Logical purity for a commercial Badmaashi(trick)

“Come just 2 or 3 days before that '180 day's-period' is over,.... and you can 'claim' a re-polish, since you would be within that 6 months guarantee period”... said the salesperson, and my wife was so-thoroughly impressed with his 'goodness' (what ever it means!).

Now, it is not within the parameters of a 'social-common-sense' to argue with a lady on such 'Final judgements' of theirs, be it a wife or any other close relative—even!!

But, I could see... cleverly worded it was!... the guarantee is for 6 months... but 180 days is always less than 6 months!

And that re-polish is never going to be like the 'original' polish (I tell myself, 'mind you... here 'original' is a very-very relative term... nothing is original about the product we are using it only-as-an example, ha-ha-ha! It is about 'covering-gold'/rolled-gold...!)...

So, (commercially) the repolish has to be with minimal investment ... (Bah... competition even-within 'fake-gold' waalas has 'necessitated' this purity-in-dealing! )...

So, it makes sense to ask a 'lady' to wait for that 177th day... Most likely, those 3-days, she would 'due to because of, since, etc'...and for several variety of such reasons, .... not be able to... make it to the shop to 'claim'... (paisa wasool!)...

Side benefit: The shop wala has 'pronounced' it so openly, so he can as well economise on that first+original-polish.. it need-not/should-not last beyond 177 days (what happens to that imaginary 6 months of 183/182 days!)...

That , for me, (not the readers necessarily), looks like logical purity, to attract customers (again, for me, it is warding-off these customers from other-competitors, .... not 'exactly-attracting' them!)...

This purity!

It plays tricks even with such 'precious' and pious metals!

Then what about humans? (dunno!)...

As a kid, I was fortunate to see a whole family, 'live'.... who decided without even a 'mutual' consensus, without an 'all-party-meeting', a common-minimum-program, etc..

to live honestly! (that's Amazing!!!)...
They do quarrel, argue, mix, combine, cooperate, non-cooperate, fight, join, .. and even separate, ... etc... but somehow, they are honest!
So, I did not have to doubt the purity of the milk that they sell! (they had cows and buffaloes in the backyard...)

one day, I heard, the elder son tell his mom, “Mom, you milk this lady... (a buffalo), all she yields to me is her kicks, not milk!”...
Now I got curious! I was a small kid...
Twice they milk...
Evening hours, was my play-time... the younger ones of that lady were my play-partners..
So, I had to wake up at 3.45 am... 4 am is the time, when that milking starts... some 9 animals, cows and buffaloes... so I didn't like to miss that 'surgical-operation' at least once!
When it came to the cows, I noticed that quality of inflow 'looked like' a little impure!
I asked, “Oh! Does that mixing-of-water (adulteration ) happen right within her?”

The grand lady smiled, and said, “Son... it is not like that... its the very 'nature' of a cow-milk, it is a little thin (the viscosity).. and it is easy on digestion... one of the reasons, why small kids like you are given a 'cow's' milk, when it is possible to 'choose', instead of a buffalo's milk”! (Oh! Then the very tone of some-of-the-elders is just rough, they are not 'really-angry'... I corrected myself).

Early lessons for me, to look deeper, when purity at sensory levels are evasive/deceptive!

It is a very wrong place, to ask a gourmet-official, during office hours, right across his table, a question like “what is honesty, what is a non-corrupt-person?”

But, once somebody gets enlisted for a spiritual program, it is like a phoren-roller-coaster-ride... seat-belts fastened, and machine set rolling.. it can't afford a “I want to off-board/alight, half way!”...
And maybe that is why, our teacher did ask, “what is a pure being?”....
A good many of participants focused on tightening their lips! (only a few ventured, to guess!)

Arey, ... I thought... “aaj kal pure-milk kahin milta hai kya?(do we get anything called a 'pure-milk'?)... Even to 'look-at'?”.. Then why that hesistation to 'merely-know' what it is 'all-about'?
But no! Here, the mind triggers a 'simultaenous' search operation... Unless there is a loop hole in the law (exempting politicians), they wouldn't allow a bill to get enacted in a parliament!!!

Mind is the politician, (we can't help voting for 'similar' politicians)... It exempts itself firstly, and only then it allows a deeper concept (especially spiritual ones!) to percolate beyond it!

Impurely yours,

psn (27th July, 2015)

Rituals

“Theen hi tou pankhe hai naa saab?... Number kya dena? Aap ghar mei roz doe bachhon ko ginn kar sote hain kya?”(All together, there are just 3 fans... what for, do we need to number them?.. do you count your two kids everyday, before going to sleep?)

Asked that daftary(a person elevated/designated to do voucher-binding work at banks, in India), to the auditor, in all innocence!

The auditor conceded... he paced a tick mark at that check list about inventory management of furniture and fixtures!

I was there...
That was the problem !

I called that daftary aside, and we went out for a cup of tea ...

I told him: 'Don't gloat over a seemingly-victory... '

He retorted, “then you better explain!”

I asked him “which of those three were purchased first, and the next one after how many years ?”

“Dunno! I came a little late into this job!.. but I can look at the vouchers and give the dates, but the 'make/brand being the same, I feel it is difficult !”

I had nailed him so easily (I thought he would look at the unique id, the aadhaar number given to each piece, which is mentioned on those bills, if not the vouchers!)

“Now,” I sent a guided missile, “when we are going to dispose the earliest purchased one, how do we decide?... or even for a zero-depreciation beyond a point of time, how do we decide?”

“Yeh sab tou maine socha hi nahi thaa!” ('I never had thought of all this stuff/implications !), he conceded...
But he did ask, “then why did the auditor get quietened?”....

To which all I could console him with was... “Hey, promotions are on seniority, remember!”, and I added “what I pointed out, is not his-headache anyway... it is for a future manager”...

Before he could get out of that 'nascent' stage of a fresh dawn of mini-wisdom, I had my own hidden agenda...
I added, “So, .. the same way... do not forsake that 'ritual' that your forefathers had been doing for generations, on the phase of that moon, when your dad departed... and don't make it an English date, just because you find it easy to 'tick' mark, like we do at office calendar...
Just as those at our systems&Management dept at Head office had thought of several aspects when fans had to be numbered, and mentioned in that F&F register (furniture/fixture), our ancestors had devised these functions, which look like a stupid ritual to you right now, with great significance for our life, and also after-life!”
“Let me pay for the tea”... was all that he could afford now! Anyway, we share that 'single-tea' which was just INR 0.35 (those days!)...

While walking back to our desks, I quipped, “And remember, there was always a cost-effective short cut, in our rituals, and so don't end up paying exhorbitant fee to that priest too... He too is like our auditor, flexible for fee!.. You may end up losing the value-addition!”

audi-ably yours,

psn (21st July, 2015)

Sleep

I ain't no sleep-snatcher now...!!!

It ain't about sleep either ! (Anyway, we can't make it happen! It happens by itself! Otherwise, why should patients say 'sleeping pills don't work anymore with me?')

We have a very small group .
I tried to suggest.... “Try to make a note of that exact moment, when we get into sleep”....
I even clarified, “no need to note down the 'time' by the clock... Just good enough if we can say, 'Yep! I noticed'... Nothing more... When milk rises, being kept on a burning flame of a stove, we notice... it is only thereafter, we decide, whether to remove the milk, or switch off the stove, or to leave it as it is with a 'mujhe-kya, mera-kya' etc...”

Simpal/simple...
but peepal/people here 'shell-shocked' me (an outdated expression, perhaps, since shells are primitive with WMD, etc!)...
We turned into a “patent-examiner” with this suggestion (note the moment of sleep)...!!!

Okay, with me...
But,
I would have been so-happy if those patent-examining-minds would have asked, “Hey, did you work on sample basis, those 'trials' with animals?”

(why I would have been 'haappy' eeej/is... they are already 'at-it'!!!... Why, and how, figure it out yourself pleej/please! All I know, from what I saw, is that animals wake up instantly, when there is some warning around... some even 'stand+sleep' :)--its a smiley... No wonder very few 'casualties' during those 'natural-calamities' like an earthquake, tsunami etc...

I now wonder...
what was the big-risk, in what I said?
Only two possibilities... 1) we missed it yaar! 2) I noticed it yaar ...
The second choice waalas... (I wouldn't elaborate... neither would they would like-me-to... :)/smiley again!

The one I suggested, (I guess) , was far more easier than 'breath-watching'... For, when this one is suggested, most of us end up as 'teachers', and would try to teach our own-dear-body, how-to-breath!... With sleep, no such risks! (other risks, if any, I am yet to learn/+, ready-to-learn!)

Sleepily yours,

psn (20th July, 2015)

Post script: Oh yes! It wasn't my idea... (the experimentation of it).. my teacher's! When I did it, like an idiot(simply doing, not asking any queries)... it seemed like it didn't work at all!.. Only the clock told me, I slept too long (slept, because, none of the sensory perceptions worked while I was 'at-it'... As simple as that! :) smiley...)

A Defect, defective, and Defector!

In all probability, it is my 'own-defect' that persuaded me to write about a defect!

The earliest of my memory reminds me that a 'defect' is usually about some malfunction in something that hinder's the 'expected' functionality....

But later, I encountered more instances of 'defect' being referred to, in isolation/exclusivity!!!
I wondered, “how can something be a 'defect' ... all-by-itself?”...

I kept the question alive... In the meanwhile, I preferred to that 'hindrance-to-expected-functionality-wala' version of it ... It worked fine with me!

Somewhere in 1971, I happened to listen to a lecture by Swami Chinmayananda... (I was interested in spiritual talks)...
Somebody asked, “Sir, are there ghosts?”....
He smiled....
And a 'wizard' that he was with words, ideas, presentation, communication.... he did not miss the chance to convey what 'he' had as his agenda!
“I can only say my experience... the nearest 'encounter' I had with what we think to be a ghost... I was trapped in a desolate forest-like place once... it was dark, and I was tired... I found an abandoned hut like structure, with no windows or doors ... it was wide open... long disuse...

I spread out a cloth and slept on it.. somewhere at midnight I heard a noise, 'chhaarrr... chhaarrr...' some screeching, dragging like sound... I woke... it stopped... after a while, it came again, the noise... I had to check it out, 'who could it be at this hour, at this place!!!'.. It came at intervals... Now, I stepped outside that hut, and tried to look around... When the noise came again, I caught the culprit! A low hanging branch was brushing on the tiled roof, when there was a breeze!.. I went inside and slept more-peacefully!... Now the noise 'chhaarr... chhaarr..' means.. more breeze!”

The story went right into me!.... I found that the 'concept' not only rhymes well with my-own-guess-work, but it teaches me even further! I now started looking for some utilitarian-functionality, of something which all others hurry-up to label/brand as 'defect'! (Like for example, I had alike-looking twins as my class mates, and while others struggled to identify each, I found ingenious ways to look out for typical-oddities in them, which occurs 'by-default'... I was thus a 'defector' from the bulk of the people around who take pride in pointing-out-defects of others with a glee!).

At work place, I found that 'systems-people' too, did make use of 'defects'... While others could not 'explain' to themselves, as to why this 'silly-rule' is there, that a cashier should keep his rubber-stamp(seal of acknowledging receipt of cash), under protective lock and key overnight... I could 'figure it out' by myself, and even explained to those who would care-to-listen, that rubber stamps acquire a few defects due to use, over a period of time, and some cuts, blisters, along the margin, makes it distinct, and thus identify easily, if some 'counterfoil' is faked and produced as evidence later on!

We do see people 'differently' abled, are able to perform feats that even 'abled' ones cannot!

Yours defectively,

psn(15th July, 2015)

spontaneity

I guess, the dictionary may not venture to bring out the 'finer' qualities of this amazing word... (it might embarrass the 'lot' who find that cozy comfort in adhering to 'mere-socially-acceptable' norms, and not bothering about anything qualitative about 'life' itself!!

Yet, I was on the look out for a word that might come close to a 'response' that envisages 'least possible interference of the mind, especially its memory!

Oh! I was referring to 'spontaneity in reply/response, to another's communications, whether gesticulations or mere articulations!

A very amazing person said this about me, a while ago.. “you do not seem too keen to exchange.”

(The 'why' he is amazing to me, is a very long story... too many not-so-common qualities... Here the relevant quality is, he effortlessly transcends being 'subjective' about a person's mannerism, and straight-away proceeds to the 'stuff' in what is said... something very invaluable for a researcher!)

And, my usual 'spontaneous' self, ... as usual... just-proceeded to look within, and 'see'.. if it were so! Yes! Indeed, it was! But it was only about blogs... I am a full-fledged-chatter-box with a 'selective-few' on that whatsApp!

Two observations, I made....! (may be right or wrong!)...

Spontaneity enhances the possibility of capturing into words, (whether to utter these words or not, is a choice too!), those non-verbal thoughts, which snowballed out of pristine perceptions! Call it 'gut-feeling', a 'brain-wave', clairvoyance, intuition, ... whatever!
Some people are fortunate to guess, where their spontaneity emanates from... Others merely depend on luck to find if their utterances find 'predictability' or a mere bounce-back of brickbats!

Spontaneity enhances alertness, paving way for nurturing that elusive 'awareness'!

Now, when I choose to 'respond' (though spontaneously even)... I do require to take a look at the 'mind' that makes a communication towards me.. .. (it is about responding/replying to comments on blogs)... This takes away the focus of my own perception to a certain direction, which does not really support that 'enhanced' levels of perception! Meditative people 'tend' to speak less, but they do 'respond'! A simple non-reply-mode of silence is a response too :)

But I did not really 'plan' to withdraw like a tortoise.. Situation 'told' me to do so... Yes, the side-benefits were quite immense... Especially with/at this age of mine! (Oh! There are indeed, several modes of 'communication'... but that is a choice confined to those on spiritual quest!).

Spontaneously yours,

psn (6th July, 2015)

Media vindicated uniquely!

I was quite new to this 'social-networking-modes'....

The smart-phone hastened my learning...

It took me almost a day, to discover as to why my palm and fingers feel a little rigid, and aching!

I got it all wrong... 'a hand held device' ... yes! But it does not cry, all-of-a-sudden, if placed on a table, stool etc, like that 'pampered baby' who cries when placed down from mom's lap! In my eagerness to learn too-quickly, I forgot that I was taxing my fingers and palm too much (service-tax!).. And the mind was kept engaged, to avoid spider-leg like touches on touch-screen!

Then came the thrill of 'connectivity'... The bulk of youngsters remain glued to 'whatsApp'... so the reach is through-whatsApp (decades ago it was through their stomach... 'uncles' offer toffees, chocolates, etc to gain entry into a kid's heart!)....


When we run out of 'own' messages , there is always the 'forwards'!... (We are reassuring ourselves, that it's okay to remain a little 'backward', as long as we keep 'forwarding' stupidities forwarded to us!)....

And the most comforting thing is, 'anybody sends to anybody'... so there is no 'blamegame' if any forward is a 'fake'/hoax! Nice idea!
Media cannot afford this 'game' for too long! And so the 'blog title'!


I wondered! How did the 'society' come up, so soon.... with such a concept, which gives that symptomatic relief, (though never a 'cure'), for psychosomatic problems like 'loneliness', left-out-ness, singled-out-ness, etc!!!

Oh! Not really a 'new concept'...
We are so good at 'distorting' even the most precious of concepts, adages, etc emanating from most powerful scriptures!

“Matru devo Bhava”... (that 'maatru' is replaced twice, with Pitru, and then aacharya... and repeated till third time)....

Without the help of any gadget, the recent few generations have very successfully crushed its essence like they do with huge monster devices to old vehicles!

I was no exception, when I tried out this 'fake' interpretation, very sincerely too! But whatever I do, it leaves a wide-gap, with my reach no where near even the 'start-line' of that success-race!

Then somebody gave a hint... Like that hero of “36th chamber of shaolin did to a laborer”, saying, “Use the other end of the sledge-hammer”... And it became 'too-clear'...

A kid would simply gape at the interpretation 'treat mom/dad/teacher like a God/demi-God'! (the term 'guru' is rarely used instead of 'aacharya'... Nice..! When stupidity intensifies, stupidity-within-stupidity eludes, and truth retains a camouflaged glimmer!).

I tried with:
What if a kid does not have/know a dad/mom?
What if a kid is never sent to a teacher (school or an informal source even)?

On the other hand, logic does support , with the 'inadvertent-retention' of the suffix “Bhava”... Even TV serials borrow “Aayushmaan Bhava”... (may it 'happen-thus', or Bhava... that you be-long-lifer)...

Now, a mom can be told “may it happen that you seem like a Goddess!”
a dad too... “May it happen that you feel like a 'God”
an aachaarya ... “May you be looked upon like a 'God'...!”
This was not-even-a dictum! Just a profound-wish! (Yep/yes... there was a culture, when somebody 'really-elder' makes a wish, it becomes like a 'dictum' to the other, and he/she strives for it... not like the Gourmet's wish 'May you give up LPG subsidy', and the gourmet itself doubles the salary+Perks of its own legislators!)...

Now, applying this 'guess'... it does look feasible... All the three are full-grown-adults... They 'know' the concept of 'God' far better than an LKG kid... They can 'try-it-out' with a kid... Being God-like... loving unconditionally, totally, sincerely, without any expectation, etc...!


Yours,

quixotic-Bhaavaami,
psn(5th July, 2015)

LKG same-to-same

Oh Yes!

At LKG (lower Kinder-Garten)... level, I found the similarity in English Medium LKG class and Spiritual LKG classes!

“Finger on your lips” says the teacher-nee (in Hindi, it is safer to add 'ni' to ensure freedom from gender related issues! I am no 'Chair-Man' like Mao-jee)..
And then the 'alpha-beta' like things percolate in its hierarchy... (yes, they do everything to kaan-fuse/confuse us, unlike Indian languages where soft-vowels are a preemptive strike on our grey-matter, as a surgical-strike by army!)...

“Finger on your noses” says the teacher Jee (no gender issues with this 'being' :)... he is both, by choice)...
And then, the other lessons percolate deeper!

Both the teachers, never thereafter insist on fingers be kept at lips/noses... But the process continues, even without those fingers!

The breath has-to-be balanced without the use of fingers (it can be looked at as a concession too! Only those who did not 'sincerely' do that 'finger on nose' properly, struggle later without its use :)

At Schools, not much to describe... mostly it is copy-paste... if from memory (hard disk), an assured 'wah-wah'... but if from the next kid, a pun-ish-ment!

At the other school, I dunno.. I just came out of LKG, and then I am too busy, to even find out as to 'which-class-room' I got pushed into! It is too fuzzy here!

(oh yes... aaj kal/now-a-days... the format is all 'crumpled-up'... late entrants, so lateral entry direct degree!.. In ancient days, finger-on-noses was for 2 full years!)

Nosily yours,

psn(1st July, 2015)