Marriage Prayer

Dear Wife.... 
Here is my humble prayer at the Divine Lotus Feet seeking blessings

May the Lord fill our marriage with memories to treasure
May we walk this path of faith and trust too deep to measure
May this Marriage bond us in body and mind
May we be blessed to appreciate the miracles we find
May the Romance and compassion carry this wedlock along
May the respect and acceptance make this bond so strong,
That Even if the torrential rains in our heads keep on falling
Together forever, we shall keep on shining

Moments

Life is not the amount of breaths you take , it's about those moments that take your breath away

It was a bright sunny Sunday afternoon. I was at my native. I was treated  with a very sumptuous lunch. Now, that I had such a satisfying meal, my sole purpose  seemed to transform myself from pleasantly plump to horizontally challenged and thus I found myself focused on mastering my favourite asana, shavasana..... However, you see I have these two so called "little cute nephews" who had a firm conviction that their chachu is not a corporate banker with a typical uncle waala nature but he is their classmate who shares similar naughty attitude. They pulled me right out of the bed into the comforts of the open space outside the house. I was tasked with the most important duty of converting the open space into a cricket ground...well thanks to my talent of managing everything..I was able to set up cricket pitch with stumps etc...in no time I found that the retired Sachin in me was out coaching the little tots....Well, while I was busy gloating in my achievements as an expert coach, the younger nephew threw a bouncer statement..." Instead of yapping so much, why don't you pick the bat and show me how it's done ?"
Man!!!!...kuch bhi karne ka lekin Ashish ka ego ko nahi jagane ka...
I drew up my lungi and tied it around the knees (the scene was straight out from a South Indian action scene) ...and picked up the bat...elder nephew was ready to charge towards me like Shoaib Akhtar...younger nephew taking his stance behind the wicket....my bhabhiji was watching from the stands with hands on the forehead indicating to me "Ashish,  what trouble have u put yourself into..I would have simply made a good cup of coffee and u could have watched the kids play themselves "....
The ball was thrown towards me and the next moment I realise that the MS Dhoni in me has taken over and I hit the ball so hard, high and long that it hit the coconut tree atleast 50 metres away and bounced back straight to the bowler....younger nephew who seemed least impressed with the feat challenged me saying let's see if you can hit the next ball also in the same fashion...Lo and Behold, the scene repeated.... everyone's reaction was priceless...elder nephew was shell shocked and held the ball in awe.....younger fellow was jumping in joy running around me in a celebratory fashion... and Bhabhiji was rolling in laughter....That moment was unfathomable.... it was ..effable....that spark of joy on my nephew's face...those emotions can never be explained!! Well, it took my breath away...

Life is not the amount of breaths you take , it's about those moments that take your breath away

Nishkama Karma & Prayer

A mother knows only one thing i.e. Nishkama Karma.  Her entire day is filled with selfless action. Her morning prayers are for her family’s well-being. Her activities throughout the day are for her family. Her worries, her concerns, her cries, her joys ..Everything rotates and revolves around her family. Why do you think she is able to do this? It is only because she is wired to permeate love, pure pristine love. Her day starts with love, is filled with love and ends with love. Do I, her child deserve it? If I could only replicate and spread even an iota of that Love to my surroundings, to my fellow beings!!!

A story from the Mahabharatha portrays the concept of Nishkama karma succinctly.

On an occasion, during the Sankranti festival celebrations , Krishna was partaking of the freshly harvested sugarcane offered to Him by the Gopis. Fortunately or unfortunately, there were no machines then to squeeze the juice. Hence, Krishna had to cut it. While doing so, He inadvertently cut his little finger. Seeing blood on His finger, Sathyabhama, in her characteristic ego, ordered the Gopis to go inside the house and fetch some cloth to bandage the finger. Draupadi who was also there, however, out of her love and concern for Krishna, immediately tore off a piece of cloth from the end of her sari and bandaged the Lord’s finger. Now, that was Nishakama Seva. Years later, when Dussasana brought Droupadi to the court of the Kauravas with the intention of humiliating her in public, she appealed to Krishna for help and Lo & behold, the Lord was there to protect her. What an example for the world to follow!!

The other day, while talking to my fiancée over the phone, she mentioned that her goal in life is to bring smiles in maximum people’s lives!!! I was flabbergasted!! Yes, such pure souls do exist…It is these souls that will bring back Rama Rajya.. will revive the Golden Days

In these difficult times, can I replicate Draupadi and serve the Krishna present in all living beings? Something to ponder and act upon!!!

Fresh Chapter of my Life

A New Beginning is here
Void of any fear

The Sun shone bright
enlightening our lives with all it's might

The cool breeze whistled past my cheeks
Fresh blood of joy is what my heart seeks

The moon smiled and the stars winked back
Why didn't I meet you a few years back

It's better late than never
Atleast now I get to call you "My Dear"

I did everything I could
I did everything I thought I should

I closed my eyes so I could see
But in that moment of darkness I could not breathe

I screamed until I had no voice 
I screamed and then I had no choice 

Signs along the road are hard to see
But it's not that tough to set myself free

I did everything I could
I did everything I thought I should

Whilst the evening shadows and stars appear
And you feel that there's none to dry your tear

You may pause but must not  hesitate
You may tremble but must note vacillate

Why do you hold on to your fears
When you know HE will hold you for a million years

Oh Lord! Let me suck the nectar of Your love like a bee
Such that I get to fly around wild and free
                                         
                                                - Ashish Bhat

journey of life

In this voyage of Life ,
As I wade through the strife...

All through those cries of vexation,
All through those trials and tribulation
Why do I fail to take a moment in cogitation?

At that moment of desperation
I only seek this invocation

Oh Lord, I beseech thee to bless me to witness Your miracle
Such that Your bountiful Grace is all I get to marvel

Let me praise thy name O Lord
As that is the only offering that I can afford