In the Light of Lamp - 2.0

ઍક હતા જ્ઞાની. (પુરુષ કે સ્ત્રી? જે હોય તે, જ્ઞાની જ્ઞાની જ હોય. લિંગ,જાતી, ધર્મ, ભાષા, દેશ કોઈ ભેદ ન હોય.) આંખોમાં ચમક, મુખ પર સ્મિત, શાંત અન ચારેકોર પ્રસરતી ઍમની આભા. ઍક ઍક બૉલ પ્રકાશના પુંજ સમા. સર્વ દિશાઓને જાણે પ્રકાશીતના કરતા હોય. દર્શન માટે લોકોની લાંબી કતાર. હજારોની માત્રામાં ભીડ જામેલી હોય, ઉપદેશ સાંભળવા, બોધ વચનો ઝીલવા. કેટલાયની સમશ્યાના નિરાકરણના દાખલા. જ્ઞાની સર્વને જ્ઞાનનાં પ્રકાશમાં રહીને, જ્ઞાન માટે, જ્ઞાનનો પ્રકાશ પાથરતા. ઈ તો ત્યાં સુધિ કહેતા કે આવો તમારી અંદર પણ પ્રકાશનો દીપક પ્રગટાવ.

બહું થોડા જણ તૈયાર થતાં. તેમાંથી પણ ઍક્લ-દોકલ ઈ જ્યોત સુધી પહોચતા. પણ જ્યોતથી જ્યોત પ્રગટે તો ખરી નહીતો ભયોભયો; ને જો પ્રગટે તો પણ વધારે સમય ટકે નહીં. ક્યારેક ઘી કે તેલ ખૂપી જાય, ક્યારેક વાટ પુરી થઈ જાય તો ક્યારેક હવા ને પાણી નડે. અને ક્યારેક ઈ સળગવું, ઘસાવાવું ઘણું આક્રુ લાગે, બધે કાળાશ નજર આવે ને જ્યોત હોલવાઈ જાય. કોઇક મહાવીર નીકળે ને સૂર્ય સમાન થાય. ત્યારે જ્ઞાની ને જ્ઞાની મળે.
કિનારે બેસીને જે આ કાર્યક્રમ નિહાળી રહ્યાં હોય તે મનમાને મનમાં મલકાય. કોઈક ચતુર જોનરો અહોભાવથી જ્ઞાનીની સેવામાં ઈ સર્વ વિધી અને બાહ્ય વસ્તુની નોંધ રાખે, સુવિધા હોયતો recording પણ થાય. આ બધૂંજ જ્ઞાનીની જ્યોત પુરી થાય ત્યારે ખપમાં લાગે. દીવા નીચે અંધારુ આમ વર્ષોના વર્ષો ચાલ્યા કરે.

જો જ્યોતથી જ્યોત પ્રગટી હોત તો દુનિયા કેવી હોત?  દિવાળીના દિવસે બહુ વાતો કરી, આત્મ દીપો ભવ: ઍવી પોસ્ટ મોકલી. પણ શું આપણે ખરેખર તૈયાર છિયે? ક્યાં સુધી દીવાની નીચે ને પાછળ ઉભા રહી, પ્રકાશને જોયા કરશું ને અંધારામાં જ પડ્યા રહીશું?

બેસતું વર્ષ છે આજે. જો કોઈ સંકલ્પ લેવો હોય તો દીવો બનવાનો ને જ્યોત પ્રગટાવવાનો પણ લઈ શકાય.

સર્વ જ્ઞાનીને વંદન કરતાં આજના દિવસની, આ વર્ષની શરૂઆત કરિઍ.

Background:
Basic thought and question came yesterday while writing In the light of lamp -1.
Questions were like; Is there light or darkness, below the lamp [diya] and specially back side of lamp?
How much we are influenced by that light that we either don't dare to be, to spark our own light? Why we feel contended following and being below the lamp [staying in ignorance, darkness]? Can just by looking at flame and light, our delusion be removed? What happens when that lamp finishes work on earth, can another lamp be lit through that? They say you are a light, than why aren't we shining? and many such question. Whole night they crawled with me and made me bit crazy.

In writing too, we write under influence of a writer whom we have read more. There is no individual style but unconsciously we copy not only style but uses similar vocabulary. As deeper the study of that writer deeper the influence of it on us. Very few are able to come out and chart their own way. Still question remains same. Can one more lamp be lit from enlighten being.

Note: I wrote in Gujarati as question had came in Gujarati and following thoughts were also in Gujarati. It was hard to start thinking on same line and transit from one language to another. At the end selected easy non-resistant path, most comfortable. Thus written article in Gujarati.I hope from Background, you might get some hint of what I have written in Gujarati.

--------------------------------

(Message for the Durga Puja of 1957)

To express our gratitude to Sri Aurobindo we can do nothing better than to be a living demonstration of his teaching.

- The Mother

30 September 1957

In the Light of Lamp - 1

WHAT YOU THINK,

YOU BECOME.

Whether its been said by Buddha or Gandhiji. Quote contains profound truth. 

Today, in light of festival of Light I want to ask different questions. Towards end come back again to this quote and show away shadow caste by Lamp.

In which language do we think?

Do we think original or its just borrowed or shadowed words/thoughts/idea/information of others?

Can we think without words?

Can we go beyond thinking, in domain of ideas, intuitions? 

Before all this, main question Do we think? 

Too many questions and there are not straight forward answers. As thinking is something tiresome for majority of people. Thus we run life on auto-pilot mode, rather than thoughtful mode like Human. 

First question was asked to me, some 9-10 years ago. I was showing my report to college professor and asked for her help in improving writing. After going through report, correcting some error and suggesting minor changes. She Asked, 'Vaibhav in which language do you think?' I was confused over her question. So far, I had never observed the language in which I think. After few seconds I replied. 'Not in English'. 

That's where I was. Driven by general notion of improving writing - Read More, Listen More. To write more. I had started blog, reading and writing on & off. Still, improvement was meagre. Something was missing in pursuit of more reading & writing.

The basic problem never got addressed or done very subconsciously - habit of translating.

What's problem with translating? 

See, first of all our thoughts will be from a language, which we are not going to write. Than hard work put behind translating words of those thoughts into known words of language in which we are going to write. Isn't it. Than obviously there will be more structural changes of language. This bring first fault, secondly we will never use more words and appropriate words of written language. And thirdly we have to put more time and energy.

Solution:

Read little, mostly editorial piece of newspaper. Read something of your interest and now think on that issue or on what you read in same language as you have read. Try over and see.

This was one of the exercise given at that time. Quite interesting and it makes us observe our thought and becomes meditative too.

Some effort and practice leads to amazing result. It gives ease while writing and 

speaking too. Sometime it was super fluid, thinking changing from one language to another. 

Writing in a same language as of our thoughts and feelings [thoughts of senses and expression!] indeed is the way. Still in our country we are forcing our children to do something quite contrary. Hope lights spread and we be natural & authentic in our quest of knowledge.

A first step

When child first takes steps & walks. When child first time speaks a word and call someone. When Child writes first time on paper. All that been done for first and done by everyone of us. Isn't that moment had brought a Joy, smiling faces all around! Lots of applause and Glee Shouts. A Confirmation of success, which makes us proud. Our efforts finally yield some reason.

Even after crossing childhood, much becoming adult and senior citizens. Our first attempt on something brings smile on our face and love one's around. Sometime its quite embracing too but mostly its overwhelming. Those sweet memory of our first attempt. Whether that first time be driving your car or  first time you proposed to your love or creating your Facebook account [specially for old ones] or Learning how to use smart phone! We feel that we have accomplished very valuable task. Sometime a task which seemed like reaching at pick of Mt. Everest.  Today I want to share one such incident of my life. An event that occurred exactly 10 years ago.

It was 20/10/2006, As per Indian Calendar an auspicious days of choti diwali [more known as kali choudas, narak chaturdashi,etc.]

A day I started writing.

What? You didn't wrote before that. No, Not like that I didn't wrote anything. But they were just writing one does in school and college. Writing one does either impress someone or to score marks [for may good marks!]. To tell you one fact, I started writing bit late compare to my classmates. My Mother told me that, that she used to ask almost every day to my Jr.K.G. teacher, whether I began writing or not? Reply was mostly in negative till end of first term. somewhere in sixth month of schooling, I had begun writing in school. I can't recall what all efforts my mother and teacher put behind me to do that.

So I began writing late, so this writing late is not surprising for me. I started writing around age of 20. As told, its not about schooling or educational writing nor about writing letters for work purpose to concern authority figure. In my case its also not about writing poem in Gujarati.

This writing is about writing an article in English for upcoming e-magazine of our online community. Also where I had to first time, in real-life [not in exams hall or classroom] to translate few material from Gujarati into English.

Story behind the article.

A year 2006 was very special year for me, for many reason. Most important and Highest stand is that year 2006 marks as a year I came to know about Sri Aurobindo.

Thanks to Gujarati monthly magazine 'Yug Shakti Gayatri' by AWGP. Issue of August 2006 was a special issue for Youth. It contained articles to guide and motivate youth. There were three articles where either Sri Aurobindo were mentioned, I still remember and have kept the copy very safely. Those article gave some glimpse of his life, work as yogi & freedom fighter, his influence on Indian Patriot, specially likes of Subhash Chandra Bose. Instantly I started admiring him and made him one of my idol in life. I thought to gather some more information about Sri Aurobindo. I don't know why? but surprisingly I searched on orkut and not google at that time. I found few groups/community on it and joined two of them. One of them 'In Search of The Mother' had amazing activities and discussion going on around. Soon conversations between me and admin of the group, Unknown M began. It was during one of those conversation, I shared about those article I read in magazine. That is when Unknown M, asked me to send them. As conversation went on, proposal came to write an article for upcoming e-magazine of community.

That time, I was more of 'Yes, I will do it. I want to do. That's way I will serve and give something for e-magazine.' Next day, yes 20/10/2006, writing began. Lots of thinking went on. Helping at house chores on festival day is like must, thus less time to complete work. It somehow happened, took three days in total to complete. In fact some of the translation part, basic idea and framework were done while travelling in a BEST's bus. That bus ride was interesting as due to Eid on 20/10 and Diwali 21/10, traffic jam was huge. That's reason, I was able to write something, as bus wasn't moving much.
Article had many errors, few unsuccessful attempt for correction were done. I sent with note of request to check and edit mistakes.

Yet, group published the article almost as it is in e-magazine. [link] or blog post

That's how it began. Thanks a lot Unknown M [ and still I don't know who is Unknown M?]

All Gratitude at lotus feet of Divine. Who made all this happen.

I will continue more about this writing journey in next blog. [hopefully tomorrow. About important figure on this journey of writing.]

Just another observation, sparks curiosity

Today marks a day when old coins, special coins and other things are brought out from their confinement. Washed, worship and put back again till next day.
Unlike previous years, I wasn't much interested in this custom. May be from past many years I hadn't done it, I was tired at end of day by doing nothing! whatever!!

Still Around 10pm, I sat down finally with the container [which contains all those coins] and other material require to follow the ritual. Instead of following scripture, I followed the heart and tried to connect myself with the worship. More it turn out towards my connection and Prayer. Whole view and words were different. Actions were some what similar but intent, feelings were different. As process went on, something i saw.
 An observation done after so many years.. I had see those coins many time ago, off course during Dewali only.

What I observed created ripples of question. They were the ones who distracted me from continuing and completing the custom rituals. I tried and as I finished all duty. straight went to google, followed by wikipedia.. and few things I found, learnt were quite surprising and many of you might not know them. thus sharing them. One request, this is just an observation and some questions asked.. but see it from heart, as mind will try to link it with many things going around...

First thing I noticed was the coin of year 1919..King George V on obverse side. reverse side, denomination and year were printed in english and...
you see yourself..

Indian Rupee [1918]

Further down, I found coin little more older of 1913 and 1905

one is here for your observation: Indian rupee [1905]


Oldest among them was of east india company. something like this one: Indian rupee [1835]


So on all this you will see english as main language and other being urdu/arabic [not sure]

people knew denomination of coin by figure, shape & size..

In 1947 coin, there are three language in which denomination been mentioned - Hindi, English & Urdu

Also, found one coin which has four languages - apart from Hindi, Urdu & english, fourth one as per my guess might be nepali or bangali..

 Here is one from indian state of Baroda.. [source: wikipedia]



one of the interesting fact which I never heard from any old people is where all our currency were used.  South-east Asia is common, they all might be using same currency Ruppee...

from wiki page as it is..

International use
After the Partition of India, the Pakistani rupee came into existence, initially using Indian coins and Indian currency notes simply overstamped with "Pakistan". Previously the Indian rupee was an official currency of other countries, including Aden, Oman, Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the Trucial States, Kenya, Tanganyika, Uganda, the Seychelles and Mauritius.
The Indian government introduced the Gulf rupee – also known as the Persian Gulf rupee (XPGR) – as a replacement for the Indian rupee for circulation outside the country with the Reserve Bank of India (Amendment) Act of 1 May 1959. The creation of a separate currency was an attempt to reduce the strain on India's foreign reserves from gold smuggling. After India devalued the rupee on 6 June 1966, those countries still using it – Oman, Qatar, and the Trucial States (which became the United Arab Emirates in 1971) – replaced the Gulf rupee with their own currencies. Kuwait and Bahrain had already done so in 1961 and 1965, respectively.^[17]
The Bhutanese ngultrum is pegged at par with the Indian rupee; both currencies are accepted in Bhutan. The Nepalese rupee is pegged at ₹0.625; the Indian rupee is accepted in Nepal, except ₹500 and ₹1000 banknotes, which are not legal tender in Nepal and is banned by the Government of Nepal, though accepted by many retailers.^[18] On 29 January 2014, Zimbabwe added the Indian rupee as a legal tender to be used.



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In those mind, where questioned came after observing coins of 1918,1835. on use of language... last part International use might give some clue...


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I am back to my wonderland... investigating and just feeling studious of this online research [so called]. Indeed History gives many insight, only to go forward and not backward. Indeed whole hour became more interesting and finding, tinkering and observing. Yes coins can be observed from many point of view, but this time instead of weight, material, dates and other, notice went on language used on coin. Actually first thing I had observed was a Australian 2 dollar coin which has something in Braille [This is also guess.. not done worship of google.. To tell a fact, google tailors the search result.. my new school website temporary one is online since yesterday. You search with key words in google, you will not get it. put same keywords in yahoo, you will find it on first place!!! so that's where we are...]


 and those who want to see online coin museum and more detail please go here
https://www.rbi.org.in/currency/museum/c-ancient.html

and

those who love poems.. here is couplet coins.
https://www.rbi.org.in/currency/museum/c-others.html

and this virtual museum makes it more easy
http://coinindia.com/home.html

list can go on and many things are there...
I stop here, and you also might like to go and celebrate...


Have a great celebration time ahead...



Have a great celebration time ahead...

To Tune in - Turn

To tune into desired FM station on radio/transistor, we had to turn the knob. As slowly and masterfully you do, more better tuning. As master precision instrument you might have but you handle with rough hand, you don't get desired result. Isn't it? Haven't you experienced that? Sometime it ask for so much of patience...

Same it happens in our life.. to tune in now, to tune in with our source and access the reality, we need to turn inward. Our knob of witnessing outside things needs to turned in. As slowly and skilfully we do that, with at most patience more chance of better result.

But we are so accustomed with on going noise that we never think of tuning.  Until something strikes us, transistor stop playing in between tunes. Or something out of mind. We start looking for solution. And hands which had hardly done job of turning the knob. Start doing it without control. You can imagine what happens than???

------------------
From past few days or rather few weeks, I was getting a signal- TUNE IN.
No efforts were put in that direction. To stand, walk and turn the knob.
It was yesterday, after finishing poem..

http://godsknow.blogspot.com/2016/10/blog-post_26.html

As described in poem, exactly same way it happen.
A trouble knocked the door? and process of rolling, tuning, turning began..
Process had already begun from past two days.. but that jerk, a final hit.. made attempt desperate , erstwhile. It took time, but slowly it happen. Prayers, dialogue with diary, waiting and finally landed up here


and at the end..

.
me kya karu, me kya karu?
se
me kuch na karu me kuch na karu
e to ho raha, samay ka pahiya chal raha
me dekh rakha, ish drashya ko
me dekh raha ish karan - darshak ko

ki me.... kya kahu?

વસવસો

આજના દિવસને વિસામો આપતા,
વસવસો પ્રવેશ્યો...
વસ્તુ ઍમ કંઇ કાઢી નાખવા જેવિ નથી,
ને સંગ્રહવા જેવિ ઈ નથી.
વીસરાતી ઍ કેમ નથી,
ખૂંચે છે પથારી મહીં.
સમય સાથે વહી જસે વસવસો,
તાણી જસે ઍ ખુંચતી પથારી.
શું આજ છે આશ્વાસ્ય?
ઍ જતી રહેલી ક્ષણ,
ક્ણ બની હોત મારા ચણતરનું
પણ ેતો કારણ બની ચુભે છે
મારા આકાશને ચુંબવાના સપનાંને.
હળ નથી ને નથી રહ્યો બળ,
કે અંતરનો ખેડુ?
વિશ્રાંતિ ક્યાં હોય જ્યારે
બની જાય 'હું' વિશેષ!
હવે કોનો લેવો આશ્રય?
મન તો ચાહે , ઍનો જે
પલકવારમાં કરે વિચ્છિન્ન,
વિજયલાવે નિશ્ચિંત.
પણ પેલો આવાજ મને હજી ખૂંચે છે!
ધીમે ઍ કહે છે,
'આભાસમાં કેટલું વિચરવું,
સપ્તરંગોની પાછળ ને રુપકની આડમાં?'
ક્યાંથી પણ મે પૂછીજ લીધું,
'તો આનો હલ કહે?'
'આ તો છે વણઉકેલાયેલો કોયડો બધાનો.
જ્યારે વલણ હોય સ્પષ્ટ,
ક્રણ હોય દૃઢ,ને શ્રધા ને ખંત અનંત...'

મંદ થતો અવાજને,
અંતરમાં ગુંજનનો રંગ, કરી ગયા મને દંગ.
ભલે ઉત્તર અધૂરો રહ્યો,
યત્ન પુરો થાશે, જીવન મધુર ભાસે ેજ આશઍ.

वे कौन थे?

ना अपने थे, ना सपने थे
जिससे हम चलते थे
बस तेरी रहेमत थी वो!
क्या थे हम?, वे कौन थे?
कोनसी खोज़ पे थे हम,
जिस और कदम मेरे चलते थे.
कभी रोते थे, कभी हस्ते,
फिर झगड़ते थे, और
तेरे दर पर आके हम सोते थे..
बस तेरी रहेमत थी वो
जो अब तक हम ना रुकते थे.
टपकते थे, बिखरते
 कभी बरसते थे
भीग कर हम, दर्द छुपाते थे
यह भी तो तेरी रहेमत थी
उड़ते थे हम, भटकते थे हम,
तड़पते थे हम, मचलते थे हम,
तेरी रहेमत थी वो, जो संभलते हम.
उलाज़ते हम, सुलगते हम,
तेरी प्यार की चादर मे लिपटे थे हम
शायद इसीलिए महेकते, तुम मे ढलते थे हम.