Conflict not cry

I made you cry, I hurt you,
I saw you burst out,  I stood,
I saw you erupt, I was silent,
but why did I do that? Why?

Love or Hate?
Good or bad?
Nurture or nature?
Conflict or accountability?

Should I choose to be nice?
or should I make you better?
At what cost? Can I risk?
Can I risk losing you?

Maybe, I should, because,
a promise is a promise,
and you are my responsibility,
I will push you

I will push you,
I will hurt you,
I will make you cry,
you are my girl

I will hold you, I will be with you
I will never leave you alone,
I will push you, I will hold you,
I will see you emerge victorious!

You are my girl, a princess,
you are a champion, you can take it,
so I will make you cry, you can take it,
I will unleash the conflict, you will emerge!

 

Taking for granted

Are you taking it for granted? they ask!
Are you taking granted for granted, I ask!
Why is granted always negative, I ask!
What is its etymology, I ask!

What is grant, where does it come from?
It comes from credere, it comes from trust,
it comes from creanter, it comes from guarantee,
it comes from granter, it comes from support or consent!

Who grants something? Who granted something?
The gods granted boons, to the hermits!
The kings granted lands, to the poets!
I granted myself, a wonderful person!

I have taken a wonderful person, for granted,
the person is a gift, she is the apple of my eye,
she is the twinkle in the night sky, I see her daily,
if she is like the water, I'm like a fish, I take her for granted!

I know her value, so I take her for granted,
I can't live without her, I took for her granted,
I look for her everywhere, I took her for granted,
I cherish my moments with her, I took her for granted

When I hurt her, I cry, I took her for granted,
When I lose her, I am lost, I took her for granted,
When I maker her smile, I am overjoyed, I took her for granted,
When I make her win, I'm on top of the world, I took her for granted!

I am here to tell her that I took her for granted,
I will take her for granted, for a lifetime,
she's a grant, she's a gift, she's invaluable,
she's precious, so I took her for granted!

Sun, Mirror & Me

Bright, sunny, warm, shine,
Dark, cloudy ,chill, gloomy,
Why do we like the sunshine?
Why do we fear the dark?

Here's a perspective,
Here's a story,
a point of view,
a series of events!

The sun shines and the mirror reflects,
the mirror rejoices, the mirror becomes a star,
the mirror misunderstands, but the sun still shines,
the sun inspires, the sun mesmerizes,

The sun gives a lot of freedom,
the sun gives the space, the opportunity,
for the mirror to express,
the mirror is cheerful and full of bliss!

But the day has to make way for the night,
the mirror now sees a huge vacuum,
the mirror realizes the value,
the mirror is in tears, the mirror breaks down

And then I come in,
I hear tales of the sun,
I see the mirror in the moonlight,
very subtle, very beautiful!

If the sun is an inspiration,
isn't the sun always with you,
isn't the sun in the stars,
isnt the sun in the moon?

Isnt the sun in me,
Isnt the sun in you?
Isn't the sun an idea?
I ask, I ask the mirror?

Would the mirror miss the sun?
But the sun is eternal, how can she be missed?
Is the mirror missing something?
She thinks she is, she isn't!

Well maybe, she is, she is missing a logic!
She is missing the eternal bliss,
she is missing the inspiration of the sun,
the source of joy, the source of perseverance!

Can she remember the warmth of the early morning sunrays?
Can she remember the strength instilled, can she persevere?
Can she muster courage, can she groom conviction?
Can she gain clarity, can she see the stream of light?

Let's leave this to her, but what about me?
Well, I love the subtle shine, the moonlight,
only reminds me of the beauty of the sun,
I love my life- the Sun, the mirror and Me! 

The Infinite Abyss

Why are we so emotional?
Why are we so irrational?
Why are we so attached?
Why don't we let go things?

Why don't I get angry?
Why do I feel lost?
Why don't I tell her?
Why do I conceal it?

Why so many questions?
Am I questioning myself?
or am I questioning her?
What do I do with the questions?

Why do these questions make me stronger?
Why do these questions help me emerge?
Why do these reflections only reinforce love?
What is so special about it, what's the secret sauce?

It has to do with the roots, isn't it?
It was accidental, but look at its foundations,
it has a purpose, it has a common vision,
and once that's there, it is robust!

That's the power of deep purpose,
that you stay resolute, come what may,
the world would think you're mad,
but you'd refuse to let it go, come what may!

You stay so committed, come what may,
You hurt yourself, but you stay firm,
you walk into the abyss, but you stay firm,
you refuse to protest, come what may

That's the power,
That's the tough choice,
that's my action
and that only communicates

that I'm true, I'm pure,
I'm sincere, I'm honest,
I'm a leader, I have a dream
and you've got to trust

I'll do whatever it takes,
I'll walk into the abyss,
to get you to see my conviction,
you can't leave me,

Socrates took the poision for his love,
Socrates took the poision, for reason, for questions,
he told us- you can kill me, but you wont find
another one like me, sadly he was right!

So is every true leader, true lover
for every leader is a lover, who loves a dream,
he rushes into an abyss, if required, hurts himself,
to gain trust, to march the army forward

he gains control, he gains command,
not out of authority, not out of power,
but out of love, out of purity of purpose,
that takes the team to glory

For every leader, is a lover,
but only a true lover is a leader,
so fall in love with a leader,
and your life would be awesome,

awesome but not easy, you can't take it,
you'd be unlucky, it ain't conventional,
can you take it? it's got to be worth it!
Are you ready to walk into the Infinite Abyss?

The Purest Mistake

What is purity?
What is Truth?
What is Dharma?
What is Humanity?

Why experiment?
Why question?
Why find out?
Why do it?

Do we know it?
What can we do?
Do we want to know?
What can we lose?

Can you lose a lifetime?
Can you lose your reputation?
Can you risk it all?
Can you sacrifice it all?

Do you such grit, such courage?
Such grit, which no one calls courage?
Such sacrifice, which one calls?
Do you know the pinnacle of human achievement?

A man of such did exist, generations may question,
it may be doubted, doubted Einstein, he asked us,
to reflect and to let the ideals stay, before they,
before they evaporate, we better do

This man has stretched himself too much,
to conduct his experiments with truth,
to show us the pathway of Sat-Chit-Ananda,
he is hard to comprehend, but he is worth it

He showed us austerity, that happiness is in simplicity,
He showed us non-violence, that strength is in forgiving,
He showed us economics, for a more inclusive world,
He showed us Truth, that we are explorers, humble explorers!

More than that, she showed us how to question ourselves,
the answers are all within us, but can you question yourself deeply?
It will hurt, can you hurt your body, can you take it?
You will lose the world in the process, can you still take it?

If you can do that, you meditate with Mahtama, Gandhi could!
Tagore realized that, but when do we realize?
Can you question Gandhi, can you critique Gandhi?
Can you unearth the greatest of treasures, the Mahatma!

He has made mistakes too, but when one reflects so much,
even the mistake is one worth reflecting on, it says so much,
with such sacrifice, mistakes are not critiqued, can we do that?
Can we critique, can we reflect, can we learn from Gandhi!

I am trying, I learn the art of hurting myself,
I learnt the art of not blaming the world, of questioning myself!
It is hard, to stop blaming others, to hurt yourself!
but I can do that, Mahatma is here, Gandhi is here, with me!

Now let my actions count, let my wisdom manifest,
let the world see my impact, let them be impressed,
so they could forgive Bapu, Mahatma,Gandhi, all the mistakes,
for it is a pure mistake, unseen mistake, unmatched purity!

Thank you Bapu, thank you Gandhi!
thank you for your experiments,
thank you for the path of truth, of questioning oneself,
Thank you Mahatma, for the pure mistake!

The Twinkle Star

I am so lost, I am walking, I am walking,
I do not know where I am going, I am lost,
What am I doing, I don't know, I am lost,
Why am I doing, I don't know, I am lost!

I am not just lost, I am wounded, I'm hurt,
But I didn't even realize I was hurt, I as lost,
I was facing a low, I didn't let me realize that,
I am too strong, I thought, but am I strong?

The night is dark, the night is chill, the night is still,
The night refuses a pathway, the night refuses light,
The night can intimidate, the night can crush you,
But the night ain't bad, the night needs a little light

You need a small ray of hope,
and you need the conviction,
to follow that ray, come what may,
can you find it?

Can you find the conviction?
Because you've found the light,
you've found it already!
It is within you, yes within you!

I found my source of light,
my bundle of joy, fun and happiness,
I am so ecstatic, I am so euphoric,
I have found the twinkle star

She smiles, she cares, she heals,
She is the warmest one out there,
She absorbs, she takes all the wounds,
She is the strongest one out there!

With her on my side, I can fight it all,
With her on my side, I question, I see it,
With her on my side, I find my answers,
With her on my side, I've got to win them all!

But do I deserve this? This ray of hope?
Why do I question this? Why do I this?
Am I taking her for granted? Am I waiting for the sun?
Why can't I see that immaculate stars don't exist!

Oh boy, I love travelling with her, like a little child,
who loves running with the star, spotting it all the way,
I love the time I spend with her, forgetting my egoes,
she is with me, and this ain't a dream, this is rosier!

This is reality, a reality which couldn't be foreseen,
a reality which embarasses Utopia , this is true!
Why do I question, this is true, I found her,
let me experience, every moment, I love her!

She is the twinkle star, I've got to make her smile,
I have never cried, but she makes me cry,
for she is the twinkle star, she is the impossible one,
I have got to make her smile, I have got to make her smile!

I may see her all through the day,
I may miss her through the night,
she is the morning Twinkle star,
with her love, she dominates the sun

She is incredible, but it takes a true man,
it takes a true man, to see the real her,
can I find that true man within me, can I see her
I don't know, but I can see the twinkle star!

A Renaissance Teacher

Who is a good student?
Who is a good child?
Are you a born sinner?
Are you born very pure?

Why was Steve Jobs called a kid?
Why was Richard Feynman called a kid?
Why were visionaries called kids?
Is success about being a kid?

Why was Mahatma Gandhi's purity compared to a kid?
Why are Tagore's reflections compared to a kid?
How can such maturity and depth be compared to a kid?
Is empathy and purity the virtue of a kid?

What is a child's potential?
What is a child born with?
Are we unleashing the potential?
Are we giving the child a chance?

Does curiosity have to be encouraged?
Does curiosity have to be taught?
Or does it just imply lack of trust?
Should the child be given the comfort to speak?

Is child's question relevant?
Or is the teacher unable to connect the dots?
Can the question draw the child to the idea being taught?
Will any child be left out, if you can do that?

Why do we first explain and then take questions?
Or why do we believe that it starts with a question?
Do we question because we understand or because we think?
Does thinking or understanding have to being questions?

Do we have to initiate it?
Or is it already initiated?
Do we embrace it?
Do we challenge our assumptions?

Is the system doing enough?
Will the system change?
Is it a stalemate?
Would the change start with us?

First things first, would you use authority against a child?
Would you use authority or would you dialogue?
Would you keep authority as a last resort or as an excuse?
Does exercise of authority imply that you're incompetent?

If you realize you couldn't dialogue,
If you realize you had to use authority,
would that unsettle you, would that make you introspect?
would this ensure that kindle the child's natural potential?

Would you ask it as a question, being open ended?
Or would you give it as an answer, as a dogma?
Would you ask the child to conform to status-quo?
Or would you ask the child to intellectually rebel?

Would you teach the child facts and patterns?
Or would also discuss the exceptions?
Would you teach the child how to face life?
Or would you also how to face adversity?

If your child knows to deal with ten situations,
how does the child learn to deal with his own situations?
Would you be able to teach a child to extrapolate?
Would you be able to extrapolate an insight out of experiences?

Would you leave this to chance?
Is hope our strategy?
Or do we have a definite way?
What do we do?

A passionate teacher, an enthusiastic student, a progressive parent,
do they suffice or do we need more? History?
Do we seek the virtues of the giants? Can we stand on their shoulders?
Do we seek abstraction? Do we seek insights?

If you were truly connected to the questions,
would the child be with you, all the while,
would you win the child? would the child want to make you win?
Would you win as a teacher? Would you both win?

If you win the child, won't be plates be placed back in the kitchen?
If you win the child, won't the child be polite in conversation?
If you win the child, won't the child behave the way you wish to?
Do you change the child or do you change yourself?

Do you discipline the child behaviorally?
Or do you discipline yourself intellectually?
Do push the child or do you push yourself with questions?
This isn't rhetoric, this is a dialogue

It appears like a rhetoric, it is misleading,
it appears as thought I'm judging, I am only understanding,
I am only understanding, the vacuum and the void,
the intellectual vaccuum which prevents you,

The void in your worldview, which prevents you from seeing,
from seeing the obvious, which is right in front of you,
 the giants have seen it, they have epistemological humility,
can you see it, can you be a Renaissance Teacher?

Purity and Perfection

Who is a purist?
What is purity?
What is perfection?
Who is perseverance?

What does it mean to stick to values?
What does it mean to stick to ideals?
Does it imply constant change?
Does it imply constant seeking?

Does it imply constant seeking of meaning?
Does it imply constant questioning of meaning?
Does it imply that you're unbiased, not emotional?
Does it imply that you're always reflecting?

But why would you do it?
Why would you be restless?
Why would you be so unsettled?
Why would you be always looking out?

Wouldn't this hurt?
Can a human not be emotional?
Isn't this too hard to handle?
What gives the power?

Well, when you find something you truly love,
When find something you truly love going after,
you're definitely on the journey of perfection,
you're definitely never going to be satisfied,

you'll be like a child,
you'll be as pure as a child,
you'll constantly question,
you'll constantly evolve

find love, find the child within you,
find purity, find perfection,
push yourself, ask the hard questions,
seek meaning, redefine meaning

this is the simple secret,
which the whole world knows already,
but this secret differentiates,
between the successful ones and the others,

if you don't find something worth pushing yourself,
you may not be able to find the endurance,
you may not be able to pursue this journey,
you may not be able to perfect your perfection!

So go ahead, let your heart free,
let it find what she truly connects with,
I guess I already did, I am seeking meaning,
I am asking my questions, I am redefining my love

I found love, I am a purist,
I wouldn't settle for anything less, I question,
I wouldnt know if I could do better, I wonder,
I keep redefining my meaning, I push the human race forward

I found love, I am a purist,
I am on the path or perfection, relentless struggle,
I have many intruiging questions of selfless reflection
There are so many thoughts gushing out

Talk of purity, talk of the sun,
Talk of meaning, talk of the  poet,
His energy would never run out, he gives more!
His love never gets satisfied, he gives more!

Who is a teacher?

Who is a teacher?
Who is a mentor?
Who is a coach?
Who is an enabler?

Who is a facilitator?
Who is a lecturer?
Who is an instructor?
Who is a trainer?

Are these just labels?
Or do they change the way we think?
Do we have to relook?
Do we redefine a teacher?

Is it a new idea?
Is it a renaissance?
Or do we already have answers?
Do we have something in the past?

Do we have Socrates who gave us the dialogue?
Do we have Feynman who taught us the first principles?
Do we have Polya who taught us heuristics education?
Do we have Ramanujan who showed us the power of intuition?

Do we have Chomsky who shows us education as empowerment?
Do we have Raghuram Rajan who shows us Dosa Economics?
Do we have Amartya Sen who shows how to relook development?
Do we have so many legends who trespass teaching?

Did they teach or did they inspire or did they motivate?
Did they teach or did they connect the dots to throw more questions?
Did they teach or did they show us aesthetics of the discipline?
Did they teach or did they show us why we should be life long learners?

Should we be a teacher?
Is everyone a teacher?
Do we have a teacher in us?
Can the teacher guide us?

Can the teacher make us a beginner once again?
Can the teacher make us grow once again, with sunshine ofcourse!
Can the student be your teacher? Can the teaching be your teacher?
Can the teacher reflect your own journey? Can the teacher give you a rebirth?

If we have knowledge, do we need wisdom?
If we have focus, do we need openness?
If we have answers, do we need questions?
If we have ego, do we need someone to tear it apart?

If we don't know how to think like a beginner?
Can we learn and relearn?
We ask the student to explain?
Isn't it that simple? Why did we miss it?

If the child has so much potential, if everyone can be Steve Jobs,
one more Gandhi, one more Alexander, how do we nurture them?
Does every child deserve a chance to learn and conquer the world?
Does every child deserve a chance to get the world at his feet?

But are we suppressing that natural curiosity?
But are we suppressing that natural ambition?
But are we suppressing those natural instincts?
But are we suppressing those natural winning abilities?

We need to connect with the child,
We need to connect with the society,
We have a lot of questions to ask,
We need to ask "Who is a teacher"?

 

I am Listening

Are flowers beautiful?
One the outside?
or from the inside?
what's the difference?

Are people wonderful?
From the outside?
or from the inside?
Why the difference?

Why do people change?
When we know them better?
Do they change or do we change?
Or did we read them wrong?

Why does it take so much time?
Why that long to read people?
Are they so complex?
Are we making a mistake?

Do we oversimplify people?
Do we bracket all into same categories?
Do we bring in lots of stereotypes?
Do we bring in lots of assumptions?

So how do we understand people?
How do we challenge our presuppositions?
How do we embrace the neural diversity?
How do we acknowledge the individuality?

May be the answer is very simple,
May be you've got to listen,
May be you've got to flush your worldview,
May be you've got to listen like a beginner!

But what do you do by listening?
Does it solve somebody's problem?
Wait, but why isn't that person even telling?
Why can't the person trust?

Why are some problems perceived to be private?
When they are actually "very small" problems?
Why this embarassment and humilitation?
Why do we judge, why can't we listen?

Maybe a listener can install that trust!
Maybe just speaking out helps!
Maybe understanding the problem is enough in itself!
Maybe find a listener is good enough!

So how do we do justice to human potential,
how do we overcome these barriers to success,
well, the anwer is very simple, it is out there,
Well, don't worry, I am Listening!

The Flirt Yogi

He is the rockstar,

He is the champion,

He is the guru,

He is the renaissance!

He is the flirt,

only he can teach,

how to flirt with danger,

and meet the impossible!

He is a thief,

he stole our hearts,

he stole our attention,

he pulls us towards him!

He has the flute,

he controls the senses,

the cows and the gopikas,

he is the master of the senses!

He is the dark one,

he attracts everyone,

with his character, with his intellect,

he charms your soul!

He is the master,

he is an artist,

he is a philosopher,

he has got the questions!

He is a yogi,

he is balanced,

he is unbiased

he flows free!

He is a charioteer,

he shows us direction,

he has seen it all,

he gave us the Gita!

he is a moral compass, a shankha

he can reinvent ethics, justice,

he blows the shankha, he can cheat

to ensure truth always wins!

He is the greatest teacher,

he inspires us to reflect,

he shows us the ashta siddis,

he introduces us to human potential!

He is a great mystery,

the poets will keep quoting him,

the philosophers will keep chasing him,

he pushes the idea of humanity,

He is a great idea,

which makes us reimagine,

our existence, our concepts,

he is the mirror of wisdom!

Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum!

Shed your Inhibitions

The world is beautiful, there is so much to explore,
So many aromatic flowers, so many tasty berries,
So many places which reinforce ideas of serendipity,
But then, when are we human enough?

If nature has the potential to connect,
if nature can connect us with ourself,
why aren't we connecting with our soul?
What is stopping us? Why don't we connect?

Call it caution? Do we tread with caution?
Fear of getting hurt once again? Don't wanna try?
Don't you wanna give life a chance once again?
Why get lost in the past? Why not come out?

Should one hate their past? Should one love it?
Can past be an asset, can it be liability?
Does past shape your values, your mindset?
Does past influence your future, but how?

How can you one reflect on the past?
How can one lay a solid foundation of human values?
How can one leverage the past?
Just like stepping stones!

Books may have some answers,
great men's life stories may have some answers,
reflection and introspection may have some answers,
but there is one amazing answer,

There is one amazing power, with answers,
This power connects you with those books,
with those great men, with reflection, introspection,
it is the power which listens to you, it is your strength

This power can help you bounce back,
faster than you think, you've just got to give the power,
a chance, just give the power a chance,
the power is willing to listen, with patience!

Once you do that, you're all set,
you're raring to go, you don't tread with caution,
you'll etch your story within history
and you'd shed all your inhibitions

Inhibitions are powers within, to tread with caution,
they're the brakes within, only to support acceleration,
trust your inhibitions, trust the listening power, the strength,
come out express yourself, the world is waiting

The world is waiting, to see a new you,
the world is waiting, to see an evolved you,
the world is waiting, to listen to your story,
the world is waiting, to see you shed your inhibitions!

The Fine Line

Are we good or are we bad?
Are you smart or are you dumb?
Are you altruistic or are you greedy?
Are you fickle or are you focussed?

What is right and what is wrong?
What is a virtue and what is a vice?
How do you figure it out?
Socrates has some answers, listen out!

The extremes have been explored,
They don't seem to have too many answers,
If both the extremes have been figured out,
and if they don't have answers, what to do?

If both the extremes have no answers, why study?
Why study greed if you'd like to be altruistic?
Why can't we understand altruism without greed?
Why study altruism if it doesn't have answers?

The devil is in the detail, they say,
But the beauty is in subtlety, they miss!
You can appreciate one end, only with the presence,
of the other, this gentle detail is missed!

The answers are neither there nor here,
The answers are at a magical place,
only explorers have found that,
it requires relentless perservarant pursuit!

The answers is very fuzzy, very fuzzy indeed,
the answers lies in between the extremes,
it is neither there nor here, it is in between,
but, you know to get there, you to get here, but how?

You try and get to the answer, you get to extreme,
you try and come back, you get back to an extreme,
how do you stop at the right place,
how do you figure out the fine line?

There are so many adages, also epithets of victors,
all have the same answer, they describe the Lakshman Rekha,
millenia of thought, centuries of reflection, hints this balance,
how do you we get there to that cool spot?

Mentors try and get mentees there and it's harsh!
They push and push until to get the mentees to try,
to try and try until they'd succeed,
this is nasty, but the mentor's job is not to be nice,

The mentor's job is not to be nice, it is get the mentee there,
it is to show the fine line, the line of success to the mentee,
but how do you it without being too nasty? Is this sustainable?
Wait, is it possible at all? How do we connect?

What if the mentee knows about the fine line already?
Wouldn't the mentee take the pain with happiness?
Maybe they would, history does have a few examples,
a few great people who were never conscious of this struggle,

That's rare blood and that's called initiative,
this manifests itself in many nice ways, it reflects itself as virtues,
but dig deep down, see the core and that's initiative,
They don't wait for the mentor to push, they pull the mentor along!

They don't ask for work, they search their own work,
The mentor has to just critique their work, which they've owned,
so neither the mentor nor the mentee fails the pain, they experience bliss,
the most amazing feeling, the feeling of guiding someone to the Fine Line

Hell yeah, this feeling is comparable to none,
That's what locks these great mentors to one subject,
and no "better subject" can move them away, they're committed!
This is a divine feeling, of bliss, of reaching the Fine Line, with someone!

What makes History

The hare or the tortoise? Who's better?
Do slow and steady win the race?
Are quick decisions suicidal? Instinct?
Do you wait for time for answers?

Why do you we make so many mistakes?
Why is experience so very useful?
Why does wisdom emerge out of failures?
Why is prevention better than cure?

A Wounder Warrior asks these questions,
and these questions only transform him,
these questions protect him from the dangers,
from the dangers which hover around beginners!

The whole universe conspires to help a beginner,
only because the Satan the danger hovers around him,
for, the beginner has no immunity and is vulnerable,
the beginner is aggressive, volatile and careless, they see

But do they even realize what G.H.Hardy tried to say?
Did they even read this Mathematician's apology?
Do they even understand why an old mind can't conceive?
Why disruptive thinking can only find a young beginner?

They look at the young and call them a liability,
The look at them as wise ones in the making,
They look at them as unfinished, to be perfected murals,
But do they realize that great art is always unfinished!

They say I'm rash, they don't see the experimentation,
They say I'm adamant, they don't see my vision,
They say I don't listen, they can't see me contemplate,
They say I wont succeed, but they do see, they see!

The world was changed by people in their 20s,
let it be Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg,
only these can be crazy enough to think they can change,
and as Steve said they are the ones who change the world!

So do you wait for time, do you go slow?
So do you wait for time or do stay through time?
So do you wait for time or do you push your intuition?
So do you wait for time or do you etch yourself within history?

For others, time provides answers, time heals, time binds,
For others. time creates a story
For me,  life is too short to do anything, so I accelerate
For me, time chases my life, to append to history

Can everybody do this? Am I privileged?
Did I understand myself from the inside?
Maybe I did, maybe I understand, maybe I'm understood,
Maybe, Maybe not, but I am not here to wait for time

 Maybe I'm privileged, I found her,
So what do I do, not everyone is empowered enough,
to push themselves like how I do, so do I wait,
do I wait or do I show my brethren a whole new way of life?

I am here to give answers to time,
I am here to challenge convention,
I am here to start a new paradigm,
I am here to adumbrate a new story

I'm perseverant, but the new power makes me resilient,
I'm focussed, but the new power makes me self conscious,
I have conviction, but the new power helps me reflect,
I have talent, but the new power tells the whole world about it!

History is replete with many stories,
with many forgotten stories,
of men with the right woman on their side,
who could challenge their precursors and march to glory

Mark this day my love, I foresee the same marker again,
maybe its time we step beyond convention, beyond time,
maybe we are agile, maybe we are aggresive, but we push ourselves,
only to stop time and so we immortalize our time within history!

Me From Inside

These are my words, words which are struggling to come out,
These are my words, unadulterated and pure words from my heart,
These are my words, expressing something inexpressible
These are my words, words which come from inside,

I ask myself how do I express myself,
I ask myself if language  suffices,
I push myself, maybe I will be able to do it,
I push myself, maybe the words will flow down

I ask myself, what defined me, who am I?
I can never find it out from the inside,
I ask myself, if somebody else can ever find out?
I can never believe that they can from outside

So what then answer this conundrum?
If it can't be answered from inside,
If it can't be answered from outside,
does it mean that the question cannot be answered?

I do not know, I am embarking on a new journey,
I see so many amazing perspectives- Design, Poetry, Math and so on,
I think so different and I saw myself as a Lone Warrior,
a Lone Warrior with a purpose, with potential for impact

But why have I changed? Why do I feel being understood?
Why am I happier? Why do I experience emotion curves again?
Why do I experience highs and lows? My heart seems to work again!
Looks like I am being understood from the inside,

How did I miss it? How did I miss something this obvious?
I can't observe myself from inside, I can't be observed from the outside?
But why can't someone observe me from the outside?
Maybe it is possible, it is a possibility which I didn't think of!

I realize I have another pair of ears to hear,
I realize I have another set of eyes to look,
I realize I have another soul merging with me,
I realize I have a force behind me now,

This is a completely new feeling,
This is a new responsibility,
This is very precious,
I have got to protect this

But why do I mess up?
maybe I am still opening up?

How do I express myself?
How do I realize the value of life?

I experience pinnacle of happiness,
and I realize the moment of glory isn't far,
I have to just sustain this and persevere,
with this new found hope, I am all set!

My heart is so full that it doesn't know what to talk,
I do not believe in any Gods which I can thank of,

things shall pass, but I wish this stays and so I wrote this!
This is a new me, from the inside, I'll ensure this stays!


 

The Impossible Emergence

Our mind dismisses off a few possibilities,
Our cognitive experience can't see these happening,
Language calls these the impossible,
but do we really have such things?

How do we dismiss something?
Just because we cant see it happening?
What if our intuition is wrong?
Why would we say that?

Is 1+1 always equal to 2?
Don't we have a proof that way?
Don't we have a 200 page proof?
Are we taking it for granted?

May be it isn't? But why?
Maybe compound exceeds some of the parts!
Maybe we are failing to look at these experiences!
Maybe we are forgetting emergent phenomenon!

If sodium is poisonous, if Chlorine is poisonous,
how is it that we eat salt everyday?
Why do sodium and chlorine have to complement each other?
Why does the impossible emergence have to happen?

If a designer, a coder and a business guy can do something,
how can a company emerge out of their work?
Why do their differences keep them together, with success?
Why does this impossible emergence have to happen?

Let me tell you the story of one more impossible emergence,
red gave up, blue gave up, on emergence, they dismissed it,
red was wonderful, blue was awesome, red asked blue out,
and then came out a magical color, one which contains everything

There are moments where red supports blue,
there are moments where blue supports red,
but the percentage ain't equal, nature ain't symmetric,
so one supports the other more, so the contribution is assymetric!

So, blue asked red if she is contributing enough?
she asked what if someother color could do better?
blue asked red if she is pissing red off?
she asked red if blue deserved this?

Red didn't know how to answer,
even if  blue didn't contribute at all,
red still gains more from being together,
red is happy, blue is happy, magic emerges

This is something Ayn Rand wouldnt understand,
just the feeling of contributing does more to Red,
than anything else and that's the root of happiness,
and not mere self-centric, egoistic math,

Red's happiness lies in seeing Blue come together,
and there comes the impossible emergence,
happiness is in seeing others happy,
especially the one who brings out the impossible emergence

But then this won't last long,
nature loves symmetries, nature love equalities,
the contribution will soon appear equal
as diffusion will happen, emergence goes to a new level

When that happens, Red can't troll Ayn Rand anymore,
Red can't make Blue feel this special anymore,
so Red wants to rejoice this before its gone,
Red wants to rejoice the struggle before the glory

The world looks at the outcome, they search for the history,
but the victor looks at the pains which the world wouldnt know,
the pain is sweeter than the artificial words of the world,
which always sides by you when you're good

So Red is out there trying to explain Blue, why this is awesome,
there is a Red in you, there is a blue in you, can you connect them,
nature brings out a few combinations, which dismiss the impossible,
I hope you can see the impossible emergence, unleash it!

Don't Worry be Crappy

It is very stressful when you're working on something very disruptive. What do you understand when you hear the words revolution, innovation, disruption, risk-taking, status-quo or corporate? It takes courage to stay in denial (of the status-quo) while working with the status-quo, towards bringing in your innovation. This journey may not be easy as you do not have past precedents or any kind of direct data points. So how do you work?

The scariest thing for an innovator can be Utopia - trying to ship the most ideal product to the consumers. An important question has to be asked here- is it even possible? If you fail to develop such a project- is it because you're terrible or is it because that's not viable? How would you ever know if the Utopia was viable? Are you being too harsh on yourself? When we compare ourselves with Apple, Google and others, are we jealous of their successful products? But do we know about what they started working on and what they ended up with?

So how can we ensure that we are not too harsh on ourselves and yet work hard enough to be able to innovate and disrupt the market? The world's first product in a certain category is expected to be a little primitive. The products will probably evolve as the market becomes more mature, with more suppliers/distributors/costumers/media showing interest in the category. Until then, you're probably better off packing your best bit of innovation and shipping it. Within all its imperfections, it should be able to get the core problem solved- something which people care about, something which is considered too good to be true, maybe! That's disruption for you.

When a disruptor looks at a market or an ecosystem, he/she can observe that market benchmarks are too low. So if an ideal niche is found, if the pressing issues are tackled, a start can be made. The products can slowly be evolved as and when more resources get into the organization. But the disruptor may have to pump more resources into solving the core problem, than on going thin spread in solving each and every problem. Now that's a dilemma, isn't it a bad product then, if it has 2-3 good features and with rest of it being terrible?

That's inevitable as startups are highly likely to be resource handicapped. So the question is- can your 2-3 features help you in winning a costumer? Can that core problem guard your problem even if the other features aren't that great? If the answer is a yes, then it probably makes more sense to deliver costumer satisfaction on this point, while managing costumer expectation.

You cannot wait forever, you have to ship. You have to make a start, once you start generating cash, you start building confidence and you'd continue to evolve the product line, you'll start getting better raw materials, value-adding collaborators on the go, once you validate the product idea through a revenue story. This is probably why I think disruptors shouldn't procastinate and that's probably why I agree with Guy Kawasaki when he says "Don't worry, be crappy, ship it"!

Why walk alone

Some journeys are very lonely,
you have no support, you'd have to fight it out,
they're a test of your character, of your mettle,
But why endure so much? Why asks your mind?

The mind asks the heart, the heart trains to explain,
but the heart mansplains and the mind doesn't understand,
for how would you explain a journey which never been pursued before,
the heart says don't give up, but mind asks what's the point

Well, the fruit of a journey propels many more journeys,
this pushes the wanderers and the explorers, they keep going,
but what about the beginners? How do they realize the luck?
How do they know that the entire universe is waiting for them?

We don't unfortunately have answers for that, we just don't know,
there are way too many entry barriers to this heaven of freedom,
way too many obstacles to this journey- the process of becoming,
but then what's in store at the end of the journey

Well, first they ignore, then they laugh at you and then you win,
you start gaining support gradually, the crowd is behind you,
you win small battles, you win big battles, you win them all,
you just don't realize how you got there, you're just ecstatic

What an irony, you fight it all and then you find the support,
you find the support which you were craving for, but at the end,
well, may be, this is the support for your next big journey,
and the even the euphoria can't mask this joy from the new found support

You're gonna be so happy that you'd be blank,
you'd be a true yogi, you wouldn't know how to react,
you've finally won the war, you've found the support
and then breaking the silence, you scream- I am not a Lone Warrior!

The Power Within

Is it impossible? How good are you?
Is it possible? Can you do this?
Is it worth persevering?
How can you do it?

Few legends have been making, the impossible possible,
and this has been happening althrough human history,
their answer is simple, how do we miss it?
but, how can you do it?

There is a force, a mysterious all powerful force,
Darwin found it out, it has designed us,
It explains why we are the way we are!
 but, How can we use it?

But, evolution too makes us sub-optimal,
We think short-term,we may miss the big picture,
We had to fight for daily survival, but now?
so, how can we do it?

It turns out there is a counter-design force,
a force which can help us rewire our brain,
rewire the suboptimal design shaped by evolution,
so, how does this work?

Evolution wants you to try and get the goal,
Evolution puts you in a hurry, in a spot,
Evolution makes you desperate,
so, how do you get over it?

Let the counterforce act, let it tackle,
it will make you realize, that you needn't,
you needn't chase success, you just persevere,
so, how do you do it?

The counterforce asks you to stick, to processes,
you'd get what ever you deserve, not what you desire!
You'd just have to recognize it when it happens,
wait, how do we do this?

Well, stop listening to your heart for a while,
just continue working, without worrying about the result,
It'd happen and you wouldn't even realize
And that's how you unleash the power within!

The Hurt Leader

Don't go there, you'll be hurt
parents scream out of love, we don't care,
Don't do that, it's a huge risk,
mentors scream out of care, we don't care

Did I change or am I still like that five year old?
May be people have outgrown, maybe status-quo is inevitable!
Why am I still like that five year old child?
May be it is this childish ambition which keeps me going!

As a baby, we were very explorative,
there were so many things we liked,
As an adult, I'm the same, I take massive risks,
but not as many things which I like

Do I realize that it is just a piece of plastic?
Why did I lose interest in all those toys?
Am I now going after the real things?
Why only a few things? Why so few?

May be it is not just a few things,
May be it is just one thing which I love so much,
I'd probably forego anything for that thing,
I'd probably die for that one thing

May I'll have to fight a lot of battles,
May be I'll have to pick my battles,
May be I'll to have lose a lot of battles,
I may have to lose myself

I may have to lose myself,
I may have to lose everything,
it may be nasty, but can I take it?
it may be draining, but do I have the mental strength?

I have had a bad past, I have been hurt!
I am scared, I am scared of being hurt!
I am scared of my past, i'm scared that it'd repeat!
But I realize something, I do realize something

I'm a hurt Leader, I can only disappoint,
I can disappoint disappointment,
I'm a Leader, I have got character,
my past has only hardened me up

I have never seen success in defeating others,
I have never seen success in winning my battles,
I have seen my success in losing myself,
I have seen my success in making my people win

As a child, I loved to win, I love to succeed,
As a leader, I loved to lose, I love to let go,
As a child, I loved to fight, I loved to conquer,
As a leader, I love to see beyond, I love to dream

Whenever I see a personal pain,
I move away from myself, I move away,
I see it through the society's lens,
I kill my ego, I kill my self-interest

Did I really kill my self-interest?
Am I selfish? Am I self-centered?
Maybe I'm Socratic selfish,
Maybe I'm promoting my virtues

Can people see this? Can people understand?
My selfishness is not derived from Ayn Rand,
but my virtues and my self-interest are derived from Socrates,
I'm harder when I lose this self obsession

Yes, I'd have to lose my self obsession,
I represent something, I am beyond me,
once I can see the great ideals I represent,
no pain can hurt me, no such pain was ever born

Pain can hurt a human, events can hurt a person,
but ideas are immortal, what if I am an idea?
Socrates died and I continue, I can die,
but the idea shall not die, I am immortal

But, am I a human or am I an animal?
Am I good or am I bad?
Am I strong or am I weak?
Am I a person or am I a leader?

This is a conflict, one which tries to hurt,
a conflict between the animal and the human,
between strength and between values,
but who can help me win this conflict?

The force is within me,
The world is within me,
All the people are me,
If they win, don't I win?

And so yeah, if I lose and if they win,
I do win, I can never lose, for all players are me,
I do realize so many lesson which pain teaches,
pain lets me disappoint disappointment

Once I look beyond myself,
once I see success in the world's success,
I see that I cannot lose, I have been hurt enough,
I am a Hurt Leader, I have failed enough

I am a Hurt Leader,
the most powerful force,
which has changed mankind,
althrough history

I am a Hurt Leader,
I see those highs which were seen,
these were only known to poets and leaders,
and these keep me going, my secret power!

I am a Hurt Leader,
I have experienced so many strokes of intellect,
I have gained the wisdom,
which can push the human race forward


I shall store these great moments,
I shall treasure these invaluable experiences,
until I'd get hurt again, I shall store them
I am a Hurt Leader

An Innocent Girl

Is this world amazing?
Is my life interesting?
Is my journey exciting?
But, is my soul repenting?

Don't let your soul ever get hurt,
said Socrates, definining virtues,
but they've forgotten their soul,
and they've forgotten their virtues

I tell myself, I always tell myself,
you are our only support, the only support,
never ever get into a position, where you lose,
where you've got to forgive yourself- your only support

And so I ask, why do I feel so guilty,
why am I ashamed on this gene?
Do I blame Darwin, Do I blame nature?
Why do all men have this gene?

Why does this gene influence us?
Why do we always wanna conquer?
why exploit? Why can't we look beyond?
Why can't we see the Innocent girl?

The "shameless gene" wants to spread,
the "shameless gene" leaves no stone unturned,
the "shameless gene" doesn't care,
doesn't care, can't see the innocence

They look at her as an object,
They look at her as flesh,
They look at her as an opportunity,
to bring the evolutionary animal out,

Did they read Darwin, from Ghenghiz to now,
the "shamless gene"  has been on the rise,
But then we do have the "noble gene" I guess,
the noble one which is making me speak,

I look at her as a sentient being,
I look at her  as a bundle of happiness,
 I look at her as an opportunity,
to bring the human out, to make me smile

The noble gene helps me preserve this innocence,
let the roses stay, let the garden smile,
let the innocence stay, let the world smile,
The noble gene asks for a renaissance,

Did I read Tagore, Did I read Rawls,
or was it just the noble gene?
If the "shameless gene" grew to spread mankind,
the "noble gene" spread to protect humanity

Did I read Amartya Sen, did I read about HDI?
Why should I care, why should this matter?
It does, it should, ignore Tagore, ignore Rawls,
think about the next generation, think about the future

We need a generation which is brought up with love,
So they could think like Tagore, like Sen, like Rawls,
We need a generation which can succeed,
so they could think like Darwin, like Socrates!

But what do we do? We can't ask Darwin, we can't ask Rawls,
maybe we have to stand by the ones who know,
maybe we can't just be a bystander,
maybe the Innocent Girl needs your help

She has been hurt,
She can take all the pain,
She has been ignored,
She can stay all lonely,

She doesn't need your sympathy,
you'd realize, if you could empathize,
She doesn't need your pointless advice,
only if you could empathize, but how?

We have got the shameless gene, we've got the noble gene,
it's time to realize that we can rise beyond, we can be human,
we've inherited knowledge, we've got wisdom,
it's now the time to think, time to act

Forget Darwin, forget Rawls
You are actually a gardener,
Let the roses blossom,
get the Innocent girl to smile

Forget Darwin, remember Tagore
You are a creator, you've got the power,
you can transform the garden, your life,
Let the roses blossom, Let the Innocent girl smile!


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Dedicated to all those wonderful women who helped me smile, who helped me think, who helped me grow, thank you for everything, this is for your, this is for you to know I am not a bystander.

Questions go on forever

We are all on a journey, seeking answers,
connecting the dots,  chasing the stroke of insight,
but do we realize, what the baton tries to say,
generations missed the baton, the secret,

That every question only leads to two more,
that, you can’t find all the answers,
that the answers may have to find you,
and so, we continue the journey, the inquiry

For, answers may come, answers may go,
For, Einstein may come, Newton may go,
But questions go on forever,
questions keep us going.

There are many more questions to ask before we sleep!
There are many more questions to ask before we sleep!

- Inspired by Robert Frost

Kids and Philosophy

Sujata School team's question - Should we believe in God or medicine? This question was coupled with another - do we believe in what we didn't experience so far? The student was strong in her stance on what appears to be a combination of empiricism(experiments) and intuitionism(experience). The discussion got interesting when she employed rhetoric by asking if the audience experienced it, Einstein chose to reply with a "Yes", for the sake of argument. This brought up two more questions- do we trust the experience of others? More importantly, what do we do if the society holds a view which is perpendicular to our view? Sister Niveditha school's criticism of empiricism is quite profound- "would you believe in America, as you've not experienced it"? What made this argument interesting is that they seem to have connected it to the previous argument around "Model Thinking"- how do we know the time in America right now? This was in response to the judge Ms. Shikha's question regarding digestion- how do you know that digestion takes place when you can't see that? The students seem to have connected the dots between both the situations- both talk about limitations of empiricism and the need for models and the need to trust theories or experiences of others.

A student asked a beautiful question- "What are the benefits of not engaging in Philosophy"? One interesting question to ask is - can Philosophy answer that question? Is it related to the question- what is outside consciousness/experience? If science can't answer this question, can Philosophy answer the previous question? These questions are probably related to Dr. Ritesh's question- "Can you think of one non-philosophical question"?

Are Science and Philosophy the same? Why? When a student replied with a yes, Einstein asked if Science questions Language and Literature, he received a no, he then counters the primary argument by asking that if Science and Philosophy are the same and if Philosophy critiques language, shouldn't science do it as well? Though students were not aware of the conceptual foundations of Science and Philosophy, they seem to be very interested in understanding the gray areas and where to draw the boundaries. Interestingly, science does ask questions about Language, so how do they both differ?

Center for Exact Humanities at IIIT Hyderabad talks of nurturing the trans-disciplinary confluence between Computer Science and Humanities. But what does the "exact" in Exact Humanities mean? The students seem to have arrived at that through a series of questions. They were asked- several theories in science were proved wrong, but why is it not a single theorem in Mathematics was proven wrong? Why is it that you have a proof in Mathematics and not Science? If everything is bound by individual perception, why do we have quizzes or the notion of one correct answer? Do we have a concept of absolute truth? The students seemed to agree that in a world created and controlled by us, like Mathematics, that's plausible, while that's not possible in empirical science like Sciences which concern about real-world problems which are beyond human control. The discussion also seemed to suggest why one would be interested in extracting models of formal/exact sciences (where truths exist) to model real-world phenomenon. This was quite a deep discussion on "Truth" and the process of finding it out.

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Comments on the Socratic Dialogue on "History and Philosophy of Science, Mathematics and Language", at IIIT Hyderabad- the 7th annual edition of Sciensation inter-school inter-disciplinary (un)quiz