karma route

Karma route
As I look at the old Tamil blog writings on karma, I see that I've had an unique opportunity and introduction. The particular post starts with saying that my friend from Pondicherry and had just called and asked how I knew that it was going to rain today. I had replied that it was really no surprise. We had just then completed a gayatri japa yagna. The conclusion was a gayatri homam. The program goes like this. Each person does one thousand and eight Gayatri everyday for the prescribed period. They keep an account of the number of japa in an prescribed card. After the four months period on a fixed day we do homam. We had started the program around nine o'clock in the morning and finished the program around one o'clock. After settling everything and a return home it was nearly 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
The night came and started getting cloudy. When we had real heavy rains for about half an hour. My Pondicherry friend had been a witness to the homam and when we're chatting I mention that it will rain that day. That is why he asked how I knew. I replied that it usually rains on the day of homam.
We checked with the meteorological Department and found that 4 cm of rain fell that night in half an hour.
We do our duty we are bound to get the result. It is as simple as that.
We start our posts with this little anecdote.

We need to understand karma a little bit. It differs a lot from Bhakti. Bhakti is common to all while karma is not. There is no bhakti for King that is different from the common man. This is because the most important factor in bhakti is the mind which everybody has.

But karma is not like that. Here actions are important. For action you need the knowledge, effort, money, which differs from person to person. Therefore, our forefathers have divided the actions in large chunks and codified who has two to do what. This is mainly a division of labour among the society. This is akin to the temple car being fooled by the entire village. It is important that the temple car comes back to the stage. It's not really important who is to doing what. The workforce. The way that according to the capacity of the class of persons. This was called varnasrama dharma. When the work was carried out by the same family for generations, there was an expertise that was developed and people took pride in what they were doing. We have come a long way from the days of codification and it is very difficult to judge whether this is classification is to be persisted with. One has to decide what one needs to do himself. If we stop dictating to others what they must be doing and do our duty we will go a long way in avoiding unnecessary clashes.

a nice little story to end -2

Well, the boy knew to whom he can turn to! Duly an appeal was made to his 'brother' while going to school that day. "Dont worry boy, I shall give you something.” Reassured the boy went to school happily. On the day of Guru poornima kannan was given a mud pot containing a little butter. Seeing the boy's disappointed face Gopalan said, “Give this to your Guru and he will receive it happily.”

When kannan reached the school there was already a small crowd of parents and students. The materials brought by them filled the courtyard. Kannan went ahead and presenting the mud pot prostrated before the teacher. All the boys laughed at the “present”. Silencing them the teacher blessed the boy and asked “Dear boy, who gave this to you?”
“My brother!” came the answer.
But the teacher knew of the family. Certainly there was no brother! The pot was handed over to the wife of the teacher and their little boy came and put out his hand. The wife gave that boy part of the butter. Naturally this triggered an avalanche of hands being put out in front and she went on putting some butter in each hand that was put out before her. When all the children had had a share, she started wondering how so little could have been sufficient to all the children. She looked around and roughly some thirty children were licking their hands! This is amazing! Now all the children came for a second helping saying the butter tasted so nice! How can this be sufficient for another round? But another round was over and still there was some butter left! By now all adults around knew that they were witness to something miraculous!
The entire village started to turn up for the butter. When everyone had had their share finally the pot was empty! Of course no one had any idea how this could happen!
The entire village moved to meet the mother of the boy. They asked her, “who is the brother of this boy”? She could not understand what they were talking about. The miracle was narrated to her. She in turn asked the boy who replied, “Oh mother, he is the same one you told me about, who is engaged as a cowherd!”
“Where did you meet him, my child?”
“In the forest!”
“Let us go to the forest.”
The crowd moved to the middle of the forest and kannan started calling out “gopalaa, gopalaa!”
No one came!
The people started murmuring among themselves that the boy must be bluffing.
Now kannan called out “Oh brother! Come to my rescue! People call me a liar!”
Presently a sweet melody played on flute was heard. The people could not see anyone though the flute sounded so near but the boy started jumping up and down saying “I knew you would come! Tell these people who you are!”
The boy pointed to empty space and cried “This is my brother!”
Soon people knew who it was!

a nice little story to end ...

We end this section on Bhakti for the present with a nice little story.
Kannan was a six year old boy. His father had passed on when he was three. His mother earned a little working long hours helping with odds and ends. A six year old needed to be sent to school but there was no school in that village. The nearest was in the next village reached only through traveling dense forest. Well there was no other way. If one wanted to educate the boy that had to be done. If the mother had to take him to school daily that would take a lot of time and then how can she find work? It logically followed that there will be no food if there is no work.
She told the boy,” oh Kanna, aren't you a good boy? Mother can’t take you to school everyday. You have to go yourself. Being a good boy he said, “ oh mother if you so, ok!” he set out with a stout heart but in the middle of the forest his courage deserted him and he started crying! Who cares if you cry in the middle of the forest? He ran all the way to school crying in fear. The teacher seeing him come in crying understood the problem and pacified him.
That day's lesson got over and the students set out for their home. The teacher sent Kannan home with a man in company saying, “ oh, boy! Without some one to accompany dont travel in the forest.”
The next morning it was time to leave for the school. Kannan told his mother, “Mother! though I am afraid of the forest, since you say so, I shall go through to school. But my teacher has forbidden traveling with out an escort. What can I do? Now this was a dilemma! Such a good boy who is ready to face fear of the forest to study! Can he be denied education for want of an escort? To whom can I turn to in adversity except the God! Thinking thus, she said, “ dear child! Don't worry, go to school. If you are afraid call out to your brother. He will come and help you.”
“ I have a brother! I did not know. Why does not he stay with us?”
“ Oh he has a lot to do. Always busy. But he will help you if you really need him!”
“What is his name?”
“His name is gopalan.”
Enthused the boy set out to the school and reached to middle of the forest where his courage once again deserted him. But now he knew wha to do! He called out, “ Gopalaa! Gopalaa!”
nothing happened!
Now the boy was nearly terrified. He called out in desperation. “Oh Gopalaa, I am your little brother! I need to go to school but I am afraid of this dense forest. Please come at once and take me to school.”
Still nothing happened.
Now kannan was really afraid. “ I knew you are angry with me. That is why you have not seen me so far. Mother told me that you will take care of me! Did I do anything wrong? If so please forgive me. I surrender to you!”
Now a flute was heard and soon a cowherd appeared playing it. A little calf followed him. He stopped on seeing kannan.
“Are you my brother Gopalan?”
“Yes, I am!”
“Would you take me across this forest?”
“Yes, I would. Let us go!”
On the way kannan plied him with questions. Why was he not known so long? Was he angry with mother and himself? No he was working hard and had no vacations. What was his job? Oh pretty much everything; mainly taking care of cows. What took him so long to appear before him? Oh he was on the other side of the forest. Soon and on. Soon they came to the edge of the forest.
“I take leave of you dear younger brother, I have much work to do.”
“Oh fine, now on I can take care of myself. I can go tot the school. No problem!”
“Bye then study well!”
“Oh I need your help to get back too. Will you come every morning and evening and take me across this forest?”
“Sure I will. See you.”
The teacher saw that the boy was composed and assuming that some arrangement has been made, inquired no further. The mother saw that the boy did not complain but reported meeting his brother who accompanied him. Surely this is a figment of imagination on the part of the boy. Well as long as he could go to school without complaining, it was fine.
From that day on kannan had an enjoyable time. Gopalan taught him many things about the forest, the animals and birds in it, the plants, trees etc. they also sang and danced all the way through the forest. The daily stories the boy narrated to his other was heard with much amusement! What an imagination this boy had!
Things went on smoothly till guru poornima arrived. That is the day the students paid their respects to the teacher with what ever little money/ material they could afford. The boys were discussing what each one will bring. One said, my father has the granary full and so I shall bring a bog of rice. Another said he would bring oil. Another talked of a lot of vegetables. Kannan was asked what he would bring.
“ oh I don't know. Whatever mother gives me.”
The peer pressure made the boy appeal to his mother for something to submit to his teacher.
“What can we afford dear? What comes out of work is just enough to make the two ends meet! Dont worry too much. The teacher knows about our family and will understand you can not give him any money or material. Just pick some flowers on the way to school and put them at his feet and prostrate before him.”
Kannan was upset! Is this all he can do?...
(to continue)

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.}