Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Power or Freedom

Given a choice between the two, what is better ?
Absolute freedom along with limited power  or absolute power with limited freedom .
Or would it be like, if one has absolute power, freedom will follow and vice versa ?

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Yogi

Yogi traveled back and forth in time. As though it was his second nature. He couldn't, of course, prove it to others. But he knew he did. And others believed him.  Yogi was enlightened since he knew the way the universe was structured in time.  He had the ability to see how the present would affect the future. Rather how it wouldn't.  And that was the singular truth that one needed to cognize the purpose of existence. Rather the absence of one such.
"Guilt, my dear", he told Subha, "is the biggest of delusions! For when you know that there is no purpose for existence, there is nothing that is wrong or right. And thus guilt is baseless! " Subha felt he was ever more mysterious whenever they talked about the big questions. Yogi knew too many details about too many things. Rather unnaturally too much for someone who talked spiritedly about the pointlessness of existence! Subha had even ventured to ask him on multiple occassions about why he bothered to know so many things when he believed all of those were of no final avail . And he would flash his slight, mysterious smile and say " It's tricky, my dear." " We are fed the ideas of happiness and sadness whether we want it or not . And while we exist, we are bound by this learning to continue doing something to increase the feeling of apparent happiness.  I know it's useless but I do it for the sake of doing it. And yeah, of course, feel the apparent happiness along the way ". She would refuse to think on all those deeper. She feared she would lose her simplicity. He liked her because she was beautiful !

Yogi was not a very helpful person. He was an interesting character and others who kept his company knew not a second of boredom when he was around. Since he was an enlightened person, there was a kind of implicit trust that others placed in him. That he could never do anything wrong to anyone. 
Until one day when Subha lost both her legs in an unfortunate event and Yogi left her forever.  She had asked him, "Don't the good old days of happiness mean anything ? Don't you feel you're wronging me ? Leaving me in this state! " And he had said with the same evil - then mysterious - smile, "Guilt , my dear, is the biggest of delusions.  I know I woudn't feel happy with you any longer and thus I leave".
Subha was shattered. Yogi, however, remained enlightened !

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Epitaph

On Her Epitaph
-----------------

It seems funny that you were gone . Just like that . The evenings and mornings don't bring the same delight anymore. But you know, even the hope of immanence disappeared into darkness. For he was but a shadow all along !
Love,
The Him


Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Share

X :  Hey, you don't seem to be upbeat . What's wrong ?
Y : Nothing much.  Few confusions. 
X : Oh.. share them with me. You'll feel better .
Y : Ah I don't think that's a good idea.
X : Hey why ! You don't trust me ?
Y:  It's not about that.. It'll increase the confusions. I'll have to start thinking about how you'd react about it all . And me .
X : Ah well ..  I wouldn't judge you because you shared stuff .
Y : What'd that mean ? You wouldn't listen ?
X : I would. I surely would. I meant, you sharing your confusions with me will not affect my communication with you. Atleast not negatively.
Y : That means you'd listen. But you wouldn't think anything about it at all. Just listen and forget.  Is that even possible ?
X : Hey hey no ! I will listen and I will certainly think about it .. But ..
Y : When you think,  won't you form or revise opinions about me and  things related to me ?
X : I might . But I won't let that affect ... Hmmm...
Y : Okay so then you will listen, think and form opinions. But you wouldn't share it with me because I'll listen, think and in turn form opinions! 
X : :)
Y : :)

Monday, May 11, 2009

Bhava (ಭವ )

When I picked up this book by U.R. Ananthamurthy, I thought the meaning of the word "bhava" was "to become". But "bhava" is used in the sense of wordly ties or "bhava bandhana"! Now that's a fascinating topic indeed. This was the first book by URA that I read and it wasn't disappointing at all. The story is interesting - a slightly complicated plot - the story telling quite good though simple and linear. Although I thought that there were some technical weaknesses in the plot, like the too much ado on "is-he-my-son" , "who-is-my-father", "i-don't know-who-is-the-cause-for-this-pregnancy" complexes, the same cliches repeating conveniently, I did develop some kind of an appreciation for the idea that he was trying to convey.
His idea on the complexity and variety of worldy ties , the power of bondages and concept of liberation were interesting. I also liked the way in which each character was developed throughout the book. The book was very readable and compact!
It made me think a little about liberation . About how it's foolishness to seek liberation by running away from something. If it be sought, it should be within.
However, it's not a book that's going to be haunting like Bhyrappa's ! It's good but will be forgotten.

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Persepolis

What I liked the most about this book is the honesty. Satrapi is not trying to create an image of any kind . She is neither a conceited person nor someone who is trying make a sorry figure. And thus the story doesn't restrict itself to a mere mockery of the system or a graphical depiction of the war horrors . It goes beyond and tells the story of humanness . The ability to gel humor with tragedy is special, but not very rare. But what is indeed rare is to not focus on any of these aspects greatly! It's the human nature that is the hero.  The way in which people get accustomed to war being a part of their lives is brilliantly picturized ! And I was greatly impressed by the personality of Satrapi which gets unravelled through the entire book. Her intellect, outspokenness, weakness, needs, addictions,  love life , drugs, cigarettes , books and her keenness towards life were all something that I could relate to very easily . I was glad that it wasn't a story of some super hero. Or some smug outsider . Nor of a frustrated insider . It was a story of a person as human as I am, having lived in eventful circumstances and possessing  envious skills of story telling and expression. Another book which has had a really great influence on me and whose effect will , I'm sure, last for a long time to come.

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Socially acceptable ?

How do you know if you're socially acceptable ? If you have people from the society interacting with you and if you have a job and if you're not a psychotic (to the extent of causing harm to others), then you can be classified as socially acceptable ?

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Arbit

Numbers are like Gods.  Symbols having unknowable forms . Perhaps formless . These are concepts which are useful despite the fact that they don't have any feature that can be perceived by the senses ! They don't have a smell, taste, can't be heard or felt and do not have a form . They have symbols. But the symbol is not the number .
What makes anything that is beyond the senses useful ? Especially when all that we do, directly or indirectly, is for the senses . 
Curiosity and a sense of quest ?