ஒளியின் திருநாள்

ஒளியின் திருநாளன்று
துளியாவது முயன்று
வெளியொலி குறைத்து
உள்ளொளி கூட்டுவோமாக

Conflict

Touch gizmo shines
Young left out India looks, longs
Guilt, misery abounds

Broken Pail

Thus broke the pail
Causing a lot of wail
No more water in the pail
No more moon in the water

வைராக்கியம்

வைராக்கியம் அமைதி தரும் அதின்மை
வாழ்வை மெகாசீரியல் ஆக்கிவிடும்

உபுண்டு

கொடிது கொடிது உபுண்டு இல்லா கணினி
அதனினும் கொடிது உபுண்டு உணரா மனிதா நீ!

செவி - நாவு

செவிக்கு அறவே வேலை இல்லையெனில்
அளவாய் நாவு உழலட்டுமே

Orange butterfly

Blissfully unaware
Midst of an intense debate
Orange butterfly

நடந்தது என்ன?

நடக்காத ஒருவரைக் கண்டு
நடக்கும் பலர் இன்று
நடந்து நடந்து அழுவது
நடந்ததை கண்டு அதிர்ந்தா
நடக்க இருப்பதை எண்ணி பயந்தா?

Yoga practice and crows!

Crows near my house are not happy with me practising yoga late morning. This means pooja is delayed and that implies that food for them (provided after pooja) is also delayed. They poke their nose through the kitchen window and crow loud to complain to my mom about the delay. Little things matter a lot. So it seems!

அவனில் மூழ்க வழி

அவனில் மூழ்க முயற்சியும் அருளும்
செர்வதின்றி வழியேதும் இல்!

உண்டி கொடுப்பவர்

அறமும் யோகமும் வேண்டி வாழ்பவர்
இனத்திற்கே உண்டி கொடுப்பவர்!

What is Ekagrata?

Translating words from Sanskrit into English is a tricky business. The depth (in terms of inner evolution) of the translator affects the translation. For example, consider the word love. How do we provide meaning to this word?

When we see one of our favourite songs being played on radio, we exclaim 'Oh I love that song'. This has a certain meaning. Then, there are other meanings to the same word. When in a deeply intimate moment with a loved one, we exclaim 'I love you'. The meaning of the word love in this usage is completely different. It obviously has a much deeper connotation.

Sanskrit words, especially the ones used in the context of Yoga and inner evolution, have varied meanings with different depths. If one enquires into it relentlessly, the meanings will be revealed.

Ekagrata is usually translated as 'concentration'. This is not wrong but in my opinion it is one of the grosser meaning and not the deepest meaning possible. Usually, the example of Arjuna (the historical / mythical archer), who was able to effortlessly focus on the eye of the bird which he was to shoot at, as a sparkling example of Ekagrata. This is a wonderful ability to have. It helps one frequently get into the state of flow. This will help one stay ahead of the curve and succeed in most of the mundane aspects of life.

But, in my opinion, there are deeper meanings. The example of Bhagiratha is a case in point. He wanted to accomplish something deeply socially meaningful. Tremendous amount of effort had to be put in towards his chosen goal over many decades. In today's context, imagine trying to convince all of India (farmers / consumers / leaders) to accept organic farming. There will be many difficulties (some genuine / some born out of greed / some born out of ignorance etc). Besides that there would be many difficulties that one invites due to one's own yet to be cleared sub-conscious. Imagine the kind of effort that will one have to put in to accomplish this. This will require one to sublimate all of ones available energies into this single chosen goal. That, to me, is a much deeper meaning for ekagrata than concentration. Concentration is not to be denigrated. It becomes a necessity for the manifestation of this deeper quality. 

This deep quality called ekagrata is a life vision for oneself. This should not be confused with ambition. Ambition is motivated by the ego. This indicates a sub-conscious that is yet to be cleared (not suppressed) of lower desires like need for fame / social status etc. The vision is one that is manifested after clearing of all the sub conscious. One has to go beyond petty desires like career and seeking of various pleasures. The great thing is that to cultivate ekagrata one does not need a clear sub-conscious straight away. If one wants ekagrata seriously, one will slowly work on cleaning oneself up. This process is Yoga and will lead to the flowering of the higher qualities in the individual.

Such a vision will clearly be the biggest and greatest contribution that the individual in question can offer to the world. When one is channelling all of ones life energies towards that vision one can be said to be in a state of Ekagrata.

நெருஞ்சி முள்

அறமும் வீடும் காமம் கடக்கா
கயவர்க்கு நெருஞ்சி முள்!

குறையொன்றுமில்லை

வயிற்றிற்கு உணவாய் சுண்டல் தாயிடமிருந்து வந்த சமயம்
செவிக்கு உணவாய் அற்புத கானம் மனையாள் அளித்தாள்
பசி அனைத்தும் தீர்ந்து மெய்மறந்து இருக்கும் எனக்கு
குறையொன்றுமில்லை குறையொன்றுமில்லை நிறைமூர்த்தி கண்ணா!

Yuddham thyajatha , Spardhaam thyajatha

Maithreem Bhajata - A beautiful song written by the great saint Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati. There are many wonderful renditions of this song - this one by T.M.Krishna is a lovely one

The lyrics clearly indicate this great saints advice to humanity. The title of this note (Yuddham thyajatha , Spardhaam thyajatha) is from the song. It literally translates as

Please forsake war for ever,
Please forsake competition for ever!

The great man requests humanity to forsake competition in the same breath where he asks us to forsake war. I feel, he clearly makes a connection between the two. While the exact nature of the connection may not be obvious, I feel, he may have considered competition to be the seed of war.

When such is the case, should we not pause to look at all the places where competition is cultivated in our lives and then consider deeply if its presence is needed? What do our schools and other educational institutions inculcate in the impressionable minds of our young ones? What spirit do the companies we work for embody? What spirit do they cultivate in their employees? One single truth that permeates all these institutions is competition. What does a country whose economy is based on GDP cultivate in its citizens?

Either we ourselves must be able to see this and act. If not, we must pay serious heed to great saints like him. If not, disaster awaits!

பழம் உண்டின்

இரவில் விரும்பி பழம் உண்டின்
கபம் நீங்கிய சுவாசம் ஓடும்
மலம் நீங்கிய அபானா வளையும்
அகம் காட்டும் மதி கிட்டுமாமே!

அவரிடம் கேட்டேன் வைராகியம்

அவரிடம் கேட்டேன் அவரின் வைராகியம்
அவரிடம் கிடைத்தது அழகிய புன்னகை
அவரிடம் விழித்தேன் விடை புரியாமல்
பெற்றுக்கொள் முடிந்தால் என்றவரே நகைத்தார்!