Ākāśāt Patitaṃ: Many Forms, One Reality

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Adi Shankara: The image that's stayed with me forever Sanskrit and shlokas have always fascinated me. The sheer vastness of Sanskrit literature is humbling. There are enough verses, texts, commentaries and traditions to occupy many lifetimes, and still leave one feeling that one has barely scratched the surface. But I didn't think much about any of this when I was growing up. I would recite shlokas in the morning and evening without fail. They were simply part of life. The words were there, the rituals were there, the temples were there—but much of it happened in the background. I was busy with academics. There was no time for Sanskrit or Vedanta. At least, that is what I used to tell myself. Of course, time was never really the problem. I could spend five days watching a Test match from morning to evening and somehow consider that perfectly legitimate use of my time! The truth was simpler: Sanskrit and Vedanta had not yet become priorities. Gr...
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Weathering Heights!

When I was in India, I used to wonder why the Europeans and Americans get so excited when they see the yellow metal shining in the sky. What's the fuss all about! It used to be mind boggling to see them attach so much of importance to the Sun God. But it didn't take me long to figure out. First in Stuttgart and now in Rolla. I still remember the day I landed in Stuttgart. The whole land mass was covered by the white moss that could throw anybody into depression. The pall of gloom would transform to something really miserable. That's when I realised the significance of the Germans' statement. It is a great feeling to feel the sun penetrating your skin and giving that soothing touch. It is a different matter that summers in India are pretty difficult times, but that waft of sunlight does certainly takes away your depression. That's how I felt last week when Rolla was dipping to sub-zero temperatures. The weather here is as fickle as a wife (Sidhuism! Adjust Madi!).

Morning: 6-7 degrees Celsius, Fantastic weather, bright and sunny, and absolutely no need of a jacket
Afternoon: Gloomy, and a slight dip in temperature on the way from lab to home
Afternoon return: Can't come back to the lab without a jacket. Hell! it's getting cold!
Night: You need a jacket, woollen cap, gloves and what not and by the time I reach home, it starts snowing and its freezing!

No wonder Bangalore is unbeatable!

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 24, 2006 at 8:04 PM

    I bet! Colorado is better though - It snows during winter but the sun is out all 365 days in a year!!! The snow gets melted away in a jiffy and its not unusual to see a couple inches of snow the first day and everything cleared away the next day!!!

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  2. AnonymousMarch 1, 2006 at 1:34 AM

    cool blogging man.. like ur style...

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