DON’T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER

DON’T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER

INTENTION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A TOOL

A Mulla Nasrudin Teaching Story

by

VIKRAM KARVE

I don’t know why, but suddenly I thought of telling you one of may favorite “Wisdom Tales” today 

Sometimes, in our over enthusiasm, we tend to go overboard in our actions, and land up throwing out the baby with the bathwater, which may prove counterproductive in the long run.  

Maybe, we  need to read this apocryphal Mulla Nasrudin teaching story which drives home the point that the intention is more important than a mere tool ...  

Mulla Nasrudin bought a knife and was walking home admiring its blade when he was promptly arrested by a policeman.

“What for are you arresting me?” asked a bewildered Nasrudin.

“Intent to commit murder,” said the policeman “You are carrying a tool of murder on your person”.

Suddenly, Mulla Nasrudin pointed towards a distinguished looking old man and shouted to the policeman, “Arrest that man immediately...!”

“What for?” asked the surprised policeman.

“Intent to commit rape,” said Nasrudin, “He is carrying the tool of …”

“Enough…” interrupted the cop. He set Nasrudin free and both of them departed laughing.     

Have a laugh. And after you have finished laughing, think about it and tell us the moral of this story and why do you think it is relevant today. 

And please read the next story I am posting on my blog - this wisdom tale too has a similar moral which I feel is relevant in the today’s context.

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like this story?
I am sure you will like the stories in my recently published book COCKTAIL comprising twenty seven short stories about relationships. To order the book please click the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html

COCKTAIL ebook
If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the link below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Adventures Book APPETITE FOR A STROLL

http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-8190690094/p/itmdyv7tdkhzn9vm?pid=9788190690096 
About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and he is currently working on his novel. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts. 

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com        

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

   

The End of Encyclopedia Britannica

The End of Encyclopedia Britannica 


I am sure you have referred to Encyclopedia Britannica. 


In fact, Encyclopedia Britannica was a must on the bookshelves of every library, big or small, academic or personal. 


f you wanted any information you looked in Encyclopedia Britannica. That is what I did for so many years, so I had to have a set of Encyclopedia Britannica within easy reach


The advent of the internet changed all that. Gradually, as search engines improved, I began searching more and more on internet and I realized I was consulting Encyclopedia Britannica  lesser and lesser. The younger generation has probably not even heard of Encyclopedia Britannica and are more conversant with Google and Wikipedia which they use for searching for information or knowledge.


Finally, the sad day has come. After 244 years, the publishers of Encyclopedia Britannica has decided to stop printing the multi-volume set of the encyclopedia, a new edition of which is published and printed every two years. The 32-volume set printed in 2010 will be its last paper version of Encyclopedia Britannica.


The Death of the Printed Book seems near.


Click the link below to read the news item.


http://money.cnn.com/2012/03/13/technology/encyclopedia-britannica-books/index.htm?source=cnn_bin 


A Sad Day, isn't it?


But one thing is sure. Encyclopedia Britannica was a reliable repository of information. I wonder how reliable the various internet sources of information like Wikipedia and other internet websites which show up in Google search are?


Good Bye, Encyclopedia Britannica.

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - THE REAL WORLD AND THE VIRTUAL WORLD

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

THE REAL WORLD AND THE VIRTUAL WORLD

Food for Thought

By

VIKRAM KARVE

 

Thanks to the advent of the internet, we have the opportunity to live in two worlds, the real world and the virtual world. 

We can also have two identities, one online identity in cyberspace and of course our real-world offline identity. 

We can maintain two lives, one in real space and one in cyberspace, and have two kinds of relationships, virtual relationships and real relationships and two kinds of friends too - offline friends and online friends.  

 

Internet is a great tool for social networking and it enables us to live two lives and enjoy the benefits of instant interaction and friendships across the globe and facilitates us to enjoy the best of both worlds.

 

It is good to have the best of both worlds, the real and the virtual, as long as you maintain a balance. Yes, like you have work life balance, you also must have a real-world virtual-world balance in order to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Here is one of my favourite Mulla Nasrudin stories which exemplifies this aspect:

Mulla Nasrudin bought a beautiful house at a picturesque place far away from civilization high up in the hills. 

From time to time he would suddenly pack his bags, leave the city, and go away to his house in the hills, disappearing for days, sometimes for weeks, sometimes for months.

And just as suddenly as he used to disappear, he used to unpredictably return back to the city, suddenly, without any warning or notice. 

When asked the reason for his erratic and whimsical behaviour, Nasrudin explained:   

“I have kept a caretaker woman up there in the hills to look after my house. She is the ugliest woman - horrible, repulsive, hideous, and nauseating. Just one look at her and one feels like vomiting.  

When I go to live there, at first she looks horrible. But slowly, slowly, after a few lonely days, she is not so horrible. Then after some more desolate forlorn days, she doesn’t seem that undesirable. And as more and more time passes in lonesome seclusion, a day comes when I start seeing some beauty in her. 

The day I start seeing beauty in that horrid woman I know that it is time to escape from my virtual world in the hills.

The day I start getting attracted to the hideous woman means enough is enough – I have lived away from the real world for too long - now even this horrible revolting woman has started looking beautiful.  

I may even fall in love with this ghastly ugly repugnant woman - that's dangerous. 

Enough is Enough... Enough of the virtual world... it is time to get back to the real world... 

So I pack up my things and rush back to the city.” 

Dear Reader: 

 

Has your Virtual World, your cyber space, your second life, started looking a bit too “beautiful”…?  

 

Are you spending more time in cyberspace, social networking and interacting with your virtual friends, rather than having face to face interactions and communication with your immediate flesh and blood friends in real space?

 

Is there an imbalance? Are your virtual relationships overwhelming and taking precedence over your real relationships? 

 

Are you losing touch with reality?

 

Maybe it is time for you to return back to the Real World, isn't it...? 

 

Of course, when you get saturated and bored spending too much time in the real world, feel suffocated with relationships in the Real World, you can always go back to the virtual world, your alter ego, and enjoy the best of both worlds, alternating and switching over between both your lives, online and offline, just like Mulla Nasrudin does between the city and the hill-station! 

 

Social Networking gives you a lot of pleasure and satisfaction and internet a great tool for building relationships. It is good to have the best of both worlds, the real and the virtual, as long as you maintain a balance living your life in real space and cyber space.

Close your eyes and reflect - which world do you live in?

Think about it - isn't it time you logged off your social networking site, switched off your laptop, stopped surfing on your mobile cell phone and returned to the real world from the virtual world - from cyberspace to the true space.

 

Good Bye, my virtual-world friend, I am going back to the real world to meet my real-world friends! Why don't you too? Take Care.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2011

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like this blog post?

I am sure you will like the 27 short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html

COCKTAIL ebook

If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com      
vikramkarve@gmail.com

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

BEAUTY - Real and Virtual

Teaching stories have a special quality. If read in a certain kind of way they produce spiritual growth. There are three ways to read teaching stories:-

•      Read the story once. Then move on to another. This manner of reading will give you entertainment; maybe produce a laugh, like a joke. 

•      Read the story twice. Reflect on it. Apply it to your life. That will give you a taste of theology. 

•      Read the story again, after you have reflected on it. Carry the story around in your mind all day and allow its fragrance, its melody to haunt you. Create a silence within you and let the story reveal to you its inner depth and meaning. Let it speak to your heart, not to your brain. This will give you a feel for the mystical and you will develop the art of tasting and feeling the inner meaning of such stories to the point that they transform you. 

Read on, Dear Reader, read this teaching story BEAUTY and transform yourself:

BEAUTY 

Nasrudin bought an old haunted house [a “Bhoot Bangla”] at a desolate place in a nearby hill-station.

From time to time he would suddenly pack his bags, leave the city, and go away to his house in the hill station, disappearing for days, sometimes for weeks, sometimes for months. And just as suddenly as he used to disappear, he used to unpredictably return back to the city, suddenly, without any warning or notice. 

When asked the reason for his erratic and whimsical behavior, Nasrudin explained: 

“I have kept a caretaker woman up there in the hills to look after my house. She is the ugliest woman - horrible, repulsive, hideous, nauseating. Just one look at her and one feels like vomiting. 

When I go to live there, at first she looks horrible. But slowly, slowly, after a few lonely days, she is not so horrible. Then after some more desolate forlorn days, she doesn’t seem that undesirable. And as more and more time passes in lonesome seclusion, a day comes when I start seeing some beauty in her. 

The day I start seeing beauty in that horrid woman I escape from the hill-station, because that means enough is enough – I have lived away from the real world for too long - now even this horrible revolting woman has started looking beautiful!  I may even fall in love with this ghastly ugly repugnant woman - that's dangerous. 

So I pack up my things and rush back to the city.”

Think about it, reflect - isn't it time you logged off your social networking site, switched off your laptop and returned to the real world from the virtual world - to true space from cyberspace.




VIKRAM KARVE

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like reading this story?
I am sure you will like the 27 stories in COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html
COCKTAIL ebook
If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 14 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
vikramkarve@gmail.com

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

WHICH WORLD DO YOU LIVE IN ?

WHICH WORLD DO YOU LIVE IN ?

By

VIKRAM KARVE

 

Thanks to the advent of the internet, now-a-days, we have the opportunity to live in two worlds, the real world and the virtual world, and have two identities, online and offline, maintain two lives, one in real space and one in cyberspace, and have two kinds of friends, even relationships, virtual and real, offline and online.  

 

Internet is a great tool for social networking and it enables us to live two lives and enjoy the benefits of instant interaction and friendships across the globe and facilitates us to enjoy the best of both worlds.

 

It is good to have the best of both worlds, the real and the virtual, as long as you maintain a balance. 

Here is one of my favourite Mulla Nasrudin stories which exemplifies this

Mulla Nasrudin bought a beautiful house at a picturesque place far away from civilization high up in the hills. 

From time to time he would suddenly pack his bags, leave the city, and go away to his house in the hills, disappearing for days, sometimes for weeks, sometimes for months.

And just as suddenly as he used to disappear, he used to unpredictably return back to the city, suddenly, without any warning or notice. 

When asked the reason for his erratic and whimsical behaviour, Nasrudin explained:   

“I have kept a caretaker woman up there in the hills to look after my house. She is the ugliest woman - horrible, repulsive, hideous, and nauseating. Just one look at her and one feels like vomiting.  

When I go to live there, at first she looks horrible. But slowly, slowly, after a few lonely days, she is not so horrible. Then after some more desolate forlorn days, she doesn’t seem that undesirable. And as more and more time passes in lonesome seclusion, a day comes when I start seeing some beauty in her. 

The day I start seeing beauty in that horrid woman I know that it is time to escape from my virtual world in the hills.

The day I start getting attracted to the hideous woman means enough is enough – I have lived away from the real world for too long - now even this horrible revolting woman has started looking beautiful.  

I may even fall in love with this ghastly ugly repugnant woman - that's dangerous. 

Enough is Enough... Enough of the virtual world... it is time to get back to the real world... 

So I pack up my things and rush back to the city.” 

Dear Reader: 

 

Has your Virtual World, your cyber space, your second life, started looking a bit too “beautiful”…?  

 

Are you spending more time in cyberspace, social networking and interacting with your virtual friends, rather than having face to face interactions and communication with your immediate flesh and blood friends in real space?

 

Is there an imbalance? Are your virtual relationships overwhelming and taking precedence over your real relationships? 

 

Are you losing touch with reality?

 

Maybe it is time for you to return back to the Real World, isn't it...? 

 

Of course, when you get saturated and bored spending too much time in the real world, feel suffocated with relationships in the Real World, you can always go back to the virtual world, your alter ego, and enjoy the best of both worlds, alternating and switching over between both your lives, online and offline, just like Mulla Nasrudin does between the city and the hill-station! 

 

Social Networking gives you a lot of pleasure and satisfaction and internet a great tool for building relationships. It is good to have the best of both worlds, the real and the virtual, as long as you maintain a balance living your life in real space and cyber space.

Close your eyes and reflect - which world do you live in?

 

Good Bye, take care

 

VIKRAM KARVE

 

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2011

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.