Why are things so beautiful?

Earlier this week a colleague who went to Srilanka for deep sea diving, met me at my desk. He was so ecstatic about the deep sea creatures that were spotted during the dive, that he explained about them vividly for more than 20 mins. I listenened with awe about the yellow fishes with blue spots, the perfect orange stripes on silver fish, the purple anemones, the beautiful sea horses, etc. etc. I then asked him simply "Why do you think these creatures are so beautiful ?' He possibly thought that I didn't believe him.

But I was serious- Why are these creatures so beautiful ? that too at such depths in the sea.  Perfect strokes of artwork done in absolute leisure. Being a science student who represented Darwin's theories of evolution in school, this bugged me for a while - if 'beneficial mutation' prevailed - then these creatures would benefit from mulitple eyes, stronger gills and massive fins that would make them even more fitter for survival - but the need for the embossing of flawless, picture perfect, geometrically unblemished, pieces of art in multitude of colours?

Another unanswered question ....

We already have an unanswered question from my previous blog. Let's explore that one first...
This is not going to be easy and probably translating thoughts into meaningful communication without sounding cliched is going to take probably several blogs.

I was reading Mahatma Gandhi's quotes and felt one of them somewhat related to  the answer. We know him as an epitome of non-violence, and his life and works are taken up by scholars worldwide, however he was greatly influenced and intrigued by self - realisation and appeared to be guided by it.

quote
‘The reason why I let myself be totally absorbed in serving the community, was my wish for self realisation. … I felt God could only be reached through service. And service was for me to serve India, because I had the talent for it, and it came to me without me taking the initiative.’


‘What I wanted to achieve, what I have striven for and sought after these thirty years, is self realisation, ...... I live and act for this goal. Everything I do, through what I say and write, and my efforts in politics, is aimed at the same goal.’


‘People say I am a saint who has lost himself in politics. But in reality I am a politician who does my utmost to be a saint.’
unquote

Gandhi also commited to lead a simple life as probably he realised the unworthiness and emptiness of wordly matters - the riches, pleasure from the flamboyant posh villas,  bombastic parties, luxury cars etc.etc. etc. how much, how long and to what extent can these things bring in happiness?

So "what is this Service to Others" that Gandhi mentions? Is the Answer to our ubiquitous Question having a pointer here?

The context can be personalised - Ofcourse for the Mahatma it was the nation -
Each one of us can start somewhere isn't it - within our surroundings - our neighbours, our office colleagues, our train/ bus mates, friends... there are so many people we touch around us everyday in our day to day lives.
Let's try - Maybe we are going to feel much better and more satisfied....


Looking a Tamil literature again

Unnuvadu oru Naazi, Udupadho Naangu Mozam
Ennuvadho 80 Kodi

It is enough for a Man to eat once a day, wear 4 yards of cloth, but the Mind thinks of 80 crores (800 million) matters....

Ennadha Ennam Ellam Enni Enni Yezhai Manam
Punagi ponathu Porum Paraparamay

There is another classic tamil saying - The Mind thinks and chatters away to glory - it thinks about so many different things,  that it finally ends up becoming a huge raw wound - enough ! enough ! says the great poet Thaimaaanavar.


These fishes are really beautiful .. aren't they? Mike I was listening  .....

Cheers

What difference can I make?

There is a small song in Tamil that is seriously quite very funny ..... it has been adapted in movies recently and hence has become quite popular.

I'm not sure if its real meaning is popular though.

Nandavanthil Oru Aandhi Avan

Naalaaru maathamai Kuyanvanai Vendi

Kondu Vandha Oru Thondi

Adhai Koothadi Koothandi Pottudaithaandi

The outer (literal) meaning is regaled with humour - it means a poor man in a garden begged for a pot for ten months from a potter. After he managed to get the pot, he did not care about it, he did not use it's worth,  he played and danced so much with it that he utlimately broke it !

However there is an indepth meaning hidden behind the humourous disposition. It is about "Wasting life" or not putting life to its real use.

Lets decipher the song again with a slightly serious slant -

Nandavanam (or the garden) here means the Earth and Aandi refers to a person. As a person is born with nothing he is referred to being a "poor man". He comes into existence after a period of ten months (refer to Naalaru maathamain means 4+6 months). The point here is that human life is not easy to obtain  - the poet says it comes only after begging the potter (the Creator). The pot (life) can be used usefully or can be wasted away/ broken.

It is said that human existence is one of the best forms of existence, when compared to other existence forms (plants, trees, insects, animals - recall all the kingdoms / phylums that we studied in biology) - science and philiosophy both agree on one point here  - that - humans are the most advanced forms of existence.

Having obtained such an existence, what difference can we make?

There is this story about Alexander the Great,  Alexander seeked to reach and win the "ends of  the world and the Great outer sea", At one stage his kingdom spread from the Adriatic sea to the Indus river. He invaded as far as parts of India and it is said that he was one of the greater amasser of wealth. However illness struck him quite early in age and he could not execute further planned invasions. It is told that he realised the futility of all his conquests and his fame, when death seemed inevitable. He told his General that he wanted his coffin to be made in such a way that his hands would extend outside the coffin, and he should be carried with his palms outstretched. This, was to show the world, that he, Alexander, who had conquered many lands, but when his life ended, took away nothing with him. We come with nothing into this world, and so will we leave.

So if it is not fame or fortune that will matter, & life's impermanence is reaslised,  what are we worth at the end of it all?

I would like to finish with the following sentence that we can ponder upon:

"Kaadharantha Uusium Vaardhu Kaan" -  by another great Tamil saint Thaimaanavar,

"Even a needle whose eye is broken will not accompany you".

 

 Great are the people who emphasise great meaning in a humourous context.

I finish this blog, with unanswered questions asked -  lets reflect until we meet again.

Ciao