MEANING OF LIFE !!

The Meaning of Life...

What is the meaning of life? It's an age-old question

Even deep thinkers failed on this front. Theologians have wrestled with the question for centuries. Philosophers and their students have tied themselves in knots over it. Mystics have meditated on it.

Physicist and science writer Freeman Dyson said, "You ask: what is the meaning or purpose of life? I can only answer with another question: do you think we are wise enough to read God's mind?"

Author Cormac McCarthy retorted: "A successful life is one that has no need to ask the question."

Harvey Cox, author of "The Seduction of the Spirit," said, "The purpose of life is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."

Leonard Bernstein wrote: "For me, the purpose of life is to live it as fully as possible and be grateful every day for the privilege of sharing it."

Western writer Louis L'Amour said, "The meaning and purpose of life? To do, and to become."

American educator Paul Arthur Schlipp wrote it " to achieve a high development and integration of reason, of morality, and of spirituality - and to commit one's self to a cause greater than one's self. Tell me what your cause is, and I will tell you who you are."

Steven M. Cahn, author of "Fate, Logic and Time," insisted, "The meaning of life is invented, not discovered."

Paul Kurtz, author of "The Transcendental Temptation," wrote, "The meanings that we untap in life are those that we create, the dreams, plans and projects that we live for. How exciting these can be are a measure of our imagination and creativity."

For sheer bullheadedness, Gertrude Stein is hard to beat: "There ain't no answer. There ain't gonna be any answer.  There never has been an answer. That's the answer."

Australian Matthew Kelly, author of "The Rhythm of Life," says the essential meaning and purpose of life is to become "the best-version- of-yourself. "

Robert Louis Stevenson said more than a century ago, "To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end in life."

There's plenty here to keep us occupied. Think about it. What would it take for you to become your best, physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually?
Decide what that is and devote yourself to realizing it. The beauty of this approach is that it takes our minds off judging others and puts us on the road to improving ourselves.

Not coincidentally, this is exactly the message of every great wisdom tradition. As Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

This best-version- of-yourself philosophy can be applied to every area of your life. We all have weaknesses that need attention. But we also have personal strengths. Some of us are built to pursue excellence in athletics. Others have a great aptitude for science or mathematics.

Maybe the important thing for you right now is to become the best parent, spouse, son or daughter you can be. Perhaps you feel your life's mission is to feed the poor or build houses for the homeless.

Whatever it is, embrace it.

DIFFERENT STROKES

You are not like before! You are different! You have changed! 
These are the usual comments [complaints?] we hear now and then. Think of it. Whoever is the same as ever? Everyone changes. 
We react to the same things in different manners in different times - as this depends on so many factors. Even if we analyze ourselves we find our reactions inexplicable sometimes. Changes do happen and will happen whether we like it or not.

One incident in my clinic. 
On a busy day a person came to the clinic with some complaints about the glasses I have prescribed to him recently. But I just brushed him off saying somethng like " Wear the glasses regularly. You will be all right ". He went away without a word. 
After some days when I was at leisure he came to me again with the same complaints. 
When I saw him I was already regretting the harsh way I have behaved before. 
I listened to his complaints patiently, examined him again, found out the error and set it right. Then I asked him why he came to me again instead of going to a different doctor. 
He replied “Sir! I am coming to you for treatment for many years. You have always treated me to my entire satisfaction. On that day I sensed you were in an irritable mood. So I went away and waited for a day when you will be relaxed and free.” 
I was ashamed of myself and thanked him. 
Why I haven't behaved in the same manner in the first instance itself!!

Bheeshmar

மஹா பாரத போரில் பீஷ்மரின் செயல் கேள்விக்குரியதாகவே இருக்கிறது. அவர் போரில் முழு மனதுடன் ஈடுபடவில்லை என்ற துரியோதனனின் குற்றசாட்டை வெறுமனே ஒதுக்கிவிடமுடியாது .
துரியோதனன் ஒரு முறை அவரை போரை விட்டு விலகினால் கர்ணன் போர் புரிய தயாராக இருப்பதாக கூறி நிந்தனை செய்கிறான்.

போரில் வெல்லமுடியாதவர், மரணம் கூட அவர் விரும்பினால் தான் நிகழும் என்று பல கீர்த்திகள் பீஷ்மர் பெற்றிருந்தார். அவர் போர் புரிந்த போது கௌரவர்கள் கையே ஒங்கி இருந்தது.
தேவர்கள் அசுரர்கள் அனைவரையும் ஒரே நாளில் வெல்லதக்கவர் பீஷ்மர் என்று கிருஷ்ணரே கூறிருக்கிறார்.

பீஷ்மர் தன்னை கிருஷ்ணர் அர்ஜுனன் தவிர வேறு யாரும் காயப்படுத்த கூட முடியாது என்று கூறுகிறார் - கவனிக்கவும் காயப்படுத்தத்தான், கொல்ல அல்ல.

பீஷ்மரை கொல்ல முடியாமல் பாண்டவர்கள் தவிக்க தர்மபுத்திரர் நேரில் வந்து அவரை வெல்ல அவரிடமே வழி கேட்பதும் அவர் சிகண்டியை முன் வைத்து அர்ஜுனனை போர் புரிய சொல்வதும் அவரின் பெருந்தன்மையை காட்டினாலும் ஒரு யுத்தத்தில் அது சரியானதாக தோன்றவில்லை.
மேலும் 10-ம் நாள் யுத்தத்தின் இறுதியில் தர்மபுத்திரரிடம் " நான் மிகவும் மனதாலும் உடலாலும் தளர்ந்து விட்டேன். என்னை வீழ்த்துவதற்கு இதுவே தருணம் " என்று கூறி அதன்படியே வீழ்கிறார்.

பாண்டவர்களை எதிர்ப்பது தவறு என்று நினைத்திருந்தால் தளபதி பொறுப்பை அவர் தவிர்த்திருக்கவேண்டும்.

இதற்க்கு சில விளக்கங்கள் கூறப்படுகின்றன.

கிருஷ்ண பரமாத்மா துணை பெற்ற பாண்டவர்கள்தான் நிச்சயம் வெற்றி பெறுவார்கள் என்று அவர் ஏற்கனவே அறிந்திருந்தார்.
அவர்களுடன் சமாதானமாக போக துரியோதனுக்கு பல முறை போர் நடக்கும் போதே கூட அறிவுரை கூறியிருக்கிறார், தான் இறந்தாலாவது துரியோதனன் பாண்டவர்களுடன் சமாதானமாக போகக்கூடும் என்று உண்மையாகவே அவர் நம்பி இருக்கலாம்.
இது ஒரு கருத்து.

பீஷ்மர் தான் விளைவித்த பெரும் உயிர் சேதத்தை எண்ணி கவலையுற்று அதனாலேயே மரணத்தை விரும்பி ஏற்றார் என்றும் கூறப் படுகின்றது.

"ஸ்வதர்மம்" என்ற சொல் பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதற்கு 'தன் மனசாட்சிப்படி நடப்பது' என்று பொருள்

மஹா பாரதத்தில் புரிந்து கொண்டதை விட சரியாக புரியாததே அதிகம்.

The school building where I studied from Kinder-garden to 10th std still remains, being converted into a Govt. Burmese school. Could do with a fresh coat of paint though !!

The new house built in 50 th street where our house was.

The size is more or less the same, though our house had only four floors and we resided in the third floor [US terminology] meaning higher ceilings.

Shwedegon Pagoda- in Yangon - Majestic, mesmerizing as ever.

Fittingly we visited this place first !

REVISITING RANGOON

RESURRECTION- REVISITING RANGOON

After a lapse of about 50 years [49 to be exact !] I and my wife visited Yangon [Rangoon] in Myanmar [Burma] on 25th May 2012.
Now Yangon though stripped off the capital stature is still the most important city there. I had mixed feelings when I went.
From what I have wildly read, visiting the childhood places are often catastrophic as the cherished images are lost as one could hardly find any remnants of the past. But I was well prepared. Further I know that if I didn’t visit I will always having that longing !.
I have already learnt from my cyber friend that my house has been demolished and a new one erected. Our timber shop – no trace, even the street name has changed - and I had to have the help of google map to find the street’s new name. Only the school building was remaining being converted into a Burmese Govt School.

After settling in the hotel, arranged by my friend who is now working in Singapore, and adequate rest, in the evening we went to Shwedagon Pagoda as I wanted it to be our first place of visit.
The Pagoda still takes your breath away in its majestic splendor, being the icon of Myanmar.
We were pleasantly surprised to see the settled Tamilians coming forward to talk to us. Almost all were born there and are Myanmar citizens but still they talked Tamil well and maintained the culture. Many couldn’t even name the part of Tamilnadu from where their parents came from.
One family insisted that we should visit their house.

The next day was the D day – to go and see my home places. It was drizzling lightly.
We had one small umbrella bought in Malaysia and the hotel provided us with one big umbrella.
We were dropped right at the entrance of the coveted 50th street by the taxi driver.
I always remembered the street as wide, clean and neat but now I found it was overcrowded with pavement shops, heavy traffic, so much so it is an one way street. Ours was the only big house then.
Now on both sides there were big houses all built wall to wall.
Fortunately the door numbering still was almost the same and we identified our house site with the help of a Tamilian [Krishna] working in the automobile shop on the opposite side. He said that the old house was demolished about 10 years back.
We walked slowly along the road. We saw one internet café and the girl came out and said there is power cut and it is not operative. She understood English and chatted for some time.
We then went to the Varadharajar Perumal temple in the corner of 51st street and we felt as if we were transferred to Tamilnadu as there were tamilians everywhere with name boards also in Tamil..

Then we walked slowly the 5 blocks to our school building in the still drizzling rain.
Our school is in 45th street corner. There was good crowd in the school as admissions were going on in full swing. I talked to the head mistress who could only muster in some bit of English. She regretted that she couldn’t allow me to go upstairs inside the school premises as it is a government school. So I roamed inside and outside the prayer hall.
One difference I could make out was that the empty space on one side-our play area- was built up and there was another stair case [wooden] on the opposite side.
I came out, took some photographs with the rain still drizzling, noted that the Arya Samaj building on the other side was still intact under their possession.
The St.Antony church with the sprawling ground on the next street was also untouched.

Then we took a taxi to our timber shop site.
The canal I remembered on the way side where we used to catch fish was still there but it was foul smelling more than our Coovum. It was largely rain water drainage in our days and we used to wade in and catch fish there. Now it was a sewage canal.
 I could make out the shop site only with difficulty. It was a store now.
When I photographed it the owner came out and queried, being pacified only after my explaining. He didn’t understand English but seemed to make out what I was trying to say !!

 In the evening we went for shopping.
There were many super markets similar to the Nilgris and one or two even as big as our Spencer Plaza. All supermarkets accepted US Dollars but insisted that it must be new without any crease. But they gave change only in Myanmar currency [Kyats].

When I inquired in the hotel about the Kanbe [called “Kambai” in Tamil] place which I thought was quite far away I was pleasantly surprised that it was very near. In fact much nearer than the city center.
In my child hood days once a year we used to travel in arranged buses to the Kanbe area. The place will wear a festive look on that day [Thiruvizha].

Our people had built a Pillayar temple and had a hall built near it where food was served free. Also in the neighbouring temples we had ‘Thee mithi” [walking on fire], Kummi, Mulapari with local songs -sung as by Ramanathapuram district people [ seen in “Subramaniapuram” and “Nadodigal” films].
So next day we went to Kanbe and saw the famous five temples. I was thrilled to see the “Vella [White] Pillayar” temple with the hall as before. The priest told me that it is still run as usual with the all the festivals.
I was surprised to see the good old “trishaw” still running and we had a ride in it too.

 We roamed around Sulepagoda shopping and dined in Indian hotels. We visited the famous Scot market, now called Bo Gyo Aungsan market – quite famous for Gems. I had a taste of real Burmese food- Mohinga- in a restaurant only on the last day. Though it is freely sold in pavement shops it is rarely catered in big restaurants.

Wow ! Golden Myanmar ! Mystifying and mesmerizing as ever !
You have spun a web around me and in its splendor I am only a willing prey!
Hello Rangoon ! [ I prefer to call you that way] I may come yet once again if not for anything else but for loitering in the streets getting immersed in the nostalgia !! So good bye for now !!