WHAT IF SATAN NEARER, WHEN SAVIOUR WITH YOU !

Human life is replete with all dualities.  Good, bad; pleasure, pain; piety, sin; strong, feeble; gentle, wicked; rich, poor; happiness, sorrow; heat, cold; light, dark; dynamic, static; active, dull; to mention only a few dimensions.The tendencies in one's life are to acquire bad things easily when compared to good ones. Destruction and devastation can occur within no time but to build a thing, it takes concerted effort, money and time. To be spoiled by bad company is matter of minutes but to become gentle by courting only the company of noble persons is difficult to realise even in months and years. Uphill hours, downhill minutes. In general, to acquire good things it requires much devotion and effort.  Even in the case of one's becoming aware of the Supreme Knowledge by turning inwards, grace of the Almighty is essential.

Human nature of tendencies is explained in grass root level simplicity, in the sankeerana of Pedatirumalayya, "Papamu Cheruva Pranuniki"........

'Sin seems to be within reach of the being, but where is 'piety'?  Why it is not nearer to the beings?

'Emotion of anger triggers very fast within us.  But 'peace' is not to be found anywhere nearby. Unbridled desires and aspirations are looming large within our mind.  But the sense of 'detachment' is not to be sighted anywhere nearby.

'Looks of passion and lust are in my own sight.  but where is the sight of 'Spiritual Wisdom'?  My tongue utters in the vein of timid and pitiful condition.  But it doesn't know what is being 'bold, brave and chivalrous'.  What a pity?

'Lo! My body is ridden with ignoble and impious deeds. But I am not able to find anywhere nearby, the 'righteous deeds' behoved of me to perform.  However, despite all the above mentioned perplexities of life undergone by me, I am happy to assert that I am being blessed with fulfilling the purpose of this life by the grace of the Almighty' !.....

We are all of normal intelligence which accepts the fact that 'to err is human'. And our wisdom lies in the act of realising the way of disentanglement from the avoidable tendencies in the dualities detailed above and treading the path of enlightenment in the company of the spiritual nobility!

"Papamu Cheruva Pranuniki"

When Saviour is With You!

Om Shanti!

SAMA BUDDHI- CRUX OF VEDAS

'Samam Sarveshu Bhuteshu Tishtantam Visweswaram': The Gita words reveal residing of the Almighty in all beings of this creation in equal measure.  And His power of Maya, illusory nature in the Individual Soul, is such that every being on this earth from tiny ant to mighty quadrupeds,  lives with a feeling of honour that their birth is the most  'supreme and comfortable' one, compared to the other forms of existence. The basic urges of hunger, fear, sleep and mating are common to all beings of this earth.  Only those who know the spiritual truths about the Almighty's play of Illusion acquire 'Sama Buddhi', trait of equanimity - unaffected and composed state - in all conditions of duality - pleasure and pain, dire poverty and opulence; and regard all beings with equal respect due to the awareness of presence of Almighty in them.

Vedas have dealt with this trait of 'Sama Buddhi' at length and we come across a sankeertana too by Annamacharya on this topic; "Sama Buddhe Indariki Sarva Veda Saramu".....

'The crux (essence) of all Vedas boils down to one noble quality;  'Sama Buddhi' - gesture of showing respect to all beings in this creation with equal measure, ignoring the duality of mean and high births. Since the Almighty resides in all beings in equal measure.  the getting of births are as per the 'karma phalas' - effects of actions of previous births - of the individuals under the surveillance of the Almighty however. Hence it is invariably the Almighty only in whom one has to seek the source of salvation.

'From the perspective of the human beings, an ant, mosquito and fly are all tiny insignificant insects in creation.  But from their perspective, each insect considers its life  as the most 'comfortable and honourable' one, when compared to the lives of other beings on this earth! This stance of theirs is again on account of play of Illusion by the Almighty.

'All beings in this creation, marine, birds, animals and homo sapiens (human); have the same cycle of life namely births and deaths; and same basic urges of life namely, hunger, fear, sleep and mating. Every being comes into this world empty handed and leaves this world empty handed.  Then, is there any one carrying anything along with him while leaving?  Absolutely nothing!

'Is it not true that no being has any sort of choice or control over its mode of births and deaths, longevity (span) and way of living in this world ? Then, why judge one being superior to the other, when the Almighty resides in all of them equally?  Being aware of this knowledge, it is wise for one, to seek refuge in the Almighty within and feel secured and comfortable'........

Almighty ordained this precious life to us with much affection and love. Let us feel comfortable with it and justify our existence by accomplishment of acts willed by the Almighty; of course by imbibing the 'Veda Saram', -  'Sama Buddhi'!

"Sama Buddhe Indariki Sarva Veda Saramu"

Message by Alexander;
Leaving Empty Handed!

Om Shanti!

FRAGRANCE BUT NOT FORM

One has to be judged by his noble  qualities and achievements; not by his birth into the social strata
like caste system and pecuniary strata like wealth and poverty.  Since anyone's birth is the result of 'prarabdha karmas'- actions in his previous births, one has to construe that in the eyes of the Almighty, all are equal without categorisation of mean and noble.  Thus the pious or sinful deeds only decide one's subsequent birth. Even to open one's eyes and turn inwards for seeking the Almighty, His grace is necessary.  Once we have clear understanding of this gesture of the Almighty, we shall not be contemptuous and disdainful at any person basing on his birth particularly in comparison of one's own birth and social status.  More over, instead of blaming self for the category of birth taken, one has to best utilise this noble birth got with the grace of the Almighty in deference to the dictum, 'Jantunam Nara Janma Durlabham'!  The ardent devotees of the Almighty are found in any caste or creed whether mean or high!

This noble concept is shared by Annamcharya in his sankeertana, "Talamela KulamelaTapame Karanamu"..........

'What difference does it make in respect of one's place in a class or position in the society?  What difference does it make for one's being born into a particular caste?  Only his austerity (penance) is the cause (for his liberation). A seeker's caste does not come in the way of his realisation of the Almighty.

'Is it not true that the sprawling peepal (sacred fig) tree generates from  a tiny seed ejected through the droppings of a crow? Yet the peepal (sacred fig) is 'holy' for the devotees.  A (precious) pearl takes birth from a tiny sand particle trapped in an oyster.  The antidote for poison is extracted from a poisonous plant only.  Hence, great people may take birth in any caste whatsoever.

'Precious diamonds, at the place of their origin, are in crude form of worthless looking muddy pebbles.  Only after undergoing cutting and sharpening they sparkle  and fetch handsome price. The sweet honey is collected from the hard foraging for nectar in various flowers by the honey bees.  The expensive natural perfume 'civet' exudes from the glands of ugly looking civet cat.  Hence, the pious nobility take birth in any caste whatsoever.

'The luxuriant lotus with wide and colourful petals grows in the pool of mud only.  The shiny silken thread is generated by silkworms.  Thus the great seekers of the Almighty hail from any nook and corner of the society. (They belong to the mankind and not to any particular class or creed)!' ......

Ashtavakra, a great sage, was hunchbacked! Kabir, a great saint, was from a poor family! Thus, it is not the inconsequential Form but the fragrance of Divinity that makes one 'Immortal' !

"Talamela Kulamela Tapame Karanamu"

The Civet!

Om Shanti!

SEEING SPIRIT BEHIND !

Ignorant of the Almighty residing within, we seek Him in multiple 'Forms' externally.  The 'Beings' are bothering about the Almighty as the external matter apparent as Form but not the quintessential Spirit intrinsic within All ! The infallibility of non-duality of the Individual Soul and the Universal Soul is well depicted in the sankeertana, "Ni Vanaga Noka Chota Nilichi Vunduta Ledu", by the poet savant Annamacharya............

'Oh My Lord! 'You', does not mean the statue in niche of  'Garbha Gudi' - sanctum sanctorum.  If truth is known by understanding Your nature (attributes) properly, 'You' means everything in  this creation and transcending beyond! There is nothing that is not 'You' !

'You are (in) that 'being' who realises that the Soul (Consciousness) in him is the same as the Souls of all other living beings in the creation.  You are (in) that pious 'being' who venerates other women as his mother and accordingly shows respect in his mind towards them.

'You are (in) that 'being' who indulges in and becomes noble and rich in performance of austere vow of maintaining Truth - 'Satya Vrata', (elaborated with story in DP of 21.08.2015), in creed and deed.  You are (in) that 'being' who regards his wealth as trivial as grass blade and doesn't have desires or passions.

'You are (in) that 'being' who is not affected by the cycling changes of pleasures and pains and maintains his cool with a pleasant demeanour in all circumstances of  thick and thin. And You are that, envisaged in the holy scriptures of vedas as the 'Being' without Beginning (origin) and End (dissolution).  There is nothing without You and 'You Are All' !'...............

The  Almighty, that is the Supreme Consciousness, is all pervading - omnipresent, beyond doubt. But levels of His manifestations differ in beings. Hence the importance of this sankeertana which explains about the 'beings' exuding divinity ! A seeker shall have an thirsty  inquisitive eye  for penetrative perception through All Forms of Beings, Idols and Symbols for experiencing divinity in them!

"Ni Vanaga Noka Chota Nilichi Vunduta Ledu"

Spirit of Symbols !

Om Shanti!

'CAUSE OF ALL' - ALMIGHTY !

"Almighty Is The Cause Of All" !  This is the unflinching faith sustained by the 'Totally Surrendered'! But those who feel themselves smarter in rationale regard 'Nature' is Cause of All!'.  Again it is due to the play of perplexing delusions of Illusion cast by the Almighty; thus holding Him to be, in reality, the ultimate Cause of All!

We find this interesting theme in the sankeertana, "Annitiki Karanamu Hariye Prapannulaku", by the poet savant Annamacharya...........

'Almighty is the Root Cause of All' for those believers with total surrender to Him.  But for the smarter earthlings, the agnostics and atheists, 'Nature is the Cause of All'!

'Because of their deep 'pondering', the pensive men become philosophers.  Fickle beings' 'vagary' is the cause of  their being entangled in the worldly life replete with pleasure and pain.  People become spiritualistic in anticipation of 'Fruit of Salvation'.  And some become karmishti,  enthusiastic performers of  rites and rituals laid down in the holy scriptures, with ulterior motives of amassing more and more 'wealth'.

'Men of wisdom come up on account of their interest in spiritual knowledge of 'Atma, the soul'. Animals live for fulfilment of the basic 'urges' of their body namely, thirst, hunger, sleep, fear (of security) and copulation.  For the assiduous devotees reaching fag end of their lives, 'liberation' is the cherished fruit .  For thronging of relatives, one's possession of 'gold (riches)' is the reason.

'For the wise, Almighty is the 'Root Cause of All'! For the ignorant, their 'lack of awareness' about the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Almighty, is the cause.  In the ultimate analysis, there is no one else but only one, the Almighty with His Grace is Root Cause of All!'.............

This 'Causes and Effects' analysis is interesting indeed in general awareness of the worldly happenings around us. After knowing what is what then it is not difficult at all to aim at the  Supreme Cause of All, the Almighty!

"Annitiki Karanamu Hariye Prapannulaku"

Cause of All!

Om Shanti!

UNSTEADY GAIT OF WEALTH

If we command our wealth we shall be rich and free; if our wealth commands us, 

we are poor indeed ! - Edmund Burke

Money makes many things; Its true.  And Annamcharya describes the versatility of power of money in his sankeertana, "Rukalai Madalai Ruvvalai Tirigini" thus...........

'Ruka' ( a quarter of the silver rupee) , 'Mada' (a half of golden 'Varaha' of those days) and 'Ruvva' ( It is like 'Dammidi' which is one by twelfth of an Anna which again is one by sixteenth of a Rupee) being its names of multiple denominations, wealth is circulating in this world. Being highly unstable it is not confined at one place.

'This wealth transforms one into a 'king'.  and the same wealth makes another being as a 'servant'. It is instrumental in selling away one's young daughters to another. Ii is pivotal in movement of rich crops from one place to another. 

'This wealth is stored in  bags by some people and converted into jewellery by some other. It induces some people to perform pious deeds  and makes some others  as sinners.  It causes piquing up quarrels among some; and as if under bet, the same wealth makes others run on performing acts.

'At some places this wealth glitters in exposure and at some other places it is hidden, being buried under earth.It incarnated as Goddess Lakshmi by the side of Lord Vishnu that is  Sri Venkateswara.  It has become hard-to-get-rid-of Illusion in this world. It offers safety and direction to those having trust in it.  Thus being near to us  this wealth smilingly acts in various ways!'...........

As we go through the diverse and contradictory playful actions of the wealth in the above sankeertana, we come to realise the more and more importance of 'steering path' ( of command), in meddling with wealth on hand,  suggested  by Edmund Burke at the outset!

"Rukalai Madalai Ruvvalai Tirigini"

Wealth in Diverse Forms

Om Shanti!

MUKTI MARGA - VAIRAGYA AND SARANYA

Brahma Sathyam; Jagat Mithya ! So goes the vedic quintessential dictum. And after all, the latter Illusory World is the manifest form of Creation by the Creator, Brahma. As such the Maya (Illusion) is the source of all delusions experienced by the 'Beings' who can not escape from its all pervading gamut. Nor does it spare any individual from its influence and go far away from him either. For the beings immersed in the worldly life, there is a ray of hope  - a silver lining in the dark cloud - in 'surrender' to the Almighty Within for Salvation!

This message is expressed in an exclamatory note of opening line in the sankeertana, "Bapure! Ni Maya Bhramayinchi Jivulaku", by the poet savant Annamacharya.............

'Oh My Lord! What an extent of delusions in which beings like me are becoming encircled in your Maya (Illusion)! It is with us always and never goes away afar from us  at any time.

'Under the influence of your Maya, we are made to feel this material world as very beautiful one.  in such engrossment of worldly things  we do not regard  the 'Salvation' as truly relishing one. We rather feel as 'capable' of  efficiently managing  our family of wife and children.  We never find time to ponder about You even for a while in our minds.  Then how can we get true  devotion about You?

'We are taking births, and becoming bogged in attendant relationships with other family members, friends and others with a new 'Form and Name' in every birth cycle.  But we are not bothering about the True knowledge which is beneficial for us, as a matter of fact. So long as we are in the discharge of worldly karmas, thought of  'vairagya' - non-attachment  does not rise in us.

'Oh My Lord! Due to predominance of all our sense organs over the thought of Soul, our mind does not turn towards You. But Oh My Lord! Since all those who surrendered to You became successful in all fields, please show Your grace upon me too and grant deliverance!...........

Certain subjects are  of such potential that volumes and volumes can be brought out  for centuries by various poets, saints and scholars. And here we find Maya as the single subject on  which Annamacharya could produce hundreds of sankeertanas for the sake of disillusionment of the 'beings'.  And the clear message of deliverance is in attaining 'Vairagya', detached view, of this Maya (Mithya) and adopting 'Saranya', total surrender,  to Satya, the Brahma!

"Bapure Ni Maya Bhramayhinchi Jivulaku"

Seeking Within!

Om Shanti!