Mar 15, 2008

Can I Have Some Of Your Maya, Please?

Namaste Mukeshbhai,

Apko mera pranaam.

You are a great man, Mukeshji, a worthy son of a remarkable father. Your father was a great man too, a remarkable man who rose from the bottom rungs of the society to its greatest heights. You are a worthy son, who has inherited not only his brains, but also his wisdom

Apart from remarkable business acumen, you have a very wise head on your shoulders. Like our great sages of yesteryears, you are well-versed in scriptures and understand the reality of our universe. Yes sir, its all maya, the illusion that titillates all of us, veils our vision and finally entraps us. It is remarkable that despite your riches, you have managed to avoid being entrapped by the permeating grip of this all-enticing illusion. I congratulate you for not getting carried away by all the hype that surrounds you because of your wealth and for resisting the temptations of the deceptive distraction of maya.

Yes, we should all beware of this titillating illusion. But let me caution you a bit, Sir. Mythology and history shows us that just great wisdom is not enough to avoid the titillations that the great illusion throws at us all the time. The great Vishwamitra who spent years practicing austerities lost his self-control and gave in to the temptations presented by maya in the form a the apsara Menaka. The greatest of the sages have been seduced by the temptations of maya and in a moment of madness lost everything they have accumulated in decades of tapasya and self-denial.

It is indeed a tremendous achievement that your wealth and riches have not distracted you from the straight and narrow path. It is very commendable that you don't lust for titles, honors and rankings nor do you believe in reveling in luxury as lesser mortals would tempted to be, preferring to focus on your work. But Sir, let me warn you again about the guiles of the seductive bitch called Maya. She is a formidable foe, a seductress like no other who doesn't rest till she has tamed the mightiest and most powerful of men.

Maya, the seductive temptress enticing Mukesh Ambani to build the luxurious residence named 'Antilla'?

Sir, I've read reports that you are building a magnificent residence for yourself and your family at a cost of nearly Rs.4000 crores, a residential tower that will have a staff of 600 to take care of you and your family along with three helipads, six floors of parking space, swimming pools and hanging gardens. I ask you, is this ultra-luxurious home not an evidence that you are being beguiled by the great seductress?

I'm afraid for you, sir; afraid that goddess Maya will finally succeed in tempting you into submission and destroy you like it has destroyed most mankind. As a fan, ardent admirer and a well-wisher, I submit that the only way to beat the illusion is to get rid of it. The lesser the illusion engulfs you, more are the chances of you escaping its enticing net.

Sir, can I have some of some of the the illusion that surrounds you? I'm not asking you to share your illusion out of lust for your wealth. I recognize that the entrapments of maya are very dangerous, but out of my desire to protect you from its snares, I'm willing to take on some of the burden of your illusion. Kindly allow me to share your great burden. I'm sure that in a poor country like India where people are blessed with far too less maya than is necessary to lead a life of dignity, you will find millions like me who would gladly share most of your burden.

I hope you will avail of this tempting offer to get rid of the temptations proffered by maya. I assure you that I'll make only the best use of the part of the illusion you will be getting rid of, using it to fulfill only my basic needs like having my own house, a non-luxurious four-wheeler, rotary club membership and a one-time 30-day package trip to Europe for me, my wife and two kids. The total cost of fulfilling my basic needs would be around INR 1.75 crores, but for your sake, I'm willing to take a larger burden of your illusion, even at the risk of getting enticed by the she-devil Maya.

Please accept my offer, sir. I'm out here for you! You don't know what it's like to be me out here for you. Help me help you help me help you. Help me help you.