Indradhanush

इंद्रधनुष की छटा निराली ,

कभी लालिमा तो कभी हरियाली ,

जीवन की भी रीत ऐसी ,

कभी आँसू तो कभी बातें सुहासी। 

धनुष है सन्देश प्रेम का 

धरती से आकाश के मिलन का ,

और जीवन 

स्वयं ईश्वर से मानव का। 

फूल खिल उठते हैं ,

पक्षी सुरीले गीत गाते हैं ,

बरखा और सूरज मिल कर नाचते हैं ,

जब इंद्रधनुष के दर्शन होते हैं। 

और यहाँ गोली चलती है ,

छुरी भोंकी जाती हैं ,

उसी जीवन को ख़त्म करने के लिए ,

जो ईश्वर से हमें मिलता है। 

इंद्रधनुष के रंग कई ,

पर सब रंग दिखें साथ। 

मानव के भी रूप कई ,

पर हम रहे खुद को बाँट। 

माँ के लिए 

सब बच्चे होते समान ,

फिर प्रकृति की गोद में ,

हम करों बनें असमान। 

My work published on an hindi portal in 2001 - http://www.anubhuti-hindi.org/nayihawa/n/nitinrastogi/indradhanush.htm

Who is a Brahmin?

Few days ago, friends and I got into a discussion – a discussion that I just try to avoid at all costs – the Varna system. I try to evade the topic as much I can, because it has been blown up out of proportions already. It has become such a political hot potato that not only everyone wants to get it off their plate, but also want to add spices to be able to eat it. Hence, in a nutshell, everyone hates this topic, but would like to keep the debate to make whatever gains they can. Who am I to fight the world? Here we go again!

Varna or caste system started with the Hinduism, but has been exploited by many. The earliest examples of the caste system may be many but the few notable ones are – Kevata and Shabri in Ramayan, Karna and Eklavya in Mahabharata. Not only the Shudra’s or Brahmins talk about it, but even Arjuna and Krishna spoke of the caste system at length in Geeta.

चातुर्वर्णयं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।

तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यर्कतारमव्ययम् ।। ४\-१३

Sri Krishna tells Arjun that he is the creator of the four “varna” or groups divided through the qualities or the “gunas”. Krishna explains to Arjun that he created the four classifiers to classify the humans based on the actions they perform. And guess what, the actions they perform define the degree of presence of the “guna” in them. He also explains to Arjun, that any action performed with the expectation of the fruits, lowers the value of the action itself. Thereby reducing the action and moving away from the path of salvation – the ultimate truth!

Viewing this whole idea in a 2*2 matrix, it would look like -

In the Mahabharata, rishi Bharadwaja asks rishi Bhrigu about the classification of the humans, and is told that there was only one class of humans as created by Brahma the creator. However, the actions and the intentions of the humans got them distinguished into the classes of their own.

एकवर्णम इदम पूर्व विश्वम आसिद युधिश्ठिर

कर्मक्रियाविशेसेन चतुर्वर्ण्यम प्रतिश्ठितम

It is even said that whether it’s the Brahmins or the shudra, all of them are blood brothers and it is very difficult to determine the caste of a person by birth as men can get offsprings from all sort of women.

अन्त्यजो विप्रजातिश च एक एव सहोदरः

एकयोनिप्रसूतस् च एकसाखेन जायते

So what’s the definition of a Brahmin?

Per rishi Bharadwaj, all humans were created by Brahma as Brahmans. Those who took the path of Passion, Indulgence, Pleasures, Desires, Courage and attributes of severity and wrath were known as Kshatriyas. Those who still had passion and goodness but chose to professions of agriculture and cattle rearing became Vaisyas. And those who chose to completely ignore their duties of Brahmin and adopt the path of Darkness under the influence of untruth, cupidity, injuring others and ready to do any kind of jobs were known as Shudra.

But the question remains – Who is a Brahmin?

In my understanding (Thanks to Dr Devdutta Pattnaik), Brahmin comes from two sanskrit words – Brah and Manas. While Manas means mind, Brah means expansion. Therefore anyone capable of expanding their mind to understand the acts of God and impact of their own actions is a Brahmin. This is the reason, Brahmins were chosen to be the learned and be the teachers.

How should we motivate?

We discussed the concept of hunger in my previous post – “What’s your promised land?” It’s the hunger that defines the needs and the goals for oneself. We also discussed the need for motivation in the other post – “Who needs motivation?” In this post let’s examine how we should motivate using the concepts defined earlier!

It is a known fact that the life is a sequence events and our life is shaped by how we handle these events. What we should also see that our desires change at every step. Thus changing the desire for the Promised Land.

The sequence and the decisions may be different for every human, and hence our lives are different too. It is very difficult to define a common path or a common stand for all to measure up. How do I motivate others in such a case?

The answer is simple – communicate to them by realizing their Promised Land. Look for what they want. Watch what are they hungry for? Once we determine other’s hunger, it is easier to empathize and motivate.

Remember, Vishnu attracts Lakshmi and Indra wants Lakshmi but is afraid of losing her.

Be a Vishnu and not Indra. Lakshmi will come to you.

Realize other’s hunger and help them fulfill it.

Who needs motivation?

When Hanuman and his group of monkeys reached the sea shore in search for Sita, all of them discussed ways to cross the sea. Some said that they could jump upto 100 yards but it may not be enough to reach Lanka on the other end of the sea! They even started to think ways to lead their lives without returning to their home – Kishkindha and face the wrath of failure. Then, amidst all the discussions, an old bear – Jambvant spoke to Hanuman – “Oh Vayuputra Hanuman! Only you can cross the ocean. You can easily jump across the ocean and reach Lanka in no time. You have descended on the earth for a purpose. You had once flew and ate the Sun itself. Your power and reach has no bounds”. Hanuman had forgotten his powers due to a curse.

Jambvant was praising Hanuman and motivating him to realize his potential. He chose his words carefully, realizing his power and putting the overall goal in front of Hanuman inspiring him to achieve.
In Bhagwad Gita, Krishna told Arjun that one must lead their life to do the acts of God without the expectation of the fruits. He also said that the “Karma” or the acts performed are transactional in nature and can be easily termed as “Yagna”. Yagna is where the doer or the “yajman” performs the act and offers it to the God. The God in return absolves the doer of the outcome and provides solace. It is this solace and notion of peace, which keeps the performer going. Arjuna had given up on his weapons and was ready to renounce the war of Mahabharata, if it was not the motivation from Sri Krishna. He also said that transactional relationships are also causes for stress and may cause either parties to stray away. And whenever such a stress jeopardizes the action, the God himself would descend to correct the course.
Each one of us, need the motivation just like Hanuman or Arjun. We all have potential to achieve our goals, but have forgotten it somehow. It is very difficult for any human being to perform the acts and foregoing the fruits. At the same time, it is very difficult to lead a meaningful life, knowing fully well that there will be innumerable lives after this one! To keep moving on the path of Gita, one needs motivation. When Brahma’s creation lacks motivation, it starts rotting and strays from the path of sustenance. This is the time, the God takes a form to destroy the rotten part and rejuvenate the creation once more, giving it a new life and a new meaning.
Doesn’t it sounds like the corporate story too? Every organization has its own set of employees, leaders, managers and owners. When all the constituents are well motivated, the organization is healthy. Motivation comes in many forms – Power, Attitude, Incentive, Fear, Competence, Affiliation and Achievement.
Those, who have the ability to lead, must not forget the power of motivating their followers. They look upon you to help them realize their potential. Won’t you help them?