Perfect Loss

-
I was reading Rabindranath Tagore's novel "The Home and The World", in which I read a line that captured my thoughts for quite sometime:
"Perfect gain is the best of all; but if it is impossible to achieve, then perfect loss is the next best thing."


I have seen life in the brightest lights
I have been through many wakeful nights
I have traveled across here and there
Like the aimless wind that blows everywhere
I have known what one's feeling is
To discover the world of Atlantis
And just when I was about to call
My friends I lost, I began to fall
To steepest valleys, darkest woods
Into the arms of the devil that broods
About love and lust and lovely death
And how it feels when one stops to breath.
I have known as many before me did
That perfect gain always is splendid
But when things go wrong and vile and gross
I seek, the next which is best, the perfect loss.

-Siddartha Pamulaparty
January 11, 2007

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

పోతన భాగవత మకరందాలు

-
Image
శా. కారే రాజులు రాజ్యముల్ గలుగవే గర్వోన్నతిం బొందరే వారేరీ సిరి మూటగట్టుకొని పోవంజాలిరే భూమిపైఁ బేరైనం గలదే శిబిప్రముఖులుం బ్రీతిన్ యశఃకాములై యీరే కోర్కులు వారలన్ మఱచిరే యిక్కాలమున్ భార్గవా! shA. kArE rAjulu rAjyamul galugavE garvOnnathiM boMdharE vArEree siri mootagattukoni pOvaMjAlirE bhoomipaiAO bErainM galadhE shibipramukhuluM breethin yashaHkAmulai yeerE kOrkulu vAralan maRachirE yikkAlamun bhArgavA! Context: This is a poem in the “ashtama skandam” of the Pothana’s Bhagavatham, where in the story of the Maha Vishnu in His “Vamana” avatara is told. Vamana goes to the great demon king Bali and asks him for three feet of space, as Bali is doing a great penance and is giving alms/charity to those who seek. Then, the intelligent guru of Bali, Shukracharya, warns Bali not to promise anything to this young Brahmin Vamana, as “He is none other than the great Vishnu, and He will destroy you if you give Him whatever He asks”. In reply, Bali, who is known for his great charitable nature, say
Read more

Gajendra Moksham - Part-2

-
Image
This is another poem from the epic of “Gajendramoksham”. When I was a kid, I couldn’t get the emotions behind this poem, but later on when I started thinking on my own, my eyes filled with tears whenever I read or heard this padyam. Of course I admit I am very emotional but I believe this poem will cause everyone a tinge of sorrow in their hearts at the plight of the elephant king and at the same filled with utmost devotion to the Ultimate Liberator, Sri Maha Vishnu. Context: The whole story of Gajendra Moksham is how the Elephant King gets “ moksham ”, the Telugu/Sanskrit word, the closest equivalent in English I can think of is absolute Liberation . The scene starts with the Elephant King leading his herd and moving across the thick forest towards the river for quenching their thirst. It is described very graciously that, as the herd moved, the Elephant King glowed with pride, and all the animals in the jungle get scared, as if the Earth shook during Pralaya, destruction of Universe
Read more

Rani Rudrama Devi--the great Warrior-Ruler of the Kakatiyas

-
Image
There would not be a single Telugu who has not read about or atleast heard about the great King of the Kakatiyas..Rudrama Devi (intentionally called a King). She ruled the Kingdom of the Kakatiyas, basing Warangal as the capital between 1261 AD to 1289 AD. Here are some interesting pieces from the Kakatiya History: 1) Ganapathi Deva Maharaju (1199-1261 AD), one of the most key Kakatiya rulers, gave a masculine name to his daughter Rudrama Devi, calling her "Rudra Deva", owing to her impeccable administrative abilities in performing royal duty. She was a revolutionary ruler. She wore her attire in a manner that resembled a man and sat on the throne during her rule. She encourgaed foreign visitors and messengers to visit the kingdom. (And this is when Marco Polo had visited this part of the country, on his way to China from Venice). In times of need, she took up the sword and fought in the battle-fields. 2) When Ganapathi Deva anticipated his last days, his heir was none other
Read more