Wednesday, October 31, 2018

#Neverforget1984


And that time comes again. October 31 - Nov 3. For most people, the year on the calendar changes. For some of us, it will always be 1984.

Sanskrit Wisdom and Hindi Muhavara

ज्ञानं भार: क्रियां विना


Having knowledge(Gyaan), but not acting like one is an aware person, makes the knowledge as useless as a burden. (Even if you are very knowledgeable, if you don't act, what use is all that knowledge?)


हिंदी मुहावरा: एक पंथ दो काज


To kill two birds with one stone - when one action meets two needs or two goals.

Sunday, October 28, 2018

Tara - Childrens Poetry in Hindi


एक थी तारा 
खाना खा गयी सारा 
भैया आया घूम के 
उस से पूछा झूम के 
"रखा कहाँ है खाना?"
"खा गयी मैं तो सारा!"
भैया हंसा ज़ोर से 
साथ में हंसी तारा।

Love/ प्रेम

मेरी इच्छा है
कि मैं इस जीवन में
बस एक बार ही सही
तुम्हे जीवंत भी देखूं।


It is my desire
that in this life
May I see you come alive
just once.

Saturday, October 27, 2018

दिलासा/placebo

"तुम्हारी मृत्यु पीङादाई नहीं होगी ।"
- मिलता है ये दिलासा
हर उस को
जिसका जीवन अत्यंत पीङादाई हो ।

"Your death will not be painful "
Is the standard placebo
Handed out to everyone
Living a tortured existence.



Sarmaya mere hone ka

 वो जगह जहां आसमां
मिलता है ज़मीं से ...?
वो उतनी ही सच है
जितनी
मृगतृष्णा ।

ਓ ਥਾੰ
ਜਿਥੇ
ਸਬ ਠੀਕ ਹੋ ਜਾੰਦਾ ਹੈ?
ਓ ਭੁਲੇਖਾ ਹੈ
ਅੜੀਯੇ
ਅਸੀ ਝੂਠ ਬੋਲਦੇ ਸੀ।

That pot of gold
At the end of the rainbow?
....


Katranein

ਤੈਨੁ ਆਉੰਦਾ ਹੀ ਨਹੀ
ਕਤਲ ਕਰੇਨਾ
ਏੰਵੇ ਉਲਜ਼ਾਮ
ਮੇਰੀ ਬੇਸ਼ਰਮੀ ਤੇ ਲਾਈ ਜਾਨਾੰ ਏ।

तुम्हे आता ही नहीं
कत्ल करना
यूं ही बदनाम
मेरी सख्तजानी को किये जाते हो।

You just don't know
How to kill
Cleanly.
Why are you trying to
Blame my resilience? 

Happy Diwali - Baal Kavita

छोटी छोटी बातें 
बड़ी बड़ी  कनातें 
छोटे छोटे दीप
भरते ले कर कीप 
बड़ी सी रंगोली 
साथ में खेल ठिठोली!



Thursday, October 25, 2018

Kshanikaayein

सबसे बड़ी गलती मैंने ये की मेरी जान
कि  तुम्हे
अच्छा इंसान समझा


**************


कुछ होने से
कुछ होने का डर
ज़्यादा बड़ा है
****************



Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Sanskrit Lokokti, Hindi Muhavara

 यज्ञो वै श्रेष्ठतमं कर्म.


The best offering/prayer (yagya) is (good) action.


जाकी रही भावना जैसी, प्रभु मूरत तिन देखि तैसी
This quote first appears in Ram Charit Manas. It is said that when Shri Ram returned to Ayodhya, all the residents rushed to the gates to welcome him, and each one desired that the Lord should meet him/her first. Shri Ram divined this desire in the heart of every devotee, and accordingly, appeared in front of everyone. To each, he appeared as a reflection of their own selves. The quote means that the Lord is nothing but a reflection of our own intentions, desires and motivation. As one feels, thus the Lord appears. Those who see him as benevolent, find him benevolent. Those who see him as a fair and just king find that he is indeed, just that. The quote has a much wider application. What it really means is - We see the world not as it is, but as we are.

Monday, October 22, 2018


ਇਕ ਦਿਨ
ਲਿਖ ਕੇ ਜਾਂਵਾਂਗੀ,
"ਹੁਣ ਹੋਰ ਨਹੀਂ ਜਰਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ"
ਤਦ ਤਕ
ਜਰ ਲਾਂ ਥੋੜਾ ਜੇਹਾ ਹੋਰ.




एक दिन 
लिख कर जाऊंगी,
"अब और नहीं सहा जाता।"
तब तक 
सह लेती हूँ थोड़ा और. 




One day I will write
"I just couldn't do this any more."
Until then,
Let me do this
Some more.



Sunday, October 21, 2018

Booti/ Intoxication


कुछ लोग 
शाम होते ही 
बूटी लगाते हैं 
तब, उस समय,
जब तक बूटी का असर रहता है 
उन्हें गुमान रहता है 
कि दुनिया 
और उस में जो कुछ भी अच्छा है 
उसके रखवाले 
बस वे ही हैं
और कोई नहीं. 


उनके भीतर का उन्माद 
उत्कर्ष पर चढ़ आता है 
 किसी की 
किसी भी बात पर। 


उन पलों में 
उनकी न सुबुद्धि होती है 
न दुर्बुध्दि 
सच कहूँ 
तो बुद्धि ही नहीं होती 
न चेतना, न संवेदनशीलता.


सदियों से साथ मिल कर रहते हुए भी 
वे उस समय किसी बिन पिए इंसान को 
अपना दुश्मन समझते हैं 
और जो उनके साथ 
दो दम भर ले 
दो घूँट चढ़ा ले 
वह बन जाता है "भाई!" , सहोदर, चिरप्रिय,
उन क्षणों के लिए। 


 कुछ लोग 
ऐसी ही बूटी 
चुनावों की भी लगाते हैं. 
(जाकर दोबारा पढ़िए)


Some people
at dusk
get high
on their poison of choice
While the intoxication lasts
They believe,
truly, earnestly,
that they are
The Saviours of the World.


Passions peak
And anger is duly expressed
at anything random
said  or done by
anyone random.


In those moments
they are neither insane
nor wise.
They are in fact, just,
devoid of judgement. All judgement.
All consciousness (as we well know)
flies out the door.


People they have spent years living with
become
sworn enemies
if they are sober.
And the ones who drink alongside
become brethren.
During those moments
of insanity.


Some people
get similarly intoxicated
from the time the elections are announced
to the day they happen.
The madness of passion
conquers
every decent human emotion.





Friday, October 19, 2018

On Sabarimala Temple


I have no view on whether or not women should enter Sabarimala. I don't know enough to even think, much less opine on the subject.
This, however, i do have a view on:
A temple is not a tourist spot. It is a place of devotion and prayer. When you approach a temple, it should be for one reason only - to offer your prayers, and with utmost devotion. Not to create a news story.
That much respect, i think, we owe to all places of worship.

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Sanskrit Lokokti and Hindi Muhavara

अशान्तस्य कुत: सुखम् ?


जो अशांत है, उसे सुख कहाँ?




Those who are not content, how can they find happiness?


नाम बड़े और दर्शन छोटे
When someone is very famous and we think very highly of them, based on their reputation, but when we finally meet them, we are underwhelmed. So someone who has a great reputation but very little substance.

Cheenti - Baal Kavita in Hindi


एक छोटी चींटी 
बड़ा उसका भार 
८  के जैसा 
उसका आकार 


 इतना बड़ा चावल
 इतनी छोटी चींटी 
इतना काम 
कैसे कर लेती?

Sunday, October 14, 2018

On Navratri...


Over these nine days, we observe 9 goddesses. Do you notice something about them?

It took me almost 40 years to notice – Ma Amba, Durga, Vaishno – they are warrior goddesses. Do we think of finery, jewellery, or bindi when we think of warriors? No. We think of armour, rigid faces and hostility. Yet, look at her – there is kindness in her eyes, benevolence and grace in her form, jewellery and finery on her person – yet, her hands wield a steady sword. She is able to hold a flower in one hand, and weapons in another. There is no armour, no military uniform, nothing. She sits cross legged, erect and yet non-chalant, atop a lion.

Maybe that should teach us something about how we view ourselves.
Anne Frank, a 15 year old girl, defined herself as “A bundle of contradictions” in her diary. I am sure we all feel a little bit like that. And if you look at her, the goddess is a bundle of contradictions too. But see how calm and at peace she is with all these apparent “contradictions” – she is comfortable with every ounce of her being. The warrior is not uncomfortable with the homely saree. The sword does not shy away from the spiritual rosary, or a fine piece of jewellery. Somehow, when you look at the image of the goddess, it is perfect. All those parts – all those seeming contradictions, they are not contradictions at all. They are pieces of a whole that form a beautiful image WITH and not IN SPITE OF each other.

Maybe we should think of ourselves like that too. All the parts of our personality – all those seeming “contradictions” – they all BELONG together. We are perfect – in parts and as a whole. We may think that some parts of us don’t go so well with some other parts of us. But tell me, when you really think about it, is there even one reason why a warrior cannot wear bright red lipstick?

Some contradictions may be real, and some, a figment of our thoughts. But they are all  perfect - they all belong.

The next time you feel like doubting anything about yourself – remember that the Goddess slayed the demon wearing bright red lipstick.

Friday, October 05, 2018

Baal Kavita


एक मेरी गुड़िया 
दो उसके गाल 
छोटे उसके हाथ 
लम्बे उसके बाल


वो मेरी गुड़िया 
करती है कमाल 
दिखती है भोली 
मचाती है धमाल 

Hindi Muhavara and Sanskrit Lokokti

ब्रह्म वेद ब्रह्मेव भवति


He who knows the Brahma , becomes the Brahma.


****************
बीती तांहि बिसार दे, आगे की सुधि ले


Forget about what has happened in the past, and pay conscious attention (सुधि) to what lies ahead.

Conversations

"I hate him."


So easily the words flowed
from his tongue
for a performer
on TV.


"You do not even know him."
I mentioned, as softly as possible.


"That is true."


"Do you really want to invest an emotion as personal as hatred, into something as impersonal as a performer on TV?


Maybe not.


I thought so.

Tuesday, October 02, 2018

हिंदी मुहावरे / Hindi Proverbs

नहले पर दहला मारना 


सेर को सवा सेर मिलना। 


Both these things have a similar meaning- to counter one's move with an even more brilliant move.


Usage:
तुम वह ज़मीन ले कर बड़ा घर बनाने की योजना बना  रहे थे, और उसने वो ज़मीन और उसके बगल वाली ज़मीन दोनों खरीद भी ली, और खुदाई भी शुरू कर दी. ये तो नहले पर दहला पड़ गया.


तुम वह ज़मीन ले कर बड़ा घर बनाने की योजना बना  रहे थे, और उसने वो ज़मीन और उसके बगल वाली ज़मीन दोनों खरीद भी ली, और खुदाई भी शुरू कर दी इसे कहते हैं सेर को सवा सेर मिलना. 



Monday, October 01, 2018

Siddhi

एक दैत्य था. उस ने विष्णु जी बड़ी तपस्या की. अंत में विष्णु जी प्रकट हुए और उस से वर मांगने को कहा. दैत्य लालची था. उसने कहा, "भगवन, मुझे वह सिद्धि दीजिये, जो सारी दुनिया में किसी के पास न हो. विष्णु जी ने उस से सोचने के लिए कुछ समय माँगा. वापिस आ कर देवताओं से मंत्रणा करने लगे. 


अंत में, जैसा कि प्राय: होता है, नारद मुनि ने हल बताया - भगवन, उसे अज्ञान की सिद्धि दीजिये. उसे अपने घरवालों की बात हमेशा बुरी लगे, और बाहर वालों की भली. अपने हितैषियों का परामर्श बुरा लगे, और चापलूसों की झूठी तारीफ भली. 


उसे हर भली चीज़ बुरी लगे, और बुरी चीज़ भली. उसे अच्छाई नहीं, चमकीली सुंदरता पसंद हो.  


ऐसा वरदान उसे दीजिये प्रभु. उसे वह सिद्धि दीजिये, जो किसी के पास नहीं है - अपने हित को अहित , और अहित को हित माने. 


अपने अज्ञान से वह स्वयं ही अपना सर्वनाश कर लेगा. उसे क्षणिक सफलता मिलेगी, परन्तु अंतत:, उसका जीवन असाध्य हो जायेगा.


विष्णु भगवन ने अपने भक्त के साथ छल किया, और उसे वही अज्ञान की सिद्धि दी.


मैंने सुना है, कि उस दैत्य के बहुत वंशज हुए. अपने आस पास के चापलूसों के मत से, उसने अपने सभी हितैषियों से सम्बन्ध तोड़ दिए. 


मैंने सुना है, कि आज उस दैत्य के वंशज, सारी धरती पर बहुतायत में घुमते हैं.