<p>For quite sometime I have been grappling with the Indian concept of meditation. I have evolved my own theory. In fact, I have two theories which contradict each other but are valid in their own ways. </p>.<p>One is that meditation is intense concentration on a particular problem till you find the right answer. </p>.<p>The other is to empty the mind in expectation it will yield what I can best describe as nothingness in the hope that the vacuum thus created will produce a stillness and not let it jump about like a monkey when it comes to citing an example of what I mean. I can think of nothing better than the work of a composer named Zehra Nigah. I quote one of her better known poems: Kahanee Gul Badshah Kee:</p>.<p><br />Naam mera hai Gul Badshah<br />Umr Meree hai terah baras<br />Aur Kahaani meree umr kee tarah sey<br />Muntashir muntashir mukhtasar mukhtasar<br />Meree benaam bey chehra maan<br />Be-davaa mar gayee<br />Baap ney usko burqey mein dafnaa diya<br />Usko dar thha ki munkar nakeer uska chehra na dekhen<br />Vaisey zinda thee jab bhee madfoon thhee<br />Baap ke naam Zartaaj Gul<br />Umr battees baras</p>.<p><br />Vo mujahid shahaadat ka taalib<br />Raah-e-haq ka musaafir hua<br />Aur jaam-e-shahaadat bhee usney<br />(Gul Badshah is my nameI am thirteen years of age<br />My story like my age, you’ll see<br />Is in bits and pieces and as short as it can be:</p>.<p><br />My mother had no face nor name that I could say<br />Nor money to buy medicines,<br />One day she simply faded away.<br />My father buried her in burqa in case<br />The angels of death ogle at her face —<br />Anyway, even when alive she was like one dead one could say.<br />My father’s name was Zartaj Gul<br />He was thirty-two<br />He had just one ambition to fulfil<br />He was a holy warrior and wanted to die a martyr<br />So he took the path of righteousness.)<br /><br />While we were on the topic of meditation, I would welcome readers’ views on the meaning of the Sanskrit word ‘Swaaha’ which appears as the last word of first line of Gayatri Mantra - Om Bhur Bhuwa Swaaha. Don’t send me long dissertations of the Mantra; I only want the English equivalent of ‘Swaaha.’</p>.<p><br />Abridged bio-data</p>.<p><br />Reference your write-up “PS to PM” (June 3). Taking off from where you left. I have given a meaning to PM Manmohan Singh’s name. Keeping in view, his characteristics. It is as follows:</p>.<p><br />M-Meritorious, A-Able, N-Noble, M-Mannered, O-Open-hearted, H-Honest, A-Academician, N-Nationalist.<br /><br />Now, a try at your name:<br />K-Knowledgeable, H-Historian, U-Urduite, S-Scotch-addict, H-Humourist, W-Woman-lover, A-Agnostic, N-Naturalist, T-Translator.<br /><br />(Courtesy: KJS Ahluwalia, Amritsar)<br /><br />Dental revenge<br /><br />I know something was wrong when I woke up, 45-year old Marek Olszewksi told reporters in Wroclaw, Poland, because I could not feel my teeth, and my jaw was strapped up with bandages. Anna told me there had been complications during my dental work, and that I wouldn’t be able to feel anything for a while, because of the anaesthetic. She said the bandage was there to protect my gums, and that I’d need to see a specialist. I didn’t have any reason to doubt her. I mean, I thought she’d be professional, inspite of our break up. But when I got home and looked in the mirror, I couldn’t believe it. The bitch had emptied my mouth.<br /><br />“Thirty-four year old dentist Anna Mackowick admitted what she had done. Marek dumped me last month for another woman then had the nerve to come to my clinic with toothache. I tried to be professional, and detach myself from my emotions but I couldn’t when I saw him lying in the dentist chair, I thought ‘what a bastard and decided he had revenge coming to him. So I gave him an extra large dose of anaesthetic, to put him under, then I locked the door, and proceeded to pull all his teeth out.<br />“Mackowiak is being investigated for medical malpractices, and could face three years in jail. Olszewski added that “my new girl friend has left me, saying she can’t be with a man without teeth. I’m going to have to spend a fortune on getting indents or something.”<br /><br />(Courtsey: Private Eye, London)<br /></p>
<p>For quite sometime I have been grappling with the Indian concept of meditation. I have evolved my own theory. In fact, I have two theories which contradict each other but are valid in their own ways. </p>.<p>One is that meditation is intense concentration on a particular problem till you find the right answer. </p>.<p>The other is to empty the mind in expectation it will yield what I can best describe as nothingness in the hope that the vacuum thus created will produce a stillness and not let it jump about like a monkey when it comes to citing an example of what I mean. I can think of nothing better than the work of a composer named Zehra Nigah. I quote one of her better known poems: Kahanee Gul Badshah Kee:</p>.<p><br />Naam mera hai Gul Badshah<br />Umr Meree hai terah baras<br />Aur Kahaani meree umr kee tarah sey<br />Muntashir muntashir mukhtasar mukhtasar<br />Meree benaam bey chehra maan<br />Be-davaa mar gayee<br />Baap ney usko burqey mein dafnaa diya<br />Usko dar thha ki munkar nakeer uska chehra na dekhen<br />Vaisey zinda thee jab bhee madfoon thhee<br />Baap ke naam Zartaaj Gul<br />Umr battees baras</p>.<p><br />Vo mujahid shahaadat ka taalib<br />Raah-e-haq ka musaafir hua<br />Aur jaam-e-shahaadat bhee usney<br />(Gul Badshah is my nameI am thirteen years of age<br />My story like my age, you’ll see<br />Is in bits and pieces and as short as it can be:</p>.<p><br />My mother had no face nor name that I could say<br />Nor money to buy medicines,<br />One day she simply faded away.<br />My father buried her in burqa in case<br />The angels of death ogle at her face —<br />Anyway, even when alive she was like one dead one could say.<br />My father’s name was Zartaj Gul<br />He was thirty-two<br />He had just one ambition to fulfil<br />He was a holy warrior and wanted to die a martyr<br />So he took the path of righteousness.)<br /><br />While we were on the topic of meditation, I would welcome readers’ views on the meaning of the Sanskrit word ‘Swaaha’ which appears as the last word of first line of Gayatri Mantra - Om Bhur Bhuwa Swaaha. Don’t send me long dissertations of the Mantra; I only want the English equivalent of ‘Swaaha.’</p>.<p><br />Abridged bio-data</p>.<p><br />Reference your write-up “PS to PM” (June 3). Taking off from where you left. I have given a meaning to PM Manmohan Singh’s name. Keeping in view, his characteristics. It is as follows:</p>.<p><br />M-Meritorious, A-Able, N-Noble, M-Mannered, O-Open-hearted, H-Honest, A-Academician, N-Nationalist.<br /><br />Now, a try at your name:<br />K-Knowledgeable, H-Historian, U-Urduite, S-Scotch-addict, H-Humourist, W-Woman-lover, A-Agnostic, N-Naturalist, T-Translator.<br /><br />(Courtesy: KJS Ahluwalia, Amritsar)<br /><br />Dental revenge<br /><br />I know something was wrong when I woke up, 45-year old Marek Olszewksi told reporters in Wroclaw, Poland, because I could not feel my teeth, and my jaw was strapped up with bandages. Anna told me there had been complications during my dental work, and that I wouldn’t be able to feel anything for a while, because of the anaesthetic. She said the bandage was there to protect my gums, and that I’d need to see a specialist. I didn’t have any reason to doubt her. I mean, I thought she’d be professional, inspite of our break up. But when I got home and looked in the mirror, I couldn’t believe it. The bitch had emptied my mouth.<br /><br />“Thirty-four year old dentist Anna Mackowick admitted what she had done. Marek dumped me last month for another woman then had the nerve to come to my clinic with toothache. I tried to be professional, and detach myself from my emotions but I couldn’t when I saw him lying in the dentist chair, I thought ‘what a bastard and decided he had revenge coming to him. So I gave him an extra large dose of anaesthetic, to put him under, then I locked the door, and proceeded to pull all his teeth out.<br />“Mackowiak is being investigated for medical malpractices, and could face three years in jail. Olszewski added that “my new girl friend has left me, saying she can’t be with a man without teeth. I’m going to have to spend a fortune on getting indents or something.”<br /><br />(Courtsey: Private Eye, London)<br /></p>