musings 58

The basic texture of Indian culture of old was different. The learned persons lived the lives of Rishis and Tapswins, frugal and disciplined life.

And those who were learned never flaunted their knowledge.

 The binding rule was that one should never give an opinion or advise unless it is sought with great humility.

 And of course one would give his opinion only about things he knew well

In every ancient treatise you study you will find that some very earnest seekers approach the learned scholar with utter humility and thirst for knowledge and enlightenment.

The teacher tests the mettle of the learners and imparts only suitable knowledge to the eligible disciple.

See the current scenario in contrast.

 Idiots like me want to show off and send unsolicited message to all and sundry. 

It people like me see a WhatsApp number, the next action would be to forward some silly forward message .

We are waiting like owls to catch our victims

Even God cannot save hapless people from being attacked by pseudo gurus and activists like me.

RUN MAN RUN

no separation when hearts are close

गिरौ कलापी गगने पयोदः लक्षान्तरेर्कश्च जलेषु पद्मम्।

इन्दुर्द्विलक्षे कुमुदस्य बन्धुर्यो यस्य हृद्यो न हि तस्य दूरः॥

girau kalāpī gagane payodaḥ lakṣāntarerkaśca jaleṣu padmam|

indurdvilakṣe kumudasya bandhuryo yasya hṛdyo na hi tasya dūraḥ||

The peacock resides atop a mountain, but when a rain cloud appears in the far skies, the bird starts dancing in utter joy. 

The lotus blooms when the sun raises a lakh miles away..

The moon wandering in the sky two lakhs miles away is still the close kin of the water lily.. the lily opens up and welcomes the appearance of the moon.. 

Therefore it is evident that when someone is really close to our heart, then the distance in place of residence, is immaterial.. For the loved one the distance does not matter at all..

analysis

कलापी the peacock गिरौ वसति stays on the mountain पयोदः the rain cloud गगने वर्तते remains in the wide sky पद्मं the lotus जलेषु in water अर्कः the sun लक्षान्तरे at a distance of one lakh units च वर्ततः stays द्विलक्षे वर्तमानः that stays two lakhs units of distance away इन्दुः the moon कुमुदस्य of water lily बन्धुः एव भवति indeed is a close relative यः who यस्य whose हृद्यः close to the heart तस्य for him दूरः न हि there is no distance

ഗിരൌ കലാപീ ഗഗനേ പയോദഃ 

ലക്ഷാന്തരേര്‍ക്കശ്ച ജലേഷു പദ്മം
ഇന്ദുര്‍ ദ്വിലക്ഷേ കുമുദസ്യ ബന്ധുഃ 

യോ യസ്യ ഹൃദ്യോ ന ഹി തസ്യ ദൂരഃ

മലമുകളില്‍ ഇരിക്കുന്ന മയില്‍ ആകാശത്ത്

വളരെ ദൂരെ കാണുന്ന മേഘക്കൂട്ടങ്ങളുടെ ശബ്ദം കേട്ട്  നൃത്തം വെയ്ക്കുന്നു
ഒരു ലക്ഷം കാതം ദൂരെ ഉദിക്കുന്ന സൂര്യന്‍   വെള്ളത്തിലെ താമരപ്പൂവിനെ വിടര്‍ത്തുന്നു
രണ്ടു ലക്ഷം നാഴിക അകലെയുള്ള ചന്ദ്രന്‍ ആ മ്പല്‍ പൂവിന്‍റെ ചാര്ച്ചക്കാരനാണ്

ഹൃദയം കൊണ്ട് അടുത്തവര്‍ക്കിടയില്‍ ദൂരം  

ഒരു പ്രശ്നമല്ല

musings 57

Every moment,every situation ..will pass. Agreed.

But that does not mean the moment is not there. This moment is always there.

And its effects too are real at such moments

When this moment is giving happiness laugh and be merry.

When another moment gives challenges face them the best way you can.

Let us remind ourselves that episodes and incidents and the emotions they evoke are specifically crafted for those particular moments.

We need not carry their burden for ever.

Wear a woolen coat when the season is cold .

Not otherwise.

invocation to Swayamvara Parvathi

the three invocatory slokas ..slokas recited at the start of the chanting session of Svayamavarparvathimantram

Someone asked me to translate the Svayamvaraparvathi mantram itself,.. But that is not right.. It is a mantram handed over by some guru to a disciple through oral traditions and the meaning or the mantram itself cannot be discussed..

Suffice to say that the mantram is invoked by young men and women for being blessed with a nice spouse and a long married life..

The three invocatory slokas and their meanings are discussed below

बालार्कायुत सुप्रभाम् करतले लोलम्बमालाकुलाम्।

मालाम् सन्दधतीम् मनोहरतनुम् मन्दस्मितोद्यन्मुखाम्॥

मन्दम् मन्दम् उपेयुषीम् वरयितुम् शम्भुम् जगन्मोहिनीम्।

वन्दे देवमुनीन्द्रवन्दितपदाम् इष्टार्थदाम् पार्वतीम्॥

bālārkāyuta suprabhām karatale lolambamālākulām|

mālām sandadhatīm manoharatanum mandasmitodyanmukhām||

mandam mandam upeyuṣīm varayitum śambhum jaganmohinīm|

vande devamunīndravanditapadām iṣṭārthadām pārvatīm||

I pay respects and humbly pray to Parvathi the uma

who is shining brightly with the colour of ten thousand young rising suns

who is holding a long flowing garland in her hands which are trembling(maybe due to the bashfulness natural to a young girl proceeding towards her lover Shambu)

who is having an attractive form which can entice one and all

whose attractive face is further brightening up with a subtle smile

who is just moving forward with halting steps towards her lord with a mind determined on wooing Lord Shambu as her husband

who is keeping the entire universe under the spell of her illusory powers of maaya

who is worshipped and waited upon by all the gods and sages and their leaders who serve at her feet for ever

and who is pleased to grand us all our fond desires..

हेमाभाम् अतिवागतीत गुणशीलानल्पशिल्पाकृतिम्।

प्रेमारोहमनोहराम् करलसत् कल्याण दामाञ्चिताम्॥

श्यामामीश्वरमुद्यताम् वरयितुम् त्रैलोक्य सम्मोहिनीम्।

कामोपासनकल्पवल्लिमनिशम् वन्दे पराम् देवताम्॥

hemābhām ativāgatīta guṇaśīlānalpaśilpākṛtim|

premārohamanoharām karalasat kalyāṇa dāmāñcitām||

śyāmāmīśvaramudyatām varayitum trailokya sammohinīm|

kāmopāsanakalpavallimaniśam vande parām devatām||

I offer worship to that supreme Goddess Paradevataa

who is shining very brightly in golden colour

whose benevolence and virtues are beyong description by words

who is manifesting herself like a Shilpa or scupture without any blemish or flaw

who has become all the more attractive and pretty because her mind is overflowing with love for her suitor..Shambhu the Shankara

who is shining forth holding an auspicious string of flowers (varanamaalyam) in her hands

who is dark in body colour (shyaamaa)

who is just moving ahead in the direction of that Easvara the supreme god with the exciting desire to woo Him as her husband

who is capable of holding the entire world in a trance of delusion with her will and grace

who is ever like a wish yielding creeper (Kalpavalli) for those who are worshipping her for fulfilment of their love for ( a life partner)

करधृतवरमालारक्तसर्वाङ्गभूषा

निखिलनयनचेतोहारि सौभाग्यरूपा॥

भवतु भवदभीष्टप्राप्तये शैलकन्या

पुरुषयुवतिवश्याकृष्टि नित्यप्रगल्भा॥

karadhṛtavaramālāraktasarvāṅgabhūṣā

nikhilanayanacetohāri saubhāgyarūpā||

bhavatu bhavadabhīṣṭaprāptaye śailakanyā

puruṣayuvativaśyākṛṣṭi nityapragalbhā||

That darling daughter of the mountain Himavaan (Shailakanyaa)

is holding a garland (to be offered to her lover Shambu whom she is eager to marry)

is adorned in dark red ornaments all over her body

is a bounty for the eyes of all eyes that see her and her beauty would steal the hearts of all who think of her

is pleased to bring about the happy union of young men and young women ( or boys and girls ) by encouraging mutual attraction in them (and bringing about their union by way of happy marriage )

is ever efficient in executing what is her will

May She be pleased to fulfil all y(our) fond hopes, desires and expectations

musings 56

Often we try to show off our individual attributes and achievements too. It is not wrong to have a feeling of contentment or satisfaction over a task performed well. That seems to be a natural.and spontaneous affair. 

But most of us nurture within us an illusive presumption that we are the authors and masters of many achievements and that we are special and superior to all others around us. 

We do not stop even there.

We tend to look down upon others too

Are such feelings justified?

The king or the beggar are all crafted from similar biological matter and almost all our responses to stimuli are the same. The core differences are too little.

And the limits of capabilities of individual are so insignificant when compared to the phenomenon that is the universe.

We are just puppets, mere spokes in a wheel called time and such spokes are replaced by destiny without our consent.

The person who really runs the show does not seem to take any special notice if any particular player.

Comparison and intolerance arising of jealousy can only destroy the welfare and peace of the individual and the group to which he belongs.

Therefore, is it not better to understand our real worth and just live on in peace and harmony..instead of making noises like empty drums?