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