sarvam premamayam....

Everywhere I turn I encounter the symbol of love.  They say that a cobbler only looks at slippers, or more specifically only slippers catch his eye. 

Everywhere I am, whether in the kitchen or garden I see love, and in seemingly insignificant places.  I have captured some images here, but some special ones were too fleeting for my camera.  The other day I looked up into the sky and saw some dark clouds framing their fair counterpart in the shape of a heart.  It was one wonderful sight!  But before I could bring out the camera it was gone.
They say a heart shape symbolises Love. 

Are these the Universe's hints of saying that I should be more loving to all around me?  Or do I see these because I am loving?  (like the cobbler example)  Or are these hints that I should take better care of my precious heart?

A splash of love

Roti of love

An impression of love

Another roti of love....... in the making

A frosting of love

A leaf of love

A fruit of love

Ip Man and Ip Man 2

Wow! What a beautiful, beautiful movie!! I loved them both!  There was no monotony in fight scenes where heroes literally jump into fights just because they are martial artists!  Even I, enjoyed it, frame by frame.  I say 'even I' because normally I do not relish the fight scenes at all, No Sire!

The films are apparently based on true stories of the Wing Chun branch of martial art legend of the same name.

After watching the movie, now I have new respect for the master and his people in general.  The lead character is developed beautifully.  It is said that a true warrior is also truly forgiving and patient.  It is said in the Raghuvamsa about the great kings in that lineage:  "Who were silent because/in spite of their wisdom, who were patient and forgiving inspite of their valour and sacrificing in spite of their immense wealth ...."  

ज्ञाने मौनं क्षमा शक्तौ त्यागे श्लाघाविपर्ययः ।

गुणाः गुणानुबन्धित्वात् तस्य सप्रसवाः इव ॥

In the same logic, the martial artist was portrayed as extremely humble and patient.

One scene in particular is my favourite:  The wife would be sick and there would be absolutely no grain in the house.  The master would prepare a little porridge with whatever grain is available.  The poor woman, in spite of her sickness would  be so concerned that he and the child would have nothing to eat and so would ask, whether any grain is left.  The master would reply so calmly, not to worry about these things, that she should get well soon.  This situation would actually prompt him to realise the need for him to work for a living.  The wife would be so concerned that hitherto affluent person has to look for work now, he would so consolingly reply that that is not the end of the world.

I really liked and admired his tone.

Elsewhere too people have been so unassuming and simple.  I am sure our ancestors would have had the same outlook though they may not have been in the same country or even continent.  Only in this generation is the focus or should I say frenzy for material things so widely prevalent. 

On the whole, good movies, great entertainment and a wonderful carry home message

Great Service

    I was very thankful for the steaming hot spicy food served at Kanlaya Thai Restaurant in Harrisburg, PA.  It is very close to the highway.  
http://www.kanlayathairestaurant.com/

    We were heading home after a small outdoors trip at PA, and basically we (at least I was) were tired of all the non-rice items that we had been having since the weekend started.  I was yearning for some rice, hot and fresh and spicy..... yumm...

    We had about half an hour to forty five minutes for the dinner 'break'.  The location was really friendly (so we didn't spend much time breaking our journey getting to the restaurant and back on the highway).  As usual we reached half an hour before closing.  I say 'as usual' because we as a couple seem to be having major issues with the time :)  we get everywhere just minutes before they close!  Well in the same fashion we reached the restaurant too, but actually this time may be it wasn't all our fault!  

    The point I want to make here is that even though we had just half hour before their closing, the staff was very friendly and did not hurry us up at all!  Not one bit!  

    And I really relished their vegetable rice seasoned with pineapple basil etc.  I do not remember the exact title of that item though.  But it did the magic, I was energized.  The portion size, the temperature and taste of the food, all were great!  I give them an A+!

What I liked the most was, that they let us order and finish it in our own pace.  For that I am very happy and even grateful!

    I guess that is why among all types of charity, annadana or charity of food is considered to be one of the best!  Sure, we paid for our food here (as everywhere, of course), but feeding people goes beyond a business, it satiates the recipient/ eater, and with the proper taste and good service, the giver transcends beyond that time that we actually visit a restaurant and wins over at least a small portion of our heart!

Dancing in the rain

I had always taken shelter from the rain, always.  

If I was forewarned and so well prepared, there were raincoats or umbrellas to shelter me.  In earlier years, we were always discouraged from getting willingly drenched in the rain.  That was probably a good thing too...If at all we got drenched, while still with a raincoat/umbrella, our hair was promptly blow dried and we changed into warm clothes.  

This perspective that 'getting wet in rain is bad' probably found its way into my unconscious.  But I can confidently say that I (or for that matter any one in my family) never felt 'rain is bad' at any time.  Yeah, our feet (salwars, footwear) will be a mess especially if we were unlucky enough to wade through the waters near the main road!  That would be horrible!! Some strange and questionable things would wind around our feet!  Whew, I even shudder to recall that now!

With only a few hours of rain that junction of our road leading to the main road would become one unspeakable mess.  It really helped that our home was right on the top floor :)

we would only see the beauty of the showers from the cloud (well not so high) perspective; we would be oblivious to the 'ground reality'!

Well, at least now, I am happy that I got a chance to get actually drenched in the recent rains.  Wow!  it was a great experience.  It was similar to standing under a water fall, sans the force.  It wasn't even like taking shower - the temperature of water for one.  Rain has a softness about it - even if it's a great downpour.  It was refreshing.  The rain did seem to clear the cobwebs of my mind.  

Within only five minutes of standing  in the rain, I was completely wet.  And within seconds my teeth were chattering away!

I was doubly thankful for the warm clothes and was happy I could admire the rain with a steaming plate of rice (it was lunch time) 

I am sure my scalp and hair would have thanked me immensely; and here I am thanking the Maker for sending those rain-giving clouds my way.

Point to ponder

The best things in life are FREE!
Air, rain, sunshine, breeze, smile, gravitational force, prayer, love, life ....and of course advice!

प्रह्लादस्तुतिः

The most celebrated and oft repeated story from Srimad Bhagavatam is the story of Prahlada.

The vile Hiranyakashipu, wanting to ask for death-less-ness, considering himself very smart, instead, asked for death, neither at day or at night, neither by man or beast, neither up nor down, so on and so forth. Hiranyakashipu was a great enemy of Vishnu and he had got this boon to avenge himself the death of his brother Hiranyaksha at the hands of Vishnu. It was indeed difficult to find a loophole in his boon and kill him by any creation of Lord Brahma. Having got his boon he went on to torture sages, people and divine and semi-divine beings for many yugas. Under his reign the world it seemed had forgotten Lord Vishnu. This however, as rightly pointed out by Prahlada himself (मन्ये धनाभिजनरूपतपःश्रुतौजस्तेजःप्रभावबलपौरुषबुद्धियोगाः । नाराधनाय हि भवन्ति परस्य पुंसो) did not seem to bother the Lord.

Ironically Prahlada, Hiranyakashipu’s own young son was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu and refused to acknowledge the greatness of his father as Supreme Being. This irritated Hiranyakashipu and he was even ready to kill his own son to prove his superiority. Such was his hatred which had won over his पुत्रवात्सल्य. Hence he threw Prahlada in fire, out of which he came without even a singed hair; he fed him poison which did not even make him drowsy; he pushed him from the mountain-top and Prahlada did not even have a scratch! Even after witnessing these miracles, Hiranyakashipu did not even have an inkling of the greatness of the Supreme being which was supporting his son. Then came the instance when he drew out his sword and asked Prahlada, “Show me that power which is supporting you!” Prahlada replied, “the very question you ask is by that Power.” “Alright then, where is it?” “Everywhere” “Everywhere! If it is everywhere, how come I don’t see it in this pillar? Let it come and save you” So saying he struck the pillar and out came Nrsimha in all his glory. Lord Vishnu incarnated as Nrsimha exclusively for Prahlada.

The little boy Prahlada was not afraid of the Lord, even though He looked gruesome and He had just killed his father. He went on to praise the Lord and thank him for his mercies.

मन्ये धनाभिजनरूपतपःश्रुतौजस्तेजःप्रभावबलपौरुषबुद्धियोगाः ।

नाराधनाय हि भवन्ति परस्य पुंसो भक्त्या तुतोष भगवान् गजयूथपाय ॥7.9.9

मन्ये — I think

धन— riches

अभिजन— aristocratic family

रूप— personal beauty

तपः— austerity

श्रुत— knowledge from studying the Vedas

ओज: — sensory prowess

तेजः— bodily effulgence

प्रभाव— influence

बल— bodily strength

पौरुष— diligence

बुद्धि— intelligence

योगाः — mystic power

नाराधनाय भवन्ति — are not for satisfying

परस्य पुंसो — Supreme Personality of Godhead

हि — indeed

भगवान् — the Supreme Personality of Godhead

तुतोष — was satisfied

भक्त्या — simply by devotional service

गजयूथपाय— unto the King of elephants (Gajendra).

Indeed, one's education, beauty and other superficial 'qualifications' would not please the Supreme Being.  Is not the Lord endowed with all glory, so  would He be stunned by the presence of but a fraction of these?  Only when arrogance on possessing beauty, strength etc take a back seat and  sincere devotion and love surface, does he/she become endearing to the Lord.

नैवात्मनः प्रभुरयं निजलाभपूर्णो मानं जनादविदुषः करुणो वृणीते ।

यद्यद् जनो भगवते विदधीत मानं तच्चात्मने प्रतिमुखस्य यथा मुखश्रीः ॥7.9.11

अयं प्रभुः — this Lord

निजलाभपूर्णः — is always satisfied in Himself

करुणः —Who is so kind to the foolish, ignorant person

वृणीते — accepts

मानम् — respect

जनात् — from a person

अविदुषः — who does not know ( that the aim of life is to please the Supreme Lord)

नैव आत्मनः — not for His personal benefit

यत् यत् — whatever

जनः— a person

भगवते — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead

विदधीत — may offer

मानं — worship

तत् च — that indeed

आत्मने —is for his own benefit

यथा — just as

मुखश्रीः— the decoration of the face.

प्रतिमुखस्य — (shows up as )the reflection of the face in the mirror

Indeed, the Supreme benevolent God accepts the worship of his devotee for the devotee's own benefit as He does not require any thing from anybody.  Just as a beautiful decorated face in turn shows up a beautiful decorated reflection so also, devotion unto the Lord reflects itself as His manifold blessings.   

बालस्य नेह शरणं पितरौ नृसिंह नार्तस्य चागदमुदन्वति मज्जतो नौः ।

तप्तस्य तत्प्रतिविधिर्य इहाञ्जसेष्ठस्तावद् विभो तनुभृतां त्वदुपेक्षितानाम् ॥7.9.19

नृसिंह — O my Lord Nṛsiḿha

न इह शरणं पितरौ — the father and mother are not shelter (protection) in this world

बालस्य — of a little child

न — nor

अगदं — medicine

उदन्वति — in the water of the ocean

आर्तस्य च — of a person suffering from some disease

नौः — the boat

मज्जतः — of a person who is drowning

तप्तस्य— of a person suffering from a condition of material misery

तत्प्रतिविधिः— the counteraction (invented for stopping the suffering of material existence)

यः इष्टः — that which is accepted (as a remedy)

इह — in this material world

अञ्जसा — very easily

तावत् — similarly

विभो — O my Lord, O Supreme

तनुभृताम् — of the living entities who have accepted material bodies

त्वत्-उपेक्षितानाम् — who are neglected by You and not accepted by You.

For those who are neglected by the Lord, there is indeed no refuge.  Their remedy may be temporarily beneficial but certainly of an impermanent nature.  For the parents cannot protect the child, a doctor or medicine cannot save the sick nor can a boat save the drowning man.   

नैषा परावरमतिर्भवतो ननु स्याज्जन्तोर्यथात्मसुहृदो जगतस्तथापि ।
संसेवया सुरतरोरिव ते प्रसादः सेवानुरूपमुदयो न परावरत्वम् ॥7.9.27

नैषा —not this
परावरमति: —discrimination of higher or lower
भवतो — of Your Lordship
ननु — indeed
स्यात् — there can be
जन्तोः— of ordinary living entities
यथा— as
आत्मसुहृदो — of one who is the friend
जगत:— of the whole material world
तथापि — but still (there is such a demonstration of intimacy or difference)
संसेवया — according to the degree of service rendered by the devotee
सुरतरोरिव — like that of the wish-yielding tree
ते प्रसादः —Your blessing
सेवानुरूपम् — according to the category of service one renders to the Lord
उदयः— manifestation
न परावरत्वम् — not discrimination due to higher or lower levels.

Prahlada says:  O Lord, You do not have discrimination as superior and inferior, of those who seek your refuge.  You consider one and all as the same, You are everyone's friend.   Indeed You are like the wish yielding tree which just grants the wishes of the one who asks of it, without judging them.

The Prahlada stuti is truly magnificent. Each and every sloka in this stuti (43 slokas ) is a gem. The verses here are some of my favourite.

How grateful Prahlada must have been to have his torture and death-threats removed by the Lord! But to start with he never did have a doubt in his mind about being saved. He was always unperturbed just as a true ज्ञानी.

The Hindu : Columns / Nirmal Shekar : Let us accept the truth

The Hindu : Columns / Nirmal Shekar : Let us accept the truth


This article has hit the 'bull's eye'.  "why this cricket-veri?"  We have to ask ourselves.  The players are glorified beyond bounds.   All other sports(men) are side tracked/ignored.