The Whispers Of My Heart

"Sir, do you have enemies? How do you handle them?" asked an acquaintance. Well, I am fortunate that I possess nothing that may cause enmity, jealously. I am not an affluent person - do not own any property, conveyance, fat bank balance. Neither do I hold an authoritarian, influential position in the society. Infact I have no cravings for these traps, right from the start. A believer in the philosophy of "travelling light", I intend to complete the rest of my "journey" by living humbly and happily. If some people still harbour feelings of rancour towards me, then I can't help. Having ardent faith in the philosophy of अहिंसा ( non-violence), I manage my "hidden enemies" in a rather unconventional way, described in the following lines of mine:  अपने रकीबों को इस तरह सताता हूँ  मैं अक्सर बेहद, बेवजह मुस्कुराता हूँ Translation : I torment my enemies in my own, peculiar way. I often smile a lot, without any reason which they c...

A zealot, I supported various Hindu organisations, remained an office bearer of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarathi Parishad (ABVP), a student organisation of BJP, at D.A.V. College, Chandigarh. My perspective, however, changed when I paid a visit to the magnificent temple of International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). I was gifted a fascinating copy of "Bhagavad Gita" by the management of the centre cum temple. I started reading, ruminating over Lord Krishna's sermons to Arjuna. The following श्लोक (verse) in Chapter 18 was really an eyeopener : ईश्वर: सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति | भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया || In the above verse, Lord  says that He is present everywhere, in every being. If Lord dwells in the heart of every creature, is there any room for fanaticism, to denigrate the followers of other faiths? I have pondered over, amazingly found that the scriptures of all the major religions teach only one thing - brotherhood. ...

Often my friends, students ask me, "Sir, kindly tell us the recipe for a joyful life sans conflicts, tensions". Well, for my loved ones, I have written the following lines that encapsulate the one and only way to a blissful life, free of unnecessary worries. अक्ल की बातों में खुद को ना उलझाईए दिल को रहनुमा कीजिए और मुस्कुराइए Translation : Do not entangle yourself in the silly talks of the brain. If you listen too much to the nonsense of your brain, believe me, you will be a loser...ultimately. Make your heart your guide, my dear. You will then live a light-hearted life, with a perpetual smile on your face. ~ Sanjay Gargish ~

On the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, I wish all my friends, relatives a very Happy Gurpurab. I have been much impressed by the philosophy, teachings of Guruji. By thoroughly studying such holy books as "Janamsakhi" and "Nanak Parkash", I have gathered that Guruji believed in simplicity, sharing, universal brotherhood. He believed that everything happens only with the consent of the Almighty. Guru Nanak Dev ji wrote : तेरा भाणा मीठा लागे हर नाम पदार्थ नानक मांगे Translation : Everything happens in accordance with Your will, My Lord. Your will is as sweet as nectar to me. I humbly submit to Your will. Nanak's only desire is to chant हरी नाम (Lord's Name) ceaselessly. Inspired by Guru Nanak Dev ji's philosophy, I have written the following lines : दिल को दुनिया से लगाओगे, तुम्हे दगा मिलेगा याद-ए-खुदा किए जाओ, तुम्हे खुदा मिलेगा If you get yourself attached with this illusory world, you will g...

Life is not only a great masquerader, it has multiple faces. It is not possible for one to understand different moods of life. In my fifty years of stay on this planet, I have seen life in different frames of mind. The following composition of mine is about the varied tempers, hues of life: (a) पहने है एक अजीब नकाब सी जिंदगी के हैं कई रूप, पर्दानशीं (b) कभी जिंदगी है सुरमई शाम सी कभी है कड़कती धूप भी (c) कभी छीन लेती है हर एक खुशी कभी जिंदगी है बहुत मेहरबां भी (d) कभी बरसाती है बरकतें बेशुमार कभी देती है बेहिसाब तिश्नगी भी Meaning of Urdu words :पर्दानशीं : concealing behind veil, सुरमई : grey coloured, बरकतें : blessings, तिश्नगी : strong desire. Translation : (a) The life and it's various faces are hidden behind a mask, veil. (b) Sometimes, this life is cool, grey coloured evening. At other times, it is like a scorching sun. (c) Sometimes it snatches away all the happiness, sometimes the life becomes very generous. (d) Sometimes the life showers cop...

Recently the festival of "Karvachauth" was celebrated with much fanfare by the married women. Many ladies uploaded their beautiful pictures along with their husbands on social media. I have noted that some of my friends, relatives who are either divorced or whose husbands have died, felt more lonely, painful by seeing the merry making married woman. For these friends of mine, I have written few lines : देखा है मैने सूरमा भरी आँखों को आंसू छिपाते हुए देखा है मैने मेहँदी लगे हाथों को मातम मनाते हुए  बता मेरे दोस्त, किस शख्स को कभी गम नहीं होता कहां खुशी रहती है, उदासी का आलम नहीं होता I have seen the black, beautiful eyes concealing tears. I have seen the beautiful hands grieving. O my friends, show me a person who has not experienced turbulences in life. O my friends, show me any place where there is only happiness and no sorrow resides. ~ Sanjay Gargish ~

Few days back, a "free obesity check camp" was organized by a famous private hospital near Chandigarh. Are these health check camps organized by such "concerned" hospitals really free? I have discovered that these camps are usually eyewash, intended to inveigle, entrap the credulous valetudinarians for bariatric surgeries, expensive treatments. Instead of encouraging the obese to shun their sedentary lifestyles, spend time in sports or gymnasiums, these hospitals, looking more like five star hotels, are out to fleece gullible, sickly people. They charge exorbitant consultation fee, conduct unnecessary diagnostic tests, do expensive operations that are not required, prescribe costly medicines for the diseases that do not exist at all! I remember the time when general physicians (G.P.s) prescribed medicines only by examining the pulse, tummy, without any ultrasound or X-ray. They charged very nominal fee. Writers not only understand human psychology well, ...