The Past of the Present is in the Future of the Now

मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कार चित्तानि नाहं न च श्रोत्रजिह्वे न च घ्राणनेत्रे । न च व्योम भूमिर्न तेजो न वायुः चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥१॥ manobuddhyahaṅkāra cittāni nāhaṃ na ca śrotrajihve na ca ghrāṇanetre . na ca vyoma bhūmirna tejo na vāyuḥ cidānandarūpaḥ śivo’ham śivo’ham ||1|| Neither am I the mind nor intelligence or ego, Neither am I the organs of hearing (ears), nor that of tasting (tongue), smelling (nose) or seeing (eyes), Neither am I the sky, nor the earth, neither the fire nor the air, I am Shiva, the supreme auspiciousness of the nature of consciousness-bliss. I am (Shiva) the auspiciousness. न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुः न वा सप्तधातुः न वा पञ्चकोशः । न वाक्पाणिपादं न चोपस्थपायु चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥२॥ na ca prāṇasaṃjño na vai pañcavāyuḥ na vā saptadhātuḥ na vā pañcakośaḥ . na vākpāṇipādaṃ na copasthapāyu cidānandarūpaḥ śivo’ham śivo’ham ||2|| Neither am I the vital breath, nor the five vital air, Neither am I the seven ingredients (of the body), nor t...

“Some men chase glory. Some men become it.” Firstly, why I chose to write the blog. Well, I love to write on inspiring stories and what better subject than Brig Pathak, to be inspired by.  In my unit, on commission, there were many officers who inspired me. But, honestly I was in awe of two. One of course is Gen Ajai and then there is Brig Pathak. Each officer has shaped me differently. While I can write 100 such blogs on the many who carved me out in my early career but today it’s about Brig Pathak.  I did some staff work. Hunted around and got in touch with NDA. The Col A, Sqn Cdrs etc. I even tried to coax him into sharing some anecdotes but he is too shy and left it to me. You all know my love for writing blogs. So here it is. My humble tribute to him.  Among the many who passed through the hallowed corridors of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Cadet Ashok Pathak stood apart. Not because he demanded attention but because excellence followed him naturally. The ...

We tend to avoid talking about death; as if ignoring it makes it go away. But death happens to everyone, everywhere, whether we acknowledge it or not. The fact that death is a universal experience - the only certainty life gives us is not morbid, it’s liberating. Yet, each one thinks that somehow death doesn’t apply to them. It’s for others.   The Taboo of Death Death feels awkward to talk about, so it becomes taboo. But not facing the reality of death leaves a quiet emptiness in our lives. When we treat death as an abstract idea, we risk drifting through life without intention, without appreciation, without depth. Without an adequate preparation for it.  Death as a Teacher Imagine for a moment your own funeral.  Who would be there, what would they say, what memories would matter most? How many will remember you and for how long? Month? Year Two years? This isn’t meant to be depressing. It’s reflective. When you hold your mortality in your awareness, it sharpens what...

  A Slow Unfolding of Sri Lanka : 27 January – 4 February 2026 Day 1 | Delhi to Colombo – The First Breath of the Island Every journey begins long before the flight takes off. Ours began in the quiet hours of the morning, when Delhi was still yawning. As Sri Lankan Airlines lifted us into the sky, there was a subtle shift from urgency to more towards surrender. I have undertaken many journeys before. Again, this time, too, I was not sure if peace and surrender could ever be achieved. Colombo welcomed us with warmth. Ranjith, our guide, was there with his team and garlands. Palms swayed lazily, the air carried a salt-kissed softness and time(mind) immediately seemed to loosen its grip. The drive to the hotel was smooth. The city was clean, the skies were blue and the AQI was teasingly friendly. The rest of the day was intentionally left unplanned which was a wise decision. Travel, like meditation, needs space. We rested, observed and let Sri Lanka gently introduce herself. Towards t...