Sannidhi - A Revelation In Our Life

One MahaShivarathri night a few years back, after the midnight meditation with Sadhguru, many Isha meditators were gathering around something and taking turns to bow down. Some of them just sat still on the carpets there. I was a distant watcher for some time. When curiosity got the better of me, I went to see what it was. The long queues discouraged mere onlookers and only the persistent ones made it.

When I went closer, to be honest, I did not know what to make out of it. Though I had heard of 'paadham' before, this was the first time I am seeing something like that. I just bowed down, took the vibhuthi prasadam and moved on. That this simple darshan would bring a profound change in my life was not even in my distant dreams!

Over time, I heard from other meditators that Sadhguru Sannidhi was very powerful, charged up, etc. We also heard from one of the Isha teachers that his mother just used to sit before Sannidhi daily during the presence time (6:20 PM) without doing anything and bliss out!

Then, Abi and I registered for bringing Sadhguru Sannidhi home a couple of years back. As we were (rather stupidly) apprehensive of 'maintaining' its sanctity in our house, we registered it for my parents living separately. I vividly remember the day an Isha meditator came to consecrate it at my parents' house. The person said 'Anna - Please choose where you want to place. You should not move it around just like that later.'

My heart sank at this comment! It was with great difficulty that I had persuaded my mom to drive up the attic some of the gods in her pooja room and make space on the granite marble for Sannidhi. However the consecration went on smoothly. My mother was surprisingly hooked on and started doing the Sannidhi pooja almost daily.

The whole house felt quite different & charged up the very next weekend we visited them! I was doing my Surya Namaskar & Shambhavi Kriya in the hall (Sannidhi was a good distance away in the pooja room) and it was all happening so effortlessly for me. My 4-year-old daughter, who used to be very clinging to us all the time, was suddenly behaving so matured and still having fun with everyone around! That weekend was our first-hand experience of how Sannidhi can transform the atmosphere of an entire house within such a short span of time!

My mom still does the pooja on many days without fail. Her practices have become more regular, her health and the overall peace in family are so much better now. These are definitely not coincidental :)

It was almost one year back that His grace descended upon us and we were able to register for bringing Sadhguru Sannidhi home. It so happened that we were to receive one of the 108 Sannidhis being distributed in Chennai on the MahaShivarathri night of 2013. How fitting an entry!?

Brindha akka came to our home, inspected the space we were going to hold Him in and performed the consecration process. I remember even today how bewildering and unbelievable it was for me that we had taken such a step.

The transformation we have undergone started with Bhairavi entering our home and once Sannidhi came in, the pace has been faster thereon. We do our Sannidhi pooja quite regularly and the very experience of sitting in that space before Bhairavi Yantra and Sadhguru Sannidhi is enough to settle us down most of the time.

While offering Guru Pooja at home in any room feels like it is in His presence. Apart from our practices becoming more regular & more volunteering opportunities coming our way pulling us up higher, we have been blessed with Sadhguru's darshan ever so frequently and more visits to the Ashram.

Since then, we have had the good fortune of witnessing two blessed individuals convert the rooftops in their homes to house Sadhguru Sannidhi. The transformation of these spaces has been very visible and they are being revered as the Isha local centers now at Nanganallur and Medavakkam.

These lines truly resound what Sannidhi means in our lives.

            Un padam panindhen,

                        ennaye marandhen!

            Un padam panindhen,

                        ennulle malarndhen!! 

Similar experiences galore in our friends and family circle. Now, living in a consecrated space like this has sunk in so much, we feel odd when we see someone without such an opportunity!

[PS: This MahaShivarathri, there is an opportunity for willing individuals to receive Sadhguru Sannidhi in Chennai itself. Interested people can contact me or call +91 9789983260] 

Problem solving and Common sense

If all things remain the same, you will not get out of a problem. If you keep all the base parameters the same, when a problem arises, it will not go off until you change one or more parameters. I believe this concept stands fine against the causal analysis theory as well.

This is a well known idea in the scientific circles and a lot of people I know credit the quote or a similar one to Einstein. But how many of us relate it to our daily ailments?

I called up my dad and asked suggestions for the mild cough & throat infection that was kicking in. I had purchased some allopathy medicines and was hesitant to take them right away considering them to be of stronger dosage.

His advice: "See, your cough / cold has come from external atmospheric influence. And the weather is not going to change overnight! If that remains the same, the only way the cough / throat infection will behave is increase in intensity. So, take the medicine right away to curb it quickly."

Plain common sense in hind sight, but I was amazed at its correlation to the theory. I knew it but did not apply my thought in that direction. I do not know if he knows about this concept of parameters but he knows for sure how to apply it to daily life! :)

Who is the hero?

This is a riddle, actually a story .. a little longer one though. You would have to read through to the end and find out who the hero is!

His is a typical rags to riches story, epitomized in so many Tamil movies. He is the General Manager of a big manufacturing company now, very fluent in English, highly computer savvy, drives a nice car and visits foreign countries regularly for Business meetings. He however has not forgotten his roots and visits his parents every fortnight, who preferred to stay back in their village and not with their son in an ultra modern metropolis apartment.

Flashback to 2013 ... the eight year old boy (our hero) hails from a family so poor they struggled daily to meet even their basic needs. His father is a poor agriculturist, mother a home maker and he has a younger sister who dearly wished to become a doctor when she grew up.

Every morning, the mother takes the previous night's meal and makes a porridge out of it for the kids. The kids have that half-meal and leave to the school about 5 kilometers away. After the school is over, they return home and work in the nearby field for some time.

The odds seemed heavily stacked against them. The only beacon of light in their otherwise gloomy lives was the best-in-class education they received at the school. Math, Science and Computers are his favourite subjects. But he has to study only in the flickering lights of a kerosene lantern in an otherwise completely dark house. Of course, they do not have an electricity connection nor can they afford the power generators in event of a power failure.

That did not however dampen the boy's spirits. His scholarship is up for renewal and his sponsor had written to him congratulating on his recent grades & goading him to do well in higher classes too. That was fire enough to keep him going.

Soon, time flies by and he keeps writing letters to his sponsor every year. They have even met once or twice, with every visit the boy showcasing the talents he has been gaining. He soon completes his school with very high grades and gets admission to one of the most reputed institutes in the state. The person who sponsored his scholarship did not even dream initially that the boy will achieve such heights in life! He is so happy and tears of joy flow from his eyes on seeing the boy.

What happened to his sister!? of course, she too has been inspired like her brother and studied like him in the same school. It would be couple of more years for her to realize her dream of joining a medical college though.

Did you guess who the hero is?

ggrrrr ... I can hear the readers screaming "Stop! You do not have enough information about the guy? And did you just dare say 'best-in-class' education in a rural school?"

Yeah - I forgot to mention, this was one school and the only one common for 5 or 6 villages in the district. They charged minimal fees (about 10000 to 13000 rupees) per year for the education & bus facility.

"Ooh .. a school bus for door pickup at that cost and still I dare mention 'best-in-class' education!? How could that be?"

Well, the boy studied at one of the Isha Vidhya schools! :)

What you just read is not fiction - this is how a lot of rural kids live in our country. Most can only dream of an education, let alone a good one. However, in the last few years, about 6000 rural kids have come to receive this very light of knowledge in their lives thanks to Isha Vidhya!

They can now dream of a rosy future thanks to the really fantastic education at their school, complete with a huge library, computer lab, math lab, activity based learning systems, etc. You name some of the most advanced education techniques employed by some of the best schools in Chennai, I bet they have already been tried out or are under trial at the Isha Vidhya schools.

So - coming back to our question, "who is the hero?"

For readers still scoffing about the lack of information, it is not the kid. It is the sponsor who supported the kid through his education!

It would have cost the hero of our story, about 1.5 Lakh rupees over 14 years of education of the boy. But in most city schools in India now, parents pay that much for their kids' school fee per year! And is this cost too much for making an inspired Indian out of a rural kid?

I am running now for this cause - to educate rural Tamilnadu. I am participating in Chennai marathon on 1st December 2013, running for Isha Vidhya. I have made a promise that I would reach out to as many people as possible.

You, my reader, is a potential hero yourself! 'What can I do' you may ask. The real question is, do we really care to do something for kids who live like this or not. If you do, there are tons of ways to help. For starters, something so simple as allotting 200 rupees per week (is it costlier than a pizza?) aside for a kid's education. There are 52 weeks in a year and am sure you can do the math :)

No amount is small enough! Even 200 rupees, collected from 50 people, is enough to light the lamp in a child's life forever! Are you inspired to do something now? What are you waiting for?

Visit the link below and sponsor a kid's education online - you can pay as much or as little as you want!

http://www.ishavidhya.org/marathon/index.php?marathon=chennai2013

We have been sponsoring for two kids since the last few years. The joy and satisfaction we get out of it is untold! My picture from last year's Chennai marathon is here:

http://blog.ishafoundation.org/inside-isha/announcements/run-for-isha-vidhya-educate-rural-india

Hoping to see you all soon with my next blog on how the marathon was :)

Leadership 101 as a parent

There was intense pain but I could not show it on my face. My daughter was keenly watching me and I suddenly felt I cannot show the fear of pain to her anymore since she might also become afraid later. Nevertheless when a dentist puts in two injections inside your mouth and pries open your jaws for 20 minutes, it does pain - at least till the numbness sets in.

So, it is in this context of a dental visit that some of my thoughts here on how my kid is learning from what am doing stepped from.

There has always been this quote from Sadhguru on my mind - "When a child has come into your life, it is time to learn and not teach". I thought I understood it well but am not sure anymore now! There seem to be a myriad dimensions to this one statement.

One aspect of it was the literal meaning that I took. I started observing how she learns from life and it has never ceased to amaze me from then till now as to how the children 'sponge-absorb' things & events from around them. Yes, we do teach her a thing or two as she feels necessary. In fact, Abi has been doing most of Isha's coaching with me watching from the sidelines. I have been more of a passive teacher so far for her. But the compulsion to push her academically is not there in us to the extent I see in so many other parents.

Today, Abi was talking about a long discussion she had with Swami Suyagna from Isha Foundation. I was asleep at that time and when I woke up, she narrated a gist of it to me. Unconsciously at first and then in awareness tears started flowing down my eyes because I felt touched by the deep management science that Swami was bestowing on her. Bearing a slight jealousy for the honour showered on her (of course she fully deserved it!), I kept listening.

Soon, a thought came in that what Swami spoke about leadership, mentoring, coaching, managing, etc. applies not just to corporates but also to me as a parent! After all, if making another Abirami or Rajasekhar is tough enough at office, imagine how tough it is to bring up your child to your potential at least. And Sadhguru says your child should dare to do things which you have not even dreamed of!

It was then that I suddenly realized Isha naturally prefers to do what we do at home very intensely, like me cleaning the house or Abi's dedication to Bhairavi or drawing for that matter. I certainly have to do better than what am doing in grooming her from now on.

An experiential realization dawned on me that leaders exist at all levels. Every one is a leader in their own right and they have a dedicated group of followers, whether they know it or not. What kind of society we will create in future clearly depends on how leaders of today, which is basically everyone, exist & influence by example.

I definitely feel the need to dig deeper in me to find the necessary integrity & courage to lead my life better and keep that striving for constant improvement burning.

A novel worth our time ...

I honestly did not think I would break my blog silence finally, for writing about a book, rather a sequel. Yes, I had been intrigued initially by it but when I laid my hands on the sequel, I just could not put them down and read them through over 3 nights and some parts of the days as well.

I am talking about the Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathi. I am writing this right after closing the final book, The oath of the Vayuputras. Till about mid-way through the last book of this series, I was actually happy that I have finally stumbled upon a brilliant classic from an Indian author. Am I retaining that feeling after the completion, am not so sure. One thing is sure though, it was a heart wrenching tale of how Sati sacrificed herself and the events which happened post that. May be I am being so sentimental and melodramatic here, but having been immersed in it straight through, the pain of Sati's death still lies heavy in my heart.

Puritans of Indian History and Mythology may balk. But as far as I am concerned, the good things about this series are:

1) It introduces a lot of characters from Indian mythology, even if in different contexts than what you would know of them traditionally
2) It puts up the perspective of how the caste system originated (and everyone now knows how it degenerated)
3) Indian Rishis, now worshipped as Gods, have been clearly treated more as scientists who had a spectacular understanding of this universe, but human at the same time
4) The length and breadth of Indian Geography is discussed in such wonderful detail
5) The way the author portrays scientific advances made by ancient Indians is truly commendable. Today, a substantial portion of that has been proven true although the timelines
6) Even the description of weaponry used in ancient times in such detail has been brilliant

The Legend of Shiva, starting from the moment he is shown as a man fighting for his tribe, till his death, showing him at various inflection points in his life rising above rest of humanity around him, is simply superb. It shows what every human is capable of, if only we have the conviction to find out the truth for ourselves.

Overall, it is a brilliant conception, a smart introduction to ancient Indian sciences, a humane story of struggle for power vs truth and has been told that way. It tends to drag a bit through the dialogues, the philosophy and the war sections, but those have been critical sections as I see to introduce the readers to ancient Indian way of living.

A word of caution to the readers though - you have to read it as if you are reading a novel, which is what I presume the author tried to present. Do not read it from historical accuracy perspective and find faults with it.

Guru Ashtakam

Listening to the ashtakam sung by Isha Samskriti kids is a divine experience in itself! Beautiful lyrics and even better is the rendition :)


SHAREERAM SUROOPAM THATHA VAA KALATRAM,
YASASCHARU CHITRAM DHANAM MERU TULYAM,
GURO RANGHRI PADME MANASCHE NA LAGNAM,
TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM……….1

KALATRAM DHANAM PUTRA POUTRAADI SARVAM,
GRUHAM BHAANDAVAA SARVA METTADHI JAATAM,
GURO RANGHRI PADME MANASCHE NA LAGNAM,
TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM……….2

SHADANGAADHI VEDO MUKHE SHASTRA VIDHYAA,
KAVITVA AADHI GADHYAM, SUPADHYAM KAROTI,
GURO RANGHRI PADME MANASCHE NA LAGNAM,
TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM……….3

VIDHESESHU MAANYAHA, SWADHESESHU DHANYAHA,
SADHAACHAARA VRUTTESHU MATTO NA CHA ANYAHA,
GURO RANGHRI PADME MANASCHE NA LAGNAM,
TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM……….4

KSHAMAA MANDALE BHUPA BHUPAALA BRINDIHI,
SADA SEVITAM YASYA PAADAARAVINDAM,
GURO RANGHRI PADME MANASCHE NA LAGNAM,
TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM……….5

YASHO ME GATTAM DHIKSHU DHAANA PRATAAPAATH
JAGADVASTU SARVAM KARE YATPRASAADAATH
GURO RANGHRI PADME MANASCHE NA LAGNAM,
TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM……….6

NA BHOGE, NA YOGHE, NA VAA VAAJIRAAJAA,
NA KAANTAA MUKHE NAIVA VITTESHU CHITTAM,
GURO RANGHRI PADME MANASCHE NA LAGNAM,
TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM……….7

ANARGYAANI RATNAANI BHUKTAANI SAMYAK
SAMA LINGITA KAMINI YAAMINEESHU
GURO RANGHRI PADME MANASCHE NA LAGNAM,
TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM, TATAH KIM……….8

Adi Sankara's Shivashtakam

One of the most complex but beautiful lyrics I have seen .. this is Shivashtakam sung by Sounds of Isha on Guru Pournami, 2013. It is so fantastically sung .. I was instantly smitten! :)

Download it from here: https://www.ishashoppe.com/downloads/portfolio/shivashtakam/

Thasmai nama parama kaarana kaaranaaya,
Deepthojwala jwalitha pingala lochanaaya,
Nagendra haara krutha kundala bhooshanaaya,
Brahmendra Vishnu varadaaya Nama Shivaya. 1

Srimath prasanna sasi pannaga bhooshanaaya,
Shailendrajaa vadana chumbitha lochanaaya,
Kailasa mandaara mahendra nikethanaaya,
Loka trayarthi haranaaya nama shivaya. 2

Padmava daatha mani kundala govrushaaya,
Krishna guru prachura chandana charchithaaya,
Bhasmaanu shaktha vikatothpala mallikaaya,
Neelaabhja kantha sadrusaaya namashivaya. 3

Lambastha pingala jata mukutoth kataaya,
Damshtra karaala vikatothkata bhairavaaya,
Vyaghra jinambaradharaaya manoharaaya,
Trilokya natha namithaya nama shivaya. 4

Daksha prajapaathi maha makha naasanaaya,
Kshipram mahaa Tripura daanava gathanaaya,
Brahmorjithor dhwaga karoti nikrunthanaaya,
Yogaya yoga namithaya nama shivaya. 5

Samsaara srushti ghatanaa parivarthanaaya,
Raksha pisacha gana siddha samaakulaaya,
Sidhoraga graha ganendra nishevithaaya,
Shardhoola charma vasanaaya Nama Shivaya. 6

Bhasmanga raaga krutha roopa manoharaaya,
Soumyaa vadaatha vanamaasritha maasrithaaya,
Gowri kataaksha nayanaardha nireekshnaaya,
Go ksheera dhaara dhavalaaya nama shivaya. 7

Adithya Soma Varunaanila sevithaaya,
Yagnaagni hothra vara dhooma nikethanaaya,
Rig saama veda munibhi sthuthi samyuthaaya,
Gopaaya gopa namithaaya nama shivaya. 8

Adithya Soma Varunaanila sevithaaya,
Yagnaagni hothra vara dhooma nikethanaaya,
Rig saama veda munibhi sthuthi samyuthaaya,
Gopaaya gopa namithaaya nama shivaya. 9

My encounter with the enlightened - part 2

Travel to onsite and work,work,work ... life took different priorities and slowly the practices took a back seat unfortunately. The light was still flickering and though the practices were not regular on daily basis, it still kept happening once in 2 days or 3 days. The touch was still on, but both Abi and I could see that the effects were visible. Irritability started creeping into our lives and we were bickering and fighting for the smallest of things (as we still do :) even today) ...

We happened to attend a quick Sathsang with Sadhguru when he visited New Jersey earlier that year and the awesome feeling of His presence returned :) By this time, I had also heard through our friends about this powerful 'Shambhavi Mahamudra' practice that was being taught in India. To be honest, I was surprised that the powerful Pranayama practices (as they were called then) will no longer be taught to public. But then, I also realized it is probably because of people like me who learn it & yet don't keep up the practice regularly that Sadhguru has decided to simplify the access to spiritual possibilities to people. 

It was in April 2006 that He decided to grace the US again and this time his visit was to be in Nashville. Both of us did all we could and managed to get initiated to Shambhavi Mahamudra with Sadhguru. Other volunteers suggested that we just attend the initiation and not the entire class as we have already attended the 13 day class. 

We chose to attend the full class anyway and it was a truly wonderful experience reliving it ... I realized the essence of the earlier 13 day class is still retained and Shambhavi seemed to be so tough to practice! By the end of the class, I was crying so hard (I surprised myself) ... it was out of the pain of ignorance and from the anguish that I could not be receptive enough to burst out completely in His presence! 

Late nights and weekend work was so common (as with most onsite stays in IT companies). But the grit with which we both kept up the practices for next 48 days was the turning point actually. It showed us that we can keep up the practices twice a day, if only we make up our minds and find time. That period marked the true beginning of our Sadhana.

Immediately thereafter was the enrollment for our first volunteering experience and that too for a program conducted by Sadhguru himself, turning out to be the first Bhava Spandana Program happening in the IIIS. In so many ways, that experience changed our lives permanently ... the wild streak in Abi turned more towards compassion to human beings and the rock in me began melting faster. As with all the BSP sessions from Isha, it left us on an emotional high, but with much more access to the richness of life.

Just when we thought, this is it, life cannot be any better ... Sadhguru announced the trip to Kailash & Manasarovar. Not knowing what it is about, we enrolled for it and stood in the line unaware that the next 10x event was about to hit us :)

Stranger

Stranger I am
Walking the gallows of life
Crutches of relations failing
To uphold the burden of my desires

Stranger I am
Held the hand of my companion
For long I abused it
To stand alone and hold none now
                                     
Stranger I am
Crutches falling and darkness set
No other hope but shines His light  
Without my companion I walk now
No more gallows but the plains of life

More than 25 years back ...

For a moment, I was transported to almost 25 years back when my cousins used to gently push me to run along with them in the Perambur grounds. They would go round and round in the grounds and I would watch them sitting & gasping after just 1 round. 

This time however, no nudging was required and I started the 5 KM jog at 6:30 AM as one of the 8 (became 9 mid-way) Nanganallur gladiators, who met near the ATMs on Velachery MRTS road for practice run of Chennai Marathon - for Isha Vidhya.  

For the first time in my adult life, I had actually been jogging such a distance and there was a nagging thought if I can crawl beyond 1 KM. The fear lead me to gasp a bit after about a kilometre of jogging. But the moment I remembered that this could be the push for brightening the lives of some kids, the doubts dispelled immediately and there was a renewed energy flowing through. 

That Isha practices have certainly strengthened my body is very clear now and of course, without HIS grace, it would certainly have not been possible! We were one jolly group of folks, even crazy for some of the onlookers, the young & old cheering each other alike and sharing pictures when we halted for a breath ... this can only happen with an Isha group :-) 

50% attendance is actually not bad for a Deepavali weekend although we would like more people next time around ... some propoganda spreading would not hurt either!

The fact that I could actually jog my way back from near the MRTS station is still sinking in! Thanks Mani anna for this opportunity.

The fun we had and the confidence we have got from this start is prompting us to audaciously resolve for more such practice sessions. I hope .. nay, I am sure we will do more, before the actual marathon itself. Chennai .. here comes the Isha Vidhya wave!!

My encounter with the enlightened - part 1

Life changes and this in itself is known to everyone! However, there are 10x events for some people in their lives, where a single event or person changes the life course itself, in short 'a life changing experience'! Here is one from my life ...

Back in 2003, I used to read a lot of  'spiritual junk' and used to consider myself knowledgeable in that area. But I had not known much about Isha foundation or Sadhguru for that matter. Having heard some of His discourses over tape (this was before CDs became popular) and admiring His logical sequencing & content per se was probably my first step towards the path not known experientially to me.

On a casual evening, Abi and I came to know about the Isha Yoga program happening in Mambalam. Abi & her sister had come with the required money to join the program. But by the time, I went to the ATM to get the money and come back, the registration was full for the program and I could not join that session. 

Not being used to failure (most of my previous experience was only in academics), I was just furious and that fury forced me to look at doing at least one program with Isha at the same time! So, without realizing what I was getting into, I registered immediately for the Hatha Yoga program happening in the Ashram and went there the same weekend Abi was getting initiated into Shakti Chalana Kriya (earlier - Sahaja Sthithi Yoga). 

After my return to Chennai from the program, with a broken back and slightly mauled ego after intense Hatha yoga, Abi was bubbling to share how wonderful the Isha program was. I admit being a bit baffled and immediately wanted to go for the next Isha Yoga program.

The second time around, registration happened fine but I stayed the previous evening at a friend's place (absolutely unlikely of me) and did not get up early enough on time for my morning class! I was close to tears when I woke up in the morning and in fact remember blasting Abi for not waking me up early - poor thing!! But she spoke to the teacher from Ashram and arranged for me to attend the class in that evening. I was just so thankful for her. 

From next day on, I was promptly attending the morning classes by myself. Considering myself an intellectual, I immersed myself in the class content because it was so logical and structured, yet peeling off my ego layer by layer. We went on to attend the Bhava Spandana program in 2003 itself. What happens in BSP  is not for me to put in words. It was way beyond me and I understood finally that even intellectually, this was something just beyond my grasp. 

At the end of it, I knew I can never be the same again and was bubbling to share the same with everyone. So, people who know me before 2003 & post 2003 and have actually observed me, would know the change. If observers say I have become bolder, more efficient at work, more loving in personal life, less angry at work & at home, etc. etc. as the key things, those may be just side effects. 

I know now that the seed He had sown in me had started sprouting and that was changing the way I was looking at things. But the dormancy effect took over as I got slowly back into the rut of life and the next 10x event had to wait for some more time ...

Daridrya duhkha Sthuthi

The Daridrya dukha Sthuthi lyrics from 'Trigun' .. taken and modified from this site: http://www.mypurohith.com/rituals/Kanakadhara6.asp

Visvesvaraaya Narakantavatharanaya

Karnamrtaya Sasisekhara dhaaranaya

Karpoora kaanthi dhavalaya jataadharaya

Daridrya duhkha dahanaya namah shivaya ||

Gouri priyaya rajaneesa Kalaadharaya

Kalaantakaya bhujagaadhipa kankanaaya

Gangaadharaya Gajaraaja Vimardhanaya

Daridrya duhkha dahanaya namah shivaya ||

Bhakti priyaya bhavaroga bhayaa pahaya

Ugraaya duhkha bhava saagara taranaya

Jyotirmayaya gunagaana sunrutyakaaya

Daridrya duhkha dahanaya namah shivaya ||

Charmambaraaya shavabhasma vilepanaaya

Phalekshanaaya manikundala manditaaya

Manjeera paada yugalaya jataadharaya

Daridrya duhkha dahanaya namah shivaya ||

Panchaananaya phaniraja vibhushanaaya

Hemamshukaya bhuvanatraya manditaya

Ananda bhoomi varadaya tamomayaaya

Daridrya duhkha dahanaya namah shivaya ||

Bhanu priyaaya bhava saagara taranaya

Kalaantakaya kamalaasana pujitaya

Netratrayaya subha lakshana lakshitaya

Daridrya duhkha dahanaya namah shivaya ||

Rama priyaya Raghunadha varapradaaya

Naaga priyaaya narakaantava taranaya

Punyekshu punya bharitaya surarchitaya

Daridrya duhkha dahanaya namah shivaya ||

Muktisvaraaya phaladaaya Ganesvaraaya

Gita priyaaya vrushabheshvara vahanaya

Maatanga charma vasanaaya Maheshwaraaya

Daridrya duhkha dahanaya namah shivaya ||

Kalabhairava ashtakam

The lyrics for Kalabhairava ashtakam as sung in the 'Trigun' album from Isha .. mostly taken from this site: http://www.hindudevotionalblog.com/2008/08/sri-kalabhairava-ashtakam-lyrics-video.html

Deva raja sevya maana paavangri pankajam,

Vyala yagna suthra mindu shekaram krupakaram,

Naradadhi yogi vrundha vandhitham digambaram,

Kaasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje

Bhanu koti bhaswaaram, bhavabdhi tharakamparam,

Neelakantha meepsidartha daayakam trilochanam,

Kaalakaala mambujaksha maksha soola maksharam,

Kaasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje

Soola thanka paasa danda paani maadhikaaranam,

Syama kaya madhi devam aksharam niraamayam,

Bheema vikramam prabhum vichithra thandava priyam,

Kaasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje

Bhukthi mukthi dayakam prasashtha chaaru vigraham,

Bhaktha vatsalam stitham, samastha loka vigraham,

Vinikwanan manogna hema kinkini lasathkatim,

Kaasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje

Dharma sethu paalakam, thwa dharma marga nasakam,

Karma pasa mochakam, susharma dayakam vibhum,

Swarna varna kesha pasa shobithanga nirmalam,

Kaasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje

Rathna padukha prabhabhirama padayugmakam,

Nithyam adwitheeyamishta daivatham niranjanam,

Mrutyu darpa naasanam karaladamshtra bhooshanam,

Kaasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje

Attahasa bhinna padma jaanda kosa santhathim,

Drushti pada nashta paapa jala mugra shasanam,

Ashtasidhi daayakam kapaala maalikam dharam,

Kaasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje

Bhootha sangha nayakam, vishala keerthi dayakam,

Kasi vasa loka punya paapa shodhakam vibhum,

Neethi maarga kovidham purathanam jagatpathim,

Kaasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje

Siva Panchakshari Stotram

The Shiva Panchakshari stotram lyrics as sung in Isha's trigun album ... the lyrics are from the site: http://www.astrojyoti.com/shivapanchaksharistotramom.htm

Aumkaram bindu samyuktam nityam dhyaayanti yoginah

Kaamadam mokshadam chaiva Aumkaraya namo namaha

Namanti rishayo devah namanty-apsarasa-anganaa

Naraanamanti devesham nakaraya namonamah

Namanti rishayo devah namanty-apsarasa-anganaa

Naraanamanti devesham nakaraya namonamah

Aum Namah Shivayah, Aum Namah Shivayah

Aum Namah Shivayah, Aum Namah Shivayah ||

Mahadevam mahaatmaanam mahadhyaanam paraayanam

Maha papa haram devam makaraya namo namah

Mahadevam mahaatmaanam mahadhyaanam paraayanam

Maha papa haram devam makaraya namo namah

Shivam shantam jagannadham lokaanugraha kaarakam

Shivamekha padam nityam shikaraya namo namah

Shivam shantam jagannadham lokaanugraha kaarakam

Shivamekha padam nityam shikaraya namo namah

Aum Namah Shivayah, Aum Namah Shivayah

Aum Namah Shivayah, Aum Namah Shivayah |

Aum Namah Shivayah, Aum Namah Shivayah

Aum Namah Shivayah, Aum Namah Shivayah ||

Vaahanam vrishabhoo yasya vasuki kantha bhooshanam

Vame shakti dharam devam vakaraya namo namah

Vaahanam vrishabhoo yasya vasuki kantha bhooshanam

Vame shakti dharam devam vakaraya namo namah

Yatra yatra sthitho devah sarva vyapi maheswarah

Yoguru sarva devanam yakaraya namo namah

Yatra yatra sthitho devah sarva vyapi maheswarah

Yoguru sarva devanam yakaraya namo namah

Aum Namah Shivayah, Aum Namah Shivayah

Aum Namah Shivayah, Aum Namah Shivayah |

Aum Namah Shivayah, Aum Namah Shivayah

Aum Namah Shivayah, Aum Namah Shivayah ||

Chidambareswara Stotram

Wonderfully sung in the Isha Alsbum 'Trigun', the lyrics have been taken from the site: http://www.celextel.org/stotras/shiva/chidambareswarastotram.html

Krupa samudram, sumukham trinethram,

Jataadharam, Parvathi vama bhagam,

Sada shivam, rudramanantha roopam,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami

Vachamatheetham phani bhooshanangam,

Ganesa thatham dhanasya mithram,

Kandarpa naasam, Kamlothpakasham,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami

Ramesavandhyam rajathadrinatham,

Sri vamadevam bhava duhkhanasam,

Rakshakaram rakshasa peedithanam,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami

Devadhidevam jagadeka nadham

Devesa vandyam sasi ganda choodam,

Gowri sametham krutha vigna daksham,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami

Vedanthavedhyam, Sura vairi vignam,

Shubhapradam bhakthi madantharanaam,

Kaalanthakam sri karuna kataksham,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami

Hemadri chapam trigunathmabhavam,

Guhathmajam vyagra pureesamaadhyam,

Smasana vaasam, vrusha vaha naadam,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami

Adhyantha soonyam tripurarimeesam,

Nandeesa mukhya sthuti vaibhavadyam,

Samastha devai pari poojithamgrim,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami.

Thameva bhantham, anubhoothi sarvam,

Anekaroopam paramarthamekham,

Pinakapaanim bhava naasa hethum,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami.

Visweswaram nithyam ananthamaadhyam,

Trilochanam chandrakalavathamsam,

Pathim pasoonam hrudhi sannivishtam,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami

Karpoora gathram kamaneeya nethram,

Kamsari mithram kamalendu vakthram,

Kandarpa gathram kamalesa mithram,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami

Digambaram sankha sithalpahasam,

Kapalinam soolinam aprameyam,

Nagathmaja vakthra payoja sooryam,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami

Digambaram sankha sithalpahasam,

Kapalinam soolinam aprameyam,

Nagathmaja vakthra payoja sooryam,

Chidambaresham hrudhi bhavayami

Bilvashtakam

As taken from this site: "http://maaheswari.blogspot.com/2011/01/bilvastakam.html" to match the version sung during Aadhi yogi aalayam consecration ... hope the sequence is right since I don't have the song recorded & with me now.

[Update as of 25 Feb 2012: I have the song now and have updated it per the Trigun album from Isha]

Tridalam Trigunaakaram Trinethram Cha Triyayudham,

Trijanma Papa Samharam Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

Tridalam Trigunaakaram Trinethram Cha Triyayudham,

Trijanma Papa Samharam Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

Akhanda Bilwa Pathrena Poojithe Nandikeshware,

Shudhyanthi Sarva Papebhyo, Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

Saligrama Shilamekaam Vipranam Jathu ChaArpayeth,

Soma Yagna Maha Punyam, Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

Danthi Koti Sahasrani Vajapeya Sathani Cha,

Koti Kanya Maha Danam, Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

Lakshmyasthanutha Uthpannam Mahadevasya Cha Priyam,

Bilwa Vruksham Prayacchami, Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

Lakshmyasthanutha Uthpannam Mahadevasya Cha Priyam,

Bilwa Vruksham Prayacchami, Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

Darshanam Bilwa Vrukshasya, Sparsanam Papa Nasanam,

Aghora Papa Samharam, Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

Kasi Kshethra Nivasam Cha Kala Bhairava Darshanam,

Prayaga Madhavam Drushtwa, Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

Kasi Kshethra Nivasam Cha Kala Bhairava Darshanam,

Prayaga Madhavam Drushtwa, Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

Moolatho Brahma Roopaya, Madhyatho Vishnu Roopine

Agratha Shiva Roopaya, Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

Tridalam Trigunaakaram Trinethram Cha Triyayudham,

Trijanma Papa Samharam Eka Bilwam Shivarpanam

My Swing!

My anger, my joy, my frustration

Arising not from my wife nor my child

Neither from my society nor my god

Is all but a mere reflection

of what lies in me

Oh, these terrible chains! I wonder

how to break and go beyond

The Blessed One has seen me

Doting on Him to take me through

Beyond this pain and pleasure trough

Urban community forests

This is what happens when an urban born-and-bred person suddenly comes up with an idea of how to increase the green cover in the state. He writes up a note like this which will probably not be read by anybody much less be implemented. Knowing it very well, this is still my attempt to pour out my ranting with respect to the afforestation of the state and country in general.

A cold water bath can spur these thoughts!? Well, if Chennai water feels cold, that is a sure sign for me that something is going wrong with the environment. The alternate rains and heat daily seems very unlike Chennai, which is known more of its heat than damp weather.

I suddenly thought how nice it would be if a group of people buy a land and plant trees in it. It is also an investment just like how a group of people buy an apartment complex! It is just that this investment might not yield immediate results, but is probably the best thing we can leave as legacy for our sons & daughters. The term ‘community forest’ came to mind immediately.

As with most netizens, the next logical activity was to lookup the term ‘community forest’ on the internet and find out what it is all about. But I understand it is not entirely similar to what is popularly called as ‘community forestry’ in general media (a concept unknown to me till today).

Proposal (rudimentary):

Ø A group of people (preferably more than 20) together form a trust or foundation

Ø The group of people contribute money as much as possible for them

Ø The foundation then buys a piece of land, preferably in the urban locality with the aim of creating a forest like natural environment

Ø These will be tended to as forests not in the sense of one teeming with wild-life, not at least in the beginning stages.

Constraints and Risks foreseen:

Ø Protection required under law from land grabbers, especially with political influence

Ø Maintenance personnel required for safeguarding the area or at least part-time volunteers looking after the area, watering trees, etc.

Ø Proper and responsible tracking has to be present especially on financial aspects for such foundations

Advantages:

Ø These trees will not be in anyway blocking roads requiring them to be cut when the roads are to be expanded.

Ø They will be in residential areas aiding in increased aesthetic value to localities that go with it.

Ø Once it catches popular imagination, it just becomes a natural extension of a locality. So, when a new area is being setup in an urban or semi-urban condition, such a forest / park will be thought of as a natural component of the area

Ø Climatic conditions in urban areas will certainly improve even with such pockets of small-forests / parks

Ø If sufficiently big areas are used for it, a natural park can even be setup in the areas for children aiding in a big way for their growth

Ø Above all, I feel it is our minimal duty to the country and more importantly for the next generation of people whom we have brought to life!

Moments of madness and fun ...

Just living a crazy life ... had not been coming onto the blogosphere for a long time now. My last decent attempt at a blog had been in May 2011.

In the mean time, a lot of things have happened. India is boiling with controversies and it is this environment I have returned to.

Back to home and handling more chaos than ever but this time, the cushion of Shambhavi had been there to give me some breathing space. Just thought today of remembering some of the unforgettable moments of my SA trip:

> Graskop trip - undoubtedly the top in my memories as a lot of cobwebs of inhibitions and fears cleared from my mind. There was too much fun to be missed.

> Durban trip - for both the good and bad things that happened during the trip

> KungFu Panda 2 @ Sandton mall - had gala fun with folks just before starting back to India

> Prabhu's farewell - how can I forget an event that took 4 GB of Video recording and still reminds all of the roomies of the fun that night!

> My own farewell from onsite - a moving sequence of incidents contributed to by everyone including my manager, the final photo session on rooftop being the capping one.

Over and beyond it all, hospitality of my team is the best thing I will remember for ever about my stay in South Africa. It is not easy to accommodate your manager at your residence, to start with for 2 months, and then ungrudgingly (or so it seemed throughout to me!) for 6 months! And I am not an easy customer, waking up even on weekends before 7 AM and chanting in meditation. All through the stay, they took care of most of my needs, not because I was a manager but treating me as a good friend.

Em'power'ing!

A facebook post by a very good friend sparked a controversy and of course a conversation that triggered my thoughts today on what really is empowerment of women.

I believe, like most of the 'concepts', empowerment would mean so many different things to people at different times. This blog entry is just a rambling of what I feel about it in the Indian context.

If it was as in the early afghan invasion era, where women had to be protected carefully, even a woman freely walking around on her own might have been considered empowerment. Probably in the independence war era, it would have meant the same and more, women getting more or less equal opportunities to fight against the foreign oppression. This was also the time when the seeds of liberation were sprouting in more human pots than in several prior centuries.

What does it really mean now!? I feel it is about freeing women from the centuries of stranglehold on various fronts - cultural, educational, social and spiritual - more than ever.

My vision is simple:

- A child should not be discriminated against pursuing any sort of education she likes
- A woman should be able to freely go on the streets at midnight, as the Mahatma also wished for
- No woman should be ill-treated or physically abused, irrespective of the place being a house or a school or a bus or a train
- Every person, man or woman, should have the basic freedom of choice without any external pressure

It is said that in the vedic period, a woman could wear the sacred thread just like a man - not based on being born in a caste, but out of her own capability. A woman would dissolve her family at will and pursue a spiritual path because that was considered the ultimate thing everyone aspired.

It is shameful that such a free culture is more or less lost now. But if we can create back or restore a culture even closer to that state, that should be the minimum contribution from our generation to the next.