Why was I born ?

I looked for my true calling
I looked for my true purpose
what I am supposed to do on the planet
why was I born ?
and I asked the question deep inside me
beyond logic, beyond thought, deep in the bowels
of the space where I connect to the universe
where I can be thrown into the raging storm of ‘not knowing’
and the answer hit me in an immense tidal wave of understanding
“you are your own purpose
nothing more, and nothing less
a bundle of purpose and karma
all existing within itself
and the only thing holding it back
is the separation created by
words like ‘I’ and ‘my’ and ‘me'”

20 thoughts on “Why was I born ?

  1. I loved it Shekhar..I just loved it. You made my day, actually it’s 1.12 am so night now. Yes, I have always been thinking and this little line that — “you are your own purpose
    nothing more, and nothing less
    a bundle of purpose and karma
    all existing within itself
    and the only thing holding it back
    is the separation created by
    words like ‘I’ and ‘my’ and ‘me'” — is just the thought I was fighing about.. having discussions with my wife on it- why we define something.. why we defy something.. Isn’t it that the way we all are created have so much already inside us – I guess HOW we really program is, gives the true meaning and that I guess comes by FORCING certain things, even feelings to go the right way but not the wrong way, thoughts to go the right way not the wrong way.. RIGHT meaning RIGHT conscious of mind by clarity of purpose and good deeds residing all the time without anxiety or pressure and WRONG meaning being selfish & Greedy where anxiety comes and disease comes..
    NOW are we really free to define our purpose and do what we need to do ? Are we really in the world where we can love and live without any fear..
    Can we see that world where we can say what is being said ?
    I just wish we can.. BUT we do think about others…we do think about our surroundings where we struggle.. HoW can we not ? but again, without Resistance, we cannot apply force and we cannot win. So struggle is important too but winning may not be if we really tried the best we can..

  2. From my Hindi II textbook, class 10, which was way back:
    From Parshuram ka updesh:
    Jeevan ka antim dhyey swayam jeevan hai.
    Resonates. Like this line: “You are your own purpose”.

  3. It is like sex. You come out so that you can again have the enjoyment of going in.
    You are born so that you can again have the enjoyment of the experience of your unborn state.
    Eventually life is nothing but coming out and going in, uniting and separating and uniting and separating…being born and going back to unborn state and being born and going back…

  4. since the day i started re writing poetry, its been difficult for me…i realized if i had to stay in that FEEL, i had to let go of my darker thoughts…Poetry can be a medicine too…but its difficult to let go of darker thoughts…they are ME…thats who i am…i am not a son, not a lover, not a writer…i am MY DARK thoughts…
    DARKNESS can be also be bright!…i can see clearly in that darkness!…
    but i know i have to let go of it…
    it is happening as if light bulb is flickering…one moment they are gone…next they are there…
    and in those moments when they are gone…a true darkness is engulfing me…i dont feel anything…
    and then a surge of pain and a wave of fear and i am pushed back in normal self!…
    each time the empty period is increasing…i am preparing myself to stretch it to eternity…will do that when i am sure i wont lose my rational mind…or would i be needing to think about that then?…well…this confusion means NOT YET!…
    more later…

  5. Sir,
    Why was I born?
    Its nature’s own way to throw the seeds, on the large part of the living planet, and then wait and see, which of them survive to grow big and larger than others and survive on their own feed and provide shelter to regenerate growth.
    Its a directors way of creating characters in a story in a belief that while all this is being followed by word and action from the story board, a cameo a character which is ageless be born and lasts forever.
    Vinod Agarwal – MOGAMBOO khush HUaaaaa!! Again …

  6. It has been some time since I have written here–but I was compelled to today, only to see, Shekhar, the poem written above, which seemed to say much of what I have been thinking these last weeks. It indeed makes me think synchronicity exists. 😉
    I have been immersed in international policy, humanitarian issues, media policy…running the Humanitarian Media Foundation…traveling, seeing the inside of offices when I miss the field. MIssing someone in particular, also in my line of work, well-known in his field, and a fellow warrior. I only feel comfortable standing like a strong, nearly impenetrable warrior for others, longing for vulnerability with one. Viking/Celt to the core, as he is also–he Anglo-Irish, me American, but feeling more as though I were from some long-forgotten race, not feeling comfortable here in this world except as a champion for others.
    In the book I wrote, about WWI, it was about loving another as the closest thing to knowing God, and understanding that perhaps most when the stakes are highest. In it, in Irish was a translation from the Divine Comedy, Canto V. To this day, I think about reciting this to that one, because every day, I know more and more deeply what it means.
    I was watching Elizabeth: The Golden Age the other day, needing a respite from international humanitarian issues, and this question about why we are here was deeply moving–and caused me to ask myself that same question. Can it be more than one thing? I have to believe so. For if I were to only be others’ champion, and have no love with another, I would live only half a life. Moreso were I to have to love from a distance, and never feel what others so easily feel and take for granted.
    He would need to let me know in no uncertain terms how he felt, for in doing so, God would be kind. For I am always the one to give, and my prayer is for once to both give and receive that most Divine of all emotions.
    For that is one of the reasons I know myself to be here–to connect with the one, as I also connect with the many. To be the warrior I came to be, and for the best of all reasons–for others. And, too, perhaps a fellow warrior by my side, who does the same for his own reasons. To do so together would be the greatest of all possibilities. But we shall see what the Divine has in mind.
    Thank you, Shekhar, for sharing your thoughts here, and for allowing a forum in which I can share mine. It is sometimes necessary to know we are not alone.

  7. Shekhar:
    “The only thing holding back is I or my or me”
    I have thanked you earlier for this.
    You had come to Kellogg and talked about Citizen journalism and its future. This was an idea you had in your mind and which I did not have. And when you shared it, it became mine too. After this, I joined others to develop Kalugu.com as a growing citizen jounalism site..Not only did you share the idea but you were willing to action on the idea by willing to share your website contents..
    I can modestly say it is growing furiously since then. It lets our readers write about stuff others don’t write about or things they feel or underrepresented. We call it alternate news or perspective..So I think you did serve some purpose for me..
    I understand you got email complaining abt the pro-Srilankan Tamil content about our site..But how can I call ourselves an alternate media, if we don’t let people publish truth as they see it..
    I wish more and more successful people will light such ideas and action in other people for a glorious,intelligent and fair India..With such actionable ideas (rather than theoretic ideas). We have great plans for future of alternate Media in India (like Truthdig.com in US) and your seed ideas will have a special place in it. Somewhere in this, I think we both served some purpose..
    Regards,
    Ronin

  8. Over a year and half or so ago, I happened to co-incidentally bump into a gentleman by the name Dr. Walter Semkiw, who then directed me to a book he had written about re-incarnation in the context of people from India. I subsequently got my hands on it and found it fascinating — it’s called “Born Again: Reincarnation Cases Involving International celebrities, India’s Political Legends and Film Stars”. Read it if it catches your fancy and enjoy!

  9. Why was i born, whats my calling, whats my purpose on this universe.
    i am my own purpose. it is such a simple and deep thought. i think i understand it now:)

  10. Can a purpose be to know oneself as much as one can ? This knowing cannot be a complete knowing but surely we can grow in the awareness or self-awareness.

  11. but honestly is this path a difficult one to tread knowing ones purpose. guess one has to get involved in ones karma, knowing nothing belongs to us

  12. “you are your own purpose”
    no more need be said…
    but you say so much so beautifully, Shekhar, it is like music to my senses.
    Cinda

  13. Shekhar , this is beautiful !
    Of all those questions that cross the mind, If there is one singular , most important question you want the attention to work out, it’s this one – Who Am I?
    Do not answer it, let it remain as a seed. If anything ,feed it with loving eagerness. This alone has so much power to unlock and answer itself. That one self-destructing question which puts to rest all others.!

  14. Dear Mr. Shekhar,
    I loved your poem very much, as it gave a very accurate description of the experience I had.
    Can you please tell me whether this was something you gained over the time, or did it happen at a particular time.
    Thank you Sir.
    Eagerly waiting for your reply.

  15. I have a nice concept for the film,which is really unique.For which i have already written 120+ scenes.Herewith approaching you to help me find filmmakers / buyers to make it viable.
    thanks,
    vivek

  16. Why was I born ?
    ___________
    Were You Born?
    Are “you” referring to yourself or the body/mind?
    The body was born and will disintegrate in “time”.
    But what about “you”?
    Are you the body?
    Are you not the knower of the body? Isn’t it obvious?
    What animates this body?
    Is it apart from what “YOU” are?
    When “we” are TRULY fed up of our concepts and see through them completely, realization dawns.
    What “we” truly are in essence is not hiding anywhere deep down…only seemingly obscured by the belief in these concepts.
    Take away the concepts (see through them) and what is left?
    What you are…what you always have been…

  17. For Catholics it is simple and straightforward. I was born to know, honor, love and serve God on this earth and to be with him in the next. We are so not the center of the universe. “Who’s Your Daddy?” Obama (government), Corporate America, self? O how hollow life would be. A great purpose is why we all were born, that is why life is so important to Catholics. Every human is so essential, so important, and o so valued.

  18. Without the label “human”, what are you?
    You are…
    Without the label “Catholic” what are you?
    You are…
    What are you prior to being a “Catholic”?
    What are you prior to being KC Mike?
    In fact, WHAT accepted that it was KC Mike in the 1st place?
    Clearly, you did not know yourself as KC Mike when you were 6 months old, or a year old…somebody told you that you are KC Mike…and you started believing it. But the main point is…what accepted that it is KC Mike?
    There was no knowledge of being KC Mike when the body was 6 months old; this knowledge was accepted by something that was prior to the label KC Mike. Is it not obvious?
    So, what are you?
    Question the mind…
    It is ironical that we are seemingly seeking the truth and are hoping to find it in concepts….
    Watch how the mind will now react….

  19. Respected Shekhar Sir.,
    your lines are very Heart touching because somewhere and somehow these are relating to each and everyones life..
    For me you are a precious person on this earth.
    So take care sir..

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