement. Yet, we all live with such gallant illusions.

World Day for Animals in Laboratories

After an inconvenient World Earth Day, comes an uncomfortable World Day for Animals in Laboratories, that is as grotesque as it reads.

The picture is self-explanatory.

You can start with your lipstick or shaving foam, if you are really serious about it.

Our President of filmi-type ceremonies sets another precedent

I just got to read today that attempting actor Saif Ali Khan received the coveted award, Padmashree, from the President of India, Pratibha Patil. From what I read, the Padmashree award is handed out to Indian citizens who have made a noticeable contribution in fields like Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Medicine, Social Service and public life.

So, what on earth did Saif Ali Khan get the award for? This has been the question on the minds of many people. It seems there is one more field that merits the coveted (not any longer) award,- and that's the field of perseverence. This chap has been trying to act for nearly two decades now, and although nowhere close to what you might call an 'actor', he has finally reached the stage, where he has now mastered the skill of acting like he is acting, a feat in itself, considering that his competitors are plastic studs like Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar.

So, Saif Ali Khan gets the Padmashree Award for having made a noticeable contribution in the field of Perseverence, thus bringing a ray of hope to other ambitious hopefuls in diverse areas like attempting to write (Shobha De) and sounding knowledgeable on cricket (Mandira Bedi).

Sarvam Vishnumayam

I have been distressed mentally for the last few days. It had to do with an animal which I had escorted to its death. And today, after bhajan, I received my answer.

A few days back I happened to notice a cat in a filling station that must have been the worst representation of karma that I have seen in the animal world, and I have endured many a PETA animal torture movie.

It which was in such a condition that death would have been an achievement. It seemed have run over by some vehicle right through its middle. It would drag its burden of a body with its two fore paws from one end of the station to the other, till exhaustion would make it collapse. The attendants told me that it had been in this condition for a week. The whole of the mid section seemed to be gangrenous. In fact, if the rest of the body behind the fore paws had been paralyzed, the cat could have been called lucky.

I called up Dhanya and she located a vet in Al Goze. Upon my description, he told me that the cat was best euthanized. In fact, that seemed to be the most humane thing to do. But since I had called him at 10.00PM, he told me to bring the cat the next day. Many things crossed my mind during this period: Is it karmic to kill something, when it has to work out the tragedy that it weaved itself into in the first place? Am I right to sanction its end? What would be the karmic effect on me, when I am dealing death here? It is not like lying to someone or refusing a car ride. This is death. Either way, I decided that death would have been the only exoneration for the cat. I then asked myself whether there was anything I could do at this point. Somehow, vibhuthi came to mind. I immediately rushed home and returned with a packet of vibhuthi. As soon as I sprinkled a bit of it on the mid-section, the cat jerked its tail. Beyond that, there was no perceivable response.

I returned home with a hope that Swami would come in my dream and suggest something else. I woke up without a dream, and as discombobulated as I had been the previous night. However, I also happened to remember that my ex-Animal Welfare Wing Convenor Romula Madam used to put down cats and dogs that had no recourse. This actually made me feel better. I asked our driver to take it to the vet that would euthanize it, and he did. End of story.

Now, the cat was no different after the contact with vibhuthi. In fact, I must have been asking for too much to have hoped for something of that order. In the end, it died an unnatural death, albeit, better than the unnatural life that it was enduring. So, what did I achieve by the vibhuthi?

Today, as I was driving home after bhajan, the story of the tiger in Shirdi Satcharitra flashed. The tiger had met its Maker then, and the Darshan was exoneration. In this case, the vibhuthi was Sparshan, and with this Sparshan, it was the cat's salvation. We may never know, but I would like to think so.

In this life, there are umpteen opportunities for us to reach out and touch others in little insignificant ways that make a significance difference. We can,- if we are willing to step out of our gilded cages of self-interest and look beyond the wraparounds.

We come in our BMWs and Mercs, armed with mighty plans and inflated feelings of self-purpose, to draft mighty seva opportunities that will change the universe, while forgetting that just over our shoulder are our so-called brothers, who, unfortunately, don't talk like us, walk like us, share our social or economic status, and don't demonstrate the spiritual flamboyance that we do. No matter how grand our seva, unless we demonstrate the will to grow beyond the halo of our elitist outfit and become a Centre for the masses, we can do all the Maha sevas we want, but we will never have moved an inch in the path that we claim to be on. No one has ever taken his Merc to his next life.

There is no Krishna in the Mandir who is not in the cat.

Earth Dead

Today is Earth Day: that one special day of the year when we feel guilty about letting the water flow while brushing and using plastic forks to sink into the 1/2 kg steak portions that take 10,000 litres of water to bring to your table.

Earth Day is an annual reminder of consumerism gone haywire, of greed in doublespeed, of ambition in overdrive.

The Earth is one of our seven mothers. Would we abuse our own biological mother in this manner? Of course not. But then, Earth is not technically our biological mother, you know. And it's ugly in many places, and rotting in others. Plus, it's full of militants, and then, there are American troops too peeping into your bedroom. So, I mean, what kind of a Mother do we have in Mother Earth? So, a bit of abuse is okay, I mean, kinda okay, you know, like kinda sorta okay. See, your fine in your sin! How well we are able to talk our way out of action!

Wake up brothers, all those earthquakes and other cataclysms of volcanic proportions are not aberrant. Everything is karmic. Everything is connected.

Reading Between the Lines - 14 - Recommendation in an A/C hall with Bose speakers

The Hindu 22-04-10: G-20 ministers recommend job creation to overcome crisis

P's C: G-20 ministers recommend job creation to overcome crisis, the same recommendation that some rickshaw drivers in T. Nagar made last night after a few pegs.

Blissful ignorance

Ignorance offers lots of opportunities,- to attain wisdom, or to remain ignorant.

Dr. D

Dhanya already has degrees as long as my arm. But as of today, my wife is also a Certified Nephrologist. That makes her an MBBS (Gold Medallist), MD, DNB, MRCP & RCP(Nephrology), and me even smaller than I was till yesterday.

That aside, I think it is worth it. In an age when patients want Doctors to prescribe specifically those medicines that they themselves have decided to take, it is good to stay a bit ahead in the knowledge game. Besides, the human body develops new versions of diseases faster than hackers develop new viruses. So, there is quite a bit of responsibility on them.

Congrats, D!

Reading Between the Lines - 13 - Great Britain

Metro 21-04-10: England is the least patriotic country in Europe, says study

P's C: The motherland of Charles Darwin, (the philandering) Prince of Wales, and hooliganism, England,- the very same country where the sun never set till a couple of decades ago, is now the least patriotic country in Europe.

United (Misguided) State of Poland

USP seems to be the toughest country in the world to get a visa for these days. I submitted my application on April Fool's Day, not realizing that I would continue to be a fool for another twenty days.

On the 20th of April, I successfully managed to beg my way to getting my passport back, needless to say, without the Schengen visa on it. It takes one day to get a Schengen entry into Germany and France (if you have been there before). It takes three days to get a visa into the toughest country in the world to get a visa into currently,- the United States of America.

Only Poland is seemingly tougher. The United State of Poland, with its amazingly distorted picture of itself, with the tremendous opportunity that it presents, the incredible resources, world-leading GDP, and none to lead the country at the moment, presents the best bet for any illegal migrant. So, if you are planning to visit this self-declared Utopia in 2013, please apply for a visit visa right away. Else, with the tremendous flood of applications pouring into the massive 3-man staffed embassy, it might be very difficult to get into this totally clueless Schegen-sorry-state three years from now.

In the name of Vishu

Today is Vishu day!

Vishu is the most important festival for any Keralite. Actually, the most important festival is Onam; I choose Vishu out of convenience, as it is close to Vishnu (though there is no etymological similarity at all)!

Vishu is the first day of the Malayalam New Year, and is incidentally, the New Year in Tamil Nadu and other areas as well. The epicentre of the Vishu festival is the Vishukkani, which is "the first to be seen on the Vishu day". The Vishukkani consists of a pretty aesthetic arrangement of auspicious tokens of material, spiritual and physical well-being, all placed at the feet of youknowho. My Krishna is standing there with his Murali by his side (this was a gift from the Udupi Krishna temple).

Traditionally, the Vishukkani is prepared by the lady of the house. In our house, it has always been my Mother, who wakes up at around 2.30 AM every Vishu, so that we are assured of Kani Darshan during Bramhamuhurtam, the inconvenient, but essential time zone for all things spiritual and auspicious. The yellow flowers are the Kanni Konna,- supposed to be a very common flower in Kerala, though I have never seen it myself. Either I have never seen it, or I have not recognized it, and in all likelihood, it's the latter.

As always, the most important festivity of any festival seems to be the (physical) food and the new (outer) clothing. I am guessing the original import should have related to turning over a new leaf on the New Year, but, as with most traditions now, the ritual has taken over the reasoning. That apart, the ladies still look gorgeous in their gold embroidered (kasavu) sarees.

All said and done, this is Vishu. Think for the best. Do for the best. Hope for the best. Pray for the best!

Happy Vishu to all of you!

SABN Classic - Winning is Losing

Buddha was asked- What did you gain from Nirvana
His answer- "I gained nothing.... In fact I lost everything.

SABN Speaketh: Spirituality is the only race where the largest loser is the biggest winner"!!

Reading Between the Lines - 12 - Elected Criminals

The Hindu 14-04-2010: Two major Indian apparel brands go organic

P's C: Two major Indian apparel brands (cash in on the intelligensia's new-found emotion to) go organic

Reading Between the Lines - 11 - Sania's Mirchi

The Hindu 14-04-2010: Sania-Shoaib enter Mirza residence hand-in-hand

P's C:

1. Shoaib enters mother-in-law's residence pride-in-luggage
2. Sania enters Mirza residence lying-divorcé-in-hand
3. Sania-Shoaib enter reality show hope-in-face

Afterthought: Sania Malik reflects not just a bit of cricket, but a lot of India as well. With 500 million men, we don't have genuine pace bowlers. With 69 million Muslim men, she still had to look across the border.

Reading Between the Lines - 10 - Reforming without changing

Bellingham Herald 12-04-10: Health reform may require changes

P's C: Which kind of reform does not require changes?

Sarcastically speaking

My brother commented the other day that my sarcasm is the principle reason for my immense (lack of) popularity within our Sai centre.

Don't disagree at all. But I was never in the popularity race in the first place. Popularity is a compromise of principle. A populist manifesto is, almost always, a compromise manifesto. The spiritual path is a single-lane street, at the end of which you are bound to shed your vote-bank. The aspirant aspires for the life beyond the street, rather than the life on the high street.

Not incidentally, our ex-convenor, Bharat 'The Vene' Pally mentioned a variant to the Sai Trinity, which, although a joke, is taken with seriousness by many people in our joint. Regarding the variant, you might want to ask him yourself!

Footnote: Prajeen is still very right. I am planning to resign from professional sarcasm, now that Rajesh is groomed and ready to take on from where I left off! Rajesh, are you reading this?!

Reading Between the Lines - 09 - WWE Cricket

The Hindu 12-04-2010: Mumbai Indians in semifinals

P's C: Mumbai Indians in semifinals in yet to finish IPL (drag) series.

As I keep stressing to anyone who does not want to hear, this should be watched as entertainment, and not sport.

Sports Day under (I mean in) the sun

The Youth Wing held the second Annual Sai Sports Day yesterday. I participated in the soccer event.

It turned out to be an epiphanic episode for me. After yesterday, I still don't know the names of my 600-odd muscles, but I am pretty sure I know where they are. Plus, I have finally settled on the home-truth that age is really not between the ears, but everywhere below them. Running after guys less than half my age has made me perfectly aware of mine. That apart, and apart from the baking sun, it was a good day out for everyone.

To cap it all, our team Sathya won the overall First Place without probably having won even one individual First! Proves one thing, in sports as in spirituality, consistency is king.

Reading Between the Lines - 08 - Elected Criminals

IANS - 06-04-2010: As many as 17 percent of Rajya Sabha members have criminal cases pending against them.

P's C: As many as 83 percent of Rajya Sabha members yet to have their criminal cases proved against them.

Reading Between the Lines - 06 - Marketing Community Participation

Gulf News 06-04-2010 : Lack of Awareness - Almost 66 per cent of companies in Dubai don't take part in community events

P's C: Surprising Awareness - Almost 34 per cent of companies in Dubai take part in community events

SABN Classic - 01 - Poor Power

There are so many nuggets from SABN in this blog that thought I might as well start a new Label for him. And here's the first one:

India is both "Super Power" and "Super Poor". Poverty of wealth is curable in one lifetime, poverty of the mind perhaps never in a hundered lifetimes!

Reading Between the Lines - 05 - Sania Mirchi

Gulf News - 06-04-2010: Shoaib and Sania vow to go ahead with wedding

P's C: Shoaib and Sania vow to go ahead with wedding, and manage to secure this event as the most important article for the UAE for the 6th of April. Does this country have anything more worthwhile for this day - this is the front page article on the broadsheet.

That apart, I always doubted that Old City Hyderabadis were Pakistanis in disguise. Now I am sure.

Reading Between the Lines - 04 - Chili

CSM - 03-04-2010: India adds world's hottest chili pepper to its anti-terrorism arsenal

Comment: No wonder our shooting is always with our mouth.

Close competition

Just returned from another trip to Yemen. One thing's for sure. Among the few countries giving tough competition to India for the nation with the widest disparity between the rich and the non-existent, Yemen has to be somewhere at the top.

The chasm is incredible. You have people living off the street, and you have people living on the High street. But beyond the similarity, there is something that India stands out, by, and for. And Yemen needs to learn this lesson. Unless there is focus on education, specifically, education for the women-folk, Yemen will continue to be Yemen.

India will not. The recent Right to Education Act (with all its practical issues) is yet another step in the right direction. For at least some occasions, we really need to Jai Hind!

Reading Between the Lines: 02 - Easter

Houston Chronicle, 03-04-2010: Some scholars fear we're losing religious meaning of Easter

Praveen's Comment: Some Hallmarks economists fear we're losing commercial meaning of Easter

Reading Between the Lines - 03 - Pakistan

The Hindu, 03-04-2010: Pakistan: our apprehensions are legitimate

Praveen's Comment: Pakistan: our apprehensions about ourselves are legitimate

Reading Between the Lines - 01 - Vatican

Associated Press, 03-04-2010 : Vatican waited years to defrock Arizona priest

Praveen's Comment: Institutional abuse?!

Spineless nation full of gutless countrymen

Fresh riots in Hyderabad between 'two communities' as the press would have it, is made out to be so abstruse that we end up wondering whether it could be Hindus vs Jews, or Catholics vs Buddhists or even Iyers vs Jains. I don't why the press even attempts to be politically correct, when all their content is morally incorrect. If you go through the broadsheet of any day's GN, no page is complete without that one spicy dose of violence. So, what sells besides what you know sells?

Coming back to the topic, there is something about Hyderabad that is symptomatic of the nation as a whole. I remember when India-Pakistan matches used to take place, Old Hyderabad would support you know who, and would reverentially hoist the national flag of Pakistan, in case they won. As a tolerant and understanding nation of eunuchs, we would stand and watch. The bold television channels would not capture those scenes, for fear of inflaming the (non-existent) passions of the (impotent) masses. The police, would of course, respectfully avoid Old Hyderabad.

The right to freedom has long been abused as the right to privilege, while the freedom of action is never allowed to segue into the freedom of reaction. As long as Chidambaram, and all those members of the Italian mafia that rule our country, talk about 'talk' as pragmatic responses to the 'walk' of the enemy without, they will fail to recognize that the enemy is well within.

And we will have Hyderabad from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

Brush with Death

We had a very disturbed drive to the office today. As soon as I swerved out of my car-park to the main road, we ran into a roadblock and a fast-swelling crowd. We also noticed a body on the road. I immediately turned into the service road, slowed down, and tried to assess what was happening on the main road. The crowd didn't allow for a clear picture, but apparently, a biker was hit by some car. He was on the road, motionless, and probably nearly-dead. There was no police car yet, and, consequently, no ambulance as well. I was very disturbed, but continued to move on through the service road, and entered the main road through the next free entry.

As I drove towards the next traffic signal, I asked myself what I had to do. If I turned right, I would pass Zulekha Hospital and from there, a further right would take me back to the accident spot. I asked Swami what I could do in my capacity. Dhanya was not there as well, and her presence in the accident spot would mean something. Also, many conflicting thoughts crossed my mind, including one that people who have tried to rush road-accident victims have even ended up behind bars, while Swami says service is in action, and not in speech. However, I was finally prompted to take the right at the signal and return to the accident spot.

On reaching, we parked along the service road and reached as close as we could get to the spot. By now, there were two cop-cars, and a number of cops on the road. Praji noted that the biker was breathing though motionless. That was a great sign of relief. We also noticed another guy on the road, and we gathered that he was hit by the biker while trying to cross the road. Thankfully, he too was not dead. By now the ambulances arrived. I noticed that the paramedics strapped something around the jaywalker's neck, and then carefully lifted him to to the stretcher. This was probably to avoid any bone dislocation, and further complications later on. A similar procedure was carried out for the biker, and they were whisked off soon after.

Incident over. We reached the office. My question (and this is not an intellectual exercise, for which only SABN would contribute) is this: What does the normal guy (who is not a doctor) do under such circumstances? I noticed how the paramedics handled the victims, and the normal road-side guy can never manage that due to lack of knowledge. Additionally, any attempt to take a fractured person in your car could complicate his situation medically, and yours, legally. So, how does one handle exigencies of this nature? Additionally, how does one who wants to tread the spiritual path handle exigencies of this nature?

This could be a genuine topic for the exchange of applied knowledge.

Honest Moniker

Sin City.

And Las Vegas is not ashamed to name itself so. This geographical equivalent of Hugh Hefner, thrives on unbridled hedonism and stands out for just about everything perverse (of course, the eternally optimistic spiritual aspirant can state that it's in our eyes, and that everything is good- thankfully I haven't reached there yet). God surely has His work cut out for Himself, after he inadvertently let the Vegas man have his way.

This is truly the city that shows sin in all its glory. There is so much sleaze here that you wonder how God will really manage this mess. If America is the motherland of capitalism, Vegas has to be the motherland of sensualism. I have just survived my second stay in Vegas, hopefully the last. Honestly, I have been to many places in my life, but Vegas has to stand out for being way bottom. This city truly is next-generation sin.

Footnote: If you are on the spiritual path, this won't be on yours.

Femanism

With another Internatioonal Women's Day celebrated, feminism seems to be a good point for discussion.

When Michael Crichton wrote Disclosure, feminists were automatically up in arms, till they figured out that it was a case of sexual harassment, no doubt, but the other way round (and Michael pointed out quite rightly that is is so easy to criticize a book, especially when you have not read it). When does the passion for the cause overtake objectivity of the cause?

We have women trying to be equal to men by doing everything a man does, flying through war-zones and decapitating enemies, playing against men in sports, belching, the works. I don't know if these are accomplishments worth accomplishing.

Equality might have been a better cause being a social ideal, rather than a physical/mental/psychological one. Women can't be men, simply because they are made differently. I know of no man who could beat a mother at mothering a child or raising a good son, the toughest current challenge of humanity. But women seem to be interested in more exciting battlefields. It might always be better for a feminist to be a realist.

The Humane Shop

Today was a big leap in conviction for me. More specifically, a big and expensive leap in conviction. I have started using shaving cream and after-shave from The Body Shop. The cream doesn't feel creamy, and the after-shave is no Gillette. But then, The Body Shop has a well-defined market segment, the emotional-buyers. The 'Not-Tested on Animals' is in-itself a great marketing tag-line.

Somehow, the first step always makes a difference. No sooner did I make the purchase, Dhanya decided to buy a lipstick from there, out of guilt if not anything else. But maybe, just maybe, guilt is the first sign of that vast expanse of awareness you are allowing to open up before your open(ed) eyes.