Saturday, May 12, 2012

Fakir Lalon Sai


ছেড়ে দে মা হাতের বাঁধন, যায় যেদিকে যায় দুই নয়ন।। পরের মা'কে ডাকবে লালন, তোর গৃহে আর থাকবে না... আর আমারে মারিস নে মা...।। যেনা বোঝে ছেলের বেদন, সেই ছেলের মা' বিথা জীবন বিনয় করে বলছে লালন, কাঁদছে সে করে করুণা...

When we go back in the history to see how Lalon became Lalon Fakir, we will see that it was the moment of realization of the futility of our civilization which was only based on the rules and regulations set by different religions.  When Lalon’s mother came to know that he was rescued and survived by a Muslim household, and he stayed with that Muslim family for many months till he recuperated and recalled his identity, she did not accept him back in her life. She even asked Lalon’s wife not to touch him and to forget him and live the rest of her life as a widow. This shock was followed by another life-changing shock when Lalon’s wife decided to abide by her mother-in-law’s command, in spite of the conjugal love they had in their relationship, the wife chose religion and the norms of society over him.
This is when Lalon decided to abandon the society and left for the jungle, and spent the rest of his life away from mainstream society…in search of his Moner Manush, the One.  But people followed him and accepted him as their guru. That is another story, which I will share later on.
He was an illiterate, never had any formal/informal education in his lifetime. But he could describe the most profound knowledge from the Upanishads and the Vedas in such simplicity that anyone from any religion could easily comprehend his spiritual teachings and realizations.
অজান খবর না জানিলে কিসের ফকিরী... যে নূরে নূর নবী আমার তাহে আরশ বারী।। মূলাধারের মূল সেই নূর, নূরের ভেদ অকূল সমদ্দুর... যার হয়েছে প্রেমের অঙ্কুর ঝলকে দেবে তাঁরি।। সিরাজ সাঁই বলেরে লালন, আপন দেহে অন্বেষণ... নূরে নূরে 'রে মিলন থেক রে হুঁসিয়ারী..
Imagine, here is describing the experience of Sachchidananda after the awakening of Kulakundalini in human being.  Most of his teachings through his songs invite the seekers to look within, and search for the One, the God, or the Absolute.  He opens the doors of spiritual enlightenment for the common and illiterate, and the people from the lowest strata of the society, for whom spiritualism was actually prohibited at that time.
I really really am in love with Lalon Sai’s songs. It has not been a long time since I got introduced to him. But technically, I known him as a person first and then got introduced with his songs. I read a novel written on his life that was published in Bengali magazine Desh. After knowing about his spiritual journey, and adoring the way he evolved and actually stood against the stupid norms of the society, with such simplicity and power! He fascinated me totally. Then I found out his songs, and scolded myself for never exploring such rich source of spiritualism…which was actually always there and popular among us, the Bengalis.
খেয়েছি বেজাতে কঁচু না বুঝে, এখন তেঁতুল কোথা পাই খুজে...।। কঁচু এমন মানগো সাঁই তারে কেউ চিনলি নারে ভাই, খেয়ে হলাম পাগল পারা এখন যুগ্নিঘরা চুলকাইছে...।। খেয়েছি বেজাতে কঁচু না বুঝে..

I wish I could properly translate his songs in English and share those with people who do not speak bengali.  But I dare not!  May be I will look for some good translation work on his songs.
But Lalon Fakir is not a song writer only… he is a spiritual leader. I will tell you more on his life as and when I can. Just know that he is one of my favorites J



Monday, May 7, 2012

Knowing the history of my Bharat

India has always had a strange way with her conquerors. In defeat, she beckons them in, then slowly seduces, assimilates and transforms them.

William Dalrymple, in  White Mughals

I am reading this book right now, just started and slowly getting immersed into the sea of in-depth analysis, gripping story-telling... will let you know once I am finished. Going to be quite a read! :)

Friday, April 27, 2012

Purnamidam: 'This is complete'

पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम पूर्णात पूर्णमुदच्यते
पूर्णस्य पुर्नामदय पुर्नामेवा वाशिश्यते

purnamadah: 'That is complete.'
purnamidam: 'This is complete.'
purnamadah purnamidam 'That is complete, this is complete'.
purnat purna mudachyate - 'From that completeness comes this completeness'
purnasya purnamadaya - If we take away this completeness from that completeness'
purnameva vashishyate: 'Only completeness remains.'


purnamadah purnamidam, the beginning is the Supreme Reality.
Described in the Upanishad as the Supreme Brahman, Para Brahman, The Ultimate Truth.
"That Supreme Reality is Complete'. It is purna, It is always full, complete and self-existing,
Permanent, The Supreme Reality remains when everything else perishes.
That Supreme Reality which knows no darkness but only effulgence.
Free of impurities and imperfections. It is complete and full.

What then is Supreme Brahman?
Purnamidam: 'This is also Complete.'
'That Supreme Truth is complete' and 'This is complete'
The Supreme Truth is not outside of yourself "All this is Brahman. All is Truth."
But, The Truth is veiled. You remove the veil, and all differences disappear .
Then "This Brahman ' becomes no different from 'That Brahman.'
The spiritual aspect of "This and That" differentiation, is caused by the separation in the mind.
'That is Complete, This is Complete.'
Purnameva vashishyate- even if we are separating,
'That remains complete and purna.' It is the ultimate, of absolute unity - That, that is One.
 -Ishavasya Upanishad

ॐ नमः शिवाय

Have you ever wondered what this mantra actually means? 

What does OM mean? Om means completeness of the moment. Om means fullness. Namah means complete surrender. न-मह - nothing is mine. The understanding of 'nothing is mine' is the surrender which demolishes the Ego. Shiva is the most enlightened state of being...of ecstasy...of bliss. 

This moment is complete and full. At this moment we are complete, we do not have anywhere to go. You and I accept ourselves as we are, accept our life as it is. Let us not compare ourselves with others. Let us not compare today with yesterday, or the next day. I am unique, this day is giving me a unique experience. I am complete so is the moment. This realization, this joy means Om... ॐ

When you say Namah, realize that nothing is really yours... the house, the cars, bank balance, wife, husband, children, boy friend, parents, even your body... because nothing is consistent or stationary in your life. You are only the caretaker, a trustee for the time being. Nothing will remain forever with your soul but the knowledge, the understanding, that  you will earn in your life time. That realization is the Namah... नमः

Shivaya is the highest level of being... which complete awareness, complete understanding, total freedom from ignorance... well not that easy to explain Shiva :)

Happy chanting!

ॐ नमः शिवाय






 

Monday, April 23, 2012

My Freedom of Expression: Can you shut up and watch nonsense happening in fr...

My Freedom of Expression: Can you shut up and watch nonsense happening in fr...: My husband says I keep complaining about the place I stay. And trust me this is a fact. When I was in Delhi I kept nitpicking about people o...

Saturday, April 21, 2012

The rootless me


A certain reflection on my inherent nature, have been bothering me at the back of my mind for quite some time now. 

This is a fact that I do not have a sense of belonging to any place, any human being, any idealism, any caste, any race… when I deduced the conclusion a few months back, I found the answer to many of my perplexing reactions to many important and trifle events in my life. I have never grown any root, never actually settled down…

It is not that I never felt the necessity of settling down in one place, with own house, a regular job and things like that. These are the so-called basic requirements of a secured life, which I have learned from what I saw around me since the day I started to understand the world.  But I did never learn to make a good bargain. Till date I have been very bad at the give and takes of life, so much so that I am considered a fool by the normal people around. It did pain me to realize that I was a fool. Yes, of course it did.

When I was supposed to settle down with whatever I had, and when I was to grow roots, I had to develop a sense of belonging, a strong bond of Maya that would keep me grounded in the society, yes I was doing so. I was developing all of that in me, to be considered being normal and do the expected. I was doing it all to be accepted by those whom I cared for and who counted on me.
The process of doing the expected, ignoring or not actually knowing what my own expectations are, is actually lethal. It suffocates. It kills you slowly when you have no clue. 

It is good that I accepted myself. How it happened, is not clear to me till now. Not that it is important. But finally I have realized and accepted the inner me. I am rootless, and I do not belong to anybody, anywhere. Or it can be put like that I belong to every single soul, and the whole universe is mine. 

Is it the Shiva in me? I wonder! Must be, isn’t it? :D

Friday, April 20, 2012

Think about it...

A life without challenges is a life without opportunities. Be happy when you are about to face a challenge in your life. This challenge is your golden opportunity to move ahead to your goal. Think about it.

Shiva Aksharamala Stotram-Shri Samba Sadashiva Aksharamala









1
Samba Sadashiva Samba Sadashiva
Samba Sadashiva Samba Shiva (X3)
8
Ekaneka Svarupa Sadashiva
Bhogadipriya Purna Shiva
Aishvaryashraya Chinmaya Chidghana
Sachchidananda Suresha Shiva
15
Jhan^Karapriya Bhr^I.Ngiritapriya
On^Kareshvara Vishvesha Shiva
Jnanajnana Vinashana Nirmala
Dinajanapriya Dipti Shiva
2
Adbhutavigraha Amaradhishvara
Aganita Gunagana Amrita Shiva
Anandamrita Ashritarakshhaka
Atmananda Mahesha Shiva
9
Omkarapriya Uragavibhushhana
Hri.Nnkarapriya Isha Shiva
Aurasalalita Antakanashana
Gaurisameta Girisha Shiva
16
Tan^Kasvarupa Sahasrakarottama
Vagishvara Varadesha Shiva
Thakkadyayudha Sevita Suragana
Lavanyamr^Ita Lasita Shiva
3
Indukaladara Indradipriya
Sundararupa Suresha Shiva
Isha Suresha Mahesha Janapriya
Keshava Sevita Kirti Shiva
10
Ambaravasa Chidambara Nayaka
Tumburu Narada Sevya Shiva
Aharapriya Ashhta Digishvara
YogihrIdi Priyavasa Shiva
17
Dambhavinashana Dindimabhushhana
Ambaravasa Chideka Shiva
Dha.Ndha.Ndamaruka Dharaninishchala
Dhu.Ndhivinayakka Sevya Shiva
4
Uragadipriya Uragavibhushhana
Narakavinasha Natesha Shiva
Urjitadana Vanasha Paratpara
ArjitapApavinAsha Shiva
11
Kamalapujita Kailasapriya
Karunasagara Kashi Shiva
Khadgashula Mr^Iga Tan^Kadhanurdhara
Vikramarupa Vishvesha Shiva
18
Nanamanigana Bhushhananirguna
Natajanaputa sanatha shiva
Tatvamasyadi vakyartha svarupa
Nityasvarupa nijesha shiva
5
Rigvedashruti Mauli Vibhushhana
Ravi Chandragnitrinetra Shiva
Ripanamadi Prapajnchavilakshhana
Tapanivarana Tatva Shiva
12
Ga.Nga Girisuta Vallabha Shan^Kara
Ganahita Sarvajanesha Shiva
Ghatakabha.Njana Patakanashana
Dinajanapriya Dipti Shiva
19
Sthavaraja.ngama bhuvanavilakshhana
Tapanivarana tatva shiva
Dantivinashana dalitamanobhava
Chandana lepita charana shiva
6
Lullisvarupa Sahasrakarottama
Vagishvara Varadesha Shiva
LuItadhishvara Rupapriya Hara
Vedantapriya Vedya Shiva
13
N^Antasvarupananda Janashraya
Vedasvarupa Vedya Shiva
Chandavinashana Sakalajanapriya
Mandaladhisha Mahesha Shiva
20
Dharanidharashubha dhavalavibhasita
Dhanadadipriya dana shiva
Nalinavilochana natanamanohara
Aliulabhushhana amr^ita shiva
7
Samba Sadashiva Samba Sadashiva
Samba Sadashiva Samba Shiva (X3)
14
Chhatrakirita Sukundala Shobhita
Putrapriya Bhuvanesha Shiva
Janmajara Mr^Ityadi Vinashana
Kalmashharahita Kashi Shiva
21
Parvatinayaka pannagabhushhana
Paramananda paresha shiva
Phalavilochana bhanukotiprabha
Halahaladhara amr^ita shiva
22
Bandhavimochana bR^ihatIpAvana
skandAdipriya kanaka shiva
bhasmavilepana bhavabhayamochana
vismayarUpa vishvesha shiva

23
Manmathanashana madhuranayaka
Mandaraparvatavasa shiva
Yatijana hr^idayadhinivasa
Vidhivishhnvadi suresha shiva

24
Lan^kadhishvara suragana sevita
Lavanyamr^ita lasita shiva
Varadabhayakara vasukibhushhana
Vanamaladi vibhushha shiva

25
Shanti svarupatipriya sundara
Vagishvara varadesha shiva
Shhanmukhajanaka surendramunipriya
Shhadgunyadi sameta shiva

26
Samsararnava nashana shashvata
Sadhujana priyavasa shiva
Harapurushhottama advaitamr^ita
Muraripusevya mr^idesha shiva

27
Lalita bhaktajanesha nijeshvara
Kalinateshvara kama shiva
Kshhararupabhi priyanvita sundara sakshhat.h
Svaminnamba sameta shiva

28
Samba Sadashiva Samba Sadashiva
Samba Sadashiva Samba Shiva