A Subtle Message from Mumbai

Beyond the seven seas, the copious city stands

Mixed feelings running through its veins, bloodshed across its lands

The roots of its being, the core of its existence

Built up combating nature, filled up with aspirations

Inhabited by fishermen, it stroked its golden bristles

Upon the vassals of the sea poured down affluent existence

As years passed by, it laid its lineage; the Mecca of merchants

Swiftly took the world by its grandeur, drew populace from all directions

Laying down the foremost railway tracks of its homeland, it rejoiced

Yet failed to prophesy backfiring, as insufferable crowds out’ trains poised

Indeed it was ill-fate that caused this generous place to crease

The blasts, attacks, the dreaded floods; disruption of its peace

The malice in dark-hearted souls, the callousness of sinful minds

The molestation of its women; the terror in children’s eyes

Time and again it stood up; with valiant demeanor, lugged on the cart

Hoped to be revered once again, prayed they’d see a change of heart

Wasted upon spiteful populace, now its battle scars are weary

Reminisces the time when deference encompassed its rising glory

Lived though several ups and downs, it is set to mend the creed

To start afresh is what it wishes, perhaps it conspires to retreat...

The Light That Shone

Gushing by the city, swiftly he flew; cutting across trees and concrete galore

Fluid was his motion, swooshing was his gait; diminished all objects like in a park, a stroll

Above and below every obstruction, he believed in his freedom, his power, his might

Until he encountered the sparkling beauty; enclosed in a jar, grinning at his plight

He stopped for a moment, combating his nature; gazed at the splendor of her penetrating glow

Wondered how a spark with such humble origins could possibly confront his vehement blow

He swooshed, he twirled, encompassed the sheath; watched violent strokes failing to subdue her smile

Agonized, aggravated, he put forth the question, “What makes thee shine, ebbing the hostile?”

She chuckled and spun, a dramatic foreplay; slightly proceeding to the glass that he tapped

Warm eyes burning with passion deep, she spoke her heart out, her mannerisms apt

“I shine for the ones discouraged by fate; I shine for the souls of my martyrs

For the ones crestfallen by rejection, for my cities shredded down to tatters

“I shine for my strivers, my opportunists, my volunteers in changing the world

For guides to the path of Light, for the Holy teachers spreading the word

“I shine for all that is moral, hoping humility grows into a common virtue

I shine simply for ‘knowledge’; for that is all this universe must pursue”

Touched by her words, the wind flashed a smile and gently bid her adieu

His reach was far more than could ever be the flame’s, pondered on his path as he blew

From then on, he swore to use his scope better, to transform the world as he had known

He’d always remember the enlightening thoughts of the diminutive light that shone...

What we infer from Mahabharat...

    When one thinks of ‘Mahabharat’ they imagine war, violence and the battle for power, surrounded by a story of varied characters. The Mahabharat, written by Sage Vyasa is an epic poem, comprising one hundred thousand stanzas.  It is the largest single literary work in existence.

     But what is Mahabharat, really? We might know the basic story, having heard about its many instances since childhood. But like every other fable we heard growing up, does this one have a moral too?

Yes. And not just one, but countless morals. This gripping story about the fate of the Kuru dynasty displays instances and situations that one may face in all walks of life and puts forward characters with unique qualities, each being relatable to the readers. The way events unfold, and the way each person reacts to them is different. Through its mild and unopinionated verses, the Mahabharat hints at the difference in mentalities of people.

   Consider, for example, the incidents that took place when the Pandavas and Kauravas were children. Out of juvenile jealousy resulting from the lack of their grandfather’s attention, Duryodhana tried, on multiple occasions, to poison Bheema. At a point when their knowledgeable grandfather, Bheeshma should have intervened and taught them right from wrong, he decided to stay mum and thus an enmity was initiated between the cousins. This insinuates that indifference can lead to great catastrophes.

      

     There is a mention of the story of Eklavya, whom Drona refused to teach archery because of his lower caste in society. A determined Eklavya, however built a statue of Drona and mastered the art till he was better than the greatest archer Arjun. As gurudakshina, which is a gift to your teacher on mastering of a skill, he was asked to cut off the thumb of his right hand, which he did without hesitation. This incident describes the immense respect given to teachers or learned people in the society.

        When the game of dice was played, Yudhishthir lost all his senses and betted away his belongings, wealth and even his brothers and wife Draupadi. One tends to forget reasoning when bad habits like gambling are implemented. This was followed by the disrespect and stripping of Draupadi before the assembly. At that time, she raised questions about the fairness of the game and the treatment given to her, to the elders. That was a moment when everyone expected Bheeshma to stand up for her and punish his grandsons, which, as we all know, did not happen. This sets a perfect example of how diplomacy is not always the answer.

      Even thirteen years later, when the Great War commenced, the wise uncle Vidura warned the blind king Dhritarashtra about the known outcome of the battle and asked him to talk some sense into his son. But as always, out of the love for his son, the king did not intervene and paved way for the termination of his own clan.

     In the Kurukshetra, Arjuna was dejected about the idea of killing his own cousins and relatives on the opposite side, which is when Krishna explained to him the importance of ‘dharma’ or duty. And from his beautiful and valid teachings arises the Bhagwad Gita, the holy book of Hinduism. Its teachings are said to be useful to all generations at all times.

    Additionally, the characters themselves show us the various qualities and drawbacks in men. Yudhishthir, the eldest Pandav, was a man who never strayed away from righteousness. And the one time he slipped, his holy chariot touched the ground. Bheema, who was physically stronger than everyone, sometimes tended to use his strength in the wrong way. Arjuna, the greatest archer in the world, lost all his will power at a crucial time due to his emotions. Karna, on the Kaurava side, was said to be matched up to Arjuna in his skills. In spite of the emotional turmoil of fighting with his own brothers, he stuck to his duty towards his friend Duryodhan. Duryodhan, who himself has been shown in a dark light throughout Mahabharat, was actually very knowledgeable about politics and was a very good leader. But his jealousy and hatred towards the Pandavas led to his demise.

        We get to learn a lot about the principles of life and the supremacy of good over evil through this classical work of literature. The encyclopedic character and cultural importance of the Mahabharata are characterized by this statement: "That which is found in these pages may be found elsewhere, but what is not in these pages exists nowhere."

-(Non-extempore Speech,  First Year, Engineering)

Gearing Up

I feel ready now, to start anew

To commemorate a new life, to fix in all the screws

To explore the possibilities, under and above

To experience every blow of hail drops and drought

To push my own boundaries, to weed out my faults

To invert the existent, to see how it comes across

I feel prepared to pursue my missions;

Quote their legitimacy with fervent conviction

To go down the road I’ve chosen

Pave a pathway through the wet or frozen

Marry the miles with irrevocable commitment,

Not look back at mundane fulminations

I’ve cleared the table for successive courses

Buckled up to face the consequences

Prepared to grind myself to little pieces

And frankly excited about the odyssey

I feel ready now, to start anew

To commemorate a new life, to fix in all the screws

Princess

It all began with a thought; could it ever be true? Would her world turn upside down following the alluring morning dew?

Would the wait be wait worthy, or a route to downfall? Could the path she chose lead to avarice, would the epilogue just appall?

She brushed away her concerns, just for a while imagined

She’d be the princess of the world, the statue of righteousness

The power and fame derailed her, thoughts scattering astray

She held on to her senses, praying for all forgiveness

She knew not what the future held, nor what the present meant

Just one thought traversing her soul; the day would not be far

When little doves seized her pure white train, longer than the aisle itself

When her heels would tap against the floor, would the butterfly leave its jar?

That Smile

That smile is like a thousand drops,

Drops of exuberance, drops of charm

It speaks out like an abstruse fable

Concealed from all, conspicuous to some

That smile is like a perturbed sky,

Where the merriment of fauna is scattered omnidirectionally

It is like an addictive dose of desirability,

That can extricate the darkest of souls

That smile is irrepressible,

Like an enchanting spell of the night

It echoes with its periodic rhythm

Makes the unbearably dull times alright

That smile is like an ocean filled up to its brim,

Filled with the memories of its past,

Filled with promises of the future 

Filled with the solace of its own integrity

So keep that smile on, for who knows the consequences of its charisma...

The Third

Crystal-like refracting tame blues; shining bright- just the perfect warm sun

Conversations of early times running through, the minute indications randomly perused

A word sent out, an affiance formulated

As a turn of events, a delayed arrival, an unexpected show of anticipation

A lengthy wait, an interesting past-time, the build-up to a further memorable dusk

The exit, the settlement, the absolute beginning

Perfect circumstances, absence of deviations; except for the absolutely infectious grin

Further chuckles, old links presented as pleasant surprises

Amazing references, observations; every minute spent of worth

Daze-worthy termination, a perpetual memento

Satisfactory departure, a dreamy course back home...