Friday, September 16, 2011

WORDS ON A BENCH IN MUSSOORIE


Agar Aap Shanti Chahate Ho To Pehele Shaant Rehena Seekho 
अगर आप शांति चाहते हो तो पहेले शांत रहेना सीखो

WORDS ON A BENCH IN MUSSOORIE
By
VIKRAM KARVE

Long back, maybe almost fifteen years ago, I visited Mussoorie and during one of my long walks, probably on Camel’s Back Road or maybe near Lal Tibba in Landour, I saw some words inscribed on a bench, a truism that has had a profound impact on me ever since.

I will never forget those interesting words written in Hindi on a bench in Mussoorie:

अगर आप शांति चाहते हो तो पहेले शांत रहेना सीखो 
Agar Aap Shanti Chahate Ho To Pehele Shaant Rehena Seekho 

Roughly translated this means:

IF YOU DESIRE PEACE  THEN FIRST LEARN TO REMAIN PEACEFUL 

Of course the word शांत (shaant) also means SILENT – yes, SILENCE is the sine qua non for Peacefulness.

There is too much “noise” in our lives – Physical Noise, Information Overload Noise, Emotional Noise – internal noise and external noise – noise around you and noise within you – all sorts of noise. Noise hassles you and is the biggest impediment to attaining peacefulness. The first step to inner peace is to get rid of all that noise around you and within you. Go to a quiet place where there is minimal external noise, switch off your noise-making gadgets like cellphones, TV etc. Sit silently in solitude, close your eyes and see how your inner silence dissolves the noise within you and you will experience inner peace and you will be in harmony with yourself.

That’s what I did this morning. I sat in silence in the spacious airy balcony of my ninth floor flat in Wakad, absorbed the tranquil scenic view of the placid waters of the Mula River quietly flowing below, the peaceful verdant hills in the distance, the still atmosphere, the pure fresh air, and I felt a halo of soothing serenity permeate me. Then I closed my eyes and let my silence dissolve the internal noise in my mind and body and now I am experiencing inner peace and I am in harmony with myself.

अगर आप शांति चाहते हो तो पहेले शांत रहेना सीखो 
If you want peace then first learn to remain peaceful

Remember it. Try it. It works. You can take my word for it.

VIKRAM KARVE

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

  

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Vikram,

A confession first. I have something against fiction and thus I was not visiting your blog. Today when I checked on indiblogger and it said, philosophy, I knew the time has come :D

I loved this *peace* :) I talk so much, even when am not talking, I have this little monster talking in my head. I think I will go to the park today and practice this.

Best,
Chintan

Vikram Waman Karve said...

Hi Chintan,
I am so glad you visited my blog. I do write philosophical pieces too and I will post the too. Do check out once in a while.
I am sure SILENCE will work for you and you will be in harmony with yourself.
Regards
Vikram

Shahil said...

Vikram I feel envy of you. The kind of strolls you describe or peaceful moments you have in your balcony seem to be a thing of fiction in chaotic banglore. I can afford to have such moments but not days:(.

Vikram Waman Karve said...

@ Shahil - I am sure you too will enjoy such moments. Try it.

M said...

I agree!!!! I try to do atleast for 15 mins in the morning while having tea. I just switch off. sit in the balcony and just stare outside...only post that do I choose to hear the noise of crazy morning!!!! luved ur piece...so simple and so relevant!!!!

Vikram Waman Karve said...

@ M - Hi Meghna, I am so glad you liked this simple piece. Only one thing - what you like to hear (sounds that soothe you) is not "noise" - in this context noise means sounds that hassle you. I too enjoy practicing SUKHASANA early in the morning - closing my eyes and just hearing the beautiful morning sounds of birds and nature.
All the Best
Vikram

Naveen Gupta said...

This is an experienced truth by me.
Absolutely no doubts. Silence is life.