The attitude of a lover.

We have seen many attitude of the bhaktas. People can see God as a love/ lover too. Manikkavasakar was one such person, he saw his god like that. He assumed an attitude of a maiden and sang many songs withthe attitude of a lover. The alwars also composed many with that attitude.

Maha kavi Bharati was essentially a poet. He also had flashes of gnana and sang quite a few songs in that state. He saw godhood as Shakti and as Kannan. He saw Kannan as the mother, a father, a child, a teacher and the servent. Later, he saw him as his lover and started writing songs in that attitude.
At first, he says, that his mind became as restless as a lamp kept outside in the wind. He felt like a caged bird, his mind started disliking all that he used to like....

தூண்டிற் புழுவினைப்போல் - வெளியே

சுடர் விளக்கினைப்போல்

நீண்ட பொழுதாக - எனது

நெஞ்சம் துடித்ததடீ

கூண்டுக்கிளியினை போல் - தனிமை

கொண்டு மிகவும் நொந்தேன்

வேண்டும் பொருளை எல்லாம்-

மனது வெறுத்து விட்டதடீ.........

tūṇṭiṟ puḻuviṉaippōl - veḷiyē
cuṭar viḷakkiṉaippōl
nīṇṭa poḻutāka - eṉatu
neñcam tuṭittataṭī
kūṇṭukkiḷiyiṉai pōl - taṉimai
koṇṭu mikavum nontēṉ
vēṇṭum poruḷai ellām-
maṉatu veṟuttu viṭṭataṭī.........

Suddenly one day, he realises what the problem was. Someone had touched his inner mind....

கனவு கண்டதிலே - ஒரு நாள்

கண்ணுக்கு தோன்றாமல்

இனம் விளங்கவில்லை - எவனோ

என்னகம் தொட்டுவிட்டான்....

kaṉavu kaṇṭatilē - oru nāḷ
kaṇṇukku tōṉṟāmal
iṉam viḷaṅkavillai - evaṉō
eṉṉakam toṭṭuviṭṭāṉ....

As I dreamt , one day
unknowingly someone touched my heart
I just could not
fathom the feelings....

He wonders who that could be...

எண்ணி எண்ணி பார்த்தேன்: - அவன்தான்

யாரெனச் சிந்தை செய்தேன்

கண்ணன் திருவுருவம் - அங்ஙனே

கண்ணின் முன் நின்றதடீ!

eṇṇi eṇṇi pārttēṉ: - avaṉtāṉ
yāreṉac cintai ceytēṉ
kaṇṇaṉ tiruvuruvam - aṅṅaṉē
kaṇṇiṉ muṉ niṉṟataṭī!

I kept thinking who that could be
wondering whose face it was
then I found it! A shape floats
in front of my eyes and that belongs kannan.

Then he realises that it is all kannan's doings. Whether he is sleep or awake only the thought of Kannan remains.

.....நானும் பல தினங்கள் பொறுத்திருந்தேன் - இது

நாளுக்கு நாள் அதிகமாகிவிட்டதே

கூன னொருவன் வந்திந் நாணி பின்னலைக்

கொண்டை மலர் சிதற நின்றிழுத்தும்....

.....nāṉum pala tiṉaṅkaḷ poṟuttiruntēṉ - itu
nāḷukku nāḷ atikamākiviṭṭatē
kūṉa ṉoruvaṉ vantin nāṇi piṉṉalaik
koṇṭai malar citaṟa niṉṟiḻuttum....

… I bore it with patience for a long time
but this keeps increasing day by day
a hunch back comes along and pulls
my hair so that the flowers scatter …..

The problem becomes acute! Listening to his stories one loses one's sleep! He starts searching for Kannan every where, even in the forest!

.....திக்குத்தெரியாத காட்டில்- உனைத்

தேடித் தேடி இளைத்தேனே!...

....tikkutteriyāta kāṭṭil- uṉait
tēṭit tēṭi iḷaittēṉē!...

...in the forest where even directions are lost
I keep searching for you in vain....

A hunter comes across this 'maiden' and longs for her. Bharati turns down the advances.

"அண்ணா உனதடியில் வீழ்வேன் - எனை

அஞ்சக்கொடுமை சொல்ல வேண்டா - பிறன்

கண்ணலஞ் செய்துவிட்ட பெண்ணே - எந்தன்

கண்ணற் பார்த்திடவுந் தகுமோ?”

"aṇṇā uṉataṭiyil vīḻvēṉ - eṉai
añcakkoṭumai colla vēṇṭā - piṟaṉ
kaṇṇalañ ceytuviṭṭa peṇṇē - entaṉ
kaṇṇaṟ pārttiṭavun takumō?”

oh brother, I shall fall at your feet
dont utter words that frighten me
when someone else has married a girl
can kannan even look at them?

But the hunter is insistent. Bharati swoons crying "kanna". When he awakes he sees no one!

Then he sends someone to gain the intelligence report as to what is in Kannan's mind.....

கண்ணன் மனநிலையைத் - தங்கமே தங்கம்

கண்டு வர வேணுமடி தங்கமே தங்கம்

kaṇṇaṉ maṉanilaiyait - taṅkamē taṅkam
kaṇṭu vara vēṇumaṭi taṅkamē taṅkam

“oh dear please find out what is in the mind of kannan”

“நேர முழுவதிலுமப் பாவி தன்னையே - உள்ளம்

நினைத்து மறுகுதடி தங்கமே தங்கம்

தீர ஒரு சொலின்று கேட்டு வந்திட்டால் - பின்பு

தெய்வம் இருக்குதடி தங்கமே தங்கம்"

“nēra muḻuvatilumap pāvi taṉṉaiyē - uḷḷam
niṉaittu maṟukutaṭi taṅkamē taṅkam
tīra oru coliṉṟu kēṭṭu vantiṭṭāl - piṉpu
teyvam irukkutaṭi taṅkamē taṅkam"

“oh dear, through out the day
the mind keeps pining for him
if you can ascertain what he really thinks
then I shall leave it to God to take care”

Thus in vexation he almost gives up hopes!

When a person pines like this, can he forget the face of Kannan? But even that happens! Now he blames himself...

"கண்கள் புரிந்துவிட்ட பாவம் -உயிர்க்

கண்ணனுரு மறக்கலாச்சு!

பெண்களினிடத்திலிது போலே - ஒரு

பேதையை முன்புகண்ட துண்டோ?”

"kaṇkaḷ purintuviṭṭa pāvam -uyirk
kaṇṇaṉuru maṟakkalāccu!
peṇkaḷiṉiṭattilitu pōlē - oru
pētaiyai muṉpukaṇṭa tuṇṭō?”

The eyes committed sin and hence
Dear kannan's face was forgotten!
Have you ever seen such a dunce
Among the women of this world?

Well loves knows no rhymes or reasons! Bharati brings in full the essence of such attitude. Read the original passages for the full story!

Friendship ... continued...

Sundara was at a loss! What could he do?....

He went to the temple and talked to the Lord. Oh Lord, you know my plight! Only you can solve this problem. Please do so.
Shiva asked him what was needed. Sundara told him to go to paravai nachchiyar and talk on his behalf, console her and make her accept him again.
Shiva took the form of a temple priest and went paravai's house.
She welcomed him in the proper manner. And asked what he needed as he had come at an improper hour. The conversation went awry!
“Amma, I heard that you have quarreled with Sundara. You must large heartedly forgive him and allow him back to the house.”
“ why should I?”
“Well he married again due to a emotional disturbance. Now he is always thinking about you!”
“ I am not a person he can simply ignore like that and came back to his liking. He can go back to her.”
“ But to forgive is divine and...”
“That matter is over. Ask me anything else if you want!”
“You must consider...”
“If you keep talking about this again you will be given respect no more!”

Lord Shiva could do nothing more. He returned to the temple.
Shiva briefed Sundara. Sundara got angry and scolded Shiva!
“Why, are you not concerned with my welfare? Is this the way you go on a mission like this?”
“What did I do wrong?”
“You went in the form of some other person. You should have gone in your own form!”

Shiva agreed to go again. This time he went in his own form with a retinue of yogins, shadhus.

Meanwhile though paravai scolded the priest and sent him back she could not help wondering if she did the right thing. The person who visited her did not seem to be any ordinary priest. His face had such a thejas! There was an aura about him. She even suspected that there was some vedic recitation and music in the background! A strange sweet smell lingered still. She suddenly had a crazy idea. Was it the Lord Shiva himself who came?! She became a bit restless.

The door bell rang now and she hastened to open the door. Hoping against hope that the person was back! To her surprise she saw the Lord himself surrounded by yogins and munis. She had no second thought now about the proposal to accept Sundara.

What wont the God do to his dear devotee!

Friendship

Friendship:
The relationship between a bhakta and his God is manifest in strange ways! While some have considered him their master others have a much different relationship.
What Arjuna had to Krishna was friendship.
Krishan did so many things to Arjuna that no other relationship can do! When arjuna was besotted with shubadra it was Krishna who gave Arjuna the idea to fulfill his desire. This relationship continued till Krishan started his upadesa to Arjuna in the battle field and showed his true nature by viswa roopa dharshan. Then Arjuna's attitude changed totally and he came to the mind set of carrying out whatever Krishan told him. Till then he had been arguing.
Sundara, the nayanmar, had a very unique relationship with Shiva. While others were ready to give their life for Shiva Sundara commanded him and extracted work from him often scolding him in that process.
Sundara had a wife anmed parava nachchiyar. The family life was running smoothly. Sundara visited Thiruvotriyur to worship Shive there. There he developed a relationship with a lady named sangili nachchiyar. He promised her that he will never desert her in front of the local Shiva temple and married her. (it is a different story why and how). Well, it is said that desire lasts sixty days and lust 30 days. He also felt guilty about deserting his wife and remarrying. Moreover the spring celebrations of Thigaraja was nearing and Sundara pined for his dharsan. Overcome with this desire he set out to Thiruvaroor. After several incidences of losing vision and regaining it etc he reached Thiruvaroor.
Having had dharsan of the Lord to his heart's content he went to 'his' house but paravai nachchiyar wont allow him in. she shut the doors on him scolded him for deserting her.
Returing from the house he contemplated on his next step. Dont wee usually send some elders with dimplomatic skills to hold talks with the aggreived parties? So he sent some elders but paravai was merciless she said that what Sundara did to her was not at all worth forgiving and sent them back.
Sundara was at a loss! What could he do? (to continue)

Thiaga brahmam on Bhakti:

Thiaga brahmam on Bhakti:
We have been seeing how true bhaktas behave. An exemplary perrson who lived in Tamilnad is Thiagaraja who is popularly known as Thiaga brahmam. Shall we see what he says?

Raga: pyakadai
Thaala: aadi

Pallavi:
bhaktuṉi cāritramu viṉavē
maṉasā sītā rāma

aṉu pallavi

āsakti kēla tārukōcujī
vaṉmuktuṭai yānantamu nontu

caraṇaṅkaḷ

japatapamulutā jēciti nanarātu atikākamari
kapaṭāt muṭu manamai palkarātu
upamatanaku lēkayuṇṭa vale nani
ūrayūra tiruka karātu
capala cittuṭai yālusu tulapai
sāreku prama kārāta nēhari - (bhaktuṉi)

pava vipa vamunija maniyemca karātu atikākamari
civa mātava pēta mucēyaka rātu
puvanamantu tānē yōk yuṭa nani
pomki poṭṭa sāka rātu
pavanāt majatrutamau sītāpati
pāta muluyē mararātanu hari - (bhaktuṉi)

rājasa tāmasa kuṇamulu kārātu atikākanucu
vyāja munanu rālēta nakārātu
rājayōka mārkamunī cittamu
rājū cuṭa viṭa vakarātu
rājacikā maṇiyai natyāka
rāja sakuni maravarāta nēhari - (bhaktuṉi)

(if you find transliteration mistakes, kindly let me know)

oh, mind listen to the history and qualities of the bhakta of Sitaram.
A bhakta does the Dharma prescribed for him as far as possible; he is content with whatever comes his way naturally. He is in bliss that is equal to a jeevan mukta.
He might be doing much of japa or observe penance but he does not tell anyone about it. His mind is pure void of deceit. He never boasts that there is no one equal to him. He lacks a petty mind that craves for wealth and abode. He is not fooled by what he sees in this mundane world. He does not see any differences between Shiva and Vishnu. He does not while away time saying in this world only I am the most deserving person for anything. He will not forget to do bhakti at the feet of Sitapati who is always worshiped by Anjaneya. He will forsake the rajasa thaamasa gunas; he realises that one gets what one deserves according to karma. Keeping this Raja yoga path in mind, he will always remember Rama who is the friend of the King of Kings – Thiagaraja of thiruvaroor.
{This compilation comes from the serial thiakopanishad which appeared in vaidika samvardhani.}

Archana, vanthana:

By some quirks of the blogger this post got into the draft mode. Should have comeout long back!
My apologies!
-------------------
The bhakta who kept thinking of the Lord always might want to do pooja to him. He cleans the lotus feet of the lord with pure water specially brought for that purpose and offers flowers that he himself specially picked. With this attitude that the lord's feet are the most venerable as he does pooja day by day the ego starts waning. The “I” and “mine” are lost more and more. Only His memories linger. He is ready to offer himself fully – his body, mind and intellect - to Him. This is called arcanam.

If one has come thus far one develops the attitude that he needs to do nothing except fall at His feet and remain there! This is vandanam. This reinforces the feeling that we are so small in front of His might. The ego almost totally disappears.

When kamsa came to know where Krishna and Balarama were, he wanted to bring them to his place and destroy them. So he sent akruura for that purpose. Akruura was nandan's relative. So when akruura asked Krishna to accompany him Krishna readily agreed. Of course he would as so many jobs awaited his attention and he had to finish one of the main jobs for which he came to this world.

On their way to kamsa's place they entered the River Yamuna to bathe and perform the evening rituals. Leaving Krishna and Balarama in the banks akruura entered the river. He was astounded to find them there already! He turned to the banks and saw them doing japa. He looked back to the river and still saw them there. After this unique experience wherever he looked akruura saw the two. He realised that they were no ordinary beings. They were divine. With this realisation he started seeing krishna everywhere. He started falling at his feet and do vandana. Doing thus his mind got set on the form of the Lord.

worship of the Feet of the Lord..

Patha sevanam – worship of the Feet of the Lord:
in the bhakti route there is always a special place for the Feet of the Lord. Normally we consider the feet very low in the order of pecking things. We go out walk run, go to several places and it is the feet that mainly get dirty. We go out and come home and the first thing to do is wash our feet.
While we consider the feet dirty if they belong to the Lord we consider them Holy! Just like wee touch the feet of elders while paying respects to them devotees wont even hesitate to bear the feet of the lord on their heads! In fact we go to the vishnu temple and having performed the pooja the arcaka brings out the holy basil water along with kunkum and bail. But before handing over them prasad he brings out the satari that looks like a crown and places it on our head. Since our head is beneath it we are not usually aware of what is on top of it. If we take our next chance to inspect it we can find a pair of feet engraved on it. They belong to the Lord presiding in that temple.
Vedanta Desika who spent his entire life in the service of the Lord wrote a book titled “pathuka sahasram” singing the praise of His lotus feet through out the book.
In Ramayana we find that Bharata asked for and got Rama's footwear and placing them on the throne, ruled the nation as Rama's representative. Ahalya too got rid of her curse as Rama's feet came in contact with her. Seeing this Viswamaitra exclaimed,

mai vaṇṇattu arakki pōril
maḻai vaṇṇattu aṇṇalē uṉ
kai vaṇṇam aṅku kaṇṭēṉ
kāl vaṇṇam iṅku kaṇṭēṉ

[மை வண்ணத்து அரக்கி போரில் மழை வண்ணத்து அண்ணலே உன் கை வண்ணம் அங்கு கண்டேன் கால் வண்ணம் இங்கு கண்டேன் ]

meaning "Oh! The one who has the complexion of the rain bearing cloud, I saw the power of your shoulders when you fought the dark she-demon and the power of your feet here and now!!”

Battles between the asuras and devas was a common occurrence. Once lead by MahaBali the asuras won the battle and ruled the world including the heavens. Atiti, the mother of the devas observed a austere ritual called “payo vrat” and got a boon from Vishnu to restore the rights of the devas.
Vishnu took the form of a midget brahmacari and came to MahaBali.
Bali was so pleased to see a brahmacari with a shining countenance and welcoming him asked what he desired.
Vishnu replied that just three feet – measured by his own legs- of space was enough for him. Bali was surprised. “ I am the Lord of the three worlds and all you desire is just three feet, that too with your little feet, of land?”
“sure, that would suffice!” said Vishnu.
The guru of the asuras – sukracarya – divined what would happen. He told Bali not to grant that request.
“What can this midget do?”
“Oh, king, don't be fooled. The one who seeks is no ordinary person. He is Vishnu himself. He will always support the devas. So if you grant the request it will not do you any good.”
But Bali wont be put off.
“If the Lord Vishnu himself should seek alms from me, how fortunate I must be?” saying thus he lifted the vessel with water to give dhana.
Sukra could not bear it any more. Thinking, “How I have toiled to expand the kingdom to this extent. This fool will lose them all in a few seconds” he took the form of a beetle and flying to the water vessel blocked the outlet.
Vamana laughed. He took a dharba grass and poked at the outlet. Sukara's eye was punctured and he flew off in pain.
As the water poured out Bali offered the boon and vamana took it.
As the King asked Vamana to measured out the land Vamana started growing and to the astonishment of everyone around kept growing to enormous proportions. With his first step he measured the whole earth. With his second he measured out the heavens. Then he looked at Bali and said,”Well, where can I place the third step?”
Bali in all humbleness said, “ Swami, the only place left is my head. Please place your foot on it. With a smile Vamana put his foot on the head and pushed him to the sutha loka – the place underneath the earth. He made him the ruler of that place and gave him all the good things one would desire.
In Srimad Bhagavatham it is written that the bhagavan said, “ if I want to save someone I take away all his wealth. For it is due to the pride of wealth that man does not think of the rest of the world or me.” having taken away all the wealth of Bali and when he became humble, his ego as well, the Lord gave him all that one would desire.

singing...more

But it is said that nama sankeertan will put in hell those who abuse it!
So what is the abuse?
There is a long list … well may be ten points. Some are: talking ill of sadhus; seeing a difference between Shiva and Vishnu (in essence between various deities); thinking as one has the strength of nama sankeertan one can do acts proscribed. For more information have a look at Narada bhakti sutra.

It is not even essential to “sing”! (Wow, that saves a lot of people nearby!) It is enough to utter His name. A story that illustrates this is the story of Ajamila. He was a first rate sinner. There was no sin that he had not committed. In death bed he called to his son to give him a final word. It so happened that the son's came was Narayanan. As he uttered the word Narayana his life ended. The yama dhootas (servants of the death lord) came to take him away. But they were intercepted by the Lord Narayana's servants. Claiming since uttering the word narayana qualified him to be among the Vishnu bhaktas he was taken to vaikuntha – the abode of Sri Narayana.
That does not mean wee can utter his name just once and be saved forever!
A disciple of Sri Ramakrishana asked him once: If one bathes in the Ganges one's sins are washed away. I see so many bathe in Ganges everyday and still see no change in them!
To this jokingly Ramakrishna replied: as one approaches the ganges the wind carries the droplets and that chases away the sins. But where will they go? They take refuge in the trees and other plants nearby. Having bathed one returns and on the way there are so many shops. As soon as one sees them the mind starts craving for things and having found the weakness his sins come back to him!

singing his praises...

The next is singing his praises.
Singing his various names and famous deeds from the heart is what it involves. If it can be melodious it is good for others :-) If not, it is good for the singer! The involvement of heart is what is important. As one keeps singing the mind gets near the Lord more and more. Exemplary satakas who followed this way are meera, aandal, soordas, the alwars, the and nayanamars. Count less other people have also followed this way. Actually no bhakta can ignore this way. Does not matter what the form of Lord one relates to, he has said that recite my names and that will please me.
When a group of people get together and do this, there is a satsang. The members of a satsang draw strength from each other and the bhakti will get firm.
The spiritual leader who did gave so much of importance tot his technique and spread it is Srimat Bhodendra Saraswati. Brahmanda purana says no one needs any instructions to do Hari sankeertan. There is nothing superior to it.

ஹரி சங்கீர்தனஸ்யாஸ்ய நோபதேச: கதஞ்சன
when the mahabharata war ended Krishna told Dharmaputra, “Go and get instructions fro Bheeshma who is in the bed of arrows, waiting for his death. There are few persons with his knowledge of Dharma and there is no one more qualified to give instructions on that subject.”
So he went ahead and a lively discussion ensued. After thrashing pout several points Dharmaputra asked, ”which dharma is the best of them all?”
Bheeshma replied, “ what is to be told is superior to all other dharmas. If one will sing the praises of the vasudeva who resides in the lotus of heart with most devotion always – that is the most superior.
"கோதர்ம: ஸர்வ தர்மாணாம் பரம பவத: மத:?
“ [எந்த தர்மம் எல்லாவற்றிலும் உயர்ந்ததாக கருதப்படுகிறது?]
அதுக்கு பீஷ்மர் சொன்னார்:
"ஏஷ மே ஸர்வ தர்மாணாம் தர்மோதிகதமோ மத:
யத் பக்த்யா புண்டரீகாக்ஷம் ஸ்தவைர் அர்சேத் நரஸ்ஸதா"

Why is this considered so great?
Mainly because it does not cause any harm to anyone. (I can hear somebody say that it depends on those who listen to it! :) One need not even pick a flower. Or pick fruits to do “nivedanam”. One need not try and procure anything for that matter.
It does not require any qualification. Anyone can do it; whether you are male, female, adult. Child... there is no restriction. Caste is not a restriction. There is no restriction of the place. Night or day – it does not matter. There is no restriction as to the order. In short NO RESTRICTIONS!
But it is said that nama sankeertan will put in hell those who abuse it!
So what is the abuse?....

contemplation - Smaranam

Smaranam is thinking constantly about God. This is the second of the types of bhakti. This does not mean thinking of Him now and then. It is thinking of him all the time possible. It is recollecting whatever we have heard of Him. His virtues, fame, beauty, valour, compassion... we must think of all. As we contemplate on them the dirt in our mind gets washed away and our mind becomes clear.
It is said that what we contemplate constantly, we become the same. One who keeps thinking of lustful things will get immersed in it and become animal like. One who keeps thinking of God and His virtues naturally become god like and we will also obtain those virtues.
There was a spiritual master in Tibet and he had a lot of disciples. A new entrant kept pestering him for instructions. The master asked him to be patient till he determined what was suitable for him. It was found that he was not of body strength or mental strength required for sataka. So he asked him what he loved most. The boy said that he liked his yak most. The master asked,” can you keep thinking of it always?”
“Sir, of course.”
“Do that” said the master.
The disciples around could barely control their laughter.
Days went by and and someone noticed that the boy did not turn up for his meals. Nor was he seen at other times outside his room. Since people wont be disturbed during the satana period no one took action for four days.
On the fourth day the master was informed.
He went to the room and standing outside called out, “ Oh disciple, are you there?”
“yes, master, I am here.”
“Want to come out?”
“ Sure, I do! I am hungry”.
“ So why don't you?”
“ Oh, master, the entrance is too small. As my horns won't go through, I am unable to come out.”
Even if you don’t get to this level of concentration, smaranam will get you to the higher stages.