Friday, 28 October 2016

Mahavir Parinirvana

Mahavir ate very little food.
Because he was in bliss, he did not need it. He ate once in several days.

Buddha tried to copy Prince Vardhamana. And became so weak, he could not even walk.

He barely pulled himself, sat under a tree, and almost collapsed.

Someone brought him a bowl of milk pudding. He drank, got a good nights' sleep, woke up at dawn.

The last star was dipping down the horizon.
He realized, there was nothing to look forward to now.
He just sat.
And freedom dawned on him.

It is said that the Buddha did not utter a word for seven days, after this totality.
NirvAna is that freedom.
And same is called Samadhi.

- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Thursday, 27 October 2016

Dikshitar ArAdana

While in his teens, his father sent him on a pilgrimage with Chidambaranatha Yogi, a wandering monk.

During their stay at Varanasi, the yogi presented him with a unique veena and asked him to visit the Tiruttani temple, in Tamil Nadu.

When Dikshitar was in depths of meditation at Tiruttani, an old man appeared, dropped a sugar candy in his mouth.

Dikshitar then had a vision of Skanda, the deity enshrined on Tiruttani hill - and he broke into his first composition 'Shri Nathadi Guruguho'.

On Deepavali day in 1835, Dikshitar asked his students to sing the song 'Minakshi memudham'. 
As they sang, he raised his hand, uttered 'Shive Pahi' and died.

- Wikipedia, 

Sunday, 2 October 2016

Chidambaram Ramalingam Pillai Jayanti

"cadal cadandane carai adain-dane candu condane koyil

cadavu tirandida petrane katchi ellam candane

adar cadanda tiru amudam undu arul oliyaal anaithum

arindu telindu arivu uruvaai azhi-aamai adain-dane

udal kulirndane uyir kilarn-dane ullam ellam tazhai-thane
ulla-padi ulla porul ullana-vaai nirain-dane

idar tavirkkum siddhi ellam en wasam onginawe
ithanaium podu nadam-sei iraiwan arut seyale!"

- Shri Ramalinga Adigalar

Sail across seas I did; reached ashore; recognized the shrine
doors gave way; visions they revealed

drunk upon nectar beyond gross; in light of grace
I knew all and clear; attained to intelligence of my eternity

cool, ecstatic, my heart brimmed over 
knowing things as they are,  in my un-distorted whole

ruses to defy suffering came into my grasp and  grew
all this is mere grace of that lord;  Dancer at the Hall

- Shri Ramalinga Adigalar