study in contrast..

study in contrast..

The most beautiful woman, yes, the beauty of thousand Rathis bundled into one girl, (सहस्ररती सौन्दर्या) the daughter of the Landlord of all Gods(Himavan), the owner of all valuable gems and precious metals, 

just married a fellow who did not have clothes to wear and so adorned himself with the skin of an elephant he killed. having no garlands, tied snakes around His neck, and tied his matted locks with some more snakes, and the matted hair was so solid with dirt that when a whole river fell on it with all its vigour, the whole Ganga was absorbed and no water came out...

She rode a fierce Lion while 

He transported Himself on an elderly bull..

Still Uma and Shankara are the most successful and everlasting couple..

What a compatibility!

Kalidasa explained this.. in Kumarasambhavam..

अकिञ्चनःसन प्रभवःस सम्पदां थ्रिलोकनाथःपित्रुसद्मगोचरः

सःभीमरूपःशिवःइत्युदीर्यते न सन्ति याथार्थ्यविदः पिनकनः

He is penniless, but he can bless anyone with all the riches anywhere,.. he is the source of all wealth... 

He is the master of the Universe but He does not know who His parents are or where he originally resided,,

He looks grotesque, in body and also in attire, but we call Him Shiva the calm and attractive one.. 

Indeed no one knows who is really this Master who wields the bow Pinaka.. that Shankara

In Devimahatmyam, Shakthi in her Kausiki form (Chapter 5) says that she could woo asHer husband only the one who can control her arrogance and vanquish Her if there is a fight... 

Who else other than this blue necked, fellow with matted hair can ever manage that? 

Once this Lady got the urge to perform the dance of destruction,, and if She had done this on land, the whole universe would have gone smithereens..

Then this gentleman allowed her to dance on his Chest till her passion for dance was over, and He survived that too..

the ideal and the real....

the ideal and the real....

I had posted on Deepavali about the Sacrifice of a mother in killing her son Narakasura for the welfare of the society.. Someone raised a query as to whether all the living beings were the children of God, implying that there was nothing special in that Mother slaying Her son. 

My reply to that as a layman is as follows:-

But it is definitely very difficult and even a heartbreaking experience for a father or mother to mete out punishments on his own children... 

Secondly, we consider God as the father and mother of everyone just because he created or crafted us..

By the same argument, a pot is the child of a potter, a building is the child of a mason, a plant is the child of a farmer.. That is true only in a symbolic way..

But when a child is born out of the union of ones own cell with another, that makes a real difference.. Paradigms and raw truth are sometimes poles apart.. Of course, the story of Deepavali like this would make sense only if Naraka is considred as the child biologically born to Vishnu and Mother Earth..

There is a lot of difference between symbolic sayings and realities of life...

I may declare, I am brahman,, aham brahmaasmi..अहं ब्रह्मास्मि

But then in the normal course, my stomach will not be filled if the so called Brahmam eats..

I am a subscriber to the idea that we have two thinking planes..

One, the poetic, spiritual, and mythic... that would give a very pleasant mental sensation..

But there is the real and mundane thinking plane which is equally significant --.. where I scratch when the mosquito bites, run for life when a bull or buffalo chase me, swoon when I see blood, react sharply when someone berates me, feel the pangs of thirst, hunger, heat, cold etc..

That proves that I am present in the Terra Firma.. (the hard and firm earth)

So long as we live with this body, we cannot help   having at least one foot, and preferably both feet, anchored firmly on the ground.. 

Thanks.

Personally I do not believe in death or even ageing..

Personally I do not believe in death or even ageing..

Compared to the vast continuum of infinite magnitude that is time, the life of any being, be it thousand years or a few seconds, is just too trifle..

Maybe some chemical rearrangement of the One who possesses infinite wisdom-- that is our lifespan..

The concept stands proved to my mind judged by the very fact that the living beings or organisms of varied species, as also being born in the same species, posses different levels of fitness and knowledge even at the moment they are born or are introduced to this arena by that Master..

The different levels could have in all probability, stemmed out of the prior existence of the being in some other form..Hindus believe in rebirth...

Hinduism in general would appear to subscribe to the idea of some inherited Karma, inherited intelligence etc, and also the Karma and intelligence or knowledge acquired during the lifetime.. 

Some believe that we are given each life to live off and compensate for the bad Karmas.. or alternately good Karmas practiced by us in earlier lives..

And it is something like a balancing of centripetal and centrifugal forces that is keeping the beings in the orbit of Karma, and it is also believed that the Supreme Being of Infinite wisdom can, if It pleases to do so, give us some small push, which can provide us escape velocity from this cycle..cycle of birth and death, and the orbit of Karma --unto emancipation, which we call Moksha..

He is never born in reality, nor He is dying, He had no origin,

He is eternal.. goes on Gita describing the Atma, and in advaitam the life force inside us is nothing but that atma..or paramatma..

Na jayate mriyate vaa kadaachit.naayam bhootwa bhavitaa na bhooyaH ajo nityaH saashvatoyam purano, na hanyate hanyamane shareerey..

Sannyasam is only a state of mind.. the four Ashramas of Brahmacharya, Grihasta, Vanaprastha and Sannyasa are deviced by the Lawmakers to give some orderliness to life.

In Mahabharatham Bheeshma's seven elder brothers were thrown away into river Ganga even as they were born to Her by Ganga herself, almost for this reason

Shankara could graduate to sannyasam at the age of seven, without entering the other ashrams..

lesson from Kathopanishad

lesson from Kathopanishad 

I see the greatest lesson from Kathopanishad..as this . 

Those who fear death and bolt and hide and pray and try to cajole destiny to avoid the Yamaraja atop his black buffalo are chased and finished off with clinical precision well in time.. 

Nachiketa was an exception.. Just because he was offered as a present to Yama by his father in a fit of rage, he pursued Yama to the latter's abode, to find that Yama was on duty elsewhere.. 

And when Yama realizes when he returns home that he has kept his noble guest waiting for three days, it is the turn of the God of death to atone for the disrespect to the young but bold boy but also to send him back to live a full life.. 

See the irony.. the bold man with a sense of purpose and dedication could keep even the toughest taskmaster that was Yama on the defensive.. 

Death runs away from one who has come to offer himself to be taken by it.. 

Another lesson is that Yama was ready to offer all material wealth and comforts to the boy, but when it came to imparting of the most secretive knowledge about death, 

Yama tried to test the boy's mettle to the full by offering all the allurements which would have trapped any normal human being , and the knowledge was imparted only when the student was found to be absolutely free from temptations and completely fit to receive the knowledge.. 

So at the end of the day, determination, courage and sincerity triumph..

the spirit of Deepavali

the spirit of Deepavali

When a person goes the demonic way, even his mother cannot condone his deed, and may be constrained put an end to his life.. This happened to Narakasura, the Son Vishnu and Earth.. and Devi Satyabhama, the incarnation of Earth, had to slay the asura.. And Deepavali or Narakachathurddhashi is celebrated to uphold that great truth.. 

Of course, after the demon is slain, we light lamps, eat sweets and light crackers..

But Dharma has won... For upholding Dharma a mother had to sacrifice Her son

That is the Spirit of Deepavali

May Krishna bless us on that great Day, and prevent us from falling into bad ways.

Happy Deepavali to all ..

ആസുരതയുടെ മാര്‍ഗ്ഗത്തില്‍ പെട്ടുപോയാല്‍ ഒരു പക്ഷെ ഒരു അമ്മയ്ക്ക് പോലും അതു സഹിക്കാന്‍ പറ്റിയില്ലെന്നു വരാം ..അധര്‍മ്മിയായ പുത്രനെ വധിക്കാന്‍ അമ്മ തയ്യാറായേക്കും. 

ഇതു നരകാസുരന്‍റെ ജീവിതത്തില്‍ സംഭവിച്ചു..വിഷ്ണുവിന്ടെയും ഭൂമിദേവിയുടെയും മകനായി പിറന്ന അവനെ ഭൂമിയുടെ അവതാരമായ സത്യഭാമാദേവി വധിക്കാന്‍ നിര്‍ബന്ധിതായായി.. 

ആ ദിവസമാണ് ദീപാവലി എന്നാ നരകചതുര്‍ദശി..

ധര്മം നിലനിര്‍ത്താന്‍ നടന്ന ഒരു മഹാ ത്യാഗത്തിന്ടെ പരിശുദ്ധ സ്മൃതിയില്‍ ഒരു ദീപാവലി കൂടെ കടന്നുവരുന്നു..

എല്ലാവരെയും ഭഗവാന്‍ കൃഷ്ണന്‍ രക്ഷിക്കട്ടെ 

എല്ലാവര്ക്കും ദീപാവലി ആശംസകള്‍

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनम्II
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

महाजनो येन गतः स पन्था

वेदाः विभिन्नाः स्मृतयो विभिन्ना

नासौ मुनिर् यस्य मतं न भिन्नम्।

धर्मस्य तत्त्वम् निहितं गुहायाम्

महाजनो येन गतः स पन्था॥

vedāḥ vibhinnāḥ smṛtayo vibhinnā

nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam|

dharmasya tattvam nihitaṁ guhāyām

mahājano yen gataḥ sa panthā||

from Mahabharatam III 17402 as quoted in the Translation of Sarva Dashana Samgraha of Madhavacharya by Cowell and Gough..

വേദാ വിഭിന്നാഃ സ്മൃതയോ വിഭിന്നാ നാസൌ മുനീര്‍ യസ്യ മതം ന ഭിന്നം 

ധര്‍മസ്യ തത്ത്വം നിഹിതം ഗുഹായാം മഹാജനോ യേന ഗത സ പന്ഥാ

(മഹാഭാരതം)

Different and even contradictory views are expressed by Vedas in varied contexts. Smrithis also speak in varied voices from time to time.. 

There is not a view of a Sage which has not been contradicted.. The essence of Dharma is confined in the darkness of a Cave.. 

So the best course of action is to tread the path of life as already shown by the eminent predecessors in majority..

The Indian philosophy could accommodate Hedonistic thoughts of Charvaka, and atheistic views of Sankhya the ritualistic path of Jaimini and Vedantic trends of Vyasa and Shankara because of this Generosity of our Sages.

It is meaningless to assert that I am right or my groups is right and that you are wrong.

We tend to lose that spirit of accommodation now..

We have to think.

content more important than source

content more important than source

യുക്തിയുക്തം വചോ ഗ്രാഹ്യം ബാലാദപി ശുകാദപി 

യുക്തിഹീനം വചഃ ത്യാജ്യം വൃദ്ധാദപി ശുകാദപി

युक्तियुक्तं वचो ग्राह्यं बालादपि शुकादपि

युक्तिहीनं वचः त्याज्यं वृद्धादपि शुकादपि

yukthiyuktham vacho graahyam baalaadapi shukaadapi

yukthheenam vachaH tyaajyam vruddhadapi shukaadapi 

യുക്തിക്കും ന്യായത്തിനും നിരക്കുന്ന വാക്കുകള്‍ ഒരു കൊച്ചുപയ്യനോ അല്ലെങ്കില്‍ ഒരു തത്തയോ ആണ് പറയുന്നതെങ്കിലും ശ്രദ്ധിച്ചു ഉള്‍ക്കൊള്ളണം. യുക്തിക്ക് നിരക്കാത്തത് ഒരു വൃദ്ധനോ അല്ലെങ്കില്‍ ശുകാചാര്യന്‍ തന്നെയോ പറഞ്ഞതായാലും പരിഗണിക്കേണ്ടതില്ല..

നമുക്ക് ഗുണം ചെയ്യുന്ന വാക്കുകള്‍ അവയുടെ പ്രായോഗികത കണക്കിലെടുത്ത് ആരു പറഞ്ഞാലും പരിഗണിക്കണം എന്നാണ് ഇവിടെ വിവക്ഷ.. ശുകാചാര്യന്‍ വിവരക്കേട് പറയും എന്നല്ല

Words which are bound by logic and which convey good sense should listened to even if they are uttered by an urchin or a parrot.. But illogical bantering, even when coming from very elderly people or even Shukacharya himself, deserve to be ignored..

This does not mean that Shukacharya is in the habit of talking nonsense..

Shuka in Sanskrit means a parrot as also the great master.. So the couplet uses the word shuka to bring home a great thought effectively.. 

Of course old people are always capable of talking utter nonsense in the garb of wisdom of grey hair...

But boys are also capable of talking and doing nonsense of equal potency..

Long live boys.. Longer live older boys..

tyranny of sense organs....

The tendency to identify with something which is very near and capable immediate perception actually cheats us..
When I read a book, a quote, when I listen to someone just now, when I feel some fresh aroma, when I tasted some new new food, I tend to somehow think that what is near me is the best or sometimes worst..
Many things have already been perceived by our sense organs in the past, and many more things would come by their way in future, and our preferences and priorities would alter, mostly according to the latest experiences...
And very small and very huge impulses just refuse to get recorded by the organs.. In the end, our evaluation of what is really good and what is not so good, on the basis of experiences over a long period becomes subjective and mostly faulty..


Of course we can just use our brain cells to become conscious of the faulty perception..
But most often than not we are slaves to the whims and fancies of our organs of perception..

We cannot escape the tyranny of our sense organs, and if we would like to escape, we have to keep eternal vigil over them. but such owlish vigil can take away so much of our life from us.

But we can try to do one thing.. Instead of trying for ever to clean all that is around we can also try to maintain our input terminals fairly clean too..

Because, the subject, the perception and the evaluation are all equally important, and only the right combination of these make us what we are..

Reading.....

Reading.....

To read something to understand what is conveyed or what is intended to be conveyed.. just for understanding and enjoyment and without any necessity to analyse or interpret to an audience, and without dancing to their fancy.. is much more comfortable than reading with a hawk's eye always intent on finding fault and with the sole aim to coin, and write some sarcastic or sour remark and waiting for the reaction or "review" s..

However, sensible reading takes a lot of training and discipline.. we just grow into it..
True, in the process of graduation, we may spend a few nights in the wayside inn of "reading for the audience". But that is merely a temporary phase,


Like listening to music or enjoying a work of art, reading can be sheer pleasure..
We get transposed to the world of the author, laughing, crying and even dancing with him, as he interacts us through the printed words.. And that is an experience.. sublime, for a lover of words.. almost on par with realization of the Supreme.

As we read on, at once stage we would become conscious of the style or lack of it in the writing..

But we progress further into a stage where grammar and syntax would hardly matter.. We just resonate in sync with the ideas and emotions conveyed by the author..

And then we read a book from its flyleaf to the last page...
without caring for time or space..
and can shed tears of ecstasy for having shared with the author those unearthly moments
and also tears of agony that the book has reached its end.. .

Maybe, such things happen rarely in one's life, one's reading life..

Parappanangadi

May 03 2014

Yesterday, while travelling from Palakkad to Kozhikode, I saw Parappanangadi Station.. From the age of three to eight, I have lived there.. Often I have run along that long railway platform.. No platform tickets then.. Even while sitting at home those days the station was always in my memories and dreams becuase my grandfather and Narayana mama would come from Palakkad by train once in a while and often I would go to station to receive and see them off.. The station is very near the BEM LP School where I had the first three years of schooling.. We would cover our way to school along the railway track and walking under the overbridge.. The platform was very long but the station was just a small bulilding fifty seven years ago.. All I could see in the platform that I could relate with my past was the old banyan tree...

the first few slokas our mothers taught us

the first few slokas our mothers taught us when we were just babies..
I..the first one I mention is not a slokam.. it is the names of the gods. NamaH Sivaya, Naraayanaaya, Achyutaaya, Anandaaya, Govindaaya, Gopalaaya, Sreekhrishnaaya, Sree Ramaaya , Vishnave HariH..
2. Krishnaya vaasudevaaya Devakii nandanaaya cha Nandagopa Kumaaraaya, Govindaaya Namo NamaH.
3. Shivam Shivakaram Shantam, shivaatmaanam Shivottamam Sivamaagae Pranethaaram, Pranathosmi Sadaasivam...
4. Gajaananam Bhoota Ganaadhi Sevitham Kapithajamboo Phalasaara Bakshitam Umasutam Shoka Vinaasa Kaaranam Namaami Vigneswara Paadapankajam
5. Agajaanana Padmaarkam Gajaananamharnisam Anekadham tam bhaktaanam Eakdantam upaasmahae..
6 Shadaananam Kumkuma Rakthavarnam, Mahaamatim Divya Mayoora Vahanam Rudraya soonum surasainya Naatham Guha sadaa sharanamaha prapadye.. of course there was
(7) Saraswathi Namstubhyam Varadhe kaamaroopini Vidhyaaramabham karishyaami Sidhhirbhavatu Me sadaa..
and sometimes
|(8) Gurur brahmaa gurur VishnuH gururddevo Maheswarah GuruH saakshtaat param brahma tasmai shree Gurave namaH.

Then as the child grows, small Ashtakams Like Ganashtakam, Shiva Aksharamalaa stotram.. adbutha vigraha amaraadheeswara etc.. etc were taught.. the tiny but treasured source then, and now must be the Laghustotraratnaakaram.. published by RS Vadhyaar..
Then somehow we get attracted to Vishnu Sahasrnamam and aapadudhaarans stroram, lakshmi ashtotharam...
Many other manthrams Savitri, parts of Vedas, Purusha sooktham, Srirudram.. all come later...But the first manthras.. are NamaH Sivaya to Vishnave HariH.. which we used to be asked to chant in the evening before the lighted lamps.. even before we knew what it meant.. We only knew that we were paying our respects to Swami who alone could make our lives happy.. Yes, for every child, the first Guru who initiated them in to Panchaksharam was the mother.. The evening prayer itself was called Namassivaya Chollal.. even though the names of Vishnu abounded.. There was an argument whether Sri Ramaaya was necesssary or not.. and children, who sometimes were reluctant to chant even the barest minimum would say that Srirmaaya is not there..

I remember the life as it was some fifty nine years ago. Do not know whether such simple manthras would be relevant now..

From Namassivaaya we were chanting with mother and elders, many have reached their places.. Many might have missed their buses.

But that first prayer.. നമശ്ശിവായ നാരായണായ അച്യുതായ അനന്തായ ഗോവിന്ദായ ഗോപാലായ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണായ ശ്രീരാമായ വിഷ്ണവേ ഹരിഃ has the sweet taste off mother's milk.. I do not know whether they knew the Value of Panchaksharam or Achyuta Ananda Govinda which represent the prayer for good health to the master Physician Dhanvantari at that time...

the post as above where I have listed the stotras suffer from spellin errors and pronunciation errors.. I am editing the post to give correct Devanagari and english tranliteration.. The itrans version is also give below.. Still I may be wrong in one or two places.. Correct me please..

नमः शिवाय नारायणाय अच्युताय अनन्ताय गोविन्दाय गोपालाय श्रीकृष्णाय श्रीरामाय विष्णवे हरिः॥१।
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय देवकी नन्दनाय च
नन्दगोप कुमाराय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः॥२
शिवं शिवकरं शान्तं शिवात्मानं शिवोत्तमं
शिवमार्ग प्रणेतारं प्रणतोस्मि सदाशिवं॥।३॥
गजाननं भूत गणाधिसेवितम् कपित्थजम्बू फलसार भक्षितं
उमासुतं शोक विनाशकारणं नमामि विघ्नेश्वर पादपङ्कजम्॥४॥
अगजानन पद्मार्कं गजाननमहर्निशं
अनेकदं तं भक्तानां एकदन्तं उपास्महे॥५।
षडाननं कुङ्कुम रक्तवर्णम् महामतिं दिव्य मयूर
वाहनं रुद्रस्य सूनुं सुरसैन्य नाथं गुहं सदा शरणमहं प्रपद्ये॥ ६॥
सरस्वती नम्स्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणी
विद्यारंभं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा॥७॥
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता,
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना,
या ब्रह्माच्युतशंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवै: सदा वन्दिता,
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती नि:शेषजाड्यापहा ।।
गुरुर् ब्रह्मा गुरुर् विष्णुः गुरुर्द्देवो महेश्वरः 
गुरुः साक्षात् परं ब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥८॥
namaḥ śivāya nārāyaṇāya acyutāya anantāya govindāya gopālāya śrīkṛṣṇāya śrīrāmāya viṣṇave hariḥ ||1|
kṛṣṇāya vāsudevāya devakī nandanāya ca
nandagopa kumārāya govindāya namo namaḥ||2
śivaṁ śivakaraṁ śāntaṁ śivātmānaṁ śivottamaṁ
śivamārga praṇetāraṁ praṇatosmi sadāśivaṁ|||3||
gajānanaṁ bhūta gaṇādhisevitam kapitthajambū phalasāra bhakṣitaṁ
umāsutaṁ śoka vināśakāraṇaṁ namāmi vighneśvara pādapaṅkajam||4||
agajānana padmārkaṁ gajānanamaharniśaṁ
anekadaṁ taṁ bhaktānāṁ ekadantaṁ upāsmahe||5|
ṣaḍānanaṁ kuṅkuma raktavarṇam mahāmatiṁ divya mayūra
vāhanaṁ rudrasya sūnuṁ surasainya nāthaṁ guhaṁ sadā śaraṇamahaṁ prapadye|| 6||
sarasvatī namstubhyaṁ varade kāmarūpiṇī
vidyāraṁbhaṁ kariṣyāmi siddhirbhavatu me sadā||7||
yā kundendutuṣārahāradhavalā yā śubhravastrāvṛtā,
yā vīṇāvaradaṇḍamaṇḍitakarā yā śvetapadmāsanā,
yā brahmācyutaśaṃkaraprabhṛtibhirdevai: sadā vanditā,

sā māṃ pātu sarasvatī bhagavatī ni:śeṣajāḍyāpahā ।।
gurur brahmā gurur viṣṇuḥ gururddevo maheśvaraḥ
guruḥ sākṣāt paraṁ brahma tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ||8||


നമഃ ശിവായ  നാരായണായ  അച്യുതായ അനന്തായ  ഗോവിന്ദായ ഗോപാലായ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണായ  ശ്രീരാമായ  വിഷ്ണവേ ഹരിഃ ॥൧।
കൃഷ്ണായ വാസുദേവായ ദേവകീ നന്ദനായ ച
നന്ദഗോപ കുമാരായ, ഗോവിന്ദായ നമോ നമഃ॥൨
ശിവം ശിവകരം ശാന്തം ശിവാത്മാനം ശിവോത്തമം
ശിവമാര്‍ഗ്ഗ പ്രണേതാരം പ്രണതോസ്മി സദാശിവം॥।൩॥
ഗജാനനം ഭൂത ഗണാധിസേവിതംകപിത്ഥജമ്ബൂ ഫലസാര ഭക്ഷിതം
ഉമാസുതം ശോക വിനാശകാരണം നമാമി വിഘ്നേശ്വര പാദപങ്കജം॥൪॥
അഗജാനന പദ്മാര്‍ക്കം ഗജാനനമഹര്‍ന്നിശം
അനേകദം തം ഭക്താനാം ഏകദന്തം ഉപാസ്മഹേ॥൫।
ഷഡാനനം കുങ്കുമ രക്തവര്‍ണ്ണം മഹാമതിം ദിവ്യ മയൂരവാഹനം രുദ്രസ്യ സൂനും സുരസൈന്യ നാഥം
 ഗുഹം സദാ ശരണമഹം പ്രപദ്യേ॥ ൬॥
സരസ്വതീ നമസ്ഭ്യംതു വരദേ കാമരൂപിണീ
വിദ്യാരംഭം കരിഷ്യാമി സിദ്ധിര്‍ഭവതു  മേ സദാ॥൭॥
യാ കുന്ദേന്ദുതുഷാരഹാരധവളാ യാ ശുഭ്രവസ്ത്രാവൃതാ,
യാ വീണാവരദണ്ഡമണ്ഡിതകരാ യാ ശ്വേതപദ്മാസനാ,
യാ ബ്രഹ്മാച്യുതശംകരപ്രഭൃതിഭിര്‍ദേവൈ: സദാ വന്ദിതാ,

സാ മാം പാതു സരസ്വതീ ഭഗവതീ നി:ശേഷജാഡ്യാപഹാ ।।
ഗുരുര്‍ ബ്രഹ്മാ ഗുരുര്‍ വിഷ്ണുഃ ഗുരുര്‍ദ്ദേവോ മഹേശ്വരഃ
ഗുരുഃ സാക്ഷാത് പരം ബ്രഹ്മ തസ്മൈ ശ്രീ ഗുരവേ നമഃ॥൮॥

Itrans version
namaH shivaaya naaraayaNaaya achyutaaya anantaaya govindaaya gopaalaaya shriikR^iSNaaya shriiraamaaya viSNave hariH ..1.
kR^iSNaaya vaasudevaaya devakii nandanaaya cha
nandagopa kumaaraaya, govindaaya namo namaH..2
shivaM shivakaraM shaantaM shivaatmaanaM shivottamaM
shivamaarga praNetaaraM praNatosmi sadaashivaM...3..
gajaananaM bhuuta gaNaadhisevitam kapitthajambuu phalasaara bhakSitaM
umaasutaM shoka vinaashakaaraNaM namaami vighneshwara paadapa~Nkajam..4..
agajaanana padmaarkaM gajaananamaharnishaM
anekadaM taM bhaktaanaaM ekadantaM upaasmahe..5.
SaDaananaM ku~Nkuma raktavarNam mahaamatiM divya mayuura
vaahanaM rudrasya suunuM surasainya naathaM guhaM sadaa sharaNamahaM prapadye.. 6..
saraswatii namstubhyaM varade kaamaruupiNii
vidyaaraMbhaM kariSyaami siddhirbhavatu me sadaa..7..
yA kundendutuShArahAradhavalA yA shubhravastrAvRRitA,
yA vINAvaradaNDamaNDitakarA yA shvetapadmAsanA,
yA brahmAchyutashaMkaraprabhRRitibhirdevai: sadA vanditA,
sA mAM pAtu sarasvatI bhagavatI ni:sheShajADyApahA ||
gurur brahmaa gurur viSNuH gururddevo maheshwaraH
guruH saakSaat paraM brahma tasmai shrii gurave namaH..8..

The girl child is the most beautiful creation of God

The girl child is the most beautiful creation of God.. 

By being blessed with a girl, we provide a mother to the world.. a mother who is the source of love, prosperity and who symbolizes the eternal continuity of human race.. 

To be able to give a girls hand in marriage is the ultimate fortune.. 

I trust the presence of the father in marriage ceremony and giving her hands is not restricted to Hinduism..

But in Hinduism the idea is sublime..Let us see the marriage mantras of Kanyaadaanam.

कन्यां कनक-सम्पन्नां कनकाभरणैर्युताम्।

दास्यामि विष्णवे तुभ्यंब्रह्मलोकजिगीषया।।1।।

विश्वम्भरः सर्वभूताः साक्षिण्यः सर्वदेवताः।

इमां कन्यां प्रदास्यामि पितॄणांतारणाय च।।2।।

Kanyaam kanakasampannaam kanakaabharanairyutaam

daasyaami vishnave thubhyam brahmslokajigeeshayaa

vishwambharaaH, sarvabhootaaH, saakshinyaH sarvadevataaH

imaam kanyaam pradaasyaami pitruunamm taaranaaya cha.

The groom is respected and treated as Lord Vishnu Himself and the father says," I am giving this nubile child to you Lord Vishnu, She is adorned in Golden jewels, and my desire is that I may attain the realms of Brahma through this act.. The supreme lord who is manifesting himself filling the whole universe, is the witness, all the elements are the witnesses, all the gods are the witnesses, I am giving the hands of this girl unto you, so that the ancestors born in my clan may attain eternal abodes of happiness." 

We believe that the parents and ten generations before them and ten generations after them would attain eternal bliss by this Kanyakaadaanam..

We can believe in it, or we can choose not to believe in it.

Thrishanku, Sunashcehpa, Visvamitra and all....

Thrishanku, Sunashcehpa, Visvamitra and all....

All would have heard about the King Thrishanku of Solar Dyanasty who wanted to reach heaven in his earthly body.. He sought the help of his preceptor Vasishta to achieve this and the guru refused to have anything to do with unnatural and unrealistic desires.. So the King approached Vasishta's bete noire and arch professional rival Vishvamitra, who promised to fulfil the outlandish desire of the king, mainly due to his spite for Vasishta.. And, in time, a Yajna was arranged, and that too, under the priesthood of Vishvamitra..All the deities were invited, but being aware of the impossible demand of the king, and considering the evil consequences of the precedence that could be set by allowing an earthling to reach heaven in his earthly body, the gods declined to attend and receive the havirbhagam.. Piqued all the more by the attitude of the Devas, Visvamitra told them to mind their own business and he ordered Thrishanku to ascend to heaven, powered by the angry sage's reserve store of penance.. The king was catapulted upwards, but Indra and company would not open the heaven for the royal missile from the earth.. The king in all his royal splendour was pushed down with equal force, and willy-nilly, had to start his downward flight to earth. with matching speed.. The sage, ogling from the earth, could not stand this slighting . He sent up more energy to counterbalance the downward push by the devas, and Thrishanku was left in a suspended animation somewhere in the sky.. The sage created a sort of cozy abode to his human missile, and wasted all his penance till date in that wasteful show of ego..This is the fate... I mean a state of suspended animation.. neither being here nor there.. that would befall persons who throw their lots with snobs and egotists..
This Trishanku had a son by name Harishchandra( not the tragic victim at the hands of Visvamitra).. This king did not have any children.. Therfore he closed a deal with god Varuna.. the contract was that if a son was born to the king, that child would be offered in sacrifice to the lord of the seas..But Harischandra loved his son Rahula too much, and in spite of many reminders and even threats, did not keep his promise.. A very serious illness afflicted the king and he was on the verge of death.. Rahula, who guessed the cause, thought that if a substitute for himself were offered to Varuna in his own place, the situation could be saved.. The prince wandered around in jungles and found a family of indigent brahmins consisting of the father, mother and three boys.. The prince presented the case, and the old brahmin was lured by the promises of lots of cows and land.. and he was ready to give any of his sons except the first..The lady brahmin, equally impressed by the offer of riches was ready to give away the elder two sons, but she had no mind to give up her third child.. So the lot fell on the second boy, named Sunacchepha.. and the prince and his retinue caught hold of the boy and prepared for the sacrifice where the boy would be offered in sacrifice to Varuna.. The helpless boy somehow escaped and took refuge again with Kausika, the Visvamtra.. The sage offered asylum to Sunachepa and asked one of his own sons to take the hapless boy's place..The sons of Visvamitra refused to comply, and asked their dad to shut up and mind his own business.. Now Visvamitra rendered to Sunaschepa a mantra in praise of Varuna, and when invoked with devotion, the Lord of the Seas made his appearance, and the case was presented in detail to Him.. Varuna was very angry that the avaricious and untruthful king and his son should hatch such a macabre plot and applying their money-power should have tried to offer to the god and innocent human body through a murder of proxy..
Varuna confirmed the verdict that the King should suffer and be finished by the illness.. That was that..
Today is remembered in Islam as the day of offer of a son as sacrifice to God..

Her mighty presence..

Her mighty presence..

हंसयुक्तविमानस्थे ब्रह्माणीरूपधारिणि

कौशांभः क्षरिके देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते -१३

त्रिशूलचंद्राहिधरे महावृषभवाहिनि

माहेश्वरीस्वरूपेण नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते -१४

मयूरकुक्कुटवृते महाशक्तिधरेऽनघे

कौमारीरूपसंस्थाने नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते -१५

शङ्खचक्र्गदाशार्ङ्ख गृहीत परमायुधे

प्रसीद वैष्णवी रूपे नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते -१६

गृहीतोग्रमहाचक्रे दंष्ट्रोद्धृतवसुंधरे

वराहरूपिणि शिवे नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते -१७

नृसिंहरूपेणोग्रेण हन्तुं दैत्यान्कृतोद्यमे

त्रैलोक्यत्राणसहिते नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते -१८

किरीटिनि महावज्रे सहस्रनयनोज्जले

वृत्रप्राणहरे चैंद्रि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते -१९

शिवदूतीस्वरूपेण हतदैत्यमहाबले

घोररूपे महारावे नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते -२०

दंष्ट्राकरालवदने शिरोमालाविभूषणे

चामुण्डे मुण्डमथने नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते -२१

(from Chapter XI.. Naarayanee Stuthi of Devee Mahatmyam..in Markandeya Puranam)

hamsayukthavimaanasthey brahmaaniroopadhaarinee

kaushaambhaH kshurike devee naaraayani namostutey

thrisoolachandraahidharey mahaa vrushabhavaahinee

maaheshwareeswaroopena naarayaani namostutey

mayoorakukkutavritey mahaashakthidharenaghey

kaumareeroopa samsthaaney narayani namostutey.

shangachakragadhaashaargha grueeta paramaayudhey

praseedha vasihnavee roopey naaraayani namostutey

gruheetogramahaachakrey damshtroddhrutavasundharey

varaahoopinee shive naarayani namostutey

nrusimhsroopenogrena hanthum daitayaan kritodhyamey

trailokythraana sahitey naaraayani namostutey

kireetinee mahavajre sahasranayanojjvale

vrutrapraanahare chendree naarayaani namostutey

shivadooti swaroopen hatadaityamahaabhaley

ghoraroopey maharaave naaraayani namostutey

damshtraakaraalavadhane shiromaalaa vibhooshaney

chaamunde mundamathane naaraayani namostutey

The Diven Mother sitting in a chariot shaped like a swan, having assumed the form of Brahmaanee, sprinkling water from Kusha grass on all the universe,

 May our prayers and pranams be offered to Narayani

Mother sitting atop a huge Bull Vrishaba, wearing trident, crescent moon and snakes,, having assumed the name of Maahesvarii..

May our prayers and pranams be offered to Narayani

Mounted on a Peacock and holding the flagstaff of a rooster, and havina shakti in her hand, having assume the form of Kaumarii,,

May our prayers and pranams be offered to Narayani

Holding a Conch, a Discus, a Sword as supreme weapons you are pleased to assume the form of Vaishnavee. 

May our prayers and pranams be offered to Narayani

Holding a huge Chakra and lifting the earth in her tusk( in her form as a huge boar), you have assumed the shape of Vaaraahee,,

May our prayers and pranams be offered to Narayani

Having assumed the form of Naarasimhee, capable of protecting the whole world and manifesting yourself prepared to kill all the demons, 

May our prayers and pranams be offered to Narayani

Wearing a resplendent diadem and holding the weapon of thunderbolt, ready to fight and kill the demon Vritra, she is the Aindree..May our prayers and pranams be offered to Narayani

Having manifested in a very fearful form and producing fearsome noises, and having employed Shiva as her messenger before starting the battle. she is Shivadooti..

May our prayers and pranams be offered to Narayani

Assuming ghory form with protruding fangs and black fearful form, and adorning herself with a garland of human skulls, She is ready to jump at the demons in her manifesstation as Chamunda..

May our prayers and pranams be offered to Narayani

these are the Nava Shaktis and the seven out of them,, excluding Naarasimhee and Shivadooti, are the Saptamatrikas....

the Daughter of the Mountain

the Daughter of the Mountain

अयि गिरिनन्दिनि नन्दितमेदिनि विश्वविनोदिनि नन्द्नुते 

गिरिवर्विन्ध्यषिरोधिनिवासिनि विष्णुविलासिनि जिष्णुनुते 

भगवति हे शितिकण्डकुटुम्बिनी भूरि कुटुंबिनि भूरि कृते 

जय जय हे महिशासुरमर्द्दिनि रम्य कपर्दिनि शैलसुते 

ayi giri nandini nandita medhini vishvavinodhin nandanutey

girivaravindhyashirodhinivaasini vishnuvilaasini jishnunutey

bagavathi hey shitikandakutumbini bhoorikutumbini bhoorikritey

jaya jaya hey mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasuthey..

You, the Daughter of the Mountain(Himavaan) 

You who fill the whole earth with happiness 

You who entertain the whole universe,

You the darling of Nandagopa,

You who occupies the peak of that lord of mountains, Vindhya, 

You who bring supreme pleasure to Vishnu, 

You who is worshiped by all those who seek victory, 

You the most resplendent one, the consort of Lord Shitikanda, the Shankara,

You who are having a huge family, 

You the performer of great deeds

Victory to you the slayer of Mahishaasura , 

Victory to you the dearest of Shiva,

Victory to you the darling daughter of the mountain..

Pranams to the Divine mother

She is today seen everywhere, in the form of all deities going out to fight and vanquish the Mahisha..

(When the earth was having a hundred year famine, She manifested Herself as Shakambhari and brought joy to earth..

When Shumbha and Nishumba the nasty demons infested the earth, she manifested herself as Vindhyaachalanivaasini,, in the womb of Yashoda as the darling sister of Krishna, and killed the two demons.

We can see these described in Chapter 11 of Devi Mahatmyam.)

പ്രണാമങ്ങള്‍...

പ്രണാമങ്ങള്‍... 

പ്രണാമങ്ങള്‍... കഴിഞ്ഞ കുറെ നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകളില്‍ ഉദിച്ചുയര്‍ന്ന ഏറ്റവും ആദരണീയവും ദൈവീകവുമായ ഒരു വ്യക്തിത്വം... താരതമ്യങ്ങള്‍ ഇല്ല..അദ്ദേഹത്തെ പ്രണമിക്കാനുള്ള അര്‍ഹത പോലും നമുക്കുണ്ടോ എന്ന സംശയം മാത്രം ബാക്കി നില്‍ക്കുന്നു.. ആ സ്മരണകള്‍ നമ്മെ നയിക്കട്ടെ.

Pranams.. The most respectable and divine personality that had appeared on earth within the last few centuries.
Nothing  to comapare with that phenomenon .
The only doubt that may haunt us is .. are we good enough even to offer our respects to Him.
May those sacred memories lead us ahead.

nice fellow-traveller

nice fellow-traveller

For some people Trouble with capital T becomes their second names.. and follows them passionately..

Only God can change this.. 

Troubles have their own preferences like mosquitoes..

One day I was standing in an open ground talking to a young man. 

The mosquitoes were droning in glee around him, and pressing their sharp straws on his fleshy hands and feet but they did not care even a little for an old fellow..

शारदा शारदाम्बोज वदना

शारदा शारदाम्बोज वदना

शारदा शारदाम्बोज वदना वदनाम्बुजे सर्वदा सर्वदा अस्माकं सन्निधिं संनिधिं क्रियात्

ശാരദാ ശാരദാംബോജ വദനാ വദനാംബുജേ സര്‍വദാ സര്‍വദാ അസ്മാകം സന്നിധിം സന്നിധിം ക്രിയാത്

Sharada Sharadaamboja vadanaa vadanaambuje sarvadaa sarvadaa asmaakam sannidhim sannidhim kriyaat

May Her Divine Grace Matha Shaarada, whose face shines like a lotus bloomin in Sharat season, be pleased to make her exalted abode in the lotus of our faces and tongues the mother who would give us everything and may Her Merciful Grace be pleased to make our places fit to live in by Her exalted company  for ever .

May the Mother of Muses Devi Saraswathi,be pleased to shower Her Merciful Grace on all of us on Her day in Navaratri..

May Krishna bless.

अन्नपूर्णे सदा पूर्णे ........

अन्नपूर्णे सदा पूर्णे -----

अन्नपूर्णे सदा पूर्णे शङ्कर प्राणवल्लभे।

ज्ञानवैराग्यसिद्ध्यर्थं भिक्षां देहि महेश्वरी॥

annapūrṇe sadā pūrṇe śaṅkara prāṇavallabhe|

jñānavairāgyasiddhyarthaṁ bhikṣāṁ dehi maheśvarī||

അന്നപൂര്‍‌ണ്ണേ സദാപൂര്‍‌ണ്ണേ ശങ്കരപ്രാണവല്ലഭേ

ജ്ഞാനവൈരാഗ്യസിദ്ധ്യര്‍ത്ഥം ഭിക്ഷാം ദേഹി മഹേശ്വരി

Mother Annapoorneswari,

perennial perfection personified,

the heart throb of shankara

may your Merciful Grace be pleased

to grant me the alms of knowledge and detachment

The portrayal of ;Divine mother Shakthi as Annapoorna or the perfect and perennial source and storehouse of food is perhaps the loftiest of our concepts of the combination of maternity and divinity..

Every mother carries in herself eternal source of nourishment for her Children..

This Mother also is the source of knowledge and bliss.

Shankara(Lord Mahadeva) had to expiate the sins of having taking away the head of Brahma by wandering on the earth as a wretched beggar, carrying a human skull as begging bowl, knocking at every door for alms.. And the mother knew how proud her Lord was and what would happen to Him, what He would do in desperation, if anyone refused to respond to his plea for alms.. So she just hid behind every door of every house, so that she would be ready with grains to be poured on to the begging bowl, whenever Shambu knocks at a door..

Pranams to the quintessence of womanhood in its supreme sublimity

ഇങ്ങോട്ട് കാണിക്കുന്നത് അങ്ങോട്ട്‌ കാണിക്ക്

ഇങ്ങോട്ട് കാണിക്കുന്നത് അങ്ങോട്ട്‌ കാണിക്ക്

ഒരു പ്രശസ്ത കഥകളി കലാകാരന്‍..
ചുവന്നാടി വേഷം കെട്ടി അരങ്ങില്‍ വരുന്നു..
എന്തോ രൌദ്രഭാവം ഒട്ടും കാണാനില്ല..
എത്ര ശ്രമിച്ചിട്ടും കൂവലുകള്‍ക്കു പൂച്ചയുടെ ശബ്ദത്തോടാണ് ശ്രുതി സാമ്യം വരുന്നത്..
ഒരു ചീത്ത ദിവസം, വേഷക്കാരന്നു..
രസികന്മാര്‍ക്കും..
ചേങ്ങലക്കാരന്‍ കുറെ നേരം ശ്രദ്ധിച്ചു.
പിന്നെ ഒരു പൊടിക്കൈ പ്രയോഗിച്ചു..
ചേങ്ങലയ്ക്ക് കിട്ടേണ്ട രണ്ടു മൂന്നു തല്ല്, വേഷത്തിന്റെ പുറത്തു വീണു.. വേഷം തിരിഞ്ഞുനിന്നു അലറാനും കണ്ണുരുട്ടാനും പിന്നെയുള്ള സ്നേഹപ്രകടനത്തിനും എല്ലാം ഒരുങ്ങി..
വാദ്യവിദ്വാന്‍ നാട്യവിവിദ്വാനോട് സാദരം ഉര ചെയ്തു.
."ഇങ്ങോട്ട് കാണിക്കുന്നത് അങ്ങോട്ട്‌ കാണിക്ക്"


നല്ല എഴുത്ത് മുഖ പുസ്തകത്തില്‍ കണ്ടപ്പോള്‍ ഇതാണ് എനിക്ക് തോന്നിയത്.

a renowned kathakali artist .. a chuvannadi vesham ( the portrayal of villain characters with rude manners and grotesque appearance)

that day,he has made his appearance in his colourful attire on the stage

but somehow he is not able to bring to his face the bhaava(emulation) of extreme anger .

nor could he produce the thunderous roars which are expected of him, and his vocal deliveries tend to emulate some injured cat

a bad day for the artist

and for the audience too
the percussion artist who beats the Chengala( a huge metallic plate) with a sturdy stick to accompany the singer, was watching his colleague and his predicament
he has a bright idea
instead of delivering a few beats on the chengala, he found the broad back of the actor as the target

In pain, the actor turned back and stared at his colleague with Chengala, almost ready to murder the latter, and started roaring

The percussionist coolly hissed, " Don't look at me, face the real audience"

when I see find good literary creations, rare as they are, in social media , I am tempted to tell the same to my dear friends..

symbols and icons, name and the named one

symbols and icons, name and the named one 

the only gain the pictures or idols placed in workplace or even at home..except the panchayatana( the traditional stones and gems representing Sun, Devi, Vishnu, Shiva and Ganesha... properly invoked and worshiped according to vedic rituals in brahmin houses.. morning and evening) and other properly empowered deities is that the sight of them can stimulate on any of the occupant or visitor the thought of God, which in turn should encourage him to chant the names or engage in mind with sincere prayers..

Such icons are only stimulants and cannot be termed as divinity as such according to our traditional beliefs..


Even in Navarathri Golus if my understanding is not wrong, Ambal is invoked in a pot of water and some mangala dravyas and the bommai(dolls and mannequins ) and the artwork are only for happy exhibition..

In letters and art forms we see divinity .. but again only symbolically..

But mantras and vedas Itihasams and Purnas are treated as Gods themselves and this idea is taken up in greater reverence by Sikhs.. for whom Granth Saheb is Guru and God..

In Islam the holy Quran is respected with the same reverence as the presence of God Almighty...

Naama(the divine name) and Naami ( God the possesor of the divine name) both are powerful.. Rama namam and Rama himself.. both are believed to be equally potent..

The story where Anjaneyaswamy had to protect a Vassal king of Rama from Rama's arrows is a great and enlightening example .. The vassal king offended sage Visvamitra and Rama was directed by the sage to ensure that the head of the offending king should be placed at the sage's feet by the end of the day..

The frightened king went and took refuge with mother Anjana the blessed mother of Hanuman.. Hanuman was directed by the mother to protect the beleaguered king and thus was caught between the two loyalties, one to his mother and the other towards his lord.
.
He created an imposing cylindrical fortress with the curls of his huge tail and hid himself along with the king inside that and started chanting the name of Rama incessantly... Rama found out the ploy and started sending all his arrows and weapons,, but the weapons all went in pradakshinam and came back and fell at the feet of the Lord himself..

Finally sage Narada told Rama to go near the fortress and see what magic was happening inside.. and Rama saw that his holy name was incessantly streaming out of the place and it was impossible to break that citadel..

.Of course, when Anjaneyaswamy saw his master, he brought the king to the Royal presence and since Visvamitras directions was that the kings head should fall at his feet, the King, Rama and Hanuman all fell at the feet of Visvamitra and the grave situation was diffused..

Here, the potency of the name.. is the point for consideration..

we know the panchaksharam, shadaksharam astaksharam and navaaksharam.. how they are important to Lord shiva, skandha, vishnu and ambal..

leaking pot vs. crackpot

leaking pot vs. crackpot

If a pot is leaking and the contents are really of value, our priority should be to save whatever is left..

We can try to transfer the contents to another sturdy vessel without any leaks.. We can also try our hands at plugging the hole, especially if there is no alternative pot or if it is impossible to transfer the content..

But we tend to discuss the birth, genesis, the mode of burying the pot when the leak developed has become huge enough, and tend to forget about thecontents for ever.


In this matter animals are better than us..

If the contents are really tasty or nutritious they will rush to eat up such material even by licking the ground where it is spread..

But as we are very smart and are overflowing in wisdom, we start making very learned statements like

1. When I saw the pot, I had a gut feeling that it is going to leak some day or other..
2 The pot-makers are irresponsible..
3 They are interested in fleecing us of our money..
4. They should have collected the clay from the right place.
5.They should have taken care to see that there were no air bubbles or small pebbles while shaping the pot.
6. They should have used the best and natural firewood instead of using artificial fuels in their furnace.
7.We are in modern times. The pot should have been tested for cracks with some ultrasound source..
8. Are the government and the authorities not listening?.
.9. The potters will learn a lesson only if we call for a hartal..
10. Even the press and media do not pay much attention to such a big social issue.
11. If I had been the potter, such a thing would never have happened..
12.Ten years ago, a similar situation arose in my neighbour's house, and I had told all people around the same things.. But no one listened..

And of course we will upload to social media a snap of the leaking pot with our own faces in nice company.. and there will be so many "like"s, "wow"s, "incredible"s, and someone sure will share a link from some obscure site about Harappan pottery..

priorities

priorities

कन्या वरयते रूपं माता वित्तं पिता श्रुतं

 बान्धवाः कुलमिच्छन्ति मिष्टान्नमितरे जनाः 

Kanyaa varayathe roopam maatha vittham pithaa shrutam
baandavaa kulamicchanti mishtaannam ithare janaaH

this speaks of the expectations from a groom in the marriage in our community the bride is attracted by the good looks, her mother by the pay packet of the son in law, the professional standing is the lookout of the father in law, the relatives think of the family background and other guests look for sumptuous eating and discuss the culinary talents of the caterer.