none before never again

Sudden demise of Nikhil Sen, reminded me of what Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji has been mentioning during satsang queries. We are all moving towards our individual final destination riding on a conveyor system. Some ahead some behind, does not matter for the goal will one day be reached sooner or later. Thing that struck me in Nikhil's sudden exit, and is a big mystery, when the moment to exit arrives no one knows. This brought back few memories that I have of subtle significance that I thought would be worth sharing. I knew Nikhil very little, therefore probably least qualified to write about him. However, each interaction with him showed that he had a serene personality and vibrancy. One of my first interactions with Nikhil were perhaps initial days of joining the AOL family. During VM inaugural 2003, back stage seva with then known teen deviyaan (Nandini Sen, Rajita Kulkarni and Chinky Sen) got me in touch with Nikhil as another fellow family member. Since at that stage I w

यूँ तेरा मुझे धीरे धीरे खुद से दूर करना तुझमे जो तू है ओर मुझमें जो में हूँ उस के करीब लाने की साज़िश जो मुकाम कभी देखा नहीं उस रहगुजर से होकर बेखबर खौलती रेत पर जगमगाते सितारों की झिलमिल प्यासे राही को ठंडी बूंदों की आहट खवाबों के सागर में उठती लहर इक झलक खामोशी की गहरी न सुधबुध न बेहोशी न कोई मंज़र बस तेरा आशियाना नी मेरा घर ।

कैसी कशिश है कैसी खामोशी पागल मनवा क्षणिक उदासी रुकी थमी सी गहरी बेहोशी कांच के टुकड़ों की झिलमिल सी बिखरी कण-कण में तरंग निराली इक भीतर से उठती जलती आग तप्ती लहलहाती सी घुटन ऐसी चिल्लाती सी अंदर से बाहर खिंचती चलती पल पल सिम्टी बिखरी सी सांसें रुकती सहमी सी कुछ कहती नी कुछ कह नहीं पाती ।

वो शक्ति की रातें वो गंगा के कहकहे वो टहलते हुए झील के किनारे किनारे वो गुरुकुल की घंटी से आत्मा का जगना वो नंगे पाँव मंटप से राधा कुंज तक आना वो गुरुकुल से आगे शक्ति की रेखा पर रुकना वो दस कदम तेरा चल के यूँ मुङना वो इशारों इशारों में पास बुलाना वो दबे पाँव मेरा तेरी ओर खिचै आना वो सपना पुराना फिर से दोहराना वो ख्वाबो को मेरे नए पंख लगाना वो हँसना हँसाना लिखना पढ़ाना वो गलती निकाल डांटना धमकाना वो बारिश का पानी वो संनाटे का गाना वो पलों का स्पंदन आनंद की घडियां वो गुमसुम सी चाहत से चांदनी का छू जाना वो अखियां लङाना रूठना मनाना वो मुहब्बत के पलछिन करारों का जगना वो तप तप तपाना तङपा के अपनाना वो अंखियों अंखियों में गोलियां चलाना वो मरते-मरते घायल फिर से हो जाना वो प्रेम से तेरा चुप होकर बंद आंख फिर उठाना वो इश्क की बातें वो मंज़र पुराना नी भूल ना जाना वो भूल ना जाना वो अचानक कार रोक पास बिठाना वो हाथीशाला का फेरा बिन कहे कह जाना वो गुज़रा ज़माना फिर याद दिलाना वो पल सिम्टे से भूल ना जाना फिर दोहराना वो कभी फिर से दोहराना ।।।। 🙏🙏🙏

Unlike what it is known for, Goa is indeed a place full of rich ancient heritage and temples. During my recent trip during shraavan month for performing #rudrapujas all over the state of Goa, it was an eye opener to learn so many samuhik pujas were organized in temples. Starting with one in Bhavani Devi Temple, Madgao (originally known as Mathagram - a village of 9 temples) I could not resist visiting the Holy Spirit Church before first puja, which I learnt was built after filling in the water tank inside premises of ancient Damodar temple (Shiva temple). How could one start shiva pujas without bowing down to the age old place of the deity, I thought to myself and told the coordinator to just take  me there. I really wanted to go inside and touch the base of the church at the place it was raised from ground up, however seeing the discomfort of the coordinator in doing so just told him to take the car around the place and mentally bowed down in reverence. How can the spirit be uprooted

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29 days, 60 rudrapujas, 60 locations (including a Prison), 6000+ direct beneficiaries and still counting...! It came in as a last minute surprise, visit to Goa for Shraavan Maas Rudrapujas was indeed a blessing in disguise from an initial 3weeks trip that turned into 30days post confirmation had me bemused yet again at the certainty of uncertainty..! Way back in June in a WhatsApp group created for teachers who have been blessed by Gurudev to perform rudrapujas, few started asking out of genuine concern as to when would the deployment plans be announced for the current year and many like me silently observed what was going to happen. Having remained witness to all exchanges I finally broke my silence by assuring the group that "have heard from reliable sources that VDS team is working to come up with the plans and that we maintain our patience and keep our hopes up for soon to be announced schedules..." Almost 50days past by and nothing really came up except sharin

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Often I find myself lost in thoughts of someone very close and dear to every pore of my being. There is a sort of yearning, an in-explicit, almost impossible to describe feeling of void, a longing that could kill one completely without really dying.... Why is it that when one knows you are around and alive in the entire universe, in each bit of it, should one still end up being in solitude...? While driving down a tree laden path, almost cruising through, along with the breezy winds, relishing the simmering sun rays playing hide and seek with the leaves, falling and disappearing, shading the road with different hues, knowing very well that you are existing every moment in each bit, yet where does the desire to be with you arise again and again... While running little errands and daily chores, with or without you, a stilled emptiness full of bliss persists somewhere deep in the deepest inner realms, yet a hidden wish to serve thy creation even more keeps me dazed...! When you k

Unending waves rising floating and merging back into the ocean have a kind of rhythm that can be observed if one patiently witnesses the view with an inner stillness and calm. Likewise when we let the higher force that wishes to use us as an instrument to write or speak words that must reach out to someone someday triggering a renewed sense of well being inspiring them onto their chosen path or giving them courage to alter course, realigning them towards purpose they perhaps came here for, music begins to happen..! As if the whole play and display of words much like notes of a divine symphony begin to flow out through us effortlessly. A sort of dance of meaningless words carrying a tone filled with wisdom of sorts, laced with energy vibes that have the ability to sow the seeds into the reader. Is it not amazing that what we think while we write something out is actually being driven from somewhere out of our limited physical boundaries, coming from another dimension, perhaps fr

Ever wondered what happens to an idea which has long been simmering inside one's head and may have gathered some momentum along the way. Some execution, implementation efforts to bring it to reality may have also been ongoing for a while? Well bringing anything to life has many similarities to the birth of a new born. Nine months of carrying the baby within its womb, mother and very much the entire family undergoes a sort of tiptoed dance looking after the mother and the baby to be born. Everyone does whatever they can to make the journey as comfortable as may be feasible and beyond. Multiple visits to the doctors clinic for regular health checkups and required progress monitoring dietary care, all happens with a sense of welcoming someone new to the family much before it physical arrival, one that can be seen as well. When the time to deliver the fruit of love approaches, mother has to undergo labour pains a pretty painful gainful process. Mother is advised to push push pu

Many a times, I have been asked this question by friends, people who are still not on the spiritual path, or those who are attending art of living training programs I conduct.  They are always curious and intrigued to find out what it is that makes people come onto the path. Most usual concept is that something must have gone wrong, something that shook one away from the regular way of life, forced one to shun to face challenges of daily life and adapt to a more peaceful solace seeking, solitude filled, lonesome journey. While many a scriptures, experiences of numerous leaders who paved a new way devised a innovative method, have described the many reasons that could lead one onto the path, yet the tendency of the mind to cling to negative leads mostly everyone to think of this one reason alone. It all starts with a sincere question though, all scriptures, all major sermons, all revelations in the past from all the revered masters of varying faiths have one thing in common

कोई आया है इक अरसे के बाद अपनी कहानी के कुछ पन्नो के साथ माजी के कुछ बदलते हुए अलफ़ाज़ कुछ जाने पहचाने कुछ छिपे से राज़ हकीकत ब्यान करने कि ख़्वाहिश सबको गीतों से लुभाने की साजिश फिर वही गीता फिर वही कही अनकही इस पल की रेत पे चलते छपते ठहरे निशां वक्त की बारिश में झड़ गए जो पत्ते उनकी राख से सींचे नये बीजों के अँकुर कौन जाने क्या नया है आज समय बदला तो उभरे पुराणे राज़ जैसे गंगा का जल नित्यनूतन है फिर भी युगोँ से बहती कहती सुनाती कहानी ख़ास।

while you move around acting on your intense feelings, expressing love through seva that you choose to deliver unto HIM, remember there would be many critics, many who attempt to become roadblock, many who would be there to demotivate you, to pull you down for they do not know one should align oneself with someone through whom guru's grace flows freely, to overcome feelings of jealousy, and become part of their bliss. many would dissuade you from doing what you are good at, knowingly or unknowingly they would setup obstacles, pulling and pushing you away from your goal. remember these signals are there to strengthen you from within, to reinforce your resolve to continue to serve HIM selflessly. HE is the path, he is the goal, he is the act, he is the feeling, he is the criticism, he is the one who works, he is the one who helps you rise above any occasion, he is event, he is the lesson you missed to take. HE is the one in you that you long to be, he is the one you belong to,

yesterday was one hectic day, driving upto washington press club with filiz, meeting george, who took us around the 3 different types of rooms that they provide for press conferences. zenger is the smallest kind, one look and i knew it was not enough. seats 40people looks good, but small. Filiz felt very much the same. Holeman much bigger, brightly lit apropriate for a decent gathering. Ballroom the largest, may be too big for the short duration we have in mind to get this going. availability - 17th, tuesday 2006, 8am to 11am. ooops, what to do - to book or not to book, filiz carefully takes all details from george, asking the room to be put on hold while we go back and confirm few arrangements. we left back for her place. picked up her lovely daughters from school enroute, got something from a local store. while waiting for her to return, had a quick coversation with little angels perched up like very sweet kids in back seats of my car. so you must be the naughty one i said

14 th June 2019, 22:50hrs… Today is yet another day but it seems to hold a very different subtle message and a quality that I have never encountered ever before. A kind of deep hidden inner protuberance of something consolidated, profound meaningful mass, hinting a fresh new start of something completely innovative yet original. My zeal to get back to goal of completing my sharing and bringing it out to light and present it to everyone and anyone who may bother to care or otherwise, seems to have come alive yet again. This time though after a real long gap. There have been sharing in last year and a half, listening into Gurudev’s personal stories and getting opportunity to transcribe as part of writer’s guild a small group handpicked by our master, we admiringly call Gurudev. Some of which may have already formed part of the book released by his sister (last year after about six months of our little contributions) fondly known as Bhanu didi and others awaiting their tur