Research - Don't climb other people's mountains

Research starts in a small way, from someone's God-given curiosity and creativity. Initially no value is seen or perceived, so the people looking for value ignore it. The research starts to grow like a crystal or coral,the curious, peaceful and playful enjoying the play and adding their own plays, observations and creativity. After some time the research grows like a hill to a point where its value is visible to the local people, then they join in. The occasional traveller wanders to that place and is wonderstruck at this growing hill and he joins in its growth and takes the word back. The hill grows to be a huge mountain and its visible now across the globe. Now, everyone wants to add to the top of the mountain because there is so much glamour and fame associated now with the mountain. But to contribute to its growth one has to climb this entire mountain, which is an entirely arduous task - no fun, but labour, sacrifice. Only people who are familiar with the ways of the mountain raise their children to find their way about the mountain - remaining are pathetic losers bound by hope.
If you want to enjoy research follow your heart, create your own play - don't try to climb other people's mountains.

The Detached Commander

The Commander knows that the warriors he so dearly loves might die, will die in battle, but he will have very little time to grieve, there is very little to grieve, this was the honour that they dearly cherished, to fight alongside him, for that nod of appreciation, for being honored by him after death. This was what they were born for. He cannot afford to let his heart break, he has to be detached, because the lives for which these lives were given up willingly still need protection, till the battle is over. There is no time to react, good news may not last long, could be a trap, loss of men, heroes, has to be dealt with, do whatever needs to be done, comfort their near ones, honor them, bury them, but not give in to emotion.

God of Action

I was kind of jokingly trying to explain to Chetan and Akshay that we need to do, act - we will get a million ideas. There is this God of action, he only takes our actions that we offer him, we need to offer him the best of our actions. Every day plan on offering the choicest of your completed perfect actions to him who is most benevolent, kind and will free us. This was from Gita of course - Lord Krishna says he is the God of sacrifices - all sacrifices go to him. But the word sacrifice is a little daunting - Vishnu offered his eye to Shiva when he was one short of 100 lotuses, Kanappa cut out and offered both his eyes to Shivalinga, Shakuni's brothers gave up their share of food for Shakuni to survive and they all died except Shakuni - his unfailing dice were made from their bones, a brahmin family give up their food to a guest just when they are about to eat and die of starvation. We are up against such phenomenal sacrifices. But I think if we offer actions from our daily activity, he will accept them, if the action is done with skill, devotion, keeping in mind that it is worth offering.

Faith

Even if God does not exist, faith itself could create the same magic that God does. A tree lives happily with the faith that nobody will cut it till it actually gets cut - years of happy life and minutes of pain. Faith needs innocence - all animals have it - the betrayal is in the mind of the destroyer. Faith is settling down with your friend, lover, God and believing in them, its the source of joy, happiness and peace. Faith removes fear.