like to lie......

like to lie......

We tend to presume that we are stepping into immortality of literary fame just because we could effectively craft a few words, use a language without error—maybe in a somewhat ornamental style with some hyperbole and oxymoron..

But language is only a vehicle..

Of course we do not have the vehicle in running condition most of the time.. Or no vehicle at all.That it another matter.
How is it when I have a brand new vehicle parked in my porch, but I cannot drive it..?


What is worth at least a couple of dimes IMHO is the content the language carries and delivers too.

Language can put ideas and emotions into letters and words, and, if it has served its right purpose, the same ideas and emotions will be conveyed to anyone who tries to understand the contents, by reading, or speaking or singing, or even gesticulating..

But the process usually suffers from starting trouble, transmission loss, distortion, and printing errors too.

The same alphabets of the language can spread happiness or gloom, love or hatred, beauty or the complete lack of it..

And funny as it may seem, letters run riot.

In social media , if you add a “k” --perhaps standing for “kindness” to a “lie” it becomes a “like”

And most of the likes we see around have their genesis in lies..

the salt of the earth.

A person who can see beauty and benevolence in everything everywhere is a saint.

But most of us are not saints

A person who just lives on without seeing, not caring to see anything, we can call him anything


A person who mixes reality and dreams with genius and gives birth to beauty is a poet or an artist

A person who can see only the wrongs and defects in others, but cannot look inside himself to find ditto inside himself is a cynic.. Most satirists are like this.. That tribe is always on the increase.

A person who can see the shortcomings and frailties outside himself and within himself too and depicts his discoveries outside with indulgence and sympathy and even with empathy, can be a cartoonist, caricaturist or a humourist..

A person who can understand his own limitations and frailties, can admit it heartily , and laugh at himself along with others, I think is the real man.. he is the salt of the earth..

a toy's luck

a toy's luck


Thinking of Golu or display of Bommais ( toys made of clay) during Navaratri, the fate of two animal gods at home,evoked a lot of memories..

Years and years ago, maybe half a century ago, we had a small set of Bommais,or clay toys.. Rama Pattabhishekam(Coronation of Rama) Set. with Rama, Lakshmana Sita and of course the respected tailed gentleman. Hanumaji..

An old (female too) relative once on a visit to our home, acted in an excessively friendly manner, handled the Pattabhishekam set and while praising the beauty of the set let Rama slip from her hand (I do trust it was an innocent action, but even after years and years of rumination, I am not yet definite about it.. still I always tend to grant the benefit of doubt,, and why should I accuse a departed soul?) and Rama crashed to the floor fracturing the arm holding the arrow and the tiny hand of clay also won eternal freedom from the mainstream toy..

True, what has happened has happened.. Those were not the days of quickfix or fevifix, and I am not sure these "fixes" would have succeeded in undoing the damage anyway.. But our tradition has it that we should never retain at home a toy which has suffered a deformation.. Rama had to be put in the well.. and technically, as members of the "set" madam Sita and bro.Laksman and the primate lieutenant were all to go to give the handicapped Rama company in his watery abode..

As a child, I had very little emotional attachment to the Royal Personage, but the cute monkey fascinated me.. Puffy chin, red eyes,with hands held together in respect and utter supplication, and the tail in the shape of "S" held inches above the head with the tip shaped as a lotus bud of black hue, the imp of a toy, was a treat to my imagination, naughtiness and obedience bundled together..

I was in charge of providing the set of toys their new accommodation.. But I could not bring myself to the cruel act of dropping the toy of that small monkey God into the well.. And, not caring about the consequences, I just placed the tailed toy in the loft our old house hidden for ever from the stare of evil eyes..

There is only one lady in our house, and the other two members are males and close friends of that God hiding in the loft.. It is believed,( and that belief is a boon to us,) that to have Bommakkolu, there should be at least two ladies in the house..
So there was no golu in our house by way of exhibition of toys ( and distribution of Sundal too ) for the past quarter of a century..

But recently I met my friend in the loft when I climbed there with all the difficulties of an old man, to change a tile in the leaking roof.. But I have quietly left him there... because he always holds a lofty place in my mind

The second toy of an animal God is that of a Ganapathi.. His story is very simple.. Almost contemporaneously with the Pattabhishekam episode, we had to place that toy for pooja during a Vinayaka Chathurthi, because for some reason or other, we could not find a fresh mud idol for worship .. And after the pooja, when time came to drop the idol into the well, my father felt that the Pullayar( ganapathi) was very beautiful, and should not be thrown away.. From that time that Ganapathi occupies our daily pooja

So good time and lack of it can affect even toys..

काव्यं यशसे अर्थकृते for fame and little money too

for fame and little money too 

काव्यं यशसे अर्थकृते

On the issue of any literary creation carrying some morals, there is a lot of food for thought..

काव्यं यशसे अर्थकृते 

kaavyam yashase arthakrithey.. says a standard text..

literary creation is for fame and also to earn money.. according to one strongly prevalent school of thought..

Kunchan Nambyar said..ദീപസ്തംഭം മഹാശ്ചര്യം എനിക്കും കിട്ടണം പണം..... 

(the king who was a sponsor for may minor and major writers, had erected a huge searchlight.. and he was just hearing the praises of all his courtiers over the greatness of such light. Obviously the eulogies came from persons who expected gifts from the king..

Kunchan Nambiar the great Satirist of Kerala , was also in the court.. After listening to the litany of praises by many of his colleagues, the poet also wanted to tell something great about the construction .. of course keepin an eye on the purse that would be given as gift by the king

He could find little to say.. 

So he said.

"The deepastambham (the searchlight) is really wonderful.

And I want to get the gift of money too..")

While telling stories across generations, the authors introduced some romantic element and hyperboles , whether connected with the story-line or not..

It is the same in Kumarasambhavam or the works of Muttathu varkey or even Thakazhi or Vijayan.. and almost in all novels by Western authors..

( I mean by romance all the meanings attached to it in colloquial parlance.. )

Language has a law of grammar, and phonetics because it is created and maintained by groups of men..

But life appears to be programmed by some external entity, and no replication in absolute terms is ever seen..

No res judicata in life..

So I do not know whether a literary creation, which narrates life, should definitely convey a moral.because "moral" appears to be a very loose term. 

And if it is to convey a moral, should it be positive or can it be negative too is another ticklish question..

If we can read a book from cover to cover without getting the urge to skip the pages or to jump to the last page, may be, the author is successful in his mission..

the friends meet..

the friends meet..

This is how Ramapurathu varier(രാമപുരത്തുവാരിയര്‍ ) describes the meeting of Krishna with Kuchela the Sudhama... in his great work in Malayalam "Kuchelavrittam( കുചേലവൃത്തം)

The wizened brahmin in tattered clothes was walking in hot sun towards the gate of Krishna's mansion in Dwaraka.. and the Lord, standing in his elevated seat, saw his friends approaching..

He left everything and ran towards his friend..

His eyes, red as lotus was redder with tears..

അന്തണനെ കണ്ടിട്ടു സന്തോഷം കൊണ്ടോ തസ്യ ദൈന്യം

ചിന്തിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളിലുണ്ടായ സന്താപം കൊണ്ടോ

എന്തുകൊണ്ടോ ശൌരി കണ്ണുനീരണിഞ്ഞു, ധീരനായ

ചെന്താമര കണ്ണനുണ്ടോ കരഞ്ഞിട്ടുള്ളൂ

that Krishna with eyes red as lotus shed tears on seeing the brahmin...

was it happiness on meeting his dearest boyhood chum.?.

was it on seeing Sudhamas miserable state.?

No one could say..

for no one has ever seen that bold Madhava crying like that

marriage of minds

marriage of minds

the hallmark of a successful marriage is that the two should be mad for each other

and

not mad at each other..

Made for each other may not do..

"Made" is some action of God or someone else, but being mad..Being mad in love.. is a feeling made in heaven wholly and exclusively for export 

and imported by human beings to the earth..

.

Such love, if it is there can be available only on earth, and not in heaven.. இச்சுவை தவிர யான் போய் இந்திர லோகம் ஆளும்.....

the five great sins

the five great sins

the five mahapathakams or five  most heinous sins according to Hindu belief are

ब्रह्महत्या सुरापानं स्तेयं गुर्वङ्गनागमः । महान्ति पातकान्याहुः संसर्गश्चापि तैः सह.l

manusmriti 11-54

Killing learned men 

Drinking hooch 

Stealing

 Desecrating the preceptor's bed 

and finally the act of supporting or helping in any of the four acts above..

Yes, we believe that abetting a wrong deed is as bad as committing it.

न केवलं यो महतो अपभाषते शृणोति तस्मादपि यः स पापभाक्

Not only the one who scandalizes or insults others but those who hear that ( and support it covertly or openly ) are also partners in the sin..

This is what Kalidasa puts in his Mahakavyam-- Kumarasambhavam -- in the words of Uma

sow and reap

sow and reap


Perhaps I tend to overplay the role of a social critic and make comments with my cynicism brimming and overflowing with every word.. And I feel uncomfortable when I am paid back in the same currency.. There is no rule in life that I should get back only the exact number of abuses in return to what I donate... The exchange rates vary according to market conditions.. Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.. That appears to be the practical formula..
But no seed will grow in my garden usually unless I sow .

more than a slice of life.. a cut..

more than a slice of life.. a cut..

I remember of one of my late uncles in this connerction .. Most of them my uncles were having short sight.. And my mama(uncle) was in the habit of self-shaving.. even in ancient times... my mama  is gone and must be ninety five if he were alive-
After the morning shave he would call mami(aunt) every day and ask her to see whether his shave was effective.. and the couple was young at the time of reporting.. whether she liked it or not mami has to feel the chin and cheeks of the mama for its geographical patterns everyday. every morning .
We the urchins would watch the process with a lot of romantic undertones..


Mami would have been usually busy otherwise in the morning and she would give mama a real tongue-lash while certifying the effectiveness or otherwise of the shave..
However the pattern of dialogue ( or monologue?) is the same as every mami would be delivering to every mama in every pattar household in every slot of history..,,, Ammalu Appu or Hema.Kannan .
So it need not be repeated, I trust..

nothing to equal His music.. nor His smile..

nothing to equal His music.. 

nor His smile..

te te bhaavaah sakalajagatee lobhaneeyaprahaavaah

naanaa trishana suhridi hridi me kaamamaavirbhavanthu veenaavenukwanithalasithasmeravakthraaravinadaan-

naaham jaane madhuramaparam nandapunayaambhpoorat

ते ते भावाः सकलजगती लोभनीयप्रभावाः।

नाना तृष्णासुहृदि हृदि मे काममाविर्भवन्तु।

वीणावेणुक्वणितलसितस्मेरवक्त्रारविन्दा-

न्नाहं जाने मधुरमपरंनन्दपुण्याम्बुपूरात्॥

लीलाशुकःश्रीकृष्णकर्णामृते

തേ തേ ഭാവാ സകലജഗതീ ലോഭനീയ പ്രഭാവാഃ

നാനാ തൃഷ്ണാ സു ഹൃദി ഹൃദി മേ കാമം  ആവിര്‍ഭവന്തു

വീണാ വേണു ക്വണിത ലസിത സ്മേരവക്ത്രാരവിന്ദാ

ന്നാഹം  ജാനേ  മധുരം അപാരം നന്ദ പുണ്യാംബുപൂരാത്

ലീലാശുകന്റെ  ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണകര്‍ണ്ണാമൃതം

 

It is possible that all the desires for worldly enjoyment, 

cravings for power and pelf,

 which are tempting to the heart, 

will arise and push me to the world of sensuous pleasures.. 

Maybe, those pleasures are sweet to contemplate on and sweeter to enjoy

But I do not know or could think of anything sweeter than  

that the divine music emanating from the flute 

kissing that ever smiling lotus-like face of 

that Concentrated Good Fortune of Nanda 

( our Lord Krishna) , 

the music that is reaching me to accompaniment of the music of veena.

I love you Krishna 

Cracking the nut in an agraharam temple

Cracking the nut in an agraharam temple

In our Ganapathy temple when coconut was cracked, we young boys used to ensure for ourselves that we stationed ourselves  in the most advantageous positions around the stone earmarked for that 
(that stone is an archival piece..carrying with it the dreams and tears of many a boys over the ages) 

and got hold of the biggest pieces of cracked coconuts..... 
Usually the coconut was cracked by someone else, a devotee and hardly by any of us of the Agraharam.. 
For us coconut wherever and whenever available had better uses.... .

And if the coconut did not break into reasonably small pieces, and if one fellow picked up a very large piece.. thenga moodi, all others including senior villagers (except the parents of the fellow who seized a big piece) would clamour for a re-breaking of the coconut..

The bullies usually would snatch away the pieces of coconuts picked up by smaller boys..

Sometimes, there will be fight between brahmins, high caste non brahmins and lesser groups on the protocol and precedence of gathering around the stone when coconut was being cracked..

And I have a small abrasion and a permanent scar on my scalp as a memento for standing eagerly awaiting to snatch a piece of cracked coconut when one "Jolaing Krishnan" cracked the coconut on my head instead of on the stone.. may be an error of judgment..

Indeed cracking coconut in Ganapathy shrines had its effect in the welfare of people, if not exactly for the devotee making the offering but for those that hang around the temple..

Coconuts were really costly all the time.. and mothers would be searching for the whereabouts of their boys (and some tomboyish female offspring too) to run to the temple, when they sighted some devotee heading towards the temple with one or two coconuts in hand.. and it would be festivity all around if someone was carrying a gunny bag ostensibly full of coconuts and walking towards the temple... 

And there would be disappointment all around if it turned out that the gunny bag contained only coconut shells or the chakiri (the dried fibrous external peel of the coconut) for Ganapathy Homam..

Sabhanayakam Sir...

Sabhanayakam Sir...

I remember my respected colleague Sabhanayakam sir, who was an Inspector of Incometax, aged fifty two when I joined the department in Chennai in 1977,,

He was a bright person, but he did not want to take promotions so did not pass the departmental examination which would qualify him to become an officer or entitle him to greater promotions..

When I met him first he had already put in about 15 years of service as Inspector and many of his juniors had become group A officers. He was utterly friendly with all and his influence in any field of human existence at Chennai was phenomenal..

That apart, what attracted me most was that every morning when he met us, he would l greet all of us, irrespective of cadre, age or seniority , heartily and say that it was a great fortune in his life to meet each one of us.. Also he would peep into the cabins of each officer and repeat this..

In fact, I used to feel it as very odd.. He was a clean and upright person and his sons were well settled, and he had no wants..He would use his influence only to help anyone of us, his colleagues or bosses.. Hardly ever did he take advantage of his connections for his own benefit.

Some people with acid tongue would remark that Sabhanayagam was carrying gooja..

But it was not so. . He liked people and loved it when he saw that people were happy, and perhaps was happiest when he felt that a few words from him would make all who lived around him happy..

God, Such human beings too exist.. May be that proves that God is there.

agree or disagree

agree or disagree

A person who can see beauty and benevolence in everything everywhere is a saint.

But most of us are not saints

A person who just lives on without seeing, not caring to see anything, we can call him anything

A person who mixes reality and dreams with genius and gives birth to beauty is a poet or an artist

A person who can see only the wrongs and defects in others, but cannot look inside himself to find ditto inside himself is a cynic.. Most satirists are like this.. That tribe is always on the increase.

A person who can see the shortcomings and frailties outside himself and within himself too and depicts his discoveries outside with indulgence and sympathy and even with empathy, can be a cartoonist, caricaturist or a humourist..

A person who can understand his own limitations and frailties, can admit it heartily , and laugh at himself along with others, I think is the real man.. he is the salt of the earth..

birthday wishes, my lovely Krishna

birthday wishes, my lovely Krishna

सहैव हर्षेण सुधाशनानां सहैव पुण्येन वसुन्धरायाः।

भयेन भोजाधिपतेश्च देवः सहेव गर्भे ववृधे मुकुन्दः॥३४

इति प्रवृत्ते समये घनानां मासे नभस्ये निशि मध्यमायाम्। 

मणे शुभाख्यायिनि च ग्रहाणां देवक्युवाह प्रसवाभिमुख्यम्॥४९

हरत्सु बाह्यं भुवनस्य तापं प्रावृट्प्रसूतेषु वलाहकेषु।

असूत तस्यान्तरतापशान्त्यै कृष्णांबुवाहं कृपयेव देवी॥५०

दिशः प्रसेदुः सह निम्नगाभिः जहर्ष लोकेन सहांबुराशिः।

जाते मुकुन्दे मुमुचुश्च सद्यः भयेन देवाः सह पुष्पवृष्टिम्॥५१

मनोभिरामेण मधुव्रतानां नादेन शंसन्निव दिष्टवृद्धिम्।

चचार वायुः सुमनोऽम्शुकानि सम्प्राप्य सम्प्राप्य महीरुहेभ्यः॥५२

sahaiva harṣeṇa sudhāśanānāṁ sahaiva puṇyena vasundharāyāḥ|

bhayena bhojādhipateśca devaḥ saheva garbhe vavṛdhe mukundaḥ||34

iti pravṛtte samaye ghanānāṁ māse nabhasye niśi madhyamāyām| 

maṇe śubhākhyāyini ca grahāṇāṁ devakyuvāha prasavābhimukhyam||49

haratsu bāhyaṁ bhuvanasya tāpaṁ prāvṛṭprasūteṣu valāhakeṣu|

asūta tasyāntaratāpaśāntyai kṛṣṇāṁbuvāhaṁ kṛpayeva devī||50

diśaḥ praseduḥ saha nimnagābhiḥ jaharṣa lokena sahāṁburāśiḥ|

jāte mukunde mumucuśca sadyaḥ bhayena devāḥ saha puṣpavṛṣṭim||51

manobhirāmeṇa madhuvratānāṁ nādena śaṁsanniva diṣṭavṛddhim|

cacāra vāyuḥ sumano'mśukāni samprāpya samprāpya mahīruhebhyaḥ||52

The birth of that Immortal Krishna is described in great vividity by Sukumarakavi in his Sreekrishnavilasakavyam.. Canto 2

First the glorious news that Devaki has conceived the Lord in her blessed womb is announced like this..

That Mukunda grew to full health in the womb of Devaki, and along with that,

The jubilation of the Gods who partook in ambrosia started to grow,

The good fortune of the Mother earth who contains in her all living beings was on the increase.

The nightmarish terror in the mind of Kamsa the ruler of Bhoja Kingdom started to swell to diabolic terror..

Krishna is born.

It was the rainy season. 

The black clouds roared in the sky. During a midnight in the Proshtapada Month.. ( Kannya) the planets led by the Sun were all vying with one another to position themselves most favourably, mother Devaki started to feel the delivery pain.

And

Just as the black clouds were pouring their waters in abundance to give relief to the earth from the scorching heat of the sun, 

Devi Devaki Gave birth to the black Cloud by name Krishna,

the black cloud that has come to shower its mercy on the earth and its beings 

and relieve them of all inner and outer sufferings

.

When Krishna was born the whole earth with all the four cardinal points rejoiced, and the water reservoirs threw up their waters which showered down upon Him as cool rains.. 

The celestial beings threw down their fears and inhibition and also showered fragrant flowers from heaven on the Lord of Lords Keshava

The cool gentle breeze hovered around everywhere in jubilation carrying the sweet droning of the bees as if announcing the sweet tiding that Mukunda is born, and carrying with it the aroma of the flowers which were blooming in the the night..

good night

Life is quite funny.. and full of innocent and harmless actions which become attached to the persona of someone as if it were an ornament or appellation
I was reading about error in communication here
I worked in Incometax Pollachi for a few years and used to commute by rail from Palakkad daily.. There was a Passenger train between Palakkad and Pollachi in the morning and from Pollachi to Palakkad in the evening and the benefit of a ridiculously lowpriced season ticket too.(Now they have dismantled the rails and are trying to convert metre gauge to broad gauge.. the stations in between are Pudunagaram, Vadakannikapuram, Kollengode, Muthalamada, and Anamalai Road)
Usually we the daily passengers land up in some groups.. and the friendship of such groups to my pleasant surprise is even more cordial and sincere than family relationships.. I have a lot of warm memories about friends working in or furthering different jobs or avocation.. From different social and educational levels and even speaking different languages and of different age groups.
I was in my early thirties.. and there was a boy studying in the eighth standard as also a revered senior citizen of 82 years in our groups.But we were all united in utter affection and devotion for one another at least during the morning and evening hours..We shared our happiness and anxiety.. We shared our food packets.
If anyone was absent for more than a couple of days all of us would fret. We would even accuse the person who is living nearest to that person's residence that he should have enquired about the friend by visiting his house.
When the friend appears after even a short absence, he would be greeted with shouts of joy.
In our group there was a tall wiry person who commuted between Olavakkode and Muthalamada daily.. He had vast expanse of agricultural land and a farmhouse at Muthalamada.. a place covered by a railway station about thirty miles away from Palakkad. He traveled daily to look after his agriculture.
Our group gave the appearance of being very elite and educated..
You know I was present in the group.. a crackpot with lots and lots of wisecracks.
Our friend has noticed that everyone would say Good Morning in the time-slot representing the appearance of the red sun first in the day , and he had also noted that all Said Good night when the Sun has retired to his bedroom. But his knowledge and understanding of English language and Customs were quite sketchy.
So when our train from Pollachi entered Muthalamada station and it would be already dark after sunset, his thin long form would make appearance in the bay of the compartment where our group had gathered,and with a hearty smile, he would greet us with a sweet "Good Night" immediately on seeing the gathering of his dear friends.
We knew it was funny.. But we did not have the heart nor could brace ourselves to correct him,, and he did not appear to be a good learner or observer. .
But we with time running, we tended to forget the fact that he had a name and we would enquire with one another ഗുഡ് നൈറ്റ്‌ വന്നില്ലേ ? has good night not come today, whenever we found him mission on a rare day.
Even after three decades, i remember him with a lot of affection.. I have attended all his family functions and he has attended my marriage. we were in touch even after I was transferred away from Pollachi.. And he was about sixty at that time and sadly, without giving any warning to anyone, he bade us a permanent good night and left the world so abruptly, so unbelievably..
I remember him as Good Night.. with some search in my memory or in my papers, I can recollect his name. but is it necessary?
RIP my elder brother "Good Night"

He is the most efficient thief in the universe.

He is the most efficient thief in the universe.
पुत्रं कुलस्य भुवनस्य च रक्षितारंअभ्यर्थितोऽपि भगवानरविन्दनाभः।

त्वां मे ददौ विधिवशात् भुवनैकचोरंइत्याह कोपमभिनीय सुतं यशोदा॥श्रीकृष्णविलासकाव्ये ३-९९
putraṁ kulasya bhuvanasya ca rakṣitāraṁabhyarthito'pi bhagavānaravindanābhaḥ|tvāṁ me dadau vidhivaśāt bhuvanaikacoraṁityāha kopamabhinīya sutaṁ yaśodā||śrīkṛṣṇavilāsakāvye 3-99

പുത്രം കുലസ്യ ഭുവനസ്യ ച രക്ഷിതാരം അഭ്യര്‍ഥിതോപി ഭഗവാന്‍ അരവിന്ദനാഭഃത്വാം മേ ദദൌ വിധിവശാത് ഭുവനൈകചോരം ഇത്യാഹ കോപമാഭിനീയ സുതം യശോദാ

ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണവിലാസകാവ്യം 

The boy Krishna is very active in his nocturnal forays into the households of the gopas and his activity of stealing milk and butter is going unhampered.
 Mother 
Yashoda is flooded with complaints about the little fellow's stealthy deeds.. 
She knows these are only pranks..

She tries to pretend that she is  angry with the boy, but anger eludes her.
With mock indignation, the luckiest mother ever  tells her son that she had been praying to Lord Padmanabha that she should be blessed with a son who will be the protector of her clan and the whole world, but as her luck would have it she is having a boy who is the most efficient thief in the whole of the world.

" Feigning anger, Mother Yashoda tells her son,
 " the Lord with Lotus sprouting from his navel ( Padmanabha) was being entreated by me  that a son who is the protector of our clan and the whole world may be born to me, but the Lord has, perhaps by a quirk of fate, given me a son who is the foremost among the thieves in the whole world"

Funny is it not.?.
Yasodha prayed for a son who is the protector of the world and The God himself has come to Gokulam as her son..But through His pranks, He has made her so desperate that she ends up confessing that she has been blessed with a hard-boiled thief for a son..
True, He is the most efficient thief in the universe..
Who else can rob the three worlds of its misfortunes and misery?

How lucky are the deer!

How lucky are the deer!

न भीतिरन्तर्न दृशश्चलत्वं नास्था तृणे नोत्सुकताऽपि शाबे।

रूपेण दामोदर मोहितास्ते तिष्ठन्त्यमी काष्ठकृता इवैणाः॥

श्रीकृष्णविलासकाव्ये ५-३३

na bhītirantarna dṛśaścalatvaṁ nāsthā tṛṇe notsukatā'pi śābe|

rūpeṇa dāmodara mohitāste tiṣṭhantyamī kāṣṭhakṛtā ivaiṇāḥ||

śrīkṛṣṇavilāsakāvye 5-33

That attractive cowherd Krishna, in the company of his friends, was leading the cows of Gokulam for grazing in the forest.. Simply dazzled by the beauty of the son of Nanda, herds of deer, who are very timid by nature, simply forget everything and stand like logs bereft of any movement.

Balarama is just telling his younger brother,

“ Look lovely Damodara, the deer are standing there motionless in front of you, without the mind to take their eyes off you, like logs of wood, being enthralled by your heavenly form.

The deer are very timid by nature and would prefer to bolt on seing humans but on seeing you, they have forgotten their inherent fear and stand motionless devouring your beauty...

The beautiful eyes of the deer would darting hither and thither by habit, but they have just fixed themselve on your form..

Though they are voracious eaters by nature, they have simply forgotten the grass growing in front of them.

Though habitually possessive about their small ones, they are neglecting their little ones on seeing you.

In His heavenly presence, even beings bereft of the sixth sense and discrimination, simply forget themselves.. How lucky are the deer!

A small incident forty six years ago, but a great lesson..

A small incident forty six years ago, but a great lesson..

I just want to record one real life incident here..

During my student days, there was a constant and consistent neighbour to me in my class.. sitting always in the same bench in the next seat and quarrelling but inseparable.. from class V in PMG School Palakkad, for the next eight years..

Dorai, Venkitakrishnan Audithyapuram 

we would fight for small things.. Call names, distorted names.. etc.

We would mock and mimic each other..

But never thought of changing seats and all.

Once his pestering on a day was too much for me and it was the ninth standard.. VR Chandran Sir, ( the tall Sir, who left us too prematurely RIP) was our class teacher.

I stood up in the class and complained about the nuisance.. 

Chandran sir simply asked both of us to meet him after the day was over.. 

Dutifully we presented ourselves before the Master in the staff-room..

By that time we had no memory of our quarrel..

The Master simply asked me what was my complaint and problem..

I had nothing..

So he asked us to run away and disappear..

Dorai must be remembering..

A small incident forty six years ago, but a great lesson..

The Story of Prabhakara

The Story of Prabhakara

Prabhakara was a bright boy, spending his childhood and early youth under the tutelage of a very leaned guru, in his gurukulam.. By any yardstick, this boy was head and shoulder above all other inmates. Even as it took hours and hours for the guru to explain and teach the meaning, grammar and etymology of Kavyas, to other students, the guru would ask Prabhakara to read the material once, and leave the matter to be grasped by him in his own way.. The boy would have doubts on rare occasions alone, and he would get clarifications from the guru only on rare occasions.. He would have to learn everything almost by himself, but the guru would put to him the most difficult questions and would not condone even the slightest slip.. While the guru was patience personified while dealing with the other disciples, he was always angry and savvy with his cane when it came to Prabhakara.. But the boy knew the guru was learned, and loved and worshiped him.. And never felt bad about the open insults and incessant thrashing he received at the hands of the teacher.
But human flesh has its own ways. One day, the guru gave him a thorough tongue lash and also severe thrashing which made the boy bleed all over the body. Earlier, the boy used to stand receiving all the admonitions and play of cane with great patience and forbearance.. But this time the pain was too severe and he ran away.
Much against his own will, he started to think by himself. “ The master knows that I am doing very well in my studies. He knows that I am better than all other boys around here. Still he has never uttered a word of praise or encouragement for me.. When it comes to me, he knows how to administer his cane alone in the most efficient manner.. He is prejudiced against me and he hates me. How lucky I would be if I get an opportunity to kill this cruel person”
With intended murder in his mind, Prabhakaran hid himself in the attic of the room occupied by the Guru and his wife..
That day, the guru was feeling tired and drained out, and did not have any appetite. He retired to bed without taking any food.. His wife came and enquired about his lack of enthusiasm..
The guru said. “I beat up and insulted that boy Prabhakaran too cruelly today, and he was bleeding all about and ran away in great pain. Usually he would take all punishment without a murmur.”
The wife said.. “ I was observing for years that you treat that boy unfairly.. I have never seen a more studious, more obedient and more intelligent child in my life.. I was feeling very sorry for him, but I never asked you about it because I did not want to make you angry further.. But your action today was beyond all limits..”
The guru replied.. “ I know that.. My heart is broken only because I punished that child so brutally.. Right from the day one he came to my school, I knew that he was the best among my students, and that great fame and glory is awaiting him.. I made him study things for himself because he had the potential to do that.. I never praised him, nay, I insulted and thrashed him always only because he should never get arrogant of his knowledge and lose his thirst for excellence.. My love for him was more than my own children. Today, the boy has run away, and I am not able to bear that sorrow”Prabhakaran was overhearing the conversation and was stricken with remorse.. He was planning to murder his beloved guru who loved him so much.. He knew how great a sin he has committed.
He jumped down and fell on the feet of the master and his wife.. He was honest enough to confess that he had hidden there with murderous intentions. But the Guru took the matter very lightly..He said that the disciple had been tortured beyond endurance limits, although with noble intentions, and his rebellion was understandable. The guru and his wife readily pardoned him.
But Prabhakaran would not forgive himself.. He approached the assembly of learned Brahmins and confessed that he had intended to murder his Guru and the appropriate punishment should be pronounced.. The learned sadas decreed that disrespect and rebellion against guru with murderous intention would have to be expiated by burning one’s own body gradually in the slow fire caused by burning husk of paddy..Accordingly, Prabhakaran dug up a deep pit and lighted husk and entered it with his whole body submerged with only his head showing out. The fire started to burn from the bottom and his body was being consumed by slow fire from the region of his feet and upaward..
While so burning, the thought came over him that all his learning over the years would go waste and therefore he should create a Kavyam before he was fully burnt out.
Thus he started uttering the stanzas of the Kavyam scribes recorded it.. The Kavyam related to the birth and playful activities of Krishna.. SreeKrishnavilaasaKavyam..
But while he was giving words to the twelfth chapter, the fire burnt him upto his neck and his head also collapsed into the fire.. The kavyam stopped abruptly.
Legend goes that Kalidasa heard about the greatness of this Kavyam and was thinking of completing it. But then it is said that he heard a voice for heaven, pattucharadinodu vaazhanaaru cherkkan nokkanda..(പട്ടുചരടിനോടു വാഴനാര് ചേര്ക്കാന്‍ നോക്കണ്ട) you do not attempt to add a string made of the stem of a plantain tree to a thread of pure silk existing already..
Therefore Kalidasa abandoned the idea.
Prabhakara, who earned the name of Sukumara for his beautiful form as also the beautiful Kavyam, burnt himself to ashes to expiate the sin of showing disrespect to his guru but he has attained immortality through his great work.. Sreekrishnavilaasakavyam..

In a war, there is no victor except death.

शिलीमुखोत्कृत्तशिरैः फलाड्या च्युतैः शिरस्त्रैः चषकोत्तरेव।

रणक्षितिः शोणितमद्यकुल्या रराज मृत्योरिव पानभूमिः॥

॥महाकविकाळिदासविरचिते रघुवंशमहाकाव्ये॥

śilīmukhotkṛttaśiraiḥ phalāḍyā cyutaiḥ śirastraiḥ caṣakottareva|

raṇakṣitiḥ śonitamadyakulyā rarāja mṛtyoriva pānabhūmiḥ||

|ṁahākavikāḻidāsaviracite raghuvaṁśamahākāvye||

A macabre scene of war described graphically by the great Kalidas in his Raghuvamsamahaakaavyam.

The scene is after the swayamvaram of Indumathi with Aja.

The lovely princess Indumathi chose Aja the scion of the glorious race of Raghu as her life partner.

Indeed, there were many kings assembled seeking the hand of the fair lady, and they were all irritated and jealous over the good fortune that visited the beautiful prince.

While he was on his way back to Ayodhya with his newly wedded princess, the group of kings confronted him and a fierce battle followed.

The valorous prince won the battle so naturally..

But Kalidasa describes the piteous scene of destruction that the battle presented at the end of the day.

Kalidasa sees the battlefield as the drinking yard of the God of death.

The heads of soldiers severed from their respective heads and stuck to the tips of arrows looked like ripe fruits to be swallowed by the drunkard, being stuck to the end of a chopstick..

The upturned caps of the dead soldiers seemed to substitute for goblets used for drinking liquor

The dark red blood of the soldiers collected in the shape of a pool provided the big container for drinks.

The field was just the drinking area for that terrible drunkard

And the drunkard was none other than Mruthyu, the God of death himself..

The vivid description of black death by the great poet should be an eye opener to war-mongers of all times.

In a war, there is no victor except death.

But is it a vision or a waking dream?

परोक्षे कार्यहन्तारं प्रत्यक्षे प्रियवादिनम्।

वर्जयेत् तादृशं मित्रं विषकुंभं पयोमुखम्॥

चाणक्यनीत्यां

parokṣe kāryahantāraṁ pratyakṣe priyavādinam|

varjayet tādṛśaṁ mitraṁ viṣakuṁbhaṁ payomukham||

cāṇakyanītyāṁ

One should abandon a (so called) friend who is a specialist in sabotaging your plans and progress behind his back, but who always revels in telling only words loaded with sweetness while meeting face to face.. because such friend is like a pot filled with venom inside with milk floating on the surface..

A great advise indeed.. 

But Chanakya was a great scholar and could survive and hold on to his own without the good offices of many friends..

But we have to ponder very seriously whether we can afford to get on with our friends list practically empty..

உள்ளொன்று வைத்து வெளியொன்று பேசுவோர் உறவு கலவாமை வேண்டும் 

the great saint of Tamil.. Ramalinga Vallalaar Prayed..

 May I be blessed not to have friendship with those who have something in their mind and speak out just the opposite.. 

If  the prayer is answered , Good days are coming really.. 

But is it a vision or a waking dream?

പരോക്ഷേ കാര്യഹന്താരം പ്രത്യക്ഷേ പ്രിയവാദിനം 

വര്‍ജയേത് താദൃശം മിത്രം വിഷകുംഭം പയോമുഖം 

ചാണക്യനീതി

ചിലര്‍ അങ്ങിനെയാണ്.  കാണുമ്പോള്‍ ചക്കരവാക്കുകള്‍ പറയും. 
നമുക്കുവേണ്ടി ഉഴിഞ്ഞുവച്ചതാണ് അവരുടെ ജീവിതമെന്നപോലെ അഭിനയിക്കും.
പക്ഷെ  പിന്നില്‍ നിന്ന് കുത്തും..
നമ്മുടെ താല്പര്യങ്ങള്‍ക്കെതിരെ കള്ളക്കോലിടും
വിഷം നിറച്ച കലത്തിന്‍റെ വായഭാഗത്ത്‌ പാല്‍ നിറച്ചു  അകത്തും പാല്‍ ഉണ്ടെന്നു വരുത്തിത്തീര്‍ത്ത്  നമ്മെ വഞ്ചിക്കുന്നവര്‍ക്ക് തുല്യമായി ഇവരെ കരുതാം. ഇതുപോലുള്ള കൂട്ടുകാരെ എന്ത് വില കൊടുത്തും ഉപേക്ഷിക്കണം 

Sree Gurubhyo Namah.

Sree Gurubhyo Namah.

പുറം കണ്ണ് തുറപ്പിപ്പൂ പുലര്‍വേളയില്‍ അംശുമാന്‍ 

അകക്കണ്ണ് തുറപ്പിപ്പാന്‍ ആശാന്‍ ബാല്യത്തിലെത്തണം

Puram kannu thurappippoo pularvelayil amshumaan

akakkannu thurappippaan aashaan baalyathileththanam

The rising sun makes us to open our physical eye. 

To open our inner eye we should be lucky to be blessed with a teacher even when we are in our childhood,

We post here, write here, debate here, and attempt to show off our erudition with a lot sense of worth in ourseleve. ..

There was a stage in our life when we were thoroughly and completely ignorant..

And some divine being who appeared in human form showed us the gateway to the path of knowledge..

The teacher... the Guru.. and on the day dawning in their honour, all I can do is to offer my humble pranams to all my beloved teachers who enriched my life .. 

Sree Gurubhyo Namah...ശ്രീ ഗുരുഭ്യോ നമഃ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः ஸ்ரீ குருப்யோ நம:

THE ANT GIVES BIRTH TO AN ELEPHANT

THE ANT DELIVERS OR GIVES BIRTH TO A STRONG ELEPHANT

കാ ഖാദതേ ഭൂമിഗതാൻ മനുഷ്യാൻ?

കം ഹന്തി സിംഹപ്രകടപ്രഭാവഃ?

കരോതി കിം വാ പരിപൂർണ്ണഗർഭാ?

പിപീലികാ ദന്തിവരം പ്രസൂതേ

का खादते भूमिगतान् मनुष्यान्

कं हन्ति सिंहः प्रकटप्रभावः

करोति किं वा परिपूर्णगर्भा

पिपीलिका दन्तिवरं प्रसूते

Kaa khaadathe bhoomigataan manushyaan

kam hanta simhaH prakat prabhaavaH

Karoti kim vaa paripoorn garbhaa

Pipeelikaa dantivaram prasootey..

This shows the extremes as to which Indian logic and ingenuity can go..

The statement is pipeelikaa danthivaram prasootey…

the ant gives birth to a stong elephant..

It is the practice in Sanskrit to have a few questions asked in some part of a sloka and the answers to be given in the final line

Question Kaa Khaatade bhoomigataan manushyaan… who eats up the bodies of men consigned to the earth?

Answer Pipeelikaa the ant

Question Kam hanti simhaH prakataprabhavaH.. whom does the valorous lion kill

Answer Dantivaram… the strong elephant

Question Karoti kim vaa paripoornagarbhaaH.. what happens when the pregnancy period is complete

Answer delivers

Put these answers in a single line… Pipeelikaa danthivaram prasoothey and it means THE ANT DELIVERS OR GIVES BIRTH TO A STRONG ELEPHANT