Is Modern Research Promoting Laziness?

May 6, 2013- Another ordinary day which began with regular assignments at my work place and evaluation of two student projects for the completion of their B.E. degree. First of those was an app to control electrical appliances remotely through android smartphones and the second was a research-based NLP project in which the students have come up with a text summarizing tool that outputs a brief summary of a given paragraph in Indian languages (particularly Kannada).

There is no doubt about the work that is being carried out by them. Applause! But what particularly caught my attention during the presentation was the motivation behind their innovative ideas- “To ease man’s work, to save time and energy for better inventions.” Well… Hold on. Few questions on this-

Project 1:

Student- If you forget to switch off any of the home appliances while you are away, you can turn them off from wherever you are, with your smartphone.
Argument- You are encouraging people to be more lethargic.

Project 2:

Student- This tool helps you to derive the summary of the huge paragraph and thus saves time.
Argument- Users of this tool are are bound to get accustomed to reading less and thinking less. How do you expect the knowledge to grow (Knowledge shouldn’t be mistaken for information.)

I am not complaining about these two projects only but think again- are these really helping the mankind? Sorry if I sound stupid. But it is time that we really give a thought on it. Human power is drastically diminishing due to excessive dependency on external objects. Those times are gone when our ancestors used to take up physically and mentally more strenuous jobs than us and yet remained healthier and happier. How do we justify that our research into the physical world has brought about more happiness than theirs? A few weeks ago, I happened to glance at an advertisement that said- “We pledge to make the world better.” I whispered, “The world was at its best when it was created!” Do you have any reason to disagree with this?

Now, comes the next question- Where is this going to end? More and more inventions are in line to make man’s living comfortable. If that is the only purpose of life, we are shamefully wasting the real potential in us only in satisfying the needs of the body. “Living” is not as same as “life”. Isn’t it? But only a handful of us realize and understand the crux of life, it’s underlying meaning and more importantly, its ultimate goal. Rest simply follow the crowd.

Lord McCaulay’s forecast about free India seems to be taking shape. He pledged to turn the entire nation into a bunch of people who are Indians by blood but Europeans by intellect. How true his words have come today! It is time that we all rise from the ashes of Western slavery in all aspects- intellect, culture, religion, polity and discover that ancient India is was so much full of knowledge that it could feed the entire world. Foolish are we who have exchanged this vision for petty inventions and discoveries.

One last word- If we are not cautious about our ideas today, we have no right to complain about the destruction they are bound to cause tomorrow. So, Scientists, be responsible!

-Shikha

nAmasmaraNam

Narayana Hari- Shikha on soundcloud

नारायण हरि नारायण हरि नारायण हरि नारायण
सच्चिदानन्द घन नारायण अच्युतानन्द गोविन्द नारायण ।।

श्री कृष्ण कृष्ण सखा नारायण कमलपत्राक्ष अधोक्षज नारायण
नन्दगोपकुमार नारायण राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण ।।

क्रष्ण यज्ञेश्वर नारायण सत्यभामा विनोदक नारायण
केशिका कम्सरिपु नारायण राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण ।।

कृष्ण करुणाकर नारायण कृष्ण दामोदर अच्युत नारायण
कृष्ण नरकान्तक नारायण राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण।।

श्री कृष्ण गोपाल नारायण बल-सुभद्रा सहोदर नारायण
श्याममंगलांग नारायणा राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण ।।

श्री कृष्ण कल्पतरु नारायण तीर्थपादकरुणार्णव नारायण
रासोत्सवप्रिय नारायण राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण ।।

कमललोचन कृष्ण नारायण लोकरंजकरक्षक नारायण
कौमोद श्रीधर नारायण राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण ।।

गोवर्धनोद्धार नारायण नरकान्तक नरोत्तम नारायण
मुरहर मुकुंद हरि नारायण राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण ।।

गोपीजनप्रिय नारायण गोपगोपीजनेश्वर नारायण
गोवत्सपालक नारायण राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण ।।

देवकीनन्दन नारायण कृष्ण दीनजनवत्सल नारायण
आपदीराक्षक नारायण राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण ।।

धरणीधर अच्युत नारायण कृष्ण दैत्यकुलमर्दन नारायण
गोपालकुलतिलक नारायण नारायण राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण ।।

भक्तिप्रवर्धक नारायण भक्तवाक्परिपालक नारायण
भक्तिप्रदायक नारायण राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण ।।

गोपिकावल्लभ नारायण चक्रपाणिपरमानन्द नारायण
कुब्जाविनोदक नारायण राधिकारमण गोविन्द नारायण ।।

Kannukkul Neethaan Kanneeril Neethaan Kanmoodi Paarthaal Nenjukkul Neethaan

How many of you have noticed of the fact that you will find an insatiable urge to spend time on what you love, only when you are busy with what you don’t love?

I would say that, this urge will only take you forward in the path which you are intended to spend the rest of your life. Everything seems like a dream just happening around you and you are a helpless onlooker registering every incident but unable to act upon. Sarcastically, this is the case with most of us today- Dissatisfaction. A counter question at this juncture- Is there really something which can quench our thirst? I won’t say- NO. But there is, may be not in our physical vicinity. It is within.

One line which I repeat every now and then- When you are on the right path, no matter what hurdles you face, it will definitely be conducive to your growth. Accept it.

One interesting thing that I have observed all these years is that everyone has got a unique passion. It may be hidden, or just blossoming or fully blossomed, depending on the how far the person has evolved- the first two being evolving stages and the last one being the evolved stage. The first and the last category of people are the happiest in the world. The former are ignorant and hence happy where they are and the latter are knowledged and hence blissful. But now comes the plight of those who are neither the former nor the latter. If asked to give an analogy- It is like rubbing a piece of rusted iron with sandpaper! They cannot stay where they are and therefore struggle, struggle and struggle to reach the peak of their passion. There is enjoyment in this too- a different kind of enjoyment depending on how it is interpreted because it is a completely unknown adventurous personalized journey.

Well... Think over!

If you are still wondering about the title of this blog post- It is just that I am listening to Kaadhal Rojave from Roja while I am writing this article. Good night!

Complexity tends to infinity

“He is complex being silent and you are complex even after being so talkative!” – one strikingly true comment which was bowled straight at me by one of my friends yesterday. Of course, it didn’t come as a surprise since I had anticipated it. What is drawing my attention in particular is- not the two people pointed out here but it is the word complexity.

Having referred to the definition to the word complexity, I just discovered that “Complexity has nothing to do with complicatedness.” It characterizes something with many parts in intricate arrangement. So, if my friend really meant that we are complex, then there is nothing to feel special about but had he meant that we are complicated, then wait… you cannot close this window unless you read the entire article!

Well, this concept of complicatedness is totally abstract when your fellow human being is completely unknown to you. But, it is not the case when you start forming a closer network with selected people around you.  At times, you are so bothered to crack the puzzle and know everything about a person, his/her behaviour and every other minute detail. I have tried to figure out the reason behind this nature of mind but couldn’t get any satisfactory answer. (Or am I hiding the fact that I know the answer but I don’t want to put it here?  Simple! The simplest is the most complicated, mind you.)

But one thing is clearly evident- you get identified as a complicated person only when people around you do not get the answers what they expect from you for various questions in their mind. And the funniest part is that you know how to confuse them more! But if I have to pick one line from my experience- Nobody is complicated if you can accurately fine-tune your mind to his, provided he is willing to give his frequency to you.

Now that, I have let the cat out of the bag, I fear there will be a long line of people tomorrow morning trying to fine-tune to me! Crazy fans!

Physically here… (You know the other half of the sentence!)

My usual state of mind.

But today, when one of my friends openly pointed it out, I really felt that my absent-mindedness has reached its peak and I have to look into this matter seriously. Well, the worst condition is that you know your weakness, you know reason behind it, you know how to overcome but you are simply unable to. How many of you agree with this?

It is often said that it takes lot of courage to accept one’s own mistakes than point at others’. No wonder, neglecting everything and disguising oneself with a fake image of inner tranquility is easy and is what most of us do. Though it is right in a way, it doesn’t serve the real purpose at all.

I am not here to propose a universal solution to this matter which is impossible. The goal remains the same; but the paths to the goal are personalized. The only thing which is common in every path is the constant struggle. 

And by the way, I was preparing a draft copy of this article when I was physically sitting in a live music concert. Stupidity never dies!

In pursuit of...

Every time I sit down to write something, I go blank despite thoughts overflowing. A few hours ago I was all set to puke my mind out but then felt, “What non-sense am I writing?” and kept the pen aside. Flickering mind!

That’s exactly what’s stated in the 24^th verse of the 6^th chapter of the Gita which I am reading now. A beautiful book indeed. By the grace of God, I happened to get a good translation of the book. It is so much full of vitality that it cannot be explained in words. Book is man’s best friend.  How true! At times, when we are unable to share our feelings or problems with others, a good book seems to be like an oasis in the desert. Not only during hard times, but otherwise too, a book can fill all those gaps what our companions can’t.

It is not the same with everyone’s case. Some find solace in music, others in movies, lot many in games and other activities. Tastes differ. But what really matters is a retrospection within- Are my habits really fetching the inner fulfillment and knowledge what I have been craving for?

Well… my post this time is more like an essay than a casual write-up. After all, I am still a beta version in writing. As I already mentioned in the beginning, though I have a lot to tell, I am simply unable to.

Won't you be by my side?

A walk in silence

A hush in turbulence

Won't you be by my side?

A tear in the fire

A staunch desire

Won't you be by my side?

A splash in the rain

A gash full of pain

Won't you be by my side?

A smile across the twin eyes

A cry onto the blue skies

Won't you be by my side?

In the pages of days and nights

In the cantos of rise and fall

Won't you be by my side?

Tell me, Tell me, Tell me O Dear

Won't you be by my side?