Have a rocking 2020!!! Be prepared to face both guns and roses!
“Living dead are those having born as a human being still do not attempt to know the purpose of their existence till the last day of their lives only to fall into this desperate material pool of existence perpetually without knowing the consequences of this repeated birth death old age and disease!“
Roses = Living
Guns = Dead
Guns N Roses = Living Dead!
It’s upto us where we will be. Mere aspirations is not OK!
It is only right thoughts and the corresponding execution that will do the work!
Hi to 2020 that contains all even numbers after 2008!
Living dead are those
who have lost their job in their middle age and nothing looks prospective!
Living dead are those who do not have anything to continue their livelihood on their own nor have other’s confidence to help them!
Living dead are those who once upon a time were respected by everyone around because they have been remunerated handsomely but have now lost respect from the same persons because of their unaffordability now!
Living dead are those
who have now become boring because people no longer feel the need to listen to
them!
Living dead are those
who now have lost all rational thoughts according to others since they now no
longer have any intrinsic values because they have lost their buying powers!
Living dead are those
living in conditions of perpetual depression but people around do not have the
eyes or ears for it!
Living dead are those
walking corpses because it hardly matters to others or to themselves as to whether
they exist or not!
Living dead are those who never wishes to be brought back to life by any supernatural force because they are already living in hell everyday!
Living dead are those
mad men who are realized but cannot make anyone around understand that!
Living dead are those
who are actually not in illusion but the people around them think so: It is
they who actually run around all the time like birds gathering for food and do
not go beyond the first level of awareness of the soul (Annamaya Kosha)!
The real “Living Dead”
in the true sense of the word are those:
Living dead are those who
are actually in the mode of ignorance but presume they are happy, dominating
and enjoying life!
Living dead are those
who see people around them suffering but do not have the inclination to help
them even a bit!
Living dead are those
who give respect to those who do not deserve any respect but give undue respect
to those who do not even deserve it a bit!
Living dead are those having
born as a human being still do not attempt to know the purpose of their existence
till the last day of their lives only to fall into this desperate material pool
of existence perpetually without knowing the consequences of this repeated birth
death old age and disease!
கொடியது கேட்கின் நெடியவெல் வேலோய்!
கொடிது கொடிது வறுமை கொடிது
அதனினும் கொடிது இளமையில் வறுமை
அதனினும் கொடிது ஆற்றொணாத் தொழுநோய்
அதனினும் கொடிது அன்பிலாப் பெண்டிர்
அதனினும் கொடிது
இன்புற அவர்கையில் உண்பது தானே
Meaning: இந்த
உலகில்
மிகவும்
கொடுமையானது
எது
என்றால்
வறுமைதான்.
அந்த
வறுமையும்
இளமைப்
பருவத்தில்
வந்தால்
மிக
மிகக்
கொடுமையானது.
அத்தகைய
வறுமையை
விடக்
கொடுமையானது
தீராத
கொடிய
நோய்
ஆகும்.
தீராத
கொடிய
நோயைவிடக்
கொடுமையானது
அன்பே
இல்லாத
பெண்ணுடன்
வாழ்வது.
அதைவிடக்
கொடுமையானது
அந்தப்
பெண்ணிடம்
உணவைப்
பெற்று
உண்பது
ஆகும்
என்று
கொடுமையானவற்றுள்
எல்லாம்
மிகவும்
கொடுமையானது
அன்பு
இல்லாத
பெண்
இடும்
உணவை
உண்பதுதான்
என
ஒளவையார்
குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.
Translation: People in the following conditions are considered as “Living
Dead” because of their terrible sufferings.
The severity increases in the ascending order as
mentioned below:
Living dead are those suffering in poverty. More than this
are those who are poverty-stricken in their youth. More than this are those who
suffer from a terrible disease. More than this are those who live with a woman
who have no love for him. The most terrible thing possible for a living dead is
to eat the food given by that woman!
Concept inspired by Srimad Bhagavatham: “Due to his pious activities in previous lives, the conditioned soul attains material facilities in this life, but when they are finished, he takes shelter of wealth and riches, which cannot help him in this life or the next. Because of this, he approaches the living dead who possess these things. Such people are compared to impure trees, creepers and poisonous wells.” – Srimad Bhagavatham 5.14.12 – The material world as the great forest of enjoyment.
“O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if
you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death
from any of the living entities created by you. Grant me that I not die within
any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on
the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought by any being
other than those created by you, nor by any weapon, nor by any human being or
animal. Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or non-living.
Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great
snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you
have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no
rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding
deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore,
give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of
yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time.” – Srimad Bhagavatham
7.3.35-38
If we don’t want to realise the purpose of life as a human being and indulge in everything else other this, we are inferior to even demons whose only purpose in their life is sense gratification. The above verse is from Srimad Bhagavatham where Hiranyakasipu, the king of the demons, on performing long austerities to Lord Brahma asks for the above benedictions thinking himself over-smart only to be put to dust later by Lord Narasimhadeva, the magnificent incarnation of The Supreme Personality of Godhead – Lord Shri Krishna/Lord Vishnu.
This prayer/poem “May I” is an inspiration based on the above benedictions by Hiranyakasipu in order to understand what is our actual position and what should be our real aspiration. “May I” is dedicated to Lord Narasimhadeva, the man-lion incarnation.
May I!
May I beg Lord Shri Krishna that I forever be under His
protection and fully surrendered to him!
May these transgressions from spiritual pursuits to be realised only for the time being till I am absolved of my family responsibilities and obligations!
May I able to quit family life then and forever be under
Your mercy and protection O Shri Krishna!
May I always live with minimalistic needs while all the time
involve myself in chanting your Holy names, reading, writing and listening
about You and Your pastimes!
May I quit this body at Your will, while being forever
remain surrendered to You life after life!
May this soul always be at Your mercy, so there is no reason
to ask for any benediction from You!
May whatever be the condition You put to this soul Please
let me always remember You because without your remembrance this soul just cannot
exist!
May I beg You to make
me remain as a dust under Your lotus feet since I don’t know to perform any
austerities properly nor I know to interpret you properly. All I know is You
only!
May I forever be under the shelter of your pure devotees and
by fully surrendered to them to solicit their company to continuously chant Your
names and Your Holy pastimes!
May I not want any palatable food that kindles the taste
buds that drag me into the mode of passion and ignorance. I also don’t want
anything else that will make me forget You!
May I not sleep at all because it will make me forget You and to chant Your Holy names all the time – Hare Krishna Mahamantra, Vishnu Sahasranamam and all glorious prayers written for You by Your devotees – prayers that are worthy to be sung!
May I always sing Your prayers describing Your insignia – Sudarshan chakra conch club sword bow etc which are non-different from You!
May I always sing prayers about your glorious incarnations
matsya kurma varaha Narasimha Vamana Parasurama Rama Balarama Krishna Kalki which
are non-different from you!
May I always sing prayers about your consorts who are your internal potencies – Goddess Maha Lakshmi, Srimati Radharani and so on!
May I forget hunger, thirst, family relationships and whatever
material assets you have given me that will anyway leave me at the time of quitting
this body which is only a bag that is constantly emitting foul substances but
still wants to enjoy these impermanent things called material nature!
May I always remember You because You only are the object and
objective worth remembering!
May I always remember you because You are the only one who
is eternal – existing before the creation, during the creation, during the sustenance,
during the annihilation and also after the annihilation You only remain!
May I always be surrendered to You without any inhibitions or
any expectations!
May I always remain surrendered to You and be under Your
protection seeking absolutely nothing from anyone or anything else!
May I always continue to remain in this mindset of being fully surrendered to You under any situation that may be imposed because of karma!
May this commitment of being fully surrendered to you never
ever waver no matter what, irrespective of whatever tribulations that I may be
put in!
May this act of surrendering to you unconditionally be the
only permanent thing in my mind!
May I beg you to accept my Surrender to you – this
insignificant soul – and resolve me of all the sins and harms that I have
committed to myself and to any living being either willingly or unwillingly!
May I sincerely seek Your forgiveness and beg You to accept
my surrender and that I face all the eventualities that will arise out of my
foolishness wholeheartedly and make sure I do not commit the same foolishness
again!
Finally, please accept my surrender and make me do
everything for You without expectation of any reward and make me do everything
ONLY for the satisfaction to you!
And by surrendering to You unconditionally Please let your
unsurmountable illusory energy Maya not act on me for without wholehearted
surrender to Your Lotus feet, this is just not possible!
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare
Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!
This conversation is between a middle-aged person and his
mother discussing about detachment, surrender and on achieving liberation from
this material existence.
Seeker 2: Even if people knows about their problems very
well, they do not make an attempt to fix it but do something else to get
diverted away from it temporarily, will the problem go away by itself?
Seeker 2: I was just lying in a sofa without doing anything
for two hours pondering about my issues and now only getting a bit fresh and
you came to meet me.
Seeker 2: I understand that Krishna is doing everything for a reason and hence I have no regrets. Only the external mind is undergoing everything and affecting the soul that is foolishly attached to the mind.
Seeker 1: Hmm. I am thinking of how I was at the age of 35
to 45.
Seeker 2: I say don’t think about it because it will only
give you pain considering the facilities for learning available now and available
then and still people not making use of it!
Seeker 2: No use talking and praising about self-achievements.
Does that change the present situation? Only by understanding the reality and
endeavour to come out of these situations every time and learning from the
experiences to face new situations can one survive in this present hostile
world.
Seeker 2: You always say this situation will change and yes
it will and it does. It may change for the better or for the worse but one
should be equipoised in both the situations because we should understand that
certain things are beyond our control.
Seeker 1: Yes!
Seeker 2: Krishna says to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita: wise people do not lament either for the
living or for the dead. Arjuna (Nara) is a human incarnation of Lord Vishnu
/ Lord Krishna (Naaraayanaa) but still has to undergo these kinds of situations,
what are we compared to him?
Seeker 2: Srimad Bhagavatham mentions how Vidura was overtaken by grief because of his brother and his sons who acted without virtue throughout their life and how Uddhava was unable to handle the separation of Krishna but both Vidura and Uddhava were equipoised despite their difficult situations because both of them knew the science of God.
Seeker 1: Yes, the wheel of time is always spinning. It is
not always at the bottom; it has to come to the top.
Seeker 2: If you do not find people with like disposition, for few moments negative thoughts always come up but only Krishna can give the intelligence to come out of these situations. There is no use worrying about anyone or anything. Everyone is destined to face their situations and they have to ultimately come out of it by their own endeavours.
Seeker 2: Knowing this if you still get depressed then what do we learn from our past experiences? Trying to get out of these relationships and live impartially is the only means to attain liberation. Realising birth and death process is a biggest pain and getting away from it is the biggest knowledge, everything else is useless!
Seeker 1: What to do, I am an ordinary human being?
Seeker 2: Everybody is ordinary only. Going beyond and
realising these facts is what makes humans different from animals!
Seeker 1: Yes, that is too hard. Blood is thicker than
water.
Seeker 2: Tell me how did your mother live? Have you seen her getting attached to anyone or anything? Tell me this and your answer will tell if she is a good candidate for liberation.
Seeker 1: How shall I tell this? She was hard of hearing and
that was somewhat advantageous to her, but she was very intelligent.
Seeker 2: Yes. Still she was also a human being like us with
emotions, relationships, eyes that can see all the nonsense happening around
and understand what is going on. Right?
Tell me based on this!
Seeker 1: She always use to say I have to leave this world
when everyone of you is in a good position. That was her prayer all the time.
Seeker 2: There is nothing special in this. Everyone wishes that only. Being in a good position is only a relative concept. If people around you are greedy and envious, every situation is bad and unfortunate. Most people are not contented with how much ever they have got or how much ever they have achieved in their life.
Seeker 1: Yes. She has never gotten angry with anyone or anything anytime, never acting with emotions, always treating everyone equally, revering her husband for whatever he may have done. Always getting up very early and doing her duties wholeheartedly and without any grudge, not getting envy or jealous of anyone, not lazy any time, always very good and works really hard to full satisfaction of everyone – all these characteristics were there.
Seeker 2: All these are certainly divine characteristics of godly people.
All our characteristics are certainly determined and tested at the time of
death for sure, only based on that one gets a next birth or not in this
material universe. If one has leftover desires even subtle, still there is no escape
from next birth!
Seeker 2: One should not desire next birth at any cost. This
is the biggest blunder because what one gets as the next birth is determined by
what one did so far and is not according to one’s own whims and fancies. So
somehow one has got to get detached from this material world, though extremely
difficult but not impossible.
Seeker 2: That is why maam
ekam saranam vraja is the biggest secret, often mentioned by learned
authorities as secret of all secrets!
Seeker 1: Yes, I will try my level best.
Seeker 2: Yes, all of us should yearn and strive for that.
Performing fruitive activities, going to temple yearning for material rewards
or accomplishments etc are useless activities aimed at degradation of the soul.
They are all to be considered as mere rituals and hence only leads to bondage. Unless
one renounce everything from the bottom of the heart, liberation cannot be
attained.
I must say that this conversation happened only because of
the divine will of Lord Lakshmi Narayana in this temple that I visit almost
every day. Otherwise, there could be no other reason!
This conversation took place on 04-July-2019 but I am able
to make the full transcript only now.
There is this reporter of a prominent spiritual magazine in
Tamil language (name asked to be kept in anonymity), who happened to see me and
recognize me. He happened to visit the temple that day. He stopped me right on
the road and wanted to converse with me. The conversation (Tamil translated to
English) goes like this:
Seeker 1(Reporter)
Seeker 2(Rajini (myself))
Seeker 1: I am a reporter from this magazine in Tamil. We
focus mainly on spiritual subjects. I have been a regular follower of your blog
and I see that you are nearing 150 posts, that is really a big achievement!
Seeker 2: Thank you very much. I am very glad that you are
regularly checking on my blog posts.
Seeker 1: It is my pleasure. I note that you have good
knowledge on scriptures, particularly Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatham,
Thirukural etc.
Seeker 2: 😊 Please don’t say that. I am only a learner…
Seeker 1: I find that you have written a lot and covered a
lot of topics in depth. I want you to summarise based on all that you have
written on the present attitude of people in general and what could be done about
it.
Seeker 2: 😊we are standing on the road and do you want
to talk about it right here?
Seeker 1: I am really sorry. I respect the value of time and
so we cannot afford to go to my office to have discussion at this point of
time.
Seeker 2: That’s really very nice of you! Okay, then we
shall go to this isolated kind of annexure to this temple. I call it the
ant-hill Lord Lakshmi Narayanan 😊. I am usually here most of the time because
this is solitary and peaceful for prayers. No one ever comes here inside 😊
Seeker 1: Sure.
Seeker 1: I am recording what you are saying for my
interpretations. I hope this is fine with you. I would share the recording with
you after sometime. I think the recording is likely to be interspersed with lot
of traffic noise because of our location, but I think that doesn’t matter.
Seeker 2: Sure. But One thing I want to tell you. This is
the place where I meditate regularly. So, I might get into a sort of trance at
some point of time as I watch Lord Lakshmi Naarayanaa and speak on the answer😊
and say anything as ordained that time, you may note some subtle changes in my
voice etc., but I would sincerely request you to take note of the validity of
whatever I say and use it for the benefit of everyone.
Seeker 1: Sure, I will.
Seeker 2: Before I answer on what you have asked, I dedicate
whatever that I had to say, advertently or inadvertently to Goddess Saraswathi
because She is the source of all knowledge, She is the object of all knowledge
and also She is the destination of all knowledge. I also seek the blessings of
the source of everything, Lord Naarayanaa and His eternal consort Goddess
Mahalakshmi.
Seeker 2: People, why you are running around here and there all
the time? Where do you actually want to go from here? What big things are you
doing in this world that is of really of any significance or benefit to anyone
or anything? What???
Seeker 2: Same running around all the time…same
sleeping…same waking up…same eating…same work…day in and day out…
Seeker 2: When is this all going to end?… Is this work that you are doing giving any satisfaction to you? you are doing the same thing again and again as if you have become mentally retarded…
Seeker 2: Is this giving happiness? What sorts of happiness?
Where is this all leading to?
Seeker 2: At the end of ONE day, we all have to leave
this place., by being disciplined. Doing good…learning good things. do you want
to find a way of reaching the abode of Lord Vishnu…or…
Seeker 2: By being too materialistic like…I have to buy
this house…I am to earn this much…I have to buy that car…I have to buy
this…I have to buy that…I have to buy luxuries for my family and well-wishers…
Seeker 2: Eat this…eat that…eat whatever I feel like
that satisfies my palate…
Seeker 2: You have this…I have that. I will show off my
possessions to people around me but that only gain you jealousy and envy…
Seeker 2: What is going to come to you finally? Are these
“possessions” of yours really yours??? What is really going to come
to with you at the end?
Seeker 2: How you have lived…How has been your life…Has
anyone really benefited from your gestures that transformed them, that made you
live in their heart forever like a guardian angel? He introduces you to his
friends and well-wishers…saying…”I have been with this person…What I am now is
because of him”…Have you made anyone tell like this about you? Then what
has been the purpose of your life? What is going to happen after you are no
longer there? What are the people going to talk about you then?
Seeker 2: Goats, cows, pigs etc. eat well…sleep
well…procreate well…know how to defend…are you being born as a human
being only to do this in a much more sophisticated manner?
Seeker 2: Do you know how you have evolved into a human
being? These mundane things what you are doing now are being done by you in all
your life forms since ages…
Seeker 2: You have been provided intelligence…right?
right? Doing these same things, then what is the use of acquiring this human
birth after crossing all these life forms…
Seeker 2: Wealth, Work??? Can you do it honest in this
world? Everything is disguised cheating…. that causes heart-burns for so many
people and you are also not satisfied as well…
Seeker 2: This is Karmic influence…you have to face it…Will
it go? What is going to happen after THAT day…Is atma (soul) like a
stone etc. that is made from 5 material elements to also disappear??? atma is
life particle…atma is eternal…and that keeps transmigrating…
Seeker 2: The Supreme Lord thinks this way…Atma , you moved away from Me…you wanted an
identity…to dominate material nature… “thinking” I know how to live on my
own…the material nature is mine and is for mine…this body is mine…this is
my wife…my kid…my house…my nation…my earth…
Seeker 2: Krishna asks…What is yours???? For how
long? What did you bring in when you
came into this world? From previous births…t is just continuing from there.
What else you had? Understand that..your being is now like a dog…just for the
sake of living a livelihood and seeking petty pleasures, you didn’t seek to learn
good things…forget what is needed. Forget your own self…
Seeker 2: Forgot that the atma is in your body…you forget
even that…you get attached to false conceptions and feelings that this is my
body…she is my wife and so on.. The body that is made of 5 elements. What is
going to happen. How will atma go out on this body on THE day…it can
only go through the nine holes (two holes in the western side…mouth..nostrils,
eyes and ears). If you don’t realise yourself before the time of your death…
Seeker 2: Why being born again as to do what you have been
doing before? What are the things that has come to you as of now, at this
point, that were with you since the time of your birth? everything is
changing…what is staying the same from birth to death? Its only the atma that
is dwelling in your body that stays unchanged throughout…
Seeker 2: How did the atma acquire this very body? Have you
ever thought about it? It had been in various bodies earlier. Even now this
atma could have been in any body…be it in a coconut tree, snake, demon etc.
but what made it chose this very body of yours to stay? Won’t you think about
it?
Seeker 2: For this sake only, God has provided intelligence
to “human beings”…but what are you using it for? watching some junk stupid
movies and third-rated soaps…indulge in all sorts of habits, useless idle
talks, gossip and pomp…eating all sorts of obnoxious stuff and spend time in
cooking them and discussing about them as well… ☹
Seeker 2: Without even realising what the gunas of the food that
you eat are the ones that drives your thought process, character, your
intelligence and your way of life…you spin like a wheel running around…
Seeker 2: Everything starts from what you eat…food
constituents are split into 2 parts…one part for energy to drive all physical
activities. The remaining part? What it does do you know. You think eating this
will build muscles, that will improve eyesight etc. But for how
long..50yrs+???..wont the aging process take over?
Seeker 2: Skin starts to lose its lustre…eyesight fades…ear doesn’t hear properly…whatever you have been eating so far…Will you be able to eat them for life. Your doctor says eat without salt…reduce fats…reduce sugars…having eaten all obnoxious foodstuffs so far to satisfy your tongue…and thinking only food is life…you ask yourself how you will be able to stop it suddenly?…then you start to think…why should I live…are you living just for eating?
Seeker 2: In olden days rishis, munis, gyanis have
told…written Ramayana.Mahabharata…puranas etc. and for Tamils, the Tamil Veda…Thirukural…leaving
these things…what you guys are reading…how to influence others. How to be successful
in business…these are required…no doubt…but this is not all…
Seeker 2: What is required for good living? You people leave this…what is good…what is bad…how to live…how not to live…not thinking like that…hear from junk and degenerated people with all sorts of vices and bad habits…if you don’t know anything…even if some idiots says something it becomes Vedanta to you. Are these things not worth thinking about?
Seeker 2: ..or for the remaining part of your life. Do you
want to do the same thing…running around here and there without any
use…expecting flattery for whatever you do…What are you having for lunch…Shall
we go to this hotel…How is this cinema…How is this TV serial? How much this
guy score in that match… What is this
all going to lead to? Think! if you think what I am saying is good for you.
start with books…
Seeker 2: for example. Start with Thirukural. If you don’t
know Tamil. Do you know that Thirukural has been translated into at least 80-90
languages worldwide…you don’t have to do anything like learning all the 1330
couplets…just take any from the first 500..you may even take it some random
page…there is something in everything there for life…you just need to take
your preferred language and just READ.
Seeker 2: You complain…I lost my job…I fought with
wife…i don’t know how to reconcile…my kid is not obeying me…my kid is not
studying…my kid is roaming around…if we are
disciplined…why the kid will not be obedient or wayward? we are not
obedient ourselves…but worry about our kid…what will happen to him. How
will he study…how will he succeed…?
Seeker 2: Already God has carved a path for everyone based
on our past karma and what we do in this life…so what will we do. We don’t
even know what is in store for tomorrow. Then why think about your kid so much
???…he will do…he will study. If kids are undisciplined…so are we…!
Seeker 2: We leave our parents alone in their old age either
in “homes” or get themselves solitary confined in their own home…your
family…your wife and kids live in a different place…you live in a different
place…your parents sweated out and shed blood for you to bring you up…you
forget what they did for you…
Seeker 2: You say…they are old…I can’t even take care of
my kid. You listen to your wife for all her idiosyncrasies. If her family come
to your house you buy everything for them and make them happy. I am just saying
what is happening you have to judge it yourself…
Seeker 2: I don’t even bother whether this happen or doesn’t
happen with you…you see everything that is happening around you but if you agree
to this or not…it’s just your discretion…
Seeker 2: I don’t have anything to gain or lose…that you
guys listen to me for this long I treat this as a blessing and some sort of an
achievement…I am just telling what I think and also many are my own personal
experiences that I I am talking about…
Seeker 2: At the present state of world affairs, if you
think even 10% – 15% of what I said as truth or fact or if it makes some sense
to you…I think that would be a big happiness to me…
Seeker 2: …or I would have to take this like this…you
people tend to watch at least 3 or 4 TV serials daily that are total time
wasters anyways…and there is only negative takeaway from them…I would think
this like that…that’s all…people cannot change themselves and would always want
to remain like status quo…it is their destiny…
Seeker 2: Thank you very much for the opportunity to share
my thoughts. I hope all will be good to everyone…understand people…life and
its importance…
(The above audio is my voice is in my mother tongue, Tamil Language)
The below conversation is after the recording and before
parting our ways…
Seeker 1: Phew…that was too much…really a pleasure to be
able to listen to you…looks like you covered the basic principles of Gita and
Bhagavatham in just around 20 minutes.
Seeker 2: 😊 there is a lot to talk…I just didn’t want to
divert from your question too much.
Seeker1: Yes, you were very much to the point…very subtle
but thought-provoking…
Seeker 2: It’s just my longing that people lead a more basic
and disciplined life and get contented with what they have. Pretty hopeful this
will happen at least to those who are inclined for it.
Seeker 1: Yes! You are right. I have to thank you again for
suggesting this make-shift arrangement for this “interview” 😊
Seeker 2: It’s my pleasure!
Seeker 1: நன்றி!
மீண்டும் சந்திப்போம்! (Thank you! We will meet again!)
Inspired by the grand old lady of Tamil poetry Avvaiyaar (Tamil: ஔவையார்; literally means ‘Respectable Woman’) and her classic treatise Moodhurai (மூதுரை) , where the opposite characteristics are beautifully poetically expressed in two consecutive stanzas, I am writing this post on similar lines to my earlier post titled Unknown and this post is titled Mundane!
The intention to depict opposites is because everything is relative and hence opposites are inevitable in this world and may be taken relative to one’s position based on the observer and the observed, perceiver and the perceived.
For example, a person fallen on the ground will not have to fall down further because he is already fallen! but a person standing on the ground or a person sitting at an elevated position can experience a fall 😊.
The purpose of this post is to depict the dual states of being in knowledge and being in ignorance.
Ignorance
is not bliss in all circumstances!
Fire
causes a burn to a little child irrespective of whether the child knows the
characteristics of the fire or not.
Water drowns a person irrespective of whether the person is aware of this fact or not because that has got to do with the chemical composition and physical properties of the person and the water and it will act according to it.
Poison acts on the person irrespective of whether the person knows its side effects or not and whether he has consumed it voluntarily or not.
Medicine acts on the person irrespective of whether the person has the knowledge of its potency or not and whether it is has the propensity or cure or whether it causes adverse side effects.
It is the nature of substances to act according to its composition and properties.
Humans are no exception in this regard, having constituted of five gross material elements in various proportions, each having its own properties and the three subtle elements mind, intelligence and false ego governed by the combination of three modes of material nature – goodness, passion and ignorance.
Thus we (mind) are helplessly acting because of the functions of these gross and subtle elements in material creation.
It is to understand this fact that we mundane, needs to transcend beyond the modes of material nature. We are not mundane in the real sense because we have a mind and an intelligence that can discriminate but since everything is governed by the modes of material nature in this material universe and we are also part and parcel of it, we are in the cycle.
Akrura
during his mission to Hastinapura emphasises this fact to King Dhritharashtra
through this beautiful advice:
“In this world no one has any permanent relationship with anyone else, O King. We cannot stay forever even with our own body, what to speak of our wife, children and the rest. Every creature is born alone and dies alone, and alone one experiences the just rewards of his good and evil deeds.” – Srimad Bhagavatham – 10.49.20 – 21.
The accumulation of our good and evil deeds since time immemorial and also the deeds in our present life determines the ever-transforming combination of the three mode of material nature that is responsible for the unique mental composition of each one of us and that drives our way of life in the present and the next destination after death! It’s only by the endeavour to being in the mode of goodness and by finally transcending even this material mode of goodness to a transcendental mode of goodness or Suddha-Sattva, there is an escape from this material existence.
Before
going to the aspects of mundane, first, due respects to the grand old lady of
Tamil poetry Avvaiyaar as to how she brings in the pair of opposite nature of
people in this world:
“It is beneficial to see people
of good character,
It is beneficial to listen to
their words,
It is beneficial to talk about
their lives and
It is beneficial to have them as
friends.”
The opposite has been written with such a minimalistic effort and choice of words and can be noticed just by visually observing the arrangements of alphabets between the two stanzas, even without knowing the language! This is reflected even in the translation!
Mundane
is the Jivatma (due to its externally looking nature and perceiving through
imperfect senses)
Mundane
is the activated (by the Paramaathma, Antaryaama, Indwelling or Supersoul)
Mundane
is the eternal servant (either to senses (during material existence) or to the
supreme lord (after liberation))
Mundane
cannot realise that unknown
Mundane
speculates using the imperfect knowledge of material sciences
Mundane
cannot attain the unknown
Mundane
drives itself using the material senses
Mundane
identifies with the body
Mundane
identifies with the senses
Mundane
identifies with the mind
Mundane
identifies with the intellect
Mundane
identifies with the intelligence
Mundane
identifies with the ego
Mundane
is being in a state of forgetting the original identity
Mundane
is being bound by feelings and actions
Mundane
is being materialistic
Mundane
is being in a tendency to dominate material nature
Mundane
is being in a state of inequilibrium
Mundane
is being bound by the modes of material nature
Mundane
is being superficial
Mundane
is being predictable to circumstances and situations
Mundane
is being known
Mundane is
being slave of the senses
Mundane is
being in the concept of “I” and “Mine”
Mundane is
being conditioned
Mundane is
being in a bodily state of existence
Mundane is
being in a state of lamentation due to failed desires
Mundane is
being afraid of death
Mundane is
being considering oneself as a “doer”
Mundane is
being in a sense of proprietorship
Mundane is
being in a state of sense gratification
Mundane is
being in a state of forgetfulness
Mundane is
being in illusion
But…
Mundane
is to be overcome
Mundane
is to become self-realized
Mundane
is to realise the pangs of four-fold misery – birth, death, old age and disease
Mundane
is to attain the Unknown
Mundane
is to realise it is only spiritual knowledge that is factual and eternal, all
else is temporary and nescience
Mundane
is to realise the tricks of speculators, jugglers and pseudo-mystics and not to
fall into their trap
Mundane
is to listen to the inner voice by shutting out the external noises
Mundane
is to engage in solitary pursuits to purify body mind and intellect
Mundane
is to thoroughly understand the transient nature of material existence
Mundane
is to slowly get detested detached from this transient world through knowledge
of revealed spiritual literatures from a spiritual master (alive or not alive
taking the master by heart)
Mundane
is to learn to tolerate bodily and mental pain inflicted through the three
sources 1. Adhyatmik 2. Adhibhautik 3. Adhidaivik. (miseries inflicted by the
body and mind itself, those inflicted by other living entities, and natural
disturbances)
Mundane
is to realise the futility of senseless exploitation of mother nature and learn
to live in harmony with all the living entities
Mundane
is to reject man-Gods or man-made Gods and understand that there is a supreme controller
who is the source of everything
Mundane
is to learn to surrender to that supreme
Mundane
is to totally understand the helplessness in the hands of material nature and
the illusory energy of the Lord
Mundane
is to learn to activate the intellect to our pursuits towards the absolute
truth through devotional service
Mundane
is to acknowledge the indwelling that is doing its designated duty and functions
in a subtle manner
Mundane
is to acknowledge that it is the indwelling that activates the consciousness to
awaken ourselves from sleep
Mundane
is to acknowledge that it is the indwelling that activates our vital organs to
perform its functions
Mundane
is to acknowledge that it is the indwelling that controls the fire of digestion
that digests four types of food stuff – Bhagavad Gita 15.14
Mundane
is to acknowledge that it is the indwelling that activates the five prana
Mundane
is to acknowledge the indwelling is unknown…no one knows how it does these
activities for our survival in the material world
Mundane
needs to understand that the process of self-realization can only start from inward
to outward.
Mundane
needs to understand the futility of material existence and want to give it up.
Mundane
needs to understand whether to transcend from this mundane existence to a
transcendental state is self-discretion…
To summarise, a mundane should realise that human life is a misery at every step, confronted with dangers due to the propensity of the soul to lord it over material nature through the deluding power of false ego, injecting the concepts of I and mine, having lured by the unsurmountable illusory potential of Maya (at least in theory) to get entangled perpetually through the attractions of opposite sex, progeny and wealth remaining in the trap of material existence, the way out of this trap is self-realization through knowledge and surrender through devotional service to the Supreme Lord.
Spirituality is the only way to solace 