भजनको आनन्द र ईश्वरका कुरा

म त्यति धार्मिक मान्छे होइन जस्तो लाग्छ किनकि न म दिनहूँ पूजा गर्छु, न पशुपति क्षेत्रमा घर हुँदा पनि नियमित पशुपति जान्छु । न हरेक बिहान बुबा आमा लाई ढोग्छु । न ध्यान वा योग गर्छु । हरेक बिहान दुनियादारि, घरायशि काम वा किताब संगै बित्छ । तर म त्यति नास्तिक पनि छैन कि जस्तो लाग्छ । सद्गुरु, सर्वप्रियानन्द, प्रोफेसर महादेवन र अोशोका प्रवचन र पौराणिक विश्लेषण सुन्नु मेरो दैनिकि जस्तै हो । यसो हेर्दा मलाई सुविधामुखि धार्मिक भने पनि हुन्छ होला । धार्मिक हुन दु:ख नगर्ने तर त्यस्ता कुरामा चाख राख्ने ।

आज बिहान अचानक मलाई महाकवि देवकोटाको याद आयो । त्यसमा पनि उनले आर्यघाट मृत्युशैयामा लेखेको 'संसार रूपी सुख स्वर्ग भित्र' कविताको याद आयो । प्रविधिले दिएकै छ, युट्युबमा सुने । आनन्द लाग्यो । ईश्वर भन्दा मानव संवेदना बढी महत्वपूर्ण हुन्छ, पूजा भन्दा परोपकार बढी पुण्यदायी हुन्छ भन्ने देवकोटा मानवतावादी धार्मिकमा गनिएका महापुरुष हुन् । आफ्नो स्वार्थ भन्दा अरुको दुखमा मलम लगाउनु फलदायी भन्ने ध्रुवसत्य सिद्धान्तका प्रवर्तक उनीमा पनि आफ्नो जीवनको अस्ताचलमा ईश्वर हुन्छन् र सारा संसार ईश्वरको लीला हो भन्ने अनुभूति भएछ । 'आखिर श्रीकृष्ण रहेछ एक, न भक्ति भो ज्ञान न भो विवेक' भन्ने उनी पनि अन्त्यमा ईश्वरीय सत्तालाई स्वीकार्न पुगे र आफ्नो जीवन व्यर्थ भएजस्तो अनुभूति गरे ।

यो देख्दा लाग्छ त्यस्ता कालजयी महान आत्माहरूको त अन्त्यकालमा त्यस्तो अनुभव हुने रहेछ भने म जस्ता सांसारिक व्यक्तिको त्यो क्षणमा अनुभूति कस्तो हुँदो हो ? आजीवनको भाग दौड, सम्पत्ती कमाउने र जोगाउने चटारो, प्रगति गर्ने तीर्खा र भौतिक सुख प्राप्त गर्ने अनन्त मृगतृष्णा ईत्यादि ईत्यादि । यस्तै कुराहरूको भरजन्म सङ्ग्रह गरेर सदैव आन्दोलित मन र उद्वेलित भाव लिएर जिवनको पोको घिच्याउने म जस्तो साधारण मनुष्यको पनि अन्त्य समयमा सुखानुभूति गर्दै इहलिला समाप्त गर्ने सुखद बाटो हुँदो हो कि? हेर्न बाकी छ ।

मलाई अत्यन्त मन पर्ने मध्येको श्री विनायक शमसेरले गाएको अति राम्रो भजनमा भनेको कुराले नै जीवनको यथार्थ बोल्छ:

'बोलि रहने हृदयको चरीलाई कुन्नि के भो, 
प्यारो राम्रो पिंजडा नै पन्छि बिना रित्तो भो.....'

पूरा भजन Youtube मा ।

१४ श्रावण २०७५

Roads of Kathmandu - crazy riders, arrogant drivers and careless walkers

Kathmandu rocks you. Its roads shake you to the core. Literally. Dilapidated roads here and there, random potholes even on seemingly fine roads, splashes of mud, poodles of water - you can be surprised in multiple of ways. Many times with dangerous connotations.

Drivers are arrogant. Obviously not all of them but many of them. Even people driving polished, high-standard cars and SUVs get carried away by their power behind the wheels. They take two-wheel riders, bicycle riders and pedestrians as non-entity. They have to go ahead at any cost, they have to be given way irrespective of the direction or side they are in. If you ever try to find your way or show your presence, they will gawk at you as if to swallow you alive. Dear 4-wheel drivers of KTM, please be considerate towards others. Try jumping into their shoes and being in their place. You vehicle stands on 4 wheels and is stable, even if it bumps into or touches someone or something. But not the two wheelers. Unstable, overloaded and fragile, it might be matter of injuries or even worse if you are not considerate enough. Time to start feeling for others too. Roads are equally the property of everyone, walkers, riders and drivers. Take it that way.

Then there are the riders. Snaky trails, overtaking and whizzing past each other on every side possible, creating unnecessary sound from modified exhausts and always trying to sneak through, they are putting themselves into risk. And others too. Dear riders, please be more responsible and careful. If you bump into someone or some other vehicle, you are the one most likely to get hurt or worse. If that happens, that would not be something you can undo. So, ride carefully. Especially with roads riddled with potholes, pebbles, mud and uneven surfaces, you are the most vulnerable. Consider your situation and take utmost care.

Walkers, thinking that the road is their lawn sometimes, walk everywhere. Cross the road from anywhere. Ignore zebra crosses, overhead bridges or subways wherever there are those. Even on zebras, walkers are supposed to walk only when vehicles have stopped. But we walk as if zebras are there for us to walk any time. Just think about those drivers and riders. They might not have enough time to slam the brake or slow down. And consider who would suffer if they could not. You.
Roads belong to everyone but in their own disciplined ways. Its yours does not mean it is not other's. So, behave responsibly. Be safe.

23 July 2018

Standing on Your Own Feet

Yesterday, at Everest Toastmasters, an energetic member gave a moving speech. It is called the 'Pathways Icebreaker', the first speech in the new Pathways learning program of Toastmasters International.
Though his speech was about his own life story to help the audience know him better, I got a few takeaways from that. From his story, I got a few interesting ideas about life and I am enlisting them here:
* Life is a game and as in every other game, you are bound to fail many times before succeeding.
* Life does not always go according to plan but it is the people with ability to regroup that get ahead.
* Being an entrepreneur, though very tough and challenging, is also very rewarding.
* Positivity and perseverance are keys to success.
* If you do not get deterred by failures and keep trying, you are bound to succeed at some point.

May be his story shall give me energy to find my own calling and pursue that to have a more fulfilling life of my own.

वर्षा

असार १५ नाघेपछि बल्ल असार लागे जस्तो छ । रात-दिनको झरी, भिजेर जीवन्त र पखालिएर सफा भएका शहरका रूख विरूवाको पनि दिन आए जस्तो छ । वर्षभरिको धुलो, धुँवा ले सम्पूर्ण अङ्ग प्रत्यङ्ग व्यथित भएर सास फेर्न पनि नपाएका नीरीह स्थावरहरूले सास फेर्न पा‍ए जस्तो छ ।
काकाकुल झै पानिको लागि हरदम इन्द्रदेब गुहार्ने कान्तिपुर बासीका कलधारामा दुई चार थोपा पानी बगे जस्तो छ । वर्षभरिको खान्गी को लागि कहिले पानी पर्ला र रोपाईं गरौला भनेर बादलको बाटो हेर्ने कृषकको टोपी र पछ्यौरी भिजे जस्तो छ । गरा गरामा पानी जमेर धानको बिरूवाको लागि तयार भए जस्तो छ ।
बरू सडकमा खाल्टा परिरहोस, चोक चोकमा जलमग्न भैरहोस, हतार हतार कार्यालय जानेको लागि हिलो र बाछिटाको अभिषेक भैरहोस, सहौंला । तर अझेै पानि परोस । रोपाईं होस । सागपात मौलाउन । उब्जनी बढोस । अलिकति भएपनि देशले खाध्यान्न कम किन्नु परोस । जय वर्षा ।

सोमबार, १८ आषाढ २०७५ (०२ जुलाई २०१८)