philosophy « Guldasta

Aye Maalik Tere Bande Hum December 20, 2009

Filed under: Ethics and Values, Inspiration, life, philosophy, poetry — gurdas @ :

The song ‘Aye Maalik Tere Bande Hum’ from the 1957 classic Do Aankhen Barah Haath directed by V. Shantaram has a special place in my heart. For me, and for millions of other Indians, it is a prayer. The song pleads for the strength to be virtuous, embraces death as a reality, accepts human fraility, and implores God to take all our sins and weaknesses. Kudos to lyricist Bharat Vyas for penning an eternal classic.

Lyrics (transliteration // translation)

aye maalik tere bande hum // Lord, you are our creator
aysein hon hamaare karam // So be our deeds
naykee par chalein aur badhee se talein // May we walk the path of righteousness and refrain from evil
taaki hastein huye nikale dum // So that we may depart fulfilled and smiling
aye maalik tere bande hum // Lord, you are our creator

badaa kamzor hai aadmi // Frail is the human being
abhi laakhon hain isme kameen // With a million shortcomings
par tu joh khadaa hai dayalu badaa // But you are forgiving
teri kirpaa se dharti thamee // The world exists due to your benevolence
diya toone hamein jab janam // Since you have given us birth
tuhee jhelega hum sab ke gum // You will also bear our burdens
naykee par chalein aur badhee se talein // May we walk the path of righteousness and refrain from evil
taaki hastein huye nikale dum // So that we may depart fulfilled and smiling
aye maalik tere bande hum // Lord, you are our creator

ye andhera ghanaa cha raha // The world is engulfed in darkness
tera insaan ghabara raha // Your man is fearful
ho raha bekhabar kuch na aata nazar // He is uninformed and blind
sukh ka sooraj chupaa ja raha // The light of peace and happiness is dimnishing
hai teri raushani mein joh dum // Such is the strength in your aura
tu amaavas ko kar de poonam // That even a moonless night glows bright
naykee par chalein aur badhee se talein // May we walk the path of righteousness and refrain from evil
taaki hastein huye nikale dum // So that we may depart fulfilled and smiling
aye maalik tere bande hum // Lord, you are our creator

jab zulmon ka ho saamanaa // When we are faced with attrocities
tab tuhee hamein thamanaa // O Lord, hold us firm
woh burayee karein hum bhalayee bharein // We reply with kindness for their evil
nahi badle ki ho kamanaa // May there be no desire for revenge
badh uthe pyaar ka har kadam // May every step ahead be for love
aur mitein baeyr ka ye bharam // May every thought of enemity be banished
naykee par chalein aur badhee se talein // May we walk the path of righteousness and refrain from evil
taaki hastein huye nikale dum // So that we may depart fulfilled and smiling
aye maalik tere bande hum // Lord, you are our creator

keep walking November 25, 2009

Filed under: life, love, philosophy — gurdas @ :

Relationships gain depth in leaps and bounds and rarely (if ever) is this process gradual. Yes, your effort in understanding a relationship and your investment of time and labour is everyday, but this is simply preparation for the big tests that life throws at you.

Bonding does not happen under ordinary circumstances.

A good example could be strangers thrown into a difficult situation, say a train wreck. All the years spent learning and understanding concepts of team work is simply preparation for the fight to survive this tragedy. And it is well-known that people and families who were complete strangers before a tragedy, become life long friends afterwards. So, what makes this happen?

I think tragedies and difficult times reveal our true identities and force the untainted human to step out of our everyday protective shells. We reset our priorities to the very basic needs, and since these needs are more or less similar across humans, everyone’s priorities get aligned. One can learn from this and bring the same joy of growing together in daily lives. By creating more situations where you have some if not all priorities aligned. Say going on a survival trek. Or playing a game of tennis. But these are by design. The big challenge and big rewards is learning to survive together the unplanned battles. From the ‘ordinary’, like the arguments that start from the kitchen or living room and always end up in the bed room to the ‘extraordinary’, like the loss of a child.

An amazing thing that can happen inside the conflict bubble is the act of placing the other before oneself. This is the magic moment. In a relationship between honest individuals, the act of giving up reigns supreme in creating a bond. When we give up, we expose a vulnerability even while the act itself is that of strength. I think Nature designed goodness to be recognizable. When you give up, you put your goodness on the table, where it gets identified, and that is what creates the bond. This act of extending yourself unconditionally is also known as love.

Relationships are journeys of the heart. To go far all you have to do is keep your love, and keep walking.

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The Metamorphosis October 8, 2009

Filed under: Ethics and Values, Me, life, love, philosophy — gurdas @ :

The Metamorphosis - From Larvae to Butterfly

The Metamorphosis - From Larva to Butterfly

At first you stop being greedy.

Then selfishness goes away.

Following which empathy comes in and sets the stage for love.

And then you give like it never belonged to you.

Finally, you receive.

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Hope is Dead! Long live Hope! May 6, 2009

Filed under: Inspiration, life, philosophy, poetry — gurdas @ :

Full were my pockets and my heart
For Hope dwelled in both these parts
She played around with me all day
And in the night, beside my bed she lay

She held my hands in troubled dreams
And caressed my forehead to settle me
Her peaceful eyes had me smile
And utter ever so often ”I can walk for another mile!”

She walked ahead and I followed her
Blind to the misery all about me
But even when I did look around
I saw that Hope is abound

In the worker’s sweat
In the bookie’s bet
In the mother’s eye
And the lawyer’s lie

She is most impartial and answers
To the small, big, one and all
But there is such a thing as limit
And people just forgot about it

The greed and violence of the crowds
Hit Hope a little too loud
She fell unconscious and her breath came slow
Her slender body could not take the blow

With Ms. Hope falling sick, Doctor Courage was called
A big sturdy man he is, almost like a wall
He checked her pulse and peeked in her eye
“She is dead!” he exclaimed, and gave a sigh

- – -

I wrote this poem almost a year and a half ago and then forgot to publish it. And while it gives the impression of being tragic, I had penned it to humour the callousness displayed by people.

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