ACCEPTANCE WITH AWARENESS - 'HARI MAYA"

Hari Maya, Almighty's Illusory Play of his Creation, if understood properly with enlightened view, this journey of life is passed off in blissful state of a jnani, the liberated;  on the other hand, if the  'baddha jeevi' - the 'bound' beings, are unable to make any effort for disentanglement from ignorance about Eternal Almighty, the  vicious circle of births and deaths is bound to continue for ever.

The sankeertana, "Chellubadi Kallalata Chetalivi Nivi Yata", (treated part of the compendium of Annamacharya Sankeertirtanas, though written by PeddaTirumalaiah) depicts how this Vishnu Maya tends to misguide the beings from the Eternal Truth. Of course, for the enlightened souls, all these worldly happenings with contrasts are,  a matter of acceptance with a smile.

"Oh Omnipotent Almighty! What shall we say about your glorious deeds of contrasts in this world. You turn the matters of falsehood in to truth overnight and  make believe the lies as reality. We being  in your unflinching servitude with total surrender, let us transcend all your acts of contrasts rising out of your Maya, Illusory Play.

'A farm raises bountiful crop on one hand and on the other exist millions of hills (barren). One cow gives sweet milk aplenty on one hand and on the other, lots of animals remain dry without milk. The dairy cows available are capable of  catering  to the needs of all the beings? How to believe this fallacious truth ?

'We feel hungry take food, satisfy appetite for a while; After lapse of some time again feel hungry and reach for food! So long so forth repetitive? We feel tired, close our eyes, fall asleep and after some time wake up, open our eyes again. Wakeful state - Sleeping state; which is false, which is true; how to understand this deceitful world of your making.

'Even more awesome is the provision of physical bodies with urges blooming from puberty, passions for intimacy ablaze irrespective of being male or female. Even your astute devotees are not exempt from going through this maze; However, they are blessed by your Enlightenment, hence remain unaffected by your delusions."

The inference is like a writing on the wall. 'Know'ledge Spiritual is everything.  There is no alternative to this one fundamental 'vidya', 'Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya'. The realization of the one and only Existence that is the Almighty and the rest that is his playful Illusory creation with worlds exhibiting acts of contrasts; is the true knowledge that keeps us afloat in this "Bhava Sagara", sailing in the ocean, called Mundane Life!

"Chellubadi Kalla Lata Cheta Livi Nivi Yata" (own tune)

"Dawn of Knowledge"!

Om Shanti !

MADNESS FROM MOTHER'S MILK STAGE !

No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness 

(Aristotle)

It's an elderly saying in telugu that "verri vepa ginja antayina vuntundi" ! That means as a matter of fact everybody on this earth has atleast a neem seed (margosa) size of madness, born out of innocence of course, in their childhood. The veracity of this statement need not be disputed once we recollect our child hood adventurism. Any doubt? Once I observed my grandson tying a thin thread (fit to be inserted in a needle) to iron rod in the front balcony of second floor and letting it loose downwards. I curiously inquired about his intention. He smartly replied in case all the members of watchman family in the ground floor are to be saved from any accident, they can climb up this thread and escape from danger. His thought of 'saving' clearly surpassed all the knowledge about physical proportions of the tools required.

Of course I too am no exception to this state of being mad which is not of recent origin but persisting congenitally right from  my mother's breast feeding. It even took control of  me in all facets of my living. It doesn't leave me on it's own accord. Nor is there any one to come to my help to drive away this madness from  me.

Now let us grapple with what sort of 'madness' we, the earthly human beings, are all suffering from, in common ! It is the egoistic attitude dominating in this Name and Form, "Dehatma Bhavana", belittling the existence of Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient Almighty who is our real Protector and Savior ! It is in this madness only we regard our achievements as our own abilities without any intervention of Supreme Head ! 

Annamacharya deals with this congenital madness and its remedy in his sankeeertana, "Verri Manupa Revvaru, Veduru Na Yanta Viduvadu". This sankeertana is one of very few highly emotionally charged, in singing with own tune.

'No body is there to help in driving away the madness in me; nor does it leave from me on it's own accord. This madness is with me right from my mother's breast feeding days. It overwhelmingly possessed of me.

'When there is the Almighty who is determined to take care of his creation of all worlds, I belittled and ignored his uncountable might and in all stupidity,  embarked on looking after my family's welfare and became laughing stock in the eyes of the fellow beings. What shall I say about this madness.

'Almighty is there residing within me looking after ever pleasure and pain of mine. On the other hand, I ascribed all these happenings to the actions of my own fellow human beings and pursued after them. Thus going about them I got more and more entangled in the all sorts of Karmas- Prarabdha , Sanchita, Vaidika. What shall I say about this madness.

'Even though the Lord himself is right before me granting all my wishes, being blind to realize  his presence, I foolishly ran after other human beings begging for favours. How ever now that my mentor has apprised me  of the Almighty, I have discovered the path of enlightenment. It is being exposed now to me that all my earlier part of this life as well as my earlier births were fraught with madness only - 'madness' of ignorance about Almighty's presence!

This sankeertana is a pointer common to all the human being on this earth. In clear terms it regards our ignorance about the omnipresent Almighty as 'madness' that is subsisting with us right from mother's breast feeding days. Let us come out of this 'madness'  of 'blissful ignorance' with awakening of our consciousness  about the Almighty!

"Verri Manupa Revvaru, Veduru Na Yanta Viduvadu" (own tune)

Murru Balu (Mother's Milk) !

Om Shanti !

WHAT COMES ALONG ; WHAT LEFT BEHIND !

"Vodi Gattu Kone Dedi, Volla Nane Dedi"! 

(What's carried along, what's left behind)

Divine knowledge par excellence ! How much thankful shall we be for being blessed with the wealth of information imparted by our great predecessors in the form of rishis, yogis, poet savants, guiding us towards realization of the Almighty, The Eternal Truth! "Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya" ! These Mithya Jagats are but the Almighty's own making. Once the  illusory nature of all the creation, the multiverses, the beings that inhabit both animate, inanimate, is comprehended, our perspective  in this world becomes clear and unambiguous !

In his sankeertana, "Ainattayi Gaka Hari Kalpitamu Livi", the poet savant Annamacharya depicts the initial dilemma of what to do and what not to do, what to follow what not to follow, what to possess what not to possess; and gradually leads us to the ultimate reality of Illusion of this worldly farce, as there is nothing to carry or to leave behind!

'When all the happenings in this Creation are but the Illusory play of the Almighty, and happen as ordained by the Almighty, then what is there to judge what is to be followed and what not to be followed.

'Among the beings, one does not have thoughts like those of another person. The opinions among the beings are with vast divergence. Oh, the root is one but the branches, creepers are diverse. Whereto come closer and where to abstain!

'One's deeds are not lauded by his neighbour. And the actions of the beings are diverse and multi dimensional in nature. Food one relishes might be the same yet  appetites differ from person to person. Which actions are to be supported and which are not!

'The words of the poor and down trodden are not pleasant to the wealthy one. The relations among the beings take diverse forms. Almighty is One but his created worlds are diverse. In realization of this, what is that  to be carried along with and what is that to be left behind here in this (illusory) world !'

Such sankeertanas like these are a clear eye opener for us in understanding the illusory nature of all our deeds in this mundane existence which are ordained by the Almighty! In this context, we may recollect the message, Alexander The Great, had passed down to the posterity, " See my Empty Hands. In spite of vast empire with riches  I possessed, I am not taking anything from this world"! It's a way leading towards enlightenment about our identity not with the 'form and name'  in this world but with the Eternal !

"Ainattayi Gaka Hari Kalpitamu Livi"

"Leaving This World Empty Handed"!

(Alexander The Great)

Om Shanti !

TRANSCENDING DUALITY

Day and night; big and small; thick and thin; good and bad; happiness and sorrow; so on so forth, all the duality of contrasts are the perceptions of the mind interacting with this creation. Divine knowledge is that one which when awakened sees through these contrasts, one common source, a well thought out  executed pattern of 'Maya' (illusory play) cast by the Almighty. Total surrender with devotion to the Almighty elevates the seeker to a level of silent spectator, an unbiased witness to all happenings in this mortal existence on earth as identification of Self  with the Eternal is realized!

Transcending the contrasting duality in this Creation  is deftly dealt with by Annamacharya in his sankeertana  "Melu Ledu Tilu Ledu Minchi Nide Hari Maya".....

'There is no good and there is no bad, no salubrious and no harmful, but for they being the part of the grand play of Illusion - Hari Maya; Realized now here itself, in this very birth, about the liberated  Self!

'All the 'devatas' - deities, gods are the beings of this creation; and in the same manner, all the 'danavas' - demons too are the beings of the creation only. The difference between them being that of  their characteristic attributes. The devatas' abode ordained to be 'heaven' and the abode of 'danavas' ordained to be 'hell' on account of their respective Papa Punyas - karmic deeds of piety and sin.

'All women are the beings of this creation and in the same way all men too are beings of this creation; the difference among them mainly  being consciousness of feelings.  The masculine robustness giving sense of freedom in one and feminine tenderness giving feeling of dependence in the other. Accordingly one enjoys supremacy and the other submissiveness.

'All kings are beings of this creation only and all the myriads of  servants too are beings of this creation verily. The difference is possession of might, wealth, power in the former and dearth of it in the latter.
The way out to overcome all this duality of contrasts is taking refuge in the Almighty which frees one from all  Karmas that are responsible for 'bondage' as well as  'liberation' !'

Thus the seeker's attainment of this state of 'witness' makes him to accept things and happenings as they are, with the stance of "It's Alright", as he is awakened to the reality of illusory duality and permanence of the Eternal Self!

"Melu Ledu Tilu Ledu Minchi Nide Hari Maya" (own tune)

 The King and the Servants

Om Shanti !

WAYS AND MEANS OF HAPPY LIFE

Happy life  is an accomplished life that doesn't end with death but with eternal life !

(Angelo Scola)

The roots of Indian culture are in Sanatana Dharma, Eternal Faith or Righteousness. It is the original rather a natural yet logical and satisfying spiritual, personal and scientific way of living a life. Sanatana Dharma is not a religion; it is a culture, a way of life impregnated with vedic wisdom inherited through rushis and jnanis.

Iha para sadhana, which is quintessential way of life in the  Indian culture lends the thought of leading happy righteous life through this mundane sojourn and finally attaining the Ultimate Reality, the Eternal Life.

Here we have the knowledge about the ways and means of leading a happy life in this world described by Annamacharya in his sankeertana, "Vatti Lampatala Badi Boraluta Kante, Vottina Virati Nura Kundute Sukhamu" !

'Instead of this mortal body being carried away by the bondage and entanglements, to be still in quietude with detachment leads to happiness.

'Discarding of  all sinful deeds in this world fetches happiness.Possessing the attribute of maintaining peace by leaving anger results in happiness in life.By implementing steadfastly the instructions of wisdom received from one's guru keeps one happy.The day, on which one does not fumble into attractions desires and infatuations, is the happy one.

'In this world, the mind which relaxes, with all fickleness subsided, dwells in happiness. This birth is worthy of happiness when  the being is indulged in righteous chores passed down from the ancestors. Judicious selection and regular following one appropriate course of practice for deliverance in this world as well as for realization of the Eternal Existence, gives happiness.Being self contented rather than entertaining countless desires and expectations fetches happiness.

'Wealth acquired by fair means without squeezing fellow beings keeps one happy. Plain and truthful talk only gives one happiness. In this world, happiness lies in serving the Almighty with astute devotion and leading a well defined peaceful course of life in quietude'.

The words by William Law that "He who has learned to pray has learned the greatest secret of a holy and happy life", fortify the last line of the above text of sankeertana. Thus total surrender with devotion to the Almighty is the panacea for a holy, pious, happy life in this world and the other, the Eternal !

"Vatti Lampatala Badi Vada Boraluta Kante"(own tune)

Source of My Happy Life !

Om Shanti !

HELP THE NEEDY, NOT THE WELL OFF !

"Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya" ! From darkness (Ajnana) to light (Jnana), Oh Almighty, lead us !

Devotion towards Sakara Brahman (Almighty with Name and Form) to Total Surrender to Realization of Truth, the Nirakara Brahman (Formless Supreme Consciousness); It's a devotee's journey, a Pilgrim's Progress,  from dualistic vision to nondualistic reality about the Almighty. In the earlier part of dualistic vision, an astute devotee expresses  about the appropriateness of the Almighty in coming to the rescue of the needy instead of the well placed ones.

Annamacharya has ventilated his suggestions to the Almighty in unequivocal terms, in his sankeertana, "Teliya Chikatiki Dipa Mettaka, Velugu Lopalilki Velugela" !

'For the people who have lost their bearings and are groping in darkness (Ajnana), a lamp is needed for proper guidance towards destination; What is the necessity of a lamp for those who are already in bright light !

'One who is in difficulties or dangers, needs a word of solace, a word of encouragement and timely help. For the one who is already safe, secure and comfortable, no help is necessary. One who is caught up in floods direly needs to be rescued by whatever means possible. For the one who is in a safe and secure place on the banks, why one should think of rescuing? No help is necessary.

'Almighty has to  come to the help of and save those who are entangled by 'karma bandhas', all deeds of commission and omission in the past births and present birth. On the other hand, the liberated souls like yogis, do not require any  help from Him. One who is hungry with empty stomach needs to be fed with food. But the one who is satiated stomach full doesn't need any feeding.

'Almighty's help is needed for the one who is neck deep in committing sinful deeds. Why He should think of helping the pious one. So, O Lord ! What are you there for unless to come to our help and rescue us in time when we are losing courage and bewildered in entanglements !'

Thus, this sankeeertana brings forth our sincere thrust to look towards the "helping hand' which is none other than the "driving force" within this earthly name and form !

                      "Teliya Chikatiki Dipa Mettaka Pedda, Velugu Lopaliki Velugela"

Om Shanti !

TRANSIENT AND 'THE' INTRANSIENT !

"Men may come, men may go; But I go on forever " !

(Alfred Lord Tennyson) 

These Immortal lines of the nineteenth century poet laureate that bring forth the comparison and contrast between the immortality and permanence of the brook with the impermanence of the mortal human lives, are cherished in my mind as sweet memories of the bygone school days. And it would be even more amazing to find such lines of similar theme from the great poet savant, Annamacharya of  fifteenth century, four centuries ahead. It's all  about the transient beings under the spell of 'Vishnu Maya' vis a vis the Eternal Almighty! And the sankeertana is, "Aha, Emi Cheppedi Hari Ni Maya"!

'Ah! What shall I say about your Play of Illusion, Oh My Lord! What a bloom of passions right from the nascent youth!

'When taken into account, the earth is same  but the myriads of kings and emperors that ruled came and built their vast kingdoms and empires vanished in time; this earth, however didn't follow them but remained still in unchanging eternity.  As the sun and moon,  measuring days and nights pass for ages, the time ahead reminds it's nature of eternity.

' The abode of deities, 'Deva Loka' is same but many an incumbent donned the title of 'Devendra', sat on the throne, commanded over the deities and left with time; but Deva Loka didn't belong to any one individual 'Indra'. The Pancha Bhutas, Akasha (space),  Vayuh (air), Agni (fire), Apah (water) and Prithvi (earth) formed by Prakriti are same but make a profuse ramifications of branches of 'Sansara Vruksha', mundane existence of the beings.

'Oh my Lord! Here you are the one and the only one but your devotees are countless; how much intently we serve you, it remains insatiable. Oh my Lord! My devotion graced by you is a treasure trove; the intent and purpose of this human birth of mine is fulfilled!'

Thus, the discreet awareness of what is permanent and what is not, what is transitory and what is Eternal, in this mundane existence, enlightens us towards realization of the Intransient Eternal Existence!

                                                "Aha Emi Cheppedi Hari Ni Maya" (own tune)

                           

Om Shanti!