Two months of silence

I did not write for exactly two months. It is not just because I was busy in other things. But it is also because I wanted to avoid making judgements of the happenings around me. 

But I do not think I have succeeded a bit :-) It is just that I had not put it on writing; I had made judgements mentally; even after great efforts not do it, I had shared my judgements orally. 

I am wondering, if anyone can communicate to another person, without making judgements!!! Most of the communications we (not only me) make are around the judgements we make. It need not be dissatisfaction but just criticisms. Most of the jobs we perform are also around making judgements. I could sense that there is a difference between decisions and judgements; and also that judgments we make are subject to change depending on which side of the story is known to us. But I am finding it hard to decide without judging.

I will be grateful if someone could teach me how do you make decisions without judging. Are they referring to perceptions / prejudice when they talk about judgement? I am not sure. Or do they mean that you should not judge people but you can judge ideas, actions, results and facts?

I am not looking for another dose of philosophical response. What I need is techniques!!! Can anyone help me?

Interesting people....

I met an impressive person yesterday. She was so dynamic, enthusiastic, energetic and knowledgeable. It was very interesting to watch her talk about her career progress and what made her successful. She was above 50 and has grandchild(ren). When you see her speaking, you would feel the energy levels of a teenager... Wow..... I could immediately connect with her; that is how all of us in the auditorium felt....

I have had impressive bosses in the past. They were not so vocal or bubbly. But I see quite a number of things in common...

1. They all (including her) respect & willing to trust the other person; they are trustworthy
2. They are passionate about what they do
3. They are confident that grooming others will only help them grow higher & it is not a threat to groom their successor
4. They adapt to changes quickly – in fact they welcome change
5. Most importantly, they are honest but not 'braggy' about any of these
6. They understand and accept that one can make mistakes...

You know, these qualities are contagious... if you are with them for some time, you would see that your thoughts, speech and actions change for good. It is rare to get such people around you; the best you can do is, you develop these qualities... you would see that people around you change :-)

திருப்பூந்துருத்தி...

திருப்பூந்துருத்தி எனும் பாலகுமாரன் கதை நேற்றும் இன்றும் முழுதாய் எனை ஆட்கொண்டது. 1990 -லிருந்து நான் பாலகுமாரன் கதை படித்தாலும், அவரது எத்தனையோ ஆன்மீக கட்டுரைகளை வாசித்திருந்தாலும், இந்தக் கதை மனதைச் சுட்டது. இதே கதை போன வருடம் படிக்கும் போது இந்த அளவு தாக்கத்தை ஏற்படுத்தவில்லை. கடந்த ஒரு வருடத்தில் நடந்த நிகழ்சிகளின் விளைவாலோ அல்லது வேறு ஏதோ காரணத்தலோ இன்று ஏதோ ஒரு நெகிழ்வு...

கொஞ்சம் ஏக்கமாகக்கூட இருக்கிறது, இது போல, ஒரு குரு நம் கண்முன் தோன்றி, நம்மை வழிப்படுத்தமாட்டாரா என்று. சலனம் இல்லாதிருத்தல் என்பது எனக்கு ஒரு கருத்தாகப்புரிந்தாலும், நடைமுறைப்படுத்தலில் உள்ள குழப்பங்களை, சிக்கல்களை எளிதாக்கத் தெரியவில்லை; எப்படி சமாளிப்பது என்ற தெளிவுமில்லை. அவர் சொல்வது போல, இறை தன்னை உணர்த்த நினைக்கும்வரை காத்திருப்பது ஒன்றுதான் வழி போலும்...

உங்கள் வீடுகளைச் சுத்தமாக்கி, வாசனையாக்கி, ஜன்னல்களைத் திறந்துவையுங்கள், ஒரு நாள், தென்றல் உங்கள் வீட்டுக்குள்ளும் வரலாம் என்றொரு வாக்கியம் உண்டு. கோபமின்றி, வெறுப்பின்றி, அஹங்காரமின்றி, காமமின்றி, பொறாமையின்றி, பொய்யின்றி, பேராசையின்றி, எனது என்ற ஆளுமை எண்ணமின்றி, இவையில்லாமல் இருக்கும் கர்வமின்றி மனவீட்டைச் சுத்தமாக்க இயலுமா? மலைப்பாக இருக்கிறது. ஒரு குருவால் ஒரு நொடியில் இவை அனைத்தையும் துடைத்தெறிய இயலும் என்று பாலகுமாரனும், இன்னும் சிலரும் கூறினாலும், அவரவர் வினையை அவரவர்தானே களையவேண்டும் என்று எண்ணமே மேலோங்குகிறது. விவேகானந்தருக்கு ஒரு இராமகிருஷ்ணர் போல நமக்கும் ஒருவர் கிடைப்பார், சரியான நேரத்தில் வருவர் என்று சொன்னாலும், விவேகானந்தர் எத்தனைப் பிறவிகளாக தன்னைச் சுத்தம் செய்தாரோ இந்த பிறப்பில் ஒரு இராமகிருஷ்ணர் கிடைக்க என்றுதான் தோன்றுகிறது.

திருப்பூந்துருத்தியில் மணி என்றொரு தொழிலதிபர் தன் தந்தையின் மரணத்துக்கு முன், அகவிழிப்பு பெறுகிறார். அதன் பின்னர் அவர் சங்கரர் போல பிற உடல்களுள் நுழைந்து அவர்கள் வாழ்வையும் சரியாக்கி, தானும் வாழ்வை உணர்ந்துகொள்கிறார்; சாதாரண மனிதர்களின் வாழ்வில் சரியான மாற்றங்களை உண்டாக்குகிறார். இப்படி ஒருவர் நம் வாழ்விலும் வந்து நம்மையும் சரியாக்கினால் எப்படியிருக்கும் என்ற எண்ணமும் எழுகிறது; மணியைப் போல ஏதாவது ஒரு சந்தர்ப்பத்தில் நம்முடைய மனமும் விழிக்காதா என்ற எண்ணமும் எழுகிறது. யார் சொல்லக்கூடும் எது நிகழும் என்று? என் தகுதி என்னவென்று?

Karma Clearing program - how successful was this?!?!?

Hmmm.... I started this with a lot of enthusiasm. On the first day itself, I broke the first two - no criticism and no expression of dissatisfaction. On any day there were only two or three rules followed; if a rule was followed one day, the next day it got broken.

The only thing I was able to follow was to observe thoughts and actions on all days consistently. I realized that, only if you try to follow the rules on all days of your life, eventually you would become successful in one of the programmes started on a new moon day!!!

Action no 1, 2 and 6 are the most difficult!!! 1 and 2 are broken on all days consistently!!! Finding an action that suits 6 was difficult; not because I like all activities but because my ego resists something to be called as disliked activity.

Let me try these three on all days.... and see how it is after about six months from now!!!

Karma Clearing program

I am trying to follow nine day Karma Clearing program from today as today is new moon day. There are nine rules to follow every day

1. No expression of dissatisfaction
2. No criticism
3. Observe actions and thoughts
4. Arise earlier
5. One major meal a day
6. Do something that you dislike
7. help some one without leaving a trace
8. meditate once at least before sunset.
9. recall the day in reverse at bed time (starting from bed time and traversing through to dawn)

Will log the progress everyday in my excel tracker and put it in the site after the program completion.

உளன் எனில் உளன்; இலன் எனில் இலன்!!!

சுஜாதாவின் 'கடவுள்' என்ற புத்தகம் எனது சமீபத்திய கண்டெடுப்பு. சென்ற வாரம் லேண்ட்மார்க் சென்றபோது தற்செயலாக கிடைத்தது. மூன்று புத்தகங்கள் இரண்டின் விலையில் என்ற திட்டத்தில் கிடைத்தது. ஆச்சரியமான பல தகவல்களோடு, நடுநிலையாக பல்வேறு மதங்களைப்பற்றியும், கடவுள் நம்பிக்கை, மறுபிறப்பு மற்றும் எதிர்காலம் அறியும் திறன் குறித்தும் ஆராயும் நூல். சுவாரஸ்யத்திற்குப் பஞ்சமில்லை.

ஆனால், பிரம்மசூத்திரத்திற்கு உரை எழுதிய சுஜாதா, கடவுள் இல்லை என்பது போன்ற தொனியில் நூலை முடித்திருக்கிறார். அது தான் கொஞ்சம் நெருடுகிறது.அவருக்குள் இருக்கும் பொறியாளர், அறிவியலாளரின் பங்கு அதிகம் போலும்!!!

'ஆணிலன் பெண்ணிலன் அலியுமிலன்' என்ற நம்மாழ்வாரின் வார்த்தைகளால் பிரம்மத்தை, இறையை, விவரிக்கிறார் ஆனால் கடவுள் என்று ஒன்று / ஒருவர் பிரபஞ்சத்தை இயக்கத்தேவையில்லை என்கிறார். எதை கொள்வது? ஏற்கனவே குழம்பிய குட்டை இது. இதில் அறிவியல் அறிந்தவர், ஆழ்வார்களைப்பற்றி எளிய அறிமுகம் தந்தவர், பிரம்மசூத்திரத்தை விளக்க முற்பட்டவர் குழப்பினால் என்னவாகும்? இன்னும் அதிகம் குழம்பியது!!!

கடைசியில் என் பழைய முடிவிலேயே தொடர்கிறேன் - உளன் எனில் உளன்; இலன் எனில் இலன்!!! அறிவியல் வந்து விளக்கும் வரை அல்லது இறை தன்னைகாட்டும் வரை உளன் எனில் உளன்; இலன் எனில் இலன்!!!

Go Giver

Last week I read an interesting book called "The Go Giver". The ideas given are very simple and powerful. I think all the powerful ideas are always simple to understand.

1. The Law of Value - Give more than what you get
2. The Law of compensation - Compensation is directly proportional to no of people served and how well they are served 
3. The Law of influence - build your network by connecting with people, by genuinely caring for them.
4. The law of authenticity - the only thing you can offer is you.
5. The Law of receptivity - be ready to accept gifts. only if you accept, you can give.

I think, I have known them before I read them. It is just that I did not write about them. I have talked about these concepts to many of my friends at various points in time. One exception is point no 2.

I have always wanted to increase my compensation (BTW, compensation is just not the monetary part! it also includes the satisfaction, appreciation etc) and focused on 'how well you serve' part of the law. But this never occured to me that the first part plays an equally important role though the second part facilitates the first. I am seriously thinking how can I increase the number of people I serve? I am a process consultant and coach. I am good at teaching concepts to people. How do I serve more people?!?!? Let me figure out!!!

A lesson from a cricketer

Yesterday, I was a bit upset that someone accused me for no mistake of mine... it was not a mistake at all on anyone's part leave alone my mistake. I was hurt, irritatied and angry. I had an important task to complete in next one hour; I could not afford to spend that one hour in calming down the boiling mind... I took about 15 mins to settle down; relaxed; and then took on the job and completed it fairly decently as if nothing happened.

Today I was watching India Vs England cricket match. India was batting; I think it was the last over; the situation was pretty tensed. The bowler was very agressive; he bowled a few dot balls and the scene became all the more tensed. In the last over, he bowled a very difficult ball that Dhoni had to meet. It touched Dhoni's body and fell near his foot; he started running; the bowler came to pick the ball up; and the two dashed unintentionally; but the bowler started shouting at Dhoni as if he was at mistake. Raina got irritated and he was about to join the fight. Dhoni pulled him back and calmed him down to an extent. The irritated Raina tried hitting a six as a revenge probably and got caught... But, but, Doni hit a six and a few more runs and made his half century too... Big lesson....

I read somewhere that every ball is bowled at you to get you out; it is up to you to make it a sixer or boundary or singles or get out... I want to add to that. Though you are not at fault, people can try picking a fight; whether they want you to get out or not is a secondary question; they may even pour out their frustration on you though you are not the cause for their frustration; but, if you want to succeed, you need to follow Dhoni... do not lose temper even for a moment.... though you know that you are not to be blamed... leave the other person's emotions to themselves... you do not have to resolve their problems unless it is for you to resolve; you do not have to prove that you are not at fault... the truth will prove itself... you need to focus on your job... life is too costly to be lost picking up unworthy fights....

I know it is tough to follow... but, the tough follow this rule and succeed...

Are you a vegetarian?..... Continued

Some time back I wrote an article on the same topic. When I wrote that article, I was ignorant at a level looks like :-). When someone asked me if I am a vegetarian, I was thinking that this person was commenting on my food habits.

But then, if I say that I am a non-vegetarian they used to ask me if my parents were also non-vegetarians; if I say that I am a vegetarian they used to ask me if my parents were also vegetarians and I do not take non-vegetarian food from childhood. I was getting irritated with these questions. Why should anyone be bothered about my parents’ food habits? In first place, they cannot ask me about my own food habits; but people around me go one step beyond and try to find out what my parents eat!!!

Aha!!! It suddenly struck me!!! They are trying to assess which caste I belong to by understanding the food habits. Wow!!!

Has this thing called caste helped me reach where I am today? NO. My community has had a chief minister… quite a number of judges, police officials, doctors, engineers, and teachers belong to this community… it has more than 60% of retail business of Tamilnadu… So what? Did it help me a bit? Big NO. It is my parents’ hard work, simple life and focus gave me a protected childhood; not the caste they belonged to.

Have I helped my caste in any way? Bigger NO. Have I contributed to the welfare of this community? Have I lived a big successful life that helped this community benefit in anyway? Have I simplified life for any of my men and women? No, not at all…. Then how does it matter?

All I know is, my blood group is B+ve, I have a body that resembles that of humans and the chromosome study done a few years back declares that I have 46 healthy chromosomes like any other human being. So I believe, I am a human in all scientific grounds. (mentally, I may not be as matured as Mother Nature expects human beings to be though :-) )

Throughout the world, people try to find reasons to exclude fellow human being – be it race, nationality, religion, color of the skin, language they speak, amount of wealth, literacy and intellectual level… that is the reason behind so many wars and bloodshed. Lets try to include people!!! Love people for what they are and not for which category they belong to!!!

Today is my birthday

I am seriously wondering if any celebrations are really needed to remember this day!!!

Yes, today is my birthday.... Does it have any significance? Have I done anything great? Have I touched lives of others in good way? If so, how many such lives? Why so many people wish me today? is it because I touched their lives and made a difference to them in someway or because they are returning my wishes; they want to feel good on their birthdays and hence they are depositing the wishes with me with a hope that I would return them on theirs?

To me, how different is this day? does it denote anything important? is it a reminder that one year has just gone by doing nothing. I woke up like any other day, took bath, ate, slept and worked like any other day. May be, if my parents were next to me it might have made a difference... we might have had chakkarai pongal and gone to a temple. Of course, i ate chakkarai pongal and went to a temple on a few other days too. So that is not the key differentiator!!! So what is it?

What is the real meaning of a birthday? We celebrate great guru's birthdays as festivals like Christmas, Krishna Jayanthi, Vinayaga Chadurthi etc. We celebrate great leaders birthday also like Gandhi Jayanthi, Children's day, Statistics Day etc. But, where am I in the list? Why should my birthday be celebrated?

Will I ever enjoy anything I used to enjoy before? I am not sure... May be, this is called mid life crisis - when you realise that your belief system has some flaws and you are not sure of the right system to believe in, you feel stuck; nothing makes sense; world seems to be bright and gloomy at the same time; almost nothing motivates you; every success, however big it is, seems to be only like a dose of alcohol, giving a high for a moment and making you feel even more void inside...

I have never been like this... even when there did not seem any light at the end of the tunnel... I see this kind of loneliness in many women around me. From whatever they have achieved, produced or managed, I am sure, they were enthusiastic and energetic. They still radiate with energy most of the times. But they share a deep sense of loneliness with their close friends. Why????

ஹே கிருஷ்ணா!!!

தேய்பிறை அஷ்டமி கால பைரவருக்கான நாள். எதிரிகளை வெல்ல உகந்த நாள். நீ பிறந்த நாளுங்கூடத்தான். என்னை, என் போன்ற மனிதர்களை எதிரிகளிடமிருந்து காக்கத்தான் நீ பிறந்தாயா கண்ணா?

நூறு கௌரவர்களாக, நூறு விதமான தீய எண்ணங்கள் என்னைச் சூழ்ந்து நிற்கின்றன - கோபமாக, குரோதமாக, உச்சகட்ட வெறுப்பாக, பேராசையாக, ஆங்காரமாக, அகங்காரமாக இன்ன பிற துர்குணங்களாக - என்னை வேட்டையாட எந்நேரமும் தயாராக உள்ளன. என்னுடைய, பிறருடைய தீய எண்ணங்களால், சொற்களால், செயல்களால் துகிலுரியப்பட்ட திரௌபதியாக என் ஆன்மா நிற்கும்பொழுது என்னை காக்கத்தான் நீ அவதரித்தாயா கண்ணா? இவை மட்டும் தான் என் எதிரிகளா?

எனக்கென்னவோ பாண்டவர்களிடமிருந்தும் இந்த பாஞ்சாலியை நீ காக்க வேண்டும் என்று தோன்றுகிறது. கதைப்படி பாண்டவர்கள் பாஞ்சாலியின் கணவர்கள்தான்; நல்லவர்கள்தான். ஆனால் அவர்களும் ஒருவித தளைதான்; எதிரிகள்தான்.

நான் தர்மம் தவறவில்லை என்ற எண்ணமே தர்மன், தொழில் சார்ந்த நுண்ணறிவு அர்ஜுனன்; உடல் பலம் பீமன். அன்பும், ஆற்றலும், அழகும் நகுல சஹாதேவர்கள்; நகுலன் அன்பிலும் அழகிலும் மதனுக்குச் சமமானவன்; சகல உயிர்களிடமும் அன்பு கொண்டவன். சஹாதேவேன் மிகச்சிறந்த சோதிடன், எதிர்காலத்தை கணிக்கத்தெரிந்தவன்.

ஒருவர் தர்மப்படி நடக்கவேண்டும்; செய்யும் தொழிலில் கவனமும் கூர்த்த அறிவும் கொண்டிருக்கவேண்டும்; உடல் ஆரோக்கியத்துடன் இருக்கவேண்டும்; சகல உயிர்களிடமும் அன்பு கொண்டிருக்கவேண்டும், எதிர்காலத்தை கணித்து தன் செயல்திட்டங்களை வகுக்க தெரிந்திருக்க வேண்டும். இவை அனைத்தும் நல்லவைதானே? ஆன்மாவை, வாழ்வை நல்லவிதமாக வழி நடத்துபவை தானே? இவை எப்படி எதிரியாக முடியும்?

ஆனால், சபையின் முன் பாஞ்சாலி கொணர்ந்து நிறுத்தப்பட இவையே காரணம். நல்லவை என்று நாம் நினைப்பதை இறுக கட்டிக்கொண்டு, நல்லவராக இருப்பதாக எண்ணி கர்வப்பட்டு அலட்டி, தேவையற்ற தளைகளில் சிக்கி, தீய எண்ணங்கள் பலம் பெற்ற ஒரு வேளையில் சருக்குவதே ஆன்மாவின் துன்பங்களுக்கு காரணம். எனவே கிருஷ்ணா, நல்லவற்றிலிருந்தும், நான் நல்லவை என்று நினைப்பவற்றிலிருந்தும் என்னை காப்பாற்று ஐயனே!!!

ஏழு பிள்ளைகளை சாகக்கொடுத்துவிட்டு, எட்டாவது பிள்ளையான உன்னையும் இன்னொருத்தியிடம் கொடுத்துவிட்டு தபஸ்வினி போல வாழ்வு நடத்திய தேவகியின் துணிவு கொடு ஐயனே!!! தேவகிக்காவது, நீ எங்கோ உயிரோடு இருக்கிறாய் என்ற திருப்தி, அதன் பின் புகழோடு இருக்கிறாய் என்ற நிறைவு!!! வசுதேவர் என்ற ஞானியுடன் வாழ்ந்த நிறைவு!!! இவை யாவும் இல்லையெனினும், அவள் அமைதியாகத்தான் இருந்திருப்பாள்... அலட்டாமல்தான் இருந்திருப்பாள்... இறந்திருப்பாள்... என்று தோன்றுகிறது!!! எதிரிகளை மாய்க்கப்பிறந்த மாமன்னனின் அன்னை அல்லவா!!!

எட்டு பிள்ளைகளை எமனுக்கு அளித்த என் மீதும் கருணை கொண்டு என் எதிரிகளையும் களைந்து என்னைக்காப்பாய் என் ஐயனே!!!

Is any day better than the other?!?!?!?

Recently someone was asking about my birthday. When I said it is on September 11th, the immediate reaction was "Oh my god, that was a bad day". I was wondering how people come to conclusion about the days so quickly!!! In fact, the great Vinoba was born on 11th September. World Tamil Association was started on this day!!!

December 6 (Babri Masjid), November 26(Taj Attack), and December 26 (Tsunami) are a few days people remember for bad reasons. It does not mean that the other days in the calendar are any better than these days in terms of the amount of blood world sheds.

On August 4th, Queen Elizabeth was born; Barak Obama was born; however, in 1181, on August 4th, Supernova was seen; 1265, 1351, 1578, 1666, 1704, 1760 there were wars started on these days. In 1666, hurricane killed thousands of people on the same day. Do these events mean that Barak Obama and Queen Elizabeth were born on bad days!!!

If you ask someone living in Kashmir or Sri Lanka or any other place where gunshots are a daily affair, they would not rate any day better than the other. Each individual would have their own reference... when they lost a loved one.

If you dig history deep enough, you would understand that all days are almost the same!!! What matters is how you live each day!!!

One more step to take life back....

I became a gardener way back in August / September 2008, when I had to focus on something interesting but not strenuous. I had different types of plants in containers in my balcony (about 10 Square Feet area) including a drumstick tree. It took me about 4 months to do that much space with new experiments and with new plants. By then my treatment had touched an important milestone and life took a big turn. I was not to lift anything heavy - not even a litre of water. That put a full stop to my gardening dreams... But then my family took care of my plants in addition to taking care of me.


By April 2010, the treatment stopped completely. I was alright, up and running, though life had taken a toll on me. I had also tested my ability to withstand the pressures of working life with a consultancy work by then. I was ready to go back to work. I prepared my resume in end of April/early May 2010. To my surprise market reacted pretty nicely and got three offers in hand - from TCS, Ford and from HP. (those were the only companies I passed my resume to). I had a lot of free time till July 2010. In May, June and July, the only task was to attend interviews; it took only about 10 days of effort split across 2.5 months. The situation was much like 2008; I was healthy, but free... I turned my focus back on my plants.

I made some decisions about my plants (I think I made all wrong decisions around that timelines); I moved a few of them to the staircase. The biggest mistake was to move my drumstick tree to the vacant land besides my building. The tree survived nicely for about 3 weeks, but slowly started withering. There were rodents in that area. I did not know/realize. They ate the roots of the tree and killed it. The ones in staircase also started dying as the heat was too much for them to bear. I too was got caught up in mental trauma both in personal and official life. All my plants except for a money plant (Silver Vine), pasalai keerai (Indian Spinach), sotru katrazhai (Aloe Vera) and malai arali (a variety of Oleander) died. These four were really hardy and withstood all kinds pressures – no water on many days, hot sun, no manure.

Since May this year, I have been thinking, why have I left life to go on as it feels like and I should take it back in my hands. I should live life on my terms and not in any other way. I started doing things that I liked. I like writing and sharing information. I started blogging back. I was thinking about gardening also. But did not do much about it. After a while, with great difficulty I planted a few sangu pushpam plants(butterfly pea). But that is it about it. My 10 sq. ft. space was very dull with containers with no plants.

Today, I got down to work on my garden. I filled the containers with new red-soil-sand-manure mix. It took me about three hours to empty all the old soil and fill with new mix. I have six containers ready for plantation. In the coming weeks, I will start planting.

The judgements we make....

I have been a Judgemental person since childhood. I keep judging places, food, people and anything that I come across. I am an INTJ generally and sometimes an ESTJ with close friends. The TJ part of me stayed quite intact all these years.

I am trying to reduce the 'J' part of me these days or at least defer judging, though I am hardly successful in this exercise. Earlier I used to despise the famous phrase 'Judge not' thinking that those who do not want to take any decision turned down the idea of judging.

Now, after living for so long, I seem to change opinion slowly though I am still pretty much a TJ. However, I have  been thinking if I need to have so much 'J' of me from the time I learnt a certain facts about certain people after I made some judgements about them.

For example, I have a friend who studied in a big Bschool. He used to share his confusions and fears with me. Though I helped him make his decisions and clear his fears when he needed, I made a judgement that he lacks confidence. Later I realised that he was a different person to every one else and never showed the signs of his confusions or fears; it is just that he trusted me and shared his moments of uncertainity with me; that made me to come to this conclusions. This made me think again... Am I making judgements too quickly??? Sorry, I can not stop judging :-) now I am judging myself....

Duryodhana Vs Yudhisthira

It is said that Duryodhana went around the country and declared that all men have evil intentions & they are good till they get a chance to do something bad whereas, Yudhisthira declared that all are good hearted & commit mistakes only because of circumstances. It is claimed that, this conclusion itself is an evidence for the latter's purity and the former's wickedness!!!

I have been seriously thinking about this for a while now. I seem to agree more with Duryodhana though I have not harmed any one intentionally and have helped people when they are in need etc. If you describe a "normal to good" kind of person, i would fit in there. if you describe self centered, wicked person, I would not fit in that explantion... Inspite of that I seem to agree with Duryodhana more than I would with Yudhisthira. If I think of the levels of betreyals I have faced personally, my parents had to withstand, a few of my friends have to swallow it hard,  Duryodhana seems to be right. Most of the people seem to be righteous because they do not have a chance to be wicked!!!

Not sure, I have taken this view because of the recent past or my learnings from my parents' life. However the point I want to make is, it is not how good you are makes you to come to any of these conclusions, it is how good the other people around you are makes you to come to conclusions. If Yudhisthira had come to this conclusions, either he was sorrounded with many "normal to good" or "good" people or he was stupid enough not to understand what is happening around him!!!

What is right?

It was election time; there were quite a number of political meetings every where; the two major parties were fighting for power- literally - throwing stones at each other; in the meanwhile, there was a murder in city; one person from a financially backward group is murdered; there were powers trying to suppress this story; the investigating police officer, who is also supposed to give security for the political meetings needs leave desperately for a personal reason.... if he goes on leave how will the journalists react?

It was exam time; two young daughters both in final years of their respective education streams - 10th and 12th standard; both need mother's attention; if not attention, they need her support at least; the mother has to go to their native place for some reason; if the mother leaves the children, when they are in crucial phases of life, how will the magazines describe it?

it was death bed; there was an old man slowly dying; his eyes are fixed at the door, expecting his children; his wife is running around to take care of him; his children have not come... what kind of article are you expecting in the very same magazines? it's election time.... it's exam time.... You know, I am talking about the same family.... in all three stories.... The old man is looking for his son - a policeman, and daughter - who is helping his granddaughters! Can someone tell me, what is right? How quickly we (people and media) make judgments about others without understanding all factors! 

Back again... After 4 months of silence

I wrote my last blog on the last working day in my previous organization. After that I took a break of two months and joined my current employer in first week of April.

I was free from work but busy with a lot of other things in life during those two months. And then the first two months in the new place made me busy with work also.

Today, I decided to take life back in my hands... and I am back to blogging. Hope to write once a week at least...

Newton’s third law

Recently I have been thinking about the much quoted third law – ‘every action has an equivalent and opposite reaction’. I was wondering how much this law of physics is applicable in the corporate world.


After so much of contemplation, I feel that it is applicable every bit; however, Newton has not mentioned about inaction or not acting at right time. In my experience, inaction also has a reaction but the magnitude is just not same as the magnitude of inaction. It becomes multifold!!! It affects not only the person not acted / not acted on time, but also everyone associated with him / her. Being indecisive is a costly affair in corporate world – for that matter, in any walk of life.

I learnt this lesson from someone’s mistake. This person could have taken a decision in August, but did not take a decision till October and finally the decision was thrust on him in November by someone else. Ultimately, the entire unit suffered in November thru January. In November again, this person was given a chance to decide on something else, but again there was inaction!!!

A corollary to this lesson is, if you think the inaction is wrong, and you can take action at your level, you should take action. Basically, do what you believe is right. If not these indecisiveness and inactions of other people will haunt you. I should have acted in August though the other person did not act; because of this, I lost a few weekends and valuable Six Sigma Master Black Belt classes!!! Life is too costly to be lost like this!!!