अब सौंप दिया इस जीवन का, सब भार तुम्हारे हाथों में

अब सौंप दिया इस जीवन का, सब भार तुम्हारे हाथों में, सब भार तुम्हारे हाथों में ।

है जीत तुम्हारे हाथों में, और हार तुम्हारे हाथों में, और हार तुम्हारे हाथों में॥

मेरा निश्चय बस एक यही, एक बार तुम्हे पा जाऊं मैं, एक बार तुम्हे पा जाऊं मैं।

अर्पण करदूँ दुनिया भर का सब प्यार तुम्हारे हाथों में, सब प्यार तुम्हारे हाथों में॥

जो जग में रहूँ तो ऐसे रहूँ, ज्यों जल में कमल का फूल रहे, ज्यों जल में कमल का फूल रहे।

मेरे सब गुण दोष समर्पित हों, भगवान तुम्हारे हाथों में, भगवान तुम्हारे हाथों में॥

यदि मानव का मुझे जनम मिले, तो तव चरणों का पुजारी बनूँ, तो तव चरणों का पुजारी बनूँ।

इस पूजक की एक एक रग का हो तार तुम्हारे हाथों में, हो तार तुम्हारे हाथों में॥ 

जप जब संसार का कैदी बनू, निष्काम भाव से करम करूँ, निष्काम भाव से करम करूँ।

फिर अंत समय में प्राण तजूं, निरंकार तुम्हारे हाथों में, निरंकार तुम्हारे हाथों में॥

मुझ में तुझ में बस भेद यही, मैं नर हूँ तुम नारायण हो, मैं नर हूँ तुम नारायण हो।

मैं हूँ संसार के हाथों में, संसार तुम्हारे हाथों में, संसार तुम्हारे हाथों में॥

अब सौंप दिया इस जीवन का, सब भार तुम्हारे हाथों में, सब भार तुम्हारे हाथों में ।

है जीत तुम्हारे हाथों में, और हार तुम्हारे हाथों में, और हार तुम्हारे हाथों में॥

 

The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr and Tony Shwartz

I just finished reading this actionable book called "The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal" by Jim Loehr and Tom Shwartz. The book is focused on the theme that managing energy, not the time is the key to high performance. To manage the energy the book suggests regular breaks or disengagement from work. The book recommends to take a break on each 90 to 120 minutes of activity. That's it. You've read the entire book. The pages of the book is filled with the description of authors' clients' experience on implementing the suggestions mentioned in the book.   

 

पुस्तक समीक्षा - समर लभ

धेरै बर्षअघि, सायद सन् २००८ मा, म युके को एकजना साथीसंग म्यासेन्जरमा च्याट गर्दै थिएँ. बिबाह त भएको थिएन तर उनि आफ्नो प्रेमीसंगै बस्दै आएकी थिईन्, जसलाई त्यहाँको समाजले सहज रुपमा लिने गर्दछ, जुन कुरा हाम्रो नेपाली समाजमा अहिले पनि अपाच्य नै छ. यसै प्रसंगमा कुराकानी हुदै जाँदा बिबाह अघिको शाररिक सम्बन्ध (premarital sex) का बिषयमा प्रवेश भयो. उनि भन्दैथिईन्, "तिम्रो समाजले बिबाह अघिको शाररिक सम्बन्धलाई स्वीकार्दैन किनभने सेक्सलाई पबित्रतासंग गाँसेर हेर्छ. मेरो बिचारमा सेक्स न त पबित्र क्रिया हो न अपवित्र."

हिजो मात्र मैले सुबिन भट्टराई द्वारा लिखित नेपाली उपन्यास "समर लभ" पढेर सिध्याएँ. यस उपन्यासको उत्तरार्धतिर दुई पात्रहरु बीच शाररिक सम्बन्धको प्रसंग छ, जसका बिषयमा ती पात्रहरुको धारणा माथि उल्लेखित मेरो साथीको विचारसंग मिल्दो-जुल्दो थियो. उनीहरुले शाररिक सम्बन्धलाई पबित्र वा अपवित्र, पाप वा धर्म, सुकर्म वा कुकर्म, प्रेम वा बास्ना जस्ता व्याख्याभन्दा अलग्गै अस्तित्वको क्रियाका रुपमा सहजताकासाथ स्वीकार गरेको देखिन्छ. उपन्यासको यौनप्रतिको यो उदारताका कारण पनि भर्खरै खुल्दै आएको नेपाली समाजका युवा बर्गले यस उपन्यासलाई अत्याधिक रुचाएको हुनुपर्छ भन्ने मेरो अनुमान छ. कथामा नयाँ नौलो बिषय केहि नभए पनि, प्रेम प्रसंगको वरिपरी घुमेको यस उपन्यासले समसामयिक सोच र जीवन शैलीलाई चित्रण गर्न सफल भएको छ. कलेज जीवन र कलेजमा हुने प्रेम प्रसंगलाई समसामयिक रुपमा प्रस्तुत गरिएकोछ. उपन्यासको अन्तिमतिर,  प्रेम वियोगबाट मूल पात्रको मानस पतलमा उत्पन्न भएका सम्बादहरुमा लेखकले आवस्यक भन्दा बढी शब्दहरु र पृष्ठहरु खर्चेको भान भयो.

अत्याधिक पाठकहरुले उपन्यासको अन्त्य खल्लो भएको प्रतिक्रिया जनाइरहंदा मलाई चाहि उपन्यासको पुरै कथा एकजना पात्रको कोणबाट बताइएको र अर्को पात्रको कोणलाई अधुरो नै छोडी अर्को sequel book का लागि थाँती राखी suspense मा कथा अन्त्य गरेको साह्रै मनपर्यो.

व्यक्तिगत रुपमा मलाई यो विधा (genre) का पुस्तकहरुमा खासै रुची लाग्दैन. तर पनि सर्वाधिक रुचाइएको उपन्यास भएका कारणले मैले यो उपन्यास पढेको हुँ . उपन्यास सारै सरल र समसामयिक भाषामा लेखिएको छ. हलुका साहित्यमा रुची हुने बिशेषत: भर्खरका युवाहरुलाई यो उपन्यास राम्रो लाग्न सक्दछ. साहित्यको गहिराइमा डुब्न चाहने वजनदार साहित्यमा रुची हुने पाठकहरुलाई भने यो उपन्यास फिक्का लाग्न सक्छ. संसारमा सबै कुरा सबैलाई कहाँ मनपर्छ र ? जे होश यो उपन्यास रुचाउने पाठकहरुले यसको sequel उपन्यास "साया" अवश्य पढ्नेछन् .

अन्तमा, यस उपन्यासको नाम "समर लभ" चाहि किन रह्यो भन्ने मैले बुझ्न सकिन .        

The Ocean

A little wave was bobbing along in the ocean, having a grand time. It was enjoying the wind and the fresh air until it noticed the other waves in front crashing against the shore.

"My God, this is terrible," the wave said. "Look what's going to happen to me?"

Then came along another wave. It saw the first wave, looking grim, it asked, "Why do you look so sad?"

The first wave replied, "We're all going to crash! All of us waves are going to be nothing. Isn't it terrible?"

The second wave said, "No, you don't understand. Actually, you're not a wave, you're a part of the ocean. You are the ocean."

The Wolf and the Lion

Roaming by the mountainside at sundown, a Wolf saw his own shadow become greatly extended and magnified, and he said to himself, “Why should I, being of such an immense size and extending nearly an acre in length, be afraid of the Lion? Ought I not to be acknowledged as King of all the collected beasts?’ While he was indulging in these proud thoughts, a Lion fell upon him and killed him. 

Moral: Overestimating self might be destructive.

-Aesop's fable

मधुशाला

मुसलमान औ' हिन्दू है दो, एक मगर उनका प्याला, 

एक मगर उनका मदिरालय, एक मगर उनकी हाला, 

दोनों रहते एक न जब तक मस्जिद मन्दिर में जाते, 

बैर बढ़ाते मस्जिद मन्दिर मेल कराती मधुशाला!

- हरिवंश राय बच्चन 

Helping the World

Once there was a monk who lived up in the mountains. One day a young seeker came to meet him in search of wisdom. 

The young seeker asked, "Why do you spend your time meditating? Should not our duty be to help people by doing charitable work for the betterment of the world?"

The monk questioned, "What is the meaning of the world?"

The young man thought for some time and said, "I think the world means everything around us."

The monk then explained, "The world is such a vague term. The world is made not only of people but animals, insects, plants, water, air, soil and many things which are beyond our senses. You can never help the world because the world is enormous and you are just a microscopic part of this vast universe. People are always entangled in their own ego-boosting game. Whatever you do, if you are not doing it with the awareness of the impermanence of your act and the world, you are just playing with your ego. It does not matter if it's the act of charity or the act of cruelty."

-Rajendra

The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox

Once the mighty king of the forest, the lion fell ill and could not recover for a long time. The lion was attended by a wolf and a fox. For some reason, the fox was absent for a few days. When the fox was back, he overheard the wolf saying to the lion, "Your majesty, the fox is planning to overthrow your regime. He has not been here because he is planning for the treason."

The fox appeared before the lion and said, "Your majesty, I was really worried about your health. So, I've been travelling far and wide to consult with the best physicians. Now, I am glad that I know the cure to your illness. The physician said you need to be wrapped with the pelt of a freshly killed wolf."

The lion then pounced at the wolf and killed it at once.   

Moral: Conspiracy begets conspiracy.

Based on Aesop's fable

The Mountain And The Squirrel

The mountain and the squirrel
Had a quarrel,
And the former called the latter
"Little prig."
Bun replied,
"You are doubtless very big;
But all sorts of things and weather
Must be taken in together
To make up a year
And a sphere.
And I think it no disgrace
To occupy my place.
If I'm not so large as you,
You are not so small as I,
And not half so spry:
I'll not deny you make
A very pretty squirrel track.
Talents differ; all is well and wisely put;
If I cannot carry forests on my back,
Neither can you crack a nut."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Sun and The Wind

The wind always boasted of his mighty strength. The wind was of the view that fierceness, might, and strength always wins over gentleness. But the sun argued that gentleness and kindness are more important to get things done. The debate heated up. The wind challenged the sun for a test. 

A man was walking on a road. The wind said, "You try with your gentleness and I will use my strength to make that man take off his coat. Do you agree to test?"  

The sun consented. Then the wind began to blow the air with all its might. As the wind blew, the man who was walking grabbed his coat. The more the wind became fierce, the tighter was the grip on the coat. The wind blew with all its might causing a fierce storm. But, the man grabbed the coat even tighter. After a long effort, the wind got tired and gave up.

Now it was the sun's turn. The sun gently smiled. As the sun got brighter, the man felt hot and he took off his coat.

Moral: More things are accomplished with gentleness and kindness than strength and force. 

-Based on Aesop's fable

The Third Force

A myrmecologist said, "If you put 100 red ant and 100 black ants in a jar, nothing will happen. They will co-exist in harmony. But if someone shakes the jar violently, and puts the ants on a table, they start attacking each other and kill each other. The black ants think the red ones caused the tremble and the red ants think the black ones are responsible. They don't realize that the trembling is caused by the third force."

The above statement holds true for all human relations as well. Next time when you are about to have a conflict with someone, think first if there exists a third force. 

तेस्रो शक्ति 

एकजना कमिलासम्बन्धी अनुसन्धानकर्ताले भनेका थिए, "१०० वटा कालो कमिला र १०० वटा रातो कमिला एकै भाडोमा राख्दा केहि हुदैन. ती कमिलाहरु मिलेर बस्छन्. तर त्यस भाडालाई बेस्सरी हल्लाएर ती कमिलाहरुलाई टेबलमा छोडिदियो भने एक-अर्कासंग झगडा गर्न थाल्छन् र एकले अर्कालाई मार्छन्.काला कमिलाहरुलाई लाग्छ राता कमिलाले गर्दा त्यो कम्पन भएको हो र राता कमिलाहरुलाई लाग्छ त्यो कम्पनको कारण सेता कमिला हुन्. बास्तवमा त्यस कम्पनको दोषी तेस्रो शक्ति हो भन्ने उनीहरुले थाहा नै पाउदैनन . "

माथिको भनाई मानव सम्बन्धमा पनि लागू हुन्छ. अर्कोपल्ट कसैसंग मनमुटाब हुनलाग्दा सोच्ने गरौँ कतै यो द्वन्दको कारण कुनै तेस्रो शक्ति त होइन. 

Leadership

Alexander the Great led a forced march across a hot and desolate plain. On the eleventh day, he and all the soldiers still with him were near death from thirst. Alexander pressed on. At midday two scouts brought him what little water they had been able to find - it hardly filled the bottom of the helmet. Their throats burning, Alexander's men stood back and watched him enviously. Alexander did not hesitate. He turned the helmet over and poured the water on the hot sand at his feet. Then he said, "It's of no use for one to drink when others are thirst." They desperately needed water - plenty of it. Alexander gave his men the only thing he had - inspiration. 

Leadership is not only about teaching but by living the way of a leader.

The Fowler and The Viper

A fowler, taking his bird-lime and his twigs, went out to catch birds. Seeing a thrush sitting upon a tree, he wished to take it, and fitting his twigs to a proper length, watched intently, having his whole thoughts directed towards the sky. While thus looking upwards, he unknowingly stepped upon a viper asleep just before his feet. The viper, turning about, stung him, and falling into a swoon, the man said to himself, “Woe is me! that while I purposed to hunt another, I am myself fallen unawares into the snare of death.”

-Based on Aesop's Fable

The Last Hurdle

When Mahavir left this world, Gautam, his closest disciple, was out of the town. On returning, Gautam was informed that Mahavir has passed away. All his life Gautam was near Mahavir, but he was not there at the last moment of Mahavir's life. He felt he was very unfortunate. He began to cry and said, "I didn't attain nirvana (salvation) while He (Mahavir) was alive. How do I attain nirvana now?" He then asked, "Did he leave any message for me?"

"Yes, Mahavir's last message was - Gautam, you have renounced everything. When will you renounce me?"

It is said that Gautam attained nirvana at that very moment.

 

A Town Mouse once visited a relative who lived in the country. For lunch, the Country Mouse served wheat stalks, roots, and acorns, with a dash of cold water for a drink. The Town Mouse ate very sparingly, nibbling a little of this and a little of that, and by her manner making it very plain that she ate the simple food only to be polite.

After the meal the friends had a long talk, or rather the Town Mouse talked about her life in the city while the Country Mouse listened. They then went to bed in a cozy nest in the hedgerow and slept in quiet and comfort until morning. In her sleep, the Country Mouse dreamed she was a Town Mouse with all the luxuries and delights of city life that her friend had described for her. So the next day when the Town Mouse asked the Country Mouse to go home with her to the city, she gladly said yes.

When they reached the mansion in which the Town Mouse lived, they found on the table in the dining room the leavings of a very fine banquet. There were sweetmeats and jellies, pastries, delicious cheeses, indeed, the most tempting foods that a Mouse can imagine. But just as the Country Mouse was about to nibble a dainty bit of pastry, she heard a Cat mew loudly and scratch at the door. In great fear the Mice scurried to a hiding place, where they lay quite still for a long time, hardly daring to breathe. When at last they ventured back to the feast, the door opened suddenly and in came the servants to clear the table, followed by the House Dog.

The Country Mouse stopped in the Town Mouse's den only long enough to pick up her carpetbag and umbrella.

"You may have luxuries and dainties that I have not," she said as she hurried away, "but I prefer my plain food and simple life in the country with the peace and security that go with it."

-based on Aesop's Fable