MINDFUL WALK - A THRILL

'See the nature - trees, flowers, grass grow in silence.  See the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence.We need silence to be able to touch souls'.

--- Mother Theresa

'Cool Breeze, Pleasant Atmosphere, Beautiful Scenery' - These are the mantra-like soft, soul soothing ripples from the gentle voice of our venerable Yogacharya entering into our ears like incessant flow of manna. The way of imparting of yoga by him is par excellence as it really requires extra ordinary stamina to be able to perform 'asanas' (physical nourishment) and deliver discourses (spiritual nourishment) simultaneously.  Hence I was complacent about the supreme package of 'Yoga Plus' of this outstanding mentor in many ways.

Some time ago an institution named SAAOL (Science And Art Of Living) held a medical check up camp at Krishna Kant Park and after going through my revelation of regular Yoga practice, advised that Yoga alone would not suffice for keeping away unforeseen health problems.  They said everybody should do both yoga and walking as supplementary exercises (not alternative to one another).

So recently I thought of the walking part of regular exercise advised by the SAAOL.  Of course, Krishna Kant Park has a vast stretch of earthen track for walking. But quite often than not it is over crowded. More over it is rather in my opinion 'conditioned walking on conditioned path with conditioned mind' confined to given track in a stereotype manner. I contemplated about hundred percent attention of my mind on walking only. I got the solution ! To try for simulation of village side foot track. I recollected my childhood summer holidays spending in villages.  I experienced walking on different terrains with rugged surfaces -  some part of earth soft some other part hard,  with lots of twists and turns glancing askance floral beauties and muddy pools. 

Lo, I got one such place for my heart fill.  In the image furnished below see  how I am enjoying 'mindful walking' with fully alert and aware about the earth to step on amidst a tree with three benches in the centre of the high rise mound, with ever changing course  and without beaten track and touching the  small plants with affectionate daily greeting "how are you my friends?". Amusing part of the course is to visit a deer with flower stalk in her mouth. To be frank, the thrill derived from this mindful walking can be doubled by going on barefoot - an intimate direct contact with the Mother Nature Earth.  'Barefoot Walking' is preferable because, among many benefits, one is,  the tiny granules of earth coming into direct contact with the foot have an 'acupressure' effect on the nerve endings at the bottom. And another, the prana essences of various minerals in earth activate our body when barefoot is in direct contact with earth !

This soulful walking is the guiding principle in my spiritual path too in day to day happenings to keep me always cool and blissful. In this connection  I wish to bring before you a good piece of saying from Thich Nhat Hanh, "When we are mindful deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens and we begin to befriend with Acceptance, Joy, Peace and Love".  A condition-free mind is the condition for one's  blissful nature.

On this day of Sankranti Festival, I wish to share my voice in the form of a melodious Sankeertana from Annamacharya, "Kommalu Chudare Govindudu" (O Gopikas !  Behold the Lord Krishna) !

"Kommalu Chudare Govindudu"

Marking of Mindful Walk
Up and down of the mound

......amidst plants

Up and down of the mound

A deer with flower stalk in her mouth

Veneration of Mother Earth
- Barefoot walk amidst woods !

Up and down the Mound

Om Shanti!

BHAKTI AND JNANA ENTWINED

"For the Kaliyuga the path of devotion (Bhakti Marga) described by Narada is best" said Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa to Pandit Shashadhar in explaining the efficacy of Bhakti for modern times.  'Salvation through Devotion' is exemplified by, apart from Ramakrishna, other luminaries like Meerabai, Ramadas, Sri Chaitanya Prabhu, Namdev, Tulsidas, Tukaram, Annamacharya ; just to name a few.

How the life is led by an astute devotee of Lord Vishnu - named as Vaishnavite, his mental attitudes about the worldly matters are all of interesting information for the seeker on spiritual path of divine knowledge. So let us enlighten ourselves about this thrilling theme in the sankeertana, "Chintalu Rechaku Mammu Chittama" by the poet Sri Annamacharya. It is in the nature of metaphorical addressing to one's own Mind....

'O Mind! Please do not cause us any anxiety.  Rather,  it is better for you to live by following us with determination.

'You shall know that our mother is Goddess Lakshmi Devi and our father, Lord Vasudeva. The entire Brahmanda  (Infinite Space) is our house. There is no dearth of prosperity for us in our house. Our unflinching devotion is in the Mighty Almighty - Sri Hari.  Hence we never accept (or expect) Karma Phalas (Fruits of our Actions).

'The wealth we possess is the 'Spiritual Knowledge".  Our  ornamental possessions are all the Vedas.  Our earnings are the Vairagya (renunciation) Our  daughters are our devout practising of services to our gurus. The only problem is with our bodies.  Because of our attachment to it.

'Our faith in and worship of the all pervading Almighty, is everything for us.  Our relatives are all the seekers surrendered to and graced by the Almighty. All our prayers to the Almighty is the royal way to our Salvation. What more we need? What else is there to be bothered about?'

Reaching heights need ladder is of every body's knowledge.  So in the spiritual journey  of this body, gradual awareness  and  conscious effort are necessary through devotional path for transformation from 'Tamo guna pradhana'  to 'Rajo guna  pradhana'  and from'Rajo guna pradhana' to 'Sattva guna pradhana' and finally, jettisoning even the Satva guna and become 'Gunatita' (beyond the consciousness of any attributes) by the time niche reached, that is the Ultimate Salvation.

How the unforeseen  twists and turns  take  place  in the upward  growth  of Bhakti-Jnana ladder I narrate here.  On 27th Dec 2011,  I had drawn my one hundredth oil painting  with the theme Om and Gayatri with foot note saying "Na Swasa,  Na Dhyasa, Na Upiri - Gayatri ! "  My Japa, Tapa,  Manana,  Dhyana Everything- Gayatri ! And added that "In this,  the invisible hand of the Almighty  (Paramatma)  is Implicit ". Now all those are merged in my Consciousness. 

 Being fully conscious about what we actually are - The Consciousness,  still I close my eyes daily at the bed time in sublime soul soothing sankeertanas and get up cheerfully in early hours of Brahmi Muhurta. That is the indivisible relationship between Bhakti and Jnana !

"Chintalu Rechaku Mammu Chittama"

My hundredth 

Inspirational oil painting 

On Shanti!                                                                                                                                              

THE MASTER PUPPETEER

Who is Almighty ?  "Jagannataka Sutra Dhari " - The ennobled 'Puppeteer' holding (dhari) strings (sutra) of the 'Beings', playing their roles (nataka) on the mighty stage called the 'World' (jagat). He is 'Master Puppeteer' of all puppeteers in this world. 

Every body comes in to this world with a predetermined role play and once their mission  completed vacate the stage. And  this drama is repetitive for all beings with only change in roles in each birth. Then, when is the relief from these exhausting role plays. Certainly it is in the hands of the owner of the troupe - the Almighty who liberates the deserved in the opportune time. And for this the qualification is faithful devotion and unconditional total surrender.

Now let's have what our great poet savant Annamacharya has to reveal about this subject  in his sankeertana "Atavari Guditoura".

'In the magnificent sized auditorium called the 'world', a large screen called 'Illusion' is hung up. The hurdles called 'ignorance' are surrounding the screen. To overcome these hurdles a light  called 'divine knowledge' is to be lit.

'In this mighty auditorium grand puppet show is going on.  The puppets (Beings) are filled with air (prana vayu) for playing their roles. Once deflated, their role play  on the stage comes to an end.  No body can have the idea about the quantity of air filled in each puppet (thus unaware about the longevity of their role play). Their actions are enjoined with all 'nava rasas' ( nine emotions or moods namely, Srungara, Hasya, Karuna, Vira, Roudra, Bhayanaka, Bhibhatsa,  Adbhuta and Santa) arousing vibrant emotions in the audience all around.

'All the audience are appreciative of the enthralling show by the Master Puppeteer but no one can give any thing in return to Him. Since He is the most benevolent benefactor. Who can match Him? Only very few among them are liberated  by total surrender to Him.'

A Jnani, the liberated one knows that every thing in this world is moving as per the ordaining by the Almighty only. Hence he becomes a witness for all happenings around him. And as a seeker I know the status of a 'relieved mind' on account of annihilation of all 'reactions' giving way to only 'responses' to the happenings around me. These ennobling qualities may be imbibed by all the seekers following these posts and see the difference in their divine life journey too.

"Atavari Guditoura"

"The Puppet Show"

BLOCKS BEFORE AWARENESS

Who made me enter Krishnakanth Park which turned my life entirely towards 'Being' what I am today before you ?   It is the Almighty within, without any doubt, revealing Himself more prominently.  Hence I realised that in this world nothing is more important than absolute, unconditional surrender to Him, for becoming 'Aware' of what you are !

He is the guiding factor in casting off various frivolous worldly karmas (actions), revealing to us the illusory nature of our environment. And Annamacharya too enlists blocks to be cleared for becoming 'Aware' of our True Being, in his sankeertana, 'Innita Norayaka Yerukedi', (Yeruka is Awareness).

'Awareness' is attained only when one overcomes various stumbling blocks in the path of spiritual quest.  For this too one needs the grace of the Almighty within.

'Shrinking (nullifying) of Anger is the prerequisite for eradication of all sins committed.  One has to become desire less for getting absolved from the 'Tapatrayas' (Three cravings namely, Adhi Bhoutika, Adhi Daivika and Adhyatmika - copious detailed explanations about 'Tapatraya' are offered by various seekers in the net).

'When the Actions (karmas) are minimised and  'karma phala Nirasaktata' (not at all interested in the results of one's actions) reached, then only all mundane entanglements are snapped away.  Only when one becomes unmindful about the sense organs, detachment (vairagya) becomes possible.

'When flirting in tastes of hunger is zeroed only, the true pleasure is obtained. And all the achievements mentioned above are derivable only when total  unconditional surrender to the Almighty within is made.'

What a sense of relief and joy at the same time for the thought of having with us - for sharing - abounding advisory spiritual knowledge in beautiful lyrics by the great poet savant, Annamacharya. If perfect deciphering ( or translating into the modern usage) is possible,   one can relish  in more than fourteen thousand lyrics. Any how for the present, let us be contented with a few hundreds of gems out of them.

"Innita Norayaka Yerukedi"

Buddha 

'Being desireless 

is end of all suffering'

Om Shanti!                                                                                                                                              

KAMINI AND KANCHANA (WOMEN AND WEALTH)

'Kamini and Kanchana' (Women and Wealth),  either one or both of them,  are the  two major factors of vice that sway one's  entangled sojourn in this world.  Great masters like  Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa say that,  in Treta Yuga King Ravana, an astute devotee of Lord Siva, had his invariable downfall on account of his longing for Sita, Rama's consort. And in Dwapara Yuga, King Duryodhana had his Waterloo at Kurukshetra on account of his overwhelming greediness to possess even  the portions of the kingdom belonging to Pandavas.

Unless infatuation about these two vices is ridden off, salvation is nothing but a mirage in one's lifetime.  The poet savant Annamacharya expresses this idea in a simple but effective, in point blank driving home, about the vanity of the afore said vices, in his sankeertana - 'Eda Valapeda Eda Suddulu'.

'Love, affection, cordiality'- all are name sake expressions in this world. Are they true? Or conceited semblances?

'What's the duration of flashes of lightening on rainy days ? It's momentary. Will they stay long in the sky? Will the passions of the paramours be ever lasting? They are all fleeting away expressions of love indeed!

'See the mirages. It's optical illusion of flow of rivers.  Is it possible, by depending on them, for us
to quench our thirst?  So with the women (paramour).  The passions in their hearts are not of true love. They wont remain with you for long. (They flirt away towards other patrons with opportunism).

'Amusing vast wealth that appears in the dream state of one's sleep, can not be carried  forward in to one's wakeful state. Unless one get's disillusioned about the illusory nature of the women's love and transitory riches and surrenders unconditionally to the Almighty within, Liberation  is but a mirage!'

The message of the sankeertana is as clear as writing on the wall. So it is left for our serious and conscious effort to follow such noble precepts and realise salvation in this very birth!

"Eda Valapeda Macchika Eda Suddulu"

Wealth in Dream

Om Shanti!                                                                                                                                                  

ALL ARE DEBTORS INDEED !

All beings are debtors indeed! These births and deaths are a process of raising of debts in one birth and taking another birth to clear off the earlier debts. Everything in this system of debtor relationships is, of course, as ordained by the Almighty only. Hence the scriptures say, "Runanubandha rupenam, pasu, patni ra sutalayah" indicating that all human bondages of cattle (indicative of property), wife, children are of the nature of debt servicing only.

This role play of Debtor relationship in the human beings is dealt by Annamcacharya in his keertana,
'Appula Vare Andarunu'(All are debtors only).

'The Jiva's (Individual Soul) role is only to go through experiencing the results of his earlier karmas. They can neither originate nor mutate the karma phalas as per their whims and fancies. It is in the hands of the Almighty Supreme only.

'This worldly existence is replete with troubles and tribulations, sorrows.  Who can come to our rescue in wading through this 'Sansara sagara' (ocean of worldly bondages) ? The Saviour is none other than the Almighty only.

'In this illusory world, all those which appear to be pleasures, are in reality, a sac of needles only. When the sac is on one's head can the pains of pricking of needles be avoided? No, not only that,
even being aware of the needles, carrying of the sac cannot be escaped  nor be relieved from the pain and weight.  Only (the mighty) Almighty is capable of dislodging from the bondages.

'Then when is the termination and relief from this situation of 'carried over' bondages and present self- created entanglements. One thing is clear, they will not disentangle of their  own accord. Then what is the way out? It's in the realisation  and unconditional surrender to the Almighty and indulging in only good and noble deeds.   Only then, the Grace of the Almighty will bring through Salvation.'

There are scores of beautiful ways in which the great poet savant Annamacharya  tried to awaken the people towards the Spiritual knowledge about the ephemerality of our worldly existence and and need to realise the Almighty within.  Let us be benefited from such revelations.

"Appula Vare Andarunu"

The Debtor 

Om Shanti!                                                                                                                                              

LIFE - CHARIOT ANALOGY

Atmanam rathinam viddhi sariram rathameva tu |

Buddhim tu sarathim viddhi manah pragraha meva cha ||

Indriyani hayanahuh vishayamsssteshu gocharan |

Atmendriya manoyuktam bhoktetya hurmanishinah ||

(Katthopanishad 1.3.3 &1.3.4)

(Atma is owner of the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver and mind is the bridle. Senses are horses, worldly objects are the paths passed by the horses. Learned scholars say that the Jiva -Individual soul - engrossed with the 'gross body, senses and mind' is the one  who experiences this life).

A variant version  of this comparison between body and chariot is to be found in  Annamacharya keertana, 'Gurrala Gattani Teru Konka Kendaina Bari'.

'The Jiva, (Individual Soul) is driver of the chariot called 'body' drawn by horses called the 'sense organs'. The owner of this chariot is the Almighty (Universal Soul).  These powerful horses are capable of pulling the chariot to any extent without fear or hesitation.  The Jiva is driving with a sense of arrogance about the capabilities of his horses.

'This chariot has at its back a pair of peep holes, a cross bar at the base of the yoke for resting the feet of the driver, his keen sight functioning as the bridles of the horses (senses). The Jiva is driving majestically.

'The five colourful screens of the chariot are the five Elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space). The flags of the chariot are the two hands of the Jiva and above all the head of the Jiva is the top of the chariot. The Jiva is driving the chariot made of five elements.The actions  of the Jiva, both of sin  and piety are the axle nails of the chariot. The food taken by the Jiva is the wooden  planks used for pressing the wheels forward  in difficult terrains.  And the one sitting gracefully in the owners' seat of the chariot and caring about it  is the Almighty.

We are thus exposed to the knowledge about our actual status vis a vis the journey of life . The owner supervising above all others of his own  creation. And such awareness is quite useful in our spiritual pursuit.

"Gurrala Gattani Teru Konka Kendaina Bari"

"Life - Chariot Analogy"

Om Shanti!                                                                                                                                           

'