Gajendra Moksham - The Salvation Of Gajendra The Elephant

Mount Trikuta stood proud with its three mountain peaks,

Glinting with iron, gold and silver streaks.

Dense forests with trees lined,

Lush, green meadows, conifers and pines.

Waterfalls gushed, streams trickled,

The playful sunbeams bounced off and sparkled.

In the valley below, a lake shimmered,

The shadow of blooming lotuses glimmered.

Clear as nectar and refreshingly cool,

A favourite haunt was the waters of this pool.

Gajendra, the elephant king his herd led,

Through the forests, the elephants stomped, they tread.

Fruits and leaves they chomped on the way,

Till they came to the lake by the bay.

The young ones tumbled in like birds free,

Sucked and squirted the water with glee.

Gajendra looked on indulgently,

Let his burly legs in cautiously, gently...

Something in the water stirred and slowly advanced by stealth,

It was 'Makara'  the crocodile from the murky depths.

His teeth sank into Gajendra's leg, cutting, sharp,

Caught unawares, Gajendra let out a gasp.

Gajendra's raw power which made others quake

This vicious, tenacious grip failed to shake.

The great Gajendra his might used,

Makara's teeth further into his skin fused.

Makara, the crocodile in a vice-like grip,

Held on to his leg and Gajendra began to slip.

He lifted his trunk with a stifled wail,

The poignant call through the air sailed.

The other elephants at once rushed to his aid,

To rescue him every attempt they made.

They pushed and pulled, with all their strength they tried,

From the clutches of Makara, Gajendra's leg could not be prised.

The herd, its protests, vociferous at first,

Petered off to a feeble outburst.

Sensing the situation as hopeless,

The elephants soon became restless.

One by one they began to leave,

When no imminent change they could perceive.

Gajendra's queen the last reserves drew,

Gathering her drained energy anew.

She worked ceaselessly without a pause,

Not willing to abandon as a lost cause.

She arched her body like a bow,

Balancing her feet, refusing to let go.

Gajendra and his queen gazed into each other's eyes,

Deep sadness within they could not guise.

"The children are afraid, they know not what is in store,.

Your duty is to them, they need you more.

Go without turning dear one,

I promise to join you before the dawn of the sun."

The ears drooped, the eyes lacklustre,

Enough hope from his words, the queen could not muster.

The outline of her babies she could faintly view,

She turned despondently and followed their cue.

Gajendra let out his wounded cries,

Severing it seemed all his earthly ties.

The queen turned not, his words she did abide,

She knew this moment was his alone, he did not want her by his side...

For a thousand years the moons flitted by,

Across the expanse of the darkened sky.

Against the horizon stretching for miles,

The silhouette of Gajendra and the wily crocodile,

Engaged in a struggle futile.

The great Gajendra began to ruminate,

On his present status to contemplate...

" The king I was, mighty once,

Subjects to me paid obeisance.

Where oh where are they now?

No one to do my bidding or before me bow.

My sons, my heirs, my beautiful queen,

Disappeared at my behest.. like an illusion..a 'has been'...

My strength, my power which 'awe' brought,

A 'shadow' now, reduced to naught.

Here I stand alone and bereft,

There is nothing but sheer emptiness left.

Yet ...within me something stirs,

A name, a prayer, a chant in verse..

Deep within it seems to reside,

A soothing calm fills me inside.

From his gut the chant arose,

In musical tones, in waves it rose.

"Aadimoolame! In you I seek refuge!

The protector of the universe from deluge!

Thou art compassionate, merciful, tender,

At your feet, I humbly surrender.

Aadimoolame! Aadimoolame!" Gajendra repeated,

Throughout 'Vaikuntha'  this chant reverberated.

Carefully a golden lotus he plucked,

Raised it as an offering in his curled trunk tucked.

Lord Vishnu urgently summoned 'Garuda' his mount,

And before the next second one could count,

 He sat on Garuda and hastily flew,

This was the call from a devotee true.

His devotee for Him waited,

Not a moment there was to be wasted.

The conch, the disc dazzling, the body shining blue,

For all the world, a spectacular view.

The disc with lightning speed spun

Makara's mouth split, he lay stunned!

A 'Gandharva', a heavenly musician from the crocodile emerged,

Cleansed of his sins, purified, purged.

He had dared to pull a sage under water,

Was cursed to be a crocodile thereafter.

In Lord Vishnu's hands, he had attained release,

He bobbed up to the clouds with a sense of peace.

Lord Vishnu took a giant leap.

Tenderly He tended to Gajendra's wounds deep.

'Why oh why did I come so late?

Why did I allow my devotee to suffer this fate?" He bemoaned.

"My dear Gajendra, I did not hear you quickly enough,

The going for you has been exceedingly tough.

If I could undo, I would in a trice,

My heart with pain wrenches and cries."

Moved beyond words by the Lord's compassion,

His heart welling with overflowing emotion,
 Gajendra  to the Lord said,

"My Lord there was one thing I did dread!

Had I without offering you the lotus died,

Of what use would this life have been ?" he cried.

"Writhing you are in this pitiful condition,

Yet you care not, filled as you are with utter devotion.

In the previous life too, you were my devotee,

With great dedication you performed your duty.

Indradyumna, a king you were,

Devout, generous and sincere.

Sage Agasthya was angered, insulted he felt,

Absorbed you were... on me your thoughts dwelt.

'In your next birth," he cursed,
 You will be an elephant for better or worse!'

" Blessed I am to be cursed like this!

For you I can see, your feet I can kiss!"

What have I done to gain this honour!

The lotus to you I can humbly offer!"

The Lord then, the lotus with care did lift,

Placed it in His heart for Goddess Lakshmi to sit.

" Unmatched you are in the devotion you show,

Limitless blessings on you I bestow!

In 'Vaikuntha' with honour you will be greeted,

In the centre of my being you will be seated.

From the cycle of birth and death you are released,

To grant 'moksham', 'salvation' to you I am pleased!

A shower of lotus petals on Gajendra rained!

The highest form of  'moksham'  from the Lord Himself he had gained.


Footnotes
--------------

Vaikuntha - Lord Vishnu's heavenly abode
Moksham - Release, salvation
Garuda - An eagle which is the mount of Lord Vishnu
Aadimoolam  - Name of Lord Vishnu, the protector.

The Story Of Guruvayurappa

Lord Brahma gazed at the sea of nothingness,
The limitless expanse of sheer consciousness.
Seeking, searching for that spark of inspiration,
He was about to begin the process of creation...

In a burst of light, a form appeared,
It was Lord Vishnu, the Lord revered.
With a dazzling smile and a face ablaze,
Blessings he bestowed with infinite grace.

In Lord Brahma's palms, he placed with great care,
Something precious, something rare.
An idol, a deity, a figurine,
Cherubic, a child, the eyes serene.

A conch, a discus in the hands,
A mace too and a basil garland.
From  'Vaikuntha' this idol, from the inner precincts,
With Lord Vishnu this idol inexorably linked.
Brahma, the creator was now inspired,
He put into motion 'creation' as desired...


Lord Brahma looked at the idol with satisfaction, with love,
This idol from heaven.. from 'Vaikuntha' above.


Sutepa and Prisna to Lord Brahma prayed,
No child in their lives..this heavily weighed.
Kind and pure and totally devoted,
Lord Brahma was moved when their devotion He noted.

The idol given by Lord Vishnu to them He offered,
"Your desire for a son will soon be fulfilled!" He proffered.
Vasudeva and Devaki in another incarnation you will be,
Lord Krishna himself as your son you will see."


Sutepa and Prisna embraced the idol with great love,
This idol from heaven.. from 'Vaikuntha' above.


The gurgles of Lord Krishna filled the air,
Vasudeva and Devaki their joy did share.
Of Lord Vishnu Himself, He was the perfect version,
For the entire world, a joyous occasion!
The idol was placed by his side,
The idol was none other than Lord Krishna they realised!


Vasudeva and Devaki looked at the idol with love,
This idol from heaven.. from 'Vaikuntha' above.


Lord Krishna soon ruled Mathura, a benevolent king,
Great joy, great happiness his rule did bring.
Prosperity, peace and riches plentiful,
Mankind was loving, generous and dutiful.


The idol given by Vasudeva and Devaki was placed in a special niche with love,
This idol from heaven..from 'Vaikuntha' above.


Uddhava, Lord Krishna's friend, viewed the future with concern,
Things would change, he could sense, he could discern.
Lord Krishna from this incarnation would leave and rise,
Chaos, despair and despondency would arise.

Lord Krishna with his words Uddhava appeased,
"From this moment let your apprehensions cease.
Protect the idol! Guard with your life!
It will see mankind through every strife.

The waters will flood, be not afraid,
The elements, Guru and Vayu will aid.
I am the idol, the idol is me,
In the form of the idol, on earth, I will always be."


Uddhava recognised Lord Krishna in the idol with love,
This idol from heaven..from  'Vaikuntha' above.


The waters rose alarmingly high,
Dangerous, threatening, monstrous size,
Snarling, swallowing, snaring,
Stripping mercilessly, destroying.
The end of a cycle, the end of an era,
The onset of the new period, the 'Kaliyuga'...

The idol, the buffeting waves cushioned and held,
They rose, they overflowed, they surged, they welled.
The idol was gathered by Brihaspati, the Guru,
A protective shield formed the wind, the Vayu.


Guru and Vayu with reverence carried the idol with love,
This idol from heaven..from 'Vaikuntha' above.


Together the earth they then traced,
They scoured the length and breadth for a suitable space.
Till they came to a beautiful shimmering pond,
By thousands and thousands of lotuses adorned.

Lord Shiva and Parvati themselves stood waiting,
It was clear the idol they had been awaiting.
"Blessings to you for thou hast brought the idol along,
He hath come to where he belongs!"

They had found the way home to a sacred base,
The idol was installed in its rightful place.
Here it stands in Kerala in the city of Thrissur,
Brought by Guru and Vayu, the idol of Guruvayur.


The idol is now worshipped here with devotion and love,
This idol from heaven..from 'Vaikuntha' above.



Footnotes
-----------
Vaikuntha - The heavenly abode of Lord Vishnu
Kaliyuga - The age of vice

The Dance Of Divine Love - The Raas Leela

Fluid notes of the flute pure,
Fluffy, fleecy clouds azure.
Fading colours, hues of twilight,
Falling streams, liquid moonlight.

The echoes of the flute-laden wind,
The shadowy darkness carried within.
Tinsel notes scattered and sprayed,
Music of the universe the flute played.

The 'gopis' worked hard, like beavers they toiled,
The butter they churned, the milk they boiled.
From the heart of the Brindavan forests deep,
The honeyed tones their beings did seep.

In a trance-like state, the gopis swayed,
It was Lord Krishna's call from far away,
The gopis towards the forest made their way...

Floating fragrance of the 'kadamba' tree,
The songs of the birds hushed, ceased.
Free flowing ripples, the Yamuna river,
Molten moon causing a quiver.

Moving fingers the flute caressed,
Lilting melody when they came to rest.
The poignant notes rang out clear,
The gopis searching drew near.

Thirsty eyes drank in the scene,
The silhouette outlined by the moonbeam.
Magnetic eyes, mysterious gleam,
Shining body with a blue sheen.

The gopis Lord Krishna did surround,
Their bangles, their anklets made a tinkling sound.
Swirling skirts and dancing feet,
Whirlpool of colours, rhythmic beat.

Round and round the gopis spun,
Round the fulcrum, the axis, the central sun.
Lord Krishna magically transformed,
And danced with the gopis in multiple forms.

The 'Dance Of Divine Love' the 'Raas Leela' was seen,
By heaven , by earth and the stars between.
Lord Shiva himself as 'gopishvara' witnessed the scene...

The gopis overcame one by one,
Their material wants till there was none.
The ego, the attachments which traversed deep,
No longer held on to make them weep.

Layer by layer they cast off,
Familial,emotional and mental ties thereof.
Only love and devotion to the Lord remained,
With every breath, every beat, His thought they retained.

Raised fervour, rapid tempo,
Rising music, resounding crescendo!
With Lord Krishna the forms fused ,
Soon those very forms diffused...

No shape, no form, no gender,
Each identity in total surrender.
Individual souls with the universal soul,
The whole the part, the part the whole.
Just the one consciousness sole...


Footnotes
------------

Gopis - The 'cow-herd' girls
Kadamba - Evergreen tropical tree native to South and Southeast Asia.
Gopishvara - The female form taken by Lord Shiva to participate in the dance of Lord Krishna and the gopis.

The Three Devis And The 'Navratri'

Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati,
The three deities, the holy Trinity.
Three days dedicated to each of the Three,
Nine nights of celebration, the 'Navratri'.

The significance of Navratri can be found,
In legends and stories which abound.
Of Gods and Goddesses, of trials and tribulations,
Good over evil, the triumph, the jubilation !

Goddess Durga encounters Mahishasura, the demon,
To curb his misdeeds, to get even.
With trident pointed, with a flowing mane,
Symbolically crushing the 'ego' and its reign.

Like a lion pouncing on a victim dazed,
The darkness, the ignorance, the 'Tamas Guna' in us is erased,
When Goddess Durga aids,
And showers us with grace.

Adi Shankara's voice rang out clearly begging for alms,
The poor lady offered a gooseberry in her palm.
Nothing else she had to give..to share.
Her larder was empty and totally bare.

She would be hungry for days, for weeks,
The thought in her mind did not even peek.
With devotion she served, a selfless deed,
From one who herself was in dire need.

Goddess Lakshmi showers 'gold', the 'Kanakadhara',
Moved by her gesture and the pleas of Adi Shankara.

Like a lotus that out of the dirt blooms,
Actions subtle should be honed and pruned.
The 'Rajas Guna', the 'Actions' when you direct with care,
Gifted you are with spiritual wealth, more than your share.

Savitri was plunged in a pall of gloom,
It had been ordained that Satyavan, her husband  would die soon.
Into herself she goes.. in search of her soul,
Insight she gains into it as a whole.

In the cycle of birth and death she finds,
The soul to the source eternally binds.
The soul merges losing its humanity,
The essence remains..pure divinity.

A symbol of the 'Sattva Guna', of 'Purity' is Savitri,
An incarnation of Goddess Saraswati.
She shines her wisdom, she shines her light,
Night and darkness vanish out of sight.
 
The soul stands luminous reflecting the inner deity,
Lord Yama bows before the radiance of her purity.
Satyavan's soul is set free,
Back to timeless eternity.

Like a swan which milk from the water draws,
On your true self, the 'Sattva Guna' makes you pause.
Clearly is seen the pure nature of the soul,
When deep self-enquiry' you make your goal.

Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati,
Embodying the qualities of the 'Tamas', the Rajas', the 'Sattva'...the Gunas three.

From 'Jagruti', to 'Swapna', to 'Sushupti',
From 'Waking', to 'Dream', to 'Sleep'...the states of being three.

From the gross, to the subtle, to the ultimate reality,
The journey through...the realms of consciousness three.

The significance of 'Navratri',
Through the symbolism of...the Devis three.

Adi Shankara and Hastamalaka

   

 

Sribali village near Gokarna town,

Was abuzz with excitement all around.

The people they headed towards the temple near,

To have a 'darshan' of Adi Shankara, the seer.

 

Prostrated they did before the saint's feet,

Blessed were they to him meet...

 

Prabhakaran, the merchant at the saint's feet fell,

Made his son prostrate before him as well.

He stood aside, his eyes welling with tears,

His shoulders drooped low, his face lined with fears.

 

"What troubles you?" the saint asked in soothing tones,

"Speak up for you are not alone!"

With great kindness on him his gaze rested,

The merchant felt light, his burden lifted.

"It is my son!" sighed he with deep sadness,

"He seems afflicted by a form of madness...

 

He neither eats, nor reads, nor sleeps,

Bereft of emotions, he does not speak.

Vacant, empty, he stares at the sun,

Like a log of wood, he reacts to none!"

Upon the boy, 'the guru' his eyes laid,

To come a little closer, he then bade.

A 'realised' soul, a 'jnani' he recognised,

'No ordinary soul without a doubt,' he instantly surmised.

"Who are you?" the guru gently enquired,

"What is your purpose? Why have you been sired?"

The guru's gaze with compassion softened,

Between him and the boy, a channel opened.

 

Like an ocean exploding with high tide,

Like a cuckoo bursting forth when spring arrives,

Out from his mouth, the words tumbled,

A volley, a torrent, he did not fumble.

 

Clear and transparent like the fruit 'amalaka',

Thus spoke the boy, Hastamalaka...

 

"I am not God, nor yaksha, nor brahmin,

Not brahmachari, nor householder, nor sanyasin.

The mind and senses, I activate,

Like the sun which every movement initiates.

 Associated I am with everything around, 

Like heat with fire is always found .

 

I am that 'self' with ego not separated,

Like the image in a mirror from the object reflected.

The mirror you remove, the object you still find,

That 'self' I am... that which remains after the extinction of the mind.

Like the sun reflected in the waters of the sea,

I am reflected in as many minds as can be.

The mind, the intellect, I illuminate, I enlighten,

Like the sun which every eye brightens.

On agitated waters, the sun has mutilated beams,

on calm surfaces, clear and laminated it seems.

 I am that 'self' unrecognizable in disturbed minds,

I shine forth in serene minds you find.

Seemingly limited by the body and senses, I cannot deny,

Yet I am the mind of the mind, the eye of the eye.

Permeating, yet not bound,

Within and beyond the senses I abound.

Like ether, all pervading yet unaffected,

Like a crystal, reflecting, yet to change not subjected.

I am that 'self ' that 'consciousness', peaceful,

Unchanging, unbound, eternal, blissful!"

"Come forth dear one and me you follow,

In this 'samsara sagara' you can no more wallow!"

The guru turned to his disciples who stared with surprise,

He proceeded to explain with words wise.

 

"This boy's body houses a great soul,

Life from this body, fate once stole...

He was tiny, a mere toddler, an infant,

His mother left him in the care of a 'sadhu' for an instant.

 

The child crawled into the river and drowned,

The 'sadhu' unaware and in a state of stupor was found.

The wails, the laments of the mother bereaved,

In a daze, her grief, the 'sadhu' perceived.

 

Struck he was with great remorse,

To enter the inert body he chose.

The child stirred and was awakened,

The body now housed the soul enlightened.

The soul continued in deep contemplation,

Drowned in the throes of  ecstasy, in exhultation.

Unaffected and unattached while in silent communion,

With the source, with consciousness in eternal union."

 

The guru stepped forward, the path he tread,

Hastamalaka followed as he walked ahead.

His path lay clear, his heart filled with reverence,

In the footsteps of his guru, his journey did commence.

 

 

Footnotes

------------

 

Gokarna - A temple town in the state of Karnataka, India

Darshan - to behold

Guru - teacher

Sadhu - saint

Samsara sagara - ocean of worldliness

 

 

Adi Shankara And The Atma Shatakam - The Knowledge Of The True Self

 
 



Saint Govinda Bhagavatpada sat under a tree in silence,
Not a leaf stirred in its branches dense.
In a state of 'Samadhi' he was,
Meditating on the 'self' without a pause.

Young Adi Shankara stood transfixed, his gaze on the enlightened being,
For miles and miles he had walked searching.
Here was the supreme teacher, a 'Guru', a godsend !
His quest at last had come to an end...

The river Narmada began to swell,
Higher and higher, she refused to be quelled.
From the Vindhya ranges, through the valley she flowed,
Past Saint Bhagavatpada bathed in a glow.

The river she tossed her turbulent waves,
Snarling, curling, threatening, grave.
She hurtled towards the bank, her jaws open wide,
Rising, mounting, the lashing high tide...

Adi Shankara's heart plummeted, in terror he froze,
To the divine being, the flood waters were getting threateningly close.
Raised he did his 'kamandalam' high,
With a fervent prayer, with an unwavering eye.

Narmada crashed, potent fury,,
Sucked in she was in all her glory.
Into the 'kamandalam', through the spout,
Magical, mystical without a doubt.

With infinite care, the 'kamandalam' he tipped,
Out flowed the Narmada, she gently slipped,
Onto the banks, slowly meandering,
Subdued, tamed, intricate patterns weaving.

''Who are you?'' asked a gentle voice,
It came from the frail, saintly figure, full of poise...

"I am not the elements, not the senses,
Not the mind, intellect or the bodily changes.
A waveless ocean of bliss, I exist, I just be,
I am Shiva, I am He.

I cannot be termed 'prana' or energy,
No bodily function or action is performed by me.
In a waveless ocean of bliss, I exist, I just be,
I am Shiva, I am He.

I have no likes, no hatred, no attachment, no aversion,
No duty to perform, no desire for liberation.
In a waveless ocean of bliss, I exist , I just be,
I am Shiva, I am He.

I am not sin, nor virtue, nor pleasure, nor pain,
From temples, pilgrimage, rituals I have nothing to gain.
In a waveless ocean of bliss, I exist, I just be,
I am Shiva, I am He.

I have no caste, no birth, no death, no fear,
No attachment to parents, or to friends near and dear.
In a waveless ocean of bliss, I exist, I just be,
I am Shiva, I am He.

I am without form, beyond time, beyond space,
I am everywhere, in everything..of the universe, a base.
In a waveless ocean of bliss, I exist, I just be,
I am Shiva, I am He.

Own I not any possession,
Controlled I am not by any emotion.
Temporary it is the world around,
I am not tied, I am not bound.
I have no highs, no lows, no ups, no downs..


'Chidananda Roopaha..Shivoham..Shivoham..'
'I am in equilibrium.. not bonded or free..
I am Shiva, eternal love, pure consciousness.. I am He..' "


The guru smiled, pleased he was,
Adi Shankara's words had this caused.
Through the 'Atma Shatakam', he had each layer peeled,
Who he was, his core, his 'true self' he had thus revealed.


Footnotes
------------

Samadhi - A spiritual state of consciousness
Guru - teacher
kamandalam - An oblong water pot.

Adi Shankara And The Chandala - The Birth Of Knowledge (Jnana)

This poem is based on an incident which took place in the life of Adi Shankara after he became an ascetic. One of the greatest Indian philosophers, Adi Shankara established the 'Advaita' or the 'Non - Dual Consciousness' philosophy.


"Tat Tvam Asi...
Aham Brahmasmi..."

"That Universal Consciousness, That Bliss Thou Art...
That Universal Consciousness, That 'Brahman' I Am, Not Apart..."

The voice of Adi Shankara faded across The Ganges, the holy river,
Not a breath was drawn, not a sound, not a whisper.
His disciples dwelt on this thought with great intent,
Ponder they did on what the words meant.
In silence this eternal truth they hailed,
A sense of peace upon them prevailed.

In a group, they began to wind their way,
Through the narrow streets of Varanasi, towards the temple by the quay.
The words still echoed in their ears,
The words of Adi Shankara, the words of the seer:
"Tat Tvam Asi...
Aham Brahmasmi..."

Across their path, a form appeared,
Straggly locks and unkempt beard.
The smell of the graveyard clung to his clothes,
Four curs yapped around his toes.

A 'chandala' he was of lowly caste,
Towards them he proceeded at a pace fast.
The disciples stopped dead in their tracks,
They motioned him to keep far back.

What audacity of the 'chandala' to cross their path,
This impertinent act did incur their wrath.
"Your presence brings utter distress!
Go away! Cause no more stress!

Adi Shankara here is the ultimate 'guru', you know,
Deference and respect to him you must show.
Move aside you 'chandala'! Give way!" they riled,
"We..with your body have been defiled!"

"What do you ask me to do?
Do I require this body to move?
This body made of water and food,
This body the same as yours too..
Is there a difference between us you see?

The sun's reflection in the waters of the flowing 'Ganga',
Its reflection in the ditch waters near the quarters of the 'chandala',
The space in a pot with a golden sheen,
The space in a mud pot empty and clean..
Is there a difference between them you see?

The disciples knitted their brows and wondered,
No answers did they have, they were bewildered.
Was not the chandala's body and soul,
Impure and polluted down to the sole?

Their souls, their bodies were holy and pure,
Adherence to the divine path had this ensured.
To question them, he had no right,
Ignorant he was, a piteous sight!

Adi Shankara stood composed,
Unwaveringly he focused on the questions posed:
'Is there a  difference between you and me?
A difference between all things I see?'

"You have made me think and think deep,
Oh 'chandala'! Thou art Lord Shiva..now I see!
With folded hands, I bow to thee!"

And then.. words and verses from Adi Shankara tumbled in a spate!
Bursting, flowing..the opening of the floodgates..
The 'Manisha Panchakam' thus came to be,
The essence of the Non-dual, the 'Advaita' philosophy...

"Pure consciousness is 'Brahman', it is in all,
From the creator to the ant small.
That person irrespective of caste and creed,
Who reveals this is my 'guru' indeed!

I am pure consciousness, 'Brahman', pure bliss,
I think I am separate because of my mind, my senses.
That person irrespective of caste and creed,
Who has attained true knowledge about 'Brahman', is my 'guru' indeed!

The universe as many different things appears,
When you realise each is 'Brahman', the differences disappear.
That person irrespective of caste and creed,
Who lifts the illusion with a calm mind is my 'guru' indeed!

The 'self' controlled by the mind and senses is not revealed,
Like the sun which by the clouds is concealed.
That person irrespective of caste and creed,
Who meditates on the 'self' is my 'guru' indeed!

The 'self', the 'Brahman' is infinite love, light and bliss,
A fraction of which satisfies Indra and the holy sages.
That person irrespective of caste and creed,
Who gains fulfilment with 'Brahman' is my 'guru' indeed!

You are 'Brahman'..the universal conciousness..eternal..free..
I am 'Brahman'..the universal consciousness..blissful..as pure as can be..
No other..other than 'Brahman'.. can be..

Tat Tvam Asi...
Aham Brahmasmi...
Tat Tvam Asi...
Aham Brahmasmi..."



Footnotes
-----------

Brahman - pure consciousness, pure bliss
Chandala - a person who deals with corpses
Guru - teacher

The Story Of Nandanar - The Birth Of Devotion

In the paddy fields, Nandanar sat in a daze,

Soaking in the sun, the cattle grazed.

In the swaying husks of the golden field,

Images of Lord Shiva, he did see.

In every grain, His eyes did shine,

Dancing, smiling, His face divine...

As a toddler, an infant, an innocent child,

Lord Shiva's name only, he knew for a while.

'Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!' as he grew, he chanted,

To see Lord Shiva in every form he wished would be granted.

'In a trance, he always seems,

Lord Shiva is all he thinks of and dreams!' his friends said exasperatedly!

"Blessed is he who sees Lord Shiva's light,

Spreading across the universe bright!" he replied exultantly!

"Of what use are the eyes if they cannot dwell,

On His limbs as they dance to the sound of bells?

Of what use the ears deaf to the echo of  ' Om',

The lips that chant not His name in every home?

Empty is our very existence,

If from Lord Shiva we do not draw sustenance.

What is the meaning of this life, this birth?

It is but Lord Shiva who makes it worth!" he declared ecstatically.

"Om Namah Shivaya,
 Shivaya Namah Om.
"Salutations to Lord Shiva!" he greeted,

"To Lord Shiva salutations! " he repeated.

...The gentle breeze his ears did caress,

Its musical notes seemed to suggest,

"Go to 'Tirupungur' at the Lord's behest,

Gather and go with all the rest.

Lord Shiva in a chariot with great fanfare,

Round the town will be carried , a sight so rare.

Blessings He will shower seated on His throne,

Go forth Nandanar!" sang the breeze in dulcet tones.

"I see Him! I hear Him!

He whispers! He Calls!

Through the labrynth of my mind,

Through the inner walls.

Come young, come old, come one, come all!

To witness God Shiva, to witness the Lord!
Let us head to Tirupungur,

All the way from our village 'Adhanur '!"

"Are you under the spell of 'Maya'?

Do you not know we belong to the caste 'Pariah'?

The precincts of the temple are banned for us,

The unwritten laws of the land say thus!"

"The mind has will, the heart yearns,

It tugs, it pulls, a longing it churns.

I hear His call, come along,

Does it matter to him, the caste we belong?

The rules we will but not flout,

In His eyes we are equals without a doubt.

From any corner, from any space,

We will stand and obtain the Lord's grace.

Blessed are we for we have eyes to see,

The Lord in all His glory will be."

So eleven friends from the village Adhanur,

With Nandanar they went to the Shivalokanatha temple in the town of Tirupungur...

Outside the temple with great reverence,

They stood in a huddle at a great distance.

They craned their necks and stood on their toes,

They bent their knees and stooped low.

Nothing but nothing could be seen,

Only pitch darkness and Nandi, the bull in between...

"Where oh where is Shiva our Lord?

Your words deceive Nandanar, you are a fraud!

Filled we are with utter despair,

Into nothingness as we stand and stare!"

"Am I not fit to glimpse for a moment,

Your overflowing grace, your love for an instant?

My 'karma', my sins tower as a mountain tall.

Hiding, blocking your view like a wall.

I entreat you oh Nandi, can you not move a bit ?

So we can steal a glance for a second split ?

Oh Lord! What would I give to see the compassion that pours,

Enough to last a lifetime and more!

Not enough is this one lifetime,

To praise, to adore your presence divine."

Lord Shiva felt a stirring in his heart,

A yearning in beings who of Him were a part.

A seering ache, a longing deep,

His entire being it did seep.

"Move aside dear Nandi, my child, my bull,

With my devotees, their devotion, my heart is full.

How can I their pleas ignore?

Blessings like a fountain arise from my core."

Nandi, the guardian bull was moved to tears,

The humble request of the Lord to hear.

"What was greater?" he wondered with elation,

"The devotee's devotion or the Lord's compassion?

Who was this to move the Lord so?

Blessed was this soul for evermore!"
Envy and wonder flowed in him,
A sense of awe rose within.

Moved he did to get a glimpse,

And thus he stayed ever since...

The temple bells began to toll,

The cymbals clanged, the drums rolled.

The lights from the lamps cast a beam,

Illuminating the 'Lingam' which shone and gleamed.

Nandanar and the eleven raised their hands,

'Haro Hara!' they sang like in unison a band.

"What have we done to deserve this oh Lord?

Oh almighty Shiva! Oh merciful God!"

On the Lingam their gaze lingered,

"On us compassion He showers!" they averred.

"To dwell on this formless-form of His,

Unending, eternal bliss it is!"

They then sang in a chorus, loud and clear,

The prayer, the mantra reverberated far and near...

'Brahma Murari Suraarchita Lingam

Nirmala Bhashita Shobhita Lingam

Janmaja Dukha Vinashaka Lingam

Tat Pranamaami Sadaa Shiva Lingam.'

'Before that Lingam We bow,

Adored by Brahma, Vishnu and the Gods above.

Praised by words holy and pure,
Destruction of the cycle of birth and death it ensures!"


Footnotes
----------------

Om - A mystical Sanskrit sound of Hindu origin
Tirupungur - The name of a town in Tamil Nadu
Adhanur - A village in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu
Maya - Illusion
Pariah - A social outcast
Karma - Action, Deed
Haro Hara - Remove suffering and grant salvation
Lingam - A symbol of Lord Shiva which is used for worship.