ಕುದಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚೆವೆಗಟಹುದು; ಕಡಿಮೆಯಿರೆ ಹಸಿನಾತ |
ಕದಡಲೊಡೆವುದು ಹಾಲು; ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮವದರಹದ ||
ಅದವೊಲೆ ಮನದ ಹದ, ಅದನೆಚ್ಚರದಿ ನೋಡು |
ಬದುಕು ಸೊಗಹದರಿಂದ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
High heat can burn it, low heat can leave it uncooked; such is the sensitivity of milk; so is the mind, give it the right heat, watch it carefully; so it is for a blissful life.
What a beautiful comparison. For the unintiated and those from the take-the-milk-from-the-fridge-cold generation, it is a common practice among Indians to boil the milk before consumption. The boiling of milk has great significance in "Hindu" mindset. Milk is considered the essence of life, a life sustaining entity, symbolizing prosperity (sree) and clarity.
Here one's life is likened to milk; healthy, pure, and something with which one can make innumerable dishes. One needs to boil the milk to mould it into numerous dishes; without the boiling its use is limited. Here boiling of milk can be seen as maturing of mind. When the mind matures (i.e. understands the true/spiritual nature of existence), options open-up. Without boiling it is hard to ascertain the nature of milk. But, if the milk is burnt (over boiled) it creates a bad smell which spoils the fun. On the contrary, incompletely cooked milk can also result in preparations that last very short shelf life (temporary sense gratifications?). So, it is the balance that one should strive to achieve.
Moreover, milk is extremely sensitive. It can easily spoil if neglected; for instance, a drop of lime can change its characteristics. The lime drop can be words of others that agitate and disturb us. Agitated mind (burnt milk; or even broken milk) can spoil dishes. But at the same time, a lack of internal churning can be destructive too; agitation (boiling) is of mind is the reason for all creation and innovation, as long as it is controlled agitation.
In summary, one needs to develop (mature) one's mind and strive for a sensitive balance between being undercooked and burnt.
Mind is the reason for success. Mind is the reason for failure.
Shri KrishNarpaNam.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Dirty Waters
ಕೊಳದ ಜಲ ನಿನ್ನ ಮನ; ಲೋಗರದರೊಳಗಿಳಿಯೆ |
ತಳದ ಕಸ ತೇಲುತ್ತ ಬಗ್ಗಡವದಹುದು ||
ಕಲಕದದ್ದದೆ ಕೊಂಚ ಬಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದೊಡದು ಮರಳಿ |
ತಿಳಿಯಹುದು ಶಾಂತಿಯಲಿ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Your mind is like the (stagnant) waters of a pond, which is easily disturbed by external objects. When worldly objects get into it, all the dirt from within surface up; the dirt from within comes up and creates a murkiness. But, if we let it alone and not disturb it, it will gradually settle down to its peaceful, clear state.
DVG ki Jai :) Mind is compared to stagnant waters - stereotyped, limited, dirty at times, helpless, easily disturbed by even a small stone, but quick to settle down. When we step into it we can see the dirt come up easily. This is why DVG tactfully compares mind to a pond, not a river which flows. The trick is to keep it still or keep it flowing like a river and not letting the internal dust corrupt our nature of peace.
There is lot of dirt within in the form of kaama (lust, desires), krodha (anger), lObha (greed), mOha (illusion), mada (pride), and maatsarya (jealousy). We have no control on any of these arishadvargas, six categories of 'enemies' that can drag us out from the path of righteousness. We are the nicest people until others step into our "possessions". When a neighbor gets a car or a colleague gets a promotion or when a friend gets a better mark the dirt within surfaces. When external things disturb us, these negative elements surface out and show our "true colors", or most often the "wrong colors". What should one do when disturbed? Keep calm and let things settle down. Do not do anything in the "heat of the moment" as people say.
Our mind learns from us, and it learns to simply react depending on situation, which gradually become habits. So it would be what we train it to be. And, intelligence is the tool to train the mind. Many people use intelligence and knowledge interchangably, which is incorrect. Every human is equipped with intelligence, the ability to differentiate of the right from the wrong, the good from the bad, the infinite from the infinitesimal. Knowledge is accumulated learing from the past and can infact be a by-product of intelligence. Intelligence can help acquire knowledge, but aggregating knowledge need not translate to intelligence. Knowledge is abstract, and intelligence is the application of it. So, knowledge is below intelligence. Anyway. The ability to access that intelligence depends on the level of consciousness of an individual, which is tuned by samskaara and karma.
Why all these??? They make sense to understand that there are several levels for one to train the mind. The most intelligent ones know to control their mind and have the ability to live a simple life. Living a simple life is the most complicated aspect of life, because the mind would not let you, unless you train it to. So, it is the intelligent who can see the real purpose of life and tune his desires to match the ultimate goal of life. Anyway.
If we let mind on its own it will learn from the instincts or the sense, which are mostly negatively valenced. In that case, we are no different from animals, which are directed and dictated by their senses. So, one needs to practice some amount of yama (restraints and disciplining) and niyama (observances). The practice of ahimsa (non violence, peace with creation), satya (truthfulness), aasteya (refraining from wrong doing, like stealing), brahmacharya (refraining from adultery, observing control), kshama (forgiveness), druti (steadfastness), dayaa (mercy), aarjava (honesty), mitaachaara (ಆತ್ಮಸಂಯಮ, temperance, controlled behavior), saucha (cleanliness) are all the different steps prescribed for yama. Note that each one needs a special training for the mind, each one needs some amount of effort and sadhana. Further, one should also learn to practice hri (remorse), santhosha (contentment, satiation), dhaana (charity), aastikya (belief in God), eeshvarapooja (worship of the Lord), siddaanta shravana (hearing to the supreme most spiritual texts), mati (intelligence), vrata (piety), japa (chanting), tapa (meditation) are the aspects of niyama. Through these one can train the mind to be peaceful.
While the sanatana dharma prescribes one to be with peace with oneself, the western belief would have us believe in indulgence. With indulgence come greater disturbance because there is never an end to the needs and wants. The right way to live though is to keep the mind unperturbed by the external turbulances.
ತಳದ ಕಸ ತೇಲುತ್ತ ಬಗ್ಗಡವದಹುದು ||
ಕಲಕದದ್ದದೆ ಕೊಂಚ ಬಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದೊಡದು ಮರಳಿ |
ತಿಳಿಯಹುದು ಶಾಂತಿಯಲಿ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Your mind is like the (stagnant) waters of a pond, which is easily disturbed by external objects. When worldly objects get into it, all the dirt from within surface up; the dirt from within comes up and creates a murkiness. But, if we let it alone and not disturb it, it will gradually settle down to its peaceful, clear state.
DVG ki Jai :) Mind is compared to stagnant waters - stereotyped, limited, dirty at times, helpless, easily disturbed by even a small stone, but quick to settle down. When we step into it we can see the dirt come up easily. This is why DVG tactfully compares mind to a pond, not a river which flows. The trick is to keep it still or keep it flowing like a river and not letting the internal dust corrupt our nature of peace.
There is lot of dirt within in the form of kaama (lust, desires), krodha (anger), lObha (greed), mOha (illusion), mada (pride), and maatsarya (jealousy). We have no control on any of these arishadvargas, six categories of 'enemies' that can drag us out from the path of righteousness. We are the nicest people until others step into our "possessions". When a neighbor gets a car or a colleague gets a promotion or when a friend gets a better mark the dirt within surfaces. When external things disturb us, these negative elements surface out and show our "true colors", or most often the "wrong colors". What should one do when disturbed? Keep calm and let things settle down. Do not do anything in the "heat of the moment" as people say.
Our mind learns from us, and it learns to simply react depending on situation, which gradually become habits. So it would be what we train it to be. And, intelligence is the tool to train the mind. Many people use intelligence and knowledge interchangably, which is incorrect. Every human is equipped with intelligence, the ability to differentiate of the right from the wrong, the good from the bad, the infinite from the infinitesimal. Knowledge is accumulated learing from the past and can infact be a by-product of intelligence. Intelligence can help acquire knowledge, but aggregating knowledge need not translate to intelligence. Knowledge is abstract, and intelligence is the application of it. So, knowledge is below intelligence. Anyway. The ability to access that intelligence depends on the level of consciousness of an individual, which is tuned by samskaara and karma.
Why all these??? They make sense to understand that there are several levels for one to train the mind. The most intelligent ones know to control their mind and have the ability to live a simple life. Living a simple life is the most complicated aspect of life, because the mind would not let you, unless you train it to. So, it is the intelligent who can see the real purpose of life and tune his desires to match the ultimate goal of life. Anyway.
If we let mind on its own it will learn from the instincts or the sense, which are mostly negatively valenced. In that case, we are no different from animals, which are directed and dictated by their senses. So, one needs to practice some amount of yama (restraints and disciplining) and niyama (observances). The practice of ahimsa (non violence, peace with creation), satya (truthfulness), aasteya (refraining from wrong doing, like stealing), brahmacharya (refraining from adultery, observing control), kshama (forgiveness), druti (steadfastness), dayaa (mercy), aarjava (honesty), mitaachaara (ಆತ್ಮಸಂಯಮ, temperance, controlled behavior), saucha (cleanliness) are all the different steps prescribed for yama. Note that each one needs a special training for the mind, each one needs some amount of effort and sadhana. Further, one should also learn to practice hri (remorse), santhosha (contentment, satiation), dhaana (charity), aastikya (belief in God), eeshvarapooja (worship of the Lord), siddaanta shravana (hearing to the supreme most spiritual texts), mati (intelligence), vrata (piety), japa (chanting), tapa (meditation) are the aspects of niyama. Through these one can train the mind to be peaceful.
While the sanatana dharma prescribes one to be with peace with oneself, the western belief would have us believe in indulgence. With indulgence come greater disturbance because there is never an end to the needs and wants. The right way to live though is to keep the mind unperturbed by the external turbulances.
Sarvam Shri KrishNarpaNam.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Managing the mind
ಮನವನಾಳ್ವುದು ಹಟದ ಮಗುವನಾಳುವ ನಯದೆ |
ಇನಿತನಿತು ಸವಿಯುಣಿಸು ಸವಿಕಥೆಗಳಿಂದೆ ||
ಅನುಕೂಲಿಸದು ಬರಿಯ ಕೂಗು ಬಡಿತಗಳಿದನು |
ಇನಿತಿತ್ತುಮರಸಿನಿತ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Mend your mind in a way you mend a stubborn child; slowly capture its mind with some sweet little stories; shouting and spatting will not help, befriend it by giving small pleasurable things.
"Fantastic". Unfortunately there is no better adjective than this to qualify this verse. Wonderful analogy, again. A child knows little about whats right and whats wrong, it knows to catch your attention and get what it wants. Most people seem to either give in for the crankiness or shout at a crying child. Both these are temporary solutions. When we give in to its demands we are reinforcing its strategy and the future cries and demands. On the other hand when we shout and force the child to be silent, it will be so for a while but deep within it will continue to carry those negative thoughts and burst out as a volcano in future. We may have to understand "why" it is crying. Even if we do not get them what they want, we should know to calm them down. Most importantly, a crying child will not listen to us and by punishing we make it even more stubborn.
So, the first step towards managing a cranky child is to divert it, to calm it down. Either give it something else it likes or tell it some nice little stories, show it a moon and bring it to peace. Now, gradually feed it with positive thoughts, which is the second step. Most parents act instinctively by shouting the child to silence and think that they have achieved their objective, but they do not realize that this is a temporary workaround.
The mind is like a child. You may spoil it by giving in to its tantrums and demands, but it will keep demanding more and more as you try to satisfy it. If you try to forcibly shut its demands, it will fool you by either get into depressive state or a violent state in future. So, convince it with nice words and stories. First, one need to control it, bring it to a stable state. Then slowly and gradually teach it to be happy with what you have, teach it to enjoy with what you have, it will gradually learn to be calm. But, controlling mind is like controlling wind, it is said in Bhagawad Gita.
Sri Shankara says in Bhaja Govindam too: yal-labhase nijakarmopáttam vittam tena vinodaya cittam. If we can teach our mind to be happy with what we get through right deeds, it will learn, but we let it indulge and it will.
For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult work. But he whose mind is controlled and who strives by right means is assured of success. That is My opinion.
ಇನಿತನಿತು ಸವಿಯುಣಿಸು ಸವಿಕಥೆಗಳಿಂದೆ ||
ಅನುಕೂಲಿಸದು ಬರಿಯ ಕೂಗು ಬಡಿತಗಳಿದನು |
ಇನಿತಿತ್ತುಮರಸಿನಿತ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Mend your mind in a way you mend a stubborn child; slowly capture its mind with some sweet little stories; shouting and spatting will not help, befriend it by giving small pleasurable things.
"Fantastic". Unfortunately there is no better adjective than this to qualify this verse. Wonderful analogy, again. A child knows little about whats right and whats wrong, it knows to catch your attention and get what it wants. Most people seem to either give in for the crankiness or shout at a crying child. Both these are temporary solutions. When we give in to its demands we are reinforcing its strategy and the future cries and demands. On the other hand when we shout and force the child to be silent, it will be so for a while but deep within it will continue to carry those negative thoughts and burst out as a volcano in future. We may have to understand "why" it is crying. Even if we do not get them what they want, we should know to calm them down. Most importantly, a crying child will not listen to us and by punishing we make it even more stubborn.
So, the first step towards managing a cranky child is to divert it, to calm it down. Either give it something else it likes or tell it some nice little stories, show it a moon and bring it to peace. Now, gradually feed it with positive thoughts, which is the second step. Most parents act instinctively by shouting the child to silence and think that they have achieved their objective, but they do not realize that this is a temporary workaround.
The mind is like a child. You may spoil it by giving in to its tantrums and demands, but it will keep demanding more and more as you try to satisfy it. If you try to forcibly shut its demands, it will fool you by either get into depressive state or a violent state in future. So, convince it with nice words and stories. First, one need to control it, bring it to a stable state. Then slowly and gradually teach it to be happy with what you have, teach it to enjoy with what you have, it will gradually learn to be calm. But, controlling mind is like controlling wind, it is said in Bhagawad Gita.
Sri Shankara says in Bhaja Govindam too: yal-labhase nijakarmopáttam vittam tena vinodaya cittam. If we can teach our mind to be happy with what we get through right deeds, it will learn, but we let it indulge and it will.
Chapter 6. Sankhya-yoga text 35.
sri-bhagavan uvaca
asamsayam maha-baho
mano durnigraham calam
abhyasena tu kaunteya
vairagyena ca grhyate
The Blessed Lord said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by constant practice and by detachment.
Chapter 6. Sankhya-yoga text 36.
Chapter 6. Sankhya-yoga text 36.
asamyatatmana yogo
dusprapa iti me matih
vasyatmana tu yatata
sakyo 'vaptum upayatah
For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult work. But he whose mind is controlled and who strives by right means is assured of success. That is My opinion.|| ಸರ್ವಂ ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾರ್ಪಣಂ ಅಸ್ತು ||
|| ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
|| ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
|| ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
|| ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
Friday, June 12, 2009
ಮನೆಯ ತೊರೆದೊಡಲೇಂ? ವನಗುಹೆಯ ಸೇರಲೇಂ?
ತನುವನುಗ್ರವ್ರತಗಳಿಂದೆ ದಂಡಿಸಲೇಂ?
ಬಿನದಗಳನರಸಿ ನೀನೂರೂರೊಳಲೆದೊಡೇಂ?
ಮನವ ತೊರೆದಿರಲಹುದೆ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ
Leave your home, enter a deep forest or a cave, observe penance, move to foreign lands, do what you want, your mind will always follow you.
This verse is a logical follow up of ಬಾಳ್ಕೆಯಲಿ ನೂರೆಂಟು ತೊಡಕು ತಿಣುಕುಗಳುಂಟು, ಕೇಳ್ಕೆಮಾಣ್ಕೆಗಳಿಗವು. ಜಗ್ಗವೊಂದಿನಿಸುಂ, ಗೋಳ್ಕರೆದರೇನು ಫಲ? ಗುದ್ದಾಡಲೇನು ಫಲ?, ಪಲ್ಕಿರಿದು ತಾಳಿಕೊಳೊ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ. Life is full of hurdles, the only way to live it is to live it and not leave it. Just smile, endure any difficulties and take steps as you can to overcome them. The other fantastic followup of this verse is my favorite ದ್ರಾಕ್ಷಿ ರಸವೇನಲ್ಲ ಜೀವನದ ತಿರುಳರ್ಗಮ್ | ಇಕ್ಷು ದಂಡದವೊಲದು ಕಷ್ಟ ಭೋಜನವೆ || ದಕ್ಷತೆಯಿನಿಡಿಯುವಂಗೊಂದೆರಡು ಗುಟುಕು ರಸ | ಮಾಕ್ಷಿಕರು ಮಿಕ್ಕೆಲ್ಲ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ || That juice from life needs to squeezed out through hardwork and determination.
But, people want to run away from problems thinking that there must be some peace somewhere; "In pursuit of Happiness". There is an escapist in most people. Some try leaving home, running away from responsibilities. Some perform austerities in secluded places. Some try going to foreign lands. Some buy cars, some TVs. All ways to find peace outside self. It is all in the mind, which will always follow you do what you may. Unless you calm it down it will keep wanting more like an unsatiated fire. So, the only way to bring about peace is through mind. Keep it happy and it will be happy irrespective of where you are and what you do.
A cliche as it may sound, but people are haunted by their past, worried about their future, concerned about their present, when do they live? The only goal of life is to be happy irrespective of what. No car or no bunglow can provide that peace.
Check out these verses for some amazing thoughts. We'll explore each of these in subsequent blogs.
ಮನವನಾಳ್ವುದು ಹಟದ ಮಗುವನಾಳುವ ನಯದೆ |
ಇನಿತನಿತು ಸವಿಯುಣಿಸು ಸವಿಕಥೆಗಳಿಂದೆ ||
ಅನುಕೂಲಿಸದು ಬರಿಯ ಕೂಗು ಬಡಿತಗಳಿದನು |
ಇನಿತಿತ್ತುಮರಸಿನಿತ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
ಕೊಳದ ಜಲ ನಿನ್ನ ಮನ; ಲೋಗರದರೊಳಗಿಳಿಯೆ |
ತಳದ ಕಸ ತೇಲುತ್ತ ಬಗ್ಗಡವದಹುದು ||
ಕಲಕದದ್ದದೆ ಕೊಂಚ ಬಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದೊಡದು ಮರಳಿ |
ತಿಳಿಯಹುದು ಶಾಂತಿಯಲಿ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
ಕುದಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚೆವೆಗಟಹುದು; ಕಡಿಮೆಯಿರೆ ಹಸಿನಾತ |
ಕದಡಲೊಡೆವುದು ಹಾಲು; ಕೂಕ್ಷ್ಮವದರಹದ ||
ಅದವೊಲೆ ಮನದ ಹದ, ಅದನೆಚ್ಚದಿ ನೋಡು |
ಬದುಕು ಸೊಗಹದರಿಂದ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
ದೇವ ಮಂದಿರ ಭಜನೆ ಪೂಜೆ ಪ್ರಸಾದಗಳು |
ಜೀವನದಲಂಕಾರ, ಮನಸಿನುದ್ಧಾರ ||
ಭಾವವಂ ಕ್ಷುಲ್ಲಜಗದಿಂ ಬಿಡಿಸಿ ಮೇಲೊಯ್ವು- |
ದಾವುದಾದೊಡಮೊಳಿತು ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
ತನುವನುಗ್ರವ್ರತಗಳಿಂದೆ ದಂಡಿಸಲೇಂ?
ಬಿನದಗಳನರಸಿ ನೀನೂರೂರೊಳಲೆದೊಡೇಂ?
ಮನವ ತೊರೆದಿರಲಹುದೆ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ
Leave your home, enter a deep forest or a cave, observe penance, move to foreign lands, do what you want, your mind will always follow you.
This verse is a logical follow up of ಬಾಳ್ಕೆಯಲಿ ನೂರೆಂಟು ತೊಡಕು ತಿಣುಕುಗಳುಂಟು, ಕೇಳ್ಕೆಮಾಣ್ಕೆಗಳಿಗವು. ಜಗ್ಗವೊಂದಿನಿಸುಂ, ಗೋಳ್ಕರೆದರೇನು ಫಲ? ಗುದ್ದಾಡಲೇನು ಫಲ?, ಪಲ್ಕಿರಿದು ತಾಳಿಕೊಳೊ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ. Life is full of hurdles, the only way to live it is to live it and not leave it. Just smile, endure any difficulties and take steps as you can to overcome them. The other fantastic followup of this verse is my favorite ದ್ರಾಕ್ಷಿ ರಸವೇನಲ್ಲ ಜೀವನದ ತಿರುಳರ್ಗಮ್ | ಇಕ್ಷು ದಂಡದವೊಲದು ಕಷ್ಟ ಭೋಜನವೆ || ದಕ್ಷತೆಯಿನಿಡಿಯುವಂಗೊಂದೆರಡು ಗುಟುಕು ರಸ | ಮಾಕ್ಷಿಕರು ಮಿಕ್ಕೆಲ್ಲ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ || That juice from life needs to squeezed out through hardwork and determination.
But, people want to run away from problems thinking that there must be some peace somewhere; "In pursuit of Happiness". There is an escapist in most people. Some try leaving home, running away from responsibilities. Some perform austerities in secluded places. Some try going to foreign lands. Some buy cars, some TVs. All ways to find peace outside self. It is all in the mind, which will always follow you do what you may. Unless you calm it down it will keep wanting more like an unsatiated fire. So, the only way to bring about peace is through mind. Keep it happy and it will be happy irrespective of where you are and what you do.
A cliche as it may sound, but people are haunted by their past, worried about their future, concerned about their present, when do they live? The only goal of life is to be happy irrespective of what. No car or no bunglow can provide that peace.
Check out these verses for some amazing thoughts. We'll explore each of these in subsequent blogs.
ಮನವನಾಳ್ವುದು ಹಟದ ಮಗುವನಾಳುವ ನಯದೆ |
ಇನಿತನಿತು ಸವಿಯುಣಿಸು ಸವಿಕಥೆಗಳಿಂದೆ ||
ಅನುಕೂಲಿಸದು ಬರಿಯ ಕೂಗು ಬಡಿತಗಳಿದನು |
ಇನಿತಿತ್ತುಮರಸಿನಿತ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
ಕೊಳದ ಜಲ ನಿನ್ನ ಮನ; ಲೋಗರದರೊಳಗಿಳಿಯೆ |
ತಳದ ಕಸ ತೇಲುತ್ತ ಬಗ್ಗಡವದಹುದು ||
ಕಲಕದದ್ದದೆ ಕೊಂಚ ಬಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದೊಡದು ಮರಳಿ |
ತಿಳಿಯಹುದು ಶಾಂತಿಯಲಿ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
ಕುದಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚೆವೆಗಟಹುದು; ಕಡಿಮೆಯಿರೆ ಹಸಿನಾತ |
ಕದಡಲೊಡೆವುದು ಹಾಲು; ಕೂಕ್ಷ್ಮವದರಹದ ||
ಅದವೊಲೆ ಮನದ ಹದ, ಅದನೆಚ್ಚದಿ ನೋಡು |
ಬದುಕು ಸೊಗಹದರಿಂದ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
ದೇವ ಮಂದಿರ ಭಜನೆ ಪೂಜೆ ಪ್ರಸಾದಗಳು |
ಜೀವನದಲಂಕಾರ, ಮನಸಿನುದ್ಧಾರ ||
ಭಾವವಂ ಕ್ಷುಲ್ಲಜಗದಿಂ ಬಿಡಿಸಿ ಮೇಲೊಯ್ವು- |
ದಾವುದಾದೊಡಮೊಳಿತು ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
|| ಸರ್ವಂ ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾರ್ಪಣಂ ಅಸ್ತು ||
|| ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
|| ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
|| ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
|| ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Jealousy ...
ಹೊಟ್ಟೆಯೊಂದರ ರಗಳೆ ಸಾಲದೆಂದೇನೊ ವಿಧಿ
ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ಕಿಚ್ಚಿನ ಕಿಡಿಯ ನೆಟ್ಟಿಹನು ನರನೊಳ್
ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ತುಂಬಿದ ತೋಳ ಮಲಗೀತುಃ ನೀಂ ಪೆರರ
ದಿಟ್ಟಿಸುತ ಕರಬುವೆಯೊ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ
Another gem! As if hunger is not enough, man is inflicted with the disease of jealousy (what is referred to as a burning in the stomach) at others' success. Even the most ferocious of beasts sleep when they are full, but you (man) whine at others oh idiot.
Here, DVG refers jealousy as a spark that renders people sleepless. There are several hungers; hunger for comforts, hunger for honor, hunger for touch and so on, which all dangle on the the ire of jealousy. If we can satisfy jealousy, we could satisfy every other hunger. A wolf here probably refers to the other forms of hunger, which can all rest but this hunger of greed and jealousy takes away sleep.
ನೋಡಿ, ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ಮತ್ತು ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ಕಿಚ್ಚನ್ನ ಎಷ್ಟು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಜೊತೆಗೆ, ಸುಂದರವಾಗಿ ತೂಗ್ತಾರೆ! "ನೆಟ್ಟಿಹನು ನರನೋಳ್" ಅದರ ಸೊಗಸು ನೋಡಿ, it is deep rooted in the human nature ಅಂತ ಅರ್ಥ ಮಾಡ್ಕೊ ಬಹುದು ಅಲ್ವ? Man fights for 4 basic things "eating, mating, sleeping, and defending", from which all the other complex needs arise. Eating and Mating are associated with growth and development, Sleeping and Defending are associated with Peace, Prosperity, and Security. Anyway. Physical hunger in the belly is satisfied easily if some food given at the right time. But, the fire in the belly (jealousy) grows like forest fire which needs to be watered and kept cool.
ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ಕಿಚ್ಚಿನ ಕಿಡಿಯ ನೆಟ್ಟಿಹನು ನರನೊಳ್
ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ತುಂಬಿದ ತೋಳ ಮಲಗೀತುಃ ನೀಂ ಪೆರರ
ದಿಟ್ಟಿಸುತ ಕರಬುವೆಯೊ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ
Another gem! As if hunger is not enough, man is inflicted with the disease of jealousy (what is referred to as a burning in the stomach) at others' success. Even the most ferocious of beasts sleep when they are full, but you (man) whine at others oh idiot.
Here, DVG refers jealousy as a spark that renders people sleepless. There are several hungers; hunger for comforts, hunger for honor, hunger for touch and so on, which all dangle on the the ire of jealousy. If we can satisfy jealousy, we could satisfy every other hunger. A wolf here probably refers to the other forms of hunger, which can all rest but this hunger of greed and jealousy takes away sleep.
ನೋಡಿ, ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ಮತ್ತು ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ಕಿಚ್ಚನ್ನ ಎಷ್ಟು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಜೊತೆಗೆ, ಸುಂದರವಾಗಿ ತೂಗ್ತಾರೆ! "ನೆಟ್ಟಿಹನು ನರನೋಳ್" ಅದರ ಸೊಗಸು ನೋಡಿ, it is deep rooted in the human nature ಅಂತ ಅರ್ಥ ಮಾಡ್ಕೊ ಬಹುದು ಅಲ್ವ? Man fights for 4 basic things "eating, mating, sleeping, and defending", from which all the other complex needs arise. Eating and Mating are associated with growth and development, Sleeping and Defending are associated with Peace, Prosperity, and Security. Anyway. Physical hunger in the belly is satisfied easily if some food given at the right time. But, the fire in the belly (jealousy) grows like forest fire which needs to be watered and kept cool.
|| ಸರ್ವಂ ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾರ್ಪಣಂ ಅಸ್ತು ||
|| ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
|| ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
|| ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
|| ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ರಾಮ, ಹರೇ ಹರೇ ||
Thursday, May 28, 2009
No Grapes, Sugarcane
ದ್ರಾಕ್ಷಿ ರಸವೇನಲ್ಲ ಜೀವನದ ತಿರುಳರ್ಗಮ್ |
ಇಕ್ಷು ದಂಡದವೊಲದು ಕಷ್ಟ ಭೋಜನವೆ ||
ದಕ್ಷತೆಯಿನಿಡಿಯುವಂಗೊಂದೆರಡು ಗುಟುಕು ರಸ |
ಮಾಕ್ಷಿಕರು ಮಿಕ್ಕೆಲ್ಲ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
What a wonderful analogy! Life is not like bunch of seedless grapes that can be effortlessly squeezed to extract the juice out, but is like a sugarcane that has to be run through a grinding. Even a baby can squeeze juice out of a grape, but not even the so called expert can chew the juice out from a sugarcane. One needs to chew a lot of fiber to get to the juice and it pains the teeth or the arms (depending on whether you chew it or grind it). There are machines these days to squeeze a sugarcane, but even that needs some investment. These days someone else can extract the juice for you, but that does not happen in real life, where we need to squeeze it ourselves. So nothing comes easy, as some say. Even to gather two drops of the juice one needs to invest the right amount of effort. But the effort to squeeze out the juice will not just give the juice but a lot of what appears to be waste.
While reading this verse, I was thinking of the saagara manthana from our puraaNas; demigods and raakshasas trying to extract the primordial, immortalizing nectar. It had to be churned using a mountain, and it resulted in enormous derivatives including poison, but it had to be done.
So, there is nectar within each of us, but it needs diligence to extract the best out of it. But, we are all looking for easy ways out of it, easy money, easy life, and hence fail to extract even 2 drops out of the abundant juice stored within us. We store enormous potential that remains trapped and untapped because of our indolent nature.
Hare Krishna.
Shri KrishaarpaNam.
ಇಕ್ಷು ದಂಡದವೊಲದು ಕಷ್ಟ ಭೋಜನವೆ ||
ದಕ್ಷತೆಯಿನಿಡಿಯುವಂಗೊಂದೆರಡು ಗುಟುಕು ರಸ |
ಮಾಕ್ಷಿಕರು ಮಿಕ್ಕೆಲ್ಲ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
What a wonderful analogy! Life is not like bunch of seedless grapes that can be effortlessly squeezed to extract the juice out, but is like a sugarcane that has to be run through a grinding. Even a baby can squeeze juice out of a grape, but not even the so called expert can chew the juice out from a sugarcane. One needs to chew a lot of fiber to get to the juice and it pains the teeth or the arms (depending on whether you chew it or grind it). There are machines these days to squeeze a sugarcane, but even that needs some investment. These days someone else can extract the juice for you, but that does not happen in real life, where we need to squeeze it ourselves. So nothing comes easy, as some say. Even to gather two drops of the juice one needs to invest the right amount of effort. But the effort to squeeze out the juice will not just give the juice but a lot of what appears to be waste.
While reading this verse, I was thinking of the saagara manthana from our puraaNas; demigods and raakshasas trying to extract the primordial, immortalizing nectar. It had to be churned using a mountain, and it resulted in enormous derivatives including poison, but it had to be done.
So, there is nectar within each of us, but it needs diligence to extract the best out of it. But, we are all looking for easy ways out of it, easy money, easy life, and hence fail to extract even 2 drops out of the abundant juice stored within us. We store enormous potential that remains trapped and untapped because of our indolent nature.
Hare Krishna.
Shri KrishaarpaNam.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Controller
ವಿಧಿಗೆ ನೀಂ ಕಾರ್ಯನಕ್ಷೆಯ ವಿಧಿಸ ಹೊರಡದಿರು |
ಅಧಿಕಾರಿ ನೀನಲ್ಲ; ವಿಧಿ ಬೆಪ್ಪನಲ್ಲ ||
ಹದವರಿದು ವಿಧಿ ತಾನೆ ಕುದುರಿಸುವನೆಲ್ಲವನು |
ಅದಟದಿರು ನೀನವನ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Try not to force a roadmap to fate, neither are you an authority nor is the fate an idiot. When the right time comes, things will all set right, do not try to disturb him, or chase him oh dull minded dumb fellow!
We all develop plans and blame others if they fail. We always seem to think ourselves as experts or authorities in the subject: "he should have done this way", "this is not fair", "I dont know why, I do not have any luck". But if we were experts we should have never failed, or we would not talk about luck. Strangely, when others achieve something it is by luck, but when we achieve something we would've deserved it. We are not just hypocrites but seem to think that we are in full control of our lives, but are we? Yes we are to some extent.
I was playing this game with my daughter once. We would push the train and make the train move by sitting inside the train. Believe it or not, we did make the train move, or so did my daughter think. We are no more intelligent than my 3 year old daughter was. We think that its our efforts that keep things on the move, but we forget that it keeps moving whether we sit in it or not. There is a driver who controls the train, who is the "vidhi raya", the "kaala chakra", the "karma" system who churns the wheel. We are just passengers in that. We have a journey to make, do what you may the direction of the journey does not change. You may try to change course but you could be punished; you could try to jump out of this cycle, this journey, but you could be wounded. We take different trains (different journeys) depending on our karmas and take a route that is predetermined for us. The only freedom we have is to choose what we want to do within the confinements of the compartment that we are in; may be move around across compartments once in a while, but even that is dictated by the facilities provided by the railway system. So is life.
When the destination comes the train stops and we can get off, but its better to be patient and wait for the stations to come while we continue to perform activities that we can (or should).
In Bhagawad Gita (3.5) Lord says:
"karyate hy avasah karma,
sarvah prakrti-jair gunaih
All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.
In the same chapter (3.36) Arjuna inquires:
"atha kena prayukto 'yam,
papam carati purusah,
anicchann api varsneya,
balad iva niyojitah"
By what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force?
Even before the war starts, after exhibiting the Vishwa Roopa DarshaNa to Arjuna, the Lord says: All the great warriors--Drona, Bhisma, Jayadratha, Karna--are already destroyed. Simply fight, and you will vanquish your enemies. All that we can do is to be "Instruments" and carry out our roles "nimitta-matram bhava savya-saacin"!!
We seem to have control but that control is not in our control, the control that is in our control is also controlled by a supreme controller. We are extremely minute and a negligible part of this creation and do not make any difference to this world (as a system, universe) though we may make some difference to some "people" on this system. Anyway.
There is a right time for everything; whatever happens, happens for good. Two popular sayings are beautifully potrayed in this verse.
Sri KrishnarpaNam.
ಅಧಿಕಾರಿ ನೀನಲ್ಲ; ವಿಧಿ ಬೆಪ್ಪನಲ್ಲ ||
ಹದವರಿದು ವಿಧಿ ತಾನೆ ಕುದುರಿಸುವನೆಲ್ಲವನು |
ಅದಟದಿರು ನೀನವನ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Try not to force a roadmap to fate, neither are you an authority nor is the fate an idiot. When the right time comes, things will all set right, do not try to disturb him, or chase him oh dull minded dumb fellow!
We all develop plans and blame others if they fail. We always seem to think ourselves as experts or authorities in the subject: "he should have done this way", "this is not fair", "I dont know why, I do not have any luck". But if we were experts we should have never failed, or we would not talk about luck. Strangely, when others achieve something it is by luck, but when we achieve something we would've deserved it. We are not just hypocrites but seem to think that we are in full control of our lives, but are we? Yes we are to some extent.
I was playing this game with my daughter once. We would push the train and make the train move by sitting inside the train. Believe it or not, we did make the train move, or so did my daughter think. We are no more intelligent than my 3 year old daughter was. We think that its our efforts that keep things on the move, but we forget that it keeps moving whether we sit in it or not. There is a driver who controls the train, who is the "vidhi raya", the "kaala chakra", the "karma" system who churns the wheel. We are just passengers in that. We have a journey to make, do what you may the direction of the journey does not change. You may try to change course but you could be punished; you could try to jump out of this cycle, this journey, but you could be wounded. We take different trains (different journeys) depending on our karmas and take a route that is predetermined for us. The only freedom we have is to choose what we want to do within the confinements of the compartment that we are in; may be move around across compartments once in a while, but even that is dictated by the facilities provided by the railway system. So is life.
When the destination comes the train stops and we can get off, but its better to be patient and wait for the stations to come while we continue to perform activities that we can (or should).
In Bhagawad Gita (3.5) Lord says:
"karyate hy avasah karma,
sarvah prakrti-jair gunaih
All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.
In the same chapter (3.36) Arjuna inquires:
"atha kena prayukto 'yam,
papam carati purusah,
anicchann api varsneya,
balad iva niyojitah"
By what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force?
Even before the war starts, after exhibiting the Vishwa Roopa DarshaNa to Arjuna, the Lord says: All the great warriors--Drona, Bhisma, Jayadratha, Karna--are already destroyed. Simply fight, and you will vanquish your enemies. All that we can do is to be "Instruments" and carry out our roles "nimitta-matram bhava savya-saacin"!!
We seem to have control but that control is not in our control, the control that is in our control is also controlled by a supreme controller. We are extremely minute and a negligible part of this creation and do not make any difference to this world (as a system, universe) though we may make some difference to some "people" on this system. Anyway.
There is a right time for everything; whatever happens, happens for good. Two popular sayings are beautifully potrayed in this verse.
Sri KrishnarpaNam.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Look Ahead
ಲೋಚನದ ಸಂಚಾರ ಮುಖದ ಮುಂದಕಪಾರ |
ಗೋಚರಿಪುದೇನದಕೆ ತಲೆಯ ಹಿಂದಣದು? ||
ಪ್ರಾಚೀನ ಹೊರತು ಸ್ವತಂತ್ರ ನೀಂ, ಸಾಂತವದು |
ಚಾಚು ಮುಂದಕೆ ಮನವ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
The eyes are well positioned to the front, does it ever wander to peek into the back? free from the past, spread your mind to the front oh dull headed dumb fellow!
I dont think anyone can translate this as is to any other language than Kannada without losing its beauty and weight! Anyway. This idea is nothing new, but the way it is written is amazingly fresh.
Eyes can scan upto 180 degrees, I suppose, but it is front (or future) facing. There is a reason that it faces the front, DVG hints, so not to look behind. Optimism is about looking forward, pessimism is about looking behind. Past should only helps us learn from it and move on, past should not slow us down.
The other beauty of creation is that it can only see a certain distance. Imagine if you could see 100s of KMs, your life would be miserable because you would be diverted beyond your control. So, is the way life should be lived. Never look back, look ahead but do not look too much ahead, look as much as is needed for you to move on. In essence, live in the present; neither in the past nor in the future. This also does not warrant one to ignore the future. Another crude example is like driving from Bangalore to Chennai (or anywhere), one needs a map (a plan) but one needs to drive towards it with focus only on shorter distances.
May you be free of your history! One cannot escape history, but here history refers to the "limitations of the past" or the "repents" and the "regrets" that can slow you down.
Wonderful verse.
Sri KrishnarpaNam.
ಗೋಚರಿಪುದೇನದಕೆ ತಲೆಯ ಹಿಂದಣದು? ||
ಪ್ರಾಚೀನ ಹೊರತು ಸ್ವತಂತ್ರ ನೀಂ, ಸಾಂತವದು |
ಚಾಚು ಮುಂದಕೆ ಮನವ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
The eyes are well positioned to the front, does it ever wander to peek into the back? free from the past, spread your mind to the front oh dull headed dumb fellow!
I dont think anyone can translate this as is to any other language than Kannada without losing its beauty and weight! Anyway. This idea is nothing new, but the way it is written is amazingly fresh.
Eyes can scan upto 180 degrees, I suppose, but it is front (or future) facing. There is a reason that it faces the front, DVG hints, so not to look behind. Optimism is about looking forward, pessimism is about looking behind. Past should only helps us learn from it and move on, past should not slow us down.
The other beauty of creation is that it can only see a certain distance. Imagine if you could see 100s of KMs, your life would be miserable because you would be diverted beyond your control. So, is the way life should be lived. Never look back, look ahead but do not look too much ahead, look as much as is needed for you to move on. In essence, live in the present; neither in the past nor in the future. This also does not warrant one to ignore the future. Another crude example is like driving from Bangalore to Chennai (or anywhere), one needs a map (a plan) but one needs to drive towards it with focus only on shorter distances.
May you be free of your history! One cannot escape history, but here history refers to the "limitations of the past" or the "repents" and the "regrets" that can slow you down.
Wonderful verse.
Sri KrishnarpaNam.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Dont Worry, Be Happy
ಕುಸಿದು ಬೀಳಲಿ ಧರಣಿ ಕಳಚಿ ಬೀಳಲಿ ಗಗನ |
ನನೆಸಲಿ ನಿನ್ನೆಲ್ಲವು ಏನಾದೊಡೇನು ||
ಬಸವಳಿಯದಿರು ಜೀವ ವಸಿಸು ಶಿವಸತ್ವದಲಿ |
ಕುಶಲವೆದೆ ಗಟ್ಟಿಯಿರೆ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Let the ground collapse, let the sky fall apart, let what may come, remain unshaken, take shelter of the absolute knowledge of the self (paramata tatva, or pure/ultimate form), there you will be sound, and when you have a solid, brave heart you will be happy oh dull minded dumb fellow.
This is testimonial to DVG's optimistic approach towards life. I remember having heard this somewhere (or may be i am making it up here), that a man's heart is revealed in the way he stands a shaking ground. Ground symbolizes elements that we base our existence on - may be qualification, job, family, friends; when our values are challenged, when our existence is threatened, when everything seems to go out of control. Sky sybolizes things that are beyond our control, may be the economy, the environment, the future. Sky could also stand for authority, that someone else controls us, compelled to helplessness. DVG ushers us to remain happy and undisturbed even when either of these (controllables, uncontrollables) is threatened.
The biggest trouble is our commitments in this world. We have loans for everything these days - house loan, mouse loan, car loan, bar loan, personal loan and so on and are continously worried about fulfilling these obligations. Our sense of insecurity is epitomized by the locks that we use, or the amount of life/health insurance that we invest on. We are systematically becoming slaves to these external controls. Every change outside results in a sense of loss of control.
We have unwanted, unlimited, ever increasing attachments. Lord Sri Krishna cautions about excessive "attachments" in Bhagawad Gita (Chapter 2, verses 62 and after): from attachments comes lust, from lust anger, from anger delusion, from delusion bewilderment of memory, with this intelligence (the ability to differentiate, ability to distinguish "reality" from "illusion") is lost, when this intelligence is lost one gets more entangled. It is this vicious cycle that we are all stuck in, with little knowledge of our spiritual nature, with little knowledge to escape from this whirlpool, the chakravyuuha. We are getting more and more attached and thus severely disturbed by minor fluctuations in life.
Anyway.
ಬಸವಳಿಯದಿರು - do not lament or worry over meaningless things; to stop endless complaints about how things are and how they should be; be satisfied with what you have. But, can we remain unperturbed under all circumstances? is there a way out? It is in a similar context that Arjuna asks: "sthita-prajnasya ka bhasa", for which the Lord answers in the Gita (Chap 2.61): One who restrains his senses and fixes his consciousness upon me, he is known as a man of steady intelligence. This is an extremely difficult state as the Lord acknowledges, that controlling mind is like controlling wind, but in the end he also proposes the best case scenario (the most difficult too):
One needs to take shelter of this supreme knowledge, that which is the king of all knowledge (raaja vidya), the purest and the superior most of all that is known and that is to be known (pavitram idam uttamam), but also the most difficult because it is secretive (raaja guhyam) only known to and realized by a few. Secretive does not mean that it is unavailable to commons, but that commons cannot understand its presence; just as a non-software guy will look at Java code and think that its all absurd, it needs the knowledge of "programming" to understand, otherwise it remains a secret. Sorry for deviating again.
Coming back. We also need to develop a ಗಟ್ಟಿ-ಎದೆ, a rock solid, strong heart that does not beat too hard even during the most trying times. So if we could pad our hearts with knowledge, that we are beyond this material matter, only then there is ಕುಶಲ - welfare or happiness.
Shri KrishnarpaNam.
ನನೆಸಲಿ ನಿನ್ನೆಲ್ಲವು ಏನಾದೊಡೇನು ||
ಬಸವಳಿಯದಿರು ಜೀವ ವಸಿಸು ಶಿವಸತ್ವದಲಿ |
ಕುಶಲವೆದೆ ಗಟ್ಟಿಯಿರೆ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Let the ground collapse, let the sky fall apart, let what may come, remain unshaken, take shelter of the absolute knowledge of the self (paramata tatva, or pure/ultimate form), there you will be sound, and when you have a solid, brave heart you will be happy oh dull minded dumb fellow.
This is testimonial to DVG's optimistic approach towards life. I remember having heard this somewhere (or may be i am making it up here), that a man's heart is revealed in the way he stands a shaking ground. Ground symbolizes elements that we base our existence on - may be qualification, job, family, friends; when our values are challenged, when our existence is threatened, when everything seems to go out of control. Sky sybolizes things that are beyond our control, may be the economy, the environment, the future. Sky could also stand for authority, that someone else controls us, compelled to helplessness. DVG ushers us to remain happy and undisturbed even when either of these (controllables, uncontrollables) is threatened.
The biggest trouble is our commitments in this world. We have loans for everything these days - house loan, mouse loan, car loan, bar loan, personal loan and so on and are continously worried about fulfilling these obligations. Our sense of insecurity is epitomized by the locks that we use, or the amount of life/health insurance that we invest on. We are systematically becoming slaves to these external controls. Every change outside results in a sense of loss of control.
We have unwanted, unlimited, ever increasing attachments. Lord Sri Krishna cautions about excessive "attachments" in Bhagawad Gita (Chapter 2, verses 62 and after): from attachments comes lust, from lust anger, from anger delusion, from delusion bewilderment of memory, with this intelligence (the ability to differentiate, ability to distinguish "reality" from "illusion") is lost, when this intelligence is lost one gets more entangled. It is this vicious cycle that we are all stuck in, with little knowledge of our spiritual nature, with little knowledge to escape from this whirlpool, the chakravyuuha. We are getting more and more attached and thus severely disturbed by minor fluctuations in life.
Anyway.
ಬಸವಳಿಯದಿರು - do not lament or worry over meaningless things; to stop endless complaints about how things are and how they should be; be satisfied with what you have. But, can we remain unperturbed under all circumstances? is there a way out? It is in a similar context that Arjuna asks: "sthita-prajnasya ka bhasa", for which the Lord answers in the Gita (Chap 2.61): One who restrains his senses and fixes his consciousness upon me, he is known as a man of steady intelligence. This is an extremely difficult state as the Lord acknowledges, that controlling mind is like controlling wind, but in the end he also proposes the best case scenario (the most difficult too):
sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
One needs to take shelter of this supreme knowledge, that which is the king of all knowledge (raaja vidya), the purest and the superior most of all that is known and that is to be known (pavitram idam uttamam), but also the most difficult because it is secretive (raaja guhyam) only known to and realized by a few. Secretive does not mean that it is unavailable to commons, but that commons cannot understand its presence; just as a non-software guy will look at Java code and think that its all absurd, it needs the knowledge of "programming" to understand, otherwise it remains a secret. Sorry for deviating again.
Coming back. We also need to develop a ಗಟ್ಟಿ-ಎದೆ, a rock solid, strong heart that does not beat too hard even during the most trying times. So if we could pad our hearts with knowledge, that we are beyond this material matter, only then there is ಕುಶಲ - welfare or happiness.
Shri KrishnarpaNam.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Stormy times!
ಮಳೆಯ ಹೊಡೆತಕೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿ ಹಳೆಯಮನೆ ಬೀಳ್ವುದೇ |
ಇಳೆಗೆ ಬೇಸರ ತರುವ ದಿನದಿನದ ಮಾತು ||
ಅಳಿದ ಮನೆಯನು ಮತ್ತೆ ನಿಲಿಸಿ ಕಟ್ಟಿಸಿ ಬೆಳಕ- |
ಗಳಿಸುವವೊಲ್ ಯತ್ನಿಸೆಲೆ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Old houses collapse when a heavy storm strikes it, but such storms are only infrequent, erect and build those fallen houses, invest your sincerity in this rebuilding effort oh dull minded dumb fellow.
Houses have been frequently associated with the the body, the self-concept, the ego, the "I", that is inseparable from the soul! House also symbolizes associations, family, samsaara. The body, self, and ego covers the soul. Storms are those turbulent times that bring about change in our lives; may be when we lose our near and dear ones (people or otherwise), when everything/ everyone seems to go against our wishes. A storm provides a severe jolt to our ego, only few show courage to come back with a bang. People lose hopes during these times, and some give up.
Check out! Its not just a house that DVG is interested in, but an "Old House"!! What difference does it make? Old house signifies a weakned base as a result of aging and poor configuration. Oldness is not just physical oldness, but a psychological oldness; a popular saying goes, "age is in the mind". Why and how do we get old? By forgetting to see the newness in everyday life? forgetting to sharpen our knives? forgetting to polish our skills? or whatever! In many ways, we let rust develop in different aspects of our lives. These gradually make us vulnerable to stormy weathers. But, these stormy weather should not be an excuse to give up, DVG seems to hint.
The funny part is, we do not even need a storm to jolt us, harmless winds (minor fluctuations in the environment) are enough to destabilize us, demean our pride. As a crude recall, think of the time you graduated from school, or watch a student graduate. Be without a job for sometime! or remember a time when you were "cheated" by a girl/boy or by circumstances! Life will soon appear meaningless, and hopeless! People lose confidence, get desperate and some even get into depression. Such simple events are enough to kick the hell out our beings. DVG calls for a conscious rebuilding effort, that old houses are meant to fall.
ಕುಸಿದು ಬೀಳಲಿ ಧರಣಿ ಕಳಚಿ ಬೀಳಲಿ ಗಗನ |
ನೆನೆಸಲಿ ನಿನ್ನೆಲ್ಲವು ಏನಾದೊಡೇನು ||
ಬಳವಳಿಯದಿರು ಜೀವ ವಸಿಸು ಶಿವಸತ್ವದಲಿ |
ಕುಶಲವಿರೆ ಗಟ್ಟಿಯಿರೆ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Let the ground collapse, let the sky fall apart, let what may come, remain unshaken in the shelter of complete knowledge of the self-concept (the pure form), develop a brave heart oh dull minded dumb fellow.
ಇಳೆಗೆ ಬೇಸರ ತರುವ ದಿನದಿನದ ಮಾತು ||
ಅಳಿದ ಮನೆಯನು ಮತ್ತೆ ನಿಲಿಸಿ ಕಟ್ಟಿಸಿ ಬೆಳಕ- |
ಗಳಿಸುವವೊಲ್ ಯತ್ನಿಸೆಲೆ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Old houses collapse when a heavy storm strikes it, but such storms are only infrequent, erect and build those fallen houses, invest your sincerity in this rebuilding effort oh dull minded dumb fellow.
Houses have been frequently associated with the the body, the self-concept, the ego, the "I", that is inseparable from the soul! House also symbolizes associations, family, samsaara. The body, self, and ego covers the soul. Storms are those turbulent times that bring about change in our lives; may be when we lose our near and dear ones (people or otherwise), when everything/ everyone seems to go against our wishes. A storm provides a severe jolt to our ego, only few show courage to come back with a bang. People lose hopes during these times, and some give up.
Check out! Its not just a house that DVG is interested in, but an "Old House"!! What difference does it make? Old house signifies a weakned base as a result of aging and poor configuration. Oldness is not just physical oldness, but a psychological oldness; a popular saying goes, "age is in the mind". Why and how do we get old? By forgetting to see the newness in everyday life? forgetting to sharpen our knives? forgetting to polish our skills? or whatever! In many ways, we let rust develop in different aspects of our lives. These gradually make us vulnerable to stormy weathers. But, these stormy weather should not be an excuse to give up, DVG seems to hint.
The funny part is, we do not even need a storm to jolt us, harmless winds (minor fluctuations in the environment) are enough to destabilize us, demean our pride. As a crude recall, think of the time you graduated from school, or watch a student graduate. Be without a job for sometime! or remember a time when you were "cheated" by a girl/boy or by circumstances! Life will soon appear meaningless, and hopeless! People lose confidence, get desperate and some even get into depression. Such simple events are enough to kick the hell out our beings. DVG calls for a conscious rebuilding effort, that old houses are meant to fall.
ಕುಸಿದು ಬೀಳಲಿ ಧರಣಿ ಕಳಚಿ ಬೀಳಲಿ ಗಗನ |
ನೆನೆಸಲಿ ನಿನ್ನೆಲ್ಲವು ಏನಾದೊಡೇನು ||
ಬಳವಳಿಯದಿರು ಜೀವ ವಸಿಸು ಶಿವಸತ್ವದಲಿ |
ಕುಶಲವಿರೆ ಗಟ್ಟಿಯಿರೆ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Let the ground collapse, let the sky fall apart, let what may come, remain unshaken in the shelter of complete knowledge of the self-concept (the pure form), develop a brave heart oh dull minded dumb fellow.
The thorny path!
Let me skip the sequence and jump into random shlokas, ones that have inspired me. with no order of preference though.
ಮುಳ್ತುಂಬಿಹವು ಜಗದ ದಾರಿಗಳದೆತ್ತಲುಂ |
ಕಾಲ್ತೆಳಕೆ ನೀಂ ಜ್ಞಾನದೆಲೆ ಹಸರು ಸವರು ||
ಮುಳ್ತಲೆಯ ಬಾಗಿಪುದು ನೆಲಹುಲ್ಲ ಹೊದೆಯುವುದು |
ಬಾಳ್ತನದ ತಂತ್ರವಿದು ಮಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
There are thorns throughout this world, apply the paste of knowledge to your foot, the thorns will bow down to you, the ground will lay grass for you, this is the trick to this life oh dull minded dumb fellow.
World and life is not a cake walk or a journey on a flower bed, though it could appear so for a few for some of the times. It rather is a journey that is filled with "thorns" or "hurdles" that one has to tread. The current economic state is probably a testimonial to this. If you are not faced with a challenge everyday then your life has not been exciting enough. Some see these challenges as "problems" and others as "opportunities", DVG has a much deeper perspective.
As said in the Bhagawad Gita there is nothing superior to knowledge (nahi jnyaanena sadhrisham), the world bows to the seer, the knowers, the knowledgable ones. Fools keep complaining about their struggle, about their material miseries. There are various levels of intelligence as we know: samsaari, gnaani, vignaani, and sanyaasi. A samsaari is entangled in this material world with attachments that eventually engulf his existence. A gnaani knows by experience, but forgets with time. A Vignaani knows by analyzing and he always remains stable (not the materially confused scientists who are restricted to the laboratory knowledge). A vignaani then transcends to the state of a sanyaasi who is completely detached (in complete knowledge of the absolute) from this material world, though he lives in and with this world.
Look at the wonderful analogy: gnyanadele (the leaf of knowledge) hasiru (the essence of that leaf) can be obtained by a careful extraction of that juice from the leaf that soothes. There is a tree out there, but all you need is a leaf out of it - the Bhagawad Gita. Not every tree (material knowledge) or leaf is useful, but the right leaf from the right tree, that provides the right protection from these material sufferings. Finally, DVG says "savaru" (apply) which implies that YOU NEED TO APPLY YOURSELF; just by listening to others or reading about others will not help but you need to practise yourself.
ಮುಳ್ತುಂಬಿಹವು ಜಗದ ದಾರಿಗಳದೆತ್ತಲುಂ |
ಕಾಲ್ತೆಳಕೆ ನೀಂ ಜ್ಞಾನದೆಲೆ ಹಸರು ಸವರು ||
ಮುಳ್ತಲೆಯ ಬಾಗಿಪುದು ನೆಲಹುಲ್ಲ ಹೊದೆಯುವುದು |
ಬಾಳ್ತನದ ತಂತ್ರವಿದು ಮಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
There are thorns throughout this world, apply the paste of knowledge to your foot, the thorns will bow down to you, the ground will lay grass for you, this is the trick to this life oh dull minded dumb fellow.
World and life is not a cake walk or a journey on a flower bed, though it could appear so for a few for some of the times. It rather is a journey that is filled with "thorns" or "hurdles" that one has to tread. The current economic state is probably a testimonial to this. If you are not faced with a challenge everyday then your life has not been exciting enough. Some see these challenges as "problems" and others as "opportunities", DVG has a much deeper perspective.
As said in the Bhagawad Gita there is nothing superior to knowledge (nahi jnyaanena sadhrisham), the world bows to the seer, the knowers, the knowledgable ones. Fools keep complaining about their struggle, about their material miseries. There are various levels of intelligence as we know: samsaari, gnaani, vignaani, and sanyaasi. A samsaari is entangled in this material world with attachments that eventually engulf his existence. A gnaani knows by experience, but forgets with time. A Vignaani knows by analyzing and he always remains stable (not the materially confused scientists who are restricted to the laboratory knowledge). A vignaani then transcends to the state of a sanyaasi who is completely detached (in complete knowledge of the absolute) from this material world, though he lives in and with this world.
Look at the wonderful analogy: gnyanadele (the leaf of knowledge) hasiru (the essence of that leaf) can be obtained by a careful extraction of that juice from the leaf that soothes. There is a tree out there, but all you need is a leaf out of it - the Bhagawad Gita. Not every tree (material knowledge) or leaf is useful, but the right leaf from the right tree, that provides the right protection from these material sufferings. Finally, DVG says "savaru" (apply) which implies that YOU NEED TO APPLY YOURSELF; just by listening to others or reading about others will not help but you need to practise yourself.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Important Note
There is something important that is worth mentioning at this point. Some friends checked with me as to why DVG is so pessimistic. Simple answer is: No, he is not. Firstly, he is just raising a few key questions that have been commonly raised in scholarly scriptures. Second, we have seen just 7 or 8 out of the magnificent 300+ verses. When one mines out gold, what you see at the begining is the dirt and dust. This does not mean that these queries are dirt and dust, but that DVG is intentionally digging out the surface for extracting (or is it for seeding) the jems within. These questions are highly relevant as they set the context and the platform that DVG utilizes with the expertise of an delicate artist.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Slaves of the senses
೧೦)
ದಾಸರೋ ನಾವೆಲ್ಲ ಶುನಕನಂದದಿ ಜಗದ |
ವಾಸನೆಗಳೆಳೆತಕ್ಕೆ, ದಿಕ್ಕುದಿಕ್ಕಿನಲಿ ||
ಪಾಶಗಳು ಹೊರಗೆ, ಕೊಂಡಿಗಳು ನಮ್ಮೊಳಗಿಹವು |
ವಾಸನಾ ಕ್ಷಯಮೋಕ್ಷ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Tired of being called a slave? Here goes one more!! DVG starts with the phrase "we are all slave of the traps outside". "daasa" or "slave" has little to independence to choose. It appears as if we have plenty to choose from but our senses dictate those options. So, its a myth that we make the choice. The tongue dictates what we eat; people have absolutely no control over what they eat - obesity is soon becoming the biggest headache worldwide as junk food dominate our tastes. Skin dictates the touch and feel, the male and female attraction for the sake of sensual pleasure. Similarly, we simply follow their instructions of our eyes, ears, and nose. Even if Mind intervenes it is soon overpowered by these senses. So, are we not slaves?
We may argue against this but psychological studies have consistently shown that we are not in control! We seem rational, logical, but rationality and logic are in the end only to satisfy these senses - for the pleasure sake only. We know that some food are unhealthy but we have little control. It needs self-control, and conscious effort to overcome these powerful signals.
There are numerous traps out there and we have the hooks within us looking for those traps, worse than the fishes. Will freedom from this never ending attrachment to external objects ever end?
ದಾಸರೋ ನಾವೆಲ್ಲ ಶುನಕನಂದದಿ ಜಗದ |
ವಾಸನೆಗಳೆಳೆತಕ್ಕೆ, ದಿಕ್ಕುದಿಕ್ಕಿನಲಿ ||
ಪಾಶಗಳು ಹೊರಗೆ, ಕೊಂಡಿಗಳು ನಮ್ಮೊಳಗಿಹವು |
ವಾಸನಾ ಕ್ಷಯಮೋಕ್ಷ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Tired of being called a slave? Here goes one more!! DVG starts with the phrase "we are all slave of the traps outside". "daasa" or "slave" has little to independence to choose. It appears as if we have plenty to choose from but our senses dictate those options. So, its a myth that we make the choice. The tongue dictates what we eat; people have absolutely no control over what they eat - obesity is soon becoming the biggest headache worldwide as junk food dominate our tastes. Skin dictates the touch and feel, the male and female attraction for the sake of sensual pleasure. Similarly, we simply follow their instructions of our eyes, ears, and nose. Even if Mind intervenes it is soon overpowered by these senses. So, are we not slaves?
We may argue against this but psychological studies have consistently shown that we are not in control! We seem rational, logical, but rationality and logic are in the end only to satisfy these senses - for the pleasure sake only. We know that some food are unhealthy but we have little control. It needs self-control, and conscious effort to overcome these powerful signals.
There are numerous traps out there and we have the hooks within us looking for those traps, worse than the fishes. Will freedom from this never ending attrachment to external objects ever end?
Monday, March 9, 2009
Master or Slave?
೯)
ಆನೆಗಾರ್ ಇರುವೆಗಾರ್ ಕಾಗೆಗಾರ್ ಕಪ್ಪೆಗಾರ್ |
ಕಾಣಿಸುವರನ್ನವನು? ಹಸಿವವರ ಗುರುವು ||
ಮನವನುಮಂತುದರಶಿಷ್ಯನವನಾ ರಸನೆ |
ನಾನಾವಯವಗಳಲಿ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮಾ ||
Are humans masters of the material world? superior to animals? may be they are, but they are certainly slaves to the senses. Animals are free from material desires, so they live life for the present and live happily as long as they live. But, we are unfortunate in that sense, that we seldom live in the present, either worried about the future or repenting about the past.
DVG tactfully takes four categories of animals - a mammal, an insect, a bird, and an amphibian (spanning water and land)! All these are satisfied by the basic physiological needs - eating, mating, sleeping, defending, but humans struggle for these four basic needs, seldom satisfied with what they possess.
You may have heard this before: even before we were born our food was ready, our stock of milk was stored in the mother's breast. Man tries to satisfy these needs through various needs and complicates the whole process. So, DVG again shows how humans are slaves of their senses.
ಆನೆಗಾರ್ ಇರುವೆಗಾರ್ ಕಾಗೆಗಾರ್ ಕಪ್ಪೆಗಾರ್ |
ಕಾಣಿಸುವರನ್ನವನು? ಹಸಿವವರ ಗುರುವು ||
ಮನವನುಮಂತುದರಶಿಷ್ಯನವನಾ ರಸನೆ |
ನಾನಾವಯವಗಳಲಿ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮಾ ||
Are humans masters of the material world? superior to animals? may be they are, but they are certainly slaves to the senses. Animals are free from material desires, so they live life for the present and live happily as long as they live. But, we are unfortunate in that sense, that we seldom live in the present, either worried about the future or repenting about the past.
DVG tactfully takes four categories of animals - a mammal, an insect, a bird, and an amphibian (spanning water and land)! All these are satisfied by the basic physiological needs - eating, mating, sleeping, defending, but humans struggle for these four basic needs, seldom satisfied with what they possess.
You may have heard this before: even before we were born our food was ready, our stock of milk was stored in the mother's breast. Man tries to satisfy these needs through various needs and complicates the whole process. So, DVG again shows how humans are slaves of their senses.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Desire, Desire, Desire!!
೭)
ಮನಸು ಬೆಳೆದಂತೆಲ್ಲ ಹಸಿವು ಬೆಳೆಯುವುದಯ್ಯ |
ತಣಿಸಲದನೊಗೆಯುವುದು ಬಗೆಬಗೆಯ ಯುಕ್ತಿ ||
ಮನುಜನೇಳಿಗೆಯದರಿನ್; ಆ ಮನಸಿನೇಳಿಗೆಗೆ |
ಕೊನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ? ಚಿಂತಿಸೆಲೋ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
What a beautiful way to start the verse, the hunger described till now is not the one that pertains to the body but to the mind. The bodily hunger can be easily satisfied; give it some food and it will ask only when it is hungry again. But the hunger of the mind is hard to satisfy. One conceives hundreds of ways to satisfy these modes of hunger, but only resulting in more of it; like getting stuck in a chakravyooha (an unsolvable puzzle) or a whirlpool or a tornado that intensifies and worsens over time, getting bigger and larger. In our attempts to overcome the ever burning desire we tend to employ tactics rather than a long term strategy.
A common analogy given in this regard is that of a raging forest fire that spreads beyond control. Physical hunger is associated with a satiable "digestive fire" or "vrikaagni", and material hunger (desire, lust) is associated with the insatiable "kaamaagni". In our attempt to control the raging fire we tend to give it more oil, creating an endless recursive loop. The first step towards managing this destructive fire is to "think" or "contemplate" about it - "ಚಿಂತಿಸೆಲೋ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ"!!!
೮)
ಬೇಕು ಬೇಕಿದು ಬೇಕು ಬೇಕಿದೆನಗಿನ್ನೊಂದು |
ಬೇಕೆನುತ ಬೊಬ್ಬಿಡುತಲಿಹ ಘಟವನಿದನು ||
ಏಕೆಂದು ರಚಿಸಿದನೊ ಬೊಮ್ಮನೀ ಬೇಕು ಜಪ |
ಸಾಕೆನಿಪುದೆಂದಿಗೆಲೊ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Greed needs no training, needs no instructions!! one need not go to a school to learn the "ಬೇಕು, ಬೇಕು" japa! Where does one learn this from? is there/this a problem? should not one be desiring, ambitious? As children we were happy, when did all the "trouble" start? No one can trace this, is it? are we not happy now (atleast we think we are)?!! Such questions confuse us or clarifies us. DVG seems to hint that this desire is beyond one's control, "ಏಕೆಂದು ರಚಿಸಿದನೊ ಬೊಮ್ಮನೀ ಬೇಕು ಜಪ ", as if the creator installed this as a feature! "ಸಾಕೆನಿಪುದೆಂದಿಗೆಲೊ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ", will we ever learn to say "enough"? He then says "ದಾಸರೋ ನಾವೆಲ್ಲ ಶುನಕನಂದದಿ ಜಗದ | ವಾಸನೆಗಳೆಳೆತಕ್ಕೆ, ದಿಕ್ಕುದಿಕ್ಕಿನಲಿ" - that we are slaves of these senses, running around this world directionless like an insect attracted to light only to die in the heat.
A few sholkas from Bhagawad Gita will add to the discussion here:
Which level are we operating at? Sense level? Intelligence level? How is Mind different from Intelligence? This is a topic that I would love to explore on a different thread.
Sri KrishNaarpaNam!
ಮನಸು ಬೆಳೆದಂತೆಲ್ಲ ಹಸಿವು ಬೆಳೆಯುವುದಯ್ಯ |
ತಣಿಸಲದನೊಗೆಯುವುದು ಬಗೆಬಗೆಯ ಯುಕ್ತಿ ||
ಮನುಜನೇಳಿಗೆಯದರಿನ್; ಆ ಮನಸಿನೇಳಿಗೆಗೆ |
ಕೊನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ? ಚಿಂತಿಸೆಲೋ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
What a beautiful way to start the verse, the hunger described till now is not the one that pertains to the body but to the mind. The bodily hunger can be easily satisfied; give it some food and it will ask only when it is hungry again. But the hunger of the mind is hard to satisfy. One conceives hundreds of ways to satisfy these modes of hunger, but only resulting in more of it; like getting stuck in a chakravyooha (an unsolvable puzzle) or a whirlpool or a tornado that intensifies and worsens over time, getting bigger and larger. In our attempts to overcome the ever burning desire we tend to employ tactics rather than a long term strategy.
A common analogy given in this regard is that of a raging forest fire that spreads beyond control. Physical hunger is associated with a satiable "digestive fire" or "vrikaagni", and material hunger (desire, lust) is associated with the insatiable "kaamaagni". In our attempt to control the raging fire we tend to give it more oil, creating an endless recursive loop. The first step towards managing this destructive fire is to "think" or "contemplate" about it - "ಚಿಂತಿಸೆಲೋ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ"!!!
೮)
ಬೇಕು ಬೇಕಿದು ಬೇಕು ಬೇಕಿದೆನಗಿನ್ನೊಂದು |
ಬೇಕೆನುತ ಬೊಬ್ಬಿಡುತಲಿಹ ಘಟವನಿದನು ||
ಏಕೆಂದು ರಚಿಸಿದನೊ ಬೊಮ್ಮನೀ ಬೇಕು ಜಪ |
ಸಾಕೆನಿಪುದೆಂದಿಗೆಲೊ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Greed needs no training, needs no instructions!! one need not go to a school to learn the "ಬೇಕು, ಬೇಕು" japa! Where does one learn this from? is there/this a problem? should not one be desiring, ambitious? As children we were happy, when did all the "trouble" start? No one can trace this, is it? are we not happy now (atleast we think we are)?!! Such questions confuse us or clarifies us. DVG seems to hint that this desire is beyond one's control, "ಏಕೆಂದು ರಚಿಸಿದನೊ ಬೊಮ್ಮನೀ ಬೇಕು ಜಪ ", as if the creator installed this as a feature! "ಸಾಕೆನಿಪುದೆಂದಿಗೆಲೊ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ", will we ever learn to say "enough"? He then says "ದಾಸರೋ ನಾವೆಲ್ಲ ಶುನಕನಂದದಿ ಜಗದ | ವಾಸನೆಗಳೆಳೆತಕ್ಕೆ, ದಿಕ್ಕುದಿಕ್ಕಿನಲಿ" - that we are slaves of these senses, running around this world directionless like an insect attracted to light only to die in the heat.
A few sholkas from Bhagawad Gita will add to the discussion here:
a) One should not fall under the control of senses and sense objects because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization (Chapter 3, Verse 34)
b) Lust which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world (Chapter 3, Verse 37)
c) As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, the living entity is covered by different degrees of this lust (Chapter 3, Verse 38)
d) A man's pure consciousness is covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire (Chapter 3, Verse 39)
e) The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust, which veils the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him (Chapter 3, Verse 40)
So, Lord Sri Krishna clearly says that lust and excessive desire are our biggest enemies, but we let these enemies rule us! We host a greedy Duryodhana, a foxy Shakuni, a blind Dhirthrashtra, a mindless Dhushaasana within us, and engage in this everyday Kurukshetra - an incessant battle within to satisfy the five senses. How could one overcome these hurdles?f) The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence (Chapter 3, Verse 42)
g) Knowing oneself to be transcendental to material senses, mind and intelligence, one should control the lower self by the higher self and conquer this insatiable enemy known as lust (Chapter 3, Verse 43)Which level are we operating at? Sense level? Intelligence level? How is Mind different from Intelligence? This is a topic that I would love to explore on a different thread.
Sri KrishNaarpaNam!
Chaotic World!
೫)
ಒಂದೇ ಗಗನವ ಕಾಣುತೊಂದೆ ನೆಲವನು ತುಳಿಯು |
ತೊಂದೆ ಧಾನ್ಯವನುಣ್ಣುತೊಂದೆ ನೀರ್ಗುಡಿದು ||
ಒಂದೇ ಗಾಳಿಯುನುಸಿರ್ವ ನರಜಾತಿಯೊಳಗಿಂತು |
ಬಂದದೀ ವೈಷಮ್ಯ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Why do we fight? why do we have misunderstandings & disagreements? why this hatred? why do all these negative forces rule this world? We fight over things that do not belong to us, that we do not own! why do we take that ownership? We share the same sky, but we fight for the sky - air space! We share the same land, but we fight over the land! fight over water! we fight like a child, crying "this is mine"!!! will we grow up? members of a family fight! What is the root cause to all these differences?
೬)
ಬೆದಕಾಟ ಬದುಕೆಲ್ಲ; ಕ್ಷಣಕ್ಷಣವು ಹೊಸಹಸಿವು |
ಅದಕಾಗಿ ಇದಕಾಗಿ ಮತ್ತೊಂದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ||
ಅಧಿಕಾರ ಸಿರಿಸೊಗಸು ಕೀರ್ತಿಗಳ ನೆನೆದು ಮನ |
ಕುದಿಯುತಿಹುದಾವಗಂ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
We keep struggling throughout our lives, every moment with a new desire, thinking that we would be happy with something we do not already have, adding more to life but living it less. The hunger never seems to stop, should it? We have heard others say this umpteen times! It is interesting to find examples from history for this struggle - from the Ramayana / Mahabharata times to the current age! Whats fascinating is our relative, limited rational being of continuously guaging our status with that of the (in)significant others. Any imbalance will keep our minds busy, hankering for more! But more than this hankering, it is the fire of jealousy, of greediness that is of focus here, I believe, a fire that burns one gradually - even relationships - but we let it boil! These could all be true, but this heat is what lets us run the show, keeps us moving forward! Then, why is this a problem? Or can this be the root cause for all the problems raised above? Anyway!
Shri KrishNaarpaNam!
ಒಂದೇ ಗಗನವ ಕಾಣುತೊಂದೆ ನೆಲವನು ತುಳಿಯು |
ತೊಂದೆ ಧಾನ್ಯವನುಣ್ಣುತೊಂದೆ ನೀರ್ಗುಡಿದು ||
ಒಂದೇ ಗಾಳಿಯುನುಸಿರ್ವ ನರಜಾತಿಯೊಳಗಿಂತು |
ಬಂದದೀ ವೈಷಮ್ಯ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
Why do we fight? why do we have misunderstandings & disagreements? why this hatred? why do all these negative forces rule this world? We fight over things that do not belong to us, that we do not own! why do we take that ownership? We share the same sky, but we fight for the sky - air space! We share the same land, but we fight over the land! fight over water! we fight like a child, crying "this is mine"!!! will we grow up? members of a family fight! What is the root cause to all these differences?
೬)
ಬೆದಕಾಟ ಬದುಕೆಲ್ಲ; ಕ್ಷಣಕ್ಷಣವು ಹೊಸಹಸಿವು |
ಅದಕಾಗಿ ಇದಕಾಗಿ ಮತ್ತೊಂದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ||
ಅಧಿಕಾರ ಸಿರಿಸೊಗಸು ಕೀರ್ತಿಗಳ ನೆನೆದು ಮನ |
ಕುದಿಯುತಿಹುದಾವಗಂ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||
We keep struggling throughout our lives, every moment with a new desire, thinking that we would be happy with something we do not already have, adding more to life but living it less. The hunger never seems to stop, should it? We have heard others say this umpteen times! It is interesting to find examples from history for this struggle - from the Ramayana / Mahabharata times to the current age! Whats fascinating is our relative, limited rational being of continuously guaging our status with that of the (in)significant others. Any imbalance will keep our minds busy, hankering for more! But more than this hankering, it is the fire of jealousy, of greediness that is of focus here, I believe, a fire that burns one gradually - even relationships - but we let it boil! These could all be true, but this heat is what lets us run the show, keeps us moving forward! Then, why is this a problem? Or can this be the root cause for all the problems raised above? Anyway!
Shri KrishNaarpaNam!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Critical Inquiry!
3)
ಏನು ಜೀವನದರ್ಥ? ಏನು ಪ್ರಪಂಚಾರ್ಥ?
ಏನು ಜೀವಪ್ರಪಂಚಗಳ ಸಂಬಂಧ?
ಕಾಣದಿಲ್ಲಿರ್ಪುದೇನಾನುಮುಂಟೆ? ಅದೇನು?
ಜ್ಞಾನ ಪ್ರಮಾಣವೇಂ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ
Why do we have this life, what is its meaning? Why does the world exist? what does it indicate? whats the relationship between the living entities and the physical world? Is there some hidden agenda? there seems to be some non apparent, invisible force, what is that? how to investigate this relationship?
These questions may appear obvious! But, understanding this relationship is beyond the capacity of the five (dull) material senses that we take pride in; i.e. a relationship that is beyond what eyes can see, what skin can sense, what tongue can taste, what ears can listen, and what our nose can smell. So, one may need to transcend these material senses, cross the ego, and reach the mind where answers may already exist; mind/intelligence as a tool to mine out the knowledge that rests in the eternal memory. But mind and intelligence are limited by one's abilities, in a world that glorifies sensual enjoyment, where senses rule over mind. If so then, how could one reach this level of understanding? Through scientific investigation, pursuing jnyaana.
But in a world that claims to be scientific, the investigation surprisingly limits (the current "scientific investigation" or "empirical investigation") itself to only one kind of "pramaaNa" - the Pratyaksha PramaaNa, knowledge acquiring through the senses (observable facts). One may have to take the next leap, the "Anumana", a contemplative route to understand the non-obvious, the unobservable, so as to understand the un-manifested by studying the manifested. This path requires one to draw knowledge through inference; understanding the "cause" by analyzing the "effect". But current science, again, limits its inference to the observable phenomenon only. There are some thresholds that one's speculative abilities may reach, so one will have to take refuge of the experts. At this stage one may have to switch to the next level of pramaaNa, the shabda pramaaNa - deriving knowledge from the experts/scriptures through the mode of instruction.
In short, the Pratyaksha PramaaNa is the crudest and the least effective one to understand this relationship, but we seem to excessively settle our logic at this level. So, DVG ushers us, elevates us to the next levels, towards acquiring knowledge through intelligence and wisdom, by experience and through experts; a more scientific approach to understanding this complex relationship.
Shri KrishNaarpaNam!
ಏನು ಜೀವನದರ್ಥ? ಏನು ಪ್ರಪಂಚಾರ್ಥ?
ಏನು ಜೀವಪ್ರಪಂಚಗಳ ಸಂಬಂಧ?
ಕಾಣದಿಲ್ಲಿರ್ಪುದೇನಾನುಮುಂಟೆ? ಅದೇನು?
ಜ್ಞಾನ ಪ್ರಮಾಣವೇಂ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ
Why do we have this life, what is its meaning? Why does the world exist? what does it indicate? whats the relationship between the living entities and the physical world? Is there some hidden agenda? there seems to be some non apparent, invisible force, what is that? how to investigate this relationship?
These questions may appear obvious! But, understanding this relationship is beyond the capacity of the five (dull) material senses that we take pride in; i.e. a relationship that is beyond what eyes can see, what skin can sense, what tongue can taste, what ears can listen, and what our nose can smell. So, one may need to transcend these material senses, cross the ego, and reach the mind where answers may already exist; mind/intelligence as a tool to mine out the knowledge that rests in the eternal memory. But mind and intelligence are limited by one's abilities, in a world that glorifies sensual enjoyment, where senses rule over mind. If so then, how could one reach this level of understanding? Through scientific investigation, pursuing jnyaana.
But in a world that claims to be scientific, the investigation surprisingly limits (the current "scientific investigation" or "empirical investigation") itself to only one kind of "pramaaNa" - the Pratyaksha PramaaNa, knowledge acquiring through the senses (observable facts). One may have to take the next leap, the "Anumana", a contemplative route to understand the non-obvious, the unobservable, so as to understand the un-manifested by studying the manifested. This path requires one to draw knowledge through inference; understanding the "cause" by analyzing the "effect". But current science, again, limits its inference to the observable phenomenon only. There are some thresholds that one's speculative abilities may reach, so one will have to take refuge of the experts. At this stage one may have to switch to the next level of pramaaNa, the shabda pramaaNa - deriving knowledge from the experts/scriptures through the mode of instruction.
In short, the Pratyaksha PramaaNa is the crudest and the least effective one to understand this relationship, but we seem to excessively settle our logic at this level. So, DVG ushers us, elevates us to the next levels, towards acquiring knowledge through intelligence and wisdom, by experience and through experts; a more scientific approach to understanding this complex relationship.
Shri KrishNaarpaNam!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Why a poem?
೨)
ಕವಿಯಲ್ಲ, ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಿಯಲ್ಲ, ಬರಿ ತಾರಾಡಿ
ಅವನರವಿಗೆಟುಕುವವೊಲೊಂದಾತ್ಮ ನಯವ
ಹವಣಿಸಿದನಿದನು ಪಾಮರಜನದ ಮಾತಿನಲಿ
ಕವನ ನೆನಪಿಗೆ ಸುಲಭ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ
Why the verses form over the prose form? Simple logic: poems, and words written in common man's language, are easier to remember! Despite DVG's sincere intent, the current degeneration of knowledge of Kannada in Kannadigas makes it hard for most of us to understand the true essence of the kaggas. So, its no surprise to find 100s of Kannada translations for Kagga available in the market. But DVG, as said before, chooses each word carefully and it could not have been any more concise than this.
In this verse too, DVG extends his humble nature by claiming that he is neither a poet (we know that he was one of the best), nor a scientist (we will see his scientific thought process in his anologies, he is nothing less than a social/psychological scientist/philosopher). He says that he writes from what his intellect can reach, but as we read through the kaggas we will see how far reaching his insights are. If it was his mere speculation then they could have been tainted by limitations, but its not just the speculations or silent contemplations that is in use, but a beautiful, dutiful marriage of a well lived personal experiences and Vedic wisdom.
From here on, DVG gets inquisitive and asks numerous questions that all the great saint and thinkers seem to have asked before. An advertisement during our primary school days would capture his style: "the greatest of this man is his simplicity". The questions raised are simple, precise, in-depth, and most importantly sincere because he is not asking anybody else but the self. I would think that he places himself in the stance of Arjuna, and his experience + vedic wisdom in the place of Krishna. So, if there is anything like ಆತ್ಮಸಾಕ್ಷಾತ್ಕಾರ (self-realization), it could be this.
Shri KrishNaarpaNam!
ಕವಿಯಲ್ಲ, ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಿಯಲ್ಲ, ಬರಿ ತಾರಾಡಿ
ಅವನರವಿಗೆಟುಕುವವೊಲೊಂದಾತ್ಮ ನಯವ
ಹವಣಿಸಿದನಿದನು ಪಾಮರಜನದ ಮಾತಿನಲಿ
ಕವನ ನೆನಪಿಗೆ ಸುಲಭ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ
Why the verses form over the prose form? Simple logic: poems, and words written in common man's language, are easier to remember! Despite DVG's sincere intent, the current degeneration of knowledge of Kannada in Kannadigas makes it hard for most of us to understand the true essence of the kaggas. So, its no surprise to find 100s of Kannada translations for Kagga available in the market. But DVG, as said before, chooses each word carefully and it could not have been any more concise than this.
In this verse too, DVG extends his humble nature by claiming that he is neither a poet (we know that he was one of the best), nor a scientist (we will see his scientific thought process in his anologies, he is nothing less than a social/psychological scientist/philosopher). He says that he writes from what his intellect can reach, but as we read through the kaggas we will see how far reaching his insights are. If it was his mere speculation then they could have been tainted by limitations, but its not just the speculations or silent contemplations that is in use, but a beautiful, dutiful marriage of a well lived personal experiences and Vedic wisdom.
From here on, DVG gets inquisitive and asks numerous questions that all the great saint and thinkers seem to have asked before. An advertisement during our primary school days would capture his style: "the greatest of this man is his simplicity". The questions raised are simple, precise, in-depth, and most importantly sincere because he is not asking anybody else but the self. I would think that he places himself in the stance of Arjuna, and his experience + vedic wisdom in the place of Krishna. So, if there is anything like ಆತ್ಮಸಾಕ್ಷಾತ್ಕಾರ (self-realization), it could be this.
Shri KrishNaarpaNam!
From the Great Books of Knowledge and Experience!
೧)
ವಿಶದಮಾದೊಂದು ಜೀವನಧರ್ಮದರ್ಶನವ
ನುಸುರಿಕೊಳೆ ತನ್ನ ಮನಸಿಗೆ ತಾನೆ ಬಗೆದು
ನಿಸದವಂ ಗ್ರಂಥಾನುಭವಗಳಿಂದಾರಿಸುತ
ಹೊಸೆದನೀ ಕಗ್ಗವನು ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ
DVG starts this masterpiece with a simple, humble confession of what is to come in the next few/several verses. What fascinates me is the subtle way of saying "how" it has evolved into what it is. There are several aspects in this verse that are key to the entire work.
First of all, DVG emphasizes here the thought process, the contemplative aspect of the revelation, derived from a careful assessment of the self revealing life experiences; like a puzzle that solves itself. What is to follow is not just a philosophical or theoretical treatise but a exposition of life experiences; work derived extensively from personal experiences and wisdom from the great books of knowledge.
"ಅನುಭವ" or "experience" can be mediocre or subjective, and the ಗ್ರಂಥ or scriptures or the great books of knowledge could be theoretical/idealistic. So, it is this magnificent blend extracted by a sincere exploration of life, living and wisdom (not just knowledge) from scriptures that makes kagga a masterpiece. Finally, he says that this work is not just a thought dump but one that is crafted by a careful selection (ಆರಿಸುತ, ಹೊಸೆದ) of these experiences and knowledge. So, every word seems to have gone through a micro filter, duly weighted.
In his conclusion, DVG again exhibits his humility and humor yet again with the use of his signature word mankutimma (ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ), probably tagging himself a "dumbo", or a brainless chap? Is this more of a self-instruction? An internal dialogue? Or is DVG thinking aloud? As the texts unveil the genius in DVG, it becomes evident that this is for all the dull minds (like us) who fail to understand the true essence of life and living.
DVG has always been considered a poetic genius but mankutimmana kagga reveals his amazing depth of knowledge and unbelievable talent of drawing examples/analogies that can leave anyone and everyone mesmerized. So, fasten your seat belts while you read through the verses, I am sure a few verses would leave you rechewing, ಮೆಲಕು ಹಾಕೋ ಹಾಗೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೆ ಗುರು :)
Shri KrishNaarpaNam!
ವಿಶದಮಾದೊಂದು ಜೀವನಧರ್ಮದರ್ಶನವ
ನುಸುರಿಕೊಳೆ ತನ್ನ ಮನಸಿಗೆ ತಾನೆ ಬಗೆದು
ನಿಸದವಂ ಗ್ರಂಥಾನುಭವಗಳಿಂದಾರಿಸುತ
ಹೊಸೆದನೀ ಕಗ್ಗವನು ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ
DVG starts this masterpiece with a simple, humble confession of what is to come in the next few/several verses. What fascinates me is the subtle way of saying "how" it has evolved into what it is. There are several aspects in this verse that are key to the entire work.
First of all, DVG emphasizes here the thought process, the contemplative aspect of the revelation, derived from a careful assessment of the self revealing life experiences; like a puzzle that solves itself. What is to follow is not just a philosophical or theoretical treatise but a exposition of life experiences; work derived extensively from personal experiences and wisdom from the great books of knowledge.
"ಅನುಭವ" or "experience" can be mediocre or subjective, and the ಗ್ರಂಥ or scriptures or the great books of knowledge could be theoretical/idealistic. So, it is this magnificent blend extracted by a sincere exploration of life, living and wisdom (not just knowledge) from scriptures that makes kagga a masterpiece. Finally, he says that this work is not just a thought dump but one that is crafted by a careful selection (ಆರಿಸುತ, ಹೊಸೆದ) of these experiences and knowledge. So, every word seems to have gone through a micro filter, duly weighted.
In his conclusion, DVG again exhibits his humility and humor yet again with the use of his signature word mankutimma (ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ), probably tagging himself a "dumbo", or a brainless chap? Is this more of a self-instruction? An internal dialogue? Or is DVG thinking aloud? As the texts unveil the genius in DVG, it becomes evident that this is for all the dull minds (like us) who fail to understand the true essence of life and living.
DVG has always been considered a poetic genius but mankutimmana kagga reveals his amazing depth of knowledge and unbelievable talent of drawing examples/analogies that can leave anyone and everyone mesmerized. So, fasten your seat belts while you read through the verses, I am sure a few verses would leave you rechewing, ಮೆಲಕು ಹಾಕೋ ಹಾಗೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೆ ಗುರು :)
Shri KrishNaarpaNam!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Kagga Explored
I have not started this yet and plan to start in a short while. I would take one kagga at a time and explore a little into its meaning and essence.
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