இந்த வாசகம் ஒன்று  facebook இல் கண்டேன். ஒரு நிமிடம் யோசித்தேன். பெயரில் மாறினால் மட்டும் நம் தமிழ்த்தாய் குதூகலிப்பாளா? தமிழ்த்தாய்க்கு பெயரில்தான் பங்கமா? கீழே என் சொந்த கருத்து, இதனைப்பற்றி.. புதுக்கவிதை  வடிவில்.


===============================================


பண்பாடு பெயரில் இருந்துதான் வருமா?
மொழிப்பற்று பெயரில் தானா?

சீர்குலைக்கும் தொலைக்காட்சி
மஞ்சள் நிறத்தில் இன்றைய பத்திரிக்கை

சரித்திரம் அறியாச் சிறுவர்
பொங்கலை மறந்த பெண்டீர்

வீரத்தைத் துறந்த இளைஞர்
விவேகதைத் தொலைத்த பெரியவர்

இவர் எல்லாம் இன்றைய
தமிழ்க் காவலர் என்றால்

தமிழ்த் தாயே!
அபாயம்! அபயம்!!

Cosmic Energy on tap

My friend Anil has posted this quote in Facebook

“Kaasyanatu Maranaanmuktihi Smarana DarunachaleDarsana Deva Sri Saile Punarjanma Na Vidyate”


and has prompted me to write this. The gist of the verse above is that one will attain salvation, either by facing death in Varanasi (Kasi), chanting the name of God in Arunachalam ( Thiruvannamalai) or by simply visiting the Srisailam.

Such is the power of the temple in Srisailam, the famous temple of Mallikarunaswamy in Kurnool Dist of Andrapradesh.. Let me try and give some scientific basis to this.  Srisailam is listed in the Siva Purana as one of the twelve Jyothirlingam temples (12  ज्योतिर्लिङ्ग). Jyothir lingam in Sanskrit essentially means Shiva (Lingam) in the form of light ( Jyothi). Lord Shiva has always been associated with Agni or fire. Again, this interpretation is only symbolic at the superficial level.

At a much deeper level, Lord Shiva represents the very life in this universe.  The term "Destroyer" is often alluded to him, and in a sort of misrepresented way. (Brahma- Creator; Vishnu - Protector; Shiva- Destroyer). At a philosophical level, one can take that Shiva is the destroyer of evil ( most common articulation). 

However,at a deeper level, Shiva can be construed as being responsible for a variety of things related to life:

1. the activity of the cosmos- as beautifully described by the Nataraja form.
2. determination of when life in it's current form will end and when new life is born.
3. Most importantly, keep the entropy of the super system called the universe intact. Those with a  little scientific initiation will appreciate this. Entropy never decreases and only continues to increase  and Shiva represents the very force behind this. 

More on points 1 and 3 above, which is of scientific import. the Law of Entropy ( and for that matter, the Second Law of thermodynamics) states that systems evolve toward states of increasing disorder.Imaging stirring a pile of chocolate chips into cookie dough. With enough stirring, the chips become dispersed. But if you try to reverse the stirring action, the chips do not gather at the centre. 

If we consider the Universe as a closed system, then according to the Law of entropy, the Entropy of the system cannot be reversed. Which has forced the likes of famous scientists like Stephen Hawking to concede that there may perhaps be God ( but cannot be proven in a lab!). 

This is also corroborated by the Big Bang Theory of the Universe ( "In the beginning, 13.7Billion years ago, there was nothing. And suddenly with one big bang, there was everything", or something to that effect). I do not want to delve into this aspect, but the point here is, this is an irreversible process of constant "motion" ( or "dance" as Shiva's Natarja concept shows). Shiva is believed to be the one who controls this "orderly disorder" ( pardon the oxymoron here) - a method in the madness, as it were.

But this also brings another interesting aspect. While Entropy bring disorder, it also is a measure of usable energy. Scientists will confirm that the more the entropy, the more the percentage of usable energy in a closed system. Extend this concept to a philosophical plane, and it is apparent that Shiva focuses on the energy, and more pertinently the usable energy that Life has, at it's disposal. So, in my opinion, Shiva holds a lot more significance, in terms of LIFE than mere destruction, as He is often misconstrued.


Back to Srisailam. The name Sri Sailam crudely translates to " Heavenly mountain". Sailaha सैल: in Sanskrit literally means  a mount or a hillock. The interesting fact here is - along with Arunachalam ( Thiruvannamalai), this temple also is situated in a special hillock. I call it special because Siddhas have resided here ( as also in Thiruvannamalai), to practice Siddha Yoga, tap the cosmic power available in these mountains. It is to be noted that cosmic power has been found to be tapped in only certain hillocks and mountains, and not all mountains. The World religions are full of proof of this. The first Revelation for prophet Mohammed is believed to have come in Mount Hira. Mount Sinai holds religious significance for the Hebrews and Christians alike. The prophets and saints of almost all religions universally have long recognized the fact the cosmic energy can be tapped more effectively from certain hill tops ( recollect many rishis doing penance in the Himalayas for the same reason).

An interesting snippet here. the Siddhas who live(d) here had perfected the science of Rasavadam (  रसवादं) . This is essentially alchemy - the science of converting Mercury (Rasam) into various other metals, including gold. It is fascinating that the world's oldest form of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry has been detailed in the Vedas, especially the Atharva Veda. To me, this strongly proves that there is cosmic energy available on tap, in these holy hillocks ( like Palani, Thiruvannamalai, Tirupathi, Srisailam, Himalayas etc.) 

By the way, the famous 12th century Kannada/ Telugu Philosopher Akka Mahadevi lived here, did penance in the hills in the vicinity to attain the cosmic energy.

Now if this is not enough, here comes the clincher. A very Classic example of how we totally misunderstand Hinduism as a religion.

One of the  most appealing features of Srisailam temple is that anyone of any cast and creed, can touch the deity and worship here, a custom not found anywhere in Andhra Pradesh. Even today , you can watch people of all races, caste and creed doing their own pujas at the temple, an act usually reserved for the priests. 

The common misinterpretation is that this is a socialistic temple, in the sense that everyone has "equal access" to God.  Put the Cosmology theory (concentrating cosmic energy in this temple precinct) in front,  and you will understand why the individual is encouraged to go right to the Lingam, and perform puja. This is the Hindu Agama Shashtra - the architectural science of building temples in the most appropriate locations, in order to get the maximum out of Cosmic energy available - at one of it's very best.


No reason other than to tap the cosmic energy at the individual level, something that all devotees aspire for, for their well being. That, to me, is the real meaning of "Jyothir Lingam" ( energy in cosmic light) and tells you clearly that when it comes to divinity, no one else comes in between you and God, in the true Hindu way of life.

The next time you visit Andhra Pradesh, do not forget to include SriSailam (Seshachalam) in your itinerary. Do visit with the consciousness that you are visiting a place where cosmic energy is available on tap. And yes, do not forget to perform yourself at the Garba Griham, along with your family.

Christmas cake from a departed soul

When I was a child

Full of gay abandon and wild.

We had some wonderful neighbours

Who made life worth living every moment.

The good Christians that they were

Never failed to attend the Sunday mass.

The buzzword for them, was love

Till date, to me, that is still is a treasure trove.

Vegetarians that we were

For cakes there was a lot of despair.

Every Christmas eve, in a large dish

They made egg-less cakes, to fulfil our wish.

The fact that they were specially made pastry

Made it all the more tasty.

The affection was nothing short of filial

Never did I take as trivial.

Their daughter, "sister" Grace was my senior

And none less than a mentor.

She went on to become a Physician

Though her parents wished she became the Church musician.

Grace then started to face the perfect storm

Pain became the new norm.

Passing away of parents, miscarriage and failed marriage

Life indeed was a huge bondage.

For her, with two sons, life was still in solitude

Though she was never short of fortitude.

Years passed, boys became men

Pillars of support to the lonely woman.

There was an eternal emptiness in her life

It appeared that her sibling's name was "strife".

Christ decided to put an end to her pain

After all,in life she had nothing more to gain.

For all her troubles, He had the perfect answer

And took her life away, in the name of cancer.

The news of death sent waves of shock

At life and death, I could only baulk.

Some people's life certainly remains a mystery

Though, in my mind, Grace will never be history.

On this Christmas day, I think of that family

To them I dedicate this homily.

The good Railway man, his teacher-wife

And "Sister Grace", who was all their life.

O Grace, on yet another Christmas eve

For you, my heart is full of bereave.

Will you bring back those fond memories

And all the mirth and funny stories?

Will you bring back, the childish innocence
That I experienced when I was in your ambience?

Will you bring back the smile on my face

When I see you face to face?

Will you again bake me that egg-less cake

When I meet you in heaven?

A man is known by the company he keeps

In today's fast-paced world many of us find it convenient to "get a little academically interested" in religion, but seldom have the inclination or the time to move emotionally towards the Supreme being. This is especially true of some of the comparatively more "liberal" religions like Hinduism, Christianity etc.

I recently overheard a very interesting anecdote on this trend that I thought I should share.

A priest had been seeing a very pious person attending the Sunday mass, come hell or high water. He used to visit the church with such unfailing regularity that the priest started ignoring his presence.

Then came the hygiene factor. One Sunday, the man was not present in the sermon. And then the next Sunday too. And this went on for a few weeks, until winter set in.

The priest could not bear this any more. He took off straight to the man's house. The man heartily welcomed the priest and offered him hot tea on a cold day. Everything was cordial. The priest then casually inquired why he was not attending the masses any more. The man replied that he, through continuous attending of the mass/ sermons had gained the "knowledge" of God and that he did not fell it compelling any more, to attend the Sunday mass.

A pregnant silence engulfed the living room. The priest, all of a sudden, walked up to the heart, where a few fire woods were simmering in unison, and providing the much needed warmth to the room.

He then pulled out one of the burning woods in his hand, and brought it close to the couch, and left it alone, near where they were sitting, much to the dismay of the host. In it's solitary isolation, the wood put itself out within a few minutes.

No words were exchanged all along. The priest then quietly got up, gave a meaningful smile to the man, and left the house.

===============================

It is amply evident that it is not sufficient to merely gather peripheral interest or an academic pursuit of God in isolation. Sure, most of the Gyanis or saints have done just that - pursued the Supreme being in dark isolation. But then, most of us are not saints, and for the ordinary mortals, the best way to go anywhere near spiritual satisfaction appears to be associating ourselves with our Gurus and people who dwell in that ambience - just like that log of wood, that was simmering well in the eminent company of the logs inside the hearth. Pull it out, and the result is there to see just in a few minutes. And nothing better than getting more involved than merely " wetting the feet", as it were.

This reminds me of a very famous verse in Adi Shankara's Bhaja Govindam:

सत्सङ्गत्वे निस्सङ्गत्वं
निस्सङ्गत्वे निर्मोहत्वम् ।
निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं
निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः ॥

From Satsangha ( association with righteous people), comes non-attachment; from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to self-settlement. From self-settlement comes Jivan Mukti (liberation).

Laughing Buddha's message

O Lucky Buddha, why laugh thee?
Sitting happily under a Peepal tree?
Looks like you are ready to break free
And embark on a world tour spree.

You do have, back in India, a cousin
Who helps the multitude wash their sin
He sure helps us remove any obstacle
His form, with an elephant-head, sure is a spectacle.

Oh Laughing Buddha, thy body language
Surely gives me many a message
" Laugh away those mental strifes
And get moving, in real life".

Gestures of a life-time

****************************************************************

Just the other day, I was reflecting upon some of the most precious possessions of mine, given by my friends, mostly inadvertently.

I know I have been very fortunate to be blessed with some very good friends- friends who are very good at heart, and who have stood by me in trying times, and to whom I have tried to reciprocate as much as I can. However, I would want to mention three instances that have left indelible impressions on me.

==========================

FIRST- This happened during the second year of my Engineering course in Guindy. A batch-mate of mine, Ajay Kumar Negi, who happens to hail from a non-descript village in the hilly terrains of Himachal Pradesh near Spiti , walked up to me one fine morning on a lazy Sunday, right after we had finished our customary raid of the hostel mess. He was a bit circumspect, to start with, seemingly unsure of what my reaction would be to his gesture (as I could surmise later). He flashed out a photo -in Kodak colour, which, in the mid 80s, was still finding it's feet. He pushed it into my hands and said " I took this snap at my village temple just for you, and thought you may like it. Keep it!" And rushed out, without looking back. And sure enough, I was left speechless.

Of course, I thanked him heartily after that, and made sure that during my next visit to Madurai, where my parents lived, I picked up a photo of Meenakshi Amman, as a sort of "return gift". I remember having paid a princely Rs.10 for that.

Little did I realize then that this beautiful photo would keep me company for the rest of my life thus far. This photo adorns our Pooja even today. Thanks Ajay Negi! I do not know where you are today, but with this single gesture, you have taken a permanent place in my heart, my dear friend!!

==========================

SECOND - after my graduation as a Mechanical Engineer, I was working in Thermax, Mumbai.  I used to be on the road 20 days in the month those days, as a Project Engineer, traversing the topology of the country, on work. The year was 1991. A couple of my college-mates , Sivaramakrishnan and Murali, were staying very close to where I did. We used to have a great time, whenever I was in town, during the weekends. 

Siva and Murali were the aspirational green-card seekers, and sure enough, both made it to the USA shortly thereafter. Murali left first, and Siva followed suit. While packing up his belongings, Siva thought it fit, and perhaps without thinking too much, " இத வெசுக்கோடா, இனிமே எனக்கு தேவை இல்லை" ( I don't think I need this any more, keep this, you may find it useful), he handed over his nail clipper. 

Believe it or not, till date, I use that nail clipper, and every time I take it out, Siva, now happily settled in Long island, comes to my mind.  Siva has, inadvertently, left an indelible memory. I am very much in touch with him, and quite often we do exchange the sweet nothings of college.

==========================

THIRD - I can't share of picture of this  here, simply because I had lost that possession forever, and all I am left of it is the memory.

I consider myself a classical music buff. I especially love the old masters. I used to play the Veena, but had given it up- short-sightedly so- on the pretext of studies. Chittibabu and S Balachander are two of my most favourite Veena maestros, and I consider each a genius in his own right.

The mid 80s saw the emergence of National Radio on FM ( beamed from Nagpur and a few other places). It was new to Chennai at that time, and every Sunday, in the evenings , at 7.45 p.m. they used to air either live or recorded versions of the various music maestros. In 1988, on one such evening, I had the privilege  of listening to Chittibabu play the rare 72nd Melakartha Rasikapriya raagam, in a full, unbridled, one-hour Raagam Thaanam Pallavi format. It was sheer music deluge (प्रवाहम), for lack of a better word, to describe the experience. 

Sure enough, Bala, who was also a classical music buff, was there with me. Not just him, but a 2-in-1 of his, a rarity in the college hostel, which could record a live program on an audio cassette  We not only enjoyed the program thoroughly ( at the cost of one of my Sunday evening Kutcheris in one of the Sabhas in Chennai, which I was a regular, for four long years), but also got it recorded. I then took that cassette to my uncle, who lived in Adyar. He had a copying machine, and I was able to have the cassette copied comfortably.

I had this beautiful piece of Veena recital for a long number of years, but then the tape had come to the end of it's life, before I could have it digitized to MP3 format. And so, here I am, left only with memories of Bala, my dear friend, who now lives in Zurich happily, and the pulsating Rasikapriya that flowed from the hands of Chittibabu, reverberating in my memory . Bala has made sure that I do not forget this for the rest of my life. Thanks Bala!

==========================

I am sure I can come up a quite few more of such gestures from friends which have withstood the test of time. In the instances above, with the possible exception of the Ajay Negi, my friends, I suspect, had extended this gesture rather inadvertently, . But then, all three have left something to remember, in the best possible sense of it, for the rest of my life. I am thankful to God Almighty for having given me such wonderful friends.

It makes me wonder how such seemingly worthless tinsel ( to borrow Rajaji's words) can have a profound impact in one's life.

This also underscores something that our spiritual masters have , for long, emphasized - it is NOT the price or economic value of the gift or possession that matters. What matter are - a big heart to give, and the very gesture. After all, Lord Krishna's love for Kuchela was fortified by the latter's offering of a  morsel of puffed rice ( அவல்/ पोहा) , but with full of love and affection for his friend.

==========================

This makes me take it to the next level of pondering - well, only my friends can answer to this. Have I ever, inadvertently or deliberately, given or left anything of value( hopefully in a good sense) to my friends? Have I provided an opportunity for my friends to think about something that I may have parted with them,  in the same way I have been privileged to think about their gesture, after all these years? You bet!

*******************************************************************************