Poetry is the subtle part of expression of deeper thoughts. Poetry is the damsel in the wild.

Laljee Verma

Cosmos is nothing but infinite cosmic consciousness, full of energy. Desire to manifest is the basic characteristic of the cosmos. Thus, the dream of cosmic consciousness is eternal as it manifests again and again. One of my Hindi poems (translated in English) tries to capture this theme:

“Let the earthly writings be wiped

From the slate of terrestrial expanse

Let the universe fold itself.

Dreams never die, they fold into seminal seed of creation

To sprout yet another manifestation!”

----------------------------------------------------------------Laljee Verma

Excerpt from my forthcoming book, “Selfish Mind, Slavish Body: A Quest into Self Identity”

When you exactly convert thoughts to words, it is a pleasurable ‘hundred pipers’ symphony experience. True, all thoughts cannot find exact repose in words, but some do. That is because thoughts and sentiments are limitless in its dimension, whereas words are limited. And when you accomplish such doings, it makes a difference to your mindset, and the Goddess of literature opens its doors, and lets your thoughts come in. The vault opens, and the muse starts singing; mind starts to weave meaningful thoughts- imaginative and real. Inside there may be darkness. You need to light a candle. As they say, ‘to remove the darkness of nescience you light a candle of knowledge and wisdom.’

----Excerpt from the book I am currently writing .

EGOCENTRIC TO ECO-CENTRIC

“The learned is happy, nature to explore The fool is happy that he knows no more”

- Alexander pope.

 ‘Gaia’ or the ecosystem of the earth is a vast collection of mass and matter which is self-regulating. It is amazing that such awesome manifestation always remains in a balance.

Human beings are thinking species with rationality, and its actions have far-reaching consequences. Humans are the only species who are always trying to find another ‘niche’, and always make efforts to twist or bend the rules of nature to suit material comfort and development. We are the last to arrive on the history sheet of the earth but have mastered the art of destruction in the shortest time.

Life appeared on the earth about 3.6 billion years ago. And if the calendar of life on earth is compressed into 24 hrs. dial the Homo sapiens arrived on the scene only one second before midnight, and industrial revolution, which has accelerated maximum change took place only 0.0001429 second before the midnight (GT Miller, 1994).

It is apparent that ecology is maintained in a critical balance. Balance of such a complex arrangement is complex but at the same time simple. Life is a combination of cosmic energy and earthly ingredients. At the end of living cycle life energy returns to the cosmos, and earthly ingredients to mother earth.

Whenever we breathe out, we cause aberration in this balance, which fortunately is only temporary. The composition of air (Oxygen and Nitrogen etc.) changes momentarily.  However the flora uptakes the excess C02 emissions and use these to bind sun’s energy to provide food. But it must be understood that the ability of the ecosystem to purify the air is also limited.

Due to population explosion and human activity the forest cover is reducing day by day. Normally 33% forest cover is required to maintain adequate eco-balance, which in India has now dwindled to only about 13% or so (official figure may be about 18 %). This has resulted in other adverse impact a well. Like the soil erosion from the mountains, silt in the rivers, rising level of rivers during rainy season, floods, lack of proper monsoon etc.

Some other activity of human beings leading to eco imbalance are increasing greenhouse gases’, air, water and soil pollution, erosion of topsoil (which is essential for crops), ozone layer depletion etc. Desire to live like superhuman has led to concomitant industrial activity and resultant degradation. Malthus was a scientist of 18th century who had said that the exponential growth of human population will overtake growth of crop production and thus predicted that population will stabilize.

He had not contended with the crafty human mind. His theory is being disproved every day. Population continues to grow exponentially, and the mother earth continues to provide life support. But, for how long?

The ability of ‘Gaia’ to support life on earth is limited. The ability of the ecosystem to clear aberration caused by activities of living species, specifically the human being is limited. The mother earth is reaching its ‘breaking point’. In this context it would not be out of place to mention what Mahatma Gandhi had to say, ‘The earth provides enough for every man’s need but not for everyman’s greed.” (TN Khoshoo, Mahatma Gandhi, an Apostle of applied ecology - 1996).

The greenhouse gases are causing Global warming. It has been estimated that in the next few decades the Polar ice caps may partially melt to raise the ocean’s water level by 6-7 meters, thus submerging large number of islands and littoral land.

The beautiful balance maintained between the glaciers, rivers and oceans is something to realise. The glaciers collect more and more ice during cooler months and give away water to rivers during summer/rainy season. But latest studies have shown that Himalayan glaciers are receding @ 30 meters per year and are developing crevices which are sure sign of recession (Down to Earth, Apr 30, 1999). If glaciers cannot hold ice when high level of water is not required, then one can imagine what can happen. It would be like a mother who had milk before birth of a child but dried up after.

Production of waste is in direct proportion to population growth. Where the population of other species has remained static, or dwindled; the human population has been increasing by leaps and bounds. Waste generated also has gone up accordingly and now the scene is that in all localities, at least in the developing world, the heaps of waste lie all over posing serious health hazard. With limited ability to purify and re-establish the eco-balance it must be becoming more and more difficult for the nature.

While progress towards reaping the benefit of scientific and material advancement cannot be rolled back, proper strategy will have to be adopted. Intact the key word today is ‘Sustainable Development’. Meaning thereby, enjoy life of today but leave the world livable for the future generations.

What needs greatest attention therefore is:

1. To control the population
2. To develop the awareness and concern for the future generations.
3. To understand overload created on the ecosystem and urgent steps to minimize it.
4. To treat the whole ecosystem as one, and not divided by geographical boundaries, because eco degradation at one place may have impact at another place.
5. All must unite to preserve the beautiful earth and its ecosystem.

Action taken today will determine the viability of future generations. Unfortunately human beings’ life span is so limited that one cannot appreciate the gradual degradation, taking place. It is however hoped that today’s generation will realise and make sincere effort to leave a livable world to its progenies. Egocentricity in man must give way to ‘eco-centricity’ in thought and action.

“When the mind stops to perceive, or to acknowledge new ideas one attains intellectual death”.

                                                                         ---Laljee Verma

You experiment with life, and life experiments on you. You are just like a frog on dissecting table where life carries out experiments. Similarly, you experiment with life and try to unravel different hues life offers.

"मैं भूतकाल मैं ही भविष्य, मैं वर्तमान का धारक हूँ,

महाशून्य की संज्ञा का मैं क्रियारूप परिचालक हूँ."

"I am the past, the future, and the doer of the present

I am the verb of the noun of ocean of silence!"

The immortal Time took birth from the ocean of silence!

There may be a limit on obtaining happiness, but there is no limit in giving it.

Retirement in fact, is beginning of another innings in your life. One does not become irrelevant. 

Whenever things do not happen as your mind may like it to, tranquility of mind gets disturbed. Ensuing vibrations (thought processes) cause further disturbance, and thoughts in mind keeps revolving around with no objective, or with unattainable objectives. Try to bring your mind to objective analysis. Let me assure you that most of us are not objective, and thus, do not know our own mind. It is difficult to know yourself, but is not impossible at any stage in life.   

There are certain things and situations which, when embedded becomes difficult, in fact, impossible to erode. Individuals are servants of mind, and many factors make up a mind.

“Spiritual vacuum exists in our secular culture”. Indeed, that is the case. Suicide rates are on the rise all over the world. Farmers and students in India are mainly the victims due to unrealized dreams and aspiration. Hope is essential in life, but with hope desire takes birth, and when it acquires demonic shape of expectation it becomes a passion. If expectations are not met negative vibrations dominate a mind. 

जीवन मृत्यु का ही तो इंतज़ार करता रहता है, इसी जीवन-मृत्यु के बीच मानव कुछ बनाता, और कुछ बिगाड़ता रहता है, गुड़ियों के खेल जैसा. कभी एक आवरण तो कभी दूसरा. 

We are more concerned about how we appear to the outside world but only through the lens of the self-vision.

People at the helm, in politics and bureaucracy think they know everything, and what they do not know does not exist!

“Everyone works as per his capacity but achieves as per his capability.”

“Personal perception play a dominant role in decision making, even beyond logic.”

“In the twilight, memory flashes. Brings myriad -coloured rainbows.”

“Each of us has a child inside, let it peep through sometimes to regain youthfulness.”

“Life is just a continuation of a concept.”

• चाहत को क्यों न समुन्दर में डुबो दो,

                   ये आग का दरिया है

               इसे तो बस जलना आता है!”

स्वप्न और हकीकत में बराबर ही संघर्ष चलता रहता है. सपने कभी जीतते नहीं क्योंकि सपने देखने के लिए होते हैं, जीने के लिए नहीं.  

अगर मनुज हो तो उठकर ऊंचे सोपान गढ़ों, मन को इतना विस्तृत कर लो सारा आकाश भरो!

“मैं भूतकाल, मैं ही भविष्य, मैं वर्तमान का धारक हूँ,

       महाशून्य की संज्ञा का मैं क्रियारूप परिचालक हूँ.”

-------------------------------------लालजी वर्मा © 19 अप्रैल 2021

Knowledge becomes wisdom only when it is mulled in the mind with positive and objective attitude. All the knowledgeable do not become wise.

Religion is an unintelligent expression of human wisdom.

When mind stops to acknowledge new ideas, one attains intellectual death.

Words are expression of thoughts and ideas. But each word has a soul within beyond the expression

अँधियारे से लड़ना तो सबको आता है, पर अदृश्य अँधियारे से?

Self-awareness is a feeling of being in the universe, a substance dot on the platter of existence in the paradigm of Time and Space.