Saturday, April 27, 2013

இயற்கை ஏங்குகிறாள் தன் நிலையை எண்ணி...

முகில் கொண்ட மேகம்
மலையோரச் சாரல்
செண்டாய் பூத்த மலர்கள்
பச்சைப்பசேலென வயல்வெளிகள்
தேகத்தை தீண்டிய தென்றல்முகில் கொண்ட மேகம்
மலையோரச் சாரல்
செண்டாய் பூத்த மலர்கள்
பச்சைப்பசேலென வயல்வெளிகள்
தேகத்தை தீண்டிய தென்றல்
விண்ணைத் தொடும் முகடு
அதை தழுவி விழும் அருவி
அது துள்ளி ஓடும் ஆறு என
எங்கே நான் - நேசித்த இயற்கை எங்கே...?




கடந்த சில தினங்களாக அறிவிக்கப்படாத மின்வெட்டும், தண்ணீர் மக்களை வாட்டி வதைக்கிறது. காடுகளிலுள்ள மரங்கள், மலைகளிலுள்ளமரங்கள் வெட்டிவீழ்த்தப்பட்டதாலும்,சுற்றுப்புறத்தின்பசுமை அழிந்ததாலும், பெய்யும் மழை குறைந்ததாலும், அதன் தாக்கத்தை இன்று நாம்கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சமாகஉணர்கிறோம்,காணமுடிகிறது.இத்துனைமுக்கியத்துவம்வாய்த பசுமையையும்,இயற்கையையும்மனிதன்ஏதாவதுஒருசுயதேவைகளுக்காகஅழித்துக்கொண்டே இருக்கின்றான்.இதை தொடர்ந்துநான் சமீபத்தில்  படித்த கதை நினைவிற்கு வந்தது.
வானத்திலமேகம் ஒன்றுஉலாபோய்க்கொண்டிருந்தது.மேலிருந்தபடியேகீழே பூமியைபார்த்துக்கொண்டே வந்த மேகம் அங்கேவயலக்ளில் பயிர்கள் எல்லாம்பரிதாபமாய்வாடிஇருப்பதைகவனித்துகவலைகொண்டது.இன்னும்உற்றுப்பார்த்தபோதுசெடிகொடிகள்எல்லாம்தாகம்!தாகம்!தண்ணீர்!தண்ணீர்'எனகூக்குரலிடுவதுபோலஉணர்ந்தது.உடனேபயிர்செடிகொடிகளுக்குஉதவநினைத்தமேகம்நகர்ந்துபோய்க்கொண்டிருந்ததென்றலைஅழைத்து,'எப்படியாவதுஇவைகளின்உயிரைக்காப்பாற்றேன்'எனக்கேட்டுக்கொண்டது.தென்றல்அலட்சியமாய்'ஆகட்டும்பார்க்கலாம்'எனசொல்லிப்போனது.சற்றுதூரத்தில்நகர்ந்துகொண்டிருந்தநதியினைக்கேட்டது.அதுவும்,'நிற்கநேரமில்லைஎனக்குநானேஓடிக்கொண்டிருக்கிறேனே'எனப்போனது.மலையிடம்கெஞ்சவும்அது,'நான்இங்கிருந்தபடியேதான்பார்க்கமுடியும்'என்றது.பயிர்களின் பரிதாபக்குரல்மேகத்தின்காதுகளில்விழுந்துஅதுதுடித்தது."ஐயோநீர்வேண்டித்தவிக்கிறதேஎல்லாம்,யாருமேஉதவத்தயாராய்இல்லையே?"என்றுமனம்வாடியது.பிறகுஅதுவே,"உதவநினைகக்ணும்என்றால்நாமேதான்அந்தச்செயலைசெய்யத்தயாராக்ணும்"என்றுதீர்மானிக்கிறது.உடனேஅது மேலே உயர்ந்தது. குளிர்ச்சி அடைந்தது.
தன் அழகான் பஞ்சுப்பொதி உடல்கரைவதைப்பற்றிகவலைப்படாமல் பல உயிர்களைக்காப்பாற்றுகிறோம்என்னும்மகிழ்ச்சிநிறைவில்தான்கரைந்துமரணத்தை தழுவிக்கொண்டு மழையைபூமிக்குஅளித்து மறைந்தது.காற்று நீர் நிலம்நெருப்பு,ஆகாயம்என்னும்பஞ்சபூதங்கள்அடங்கியஇயற்கை,மனிதன்இல்லாமல்வாழ்ந்துவிடும்.ஆனால்மனிதனால்தான்இயற்கைஇல்லாமல்வாழமுடியாது.நாம் மேகமாய் மாறமுடியாவிட்டாலும் மனிதனாய் சின்னசின்ன செயல்களில்நமதஅக்கறைகளைஆரம்பித்துஇயற்கைவளத்தைக்காபபற்றலாமே?



Friday, April 26, 2013

Impact of Sundarakanda on my Life -Part 2




Acting with determination 

yasya tvetaani chatvaari vaanarendra yathaa tava || 5-1-198
dhR^itirdR^ishhTirmatirdaakshyaM sa karmasu na siidati |

Meaning: O best among Vanaras! Whoever has the four qualities of courage, vision, intellect and skill, all these four virtues like you, such a person will not fail in any task."



Sundarakandam deals exclusively with the achievements of Hanuman in one night in his search for the discovery of Sita. During the night, he goes through every nook and corner of Lanka. The description of the search is spread with vivid pictures of the night-life of the Rakshasas of Lanka. He overcomes obstructions without any difficulty.

Acting with determination the entire episode of Sundara Kanda takes place over a period of just 24 hours. Just imagine, in this short period Jambavan reminding Hanuman, of his boundless power, and he sets off on his mission .He stood on the Trikuta Mountain. From there he saw Ravana’s city of Lanka and  crosses the ocean, While crossing the sea ,  Hanuman is stopped by  Surasa to test his prowess , later  the sea God sends the mountain  Mainaka to provide  him rest , which he refuses and later his  shadow is caught  by  a Rakshasi  called Simhika , whom he kills and reaches Lanka.  There he meets Lanka Lakshmi who is the guardian of the city, defeats  her , enters the city  Searches and finds out Sita, reassures her, tests the power of Ravana’s army, strikes fear by burning Lanka, returns back to his comrades and delivers Sita’s message to Rama, Lakshmana and Sugriva! Not just that, he finds time to celebrate his success by drinking honey with his comrades in the delightful episode of Madhuvana!He Never give up till the end. . He overcomes obstructions without any difficulty.Hanuman in this section has been described as one for whom nothing is impossible and who is the embodiment of  faith, devotion, and loyalty to the master, fearlessness and self-confidence.

When a person have the four attributes of determination (dhruthti), farsight (dheerga dhrushti), intellect and analyticalskills (Buddi) and dexterity in execution (DhAkshyam) are present together in one , then he will never fail in his endeavours .The story points out that, success is the outcome of such an attitude.

He  ignores all the distractions -When Mount Mainaka offers him a resting place with all good intentions, Hanuman politely declines the offer and continues on his journey. However he gently explains the reasons to the mountain and retains its goodwill.Be focused towards your goal.Be polite even when you have to say no.Lesson for all is here indeed! 
Sursa (the sea serpent) comes in the way of Shri Hanuman and wants to have him as food. Shri Hanuman requests her to let him go and he will later on willingly enter her mouth. Sursa does not agrees to it and starts increasing her size and so does Shri Hanuman. Later he takes a very minute size and keeping his promise enters Sursa’s mouth and quickly comes out and escapes.
Only physical power can not help you all the time, its the intelligence too that is important
 
Similarly when he is searching for Sitadevi in Lanka, he takes in all the sights, like the grandeur of Pushpaka Vimana, Ravana’s palace, the beauty of the women, Hanuman, the Brahmachari , was happy that the sight of all these women of inner chambers of Ravana did not affect the tranquility of His mind. He reasoned out

mano hi hetuH sarveSaam indriyaaNaam pravartate || 5-11-41
shubha ashubhaasv avasthaasu tac ca me suvyavasthitam |

Hanuman says to himself  -One's mind (Manas) is the reason behind engagement in Punya and Paapa  Karyams.“Among auspicious or inauspicious states in the behavior of all senses mind is the reason. My  that mind is very steady”  and None of these wonderful things is not affected one way or the other by these sights.

It teaches me ignore all distractions and learn to say ‘no’.
(to be cont...)

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Impact of Sundarakanda on my Life -Part 1



"sundare sundaro ramah sundare sundari katha
sundare sundari sita sundare sundaram vanam,
sundare sundaram kavyam sundare sundarah kapih
sundare sundaram mantram sundare kim na sundaram"
In the Sundara Kanda, Beauty is Rama, Beauty is the story; Beauty is Sita Mata, Beauty is the Asoka Vanam; Beauty is the poetry; Beauty is Maha Kapi Hanuman; Beauty is the mantra; What is there in it, which is not beautiful?

I have been reciting Sundara kandam for so many years. In certain situations where I cannot able to solve my problem; instead of just worrying and feeling helpless, the recital of sundara kanda is a great help to me to approach in a postive way. It is a treasure trove of power, while reading we can gain mental strength and spiritual support in difficult worldly situations. It gives me courage to face and overcome obstacles in life that never fail to inspire me every time.
  Sage Valmiki speaks about the achievements of Hanuman. For Hanuman nothing is impossible. His attitude always reminds us self-confidence, faith, devotion, fearlessness, and trustworthiness. The events in this chapter bring confidence and hope from all corners. This book outlines the good things one will get by reading Sundara-kanda and moreover, there are lessons to learn even on starting a new venture, planning techniques, overcoming obstacles, achieving success.
This is the most blessed Kandam or section in the whole of Ramayana and therefore it gains this unique name 'Sundara Kandam'. 'Sundaram' means beauty. Lord Hanuman's other name is 'Sundara'. In Sundara Kandam.It is the fifth section of Ramayana (the story of Lord Rama) written by Sage Valmiki and comprises of 2885 verses spread in 68 chapters. “Sundara” as we all know in the literary sense means 'beautiful' and 'Kandam' mean 'section'. The sage has called this section a “beautiful section” because: - This part of Ramayana contains poetic descriptions of several beautiful objects, places and people. Whether the poet describes, Sri Lanka, Pushpaka Vimana, The Asoka forest, The Madhu Vana, Hanuman, Sita, Rama, Ravana, or the moonrise, he goes in to poetic rapture.
Sundarakanda starts in the background where in Sri Rama and Sita have gone through relentless troubles and difficulties in terms of the abrupt cancellation of coronation, banishment to the forests , the death of father Dasaratha , the abduction of Sita;When Sita was abducted by Raavana, Rama and Lakshmana went in search of her without any clue except the strong intuition that she could be found in the southern direction. Rama also had a gut feeling that Hanuman, the minister of Sugriva, might find Sita for him. Therefore, he handed over his ring to Hanuman to give it to her on finding her. It shows light to optimism and hope. It Teaches me Believe in your self – Trust your gut feeling. 
(to be cont....)