Hello Readers!

Welcome to Charaiveti, my blog!!

Why did I name this blog Charaiveti? What is Charaiveti?

Recently I came across this interesting Sanskrit word, an aphorism from the Aitareya Upanishad, which means “Go on”. A powerful and potent word which in true Upanishadic style exhorts one to move on and keep going! The actual source of the word is a hymn about the long endless journey towards self-realization which each one of us must embark on, and each verse ends with the refrain: 'Charaiveti, Charaiveti', meaning, oh traveller, march along, march along!'

"Charanbai madhu vindati charantsvadu mudambaram.
Suryasya pasya sreemanam yo na tandrayate charan.
Charaiveti, charaiveti."

Aitareya Upanishad, 7.15

["The honey bee, by its motion, collects honey, and birds enjoy tasty fruits by constant movement. The sun is revered, by virtue of its constant shining movement; therefore, one should be constantly in motion. Keep moving, keep moving on!"]

Lord Buddha used to conclude his discourses and sermons everyday with these words: Charaiveti, Charaiveti. What a positive and meaningful way of urging and encouraging his audience!

Whatever the circumstances, we have to move on and persist like a dogged traveller in the journey of life. Being a seeker myself, I cannot therefore find a better name for my blog!!

Continuing with the metaphor of the journey of life, we are sure to traverse through hills and vales, acmes and abysses. There is sure to be success and failure, rising and falling. All these are sure to bring about change. Well, change is inevitable and is in fact the only thing that is permanent, like the seasons. Sometimes change can be exhilarating and exciting. Sometimes it can be frustrating and demoralizing. And sometimes it can be scary and terrifying.

Whatever the emotion it draws out from within us, change can really be a wonderful thing, if only we welcome, introspect, appreciate and learn from it. The learning in turn will strengthen our hearts, expand our minds and enrich our very lives. It would be a useful exercise to introspect and examine how much we have changed. And if we find that we have changed in one way or the other, we can pat ourselves on the back, for it is either for survival or for excellence. And the ultimate truth is the day we stop changing, we fossilize, we die!

So, no matter how strenuous the climb is, how long and winding the road is, how worn out we are, we need to carry on. . . . Charaveti, Charaiveti . . .keep going, keep going and never stop moving till the last breath of life.

"Change has a bad reputation in our society. But it isn't all bad — not by any means. In fact, change is necessary in life — to keep us moving ... to keep us growing ... to keep us interested . ... Imagine life without change. It would be static ... boring ... dull."
Communications Psychologist Dr. Dennis O’ Grady
in Bottom Line – Personal http://www.drogrady.com/blog/?p=73