Friday, July 6, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2007
An Ode to the Gandharva......
Mani bhaiya..!
So blessed he is.. the devotion , the enchanting singing , the un-mistakable style ... how blessed we are - to be present in those blissful satsangs with the Lord in front of us and he singing "hey Nataraja...hey nataraja ... hey nataraja om.. "
or the most beautiful "deva manohara ... " or the touching emotional "tumse ho jodi... " .. where he has merged with HIM and the advaita is all-encompassing...
this is not the 1st time i am writing about Mani bhaiya.. every single time i have sat in his satsangs, i have left , purer and healed.. there are far too many fav instances.. i still remember.. in the beginning.. in 2003.. i had experienced through mani bhaiya, wat it means to be in a blissful satsang.. and i had written.. how his music is healing.. like 'Yanni' , his satsangs would transport me to no-where.. i was a novice in the world of spirituality (ofcourse, i still am) but his devotional singing had shown me what bliss meant.. i would just sit there, eyes closed n lost to the world.. the most beautiful rendition of "jai jai radha ramana hari bol" .. and "Gurudeva Guru om" , in old amphi theatre... the engaging sundaranana and high-energy narayana narayana jai jai Govinda hare in city satsangs.. the high octave malayalam "kanna kanna ", during padayatras before SJC .. and ofcourse... the satsangs in VM ..
i remember the satsang in sahakarnagar , when mani bhaiu sang 'narayana narayan jai jai govinda hare' .. maam had gone n asked mani bhaiya "what is this? what is this?" ..cuz she had gone into a trance.. and so had i ..!
the no of times i have cried in his satsangs, i have lost count.. it was Mani bhaiya who told me that a satsang should bring a tear to the eye.. and mani bhaiya's satsangs have the distinction of opening up flood gates ..! the time when he sang 'parameshwaraya shashishekaraya gangadharaya namah om' in 2007 , after Rudra pooja in Yagya shaala and i had never seen G go into such a trance ever.. Gurudeva literally showed us truth is contradictory in HIS trance , with pain,joy, the navras merging in the outflow of energy..leaving all the devotees in an incredible state of bewilderment and 'awe-struckness'..there i sat taking in such a rare sight..in a daze..amazed at the duality of this shishya and the Guru, yet both coming together in that musical trance.. all i cud feel were the goose-bumps and of how blessed i was, to be part of that (no more words to capture that day)...
Mani bhaiya.. when Muthuswami Dikshitar sang , it rained water.. when u sing, it rains devotion! with devotion oozing out of every pore of ur being , we cant be left behind.. u take us along with u and we are left speechless..only our tears do the talking...
i have experienced the trance-like state .. in the bestest ever 'Hari Narayana' and "Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu" ... capturing the latter on video is the best use that we have put technology to (see it below).. listening to it [again n again - its an exception to Marshall's law of 'Diminishing Marginal Utility' !], we are lost.. to the world , to the senses, the creation, to the elements (!).. eyes closed , we stop breathing, enchanted , encaptured in his Devotion.. to my Lord.. the Lord of the Creation..
i have tried to capture in words, a joy which is inexpressible .. a devotion which cant be measured or described .. and the voice which is most blessed..
an ode to the Gandharva ..
So blessed he is.. the devotion , the enchanting singing , the un-mistakable style ... how blessed we are - to be present in those blissful satsangs with the Lord in front of us and he singing "hey Nataraja...hey nataraja ... hey nataraja om.. "
or the most beautiful "deva manohara ... " or the touching emotional "tumse ho jodi... " .. where he has merged with HIM and the advaita is all-encompassing...
this is not the 1st time i am writing about Mani bhaiya.. every single time i have sat in his satsangs, i have left , purer and healed.. there are far too many fav instances.. i still remember.. in the beginning.. in 2003.. i had experienced through mani bhaiya, wat it means to be in a blissful satsang.. and i had written.. how his music is healing.. like 'Yanni' , his satsangs would transport me to no-where.. i was a novice in the world of spirituality (ofcourse, i still am) but his devotional singing had shown me what bliss meant.. i would just sit there, eyes closed n lost to the world.. the most beautiful rendition of "jai jai radha ramana hari bol" .. and "Gurudeva Guru om" , in old amphi theatre... the engaging sundaranana and high-energy narayana narayana jai jai Govinda hare in city satsangs.. the high octave malayalam "kanna kanna ", during padayatras before SJC .. and ofcourse... the satsangs in VM ..
i remember the satsang in sahakarnagar , when mani bhaiu sang 'narayana narayan jai jai govinda hare' .. maam had gone n asked mani bhaiya "what is this? what is this?" ..cuz she had gone into a trance.. and so had i ..!
the no of times i have cried in his satsangs, i have lost count.. it was Mani bhaiya who told me that a satsang should bring a tear to the eye.. and mani bhaiya's satsangs have the distinction of opening up flood gates ..! the time when he sang 'parameshwaraya shashishekaraya gangadharaya namah om' in 2007 , after Rudra pooja in Yagya shaala and i had never seen G go into such a trance ever.. Gurudeva literally showed us truth is contradictory in HIS trance , with pain,joy, the navras merging in the outflow of energy..leaving all the devotees in an incredible state of bewilderment and 'awe-struckness'..there i sat taking in such a rare sight..in a daze..amazed at the duality of this shishya and the Guru, yet both coming together in that musical trance.. all i cud feel were the goose-bumps and of how blessed i was, to be part of that (no more words to capture that day)...
Mani bhaiya.. when Muthuswami Dikshitar sang , it rained water.. when u sing, it rains devotion! with devotion oozing out of every pore of ur being , we cant be left behind.. u take us along with u and we are left speechless..only our tears do the talking...
i have experienced the trance-like state .. in the bestest ever 'Hari Narayana' and "Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu" ... capturing the latter on video is the best use that we have put technology to (see it below).. listening to it [again n again - its an exception to Marshall's law of 'Diminishing Marginal Utility' !], we are lost.. to the world , to the senses, the creation, to the elements (!).. eyes closed , we stop breathing, enchanted , encaptured in his Devotion.. to my Lord.. the Lord of the Creation..
i have tried to capture in words, a joy which is inexpressible .. a devotion which cant be measured or described .. and the voice which is most blessed..
an ode to the Gandharva ..
Friday, August 17, 2007
The Lord of the Creation..!
I wrote this in November '06.. and felt like sharing it... just a glimpse of my Lord.. our Lord...
Nov 1st - whoa! what a day!
The LORD of the Universe showering me with abundance of his presence! HE arrived from ananthpur in a helicopter at the Jakkur Airfield. Just at the mention of "jakkur", i become nostalgic abt our SJC and going there afte 9 months, the memories of those 3 "wow!" days, came> flooding... HE got off the heli and walked towards us in all majesty...smiling and nodding at me, HE took my breath-away ! [thank god i had done the kriya in the morning! ;) ]
HE got into maam's car [maam is Raji maam, ] and whoa! it was the drive of my life - driving the LORD for 25 mins! [though i had driven him before - 9 months back - it was for a shorter duration] HE kept hitting me and i kept laughing all the way.. Esp when HE asked me(in kannada) "namma silver jubilee hit ittu alva?" ... and i actually replied "ofcourse howdu howdu" !!
HE was surprised when Maam told him that it takes 2-3 hrs from vidyaranyapura to the ashram (now, like he doesnt know all this!) .. HE asked where i stay and how much time it takes from kumarapark to ashram! i was grinning ear to ear! (the next day when i met HIM in ashram, HE asked me,"oh u have come from THERE? how did u come? how much time u took?? - i was laughing as HE only arranged everything for me and HE was askin me now so innocently! HE's just so cute! )
anyways, back to the drive, HE started hitting me at a signal cuz i wasnt wearing the seat belt and i just blurted out "Guruji, why do i need seat belt when you are sitting next to me!" Bhanu didi, who was also in the car, at the back, bursted into laughter! The whole time, I was praying[to Gurudeva ofcourse], that we get red light at both the signals on the way [he he hee] and HE granted my wish! I was stealing glances at HIM and His phone [;)] and it felt oh so nice! ha ha haaa.,.. At maam's house, it was an awesome sight to see him sit with eyes closed and a smile on his face, as she did paadapooja... wow! Served HIM fruits and was in bliss! :-) :-) :-) :-)
As HE told maam before leaving, "Your sankalpa was there and i have come"...... In HIS gratitude, to my MASTER .. Tasmaye Sri Guravee Namaha - To the Gloriously Radiant Master, i bow down!
and this is a fav video of mine... my Gurudeva at his sweetest, naughtiest self ! Jai Gurudev!
p.s: my gyaani friend [ http://padmapadam.blogspot.com] says, " expression is abt freedom.. when u r sentimental. u dont express.. it gets bottled up.. expression is abt the brave and the bold. and for the one who is in love. poets and artists and devotees express.. its not sentiment.. "
Nov 1st - whoa! what a day!
The LORD of the Universe showering me with abundance of his presence! HE arrived from ananthpur in a helicopter at the Jakkur Airfield. Just at the mention of "jakkur", i become nostalgic abt our SJC and going there afte 9 months, the memories of those 3 "wow!" days, came> flooding... HE got off the heli and walked towards us in all majesty...smiling and nodding at me, HE took my breath-away ! [thank god i had done the kriya in the morning! ;) ]
HE got into maam's car [maam is Raji maam, ] and whoa! it was the drive of my life - driving the LORD for 25 mins! [though i had driven him before - 9 months back - it was for a shorter duration] HE kept hitting me and i kept laughing all the way.. Esp when HE asked me(in kannada) "namma silver jubilee hit ittu alva?" ... and i actually replied "ofcourse howdu howdu" !!
HE was surprised when Maam told him that it takes 2-3 hrs from vidyaranyapura to the ashram (now, like he doesnt know all this!) .. HE asked where i stay and how much time it takes from kumarapark to ashram! i was grinning ear to ear! (the next day when i met HIM in ashram, HE asked me,"oh u have come from THERE? how did u come? how much time u took?? - i was laughing as HE only arranged everything for me and HE was askin me now so innocently! HE's just so cute! )
anyways, back to the drive, HE started hitting me at a signal cuz i wasnt wearing the seat belt and i just blurted out "Guruji, why do i need seat belt when you are sitting next to me!" Bhanu didi, who was also in the car, at the back, bursted into laughter! The whole time, I was praying[to Gurudeva ofcourse], that we get red light at both the signals on the way [he he hee] and HE granted my wish! I was stealing glances at HIM and His phone [;)] and it felt oh so nice! ha ha haaa.,.. At maam's house, it was an awesome sight to see him sit with eyes closed and a smile on his face, as she did paadapooja... wow! Served HIM fruits and was in bliss! :-) :-) :-) :-)
As HE told maam before leaving, "Your sankalpa was there and i have come"...... In HIS gratitude, to my MASTER .. Tasmaye Sri Guravee Namaha - To the Gloriously Radiant Master, i bow down!
and this is a fav video of mine... my Gurudeva at his sweetest, naughtiest self ! Jai Gurudev!
p.s: my gyaani friend [ http://padmapadam.blogspot.com] says, " expression is abt freedom.. when u r sentimental. u dont express.. it gets bottled up.. expression is abt the brave and the bold. and for the one who is in love. poets and artists and devotees express.. its not sentiment.. "
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
ee-why ?
a few random thoughts...
As i stepped out of UB city this evening, i felt i had left behind a part of me.. It may not be feeling of loss but it was a feeling of void.. i was myself surprised at it.. why was i feeling it ?!
Cuz it felt like just yesterday when i walked into EY - full of apprehension and anxiety.. i hated my job in the beginning.. esp those days when people weren't exactly friendly and i was sitting jobless - it was hellish.. but like everything else, i also started getting adjusted cuz my Guru wanted me to ! i even took a lot of time before i started saying that EY was my firm !
things changed.. learnings started from basics.. but i was glad that i was learning afterall ! but the best part was that i did not actually realise that i was loving office till i resigned!
yes i was going to miss it all - the friends, the work, the sweet boss, the lovely view from my seat, the independence, the money ! but as Gurudev says, EVERYTHING IS CHANGING !
the sense of void and (even) loss was much more when i got out of my coll - Mount Carmel College.. i had grown in its lap for 5 long prime yrs - with a bindaas carefree life.. and it was the end of that part of my life...
coming to think of it, i have never been expressive nor sentimental abt either people or things.. but this time, i felt words pouring out - bored to be stuck in the confines of my stupid mind ... ! and hence this 1st blog of my life ( my grandma always scolds me that i must not use the term "life" cuz i havent seen much of it!) ..
yes, you(?!) traverse this path called life - moving on without stopping at any hurdle or getting attached to any beautiful pit-stops on the way ..
at this juncture of my life (again!) i wanna quote a beautifull verse here (u obvi know by whom):
I PROMISE….
If I had to promise you some thing, what it would be?
I can’t promise that you would always be comfortable...
Because comfort brings boredom & discomfort.
I can’t promise that all your desires will be fulfilled….
Because desires whether fulfilled or unfulfilled bring frustration.
I can’t promise that there will always be good times…
Because it is the tough times that make us appreciate joy.
I can’t promise that we will be rich or famous or powerful…
Because they can all be the pathways to misery.
I can’t promise that we will always be together…
Because it is separation that makes togetherness so wonderful.
Yet, if you are willing to walk with me,
If you are willing to value love over everything else,
I promise that this will be the most rich andFulfilling life possible.
I promise your life will be an eternal celebration,
I promise you I will cherish you more than A king cherishes his crown,
And I shall love you more than A mother loves her newborn.
If you are willing to walk into my arms,
If you are willing to live in my heart,
You will find the one you have waited forever…
You will meet yourself in my arms….
I Promise…
- His Divinity Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
As i stepped out of UB city this evening, i felt i had left behind a part of me.. It may not be feeling of loss but it was a feeling of void.. i was myself surprised at it.. why was i feeling it ?!
Cuz it felt like just yesterday when i walked into EY - full of apprehension and anxiety.. i hated my job in the beginning.. esp those days when people weren't exactly friendly and i was sitting jobless - it was hellish.. but like everything else, i also started getting adjusted cuz my Guru wanted me to ! i even took a lot of time before i started saying that EY was my firm !
things changed.. learnings started from basics.. but i was glad that i was learning afterall ! but the best part was that i did not actually realise that i was loving office till i resigned!
yes i was going to miss it all - the friends, the work, the sweet boss, the lovely view from my seat, the independence, the money ! but as Gurudev says, EVERYTHING IS CHANGING !
the sense of void and (even) loss was much more when i got out of my coll - Mount Carmel College.. i had grown in its lap for 5 long prime yrs - with a bindaas carefree life.. and it was the end of that part of my life...
coming to think of it, i have never been expressive nor sentimental abt either people or things.. but this time, i felt words pouring out - bored to be stuck in the confines of my stupid mind ... ! and hence this 1st blog of my life ( my grandma always scolds me that i must not use the term "life" cuz i havent seen much of it!) ..
yes, you(?!) traverse this path called life - moving on without stopping at any hurdle or getting attached to any beautiful pit-stops on the way ..
at this juncture of my life (again!) i wanna quote a beautifull verse here (u obvi know by whom):
I PROMISE….
If I had to promise you some thing, what it would be?
I can’t promise that you would always be comfortable...
Because comfort brings boredom & discomfort.
I can’t promise that all your desires will be fulfilled….
Because desires whether fulfilled or unfulfilled bring frustration.
I can’t promise that there will always be good times…
Because it is the tough times that make us appreciate joy.
I can’t promise that we will be rich or famous or powerful…
Because they can all be the pathways to misery.
I can’t promise that we will always be together…
Because it is separation that makes togetherness so wonderful.
Yet, if you are willing to walk with me,
If you are willing to value love over everything else,
I promise that this will be the most rich andFulfilling life possible.
I promise your life will be an eternal celebration,
I promise you I will cherish you more than A king cherishes his crown,
And I shall love you more than A mother loves her newborn.
If you are willing to walk into my arms,
If you are willing to live in my heart,
You will find the one you have waited forever…
You will meet yourself in my arms….
I Promise…
- His Divinity Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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