Ravit's Blog

I had started this post yesterday... ===== Hello there, Time for me to spill some more thoughts onto this page. A couple days ago I would have posted but I had to finish my work (wrapping up my third pomodoro block) and yesterday I had just forgotten to do so. But today...now....it is just 9pm so I'm going to take it easy for the next hour and enjoy the early night before wrapping up for the day. ===== Ironically, though, another task popped up and I spent the time till 10pm doing that. Now, it's about 24 hours later, and I'm here again at 9:29pm. I want to enjoy the time for the next half hour and work on this post. I've finished my work for the day. I actually have some more exciting software development tasks coming up in my company Konect, so that's something to look forward to working on tomorrow. Hmm... maybe I'll talk a bit about what I observed regarding my tasks. Some of them are fun, some of them aren't. I'll tell you one thing that I don't...

One of Bhagavad Gita's themes is that of man and work--the individual's obligation to fulfill his duty during his lifetime. I suppose during the time Gita was written, determining this was more straightforward. There were warriors, the Kshatriyas, merchants, the Vaishyas, and priests, Brahman. People could move freely between these casts before the system was rigidified, as best as I understand. Nonetheless, they had a clear-cut sense of duty and knew what they had to fulfill in life. Based on what I know, I feel that identifying one's Dharma is more complicated in today's world. I was taught that I could become whatever I wanted. I was not educated from childhood, like Arjuna or Rama, that I will grow up to fight and govern, or that I would be a merchant. My duty is not clearly laid out for me, as it seems to have been for Arjuna. In these past few months in quarantine, I've left the house once to pick up my high school diploma and 12-14 times to go running. Living...

Ok, so from the first few chapters of the Gita that I've read so far, I notice that Lord Krishna seems to emphasize the role of duty and work in life. He had a few ideas that caught my attention, which I'll detail here: In his state of despondency and depression, Arjuna asks Krishna what the purpose of work even is, when renouncing one's desires is the action that brings one closer to God. Krishna responds that work (karma) is an integral part of life , and that while suppression of temptation is indeed crucial, it does not imply that one should turn to inaction, but that one should merely work because it is work, and not expecting any return or reward. Even Lord Krishna engages in work and fulfilling his duty (as with life and soul inevitably comes work), but he does so in a manner that is disengaged and not expecting or anticipating some outcome, but simply because it is Dharma. Different castes have different roles to fulfill in life, and Arjuna's role is that of...

Hello, It's been a loooong time since the last post... Lately, I've been spending my time indoors. From 5-7 I stay in my room, either play piano, read, or sleep if I'm tired. In my quarantine time, I've finished my 8th grade book The Grapes of Wrath  and started plenty more. I've also cleaned up my room, taking after Dr. Peterson's suggestion. Recently, I started reading Bhagavad Gita (Professor S Radakrishnan's Sanskrit to English translation) out of curiosity as to what one of the most respected Hindu scriptures recommends as the proper way to live life. So far, it is interesting to hear about Lord Krishna's recommendations on what the ideal individual should do and what the aim of life is according to this great scripture. The nature of the dialogue to have the ultimately flawed disciple, Arjuna, communicating with the ideal Lord Krishna, who has supposedly achieved the highest state of life, makes it convenient for me as a reader to relate to both ce...