Lokabhiramam

Vemana 10

2008-07-02T22:36:00.000-07:00

ఎంత చదువు చదివి ఎన్నెన్ని విన్నను
హీనుడవగుణంబు మానలేడు
బొగ్గుపాల గడుగ పోవునా మలినంబు
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ
Enta caduvu cadivi ennenni vinnanu
hInudavaguNambu manalEdu
boggupAla gaduga pOvunA malinambu
viswadABirAma vinura vEma

ఎంత చదువు చదివి = however much educated
ఎన్నెన్ని విన్నను = however much he listens
హీనుడు = a mean man
అవగుణంబు = lowly characters
మానలేడు = can not stop
బొగ్గుపాల గడుగ = if coal is washed in milk
పోవునా మలినంబు = will the dirt go
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ

However much educated, or listens to people, a bad man can never stop his bad ways. It is like even after washing in milk, coal will not lose its dirty appaerance.

Vemana in this verse refers to the futility of formal education without the the ethics and culture. Eduaction in ancient style is by study and listening to the masters. Even these things will give the right benefit in only the right kind of people, means Vemana. If a person by birth or habit is immersed in bad ways, eduaction of this type can not make him mend his ways.
Vemana comments on two things here. One is education without the completeness i.e. culture. Another is the unchanging ways of bad people.
It is common knowledge that this world has two kinds of bad people. One without education another kind belongs to bad people with education.
You look at all the happenings that appear in news. It is always some well educated people invlved in bad acts and crimes of all sorts. Politics usedto be run by the intelligentsia at one point. Now it is perhaps in the hands of many people who are no doubt educated. By no means all of them can be called good.
In every instance Vemana has a good simily to illustrate the point. Coal is dirty. You can wash it. Not with water but with milk.
Milk is supposed to be purifying even the sinners. Vemana takes a jibe at tradition by taking milk and not water to make the coal clean. Water is an ordinary purifier. Milk is a superior one to water. Vemana hence says, even if washed with milk, coal will not lose its quality of making things dirty when it comes into contact. A bad man creates few more bad people. A good man may not be able to turn people int good people. One only has to look for interpretation of each and every word Vemana uses. Everyt word has a purpose, it appears.

If one wants to comment on what Vemana tells in three lines, one can perhaps write a big book. It is the brevity that gives Vemana the palce that he has in the firmament of litearture.
Being able to tell in fewer words is a skill that is not easily possible.

Vemana 9

2008-06-30T00:54:00.000-07:00

ఎంత సేవచేసి యేపాటు పడినను
రాచమూక నమ్మరాదురన్న
పాముతోడిపొందు పదివేలకైనను
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ

Enta sEva cEsi yE pAtupadinanu
rAcamUka nammarAduranna
pAmutOdipondu padivElakainanu
viswadABirAma vinura vEma

ఎంత సేవచేసి = however much you serve
యేపాటు పడినను = however much you struggleరాచమూక = the royal crowd
నమ్మరాదురన్న= you should not believe oh! Brother!పాముతోడిపొందు = The company of a snake
పదివేలకైనను = even if Ten thousands are offeredవిశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ
It is interesting to see how Vemana denounced the rich and the mighty.
In this verse there is not much of hidden detail to understand. The fact is so simply told that you don’t require any commentary at all. Vemana tells that however much you have served them and struggled during that service, you should not believe the royal class. It is to say that those from the class that is used to being served, there is no habit of remembering the service or being grateful for the service. Vemana compares such association with rich people with living in the company of a snake. A snake is a snake. It takes a bite when it feels like. It does not think about whom it is harming. Similarly a rich person will not reciprocate the goodness just because the person happens to be one who served them at a point of time.
The third line gives the feeling of an incomplete expression. But it is the beauty of poetry where the creator expects the readers to imagine words that he has imagined. Even if a lot of money is offered, the company of a snake is not acceptable. It is not even suggestible. This is what Vemana means by the words in the third line.
There is no royal class, now a days in the society. May be we can attribute the word to the rich people who do not think of being kind to their servants.

వేమన 8

2008-06-28T01:45:00.000-07:00

ఎలుకతోకదెచ్చి యేడాది యుతికిన
నలుపునలుపేగాని తెలుపుగాదు
కొయ్యబొమ్మదెచ్చి కొట్టిన పలుకదు
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ
elukatOkadecci EdAdi yutikina
nalupu nalupEgAni telupugAdu
koyyabommadecci kottina palukadu
viswdABirAma vinurvEma

This poem is also there in another form. in that instead of toka it is said tolu.
Vemana says that change is not possible easily. He never talks of humans in the verse. To me what he means is that humans are also like the rats skin and wooden statue.
To tell the meaning straight now,
You bring the tail or skin of a rat and wash for an year.
It would remain black and necer turn white.
It is like bringing a wooden doll or statue and hitting it again and again. It would never utter a word.
What Vemana means here is that one should know to what end you are taking the trouble of doing something. Before starting a work you should know the result expected and also the possibility of such a result. If you try to achieve the unachievable, no one can be blamed for the end result or the lack of it.
Trying to change people is also like this effort of making a wooden doll speak. But here, sustained effort may give some result.
There is a lot understand in this poem.

Vemana 7

2008-06-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

నేరనన్నవాడు నెఱజాణ మహిలోన

నేర్తునన్నవాడు వార్తకాడు

ఊరకున్నవాడె యుత్తమోత్తముడయా

విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ.

nEranannavAdu nerajANa mahilOna

nErtunannavAdu vArtakAdu

UrakunnavAdu uttamOttamudayA

viswadABirAma vinura vEma

This padyam has a different version also. In that version the last line says

UrakunnavAdu uttama yOgira

నేరనన్నవాడు = One who says he does not know or learnt

నెఱజాణ = crafty person

మహిలోన = in this world, in this earth

నేర్తునన్నవాడు = one who saya heknows or has learnt

వార్తకాడు = good at speaking, one who creates news

ఊరకున్నవాడె = one who kept quiet or kept silent

యుత్తమోత్తముడయా = is the best man

విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ.

This is one of the not so very well known padyams of Vemana.

When I narrated this to a gentleman, he immediately said, it is escapism.

I did not really think there is any escapism in it.

The padyam says, one who claims that he does not know anything is a learned man. It is because, if you say you know, you have to get into a discussion and perhaps a controversy also. It is not exactly maintaning neutrality at the time of crisis, but is pleading ignorance when you know it is not the right place or time.

Vemana says, one who says he knows is only good at talking. VartakAdu is a word which is not in much use in Telugu. In Tamil vArta is a word. Similarly vArta in Telugu is news. Was it like this in Veman's time? I believe it was. Vemana used this word , perhaps for the poetry's sake. Even then it means what exactly it has to. If you are good at creating news or talking, indulge in some discussion!

In the third line which has two versions, Vemana says, one who keeps quiet without saying either he knows, or he does not know, is the best of the best according to the Telugu version used here. The second version adds a quality and calls such a person a Yogi. Yogi is a little superior to the best man.

You know when to say yes, when to sy no, and also when to keep silent. Then you are a Yogi.

If people understand more from this padyam, I heartily welcome them to share their views.

Let me confess, I am not an expert on anything. The kind of response I am seeing makes me indulge in thsees writings.

Vemana

2008-05-23T01:15:00.000-07:00

అధికుడైన రా జొకల్పుని జేపట్ట
వానిమాట చెల్లు వసుధలోన
గణకు లొప్పియున్న గవ్వలు చెల్లవా?
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ.

అధికుడైన రాజు = A great king
ఒక = one
అల్పుని = mean person
జేపట్ట = befriends
వానిమాట = his word
చెల్లు = becomes legal tender
వసుధలోన = on the earth
గణకు లొప్పియున్న= if finance people accept
గవ్వలు = cowries
చెల్లవా? = would they not be legal tender
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ.

Another gem of a padyam from Vemana.
He says, if a king takes an unworthy man in to his umbrage and gives him some authority, his words will become law. Here, the capability of the person is not at all considered. To explain the situation Vemana takes an example. There was a time when there were no coins and notes. Cowrie shells were taken as money. Vemana says if the right people accept, even today, would not the cowrie shells be accepted as money?
Vemana makes a wonderful point about the validity of authority. Authority need not exactly be correct. If it has the endorsement of the rulers, or the powers that be, everything becomes authoritative. He mocks at the way the powerful people give authority to unworthy. The system is not very different even today.

Vemana 6

2008-05-17T01:38:00.000-07:00

ఎద్దుకన్న దున్న యేలాగు తక్కువ?
వివరమెఱిగి చూడు పృథ్వియందు
నేర్పులేనివాని నెఱయోధుడందురా?
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ.
Eddukanna dunna ElAgu takkuva
vivaramerigi cUda pruthviyandu
nErpulenivAni nerayOdhudandurA
viswadABirAma vinura vEma
Vemana asks an interesting question. In what way is a he buffalo inferior to a bull?
if you get inti the details in this world, will any body call afellow without expertise, a warrior? also asks Vemana.
The name and fame for any person comes based on his work and not the appearance.
A buffalo may look ugly. It is no way inferior to a bull when performance on the feld is considered. Similarly, only one who has exhibited his valour will be called a hero and not any one who lacks the expertise.
Telling some profound facts in a stunning way is the hall mark of Vemana. This verse is an example of the fact. That is the reason why Vemana is known as a great philosopher nad not all the other poets who wrote ordinary poems. This fact also is illustrated in the above commented verse.

Vemana 5

2008-05-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

ఇనుము విఱిగెనేని యినుమాఱు ముమ్మాఱు
కాచి యతుకనేర్చు గమ్మరీడు
మనసు విఱిగినేని మఱియంట నేర్చునా?
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ.

Inumu virigenEni immAru mummAru
kAci yatuka nErcu kammarIdu
manasu virigenEni mariyanta nErcunA
viseadABirAma vinura vEma

If iron is broken the blacksmith will heat it it twice or thrice and can join it.
Will he be able to join the broken heart? asks Vemana.
There are many verses of Vemana which are not very well known.
The initial padyams I tried to comment upon belong to the well known category.
The one given now is not so popular.
Here Vemana talks about broken hearts.
If a physical material like iron is broken, there will be specially experienced people who can join it. A heart if broken, can never be joined again. May be, there is some kind of compromise. But, the memories of teh broken state will remain for ever.
There used to be a very good advertisement regarding a product, Quickfix, which used to say the product will join anything except broken hearts.
There is a similar verse in Mahabharatam which talks about arrows that are struck in the body and heart. There the mention is about the bad words that hit the hearts.
It is a daily experience. Vemana is good at bringing the very known things in a simple but focoseed manners in as few words as possible.

Vemana 4

2008-05-10T03:20:00.000-07:00

Vemana Padyam
గొడ్డుటావు పితుక కుండగొంపోయిన
పండ్లనూడదన్ను పాలనిడదు
లోభివానినడుగ లాభంబులేదయా
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ

GoddutAvu pituka kunda gompOyina
PanDlanooDa dannu pAlanidadu
lOBivAninaduga lABambu lEdayA
ViswadABirAma vinura vEma

If you take a vessel to milk a barren cow, it will knock your teeth down. It will never yield any milk. Similarly if you ask a miserly person there is no benefit.

Vemana talks about penny pinchers. If a cow is having it's calf and giving milk to it, you can steal some milk from the cow for you also. Then, if the cow is barren, there is no use trying to get milk from it. Similarly if there is a person with some kindness in him and is helping others, you can also expect some help from him. But, if the person is a miser it is impossible to get any help from him. Rather he may even insult you!

Vemana 3

2008-05-08T23:14:00.000-07:00

అంతరంగమందు నపరాధములు చేసి
మంచివానివలెనె మనుజుడుండు
ఇతరు లెఱుగకున్న నీశ్వరుడెఱుగడా?
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ.

Antarangamandu aparadhamulu chesi
manchivani valene manujudundu
Itarulerugkunna Eswaruderugada?
Viswadabhirama vinura vema

అంతరంగమందు = In the heart
నపరాధములు చేసి = having committed crimes
మంచివానివలెనె = like a good person
మనుజుడుండు = man remains
ఇతరు లెఱుగకున్న= if others know or not
నీశ్వరుడెఱుగడా?= will the God not know?
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ.

Vemana questions the people who commit crimes in their hearts.
Such crimes go unnoticed and do not come to be known to the world.
Vemana questions, even if no one knows what you committed in your heart, will the god not know it?
This is about integrity for the present day world.
Integrity is doing the same thing whether anyone notices or not.
Many people who appear like good people may or need not have equally good ides and intentions. Even having such thoughts and ideas is a crime. Vemana says that God wil notice such people.

Vemana Satakam 2

2008-05-07T01:05:00.000-07:00

నిక్కమైన మంచి నీలమొక్కటి చాలు
తళుకుబెళుకు రాళ్లు తట్టెడేల
చాటుపద్యమిలను చాలదా ఒక్కటి
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ

Nikkamaina Manchi neelamokkati chalu
Talukubeluku rallu tattedela
Chatu ilanu chalada okakati
Viswdabhi rama vinura Vema

A chatu padyam is a verse with a moral, or something to learn from. Vemana when writing his padyams, wanted people to understand the importance of such works.
He says, Neelam ( Blue gem stone) even if it is one, is enough, if it is genuine.
Why a basket full of shining stone which are not of any value?, he questions.
He also asks, A good padyam, even if it is one, is it not enough in this world?

When compared with the first two lines where he tells us the value of a gem stone in comparision with cheap stones, he went silent when it is the matter of Chatu padyam. He said the Padyam is good and desisted from saying the other poetry is waste in comparision.

Yes, if you are wise enough, even one good padyam is enough. You can make good use of it.
All the other poetry may or may not be of any value if seen from learning point of view.

Vemana Satakam

2008-05-06T00:19:00.000-07:00

ఉప్పు కప్పురంబునొక్క పోలికనుండు
చూడచూడ రుచుల జాడవేరు
పురుషులందు పుణ్యపురుషులు వేరయా
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినుర వేమ

Salt and camphor look alike when looked at.
But when tasted they are very different.
Similarly all people appear alike physically.
But, virtuous and pious people are a different lot. Vemana commented on many things in the contemporary world with unimaginable simplicity and ease. He says that looks are disceptive when people are concerned. A man may look very respectable. It is a question whether his deeds and words are equally respecatable. For this he takes the similarity between the common salt and camphor. They differ in both smell and taste.
Vemana a poet philosopher has given a lot of such gems to the Telugu knowing people.
He is known in every Telugu household. In my generation all people used to know at least a few verses of such scholastic works.
I will try to bring as many verses as possible in the next few days.

Transmission Loss

2008-05-05T01:41:00.000-07:00

Power gets lost during the transmission.
Government money gets lost during implementation of programs.
Akbar and Birbal were discussing this matter.
Akbar was doubtful about the fact.
Birbal said, he will demonstrate the matter.
He asked Akbar to ask for some ice.
Yes, Akbar used to arrange for the ice from Himalayas to be brought daily, those days itself.
The ice was brought.
Birbal said, the ice can not be delivered directly to the king.
The man at the gate should take it and give it the next man. He will give in turn to the man sitting next. Almost all of them will touch it. Thus the ice block was broght to the king. By the time it reached there, half the ice was turned to water and everyone's hands were wet.
King laughed at the demonstration.

We are yet to laugh about it.
Because we are made to cry about the situation. What reaches the end point is sometimes not even half of what was meant to be spent on the matter.
By the way there are some who would like this method, because they would get rich easily.

A friend wrote this!

2008-05-02T23:46:00.000-07:00

నాకు ఇస్తారి గాడనేటి ఒక దోస్తు ఉన్నాడు. గానికి పెద్ద రైటర్‌ గావాలని బడేకాయిష్‌ క్యాలెండర్‌ను జూసి గాడు కత రాసెతందుకు మూర్తం బెట్టుకుండు. బజార్కు బోయి దస్త కాయితాలు గొన్నడు. ఎందుకన్న మంచిదని గుల్లెకుబోయి దేవునికి మొక్కిండు. ఇంటికొచ్చినంక పెండ్లాన్ని బిల్సి `` ఇగో నేను కత రాద్దా మనుకుంటున్న. ఎవలొచ్చినా నన్ను బిల్వకు, పొరగాల్లను గడ్‌బిడ్‌ జెయ్యనివ్వక. అద్దగంట కొక్క పారి ఛాయ్‌ దెచి ఇయ్యి'' అని జెప్పిండు.
`` మంచిది'' అని గాని పెండ్లాం అన్నది. ఇస్తారి ఒక అరల్ర గూసుండు. పెన్ను, కాయితాలు దీస్కోని మీదికి సూసుకుంట ఆలోచన జెయ్యబట్టిండు. ఎంతకు ఆనికి ఒక్క ఐడియ రాలేదు. కూసుంటే లాబంలేదని గాడు అరల్రనే అటిటు దిర్గ బట్టిండు. ఇంతల గాని పెండ్లాం చాయ్‌ దీస్కోని ఒచ్చింది.
`` ఏమయ్యా కథ రాస్తనని జెప్పి గిట్ల దిర్గుతున్నవేంది'' అని గామె అడిగింది.
`` కతరాయుడంటె పిండిరుబ్బుడనుకుంటున్నవా. ఎంత ఆలోచన జెయ్యాలె ఎన్ని చాయ్‌లు దాగాలె'' అని ఇస్తారి గాడు అన్నడు.
``గదంత నాకెర్కలేదు. పొయ్యి మీద పాటు బెట్టి ఒచ్చిన'' అనుకుంట గాని పెండ్లాం ఒంటింట్లకు బోయింది.
ఇస్తారి చాయ్‌ దాగిండు. పెన్ను దీస్కోని రాసుడు షురుజేసిండు. ఒక రాజు ఉండె. గా రాజుకు ఒక కొడ్కు ఉండె, అని రాసి గొట్టేసిండు. గిసుంటి కతలు గిప్పుడెవు్వ్ల సద్వరని గాని దోస్తు ఒకటు ఇంతకు ముందు జెప్పి ఉండె. గా సంగతి ఆన్కి యాదికొచ్చింది. ఏ కత రాస్తె బాగుంటదని గాడు మల్ల ఆలోచన చెయబట్టిండు. ఐడియ రాక పెన్ను ఇదిలిచ్చిండు. ఇదిలిచ్చెతల్కె పెన్నుల కెల్లి జెరంత శాయి కాయితాల మీద బడ్డది. తూత్తెరికీ అనుకుంట గాడు శాయి బడిన కాయితాలను జింపిండు. సరింగ గప్పుడే ఇస్తారి గాని పోరలు అరల్రకు ఒచ్చిండ్రు.
`` నాయనా! బిస్కిట్‌ పుడ గొనుక్కుంట పైసలియ్యే'' అని పెద్ద పొరగాడంటె.
``ముందుగాల్ల అవుతలకు బోండ్రి. లేకుంటె మీ ఈపు బల్గ జీర్త'' అని ఇస్తారి గాల్ల మీద కోపం జేసిండు.
పోరగాల్లు బుగులుబడి అవుతలకు బోయిండ్రు. ఏమే నేను కత రాస్తున్న పోరగాల్లను అరల్రకు రానియ్యొద్దని ఒక్క తీర్గజెప్తి గదా'' అని ఇస్తారి లాసిగ ఒల్లిండు.
`` ఒంటపని జేస్తున్న. పొరగాల్లు ఎప్పుడొచ్చిండ్రో లాసిగ ఒల్లింది.
జెరసేపైనంక చాయ్‌ దెచ్చి ఇచ్చింది. ఇస్తారి చాయ్‌ దాగి కాయితాల ముంగట సకిలం ముకిలం ఏస్కోని గూసున్నడు. పెన్ను బట్టుకొని ఆలోన జెయ్యబట్టిండు ఛమక్‌మని గానికో ఐడియ ఒచ్చింది. పౌరన్‌ గాడు లేసి నిలబడ్డడు. తనబ్బి కాడ్కి బోయిండు. తనబ్బిలకెల్లి ఒక పాత పుస్తకం దీసిండు. జెట్ట జెట్ట కతరాసి పారేసిండు. రాసిన కతను ఒక పత్రికకు బంపిచ్చిండు.
నెల దినాలైనంక గా కత ఒక పత్రికల ఒచ్చింది. కత పత్రికలమరాంగానే ఇస్తారి గాలి బుగ్గ లెక్క ఉబ్బిండు. గా పత్రికలను చేత్ల బట్కోని దిరుక్కుంట పెద్ద రైటర్‌ లెక్క పోజిడ్వ బట్టిండు. ఎవలన్న ఒచ్చి నాకు సన్మానం జేస్తె బాగుండు అని అనుకోబట్టిండు. కత పత్రికల ఒచ్చినందుకు ఇస్తారి గాని పెండ్లాం కూడ బడె కుషైయ్యింది.
`` ఒదినే! నా మొగుడు రాసిన కత పత్రికల ఒచ్చింది'' అక్కా! గింతసదివిన వానే అని అనుకుంట వాడకట్టలున్న ఆడోలదరితోనని గామె ఇస్తారి గాడు రాసిన కతను సద్విపిచ్చింది. గంతే గాకుంట పసుబ్బొట్టుకు బిల్సింది.
కత పత్రికల ఒచ్చినందుకు ఇస్తారి వాడకట్టోలందరిని దావత్కు బిల్సిండు. గాని పెండ్లాం పాసెం ఒండింది. బిర్యాని జేసింది. అందరు బార్యాని దింటుండగా ఇస్తారి కత సద్వి ఇనిపిచ్చిండు. కత అంత ఇన్నంక కొందరు ``శాన బాగ రాసినవు'' అని ఇస్తారి గాన్ని మెచ్చుకున్నారు.
గింత మంచికత ఎన్నడు ఇనలేదు. సద్వలేదు అని కొందరు అన్నారు.
దావత్‌ అంత అయ్యింది. అందరు ఒస్తమని జెప్పి ఇండ్లకు బోబట్టిండ్రు. ఆకర్కి ఒక ముస్లాయిన ఇస్తారి గాని తాన్కి ఒచ్చిండు.
`నువు్వ సద్విన కత 1950ల డంక పత్రికల ఒచ్చిందిగదా. నీకెర లేదేమో, గాకతరాసింది నేనే అని గాయిన అన్నడు. ఏమన శాత గాక ఇస్తారి గాడు కింది మీదికయ్యిండని వేరే జెప్పాల్నా.

Who am I?

2008-05-02T23:39:00.000-07:00

There was this famous doctor.
He was seeing his patients patiently.
A lady entered his chamber.
Doctor in his own style showed her the stool meant for the patient to sit.
The lady did not sit.
She looked at the doctor with contempt and said " Do you know who I am?"
The doctor said" I really don't care. But, if you insist you can occupy two stools!"

Why blogs?

2008-04-28T22:39:00.000-07:00

An old lady came to All India Radio.
She wanted that her songs may be included in the daily morning devotional songs programme.
Some how, AIR had an unwritten rule that songs of living authors should not be broadcast.
This poor old lady, it looks, said that she has to die if she wanted her songs to be heard on Radio.
These are the days of Television.
Every one wants to appear on TV.
Even politicians dress up in their best clothes.
When radio was the attraction, it was a craze to be heard on radio.
That is all immaterial but, this old lady was asked why at all she writes songs.
Why write and pine that no one uses them?
She said that songs pour out by themselves. You need not make any effort to write a song.
That is what is creativity all about.
When print, radio, TV are the only media for pouring out your ideas, there is a limitation.
Enter Internet and the scene changed.
You can have your own web pages. You can have your own blog.
You need not even spend a lot to maintain them.
It is all free.
But the question is who is worried about what you bring there?
Who is visting your pages?
Interestingly I find that people look at what you have left on the net.
May not be in droves but people do come to your site and blog.
Then the problem is that you should have some thing there to attract people back again.
There are blogs and more blogs.
Not all are to your liking.
You have some tastes and likings.
You also dislike certain things.
The blog has to get it's identity.
I am struggling to do that, I mean make the blog have an identity.
My site has become popular because of material in Telugu is available there.
I dont want that to happen with my blog.
Only because of this feeling I was not adding any thing here.
Best is the enmy of good said Voltaire.
What should I bring here?

2008-02-09T00:25:00.000-08:00

Often talked off, never seen,

Ever coming , never been,

Daily looked for, never here

Still approaching, coming near

When it comes, it becomes today

There is another tomorrow,

always away!!

A pat on the back

2007-12-29T02:20:00.000-08:00

You do things because you like them that way.
How many people understand the matter?
In this world appreciation is one thing that is hard to come by.
I have been sincere in whatever I did.
I was also pushing myself into things that never were my business.
This has landed me in trouble some times.
Fewer were the times when some one eappreciated my role.
But, they work like a big booster to your morale.

All said and done, I have never looked forward to appreciation from any quarter.
I always am generous with my compliments to all, when they do even simple things.

There is this joke I always keep telling people when this matter comes to discussion.

There was this gentleman trying to teach his child the multiplication tables.
The boy was a little slow in picking them up.
He was asked to get the tables by heart.
It was painfuly slow progress.
One evening there was this session when the father was testing the boy.
He asked "How much is nine nines?"
The boy said " Seventy nine!"
Father started appreciating the boy saying " Very good, Good progress!" and all such things.
A gentleman who was witness to the evnt went mad.
He asked the father " Look! Your son is wrong. And, you are appreciating him instead of telling him the truth! What madness is this?"
The father coolly said " Look! Yesterday he said it was seventy seven. Today he is that much nearer to the right answer. Tomorrow he may tell the right answer. If I shout at him today, he may get disheartened and never learn anything!"

So, the moral of the story is, appreciate people even when they are wrong.
Give them a chance to improve!!

Can you do that?

2007-12-03T20:20:00.000-08:00

I really do not remember what I said, but, Joseph said, I have great sense of humor.
I do not think that I am all that humorous.

I had a friend named Surya Rao when in the university.
I clearly remember him walking along a tall friend ( Perahps Jagannath) near the mess.
I was walking towards them.
Surya Rao called me and said " Gopalam! When I am standing next to this man, does it not look like a Zero next to One?"
Do I have to tell that Surya rao was a Plump and fat man?

That is Surya Rao and his sense of humor was perhaps unparalelled.

We were all as usual sitting on the stairs in front of the hostel.
Surya Rao walked towards us. There was nothing peculiar about it.
But, unusually this man has tucked his shirt in, that day.
He never did that ever because he was a fat man.
No one said anything, lest they embarass him.
He walked past and looked back saying nonchallantly "Fault is not mine! It is the new belt!"
He said it in Telugu.
There was a movie those days with a similar sounding title.
We could not contain ourselves and laughed heartily along Surya Rao.

I wish wherever he is, my friend is equally happy as he was!

We will email you!

2007-11-19T02:49:00.000-08:00

Sastry is very good at these 0ne liners and repartees!

I was talking about my deafness!
I said my left ear is working only 10% and the right ear is also going deaf. It now is working 90% and very soon there will be a day when you people have to shout to make me listen something. I meant I will be totally deaf very soon!

Sastry very simply said," Don't worry! we will email you!"
It is a fact that we all have computers before us all day!

Sastry also told one more thing the other day!

We were talking the other day about the word, co-brother.
Then some people also call this relative a " Co-son-in-law"
He is the husband of your wife's sister.
Interestingly both the words are wrong!
The right word in English for this man is 'Brother-in-law! '
We think only the brother of your wife is a Brother-in-law!

Sastry then explained that anyone who becomes a relative because of the marriage is an 'in-law!'
He continued that after the marriage, all those earlier relatives who are related to you not beacuse of the marriage but otherwise will be 'out-laws!'
That is how, father and mother become out-laws accordingly!

How is that one?

All Yours!

2007-11-13T06:32:00.000-08:00

Sampath borrowed my pen.
He said it will give him luck! In what ? I never asked.
He returned the pen saying thanks.
I also said "Thanks".
And then narrated these two stories.

Swami and the richman.

There was this Swamiji or is it a Zen master?
And there was this rich man.
Rich man wanted to give some money to Swamiji. He took a bagfull of money and placed it at the feet of the Swami.
Swamiji kept quiet.
Richman waited for a while.
He waited further till he lost his patience.
Then he asked the Swmiji "What is this?"
Swamiji asked "What is what?"
"You do not even thank me!"
"For what?"
"For all this money! You don't even acknowledge the gift!"
Swamiji told "Yu ahve decided to give the money. I really do not need it. You have also decided that I will accept it! Now you ahve to thank me because I am accepting it! No question of my thanking you!"
Richman now knew what it is!
I told Sampath that my thanks is for returning the pen promptly.
He asked " Can I dare take it?"
" If you asy the pen is good. I may have to gift it to you" I said and narrated the second story.

Nizam of Hyderabad and King Kothi

Nizam of Hyderabad, perhaps the last one had a habit.
If he says something is good, he expects that thing to be gifted to him.
I really heard this from some elders that it could even be a woman.
There was another rich man by name Karimuddin Khan.
He constructed a palatial building.
Foolishly he invited the Nizam for the inauguration of the place.
Building was really good.
Nizam said this openly.
Karimuddin Khan acted as if he never heard it.
At the dinner Nizam once again said the place is very good.
KK acted as if he heard nothing.
There was a third time too.
KK could not escape this time and had to say " Aap ke nazar mein pesh!"
It meant "At your service!"
The structure now belonged to the Nizam.
But, there was a hitch.
The rich man got made windows and arches in color glass.
The letters KK were engraved in all those frames.
It stood for Karimuddin Khan.
Now the building no longer belonged to the Khan.
Some wise man suggested the building be named "King Kothi!"
That is the King Kothi building which now lodges a Hospital.

I really do not know, if this is true.
People more knowledgable should tell!

2007-11-09T02:05:00.000-08:00

Egos at Work
Managing a Co-worker's Superiority Complex

Egos – we all have them! They're part of what makes us want authority and status, and what gives us confidence. Egos drive our need to be recognized for our accomplishments. This is perfectly normal.

But what happens when someone's ego goes too far? You know the type: the colleague who will do just about anything to claim credit or gain power; the person who takes over every discussion and tries to grab the spotlight; or the team member who continually criticizes other people's ideas. These people are undermining the team's mission with their behavior.

Ego is at the root of many workplace issues. From poor communication to failed negotiation, to faulty decision making, ego can lay a dangerous path of destruction. The obnoxious and overbearing behavior that comes with it can damage creativity, undermine effective problem solving, cause stress, and adversely impact morale.

Many of us know how hard it is to work with – or for! – egotistic people. Unfortunately, there's a good chance you'll encounter this trait in a colleague, boss, or customer at some point in your career. After all, the competitive nature of the workplace can naturally cause people to look out for themselves. To protect yourself, you need to manage and contain these larger-than-life personalities.

But first, how do you know you're dealing with an oversized ego and not just a healthy dose of confidence and assertiveness? Watch for some of these common egotistical behaviors:

Wanting or demanding credit for every idea.
Using "I" and "me" (instead of "we" and "us") almost exclusively.
Dominating conversations and meetings.
Reminding others of their superiority or excellence (real or perceived).
Stopping others from expressing their ideas.
Rewarding those who support them (and perhaps punishing those who don't).
Bullying, or trying to exert power they don't really have.

Tip:

Do you recognize yourself in any of these behaviors? Do you feel you need to prove your worth all the time? A healthy ego is part of healthy self-esteem. But egotism can emerge when you feel your accomplishments don't measure up. If you have a habit of seeking outside approval and recognition, or if you try to control everything, this can be a sign that you don't believe you can control very much. For tips on building self-esteem and confidence, see our article on Building Self-Confidence.

Tip:

Be careful not to "kill the goose that lays the golden egg." You wouldn't be surprised if your star salesperson was just a bit egotistical. And your CEO may have a strong sense of the wisdom or his or her own views!

Do what you sensibly can to minimize the impact of egotism, but make sure that your actions are aligned with the interests of your organization.

OK, now you know how to recognize the signs of a big ego – but the people with out-of-control egos probably don't, so you're not likely to get them to change their behavior. Instead, focus on changing your reactions and communication style, and changing the work environment. Remember, the only one who can change the situation is you!

Changing Your Reactions and Communication Style

Try these strategies for communicating with people who have big egos.

Don't Let Them Bait You

It's tempting to fight back with an even bigger ego of your own. But you probably won't win that battle, and you can look bad in the process. If people insist on always being right, let them express themselves. In fact, let them exhaust themselves and run out of steam. Then, when they're finished puffing their feathers, state your points calmly and confidently.

This can be especially effective if the egotist is your boss or in a position of authority. You want to ease the situation, not make things worse. By remaining calm and listening to what the person has to say, you can avoid further conflict. Then you can come back to discuss the issue, later in the meeting or at another time.

Use Their Names

This is a subtle tactic that can really work. When you address people by their names, you take control and command their attention. When you speak to an egotist, use the person's first name as often as you sensibly can.

Assert Your Needs

Egotistic people can be bullies, but don't allow them to walk all over you. Establish your boundaries, and define what is and is not acceptable. Then make sure you follow up. Don't give an egocentric person any room to manipulate or dominate you.

If the egotist is your boss, this is critical. Clearly communicate what you need (support, resources, direction, feedback) to get the job done. When you make requests, talk about wanting to do your best and creating a great working relationship.

Tip:

If bullying is an issue, see our article on handling bullying in the workplace.

Speak Your Mind

People with big egos may not expect to be challenged. They can be so full of their self-importance that they don't think anyone could possibly oppose them. If you clearly state why you object to something, or if you make a solid counter-argument, you'll weaken the egotist's armor. However, don't go in for the kill or embarrass the person. Just reveal the weakness in the argument, and clear the way for your ideas to be heard.

Tip:

Depending on your relationship with the egotist, you may be able to offer constructive feedback to help the person understand the impact of his or her behavior. Be sensitive and compassionate, and remember that a big ego can be a sign of deeper personal insecurity.

Focus on the Team's Mission

Where the egotist's behavior is negatively affecting the team's mission, bring everyone's focus back onto the mission, and – subtly or otherwise – challenge the behavior in this context.

Changing the Work Environment

If you don't get results by changing your reactions and communication style, try to change the workplace itself. If you're a manager or supervisor, you may have this authority. Otherwise, you'll need your manager's support to make the necessary changes to promote workplace harmony.

Reduce the Emphasis on Workplace Competition

Ego tends to surface when someone's reward and recognition are tied to being better than the rest of the team. If you reward teamwork instead individual performance, you may reduce the incentive for egotistic behavior.

Force Cooperation

Put the egotist in situations where he or she must rely on a colleague's input and direction to perform successfully. The nature of working together tends to foster respect and understanding. It may force the egotistic person to realize the value of other people's contributions. Remember to provide adequate support to the people who are working with the egotist, since doing so may not be easy.

Minimize Team Involvement

This is a last resort, but if the egotistic behavior continues to cause problems, you may need to keep the person away from the team as much as possible. Delegate specific tasks that can be accomplished separately, and then include the egotist in team discussions only when necessary.

Key Points

Egotism in the workplace is common, and it can be very challenging for everyone involved. Whether the egotist is your team member or your boss, the person's arrogance and know-it-all attitude can harm morale and team spirit.

To protect yourself and the team, you need to first recognize the egotistic behavior for what it is. You then have two choices: to change the way you relate to the person, or to change the work environment. With either approach, use gentle reminders of what is and is not appropriate behavior; this can effectively plant the seeds of change. Eventually, the egotist should get the message….

Not you!

2007-11-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

There was this Puranam programme in the temple premises.
Puranam, if you do not know , is a programme of narrating stories from epics.
There were not many people to listen.
Those present also went away after few minutes of the programme.
There were only these two people left.
The Pundit who was narrating the story, passionately commented that these two are real devotees.
One of them told, it is not the story that is of hos interested.
The mat on which the Pundit is sitting belonged to him.
He is ther only because the mat is there, under him.

( This story in this form is known to many people.
Sastry garu, my good friend added a bit to it.)

Pundit asked the other man why he was still there.
The second msn said " I am not interested in you or your story! I am only looking for the man who commissioned you for this programme. I will settle my score with him!"

(Stories can be extended like this if we are imaginative)

Do it now!

2007-11-04T20:42:00.000-08:00

Yes, Do it now!

It is now or never.
Yesterday was a sunday.
We were all in a good mood perhaps.
Mother has returned from hospital.
Lot of cleaning happened.
During the course of some discussion I narrated couple of jokes to my wife.
We are usually a silent family.

These days we dont even laugh much.
For the jokes I told, all laughed.
They were some philosphical kind of jokes.
The kind that make you think.
Immediately I thought I should write them in the blog.
Computer was not on. I was doing somthing else.
So, I thought I will do it later.
Evening we went out.
Not exactly an outing, but for grocery shopping.
The trip became a big fiasco.
Even before we started, asked my wife whether the car will fail again.
She said she is using another car.

It would not fail.

We went some distance and came back to the usual shop.

Just before parking the car stopped. It wouldn't start again. My wife had call my brother who came with some petrol.

The car started. We did our shpping. We even bought and ate some chocolate.

Came home and did some usual kind of things and slept off.

This morning when I want to recollect the jokes that I wanted to include in the blog, I am just not able to remember.

This is only an example.

You may like some thing. You have to tell the matter then and there.

If you wait for an opportune moment, that may never come.

Even when you are unhappy about some thing, I used to tell then and there.

Many took it amiss.

I told, that if I wait till another time, the feeling may change.

I may rethink and water down the whole idea.

If you think of doing something, better do it then and there.

Wait, and the idea may disppear.

Even if it is ther, it may change, at least the intensity of it.

My wife decided that she will buy a new car.

She is buying one today.

How do you like it?

What do you see?

2007-10-28T23:32:00.000-07:00

What do you see?

A friend of mine narrated this recently.
There was a school where the test was conducted on the boys about their psychology.
They were shown two photographs.
In the first photo there was a man reading a book.
In the second one, a man was chopping wood.
Boys were asked to tell what they were doing.
The first boy who came said, the man who was reading was at work.
The other man cutting wood according to the boy was passing time.
Then a second boy came.
He said exactly what the first boy told.
According to this boy, the boy chopping wood was working for livelihood.
The man reading was at leisure.

Who of them is right?
Both of them were right in their own place.
First boys father was a teacher. Reading for him was a part of the work. When he finishes his reading, he may go for cutting some wood or doing some physical work that gives him some pleasure.

The second boy was the sun of a worker who does physical work for livelihood.
Reading for him is perhaps a far fetched activity.

There lies the difference.
You see what you are used to see.

Who is Happy?

2007-10-12T02:49:00.000-07:00

This story was in circulation in our circles for a long time.
They say, it is also used in a film recently.
Stories are not the sole property of any one.
The story goes like this.

There was this man trying to catch fish.
He was patiently waiting with his rod in the waters of the village tank.
There was this other man who came there, spread his upper cloth under the tree and started sleeping.
The man who was fishing got disturbed and started chiding the one who was trying to sleep.
He asked him, " Why sleep? You can also catch some fish!"
The other one asked "Why?"
" Because you can sell the fish and make some money"
"Then what?"
"Buy a lot of things!"
"Then what?"
" Cook and eat well!"
"Then what?"
" Sleep well!"
The man said " I am doing that same thing now! Why take so much trouble to sleep well?"

I really do not know what the answer he got was!
But there is a question here.
Who can sleep well?
The one who struggled for his meal and had it, or the one who is perhaps hungry?
A good friend of mine used to tell that even happiness is of two kinds.
One is devoid of any fear. The other is laced with fear.
You perhaps bought some food with borrowed money and are happy after eating.
Heart of hearts, you are really worried that you have to pay back the money.

HAPPINESS IS MATTER OF PERSONALITY, AM I RIGHT?

Lokabhiramam

Vemana 10

Vemana 9

వేమన 8

Vemana 7

Vemana

Vemana 6

Vemana 5

Vemana 4

Vemana 3

Vemana Satakam 2

Vemana Satakam

Transmission Loss

A friend wrote this!

Who am I?

Why blogs?

A pat on the back

Can you do that?

We will email you!

All Yours!

Egos at Work Managing a Co-worker's Superiority Complex

Changing Your Reactions and Communication Style

Key Points

Not you!

Do it now!

What do you see?

Who is Happy?

Egos at Work
Managing a Co-worker's Superiority Complex