Definition

I thought I needed to share this thought as I have been trying to get around it and avoid it for long. This has sort of suppressed my real intention, my passions and driving force for me doing what I am doing.

I have always been drawn towards spirituality. I have always been drawn to the sanctum sanctorum of any temple. I have always found that path leaving out of the temple painful and an intense pain in moving away from the gopurams. I have always wanted to become an ascetic - a Sanyasi.

I still have this intense feeling and I sort of desire it.

Thats where the problem begins.

I shall dwell upon this later, but this is where my current life began. This where thoughts fell in place. This recognition of this desire as a desire - Kama.

A whole new set of thoughts poured in. As these thoughts took shape my mother land loomed large before me and I was in a place distant and alone. Alone to the onset of thoughts of guilt. Thoughts of shame. Why? Lack of direction.

Two very powerful forces. One the desire to take to spirituality. Second the desire to work for the motherland. I was part of section of Indians in a foreign land wanting for an American life with an Indian setting.

I love India. Slowly I started appreciating the Americans. The people that built America were passionate. They did not stop at goals they simply went for bigger ones. Outside! Outside into the world.

Indians have been passionate from the first call towards freedom - Moksha! The call to expand and grow inside. They did not stop. They went towards infinity - Inside.

These thoughts slowly tore away my limited thinking and I started to expand inside and learn on the outside. I told myself I will get back. I will work. I will work hard for my country.

I dont want India to change. I dont want to compare. I just wanted to live and make a difference to myself. To live every moment. To learn every moment. To enjoy doing every moment.

I cant make India rich. I cant make the poverty go away. I cant put a heart to capitalism and I cant show the Spirit to the Commys. I can make a difference to myself doing what I like. Working in my country.

I love India. I love the World and I love the Universe. I love my world and my world is rapidly changing and I am learning to change with it. Live it. Enjoy it. Taking baby steps one at a time.

Why all these words. They define what I am doing. I am learning.

When I sat there thinking what am I doing neither a renunciate nor an enjoyer. Brooding! Kshudram Hrudaya Daurbalyam. Where from the faint heartedness Bharatha! You are the Infinite. Says He! and I am sitting here brooding.

Live life. Do Dharma. Thats my way! And here I am learning Dharma every minute. Here I am a citizen of Bharat a Lover of the here and now. Learning to exist. Here I am watching and learning that Love is not what another showers on you. Its what You offer continually. The ears have to be trained to listen to the subtlest of tunes in Carnatic or any classical music. Similarly, the heart has to be opened up to give Love to feel Love.

I hope and pray I continue opening up to learn and Live Life to Love.

Soar

Ye Mind! Soar higher
To highest pinnacle of joy
To the abundance in the Infinite
Rooted to the Oneness of Truth

Where from this wretchedness
Where from this meekness of thought
You are the Infinite
You are the power that created life

Soar higher into the realms of Bliss
Where thought created Life
Where laughter pervades on Joy
In the realization of this Truth

You are the world
You are the people
You are the nations
You are the Truth

Tat Vam Asi - Soar.. Soar higher
Dhiyo yonah Prachodayath

Om Tat Sat

Deja vu

These thoughts Divine.... Nurture them, see them as beads on a string of Dreams and work to realize this wonderful garland of events in time as experiences.

And we find ourselves saying 'I've been here before, as though in a dream - Deja Vu'

These experiences are the Divine Thoughts manifesting in the Eternal Existence that You are

Tat Vam Asi

Om Tat Sat

Life and Death

As told by a student ....

There is no difference between life and death

On one side we see people who eke death out of their very being with their thoughts that cause so much fear that others would rather die than be around such people.

On the other hand we have great visionaries and leaders who though are not anymore but still bring out such inspiration and courage by the Divine acts of Love, that even after 'Death' their being still enlivens so many to live the Life Divine

Heaven on Earth

The vision of paradise in Heaven as opposed to the 'reality' that exists in front of our eyes is not an apparition.

That vision of heaven is THE REALITY waiting to be discovered. Etch this vision of heaven on earth out of efforts of Love and Nurturing

I wonder at this mind so Divine!

Om Tat Sat

Beethoven - I was told

Mathematics, Music and Divinity are the three sides of an equilateral triangle

Appanum Ammayum Aavay En Shivaney

My Father and Mother Thou shall become Oh Lord Shiva!

If Parameshwara (Parama-Greatest Ishwara-Lord) is taken as the Father and Parvathi (daughter of the Mountains, Lord Shivas Wife) is taken as the Mother....

My mistakes oh Lord become Your joy
As You see Your child faltering trying to crawl,
hold onto supports trying to walk
and then falling
And Lord Your smile is the Joy of the Father
seeing Your child learning that which looks effortless to You

We are children Oh Lord, Your children
posing as You, as adults
Pray, make us children again
So that all experiences 'good' or 'bad'
may become exciting all over again
played in front of You Oh Father and Mother
in confidence and Love

Om Tat Sat

Re-discovering childhood - Learning Vs Unlearning

Re-discovering childhood unlocks the barriers that we have 'created' in terms of social & intellectual norms. Mistakes and learning from mistakes is part of childhood; but for an adult it is considered different.

An adult mentions these mistakes as ill-luck, or feels depressed about the turn of events. He even finds it difficult to approach someone for help. Seeking, for an adult is mostly looked down upon or even with suspicion instead of an understanding that this process of pondering actually strengthens his resolve, roots him to his understanding and evolves his outlooks and helps him grow.

The very lack of self-confidence in seeking help is a barrier to evolution. If we accept that learning is continuous then retaining the child in an adult is imperative to help him/her learn.

----------------x---------------

The process of unlearning continuously is as important as learning continuously

Creation

There is no creation!

Whatever is to be created is always already there.... hence there is ONLY 'Discovery'

Creativity is a keen observation of what IS and applying your individuality to what is already available to be discovered.

The sculptor has the image of his creation in his mind. This image is a sequence of events or his interpretations of certain events recreated to tell a story or vision in stone. But his experience is but a recreation of events that already IS. His interpretation ... if dwelt upon with all possible alternatives and logic ... an understanding of what already IS. This interpretation hence is 'Discovered' not created.

The Discovery takes place as a thought which on subsequent nurturing 'develops' as an image in the mental space/plane. This vision of the image hence before taking shape in the sculpture becomes something that already IS.

The process of sculpture hence becomes the orientation of work to bring alive the vision, the interpretation, the idea or the concept of what already IS. Hence the sculpture becomes something that is a representation of what is 'Discovered' by the sculptor and not what is 'Created' by the sculptor.

This interpretation, this thought to understand the event of experience has its origins in the Divine which is omni-present, omni-potent and omni-scient hence the Thought already IS in the Divine which was revealed or 'dis'-'covered' by the sculptor.

Divinity alone IS

Even the worst person (you may think!) has the Thought and can choose to act on the thought.

Divinity IS and is the only thing that IS!

Oh Shiva, Great is Your mind
Great is your thought
Great is Your vision. Oh Lord!
All Greatness is Yours alone
Let Your thoughts inspire me
Let Your vision be mine
Let my mind dwell in You
Let this pseudo identity merge
Oh Lord! Great are You
Oh Shiva, Oh Shiva
Om Tat Sat

The Divine is Universal
The Divine thoughts continuously rise likes the waves of the sea in the stillness of the mind
Yet we are too busy too preoccupied with our own false expectations and in-correctable memories
Yet the Divine Will, The Divine Love showers forth His Omnipresence in acts of kindness
The worst of individuals in their craving for sadistic yearnings do unconsciously carry out these unexpected deeds
The deeds are the extensions of the Divine continuously showering forth inspirations

Hence even the vilest of beings as we see them have their Divine role in carrying out consciously and unconsciously the Will the Divine
The forces of Good and Evil merge in the reality of Existence Consciousness and Divine Bliss
Thus encompassing the entire Universe of what was, IS and shall ever BE.

Oh Divine One, Let Your Love prevail
Om Tat Sat
Om Shanthi Shanthi Shantihi

Origin of Thought

The origination of thought is Divine. This thought is not profit driven. No greed, no desire, not material. It is just a Will; a push from the Divine. To move, to act.

He propels this thought. He directs the thought. He makes sure the circumstances are conducive. He hones in on the result.

JUST ACT

Dont stand in the way. You are the witness. Your free will is to be free. You are free to act and also not to act.

To act is Divine. To not act is to hoard. You are the propeller of this thought. You are He

Tat Vam Asi - Love I am - Om Tat Sat

Thought

Thought - The power, the spirit, the creative energy, the life, the actions and the results are all Divine IF THIS thought is nurtured by Dharma, Love and Bliss

Om Tat Sat

Bliss

This intense emotion
Longing yet so attainable
Sad yet in Bliss
Distant yet so near..

As I fade away into this
Stream of thoughts
That burst forth in vigor
To create a display of ideas

A directionless state of being
Neither in the material
Nor in the spiritual
I hang to whatever is left of sanity

A presence that redefines lucidity
That is clear as daylight
Yet that vanishes with a single longing
When tried to be defined

What more is there to want for
When this presence, this energy
that bursts forth takes control
And dissolves this duality of me and mine

Suddenly Love another unknown emotion
takes shape inside this being
Tearing apart anything that society has defined
inside the framework of right and wrong

I fail here to continue any further
As my words stop short, falters
Loses meaning in a blitzkrieg of emotions
So real yet so far that doesn't fall in the realms of definition

The Holy Grass known as Dharbham or Dharbai

by TRS Iyengar

This article is on one of the practices widely used by Indian Brahmins all over using a Holy Grass named Dharbham or Dharbai.

In all functions, auspicious or inauspicious, a performing person needs to wear a ring made of this Dharbham. But many have lost the reason of why it is to be used in the first place.

What I learnt from my father is proved to be accurately correct by a Medicine Practitioner.

A Doctor named Sadhashiv Rao, once visited my home. When the topic turned to many subjects, I needed to tell him about the Holy Grass named Dharbham.

When I told him about the usage and the values, he could not just believe my words.

So, he took out a bunch of the Dharbham from me, went straight to the clinic to take an x-ray of his palm, by covering his hand with the Dharbham. To his utter surprise, he found that the grass absorbed about 60% of the radiation!

When the so powerful X-ray radiation can be absorbed by the Holy Grass, why can it not absorb the ill radiations spread over the atmosphere?

While chanting and reciting some Vedic phrases and versus, one needs to wear a ring made of Dharbham on his right hand ring finger.

The count of leaves depends upon the function that is held viz.: for some functions related to death only Single leafed Dharbham is used;

for Auspicious and daily routine a ring made of two leaves is used; for inauspicious but not death related functions, (i.e. Amavasya Tharppanam,Pithru Pooja etc) a three leaf Dharbham ring is used.

And for the Temple Prayer and Pooja, a Four-leaf Dharbham ring is used.

Also, when a fire ritual known as Agni Santana is performed, these Dharbham are spread all the four sides of the Agni Kundam. Also, during the Eclipse time,
these Dharbham are used to cover all food items to protect them from the harmful ultra violet radiation.

Whenever any function is held, firstly they perform a site-cleansing act known as “Sudhhi Punyaahavachanam”.
While reciting the selective versus, they hold the Dharbham bunch in their hand and placing the tip point of it over the vessel containing water.

Thus the recited vibration values are absorbed by water in the vessel through the Dharbham.

They found that the Holy Grass known as Dharbham has the highest value in conducting the phonetic vibrations through its tip. Later, they sprinkle the Holy water at every nook and corner of the place, where the function is held.

A Dharbham without the tip is considered of no value, as the conductor-type value is lost in it.

My father, Late Shri Ramabathrachariar of Mukkur,
fondly called by everyone as Sriraman, has given me the immense values of Dharbham and its usage.
With Sanskrit phonetic sound and vibration, using the Dharbham increases its value.

The usage varies according to the functions. It is really a marvel, that in those days of Vedic Era, the Sages & Saints of Hindu land used to control the Magnetic path disturbances, just by simply using this Dharbham!

Apart from the above, Dharbham cannot be planted and grown everywhere.

It only grows naturally at selective places and available almost in every state in India.

Some learned scholars name it after Saint Vishwaamitra -
hence Dharbham is known and called as Vishwaamitra.
If it is kept for a longer time, say for more than six months, then it loses it value and the power of absorbing the radiation or magnetic path control values.

Dharbham cannot just be plucked straight or cut on any day; There is a specific Slokha that is to be recited before cutting it;

That too it can be cut only on the day next to Full Moon - known as Krishna Paksha Pradamai.

A Dharbham without its tip portion is not to be used for making a Ring like item known as "Pavithram"।

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