Maya

I have been busy with nothing in particular, so not rumbled or rambled for some time.Is it just me or the days are just flying, Feb has flown by in the blink of an eye?

I have another story to narrate from a book I was reading recently. Sage Narada and Lord Vishnu were discussing what Maya is all about. Naradmuni, unable to understand the logic behind something so abstract, requested Lord Vishnu for an example. They were on the banks of a river, Lord Vishnu led him into the river till they were knee deep and whispered in his ear, "Close your eyes, Narada." He closed his eyes and when he opened them he was a newborn in his Mother's lap, he grew up, got married and had chidren and then passed away when his time came. Then he was born again as the son of a King, grew up as an intelligent prince who won all the mind games. He was brave and won many battles. Then he married a beautiful princess and had many children who brought him happiness and peace. Then he passed away. Narada heard a whisper, "Open your eyes, Narada". When he opened his eyes he was standing in knee deep water with Lord Vishnu in the river. Lord Vishnu smiled and said, "Narada, this is Maya." Naradmuni folded his hands and his eyes filled with tears of joy at this revelation.

This applies to everyone at all times in all stages of life. We live in times when people are losing jobs, taking pay-cuts and losing their homes.Are we being reined in because we are doing too much at the same time? Maybe this is the cosmic cycle? When we pray to the Lord to make us brave, smart, intelligent, rich etc what we get is the opportunity to become all that we want. Its not handed on platter, why? That is not the way we will learn. To learn is to go through the heady excitement of starting on the journey, getting over obstacles like self-doubt, cynics etc and finally making it to the finish line to reach our goals. It changes us. Makes one feel like anything is possible.

This is the season of opportunities! Seize the chance to learn and achieve!

Cooking

Cooking is an activity which bonds people on one hand and on the other hand break up families. What is it about cooking that makes people draw territorial lines and fight till the bitter end? It also makes a couple more intimate, you understand stuff about the other person, which otherwise would have been a mystery.
Kitchen is such a soothing and comforting haven and for some a battlefield fraught with danger and deciet. Blessed are the few whose authority in the kitchen is unchallenged though their cooking skills are suspect. Cooking for someone is an act of love, the way one expresses love, affection and concern for the other/family. But, it is also a way to show everyone else that this is my territory and you cannot intrude.
One's lifestyle also plays a important role in deciding how the cooking will be done, the gadgets in the kitchen and the number of people involved in it. People are famous for the mind games they play in the kitchen. Many a young housewife has learnt that cooking has more to it than what meets the eye.
The act in itself is not difficult to master. Cooking involves a few set of basic rules and can be improvised along the way. One needs to practise to be good at it. And with the number of cookbooks flying of the shelves one need not look very far for recipes or the 'authentic' styles of cooking.

A Puranic Story

I would like to start my blogging with this amazing story taken from Shashi Tharoor's book, "Bookless in Baghdad", which is a collection of his thoughts and speeches.
A Sage asks his disciples, "When does the night end?"
And the disciples say, 'At dawn, of course.'
Sage: 'I know that. But when does the night end and the dawn begin?'
First Disciple who is from the tropical south, replies, 'When the first glimmer of light across the sky reveals the palm fronds on the coconut trees swaying in the breeze, that is when the night ends and the dawn begins.'
Sage: No.
Second Disciple, who is from the cold north, ventures, 'When the first streaks of sunshine make the snow and ice gleam white on the mountaintops, that is when the night ends and the dawn begins.'
Sage: No, my sons. When two travellers from opposite ends of our lands meet and embrace each other as brothers, and when they realize they sleep under the same sky, see the same stars and dream the same dreams ---- that is when the night ends and the dawn begins.'