Life is Beautiful! Love it the fullest!
Na tatra suryo bhaati na chandra tarakam
nema vidhyuto bhanti kutoyamagnihi |
tameva bhantam anubhati sarvam
tasya bhasa sarvam idam vibhati ||
Sun cannot illumine him, nor the moon, nor the stars
Lightning cannot, much less this little flame I wave |
Verily, when he shines everything is illuminated
By his light alone all of us shine ||~ Kathopanishad II v 15
Wishing you all a M&m & A |
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The Supreme Divine – manifest or unmanifest, there is no difference So chant Sages, Puranas, Buddha and Veda. That which has no attributes, is formless, unseen and unborn |
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Wishing All
Bliss in Śri Rām’s Grace M&m and A |
I did not encounter this gem of Hindu scripture earlier in my education. But since I came across this superlative example of bhakti, it has become a part of my daily reading and contemplation. And what a joy the morning hours have been.
In this one phrase, Tulsidas succinctly summarizes the essence of Hindu faith. Dwell on this and you can skip the Vedas, Upanishads and all else. Pure bliss!
Notes:
More On Śri Rām:
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To Surya, the Sun God as he starts his Northerly trek
Grace us with Warmth and Light Happy Sankranti to All! Tiil gool ghya, goaD goaD bola! |
Five years ago I wrote about the Dadar Flower Market, in Mumbai. It is tucked under the bridge next to the Dadar train Station, and like alien slime, oozes into adjoining alleys and walkways, filling every doorway and cranny. So jam-packed, my cousin cautioned, “don’t put your hand in your pocket, coz it will go in someone else’s pocket!” Aaargh! Only in Mumbai!
See my other Flower Seller posts:
But it IS an experience! Not just for colorful flowers, but to see up close how the poor make a living. And be bothered! Yes, I get bothered seeing young girls selling flowers for a living, when they should be in school! Politicians mouth big speeches about expensive projects to eradicate poverty. The money ends up in their Swiss accounts, while the poor fester near open sewers.
I want to be bothered! It is far easier, NOT to go; NOT to see. Stay home, play with Meera, take a nap, go to a nice restaurant for frothy coffee. You and I, we need to be nudged from our comfort zones; we need to wade through muck and see how the poor work and live. We need to be offended; get mad at impotent politicians. We need to be bothered. YOU need to be bothered.
As I edge my way through the crowds; my heart races and I’m in a zone. The din of the market is white noise, sharpening my thoughts and focus; I ignore the rotten ooze creeping in my sandals and in between my toes, impervious to odors of rot, the shoves and jostling. I don’t hear the screams and curses; I don’t feel the feet stepping on mine; of sweat soaked bodies pressed to mine as they slither ahead; a wet elbow crazes my cheek. I resist the temptation to pull my handkerchief and wipe my face. I smile.
I am mesmerized by the beauty here! See this beautiful girl above selling roses. She’s not more than 12 years old, but dressed in a saree and tending this stall, while she should be sitting in a class room, in a clean dress, or playing with friends. She’ll never know that luxury.
[Read more...]
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On this festive occasion of Deepavali,
May the Gods grace you and your loved ones with Peace, Good Health and Success! Happy Deepavali! |
Ganesh Chaturthi (or Ganapati Chauti as we Konkanis call it) is THE celebration in our extended family home in Mumbai. During the five days of Ganapati, all pujas are performed as prescribed in the Puranas, including recitations from the Vedas. After a busy five days, the murthy is consigned to the seas (visarjan), leaving us all melancholy. Even Meera was puzzled that beautiful “Ganapati Bappa” was missing. He’ll be back next year, Meera! And so will we all.
See an earlier post for a brief background on Ganapati.
During aarti on the last (5th) day.
After a few days respite in Goa and Kumta, we returned home for the Ganesh Chaturthi Utsav (festival). Over the next few days, our extended family home transformed into a festive temple. Resident cooks arrived and made traditional Konkani snacks (chivda, mando, shankar paLLan, masala shaenga, chuklee, etc). Siblings and cousins descended on our home. Professional flower stringers decorated our main hall in elaborate arrangements of plump marigolds. Humongous pots and pans, giant oil lamps and other puja accompaniments were retrieved from storage and polished to a high gleam. [Read more...]
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On this Beautiful Maha Shivratri,
May the Grace of Shiva Lead you further Onto the Path of Spiritual Revelation! Jai Ho! |
Marathoner, Professor, Author, Citizen Journalist, Fitness Nut, Foodie, Meera's father, Hindu, Scientist, Photographer.
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