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"This is only a temporary setback." “What is temporary,?” I asked. “The unavoidable." “And what is lasting?” “The lessons of the unavoidable." Saying this, the angel disappeared.

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Introduction Long time back there was a little boy barely in his teens who had a strange hobby. He collected thoughts and captured them in a diary. He continued to do so for years but then realized that he should free them and let the thoughts reach out to the world. With this ambition, he came and handed over his diary to me. “To understand the magic of words you need to understand the blank spaces between them. A sentence would have no meaning without blank spaces,” he said. Just as we were talking, the mirror fell on the floor and cracked. It has been 3 years since then, and now I am here presenting before you some of the extracts from the diary. Hope you would have a great time reading it. I am reachable at [email protected]. [email protected] A mail from your side would certainly fill in the blank space. Web blog - http://fillingblankspaces.wordpress.com

Pankaj Goenka 11th July, 2009 Kolkata

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Contents Section One A Prayer to the Almighty The Other Golden Bird Magic Moments

Section Two “Men should use common words to say uncommon things, But they do just the reverse.”

Section Three “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. When you stand for what you believe in, you can change the world.”

Section Four Poems (English)

Section Five The Greatest Epics

Section Six Expressions Unlimited Celebrations Definitions-As You Like It!

Section Seven Quotes

Section Eight Poems (Hindi) --------------------------------------------http://fillingblankpages.wordpress.com

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Section One

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A Prayer Prayer to the Almighty O Lord! Have pity on those who pity themselves and who see themselves as good people treated unfairly by life- who feel they did not deserve what has befallen them. And pity those who are cruel to themselves and who see only the evil in their own actions, feeling that they are to blame for the failure. Because neither of these people know thy law that says, ”But the very hairs of your head are numbered.”

Have pity on those who command and those who serve during long hours of work, and who sacrifice themselves in exchange merely for a Sunday off, only to find that there is nowhere to go, and everything is closed. But also have pity on those who sanctify their efforts, and who are able to go beyond the bounds of their own madness, winding up indebted, or nailed to the cross by their very brothers. Because neither of these kinds of people knows Thy law that says, “Be ye therefore as wise as the serpents and as harmless as the doves."

‘Have pity on those who may conquer the world but never join the good fight within themselves. But pity also those who have won the good fight within themselves, and now find themselves in the streets and the bars of life because they were unable to conquer the world. Because neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says, “He who heeds my words I will liken to a wise man who built his house on rock.”

Have pity on those who are fearful of taking up a pen, or a paintbrush or an instrument, or a tool because they are afraid that someone has already done so better than they could, and who feel themselves to be unworthy to enter the marvelous mansion of art. But have even more pity on those who, having taking http://fillingblankpages.wordpress.com

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up the pen, or the paintbrush, or the instrument or the tool, have turned inspiration into a paltry thing, yet feel themselves to be better than others. Neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says, ”For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.”

Pity those who eat and drink and sate themselves, but are unhappy and alone in their satiety. But pity even more those who fast, and who censure and prohibit and who thereby see themselves as saints, preaching your name in the streets. For neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says, “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.”

Pity those who fear death, and are unaware of the many kingdoms through which they have already passed, and the many deaths they have already suffered, and who are unhappy because they think that one day their world will end. But have even more pity for those who already know their many deaths, and today think of themselves as immortal. Neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says, “Except that one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of god.”

Have pity on those who bind themselves with the silken ties of love, and think of themselves as masters of others, and who feel envy, and poison themselves, and who torture themselves because they cannot see that love and all things change like the wind. But pity even more hose who die of their fear of loving and who reject love in the name of a greater love that they know not. Neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says, “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.”

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Pity those who reduce the cosmos to an explanation, God to a magic potion, and humanity to beings with basic needs that must be satisfied, because they never hear the music of the spheres. But have even more pity on those who have blind faith, and who in their laboratories transform mercury/zinc into gold, and who are surrounded by their books about the secrets of the Tarot and the power of the pyramids. Neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says, “Whoever does not receive kingdom of god as a little child will by no means enter it.”

Pity those who see no one but themselves, and for whom others are blurred and distant scenario, as they pass through the street in their limousines and lock themselves in their air-conditioned penthouses offices, as they suffer in silence the solitude of power but pity even more those who will do anything for anybody, and are charitable and seek to win out over evil only through love. For neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says, “Let he who has no sword sell his garment and buy one.”

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The Other A man runs into an old friend who had somehow never been able to make it in life. “I should give him some money,” he thinks. But instead he learns that his old friend has grown rich and is actually seeking him out to repay the debts he had run over the years. They go to a bar they used to frequently together, and the friend buys for everyone there. When they ask him how he became so successful, he answered that until only a few days ago, he had been living the role of the “Other.” “What is the Other?” they asked. “The Other is the one who taught me what I should be like, but not what I am. The Other believes that it is our obligation to spend our entire life thinking about how to get our hands on as much money as possible so that we will not die of hunger when we are old. So we think so much about money and out plans for acquiring it that we discover we are alive only when our days on earth are practically done. And then it’s too late.” “And you? Who are you?” “I am just like everyone else who listens to their heart: a person who is enchanted by the mystery of life. Who is open to miracles, who experiences joy and enthusiasm for what they do. It’s just that the Other, afraid of disappointment, kept me from taking action.” “But there is suffering in life,” one of the listeners said.

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“And there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it’s better to lose some of the battles in the struggle for your dreams than to be defeated without ever even knowing what you’re fighting for.” “That’s it?” another listener asked. “Yes, that’s it. When I learned this, I resolved to become the person I had always wanted to be. The Other stood there in the corner of my room, watching me, but I will never let the Other into myself again though it has already tried to frighten me, warning me that it’s risky not to think about the future. “From the moment that I ousted the Other from my life, the Divine Energy began to perform its miracle.”

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The Golden Bird “When old words die out on the tongue, new melodies break forth from the heart, and when the old tracks are lost, lost, a new country is revealed with its wonders.” wonders.”

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge…At the stroke of midnight hour, while the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation long suppressed, find utterance….

It has been 60 years since this historic speech. We know that India had more than a fifth of the world’s wealth & a quarter of the world’s trade in textile in 1700. It has seen its share decline to less than 5% of the world income and less than half a percent of world trade in 1995. It may have not become poorer in absolute terms, but relative to rest of the world it did get left behind. The story of India is story of how a rich country became poor and will be rich again. 21st century would see India & China to take over again. By 2025 India and China will account for 39% share of global output, which is about equal to the present share of US & Europe combined. America has got it all wrong; the first quarter of the 21st century will be remembered in human history not for 9/11 but for rise of India and China, an event that is as momentous as coming of the Renaissance or the Industrial Revolution of the west.

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Magic Moments “You have to take risks,” he said. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen. Every day, God gives us the sun—and also one moment in which we have the ability to change everything that makes us unhappy. Every day, we try to pretend that we haven't perceived that moment, that it doesn't exist—that today is the same as yesterday and will be the same as tomorrow. But if people really pay attention to their everyday lives, they will discover that magic moment. It may arrive in the instant when we are doing something mundane, like putting our front-door key in the lock; it may lie hidden in the quiet that follows the lunch hour or in the thousand and one things that all seem the same to us. But that moment exists—a moment when all the power of the stars becomes a part of us and enables us to perform miracles. Joy is sometimes a blessing, but it is often a conquest. Our magic moment helps us to change and sends us off in search of our dreams. Yes, we are going to suffer, we will have difficult times, and we will experience many is appointments—but all of this is transitory; it leaves no permanent mark. And one day we will look back with pride and faith at the journey we have taken. Pitiful is the person who is afraid of taking risks. Perhaps this person will never be disappointed or disillusioned; perhaps she won't suffer the way people do when they have a dream to follow. But when that person looks back—and at some point everyone looks back—she will hear her heart saying, "What have you done with the miracles that God planted in your days? What have you done with the talents God bestowed on you? You buried yourself in a cave because you were fearful of losing those talents. So this is your heritage: the certainty that you wasted your life."

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Pitiful are the people who must realize this. Because when they are finally able to believe in miracles, their life's magic moments will have already passed them by. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Section Two

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Men should use common words to say uncommon things, But they do just the reverse.

“True pleasure is the pleasure of pain not happiness.” If you want to achieve your objectives you have to be prepared for a daily dose of pain or discomfort. At first it is unpleasant and de-motivating, but in the time, you come to realize that it’s a part of the process of feeling good and the moment arrives when you don’t feel any pain, you have a sense that the effects aren’t producing desired results. *****

“People want to change everything and at the same time want it all to remain the same.” I have always believed that in lives of individuals, just as in society at large, the profoundest changes take place within a very reduced time frame. When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life doesn’t look back. An instant is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny. *****

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“… And when you want something, the entire universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. It always helps us fight for our dreams, no matter how foolish they maybe.” There are two things that prevent us from achieving our dreams: believing them to be impossible or seeing those dreams made possible by some sudden turn of the wheel of fortune, when you least expect it. For at that moment, all our fears suddenly surface, the fear of setting off along a road heading who knows where, the fear of a life full of new challenges, the fear of losing everything. But we must not stop dreaming. Dreams provide nourishment for the soul just as the meal does for the body. Many a times in our life we see our dreams shattered and our desires frustrated but we have to continue dreaming. If we don’t our soul dies, and agape cannot reach it. *****

“Man was born to betray his destiny.” He turned back. He walked up the path .Soon the sun would be up and blazing. The day would begin with its calamities. They would flash out of the sky and would cut him like swords. He would run to meet them. He ran, only stopping to pull a bunch of thorns from under his foot. God placed only impossible tasks in human hearts. Why,? Perhaps because customs must be maintained. *****

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“The happier people can be the unhappier they are.” God to a Guest, “You where in Paradise but you dint recognize it. It’s the same with most people in the world you are coming from; they seek suffering in the most joyous of places because they think they are unworthy of happiness.” *****

“One never knows the answers to the questions of life until one is asked.” She knows so little of life and love, and now with her eyes blindfolded and with all the time in the world, she is discovering the origin of everything and everything begins where and how she would like to have begun.. *****

“Hope accepts tragedy with faith and courage.” “God, I did not deserve what happened to me. If you did that to me, I can do that to others. This is Justice.” *****

“Money was invented so that we could know exactly how much we owe.” It is a special piece of paper decorated in somber colors which everyone agreed was worth something and everyone believed it – until you took a pile of that paper to a bank, a respectable, traditional, highly confidential Swiss Bank and asked - “Could I buy a few hours of my life?” No sir, “We don’t sell, we only buy.” *****

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“The war between evil and good is always on.” The fight between good and evil is raging all the time in every individual’s heart which is the battle field for all the angels and devils. They would fight inch by inch for thousand of millennia in order to gain ground until one of them finally vanquishes the other. *****

Thank You God For the World so sweet, Thank You God For the things we eat, Thank You God For everything! In present world a lot of people talk about the horror in other people’s life as if they were genuinely concerned to help them, but the truth is that they take pleasure in the sufferings of others because that made them believe they where happier and that life has been generous with them. Thank You God! *****

Above is the word ‘Crisis’ written in Chinese. It is composed of two characters– one represents Danger and other represents Opportunity. A crisis provides an opportunity for change and growth as well as a danger of regression or stagnation.

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(In Chinese the word for ‘crisis’ is wei ji which is a combination of wei xian meaning danger and ji huay meaning opportunity. Moreover, the interpretation given above is controversial as native Chinese object to it.) *****

“Rest I leave it to you God.” Life or to be more precise the path which lead us to our dreams is full of hurdles. One has to cross these hurdles and come out victorious. Take any motive, take any path but then proceed on that path whole heartedly, after doing so one must leave everything else to the Almighty and hope for the best because it’s one of the things where with best of intention, dedication, devotion, education, judgment and enthusiasm one can fail (Read ‘fail’ as- unable to achieve the ultimate aim)! This is the dark truth of life my friend. *****

“Let’s meet at Café Coffee Day tomorrow at 4:45 pm” The busiest people always have enough time to do everything. Those who do nothing are always busy and tired and pay no attention to the little amount of responsibilities that they are required to undertake.. *****

“Death is our constant companions and it is death that gives each person’s life its true meaning.” Humans are the only one in nature who are aware that they are going to die. Even knowing that their days are numbered and that everything will end when you least expect it, people tends to make their lives a battle that is worthy of a being with eternal life. http://fillingblankpages.wordpress.com

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Still, being fragile creatures, humans always try to hide from themselves the certainty that they will die. They do not see that it is the death that itself motivates them to do best things in life. They are afraid to step into the dark, afraid of the unknown, and their only way of conquering that fear is to ignore the fact that their days are numbered. They do not see that with an awareness of death, they would be able to be even more daring, to go much in their daily conquests, because they would have nothing to lose-for death is inevitable. *****

“We never win; it is our enthusiasm that wins” Normally we allow enthusiasm to elude us when we are involved in such mundane activities, those that have no importance at all in the overall scale of our existence. We lose enthusiasm because of the small and unavoidable defeats we suffer during our fights and since we don’t realize that enthusiasm is a major strength able to help us win the ultimate victory, we let it dribble through our fingers, we do this without recognizing that we are letting the true meaning of our lives escape us. We blame the world for our boredom and for our losses and we forget that it was we ourselves who allowed this enchanting power, which justifies everything, to diminish within ourselves. *****

A line from Gospel : “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil.” Confronted by temptation, we will always fall. Given the right circumstances, every human being on this earth would be willing to commit evil. Only man http://fillingblankpages.wordpress.com

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knowing good can do evil. Only man wears masks. Only man is a disappointment to himself. Only man… *****

New Testament verse in the Gospel of Matthew : “For unto everyone that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance. But from him that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance. But from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.” It is those who are successful, in other words, who are more likely to be given the kind of special opportunities that lead to further success. It’s the rich who gets the biggest tax breaks. It’s the best students who get the best teaching and most attention. And it is the biggest nine and ten year old who gets the most coaching & practice. Success is the result of what sociologists like to call “Accumulative Advantage.” *****

“He, who wants to please all, will please none.” “Whenever you like, whatever you like just do that. Weather it is morally, socially correct or not, should not be a point. If it’s morally, socially correct you would be a satisfactory figure outside but if you are socially wrong you will be happy within.” *****

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“Talent is nurtured in solitude; Character is formed in the strong billows of the world.” Character cannot be developed in ease and quite. Only through experiences of trivial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved. *****

“Butterflies are like random thought people have… They live, they die, they are pointless.” “What are you good at?” he asked. “Going after what I believe in.” This was the only possible reply; She spent her life in path of what she believed in. The only problem was that she believed in something different everyday. *****

“Time isn’t something that always proceeds at the same pace. It is we who determine how quickly time passes.” The day is made up of twenty-four hours and an infinite number of moments. We need to be aware of each of these moments and to make the most of them regardless of whether we are busy doing something or merely completing life. If we slow down, everything lasts much longer. *****

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“Don’t make an effort because best things happens when you least expect them.” Often life takes us by surprise and orders us to move towards the unknowneven when we don’t want to and when we think we don’t need to. At any given moment in our lives, there are certain things that could have happened but didn’t. The magic moments go unrecognized and then suddenly the hand of destiny changes everything. *****

“What an Idea Sirji!” The most vivid memories are of encounters with ideas rather than persons. Over time the memory of person grows paler whereas the ideas grow & become richer. *****

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Section Three

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“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. When you stand for what you believe in, you can change the world.”

In 1954, Jimmy Denny manager of the Grand Ole Opry, fired a singer after one performance .He told him “You aren’t going nowhere .You ought to go back to driving a truck.” The singer was Elvis Elvis Presley.

In 1944, Emme Smirely, director of the Blue Book Modeling Agency told modeling hopeful Norma Jean Baker, ”You’d better learn secretariat work or else get married.” Norma Jean Baker was later known as Marilyn Monroe.

In 1962, four young musicians played their first record audition for the executives of the Decca Recording Co. The unimpressed executives said “We don’t like their sound. The group of guitarist is on the way out.” The Group was called “The Beatles.”

In the 1940’s a young inventor named Chester Carlson took his idea to 20 corporations including some of the biggest in the country. They all turned him down. In 1947, after 7 long years of rejection, he finally got a tiny company in Rochester, New York, the Haloid Company to purchase his invention-an electrostatic paper copying process. Haloid became Xerox Corporation. Corporation.

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When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, it did not ring off the hook with calls, from potential backers. After making a demonstration call, President Rutherford Hayes said, “This is an amazing invention but who would even want to use one of them?” Rest as you know is history.

The author took 7 years to complete the book. On completion, it was rejected by twelve publishers, some of whom declared that it was "too intellectual, too controversial and would not sell because no audience existed for it.” But finally Boobs-Merrill Publications published it. It has been 69 years since then, and the book is still in print. Well, book book is The Fountainhead, author was was Ayn Rand.

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Section Four

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“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to born and a time to die….”

An Equal Music And into that gate shall they enter, And in that house they shall dwell, Where there shall be no cloud or sun, No darkness or dazzling, but one equal light, No noise or silence, but one equal music, No fears or hopes, but one equal possession, No foes or friends, but one equal communion and Identity, No ends or beginnings, but one equal eternity. (by John Donne)

Waiting for the Music This is the news: two sounds At a guarded melodious distance Follow each other wherever Either chooses to go And all our lives we are Waiting for the music Waiting, waiting for the music Scanning the instructions, Hand reaching for hand Waiting, for the music… (by John Fuller)

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Despair The world for me has come to an end, I have reached the dead end They say death is end of the life, But what is use of going on When there's no one to trust in life For me world is mere illusion, Death is the only solution Pain is my healing, Suicide is the mercy killing.

Hope With your body, Open your mind, Bring up the courage You have left behind. To have this strength, To keep the faith, You can fight the odds Against your fate. Just believe in yourself, For the dream is alive, Don't hide your emotions Keep up your pride. You can achieve success In everything you do, Just let yourself go, It's all up to YOU!

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Each Day brings in with it New Spirits So don’t waste them Especially, When there are – Miles to cover, Before getting the Milestone…

Every Beginning has an End, Time has come to bid adieu. With Numb eyes I bid you farewell, A new ray of light has just arrived Which needs to be nurtured, I will surely return to you, But for now what I can say is – Just a Goodbye. If you have hard work to do Do it now. Today the skies are clear and blue, Tomorrow clouds may come in view, Yesterday iss not for you Do it now. Work, for the night is coming, Work through the sunny noon; Fill brightest hour with labor Rest comes sure & soon, Give every flying minute Something to keep in store; Work, for the night is coming When man works no more… http://fillingblankpages.wordpress.com

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I see a man stare upwards And wings his hand from the force of his pain I shudder when I see his face The moon reveals myself to me.

You smile upon your friend today Today his ills are over You hearken to the lover’s say And happy is the lover. This late to hearken, late to smile But better late than never. I shall have lived a little while Before I die for ever.

Here are the skies, The planet seven, And all the starry train: Content you with the mimic heaven And on the earth remain.

The end of the year fell chilly Between a moon and a moon Through the twilight shrilly The bells rang, ringing no tune.

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Road Less Traveled Two roads diverged in a yellow wood And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth Then took the other as just as fair And having perhaps the better claim Because it was grassy and wanted wear Though as for that, the passing there Had worn them really about the same And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet, knowing how way leads onto way I doubted if I should ever come back I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence Two roads diverged in a wood And I took the one less traveled by And that has made all the difference (by Robert Frost)

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Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village, though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound's the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. (by Robert Frost)

(Perhaps, there would be hardly anyone who would not have come across these two poems in his life. Truly this book would have been incomplete without a mention of these two poems.)

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Section Five Five

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The Greatest Epics

“I trust that no one will tell me that men such as I write about don’t exist. That these books have been written and published is my proof that they do.” – Ayn Rand, author of The Fountainhead & Atlas Shrugged [Howard] Roark smiled. "Gail, "Gail, if this boat were sinking, I’d give my life to save you. Not because it’s any kind of duty. Only because I like you, for reasons and standards of my own. I could die for you. But I couldn’t and wouldn’t live for you." The Fount Fountainhead tells the story of desperate battle waged by architect Howard Roark, whose integrity was as unyielding as granite...of Dominique Francon, the exquisitely beautiful woman who loved Roark passionately but married his worst enemy...of the fanatic denunciation unleashed by an enraged society against a great creator. Its theme is one of the most challenging ideas ever presented in a work of fiction - that a person's ego is the fountainhead of human progress. ***** Who is John Galt? ….When he says that he will stop the motor of the world, is he a destroyer or a liberator? Why does he have to fight his battles not against his enemies but against those who need him most? Why does he fight his hardest battle against the women he loves? http://fillingblankpages.wordpress.com

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You will know the answer to these questions when you discover the reasons behind the baffling events that play havoc with the lives of the amazing men and women in this book. You will discover why a productive genius become a worthless playboy… why a great steel industrialist is working for his own destruction…why a composer gives up his career on the night of his triumph… why a beautiful women who runs a transcontinental railroad falls in love with the man she has sworn to kill. If you want answers you got to read Atlas Shrugged.

(Throughout this book I have not quoted any portion from The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged. I think it is a crime to do so, because if you don’t read these books in totality you would not understand it.)

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Section Six

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Expressions Unlimited Nigahen nigahon se mila kar toh dekho Naye dost bana kar toh dekho Haasratein dil mein dabanein se kya haasil hoga, Apne hoth hila kar toh dekho Khamoshi se kab hoti hai khawaishe puri Dil ki baat bata kart oh dekho. Jo Dil mein hain ussey kar do bayan, Khud ko ek baar jata kar toh dekho Aasma Simat jayega tumhare aaghosh mein , Chahat ki bahein phala kar toh dekho Dil ki baat bata kar toh dekho.

An awkward question. A difficult answer. Am embarrassing truth. A flattering lie. A frank yes. A blunt no. A warm hello. A cult good bye. A sincere sorry. A heartfelt thanks. Makes the most of ever moment. Leave nothing unsaid.

(These were the jingles of Airtel under the advertisement campaign “Expressions Unlimited”, Ad agency: Rediffusion DYR )

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Celebrations Celebrations Rain on a hot tin roof. Pakoras deep-frying. Neighbours dropping in. A party.

A winter evening. Four friends. One barsaat. Four glasses of chai. Hundred bucks of gas. A rusty old bike. And an open road. Maggi noodles. A hostel room. 4.25 a.m. 3 old friends. 3 separate cities. 3 coffee mugs. 1 internet messenger.

You and mom. A summer night. A bottle of coconut oil. A head massage. Gossiping about absent family members. You can spend Hundreds on birthdays, Thousands on festivals, Lakhs on weddings, But to celebrate All you have to spend is your Time

(A widely circulated electronic-mail)

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Definitions As you like it! Junk - The things we preserve for years and throw them just 10 days before we need it. Cigarette – Fire at one end, Fool at the other.. (Definition holds good from time immemorial.) Drink – The colorful liquid that makes you feel top of the world only to leave you with a headache and an empty space in your soul. Drugs – Ditto. Committee – A group of men who account and maintain minutes and waste hours. TV – Chewing gum for eyes.. Women – One of the God’s agreeable blunders. Computer – One of the Man’s agreeable blunders. Cell Phone – The only subject on which men boast about who’s got the smallest. Character – A perfectly educated will. April 1 – This is the day on which we are reminded of what we are on the other 364 days. Money – In God we believe others must pay cash. http://fillingblankpages.wordpress.com

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Education – The thing which ruins intelligent people. (reference : I was born intelligent, but education ruined me.) Specialist – A person who knows everything about something and nothing about everything else. Economist – An expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday did not happen today. Comedy – The most serious business in the World. Death – Last chapter in one’s life. Historians – They are the ones who can do what even God cannot – alter the past. Busy People – Sorry, I am too busy to comment on them. Love – What a miserable world!! Trouble if we Love and more trouble if we don’t love. Antique – Something which we collect after it has gathered enough dust. City – A vastly populated area, full of lonely people. Punctuality – The art of waiting for those who are unpunctual. Elevator – A tiny metal box hanging in an enclosed shaft used for upliftment of people. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Section Seven

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Quotes
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
An Age builds up character; an Hour destroys them.


The night is just a part of the day.


Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
Champion is not one who never fails but one who never quits.
The more precisely you plan harder the destiny would hit you.
The greatest events aren’t the loudest, but the most quite hours.
Worse than failure is the fear of failure.
When a problem is solved, its simplicity is always amazing.
Get the facts, or the facts will get you. And when you get them, get them right, or they will get you wrong.
Never under estimate yourself. If others can do it so can you.
We promise according to our hopes and perform according to our fears.
Never ruin an apology with an excuse.
Speech is of time, Silence is of eternity. Silence does not make mistake.
One must take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves.
It is easy to promise and Alas! How easy to forget. http://fillingblankpages.wordpress.com

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Believe Everything! But trust Nothing.
Everybody sees how you seem, however, only some know who you are.
Come hail come snow, What is to be done has to be done.
We seldom think what we have, but always think of what we miss.
What happens, happens for a reason.
When you are an outcast, even the untossed stones can be cherished.
Don’t ever slam a door, You might want to go back.
Anyone who is not confused doesn’t really understand the situation.
What is death? Death is an instant, nothing more.
Winners don’t do different things, they do things differently.
The ship is safest at the port, but that’s not what ships are meant for.
Don’t cry because its all over now, laugh because it happened.
It is only to the happy that tears are a luxury.
Talkers are no good doers.
Everybody speaks of it but few know it.
Of all the days in our life, which is the one that never comes? -Tomorrow
Cheer Up! The worst is yet to come.
Amor est vitae essentia. (Love is the essence of Life)
It is nice to be important but it is more important to be nice. http://fillingblankpages.wordpress.com

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In love we are all fools alike.
You don’t have to climb a mountain to find out whether it is high or not.
Rich men never waste a penny only poor people do that.
The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
Like our shadows our wishes lengthens as our sun declines.
Lies are always invented, Truth is always discovered.
Where all life dies, Death lives.
Our worst enemies are often the friends we once talked to as only a friend should.
He is not cheated who knows that he is being cheated.
Some people with great merit are very disgusting; others with great faults are very pleasing.
If you can’t resist something, it’s better to abandon it.
Get rid of addictions or else get rid.

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Section Eight

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This poem was written in 1996-1997, an era that was marked by political instability, corruption, retarded economic growth and population explosion in India’s history.

अन पर ा आज़ाद िमली सन ् 1947 म,

ःवतंऽता सेनािनयो का था एक सपना

पर या हम आज़ाद है ?

जो क) नह हो पाया पूरा,

ग़रबी बेरोज़गार ने है हमको मारा,

नह बन पाए भारतवशी ईमानदार

भड़ती जा रह है आबाद,

नह हो पाया ख़ा1मा उच नीच का,

िस ा कोई महण न कर पता|

नह हो पाया भारत आज़ाद

सब दे श कर रहा है उ(नित,

चले गये ःवतंऽा सेनानी,

पर भारत क) है यह ःथित

पर छोड़ गये उनका एक सपना,

कोई सरकार ,टक नह पाती,

जो क) करना होगा हमको पूरा -

एक दस ू रे पर लगाती ू1यारोप

यह होगी मानव क) अन पर ा|

और झेलते है बेकसूर लोग| बात सब करते है बड़ बड़ पर काम करते है कम या हुए हम आज़ाद?

,दन पर ,दन, कुसंगितया जगड़ते जा रह है हमे, नह कर पाते हम आचे बुरे म फ़क8 िसफ़8 लालच का है बोल बाला, िसक8 धन है ,दखता सबको, बाक) सब है अंधकार या हुए हम आज़ाद?

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चुनौती ठन गई! मौत से मेर ठन गई समझौते का मेरा कोई इरादा न था, मेने यम से कहाँलौट जा अभी नह आया है वईत तेरे साथ चलने का| सुन ए मौत कभी हार कर भी मेन,े चुनौती को चोनौती दं, कभी Fबन बादल के ह छाता तान ,दया जीवन से लड़ता, जीवन से पाता, जीवन पर (योछावर करता म चला गया| पर जब आख खुली तो पाया ,क छोट छोट उपलGधयो पर अ1यािधक उHलास जताया और खुद को मुसीबतो से िघरा पा म छन छन आशु बरसया| पर ए मौत अब मेने ठान ली है , जीवन के दये को ,दखाना है उजाला, तू भी सुन ले मेरा यह संकHप न केवल है मुझे जीवन पर Fवजय ूाJ करना पर तू भी मेरे ूकोप से बच न पाएगा तू दबे पाव, चोर िछपे से न आ सामने से वॉर कर, ,फर मुझे आज़मा| लौट जा म कहता हू लौट जा अभी नह आया है वईत तेरे साथ चलने का | http://fillingblankpages.wordpress.com

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उँ चाई उँ चे पहाड़ पर, पेड़ नहं लगते| पौधे नहं उगते, न घास ह जमती है | जमती है िसफ़8 बफ8, जो कफ़न क) तरह सफेद और मौत क) तरह ठं ड होती है | खेलती, खलखलती नद, जसका Nप धारण कर अपने भाय पर बूँद-बूँद रोती है | सOचाई यह है ,क केवल उँ चाई ह काफ़) नहं होती, सबसे अलग-थलग पPरवेश से पृथक, अपनो से कटा-बँटा, शू(य म अकेला खड़ा होना, पहाड़ क) महानता नहं, मजबूर है | उँ चाई और गहराई म आकाश-पाताल क) दरू  है | जो जतना उँ चा, उतना ह एकाक) होता है , हर भार को ःवयं ह ढोता है , चेहरे पे मुःकान िचपका, मन ह मन रोता है |

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ज़Nर यह है ,क उँ चाई के साथ Fवःतार भी हो, जससे मनुंय ठू ं ठ-सा खड़ा न रहे , औरो से घुले िमले, ,कसी को साथ ले, ,कसी के संग चले| भीड़

म खो जाना,

यादT म डू ब जाना, ःवयं को भूल जाना, अःत1व को अथ8, जीवन को सुग(ध दे ता है | धरती को बौनौ क) नहं, उँ चे कद के इं सानT क) ज़Nरत है | इतने उँ चे क) आसमान को छू ल, नये न ऽT म ूितभा के बीज बो ल, ,कंतु इतने उँ च भी नहं, क) पाव तले डू ब ह न जमे, कोई काँटा न चुभे, कोई कली न खले! न वसंत हो, न पतझड़, हो िसफ़8 उँ चाई का अंधड़, माऽ अकेलेपन का स(नाटा| मेरे ूभु! मुझे इतनी उँ चाई कभी मत दे ना गैरT को गले न लगा सकूँ इतनी Uखाई कभी मत दे ना| (A poem recited by Atal Bihari Vajpayee in his acknowledgement speech for Padma Bhusan Award in 1992)

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गीत नह गाता हूँ बेनकाब चेहरे है , दाग बड़े गहरे है , टू टता ितलःम, आज सच से भय खाता हूँ गीत नह गाता हँू | लगी कुछ ऐसी नज़र, Fबखरा िसशे सा सहर, अपनो के मेले म मीत नह पाता हँू गीत नह गाता हँू | पीठ म छुर सा चाँद, राहु गया रे खा फाँद, मुFW के छणो म बार बार जाता हँू गीत नह गाता हूँ| (by Atal Bihari Vajpayee)

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गीत नया गाता हूँ टू टे हुए तारT से फूटे वस(ती ःवर, प1थर क) छाती म उग आया नाव अंकुर, झरे सब पीले पात, कोयल क) कुहुक रात, ूाची म अUणमा क) रे ख दे ख पता हूँ| गीत नया गाता हूँ| टू टे हुए सपने क) सुने कौन िससक)? अंतर को चीर Xयथा पलकT पर ,ठतक)| हार नहं मानूग ँ ा, रार नई ठानूग ँ ा, काल के कपाल पर िलखता-िमटाता हूँ| गीत नया गाता हँू | (by Atal Bihari Vajpayee)

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रोते रोते रात हो गयी झुक) न अलके झपी न पलके सुिधयो क) बारात खो गई| दद8 पुराना, मीत न जाना, बातो ह बातो म ूात हो गई| घूमड बदली, बूँद न िनकली, Fबछूड़न ऐसी Xयथा बो गई| (by Atal Bihari Vajpayee)

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अनपथ वृ हो भले खड़े , हो घने, हो बड़े , एक पऽ छा भी, माँग मत, माँग मत, माँग मत, अनपथ, अनपथ, अनपथ| तू ना थकेगा कभी, तू ना थामेगा कभी, तू ना मुड़ेगा कभी, कर शपथ, कर शपथ, कर शपथ, अनपथ अनपथ अनपथ| यह महान Yँय है , चल रहा मनुंय है , अौु, \ेत, रखत से, लथपथ, लथपथ, लथपथ, अनपथ, अिनपत, अनपथ| (by Harivansh Rai Bachchan)

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Some of my favourite verses from Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s

Madhushala मृद ु भावो के अंगूरT क) आज बना लाया हाला, Fूयतम, अपने ह हाथT से आज Fपलाऊंगा ^याला; पहले भोग लगा लूँ तुझको ,फर ूसाद जग पाएगा; सबसे पहले तेरा ःवागत करती मेर मधुशाला|

***** भावुकता अंगूर लता से खीच कHपना क) हाला, कFव साक) बनकर आया है भरकर कFवता का ^याला; कभी न कण भर खाली होगा, लाख Fपएं, दो लाख Fपएं! पाठक गण ह पीनेवाले, पुःतक मेर मधुशाला|

***** म,दरालय जाने को घर से चलता है पीनेवाला, ',कस पथ से जाउ' असमंजस म है वह भोलाभला; अलग-अलग पथ बतलाते सब पर म यह बतलाता हूँ... राह पकड़ तू एक चला चल, पा जाएगा मधुशाला|

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एक बरस म एक बार ह जलती होली क) `वाला, एक बार ह लगती बाज़ी जलती दपT क) माला; दिु नयावालो, ,कंतु, ,कसी ,दन आ म,दरालय म दे खो, ,दन को होली, रात दवाली, रोज़ मनाती मधुशाला|

***** दत ु करा मःजद ने मुझको कहकर है पीनेवाला, ठु कराया ठाकुरaारे ने दे ख हथेली पर ^याला, कहाँ ,ठकाना िमलता जग म भला अभागे का,फ़र का शरणःथल बनकर न मुझे य,द अपना लेती मधुशाला|

***** आज करे परहे ज जगत, पर कल पीनी होगी हाला, आज करे इ(कार जगत पर कल पीना होगा ^याला; होने दो पैदा मद का महमूद जगत म कोई, ,फर जहाँ अभी हb मं,दर-मःजद वहाँ बनेगी मधुशाला|

*****

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यम आएगा लेने जब, तब खूब चलूँगा पी हाला, पीड़ा, संकट, कc नरक के या समझेगा मतवाला, बूर, कठोर, कु,टल, कुFवचार अ(यायी यमराज़ो के डॅ ड ं ो क) जब मार पड़े गी, आड़ करे गी मधुशाला|

***** यम आएगा साक) बनकर साथ िलए काली हाला, पी ना होश म ,फर आएगा सुरा-Fवसुध यह मतवाला; यह अंितम बेहोशी, अंितम साक), अंितम ^याला है ; पिथक, ^यार से पीना इसको, ,फर न िमलेगी यह मधुशाला|

***** मेरे अधरो पर हो अंितम वःतु न तुलसी-दल, ^याला, मेर जfवा पर हो अंितम वाःतु न गंगाजल, हाला, मेरे शव के पीछे चलनेवालो, याद इसे रखना'रामनाम है स1य’ न कहना, कहना ‘सOची मधुशाला’|

*****

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मेरे शव पर वह रोए, हो जसके आँसू म हाला, आह भरे वह, जो हो सुरिभत म,दरा पीकर मतवाला, द मुझको वे कंधा जसके पद मद- डगमग होते हT, और जॅलू उस थोर, जहाँ पर कभी रह हो मधुशाला|

***** और चीता पर जाय ऊडे ला पाऽ न घृत का, पर ^याला घंट बंधे अंगूर लता म, नीर न भरकर, भर हाला, ूाणFूये, य,द ौाद करो तुम मेरा, तो ऐसा करनापीने वालो को बुलवाकर खुलवा दे ना मधुशाला|

***** यात हुआ यम आने को है ले अपनी काली हाला, पं,डत अपनी पोिथ भुला साधु भूल गया माला, और पुजार भुला पूजा, gान सभी gानी भूला, ,कंतु न भूला मरकर के भी पीनेवाला मधुशाला|

*****

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अपने युग म सबको अनुपम यात हुई अपनी हाला, अपने युग म सबको अhभुत यात हुआ अपना ^याला, ,फर भी वृaT से जब पूछा एक यह उiर पायाअब न रहे वे पीनेवाले, अब न रह वह मधुशाला!

***** बड़े बड़े नाज़ो से मbने पाली है साक)बाला लिलत कHपना का ह इसने सदा उठाया है ^याला, मान-दल ु ारT से ह रखना इस मेर सुकुमार को; Fवँव, तुjहारे हाथT म अब सौप रहा हूँ मधुशाला|

*****

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Acknowledgements Now, the protocol says that I must thank all those who helped me in bringing out this edition. So I went through the acknowledgement section of 20 books to finally write one for myself which I know no one would care to read. But still the list in priority order goes as follows:I sincerely thank all those intellectual giants who advised me to read books (foryou-know-what) but it surely helped. Secondly, I thank all the poets and authors specially Paulo Coelho and Ayn Rand. These two writers definitely changed my views towards many a things in life. I thank them for teaching me just two words “Be Yourself!” Thirdly, I express my gratitude to British Council Library & Crosswords Book Store for providing me books (for the records, I paid them for the services), but my heartfelt thanks are to Hawkers of Park Street for providing 1000 rupees books for 100 bucks. I am in no way promoting piracy but then as a student (well I would be still 6 days away from my job at the time of publication) you can’t spend a fortune on them. Fourthly, I thank Microsoft for Office 2007 and all those hackers for cracking it, Quillpad.com for converting all those hindi poems into hindi. I know I am sounding like Chetan Bhagat, but you see it’s just that 20 books acknowledgement effect. I mentioned it earlier, didn’t I? Finally jokes apart, I thank you for going through this book. It is indeed very kind of you that you read this bit also.

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Credits & References At various instances, footnote regarding original author is not given. I am hereby listing all the books and authors whom I have quoted in this work. Well this book is 15% mine and 85% their’s. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

Coelho Paulo, Eleven Minutes Coelho Paulo, By the river Piedra I sat and Wept Coelho Paulo, The Alchemist Coelho Paulo, The Fifth Mountain Coelho Paulo, Eleven Minutes Coelho Paulo, The Zahir Coelho Paulo, Veronica Decides to Die Coelho Paulo, The Witch of Portobello Coelho Paulo, Brida Coelho Paulo, The Pilgrimage Rand Ayn, Atlas Shrugged Rand Ayn, The Fountainhead Albom Mitch, Tuesdays with Morrie Albom Mitch, The Five People you meet in Heaven Albom Mitch, For one more Day Brown Dan, The Da Vinci Code Desai Anita, In Custody Rushdie Salman, Shalimar the Clown Gladwell Malcolm, The Outliers Gladwell Malcolm, Blink Bach Richard, Jonathan Livingstone Seagull Das Gurcharan, India Unbound Vajpayee Atal Bihari, Meri Ekkyavan Kavitaye Bachchan Harivanshai, Madhushala

Certain articles and poems in this book are intellectual property of the author, while all other extracts & poems are property of original authors/poets as listed above. This book is for non-commercial purposes only.

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Challenges are high, The Dreams are new, The world out there is waiting for you, Dare to dream, Dare to try, No goal is too distant, No star is too high.

Just Believe in Yourself and Get Going !

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Everyday, I look into the mirror, Waiting, Waiting for The Other to disappear; A day would soon come When the mirror would reveal myself to me.

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