Soul..... immortal

वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय

नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि ।

तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा-

न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ॥ 

vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya

navani grhnati naro ‘parani

tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany

anyani samyati navani dehi.

- Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2. Verse 22

vāsāḿsi — garments; jīrṇāni — old and worn out; yathā — just as; vihāya — giving up; navāni — new garments; gṛhṇāti — does accept; naraḥ — a man; aparāṇi — others; tathā — in the same way; śarīrāṇi — bodies; vihāya — giving up; jirṇāni — old and useless; anyāni — different; saḿyāti — verily accepts; navāni — new sets; dehī — the embodied.

Meaning of this Gita verse:

As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old  ones.

Simply the Soul is deathless. 

Just about a week ago;

It's since the passing away of

the brilliant actor Vivekh. 

A poet went on record saying,

Or rather doomsaying, 

Henceforth there would be 

Famine for rational dialogue 

In filmdom. 

The atheist cult tried their best to 

Appropriate Vivekh as one amongst them. 

Irony is 

We don't know if all of

Them know that 

Contrary to their belief, 

Vivekh never said 

He was a God-hater. 

Every year Mata Amritanantha Mayee

Visits Her Chennai Ashram. 

Many from Kollywood do visit and receive 

Mata's blessings during Her visits. 

On one such time 

I saw Vivekh receiving 

Mata's blessings. 

Well,

He participated in Samskruta Bharathi, - an organization to encourage learning Sanskrit -meeting.  Referred to listening to Velukudi's lecture,  his acting in a movie with title, 'நான் தான் பாலா' and his love to learn Sanskrit. 

I was curious to see this movie.  Saw it in YouTube. 

In the movie Vivekh's role was a Brahmin priest. His father served in a temple as Pujari. 

Vivekh's name in the film was Bala. On a wrong temple jewel theft accusation,  the Vivekh's family had to leave the agraharam,  the place where the families of pujaris reside. 

Unable to come over grief of false accusation,  Bala's parents ended their life. 

When Bala didn't know where to go,  one Poochi came forward to accommodate Bala. Bala didn't know the antecedents of Poochi. 

Poochi was a stooge to one bad guy,  to say in Sonia's jargon, a 'merchant of death.'.

On knowing that Poochi was wanted in a case of murder,  Bala,  a deeply spiritual man,  convinced Poochi to turn approver.  This news reached the ears of the merchant of death. 

The irritated merchant of death killed Poochi. 

On the dying moment of Poochi,  Bala took him on his laps and chanted, 

'vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya

navani grhnati naro ‘parani

tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany

anyani samyati navani dehi.'.

Yes. 

 

What dies is the body.

And 

There is no death to the Soul.

'

sacrificing one's labour.....

One day I went along with a friend to meet a CEO and owner of a corporate. 

He had a tiny desktopper.

It carried the following words:

"If any one says money is nothing, ask him to give me some."

Let's forget it and move over to some wise words in total contrast to above ones. 

"It's not money,  but the act of giving that fascinates and satisfies me"

As told in a chat with a press reporter.

The person who said it : Kaushalya Patti - grandmother. 

Whenever I see any grandmother, I can't help but remember my own grandmother. 

Well back to the story,  Kaushalya Patti proves that age is just a number.   She is now 98.

Normally the first rays of the Sun starts showing up around,  say between 5.45 and 6. Patti gets up about two hours before that.  Do the maths yourself to figure out the precise time she gets up at. 

What does she do? 

Along with her family members,  prepares every morning hot steamy ghee Pongal,  idly,  Vadai, dosa, sambar,  chutney etc. 

The restaurant she runs in Nanganallur,  the abode of Lord Hanuman. The restaurant goes by her daughter Kamala's name,  'Kamala Patti restaurant'. Why the word Patti in the restaurant's name?   For, Kamala is also a Patti, 72.

We have seen avaricious restaurants keep raising the food prices at the drop of the hat. 

None of Patti's food cost above Rs. 50/-.

Recall her words again,  "It's not money,  but the act of giving that fascinates and satisfies me."

Just now in this morning, read a couple of pages in volume 2 of Maha Periyavar's,  தெய்வத்தின் குரல்.

He says about sacrificing fruit of one's labour - கர்ம பலத் தியாகம்.  That leads one to purification of mind - சித்த சுத்தி -, the gate way to enlightenment. 

Kaushalya Patti  just practices what is referred to as கர்மானுஷ்டானம் as prescribed  in Vedas. 

Long live Patti and bless us. 

Duryodana's destiny

14 February 2019

The day began with millions of roses transcending the shores of peace loving India.

To lovers across globe.
When they celebrate Valentine's Day,
The very same day
Some notorious thorns tore into our,  Emphatically our valley - and staged gory bloodshed.

Salutes,
Hats off to Martyrs.

Assure you our Saviours
India is eternally indebted to
Your sacramental martyrdom in  Nation's safety.

Be also rest assured.
Duryodana's destiny is certain to befall on these war-mongering mindless, heartless brutes,  demons and devils.

History is replete with karmic harvest of what-they-sow-so-shall-they-reap.

Vainglory was paramount in the demoniac Duryodana when his days of destruction drew near.

So was the case with demons that went berserk in the valley.

A message reinforced in the Old Testament :

"Pride goes before destruction,  and a haughty spirit before a fall. "

- Proverbs 16:18.

Be all ill fated all ghosts,  devil forces certain, our Saviours are all out in full force to dispirit all your nasty designs,  nullify all ill scheming.

"Every one who is arrogant is an abomination to the Lord;  be assured,  he will not go unpunished."

Paritranaya sadhunam vinashaya cha dushkritam. Dharma sansthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge........

 Paritranaya sadhunam vinashaya cha dushkritam.

Dharma sansthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge........

These were ringing aloud in my ears.....................as Thalaivar spelt out,

“My entry into politics is confirmed”.

Now there is jittery all over......

Some says “aanmigam won’t work out” despite their inviting Babas, Sadhus, Sadhgurus home and been blessed.  And they sound “This is the bhumi of great rationalists.....”.  Some question “What is aanmigam?”.  As if they know what ‘rationalism’ is!!

If all along, the long road – about six decades, the rationalists have done well, this should have been by now a bhumi where milk and honey must be flowing.  Look what flows freely......................booze.   That is in a State where it’s duty to mind the welfare of people, the paradox is State itself sells it.   The crude joke is they sell it with a tagline, “Drinking is bad for health”.  This one instance suffices, like a grain be sufficient to test if the full pot of grains is boiled, to deduce how sincere the self styled rationalists in caring for the common man. With their rationalism that they couldn’t find a way out -  to do without state depending on liquor sale for its revenue -  poses a serious question what rationalism it is. 

This verse is in Chapter 4 and slogan 8.

It goes full force to spell out,  “When adharma, anarchy rules the roost, a crusader has to come in and save the hapless and bring back order.”

Jittery is palpable as hitherto parties were too complacent and took people for a ride.  The fervency for a positive change is very much in air.  At times when prayers are intensive, Lord Krsna never fails.  He dawns with the full assurance.

When and so long we make do with mere cacophonies, stagnations and impasse, isn’t it time for a positive change?

Well knit Team...........

aparyāptaḿ tad asmākaḿ
balaḿ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam
paryāptaḿ tv idam eteṣāḿ
balaḿ bhīmābhirakṣitam

-         slogan 10, Chap 1 – Bhagavad Gita

word by word translation:

aparyāptam — immeasurable; tat — that; asmākam — of ours; balam — strength; bhīṣma — by Grandfather Bhīṣma; abhirakṣitam — perfectly protected; paryāptam — limited; tu — but; idam — all this; eteṣām — of the Pāṇḍavas; balam — strength; bhīma — by Bhīma; abhirakṣitam — carefully protected.

That’s Duryodhana brattling about the size of his army vis a vis Pandava’s.

Mere size, or magnitude of Gauvrava’s army by itself wasn’t its clinching factor despite its being led by none other than the grandsire Bhisma himself. What lacks is the cohesiveness, co-ordination and team spirit.

Whereas the Pandava’s, though limited in its size, was well focused, trim with complete team spirit.

May we take a detour to listen to a story?

An erudite Swamiji was invited to deliver spiritual discourse in a village temple.   Swamiji, preparing well left for the village to deliver the lecture.  His was night journey by a train to reach the village on the appointed day to deliver the lecture.

The mode of transportation between station and guest house those days was by a cart ride drawn by a horse.  The cart wala reached the station in time to receive Swamiji.

Suddenly there was heavy downpour and the rain did not abate during whole of the day.  No body except the cart wala  turned up to listen to Swamiji.  The organizers had no other go but to cancel the program.  Disappointed over the turn of the events, Swamiji requested the Cart wala to take him back to station so that he can catch the return train and leave for his town.

Cart wala said, “Swamiji I rear about 30 horses.  If for some reason or other one single horse is not able to set out, I make sure that I leave enough fodder for that horse. And then only I leave for my work.”

Taken aback to hear it from this poor Cart wala, Swami said, “Ok I will deliver my lecture, even if you only are the only one single member of the audience present here.’

Then Swamiji went about talking for about 45 minutes non-stop.  His talk traversed over disciplines like philosophy, astronomy, mantra, tantra et al.

After completing the lecture, Swamiji looked up the cart wala and asked, “How was my lecture?”

The Cart wala said, “Swamji, I don’t understand anything.  I know only one thing.  When I leave that single horse not able to set out, I just leave only enough and sufficient fodder for that single horse.  I don’t give away more than what that single horse could digest.”

No matter how big a size of an army, howsoever a great Grandsire to lead it, as long as it fails cohesiveness and lacks the team spirit and focus, it will not serve its purpose.

telepathy

It would not surprise you if someone asks, "Is it possible to give such a lengthy preaching, upadesa, to Arjuna? That too in the veritable battlefield?".

Osho answers in affirmative, in his WAR and PEACE, the insights from Bhagavad Gita.  For a sincere disciple like Arjuna to learn and comprehend what the Master, Lord Krsna, has to teach, it's not necessary that it - the teaching - has to be by communication and conveyance of actual words.  All it just requires is that Arjuna tunes into Lord's benevolence.

What we talk today of namely telepathy, actually did happen at the Lord's days thousands of years ago. 

About a decade ago on a Saturday afternoon, I was alone in my office after other colleagues left for home.  When I also was about to leave, just then entered a vagabond astro-palmist into my office and offered to read my palm and give predictions.  I'm a guy just ready to accept what Almighty destines me to at any point of time in my life.  Not that I'm skeptic about astrological sciences.  Whenever such a crisis arises whether I need to look for astrololgical advice, I just recall the following slogan

na ca saknomy avasthatum
bhramativa ca me manah
nimittani ca pasyami
viparitani keshava

- Slogan 30, Adhyaya I ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA

The one dutiful, agile would go about doing one's duty for the sake of one's wont duty. That one has no time to seek guidance from omens. It is the weak and wavering who would dilly dally on the excuse of seeking guidance from omens.

I just didn't give in to the palmist's cajoling.  He was equally determined to clinch a professional deal with me and like an appetizer he asked me to think of a number.  I thought out number 7 and did not tell him what I thought.  He immediately said the number I thought was 7.  My God, I was speechless!    Then he fired his next salvo by asking me to think of a bird.  I'm a careful fish and would not bite the bait just easily.  I thought of the bird, peacock.   Vow.!  The fellow could easily read my mind and said exactly, peackok.

I'm still enquiring.  For certain questions, the Lord keeps the answers closer to His chest.  He just wants us, mortals, only to experience it and dare not fathom it.

Who is a yogi?

Myths shroud the notion that a yogi is one who has given up his bounden duty.  And we have been taught from our toddler's days that a yogi is one who lives away from his families; that he is not supposed to do any rites once he starts donning the 'sanyasin's robes.

Bhagavan Krsna, through verse 1 in Chapter 6, viz., 'Dhyana Yoga' explodes these myths.  He holds the one who does his bounden duty without seeking the fruit of his action as a sanyasin and a yogi and not the one who eschews the duty to do yagna and rites.

The transliteration reads as follows:

sri-bhagavan uvaca
anasritah karma-phalam
karyam karma karoti yah
sa sannyasi ca yogi ca
na niragnir na cakriyah.

I had trouble getting to my grey cells the last four words in the sloga.

Called up two of my friends who have a fair prior exposure to Gita.  They elucidated and the meaning passed on to my grey cells. 

When read carefully, one would not mistake that Bhagavan refrained from saying, 'sacrifice your fruit of action'.  He just says while doing your bounden duty, you would be a yogi if you do your bounden duty without seeking its fruit.  If the focus is only on fruit, there would not be any beauty in doing. 

A question arose in me.  Bhagavan went on to say who is not a yogi - in the sense that the one,who is not doing 'yagnas' and rites, isn't a yogi.

I was wondering whether Bhagavan meant saying sages and saints like, Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi, Gautam Buddha, Jesus Christ et al are not yogis.  A new dimension, 'ngana', wisdom just dawned on me. That Bhagavan in fact did not say so.  For, even these enlightened spiritual masters were doing their duty even after becoming 'sanyasins' - in the sense that they led and carried us from ignorance to enlightenment.

Well any knowledge would stagnate and it should be like a flowing river.  I called my young niece, Vaishali, who is into her fourth standard.  She loves to learn slogans.  Her eyes glowed and the face reflected the tejas to hear me recite the sloga.  I didn't explain the sloga word by word.  But conveyed the meaning by means of entering into a conversation as runs below:

Me  :   what are you?

Vaish : 'm a girl.

Me : 'm not asking about your gender, i.e., whether you are a boy or a girl?

Vaish  : Then.!?

Me : what do you do?

Vaish : playing ... (as she is enjoying her summer holidays)

Me : I didn't mean that.

Vaish : Then !?

Me : Forget your summer holidays. Once your school reopens what do you do?

Vaish : studying.

Me : Now tell me what you are.

Vaish : a student.

Me : good.  What do you do as a student?

Vaish : studying.

Me : why?

Vaish : to pass on to 5th std.  (remember now she is into class IV).

Me : what is your aim, i.e., fruit of action.

Vaish : to pass on to 5th std.

Me : so would you only keep thinking about your fruit of action, i.e., passing over to class V all the while you are in class IV.

Vaish : No.  I'd be studying. 

Me : well this is what Bhagavan Krsna says.  Keep doing your duty. and let your focus be on doing your bounden duty as a student without all the while thinking about passing over to class V when you are supposed to be doing your studies well.

And the little girl like camphor got it fast.