Ati Sarvatra Varjayet

A term in Sanskrit that I came across while reading the third book of the infamous Shiva Trilogy. When translated, it means, "Excess should be avoided". What a marvelously simple statement yet the effect of it - intense. Since time immemorial, one has heard about man being greedy - greedy for all that is within his reach and beyond.

I used to be under the impression that it is this present time and age that has left man wanting for more - more time, more money, more space. more freedom, more of everything. But this sloka only proves that the "want for more" is not a time thing. It was born with man and will probably end with him. It is this want for more that ruins one's peace of mind, health and realising the simple pleasures of life. In our quest for a "more" comfortable life, we push ourselves to an extent that even we fail to recognize. Well! that is precisely when you should stop.

Personally, my need for more kills the happiness that I would have otherwise felt in my daily life. More attention, more communication and many more of such emotions. It is my "more" mode that probably spoils the moment many a times. Perhaps the fact that I do understand where the problem lies is why this term of excess be avoided caught my attention to this degree.

To know what to want, when to want it and the right amount of wanting it will definitely come with practice. Easier said than done especially when one has lived one's life in a certain way and to change that to adapt to a more cordial living can be quite a task. Maybe that is why it is essential to understand the deeper meaning of "Ati Sarvatra Varjayet" so that the journey of life which is much more important than the destination, gets an opportunity to reveal its purpose.

Real, Fake or an Illusion?

It is indeed a very funny world that we live in. We are all made up of the XY chromosomes yet the difference in each one of us from the other is plenty. At most times, it is these difference that brings us together & later its these very differences that sets us apart. And how!

In all these years of my very colorful existence, I have had the privilege of meeting people made up of the very same chromosomes as I and believe it or not, I have reached a conclusion that there is a chromosome Z as well in most people. I would like to be of the opinion that it is the Z chromosome which is responsible for the effortless "illusion" effect some people have the ability to create for themselves.

There are always three sides in a human being - the real side, the not so real side and a side that we are made to believe is real. Unfortunately, more often than I would have liked, the people I come across falls under the third category. Now this is a category that is filled with dream like people. The flawless, the ever loving, the too good to be true types. Actually yes! they are TOO good to be true. No, I am not being skeptical, merely observing that there are NO flawless people. Each and every being has some flaws or the other which makes them the real deal.

I used to be on the look out for that perfect person or the perfect people to hang out with. But the more I got closer to such beings, I started respecting the flaws in others. Atleast with them, I knew what I was getting into. Atleast with them, I was sure I would be grounded to reality sans the sugar coating. And with them, I also started realising that the facade of illusion eventually stripes off revealing one's real self making me believe that it definitely is not a "big bad world" out there. There definitely is place for genuinely flawed people.

On Turning 25...

The time - 8:40 pm, the year - 1988, the day - Thursday and the date 05.05. Well yes, that was the date and month given to my mother to bring me out into this world. And rightly so, I did come out on that very day though my mother enjoys talking about it as, "You came out after eating all the three meals of the day.. Even dinner"! Ah well, that habit has stuck on - that of eating. Its 25 years since the 5th of May 1988. A quarter of a century in this planet; living the good and the bad. Learning from the mistakes and ensuring that it is not repeated. Been quite a journey this 25 years. Met a lot of fellow human beings - some of them who remained just human beings while some of them became my soul mates/rock stars and a few others who found space as my extended family. I am thankful to each one of them. Yes even to those who remained as "just fellow human beings".
You would think 25 years is time enough to know the good from the bad. But if I was that aware, what would be the fun of life, isn't it? I never refused to learn, I just refused to learn it ALL at once! I am still in the process of learning how to be patient, learning how to be selfless, learning how to be understanding and most importantly learning how to be in peace with myself. The contributions of my family in molding these 25 years of my life is immense. If it wasn't for their constant support and encouragement in letting me do what I am truly passionate about, it would have been a tad bit difficult to realize those dreams and aspirations. Grateful for letting me be an individual; even more grateful for trusting me enough to pursue the choices.
25 years! In a way it is a long time to know the good from the bad. But hey! I never promised to be perfect; I only promised I would be a true incarnation of the person I am. Some wisdom, isn't it? All thanks to the painful way of turning wise (read wisdom tooth) on my 25th year.
Last but not the least, turning 25 does not make me feel any different from when I was 23 or 24. Apart from the constant reminder of, "You are 25! When do you plan to be married?" or "At your age, I was already a mother". The response to the aforementioned jibes would probably come as a blog titled, "On Turning 26". Until then, I am going to enjoy having turned 25 and my new found wisdom!