Socrates' Triple Filter Test

Here is an interesting conversation between Socrates and an acquaintance:

Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?

Wait a moment. Before you tell me I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test.

Triple Filter?

That's right. Before you talk to me about my student, let's take a moment to filter what you're going to say. The first filter is Truth. Are you absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true"

No. I just heard about it and...

Alright. So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter - the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?

No, on the contrary...

So. You want to tell me something bad about him, even though you're not certain if it's true?

The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

You may still pass the test though, because there is a third filter - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?

No, not really...

Well, If what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all?

Translation of Nenjukulle from Kadal

I have tied you to my bosom,

unaware of the direction my living would wake to.

You bestowed such pristine looks

that my heart is now tarnished,

as a mirror splattered with water.

Colored beads and the watch on your left

are just enough 

to tame the beasts of the forest!

You were gone but your shadow did not.

When they fell between my bosom,

I rose to see you and have never ceased to rest!

Now, my heart is rigid and tensed,

like the umbrella spokes, strained and stretched.

The birds have slept and milk has curdled,

even the leaves on the trees have retreated!

At the time when the ones whooping have slept,

the one smitten with desire cannot respite, 

for even a few minutes...

Not a morsel slid through...

not even did a drop touch the throat!

Neither did the saliva see the tunnel's end.

How could the poor wretched lass utter a word?

Indeed, can the rubbered bangles yearn to jingle?

Well, it is not an exaggeration if I say that Nejukulle from Kadal is the new silence in my life. My ears are filled with just that and nothing else, except when I have to meet the obligations of mankind, you know, like listening to them when they talk.

And I am not too sure what in that song caught my fancy! Perhaps Rehman ruling through his harmony on the accordion. I think, for a fact, the accordion and the violin gains more sound space than the singer. Or maybe,  its because I am seeing this song performance as a first of its kind--the MTV unplugged session. And undoubtedly, Sakthi Shree Gopalan does a very neat job.

Whatever the case maybe, I loving it. 

Every bit of it. 

I may have more to say but no words would fit!

Repentance

The rain poured softly,
very unlike and strange,

perhaps weeping silently,
for its past and future sins
that it could not wash off...

even by itself?

~ a few weeks ago