Currently Max Newyork Life Insurance is frequently running this TV advertisement with a jingle Zyaada ka Irada : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4haEYOZ9dTE

While I don’t see the relevance of Life Insurance to this jingle, and can’t figure why the words mean ’set your mind on MORE’, when visuals actually depicts something else.

Visual content reminds me of the old Sanskrit proverb “Sakrasya Takram Dhurlabam”. Takra (Buttermilk or Skimmed Yogurt), Sakra (another name for King of Gods – Indra). It means Even the king of gods, can’t get Buttermilk. The reference is to the concept that Hindu gods in heaven only get Amrita – A nectar/milk giving eternal life, that never sours. It is also a belief that milk doesn’t sour in Heaven. Without souring of milk, there can’t be buttermilk! So, while gods can have everything they want they can’t have Buttermilk. A philosophy in a small sentence.

In these days of financial madness and collapse of massive edifices of international finance, and perhaps some turbulent times ahead, it perhaps is apt to understand what the advertisement actually says (irrespective of the words they use in the jingle). You really can’t have all the things you wish for.

Irrespective of how much ‘zyada ka Irada’ you do, how much ever you really get – There will always be something that you’ll not have, something that you will eternally miss.

You can choose to be satisfied or choose to eternally chase ‘Zyaada’