EDI SATYAM (WHAT'S TRUTH)

Embodied  memories of your line,

Incarnate legends of your reign.

---The Nightingale of India, Sarojini Naidu.

Alex Graham Brown and his wife, Australian citizens and relatives, (Graham of Sydney married my brother-in-law's sister-in-law), graced our house in April 1998.  I accompanied them for city tour.  While seeing Qutb Shahi Tombs inter alia, upon my request Graham jotted down the 'epitaph' poem "The Royal Tombs of Golconda" etched on the stone tablet, a glimpse of which is garnished above. Why mention now?  The links follow... 

When I saw in the media  and wide coverage  in news papers about the devastating earthquake in Nepal around April of this year, I took out the albums of 1985.  With my children, now all  are parents,  reminisced about our 'sweet memories' of  grandeur of the temples of Bhaktapur and surroundings in  Nepal. 

As I ponder over 1985 and 1998, the disparaging Acts of Time are but a chronicle in the History. What remains in this material world ? It's the  'vanity of attachment !' -  despite so many lessons as above flash from time to time before our eyes. 

A day shall come in every body's life to awaken to elicit the Truth.  We are living in the world of dualities of our own making attitudinally. Hence our lives are fraught with untold miseries and sufferings.  Great men of letters  have passed on to us the Nature of Truth , each in their own way.

 It is desirable to be in remembrance of some such gems of knowledge as our constant beacons, to maintain our bearings,  in the path of Truth.  I share, a precious jewel,from the poet laureate Sri Sri,    

'Edi Satyam' (What's Truth).

Edi chikati,      Edi veluturu:         Edi jivitam,      Edi mrutyuvu; 

Edi punyam,    Edi papam;            Edi narakam,   Edi nakam; 

Edi satyam,      Edi asatyam;         Edi anityam,    Edi nityam; 

Edi ekam,        Edi anekam;          Edi karanam,    Edi karyam; 

O mahatma !                                 O maharshi !

Edi telupu,        Edi nalupu;           Edi ganam,      Edi mounam; 

Edi nadi,           Edi nidi;                Edi niti,           Edi neti; 

Ninna swapnam, Neti satyam;       Neti khedam,   Repu ragam; 

Oke kanti,         Oke santi; 

O mahatma !                                  O maharshi !

Translatiuon :-        

"What's Truth !"
What's dark,       What's light;        What's life,         What's death; 

What's piety,     What's sin;           What's hell,         What's heaven; 

What's truth,      What's false;        What's ephemeral, What's eternal; 

What's unity,      What's diversity; What's cause,       What's action; 

O Noble Soul !                               O Noble Sage !

What's white,     What's black;        What's song(sound),What's silence; 

What's mine, What's thine (yours); What's moral,         What's nought; 

Yesterday's dream, Today's reality; Today's misery,     Tomorrow's mirth; 

One (sole) light,   One (sole) peace;

O Noble Soul !                                O Noble Sage !

As I said earlier every thing, about the dual nature of existence in this world, is in our perspective only.  As our journey on the  spiritual path progresses, we come to understand the transitory  and illusory nature of the  whole contraption of creation.  The volatile  matter is in essence, the Energy, Supreme Consciousness (Suddha Chaitanya) only. Who realises this, becomes aware of his 'Witness  role' (by vanishing of all duality).  for such seekers the world becomes pleasant abode with manifestation of nobility  in each and every being  in this creation.

It is said, when  Krishna happened to be with  Dharmaraja and Duryodhana, he  asked Duryodhana  to go on a round in the Hastinapura and find out if there were any gentle men.  After a while Duryodhana returned  back and told Krishna that Hastinapura was abounding with wicked only and there was  not even a single gentle man to find.  Later he sent Dharmaraja. After returning from the round, Dharmaraja told Krishna that Hastinapura was replete with all gentle men . There was not even a single wicked person to find. Hence, the world IS as per your drukpatha ( the way you look at).

As our drukpatha is refined with noble traits, it becomes a fertile breeding ground for spiritual harvest yielding the rich crop of  Ultimate Truth !

" Edi Satyam (What's Truth) "

Rama Temple, Bhaktapur, Nepal (1985)

Om Shanti !                                                                                                                                              

WHEN WAVES RECEDE...........

Devotional singing induces a desire for experiencing the Truth, to glimpse the beauty that is God, to taste the bliss that is the Self.  It encourages man to dive into himself and be genuinely his real Self.

--- Bhagawan Sri Satya Saibaba.

---

‘Tomorrow’s work today and today’s work now’ - is equally applicable in the case of one who wishes to become devoted to the Almighty and seek spiritual wisdom. Because in most of the cases our health slowly deteriorates as we grow old year by year.  Our sense organs may not be able to cooperate even if we have men and material and sufficient wealth at our disposal.  Overwhelmed by our obligations towards the family members like education and marriages of children, we lose sight of devotion to the Almighty. 

My practical experience is that, I did a good thing of visiting pilgrim centres and tourist spots throughout length and breadth of India with all family members, sometimes carrying kids on our shoulders.  Didn't feel shy!  Only one thought - When my children grow up they should have 'sweet memories ' to reminisce.

Now even though affordability is not a problem, health does not  permit long tours at a stretch. However, absolutely no regrets; for, I had satisfied enough with family tours. Hence I feel, my exhortations to the readers -  to take care of their family when they are young and energetic to avoid repentance in later life - are to be taken in right spirit. I have a message of inspiration in the following devotional song about not to postpone our activities whether household or spiritual till fag end of our life !

Annamayya’s kirtanas abound in spiritual wisdom.  There is one such short two stanza keertana (devotional song) starting as ‘Kadaludisi neerada dalachu varalaku…… In general, the meaning of this is dubbed here in freelance.....

‘For those who wait for recession of waves for taking sea bath,  and who wait for termination of desires in mind for seeking God, Where is the end?   That is, those conditions can never be fulfilled.  If one says that he would seek spiritual wisdom only after quenching of his thirst (of desires), when will his thirst would be quenched and when he would be able to seek divine knowledge?  For all the days of this body’s existence, when his passions within would be satiated ? And happiness derived to his fill ? 

‘If one says that after knowing about the future he would forget the past, how can he contemplate the future  which is incomprehensible for him and forget the past, which is not in his control.

'Hence it is better for one to take shelter and become totally surrendered to the Almighty, whose benevolence of unparalleled blessings is undreamed of (in liberating the devotee).’

"Devotional singing is a process that originates in the heart, not from the lips or the tongue,  It is the expression of the joyous thrill that wells up from the heart when the Glory of God is remembered.  It is the spontaneous manifestation of inner ecstasy."
---Bhagawan Sri Satya Saibaba. 

So, Please awaken yourself to do good things in your life along with your family members as early as possible ;  for, 'Time and Tide wait for none !' 

"Kadaludisi niradaga dalachu varalaku"
(Sang slowly to enable  non-telugu readers catch emphatic words kadali -ocean, daham-thirst, tatvam-spirituality, deham-body, moham-infatuation)

                      Son, Daughter, Wife at  Light House Beach, Trivendrum

Om Shanti !

FROM A POTTER WHEEL

“Life is great if you take it seriously.  Will you? “  

"Thy Own Self",                      Swamy Chinmayananda.

In about five weeks from now, it will be forty five years for the 'golden message' in my autograph penned by Sri Chinmayananda Saraswati (who graced our house for Pada Puja on 2.12.1970), one of the great spiritual leaders and authority on vedic scriptures and Gita in India: Founder of Chinmaya Mission.   A true reflection of the dictum, ‘Character is Destiny’.  Yes, I am destined to be great (Only, remember…. Only) if I take my life seriously. So it was… the illusory world deluded me not to bother about the embedded meaning of ‘Thy Own Self’ for well-nigh more than forty years.

Every magnum opus of a litterateur, and exquisite master piece in porcelain or sculpture has a beautiful story to reveal about it’s transformation from the initial ‘potter’s wheel’ stage, passing through various ordeals, trials and tribulations.

‘Podaa nee todapagatte !’ (Get lost, you broom-stick!- in tamil) The blessing from an irate primary school mentor, in his anguish to see me class first, and I disappointed him once in a blue moon. Humility turned me perseverant! Debut in English medium college  cherished a thrilling incident in my life. At the first 'slip test' my science lecturer announced marks of each student and gave back his or her answer paper by turn. Except me all were over.  Anxiety prevailed in me. ‘Who is….?’ the lecturer called my name.  I stood up in embarrassment, pondering over the possible guilt I might have committed unaware.  “ What is  that  ‘in situ’  written in your paper?”. With a great relief, instantly I replied, ‘‘Sir, the latin term ‘in situ’ means ‘in its original position’.  Since the single cell amoeba has no definite size and shape it moves by temporary protuberances called 'pseudo podia' (false feet).  Hence it cannot be studied ‘in its original position’ ".   Lo, thumping of the tables by other students and appreciation by the lecturer for my meaningful study of the subjects. The reward, Ten by Ten marks! And subsequent graduation from the college that produced Sir C V Raman, Nobel Prize Winner. A great scholar, and man of letters Sri Diwakarla Venkatavadhani, our Principal.  At post-graduation,  my Head of the Department and Vice Principal and also my well-wisher (I was Secretary), Sri D L Narayana at Sri Venkateswara University, later became Principal for Sri Nara Chandrababu Naidu, present Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

One shall understand from the above para, in good spirit,  the efforts of the ‘Masters’  who 'shape'  their students with commitment.  A befitting anecdote follows now…….

'Once a couple wished to purchase a good tea set for their home.  They entered a crockery shop.  After searching for a while their looks fell on a beautiful Cup set.  As the husband was about to take the cup into his hands, he heard the cup saying, ‘Wait for a minute!’  As the couple stood with astonishment, the cup continued, ‘Please listen to my story first. Before appreciating my grand looks, you must understand how much ordeal I underwent in the hands my master before adorning this shelf, in glitter.  My master initially found me in the countryside mud. By sieving I became fine powder. Later mixed with water, made into a smooth lump with hard pressing by feet. Put on potter’s wheel, I was whirled and whirled as if I was suffocating for breath. I got a shape now.  He dried in the sunshine under scorching sun of the summer, I cried that I could not bear the heat. Nobody seemed to come to my rescue.  Even worse followed later. I was put in a kiln and exposed to very high temperatures. It was a real hell for me.  Later after cooling he painted me with variegated colours. I thought at least now he would leave me alone.  But to add to my woes, after painting was over, again subjected me to high temperature in the furnace for fixing the colours on me on permanent basis. I am done! No more tears left in me as my eyes became dried up by weeping and weeping.   After all this process was completed he brought before me a mirror to look for myself. Lo, what a transformation from country earth to sparkling show case piece !

So,  we shall always keep in our minds that "There is no Gain without Pain!" 

Om Shanti!

REAL OR ILLUSORY

Ardhena pravakshyami grandha kotibhih |

Brahma satyam jagan mithya brahmaiva na parah ||

---Sri Adisankaracharya

[In half of a sloka, I state that what has been stated in a crore scriptures, that is, Brahma alone is real and this Jagat (world) is mithya (illusory) and the Jiva (individual soul) is not – different from Brahma (Supreme Soul)  ]

I had said  ‘Emotions have their role in the gross existence though ‘Consciousness’ is above and apart !’; in the last para of  ‘Satsanga’.  Here, to be more clear,  gross existence is the physical ‘name and form’ of the being in this world which is like a ‘wave’ regarded as separate from ‘Consciousness’ the Ocean, in this material world by the earthlings.  The earnest seeker gradually understands the unravelling of this seeming duality as absolute illusion. He comes to know that what is rising as wave is nothing but the water of the ocean.  That is the water in form of wave and the water in the form of ocean is same. There is no difference at all. And he realises that the differences in shapes sizes-small wave, big wave- are all illusory and transitory; the content - water is one ! permanent nature being the ocean.

The ignorance exists only till such time when one tends to identify himself with the wave and the cyclic nature of rising and falling of wave. In that state of  ‘avidya maya’ ( being in illusion due to ignorance) his perspective becomes blurred.  In such conditions his pleasures and pains are experienced as ‘real’ and emanating from external sources.

‘There was an affluent sheik indulging always in worldly pleasures.  One day he sat in a solitary place and started enjoying huka with intoxicant. As the intoxication advanced in him he started to see visions of heaven with lot of angels dancing and entertaining him.  The 'heaven' was so real for him.  After a while, he rose up and left for his house.  Due to high intoxication he did not observe the puddle of water in the centre of the road to his house.  He slipped and fell down, broke his legs and waist.  
He lamented  within himself,  ‘Oh  my  God,  All of a sudden I fell from my ‘Heaven’.  My legs and waist are broken.  The agony is unbearable,  I am in  ‘Hell’ now.' 

Hence, it is understood that 'heaven' or 'hell' seem to be very much 'real',  for those who imagine and experience  like the sheik in this anecdote. But for the 'wise',  who experience the Almighty, all the  creation becomes, Illusory" .  Our proper identification in the ultimate analysis is that of  "Akhanda sacchidananda Samudram"  'The Ocean of Indivisible Reality, Awareness and Bliss!

                        Real Or IIllusory

 Om Shanti!

SATSANGA (NOBLE COMPANY) - SUPREME PATH

Satsangatve nissangatvam, nissangatve nirmohatvam,

Nirmohatve nischala tatvam, nischala tatve jivanmuktih ||

(Sri Sankaracharya in Bhajagovindam)

(The company of the good leads to non attachment; non attachment leads to 'free from delusion'; 'free from delusion' leads to calm stable mind; stable mind leads to liberation from life)

The Day – Thursday, Twenty Second October Two Thousand Fifteen Anno Domini :-

*The day to celebrate major festival in India, Dasara, symbolic of victory over evil: 

*The day to go down in history of India as Foundation Day of Amaravati (by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi) – the cynosure Capital of Andhra:     And,

*The day to turn out for me , a special way of dawning, with awakened state throughout the night, frequented by blissful visions.

On this auspicious day, I turned up at the park for yoga as usual half an hour before time.  And to my great surprise, long time missing (on account of hectic shooting schedules) bosom yoga colleagues and twins, Ram Lakshman (exceptionally high spirituals yet reigning Fight Masters - with non attachment -  in cine world, Nandi Award winners for several years) appeared.  Within a couple of minutes of their arrival, another senior colleague and veteran in long period meditation and yoga, 
above all my best well wisher,  Sri G N Rao joined.

I confided to them, last nights’ totally awakened state, the blissful visions experienced prompting me to shift my original stand, ‘I am leaving no stone unturned in my sadhana to make this present birth - last one‘, towards new stand that, ‘It is more thrilling to opt for coming back time and again into this beautiful world – to share all activities related to spiritual blossom and fragrance with all noble souls around the globe.”  In addition I quoted our sages saying that, ‘Only through the human birth, it is possible for one to realise the final salvation.  That is why even angels who are not at all enlightened, come back to human form for getting Liberation (Mukti).” And it was my wish to initiate divine knowledge in as many as possible in future births too.   

Then Ram Lakshman confessed that they too had visions of similar nature in their deep meditation prompting them to come to the conclusion that our human birth is par excellence, compared with other planes.  They propounded that we are at vantage point because, we are blessed with two  types of bliss;  One, ‘Dehananda’ – relating to the playful  but well harnessed subtle Mind  under ‘Our’ observation  and Two, ‘Atmananda’/’Brahmananda’, attained in the deep state of meditation. Thus the human birth is far superior to any other in many respects.  The way of practically successful ‘water drop on lotus leaf, ‘detached state in affluency’ of these twins is impeccable.

‘Wisdom up to the hilt’, is Sri G N Rao who, partaking in the deliberations about rebirth, clinched with a benign smile, “Nothing is in our hands!.”   Of course, if you remember, is this statement not in consonance with what I mentioned in the first line of recent ‘Fleeting Reflections’?  That is, “reconciliation with what is ordained from time to time”.  Yes, everything on this earth, for that matter, the whole Creation (encompassing  'birth - sustenance - death'  circle), is as ordained by the Supreme Consciousness – our ‘rebirths’ or ‘no births’ are up to It.  We are only Witness ultimately!

Hope you have heart fully enjoyed this lively and exhilarating true ‘Satsanga’ among us, the ardent seekers. Our spirits fly high with joy with a trickle of drop from our saturated eyes, as we share such spiritual snippets laden with divine nectar. One point to drive home in this is that genuine feelings in a seeker need not be suppressed!  Have you not heard about  avatars like Shirdi Saibaba and Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi shed tears at the final departure of their devotees?  Emotions have their role in the gross existence though the Consciousness is above and apart ! A subtle difference indeed!

One thing I assure you, 'Satsanga' has an ennobling role of  'cleansing and purifying the soul' !  So, it is a Golden Path Towards Enlightenment with Enjoyment at the same time. Blessed are those who are already initiated or getting inspired to participate in Satsangas around their vicinity. Always remember it is not logic,reasoning,weighment, argument but only Faith in Divinity that springs from your heart and awakens you !

Still Water enables Reflections,

Still Mind enables Emancipation

(My reflections in Treasure Island Resort, Gandipet, Hyderabad)

Om Shanti!                                                                                                                         

FLEETING REFLECTIONS

As one is drawn towards spirituality slowly but steadily, the attribute of reconciliation with what is ordained from time to time flowers into the highest niche of ‘Witness Role’ – a ‘silent spectator’ to the strange chance occurrences.

Throughout my active career I never dreamt of holding a painting brush – lo, the initial attempts of Ravivarma themes now embellish the walls of my humble abode.  Please remember I am not at all a professional painter:  I was not at all courageous enough to sing a poem let alone a melodious song.  But the Almighty within caused generation of melodious tunes for the plain reading verses. To be specific, the devotional verses in the 'Gospel of Ramakrishna'  became live with instant tuning and singing by me rapturously.  But I am not at all a music composer:  As if blessed by the Almighty, all of a sudden my voice attained high to low modulations encouraged by which I sang up to, among others, more than one thousand seven hundred songs of Annamacharya. But I am not at all a professional singer:  I narrate with all humility, the divinity within was such that even when a hard to digest prose explanation of 'Kattha Upanishad' slokas was under my perusal, instantly the prose converted into a beautiful poetry with seven stanzas of four lines each.  And instant tuning and singing by me.  Colleagues called it creativity blossoming at late age, but  I believe it is only 'divinity manifesting' at the appropriate time.  

Soham actually means ‘I am He/That’ and has proximity in meaning with the mahavakya, ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ (Thou are That).  Please bear my limited capacity for genuine translation from telugu.

THOU ARE THAT…….

Soham Soham Soham Soham,   

Know that 'thou are that',

Know that thou are Soul,   

know that thou are Supreme Soul                       ||

Body, Life force and Essence all three,  

Join to form mortal essence (Jiva),

Unless karmic bondages are emancipated, 

Jiva can’t reach Supreme Consciousness          ||

The soul doesn’t have death, 

Who knows this is Enlightened,

Ending of birth-death cycle, 

Happens with Supreme Knowledge                  ||

Five sense organs and mind, 

When come to relax,

Intellect too becomes action less, 

That state is Salvation                                        ||

Om mantra is utmost Supreme, 

In truth it is the very Almighty,

Whatever desired is obtained, 

By those who know this mantra                        ||

As per the fruits of actions (karma), 

Rebirths accrue to the Jiva,

Supreme consciousness of all Jivas is One, 

Who knows this is emancipated from births     ||

You are not the body, you are not the life force,  

That you are Soul above all,

Knowing that yourself are  the Supreme Consciousness, 

The wisdom in you shall thrive                         ||  .   .   .   .

Some thing about the latest divine revelation.......

Last evening my son left for Chennai by train. When enquired if reached station in time, he told of being stuck up in traffic jam.  Since I left out egoistic exhortations for I (me) and My (kin) already, what could I do? I closed my eyes, visualised "Consciousness" of the locomotive driver and suggested at least ten minutes gap to reach the boarding station - to help "a person",  held up in traffic jam, to catch the train. And "It" obliged!

adiye nivani teliyagade

( Ravivarma's Themes, 2009)

Om Shanti!

DROOPING HEAD OF CORN

Aham (I) is the fulcrum around which our entire knowledge is based.  Right from our birth we are brought up in such a culture that raising and directing our right index finger towards our chest we are taught to identify ‘I’.  So, our physical stature is taken for granted as true ‘I’.  And most part of our journey in this material world we crave for all earthly pleasures and in the process suffer pains with this 'I the body ' consciousness.         

                                                         What is real happiness is never found on these superficial moorings -anchoring at notional places of paradise,  just as a person holding a wrong or misspelt address in 

his hand, can never reach the right address.  Only a postman who is possessing sufficient knowledge about each and every door of the place can help you to decipher the proper address and guide you to reach the right destination with great relief, putting an end to your anguish of tiresome searches.

 

The postman is none other than the Sadguru.  With his kind bestowal of knowledge you come to the surprising reality that your raising and pointing of right index finger towards your chest for ‘I’ is absolutely correct but with a sea change in your awareness. It is not at all the physical body but the ‘hrudguha’ (spiritual heart) within - the real abode of ‘I’, the ‘Atman’, the Essence, the True Consciousness.  Sri Ramana Maharshi alluded to this, being located at slightly to the right of your physical heart. Now you are awakened! Your illusion about the body consciousness being identified with ‘I’ is driven away. You have come to realise that the real I - That Is You - are Immortal.

  

This Supreme knowledge was revealed by our learned sages expressed in four ‘Maha Vakyas’ (Great Statements) of Upanishads.  They are, Prajnanam Brahma (Brahma is the Supreme Knowledge, Consciousness), Tat Tvam Asi (You Are That), Ayam Atma Brahma (The Esssence,Consciousness and the Supreme Consciousness are Same) and Aham Brahma Asmi (I Am The Brahman, The Supreme Consciousness).

‘Once a prospective seeker went to a Guru and asked, “Guruji please accept me as your disciple.  I wish to learn 'Brahma Jnana’ from you”.  For this the Guruji replied without hesitation, “You come after ‘I’ die!” The prospective seeker got perplexed pondering about how could it be possible for the Guruji to impart anything after his death? He prostrated before the Guruji and prayed for explaining about what the Guruji meant by his bewildering statement.  Then the Guruji elaborated that, so long as the ‘Aham - I’ of body consciousness predominated in one – as revealed in the words, ’I’ wish to learn - he would not be ripe to receive ‘Brahma Jnana’.  The annihilation of Egoistic ‘I’ is a must to become worthy of receiving the Supreme Knowledge.’

‘Consequently, the prospective seeker had another doubt to be clarified, “Excuse me Guriji, how can I realise that the egoistic ‘I’ completely vanished in me leading to spiritual ripening and come to you for the Supreme Knowledge?”  The Guruji took him to the nearby wheat field and asked him to observe the heads of corn. Some were erect and many others were drooping.  Then Guruji explained, "When erect head is slashed, no grain comes out, because it has no grains at all.  Whereas when a bowing head is slashed, all the grains fall off.  That is, if one removes Ego from his head and bows his head before God, he is spiritually ripe!  Otherwise, if his head remains erect with Ego, he is not spiritually ripe.”

So, with sufficient spiritual nectar you all relished through these ‘anecdote – garnished anthologies' on Tatva Jnana (True  Knowledge) till date, it is my earnest conviction that you are all, with all humility of spiritual awakening and ripening, the ‘stout and drooping heads of corn!'

               Igo-free head bows down

. 

Om Shanti!

KAH SATRU (WHO IS THE ENEMY)

Samam sarveshu bhuteshu tishtthamtam parameswaram,

Vinasyatsva vinasyantam yah pasyati sa pasyati ll

---Bhagavadgita 13.28

(One who sees the Super Soul accompanying the Individual Soul in all bodies and who understands that neither the Individual Soul nor Super Soul within the destructible body is ever destroyed, actually sees)

The purpose of a mirror in the dressing table is to reflect one’s features. That is about one’s face, hair – curls and plaits if any to groom, and to ensure decency of attire. Well, this is about the external features.  Can this mirror be of some more help, in respect of my Interior?  I thought so.  The mirror being a must for everyday use, I thought why should not I scribble something that constantly reminds me about my mission in this world. because as the elders say " Out of Sight,  Out of  Mind".  So, I wrote OM with Gayatri Mantra - for, Krishna said in Gita (10.35) ‘gayatri chandasa maham’ (among all the grammatical perfect mantras, I reside in Gayatri). 

One more notable scrawling inter alia is ‘Kah Satru’ ( who is the enemy).  Perusal of good books influence positive thoughts and sometimes have a transforming effect on the discerning reader.  Yes, this one word -Kah Satru-wrought upon me into visualizing the Paaram Atma –the Supreme consciousness  - in every being, as the tears rolled down, when being deeply immersed, I subrogated into the  ‘feelings’ of Indra, at the time of his Enlightenment.  I share the story behind this ‘Kah Satru’.

Indra , is the name of a post, that of  Lord of Devas in Heaven.  Generally he is depicted as immersed in pleasures, wine and women – his court having glamorous dancers like Rambha, Urvasi, Menaka, Tilottama.  Eyeing for this exalted position, the Danava (demons) kings used to wage wars, catching Indra unaware, dethrone him. He used to run away and seek help from the Trinity-Brhma, Vishnu, Maheswara-  in turns for his restoration.  After regaining his throne he used to slip into pleasures and lose throne once again in the war by demons. This vicious circle continued during the regimes of several Indras.  Vexed up with these repetitions, one indra seriously thought of finding a permanent solution  for this affair.  He went on Tapas (penance). Years passed by but he couldn’t find the answer.  Undeterred by initial setbacks he stepped up his austerity in Tapas.  Finally, Enlightenment dawned upon him.   With utter amazement he visualized his own being,  ‘Indra’ in each and every other being.  There were no more rakshasas (demons) but himself, no more dancers, devas, Trinity – in all of them he himself was seen.  No more a friend or foe;  a wicked or gentle, a good place or bad place; all differences dissolved into Oneness.  All illusory plurality of creation vanished with the oneness of Super Consciousness!’ -  For me, it was a memorable transcendence in my 'awareness',  in my life!

Keeping in tune with the above-mentioned Truth, of late, our yoga group has imbibed new way of exhortations :-


"O All children, Ladies and Gentlemen ! O All animal and plant Beings ! You are All One  Almighty.  You Are All Playing Different Roles of One Almighty !"

I suggest to my friends circle to hear some of the tatva jnana (spiritual knowledge) based devotional songs by Annamacharya. Hope you too will relish the content given below as a glimpse.

‘What is the Being and what is the non-Being, for is it not the Almighty that pervades in all forms.?  Whom shall we rebuke and whom shall we praise?  For who is Independent apart from the One who is present in all.  So our praise or scorn are deemed to be addressed to Him only.  Which place is good and which one is bad when every place is His abode.’.  This is the essence in brief of a tatva jnana (spiritual wisdom) based kirtana by Annamacharya – ‘Ainadedi kani dandulo nedi nanarupi Srinadhude kaka ‘- melodiously sung by famous Priya Sisters (available in you tube).

If a cool pondering over the above narration generates sincere interest towards understanding the Universal  Consciousness – 'That is Thou' ;  I will be justified !

'Ainadedi kani dandulo nedi' sung by me

  "Indra's Enlightenment" (17.10.'15)

Om Shanti!

MUSINGS ON FREE MIND

Watch your thoughts, They become words;

Watch your words, They become actions;
Watch your actions, They become habits;
Watch your habits, They become character;
Watch your character, It becomes your Destiny!
---Lao Tzu

Buddha lived and preached in a way and left this world; Christ lived and preached in a way and left this world; like them many other luminaries that dart the columns of the spiritual history, left their blazing trail as the glowing examples of Wisdom Par Excellence.  Their teaching are gems of knowledge. If some observation of their life history is made, one will come to know that those personalities never thought of imitating or copying any of their predecessors.  Their ‘mind’ and 'Intellect' were the most vital factor, being the source of generation of impulses termed thoughts, ideals replete with two basic ingredients namely Love and Compassion which were translated into their utterances – preaching.  And their greatness lay in strictly putting, what was preached, into practice! Their Creed and Deed were One !

So let the mind be free from all such stuff - husk and chaff which is irrelevant.   ‘We have to see only the gentle way of living with occasional responses of healthy thoughts that are generated in the mind- as per our True Nature within us, that of Love and Compassion. This state elevates one to peaceful, blissful condition of mind.  Buddha came into this world, got enlightenment, passed on his knowledge and left the world.  No body need become same Buddha again.  Similarly, nobody need try to become another Christ, another Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, another Ramana Maharshi.  The question is, ‘Why one should try to duplicate those names?’  The world does not require repetition of the same personality.  Better try to Be Different, Be What You Are!   Live naturally with 'condition-free mind'. Your 'thought-speech-action' process is to be originated from the Divine within.  (I had shared in my earlier ‘Efficacy of Mantra’ theme, the divine ecstasy of the mellifluous OM ‘nada uccharana’ – chanting of the Primordial Sound ‘OM’.) You can emulate the 'Incarnations',  but in your own 'way' you will have to become the Guiding Spirit for the contemporary as well as the posterity.   Everybody is a potential Buddha by nature.  Only requirement is to make sufficient effort to brush aside the veil of ignorance about the illusory, transient material world.

‘A priest had an ardent desire to be called by his people as ‘another Moses.’  He toiled very much towards this end by resorting to various philanthropic activities. Years passed by and he grew old but the public din’t recognise him as another Moses. Once the worrisome priest had a dream in which  The  Almighty appeared and asked about the cause of his worry.  He explained about non fulfilment of his desire of being called another Moses.  The Almighty smiled and told him, ‘When you come to the gates of Heaven I do not ask whether you are a good Moses, I only ask whether you are a good Priest. Try to be yourself.  If I wanted a Moses again, I would have created another Moses.’  With this the priest was relieved and had peace of mind since then.’

On important thing is that one has to coolly settle down,  pose himself the question ‘Who am I?’, and seek the answer from within. The realisation about the ‘Divinity within’ that is, the True Self blossoms.  To arrive at  'I',  start discarding whatever is  'My' , by pursuing till the end, the principle 'neti', 'neti' (not this or I am not this) - my hands, my legs, my lungs, my liver, my heart, my my thoughts, my mind, my intellect and so on - go on discarding. You come to  realise that you are that Super  Consciousness  which is awake in all the four states of consciousness of one's  existence, namely  Jagridavastha, Swapnavastha, Sushuptavastha and Turiyavastha (States of wakefulness,  dream, deep sleep without dream, and highest state of Consciousness). You will also realise that ‘I am performing through this three tier matter having 'Nama Rupa' (name and form) – gross, subtle, causal bodies: The three gunas (attributes) - Satva, Rajo, Tamo - and their effects  are related to this body only.  I, the Super Consciousness, am playing the role of only a Witness !’  In such a state, you will start experiencing the Divine Bliss! Please do not forget the Universal Consciousness scribbling  through this existence 'Om Shanti' is with you in your sincere efforts for Realisation.

Blessed with the hassle free life, most of the day I prefer to remain silent.  My mind is like ‘relaxing oxen or horses’ relieved from the burden of yoke of plough or cart.   My yoke was the Ego of "I am Doing" .  What a sense of calmness and coolness like that of the full moon enjoyed lying on the bed after dinner.

A conscious mind need not worry about the ‘conditional’ meditations of time and space – that is, worrying about what to meditate,  where to meditate and when to meditate. My full awareness is so much complacent that I feel within myself, ‘Why should I leave my natural state and sit stringently fretting about an outcome unknown.  The known is my Experience, my Being - Already in Bliss; what more I require ?

Actions I do – for,  any vibration, movement is an action in this mundane world.  Only difference is that I try to understand each activity and relegate the one which is not relevant for me.  Such conscious relegation of unwarranted responses through action keep my mind free and relaxed.  A free mind feels that the unbounded happiness and compassion is within us.  We must not search for them somewhere else outside. That very staunch belief provides you Peace of Mind.  With a feeling of belonging in each and every cell and atom of this creation - animate or inanimate, animals, plants and all other beings without differentiation – I salute, within my heart, to the Super Consciousness - Paaram Atma- pervading  in them too!  Their divine blessings are the source of my Bliss!

      (Christ in dream of the Priest)

Om Shanti!                                                                                                                                             

SILENT REVELATIONS

The divine knowledge is imparted mostly through the media of silence.  Unbelievable though as it may seem, but my personal experience as well as a few anecdotes related in due course testify to the above conviction.  And quite in some cases such things are revealed in a jiffy.

It is just over a month, and to be specific, my memory about the phenomenal event of ninth ultimo is evergreen.  The revelation was well documented in my earlier episode namely, ‘A Pilgrim’s Progress - (Why Ride A Bicycle? – Part II)’.  Honestly I submit that such salient sojourns, in my blissful though silent spiritual progress, are like oases, refreshing morale boosters. 

Any doubt?  Okay, I narrate a memorable incident of recent past.  The 31^st July being ‘Guru Purnima,’ a day of heart fully celebrating ‘Worship of Guru (Guru Puja of Yogacharya),  on behalf of the regular yoga group, I had planned purchasing of -  through contributions received for the purpose -  necessary items like fruits,  garlands, sweets, woollen shawl et cetera and in addition a large size portrait of Sri Ramakrishna

Paramahamsa (Param Guru of our Guru),  one day before ( that is on 30^th July).  As the big portrait was available only at Ramakrishna Math, I rang up about the timings of the Book Stall and was informed that the timings were 9.00 am to 8.00 pm.  Disclosing this, I informed to my family members that I would be leaving by 3.00 pm sharp.  I dressed up and prepared to leave by 3.00 pm from my house.  But to my surprise some unknown force was blocking my feet suggesting not to move out for about half an hour.  I was shrewd enough to sense the divine interference and in obeisance relaxed back in my couch and started off by 3.30 pm sharp. And lo, as I reached Ramakrishna Math it was 3.58 pm and the gates were closed still. However the gate keeper showing his wrist watch told me that the gates would be opened just after a couple of minutes, by 4.00 pm sharp. I leave it to your surmise about the One who - by silent suggestions - saved me from waiting on the public road under the scorching sun, if I - well known for my punctuality, nay! 'half an hour before'  nature - would have left half an hour earlier from my residence.

About the ‘Silent Transmission’ a wonderful anecdote about Bhagawan  Ramana Maharshi.  On a particular Sivarathri, one of the devotees requested

Bhagawan to explain the meaning of the hymn to  Lord Dakshinamurty. Bhagawan agreed. All the devotees sat around him.  He looked at them, sat in his usual pose, no words, no movement, and all was stillness.  He sat still and all sat still, waiting. The clock went on striking nine, ten, eleven, twelve, one,  two, and three. Bhagawan sat and they sat silent and motionless,being not conscious of body, time and space.  Eight hours passed in stillness and silently. Thus was the Divine Reality imparted through Silence by the Bhagawan.

Another anecdote from Buddha.   Once a philosopher asked Buddha ‘Without words, without silence, will you tell me the Truth?’  The Buddha sat quietly.  The philosopher then bowed and thanked the Buddha saying, ‘With your loving kindness I have cleared away my delusions and entered the True Path’. After the philosopher had gone,  disciple Ananda asked the Buddha, ‘What the philosopher had attained’.  The Buddha commented, ‘A good horse runs even at the shadow of the whip’ – (Earlier scribbling entitled ‘What’s That Flapping!’ may be referred to, for four types of horses mentioned in  ‘Samyuktagama Sutra’  by Buddha allegorically).  That’s the power of Silent transmission!

With increase in spiritual awareness we come to know that ‘Silence’ is the most effective vehicle for transmission of divine revelations!

Om Shanti !

ILLUMINATION THROUGH VIRTUOUS ACTIONS

Karma in all simplicity means Action.  In the Vedanta philosophy, it has subtler connotation of 'cause and effect' tag. The birth and death cycle is decided by the actions of past, present and future. Our sages had propounded various yogas, paths for salvation - Karma (Action), Bhakti (Devotion), Raja (Meditation), Jnana (Wisdom).

The Karma yogi has to indulge in day to day actions on righteous path.  His actions should not be selfish, instead they are to be oriented towards the benefit of the other beings.  No attachment or anticipation for the actions done by him.  Here,  a word about 'Swadharma'. It may be construed as performing of actions or duties by a person behoved of his or her Varnashrama dharrna (righteous actions laid down in each of the four tier caste system).  For example, 'fighting in war' was Swadharma of Kshatriya caste.  Hence Arjuna being a Kshatriya was asked by Krishna to honour his Swadharma.  Of course, with the crumbling down of the water tight compartment nature of the casteism, the notion of Swadharma lost its relevance any more in the modern progressive Hindu society.  Any person is entitled to any vocation purely based on the merits of his or her professional/technical skills.  However, we have to remember one thing. Though Swadharma is no more in practice, nevertheless  the process of Illumination  entails observation of performing of virtuous actions,  even today.   A story from Mahabharata on how Swadharma (prescribed duty in one’s life) lead to Self Illumination.... .

 ' Once a Brahmin by name Koushika sat under a tree performing japa. A crane perched on the tree inadvertently cast its droppings on him. The young Brahmin got infuriated and looked at the crane angrily.  On account of the psychic power acquired by the Brahmin the poor crane was burnt down.  Later the brahmin set 

off for alms to the nearby village.  When he stood before a house and shouted  ’Mata! Biksham Dehi.’  (O mother! Grant me alms.), the housewife replied politely from within, ‘Please wait for a while’,  since she was engrossed with serving her sick husband on bed at that time. However the young Brahmin being annoyed at the answer was contemplating to show his power on her.  But sooner he heard her say from within the house,  ‘I am not the crane to be burnt down by you’. He wondered about how she knew the crane episode. When she came out of the house to serve him alms, he begged for her pardon and requested to explain about her revelation.  She told him that she didn’t perform any austerities but practised swadharma (prescribed duties) of service to the elders, father in law, mother in law and husband with full devotion by which she was bestowed with Illumination. She further advised him to go and meet one by name Dharma Vyadha in Mithila for better enlightenment of righteousness. Koushika reached Mithila and found to his astonishment that Vyadha was a butcher by profession.  He was surprised even more when he said, ‘You are sent by that lady, isn’t it?’  After completion of his day’s business at the butcher shop, he took the Brahmin to his house, requested him to wait for a while till he completed service to his old aged parents and came back to the Brahmin after finishing his duties. Vyadha enlightened on dharma thus…

"No duty is ugly, no duty is impure.  It’s only the way in which work is done that determines its worth.

All work must be done by ‘dedicating to god’.

By sincere and unattached performance of the allotted duty one can become Illuminated.

Ahimsa (non violence) and Satya (Truth) are two pillars of dharma by which highest good of all can be achieved.

A decision on what is true under difficult circumstances should be made by sticking to that course of action which leads to the highest good of beings.

Finally, Its not birth but dharma (virtuous conduct) that makes one a Brahmin." '

My exhortation to my fellow seekers is that anybody with good intentions and determination can imbibe the above few noble traits for a good cause of Self Illumination !

Kousika and Vyadha  (11.10.'15)

Om Shanti!

WHAT'S THAT FLAPPING !

'Mushin' -  No mind or Empty mind -  is a state where the mind is not preoccupied by any thought or emotion.  It is empty in the sense that  it is unbiased , free and adaptable.  It is to act according with Nature, nothing else. 

Dhyana - Chan - zen - meditation is being aware of and pursuing thereby the vehicle for Enlightenment. Transformation  from the External World to the Internal  then again to the Boundless Eternity envisages gradation just like any academic in the making. It's the process of harnessing of wild horse like mind to become 'no mind', defined at the outset.

'Samyuktagama Sutra'  mentions about four types of horses - 1. Excellent 2. Good 3. Poor 4. Bad.  The Excellent horse runs slow or fast, right or left at the will of the rider before it sees the shadow of the whip.  The Good horse runs as well as the Excellent but just before the whip reaches it's skin.
The Poor horse runs when it feels pain on it's body. The Bad horse runs after the pain penetrates deep within up to the bones of the body. So, cajoling of one's mind might be a necessity in the  initial phase of a beginner in meditation. The transition in meditation culminates in the mind attaining fluid state, like water, instantly taking shape of the container - adapting to the situation,  without any delusion  or discrimination.

The zen stories look to be fairly simple but the inner meaning that the dialogues carry has depth.  Previously we had such a story in “The Pilgrim’s Progress” in which I humbly accepted that the inner meaning was a chance revelation only after a span of more than three years of my original browsing of the story.

Today also we have one such anecdote to enthuse about the concealed content….'Once in the front yard of a zen monastery four resident monks sat for meditation.  They were of varied seniority.  After a while, the junior most monk among them who had joined the monastery quite recently, observed the fluttering flag on the monastery building.   He exclaimed, “The flag is flapping!”  The second monk sitting beside him- and a little bit senior to the first one remarked, “The wind is flapping!”  The third one who was having more seniority than the second one explained, “The mind is flapping!”  Interrupted by what was going on among the other three monks, the forth one who was the senior most among them said, “Your mouths are flapping!” '

This story depicts four different stages of meditation.  The first monk joining recently in the monastic fold, had still admiration of the physical (gross level) things and happenings going around in the material world represented by the fluttering flag,  with his eyes kept wide open.  The second monk crossed the gross physical plane but still obsessed with subtle ones like ‘feeling with mind’ the invisible wind. The third one a little more advanced in meditation but still swaying with ‘thoughtful (about flapping) mind’.  And now the senior most monk’s words, “Your mouths are flapping!” reflect, in the ripened state of meditation,  the essence of zen – only Action, movement of lips, at the present moment with no thought process of the mind whatsoever, analytically attaching to the Action, involved.   "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few"---Shunryu Suzuki in his book 'Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind'.

In fact, the way I actually live at present is well in consonance with the Sadguru's saying,  'In reality, there is only Now.   If you know how to handle This Moment, you know how to handle the whole Eternity.'

Om Shanti!

DASAMO ASTI - TAT TVAM ASI (TENTH ALSO THERE-THAT IS YOURSELF)

If you can bring love into your breath, into your step, into every act that you do, not towards anybody, or anything, if you can just bring the longing to merge with everything around you, the creation will lead you on to the Creator.

---Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev.

'Bin guru jnan kahan se pavun '  (From where can I possess the divine knowledge without  a proper Guru)?   The underlying  pathos in these few utterances (part of the devotional song, 'Man tarpat Hari darshan ko aaj,'  from the Hindi film  'Baiju Bawra' (1952) evoked tears rolling down on my cheeks even when I was a little boy.  For I had every thing under the sun, the loving parents, pleasant schools with large playgrounds, committed masters, and memorable friends'  circle in my colony. Hence I had sympathy for the one who couldn't afford a Guru for his education.  Now as I ponder over I still wonder, 'is the present situation any way better?'  The commercial gurus abound aplenty of course,  but not the real Guru mentioned in the song - the one who can show the path of Enlightenment.

'Gu' means darkness, ignorance and 'Ru' stands for 'one who drives away'.  Hence he being a dispeller of ignorance, is somewhat on a higher pedestal compared to the present day teachers who bog down us with memorising bookish knowledge.  In  most of the cases, it's a chance happening that the real gurus stumble upon the real seekers.  'A genuine seeker , a person who develops an urge within will always find his guru.  He will find it in a man, in a woman, or he may find it in a rock.  He will definitely find it somewhere, there is no doubt about it.'---Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev.  Ramakrishna Paramhamsa and Swamy Vivekananda; Yukteswar Yogi and Paramahamsa Yogananda; Swamy Haridas and Tansen; Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusro - to name a few glorious Guru-Disciple relationships treading on divine path in various fields including music and letters.

Being fully aware about the True and Ultimate knowledge of the  Nirakara Brahman (Formless Super Consciousness), still the Gurus preferred a prop in Sakara Brahman (Almighty in Form) by encouraging the seekers to resort to worship and other rituals. Meera Bai realized Lord Krishna; Namdev realized Lord Vitthoba and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa realized Goddess Kali.  Thus we find that both Form and Formless are to be respected equally as a true believer in Non-Duality of the Almighty.  How a Sadguru can help in realization of the Paramatman within, is illustrated in the following  small story....

'A guru ( since browsed years back, I don't exactly remember if it was Sri Sankaracharya) sent his ten disciples to the neighbouring village  on some mission to accomplish. On the way they had to cross a knee-deep river.  After reaching other bank of the river, one of the disciples wanted to check if all the ten  crossed the river safely. Hence he came aside of the group and counted the numbers up to nine and started to worry that the tenth one was missing. Another disciple came out from the group and counted in the same manner.  He too found only nine members in the group in front of him. This confusion prevailed for a while and then they started crying loudly that one of their members missed by drowning in  the river. A passer-by hearing their lamentation came near and enquired about the matter.  He asked the one standing apart  to join the group and counted ten. Then turning towards the one who just joined said, " Dear Gentleman! As you too stand along with others, the number comes to Ten. 'Dasamo asti - tat tvam asi !'  (The Tenth man is also There - That is Yourself !) ". The passer-by is none other than the Sadguru revealing the Self, 'Tat Tvam Asi' !

All said and done,  I have a strong notion that, instead of being carried away by laurels like mini mini divine revelations now and then, which might be augury of advent of a Sadguru, we shall continue to pursue our inner consciousness relentlessly till that great moment of Liberation in our life time itself. But as  Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev advised,  'Do your sadhana (spiritual practice) joyfully not with the hope of making it or fear of not making it. Just do it  joyfully !'

Om Shanti!