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Showing posts from August, 2012

Cancer’s a Funny Thing, J. B. S. Haldane (1964)

I wish I had the voice of Homer To sing of rectal carcinoma, Which kills a lot more chaps, in fact, Than were bumped off when Troy was sacked. Yet, thanks to modern surgeon’s skills, It can be killed before it kills Upon a scientific basis In nineteen out of twenty cases. I noticed I was passing blood (Only a few drops, not a flood). So pausing on my homeward way From Tallahassee to Bombay I asked a doctor, now my friend, To peer into my hinder end, To prove or to disprove the rumour That I had a malignant tumour. They pumped in BaS04. Till I could really stand no more, And, when sufficient had been pressed in, They photographed my large intestine, In order to decide the issue They next scraped out some bits of tissue. (Before they did so, some good pal Had knocked me out with pentothal, Whose action is extremely quick, And does not leave me feeling sick.) The microscope returned the answer That I had certainly got cancer, So I was wheeled into the theatre...

Scholar Emeritus

Opinionated, small-minded NL from abroad is lecturing an audience of engineers, business men, politicians, collection of mutual back scratching academicians, and over painted fancy dressed women intellectuals. He is lecturing on Naya and Niti. He always talks on subjects’ matters as if they are invented first time by him. As hours went by Mulla saw this man's thoughts ran in pattern. He is aged 75 plus but remains a victim of vanity and pride. Mulla saw how minor points of unrealistic intellectualism for its own sake were magnified by him and applied in every situation. Subjects after subjects were discussed, and the intellectual cited books and precedents, false analogies and extraordinary presumptions without intuitive reality. In Sonorous voice he would repeat 'Naya' 'Niti'. As if there is so much melody in his voice even if reality is missing. At length he produced a book - his latest that contained his life time scholarship wisdom and earned him prize and fame...

Infection

It was a very dark night. Mulla was crossing a desert. He heard some sound coming from somewhere. He followed the sound and found it is coming from a ditch. It was dug by Darbesh who was making that sound Mullah asked "can I be with you I am very afraid". Darbash, "You may but do not disturb me. I have to finish quite a few things." Once in the ditch Mullah pulled away Darbesh' rug and wrapped himself shivering out of fear. After sometime he started making gurgling sound. Darbesh asked, "what are you doing?" "I can't stop chattering! More over my throat is dry, I want to drink." "Take this tumbler about 200 yards on the left you shall find well." Darvesh said. "No you go and get me water, I am afraid to go out of this Ditch". Reluctantly Darbesh got out with tumbler and his dagger to fetch water for Mullah Nasiruddin. Mulla pulled Darvesh back asked for the Dagger, "If someone comes how do I defend myself?" ...

Ahangar

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Ahangar   Ahangar was a mighty swordsmith who used to live in the Eastern valley of Afghanistan. In peacetime, he used to make plows and horseshoes. Above all he sang. Many used to come from a distant land to hear his song – ‘Valley of paradise’. While he sang, all, as long as he sang, listened transfixed; and heaven could be felt in the surroundings. After the song is over when silence is broken - all would ask 'Is this paradise real?' The song had a strange lilt and haunting quality; most of all it had a story distantly familiar and people felt they knew this valley. Many came from a distant land beyond Hindu-Kush, from Herat and Paghman, from Qataghan and Badakhshan, from a forest of Walnut trees, from snow-capped mountains and Central Asia to hear this song. 'As real as real could be', Ahangar would answer. 'How do you know?' they would ask, 'have you ever been there?' 'Not in an ordinary way,' Ahangar would answer. They would ask where that...

Tariqavi teaches

".... You can do it, but not when you presume that you can do it without any practice, without any training, in the midst of being quite uncertain as to what it is you are why you like or dislike anything. When you have found yourself you can have knowledge. Until then you can only have opinions. Opinions are based on habit and what you conceive to be convenient to you. The study of the way requires self encounter along the way. You have not met yourself yet. Only advantage of meeting others in the meantime is that one of them may present you to yourself. Before you do that, you will possibly imagine that you have met yourself many times. But truth is that when you do meet yourself, you come into a permanent endowment and bequest of knowledge that is like no other experience on earth."

Master Baqi-Billah

It was said that a man went to the assembly of the master Baqi-Billah of Delhi and said: 'I have been reading famous verse of Master Hafiz, "If your teacher bids you stain your prayer-carpet with wine, obey him," but I have a difficulty.' Baqi-Billah said: 'Dwell apart from me for some time and I shall illustrate the matter for you.' After a considerable period of time, the disciple received a letter from the sage. It said: "Take all the money you have and give it to the gate keeper of any brothel." The disciple was shocked, and for a time thought that the master must be a fraud. After wrestling with days however he went to nearest house of ill-fame and presented the man at the door with all the money he had. 'For such a sum of money' said the doorman, 'I shall allot you the choicest gem of our collection, an untouched woman.' As soon as he entered the room, the woman there said: 'I have been tricked into being in this hou...

austabakra

This creation of Veda Vyasa is my most favorite. When I was child – my heart used to melt whenever I used to hear or think about Karna. As a young man I appreciated Yudhisthir. But as a grown up man again and again I got fascinated by Osttovakra. Amuda when was suffering from blood cancer and undergoing Chemotherapy visited many places. I often talked about Osho. He went to Osho’s Asram too. Unexpectedly he bought number of books from there. He was not much of a reader. One of the books was Osttovakras Geeta. I perhaps read it cover to cover but remember almost nothing. However the value of Sruti is all you retain in your mind and that is essential to remove your skin that you alone can peel and no other. A snake can’t help another snake to shed off its skin. King Janaka was very eager to know the truth. He used to have an advanced man called Bandi (imprisoned). Janaka used to call people to debate with this man. No one could really defeat him and earn wealth; instead being defeate...

Some more

"May the Will of Allah be done," a pious man was saying about something or the other. "It always is, in any case," said Mullah Nasruddin. "How can you prove that, Mullah?" asked the man. "Quite simply; if it wasn't always being done, then surely at some time or another my will would be done, wouldn't it?" ‎ "I shall have you hanged", said a cruel and ignorant king to Nasruddin, "if you do not prove such deep perceptions such as have been attributed to you."   Nasruddin at once said, "I can see a golden bird in the sky and demons within the earth."   "But how can you do this?" the King asked.   "Fear," said the Mullah "is all you need."

Living in a godless world

It has happened to me many times. When a loss I can't bear but I have no option but bear since it has already happened.  truth can't be undone. I have to lean on truth - I can't escape god - I have to bear. I shut myself from outside world not talking to anyone, eating very little, only to be near God who is absent in this world. We have religion war relations friends and enemies but no God. Believers, non-believers, saints, killers, mass killers, frauds are all same and has equal advantage since God is absent in this world. God is not there in this logical rational world that includes any. However God is present! I am just leaning on it - it is supporting me but also my world. I let world weigh on me I am cornered without an escape route - if it is mighty enough to detach me from God with all sensations - pain love sorrow anger hunger disease loss - let it try. Slowly impossible establishes itself - I can't be detached by any might or all Mi...

Economists

Despite what economists believe, their faith that 'money is Liquid' is a misrepresentation. Another term I often hear, economists argue in order to prove whatever points they are making, "What goes up comes down". Money is not liquid, nor fluid, unfortunately not even physical. Laws often stated by economists borrowed from Newton's law of Conservation of energy or Einstein's E=mC^2, are also not true. Money may get destroyed to nothing - absolute nothing and without emitting any energy at all! In fact this money disappearance ability is similar to that of Cheshire cat in Alice in wonderland; used by any number of people to be overnight rich and yet evade taxes or not recognized by any probe. However, there is some relationship with money and economy. Prosperity of a region  is achievable with money in the form common currency for that region. Prosperity of a region is directly proportional to the time it takes to reach from source of currency generation to...

The man whose time was wrong

Abdul Qadir died in 1166. His shrine is in Bagdad. His descent is from Hassan the grandson of Mohammed. He is known as Sayedna, 'our prince'. When he lay in death bed a mysterious Arab delivered a letter – ‘Every man or animal has to taste death. From Lover to Beloved.’ There are many books written about him, Hiyat-i-Hazrat is one such. It began like this ….. ‘His appearance was formidable. One day only one disciple dared to ask him a question: “Can you not give us power to improve earth and the lot of the people on earth?” His face darkened and he replied: “I will do better, I shall give this power to future descendant of you, since at present there is no device existing to bring about such improvement in large scale. You shall be rewarded and your descendants shall be rewarded for your aspiration.” Following story is from Abdul Qadir: The man Whose Time Was Wrong. ............. Once upon a time, there was a rich merchant, who lived in Baghdad. H...

Limitation imposed by dogma

The great Sultan Mahmud was in the streets of Ghazna, his capital. he saw a poor porter struggling under the weight of a heavy stone which he was carrying on his back. Moved with sympathy, Muhmud called out to him, in royal command: "Drop that stone, porter." Immediately he was obeyed. The stone lay there on the middle of road for years to come creating obstacle to all passers by. Number of citizen interceded with the king to give a command for the stone to be taken away. Mahmud thought and replied: "That which has been done by command cannot be rescinded by an equal command, lest the people think imperial orders are motivated by whims. Let the stones remain there." The stone remained there for rest of Mahmud's life. Even when he is dead, from respect of royal commands, the stones were never removed. .... Mahmud was telling those who could understand to obey temporal authority, but to realize that those who rule...

Intellect

A man spent many years trying to puzzle out meanings, went to see a Sufi and told him about his (re)search. The Sufi said: 'Go away and ponder this - IHMN.' The man went away. When he came back, the Sufi is dead. 'Now I shall never know the Truth', moaned the puzzler! At that moment Sufi's chief disciple appeared. 'If you are worrying about secret meaning of IHMN, I will tell you. It is initials of Persian Phrase "In huruf maani nadarand" - "these letters have no meaning."' 'But why should I be given such a task?' cried the puzzling man. 'Because, when a donkey comes to you, you give him cabbages. That is his nutrition, no matter what Donkey calls it. Donkeys probably think that they are doing something far more significant than eating cabbages.'

Relativity

A scholar said to ...: "You often say that our logical questions are incomprehensible to you. Can you give an example of what they seem like to you?" "Here is an example. I was once travelling by train and we went through seven tunnels. Opposite me was sitting a peasant who obviously never been in a train before. After seventh tunnel the peasant tapped me on the knee and said: 'This Train is complicated. On my donkey I can get to my village in only one day. But by train, which seem to be travelling faster than a donkey, we have not yet arrived at home, though the sun has risen and set seven whole times.'" ... I like this too - it can so easily be expressed in English but no great men of letters have written them. ... A certain Bektashi dervish was respected for his piety and appearance of virtue. Whenever any one askes him how he had become so holy, he always answered: "I know what is in Koran." One day when he just given this r...

Food of Paradise

Yunus, son of Adam thought, in various channel that the food, he consumes for his sustenance, reaches him truly divined by Almighty and no other. In case he throws himself in the hands of Allah, any how Almighty shall conceive a way to supply the food to reach him. Perhaps thus he might be able to reach Almighty himself tracking the route of food supply. Thinking thus he left his abode and placed himself directly at the hands of Allah in a place on the bank of Tigris river. He did not wish to beg since he wished to discover the path of food reaching him straight from Almighty the creator. While birds and beasts around him were happy receiving their desires fulfilled in their domain created by Almighty, Yunus received nothing. He spent watching the river waves and fishes and listening to sounds from people busy on their route to home or business. He did not lose hope. Yunus watched the river and kept his prayer schedule - once decision is taken he is determined ...

Water was changed

Khidr The Teacher of Moses called upon Mankind and announce on such and such date all waters would be changed all over the world. Unless hoarded all waters shall disappear. It would be later replaced with new kind. Drinking of new water would make one insane. Only one man listened to to it and he collected some water in jars and kept it hidden. On that certain date all water supply from streams river wells .. went dry. This man of course did not have any concern since he had his water supply while none had. When new water came through streams, rivers and wells, all drank the same. This observed them from distance and found they indeed gone crazy - behaving, doing, and talking unbecoming of themselves. For some days he remained aloof and drank from his own water supply till he realized that it is not much fun being sane alone. He then abandoned his water supply and the new water and became one of the insane. Others thought for no reason this acted real crazy but no...

Three Truths

The ... are known as Seekers of Truth - the knowledge of Reality. Rudarigh, a great lord of Murcia Spain, decided to possess this Truth. He sought out Omar el-Alawi of Tarragona and brought him to his court and said, "I order you to tell tell the truths which you know and must be told in manner I understand, otherwise your life is forfeit." Omar asked, "Do you observe in your court when an arrested person tell truth in answer to a question that the truth does not incriminate him, and he is released to freedom?" "That is so", the lord said. "I call upon every one to witness this by the honor of our lord, and I will tell three truths and not one", said Omar. "We must also be satisfied and proof must accompany the telling, that you claim Truths are indeed so", said Rudarigh. "For such a lord as you are, we can give truths not one but three and they are all self evident", said Omar. ...

Maruf - no words are mine

This Dervish tale that has appeared in Arabian Nights stories: Maruf the Cobbler Maruf lived in Cairo with his wife Fatima. This hag treated him so badly, repaying every good action of his with a very bad one plus loads of abuse. Maruf looked upon her as an example of inexplicable contrariness of the world. Bowed down with sense of real injustice, driven to extremity of despair, he fled to ruined monastery near the city where he plunged himself to prayer and supplication, calling out incessantly: ”Lord, I beg thee for a means of release, send me at immense distance so that I can find release and hope.” He continued to plead for several hours when an apparition came through the wall – it has huge height and strange appearance. This is Abdaal – human beings who have attained power inconceivable for ordinary human beings. “I am Abdel-Makan, servant of this place, what do you ask of me?” Maruf told him his problems. Abdel took him in his back instantly fl...

Wisdom For sale

Wisdom for Sale A man named Saifulmuluk spent half his life in seeking truth. He read all books on ancient wisdom, he traveled to every known or unknown countries to hear every spiritual leader what had to say. He spent days in working and nights in contemplation of great mysteries. One day he heard of great poet Ansari. He packed his bag and headed for Heart. At the door he found it is written, ‘Knowledge is sold here’. This must be a mistake or to dissuade idle curiosity seeker, thinking thus he stepped in. Inside Ansari bent over in age was writing poem. ‘Have you come to buy knowledge?’ Ansari asked. Saiful nodded. ‘Give me all the money you have.’ Saiful produced 100 silver coins. ‘With only this much, you can have only three pieces of knowledge!’ ‘Do you really mean that, I thought you are humble dedicated man?’ ‘We live in the world surrounded by its material facts,’ said the sage, ‘because I know certain things that others do not know, I have t...

Eating Money

Mulla every one knows came from country where fruit is a fruit, meat is meat, and curry is never eaten. Having newly descended from Kafiristan, Mullah was plodding the dusty Indian road. soon thirst took over, "I must find somewhere that good fruit to be had". No sooner the words formed in his head he saw a benevolent looking man under the shade of a tree with a basket in front of him piled high with juicy red fruits. Taking two tiny copper coins from the end of his turban Mulla handed them over to the man. Without a word the man gave the whole basket to Mullah, for this must be a cheap king of fruit. Nasiruddin sat down in the place vacated by the man and started eating the fruits. Within a few seconds his mouth started burning, tears streamed through his cheeks, fires were on his throat. Mullah went on eating. An hour or two passed when an Afghan hill man came by, Mulla hailed him, "Brother this infidel fruits must have originated in the very mo...

Mullah's beads

Mullah entered teashop and declaimed: 'The moon is more useful than the Sun.' Why Mullah? 'We need light more during night than during the day.' Feeling thirsty Mullah entered the café for a drink. They decided to share a glass of milk. Friend asked Mullah to drink his share first, "I have just a little sugar enough for half a glass." "Add it now, I only drink my half", Mullah said. "Certainly not there only enough sugar to sweeten half a glass." Mullah went to the owner of the café, came back with a large packet of salt. "Problem solved, I like my Milk with salt, I shall drink my half with salt first". Mullah sent a child to fetch water from the well. "Make sure you do not break the pot," and Mullah gave the child a clout. "Why did hit a child who did nothing?" a bystander asked. "Because you fool, it would be too late to punish the child after he broke the pot, wouldn't it. ...

Kalim Aziz

MERA GHAME ZAATI HAI AURON KA KITAABI HAI Mine is physical labor, theirs - all intellectual. - DAAMAN PE KOI CHHEENT NA KHANJAR PE KOI DAAGH TUM QATL KARO HO KI KARAAMAT KARO HO Your murder is miracle – No stain in cloth nor in dagger! - WOHI QATIL BHI HAI, MUKHBIR BHI HAI, MUNSIF BHI WOHI AQRABA MERE KAREN KHOON KA DAAWA KIS PAR HE is all in one – murderer, informer, and judge! To whom would my family appeal? - IDHAR AAO TUMAHAARI ZULF HUM AARASTA KARDEN JO GESOO HUM SANWARENGE KABHI BARHAM NAHI HONGE Let me straighten your hair, They shall never bother you again. - DEKHIYE MERI GHAZAL MEN KABHI SOORAT APNI YEH WO AAEENA HAI JO AAPNE KAM DEKHA HAI Please read my poems. They reflect my deeds, and so shall yours. - ITRAA RAHE HO AAJ PEHAN KAR NAI QIBA DAAMAN THA TAAR TAAR ABHI KAL KI BAT HAI Can your naked past be Hidden under your civil attire? - ZAMAANA. LAAKH OOSE TADPAYGA RULAYEGA WO MARSIYA NA KAHEGA GHAZAL HI GAAYEGA Pain or Sorrow do not make them cry or w...

An Award

I do not know how and what shaped the thinking of any place. I can't generalize but there is all kinds of human relationships and activities - parents children siblings marital sexual neighbors friends class mates colleagues community cousins clubs etc. Some thoughts have not seen any public expressions nor written in books but that do not mean they were not practiced. Some by chance gets discovered after many years and we show our expressions of disgusts. I can't change any place in the world nor their thinking. A Russian mathematician Perelman who has refused $1 million award - in fact he has done this (refusing awards) many times before. He it seems proved any shape without a hole can be shaped into a sphere. For me I am thinking that I could have used this money had I been given. He has his reasons and I have mine. However I have to change my thinking thoroughly, I have to remain an entity without holes and not harbor worms in it. I can't hold a...

An incident

http:// www.thehindu.com /news/international/article520782.ece [It was a winter late hours in 1985 I had my extreme happy moments with this person in TV - I did not know him then and where he is or what he is - I was taken out of bed to listen and see him in person in a Black and White TV. I was living alone, TV was off. I distinctly remember it was celebration and the music all around - I never heard that music again. That was my first and last.]

Lorenz Curve Revisited

This is not a debate or a countervailing point. It is a clarification. My L-Curve graph has nothing to do with the Lorentz curve. I did not even know about the Lorentz curve when I did it. My graph is a linear plot of income vs population percentile. There is nothing right or wrong about doing a graph this way. It's a different way of seeing the information. The simplicity of a linear plot of income vs percentile of the population is it is so intuitively understandable. --David Chandler Couple of years back I found out that some of our esteemed University Professors of Economics do not understand what Lorenz curve is, what possible shapes it can have, and its relationship with income distribution or wealth distribution and its significance in relation to Politics, Governance, Banks, Money printing, or Bail out. [I do not invite any debate or counter points - I care less if you read my writings or not. This is strictly one way communication] Lore...