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!