PANKAJ

शिकायत बड़ी है, शब्दों से मुझे… कि भावनाओं का वो अविरल वेग, क्या भला चंद लफ़्ज़ों में सिमटता है? अनगिनत लहरों का शोर, क्या भला एक किनारे में समाता है? कुछ तो बुद्धू बना दिया विज्ञान ने यूँ परिभाषाएँ देकर हमें, वरना... धरती का आकार, क्या भला एक पंक्ति में कहा जाता है? इधर तो जज़्बातों का सैलाब उमड़ता है, और उधर, व्याकरण का वाक्य ख़त्म हो जाता है! मन में आने और गुजर जाने वाले अनगिनत विचारों का कच्चा चिट्ठा, क्या भला कुछ सौ पन्नों में समाहित होता है? कहते हैं समझदार को इशारा काफी होता है, पर क्या सारा ज़माना एक समान सयाना होता है? बैचेन बड़ा है ये दिल हमारा, कि भावनाओं की लहरों की मचलन, अब व्यक्त कैसे करूँ मैं? योजन से भी कोटि कोटि ज़्यादा रिश्तों की उन गहराईयों, को चंद शब्दों में बयां कैसे करूं मैं? शब्दकोष ने भी एक शब्द बता कर पल्ला झाड़ लिया अपना, अब उस एक शब्द "अनंत" से भी क्या अपेक्षा, और क्या शिकायत करूं मैं?

Just like the world is full of paramours and devoid of true lovers, the world is full of talkers and devoid of listeners. The below excerpt from Ankur Warikoo's work about his meeting with Ali Abdal prompted me to write this blog. Why is it so challenging to find good listeners and how above excerpt relates to listening? Welcome to another discourse in the curious case series! Well, finding good listeners is almost as hard as finding good politicians. At times when we are so frustrated with what is happening in the political world, we tend to think that good politicians could be some alien breed which can come only from some distant inconceivable realm. But the harsh reality is politicians don't materialize out of thin air or miracles— they emerge from our own midst. And the same holds true for listeners. Collectively, we emit an aura of reluctance towards genuine listening; the reluctance is real, it's palpable! But why is that so? Why is listening—wherein one doe...

That quest to be the best, Qualms of being better than the rest. Undoubtedly, it feels great to be at the top, A chance to thump your own chest. Everything comes at a cost, No exception is this never-ending jest. What is the measure, and where is the end? Ask this question before you take a leap, For any person's greatness, it's the finest litmus test. Moment it turns into insecurities and unacceptance of others' prowess, Maybe, it's time to apply brakes and reassess the quest. If jealousy, ego, and insecurities find in you their nest, Then, maybe it's time to put the quest to rest. It may still be better to quit than to deceive. For, jealousy is never the hallmark of greats... It's nothing more than a pest. Humans we are after all, not hate machines... Don't give hatred a nest. Fear it, don't let it harvest. Life in itself is a joy-fest, For every trough, there is always a crest. Success at the cost of inner peace, Maybe a combination to detest.  The wo...

During their process of becoming greatest in the respective era's, Lord Rama went to exile and so did Arjuna (which obviously is more of metaphorical for mango man like us) If need be, would I go to exile? Welcome to another curious post  Will I go to exile?  NO! But why...even when heroes like Rama and Arjuna did go? Am I apprehensive or helpless against the hardships? Or Am I bound in shackles of the material world...?  NO! Do I need a wife as committed as Sita who would throw away the material world in a split-second for me...? NO! Do I yearn for a brother like Lakshamana for whom world would mean me, to accompany me...?  NO! Do I expect a brother like Bharata to carry my footwear on his head and run administration on my name...?  NO! Do I desire to meet a committed soul like Hanuman who would vouch on my name...?  NO! Do I desire ruling kingdoms as end result similar to case of Rama and Arjuna?  NO! What do I need then...? So that I am not la...

Unsure of the actual source of the diagram below, this surely used to send me to guilt trips making me feel embarrassed. Is worrying so seriously useless and am I so silly that I couldn't realize such a simple thing?!! Let's discuss another curious case Well, upon reflection I could finally come out of my embarrassment and realize that there’s nothing wrong with worrying. No one worries purposefully.... After all, worry is just as natural as excitement. Have we not seen many kids/teenagers anticipating their birthday's weeks in advance? When we don't blame people for getting excited while anticipating good things, why do we blame people for getting worried while anticipating bad things? It is as simple! I write this very vehemently to tell people who preach againt overthinking that yes over-thinking and worrying is bad but nothing to make anybody feel foolish about it. Stop sending people on guilt trips... PLEASE!! Maybe, worry and their conscious thinking are ...

If "If it is meant to be, it will come to you no matter what" vs "If you want it, go get it!" We are often confronted by these two mutually exclusive thought patterns. So who wins in this classic tug of war between efforts & destiny? Welcome to yet another blog in curious case series Often I have found myself and numerous others going through this perpetual debate of efforts vs destiny when it comes to fulfilment of desires and wishes. Often, we have mixed experiences. Certain things which are meant to occur happen no matter what often without the individual putting any conscious efforts. Where in certain things for which, even if one move mountains, they simply don't move! So what's the verdict? What's the bigger truth - efforts or destiny? Can efforts outperform destiny and the existing system as it works - just like Sage Vishwamitra once tried to create a parallel universe? Barring such exceptional cases, I would like to sum up my thoughts ...

   Judgement is absence of empathy   In the last two blogs, we discussed in detail about things which took centre-stage in Bhishma's life. Coming to conclusion, Bhishma's life was a roller coaster ride and like a painful oxymoron of being the most powerful yet being the most hapless one . He took commands from masters he may not have liked and executed things which he personally might never agree to. He unwillingly fought from Kaurava's side in the Mahabharata battle and even in the battle, he could not do complete justice neither with the warrior inside him nor for the side he fought for. He fought only to prevent Kaurava's defeat and never to kill Pandavas and win the war for Kauravas. Another pity for a warrior of his stature. At this point his condition looks seriously pitiable...nowhere to go! He endured and endured before getting killed by his own great grandson Arjuna and died a death which also had an element of ploy in it. Bhishma's lif...

  Judgement is absence of empathy   Welcome to part II of this curious case series on Bhishma We discussed in the previous blog that oath which Bhishma took does not look the real problem. After all, let's not forget that the war happened between the great grandchildren of Bhisma i.e 3 generations later => his oath did serve the purpose for the timeline which he might have anticipated while taking the oath!   Thinking about the real problem, the answer according to me is the "time" it took Hastinapur to get the just and stable rule Bhishma wanted and the fact that Bhishma was no ordinary mortal. Rather, arguably the most powerful warriors of his times, one who withstood even Lord Parshurama in one-on-one battle! No surprises that Hastinapur was safe from invasions during his time. Pandu was short-lived, Dhritrashtra was blind, Drona joined Hastinapur later, Pandavas/Kauravas grew up as warriors much later. For a significant period of time, the security of the kingdom...

Judgement is absence of empathy   Bhishma, arguably has been the most discussed character from the mega epic Mahabharata. More often than not, he had been under scanner and been criticised left, right and centre for his debated inability to stop Draupadi's disrobing among other things and the eventual happening of war. Criticism of Bhishma has gone to the point that it has become like a trend among all newbies who explore the text that "read the text and blame Bhishma"! But was Bhishma as simple the character as it seems and was his decision making as easy as it sounds to enthusiasts like us? Can someone with divine origins and one who stood undefeated against Parshurama in battle, be such a simply silly person? Let’s try to explore in yet another curious case. All the criticism which Bhishma faces, roots of it mostly go to his oath of never marrying and serving loyally to the seated king of Hastinapur while never be...