Tags
attachment, cars, detachment, devdatta shankh, hoarders, instant relations, iphone fanatics, krishn arjun, Mahabharata, panchajanya shankh, personal weapons, personified objects, possessive owners, recycled bodies, use and throw relations
Ever bestowed a title or name upon your possessions? Ever felt that your non-living possessions have mood swings and emotions?
A house, a car, a laptop gleaming in the showcase are mere objects. Once they belong to you, they get kick started into life. I do believe our possessions inherit vibes from us, just as pets do. They attune themselves to our touch, our habits, our fingers. They cling, they adopt, they mould.
Ever so slowly, memories settle over them like butterflies. The day my car came home blushing like a bride, the day she threw a royal tantrum in the whirlpool of traffic, the day she took her first shower at the service station, the day she valiantly huffed & puffed home before giving up, the day she was witness to my joyous whistling. 
In fact, akin to what the horse Chetak meant to Maharana Pratap Singh…
Going even farther back, remember Devdatta and Panchajanya, the celestial conch shells of Arjun-Krishn. Gandiva and Sudarshan – the divine bow and divine discus.
In Mahabharata era , weapons and conch shells were extremely personified and personalized objects. They were given elaborate names just as we name a child. They remained private, precious and intensely personal possessions. Never did Krishn lust for Gandiva or Arjun for Sudarshanchakra.
Ring out the old, ring in the new.
Jog your memory to those school essays on ‘Autobiography of pen / book/ coin ….’ It always began with spanking new and always ended with Now I’m old and broken and my master has no more use for me… Some did end on a positive note of I’m getting recycled into a brand new …
Recycling is the universal law. Even human bodies are meant for recycle. Samay – Kaalchakra – the circle of Time rolls on like a juggernaut.
Of course, possessions also throw up 2 extreme personalities. There are the infamous hoarders who are loathe to part with tiniest tidbits (Guilty, your honor!) Then there are the ‘first day first show’ fanatics who sleep on pavements since midnight, so long as their paw is the first to grab the ‘latest’ iPhone. Today’s owned object is tossed aside tomorrow.
Use and throw. Objects, relations, people …
How does one tread the fine tightrope between attachment and detachment?
Impractical Dreamer: Sweety Shinde 
Have never gone so far as to ‘name’ objects. But some things, particularly Mementos, have been held Dear. Happily, they have never been in danger of challenging my ‘Attachment,’ as nobody seemed to want ‘them!’
LikeLike
Ah mementos. They can be ‘priceless’ to someone and ‘zero price’ for others.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Zigactly! 🙂
LikeLike
Well, I’m guilty of that crime! 😀
I was crazy enough to name my flutes. My favorite flute is named Saudamini. The lightning may not be an apt name for a flute, but it was just a spur of the moment decision. There are others too. It may seem loony, but if you see, even girls do name their dolls! My daughter has Olira, Pinky and Dino!
May be, you are absolutely right. The reason behind this nomenclature is our attachment for that inanimate article.
Curious of you to write about this behavior, which we always display but rarely notice! 😀
LikeLike
Beautiful name for a flute… Lightening.
I heard a flute has symbolism. It signifies everything negative sucked in and only the lilting melody allowed to flow out.
Yes, I believe naming an inanimate object gives it an aura of life. Nothing wrong in it at all, just as long as we give priority to the truly animate beings in our life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lolll at the toon…..attachment 🙂 🙂
LikeLike
I know, its too cute and apt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
An excellent take on our basic instincts of possessiveness, attachment and never ending wants. As the masters say detachment just happens not when you pursue it. It happens when we turn our minds inwards to savor the bliss within.
Have a wonderful week ahead.
LikeLike
True. Its much easier said than done, though. For the non-monks amongst us, a better method would be to prioritize all valuable things. Total detachment may not work for those of us who are caught up in family life, but at least we can learn to value our beloved people more than our beloved items. Thank you for the visit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sure ma’am. Thanks.
LikeLike