Bhajans on Sri Ramana

These bhajans flashed upon me a long time back! Another beautiful thing is that they came in good tunes too!!!

Guru guru sadguru ramana guro
Guru guru Tiruchuzhi jaatha guro
Guru guru svabhaava gnaatha guro
Guru guru Arunachale guro

Arunachala giripradakshine guro
(tava) Bhakthajanaanaam traatha guro
Maam atmavicharam bodha guro
Mama hrudaye sadaa viraaja guro
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Arunachala giri nivaasam bhaje
Ramana Ramana iti naamam bhaje
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Jai Sadguru Ramana

All your thoughts... - Papaji

I was stunned reading these words by Sri Papaji:

All your thoughts belong to the past. Everything you do is a reaction based on past experience. Even when you think of the future, the thoughts of your future projection come from the thoughts, memories and experiences of the past. All mental activity comes from stirring up thoughts of the past. The present moment is free from thought, but when thought arises, you are no longer in the present, you are in the past. The thoughtless present moment is peace. It is only the thoughts of the past that make you miserable.

This is an extract from Nothing Ever Happened Volume 2, Page 249.

Is this what Sri Ramana referred to as Summa Iru or Just Be? I guess so. I think that the only thing to do is try and be in the present moment.

Many many thanks to Sri David Godman for bringing out the books and to Bhatta for lending me the books.

Jai Papaji, Jai Sadguru Ramana.

Experience...the lack of it

I began singing when Lakshmi & Vivek bought me into the group song team in B.Sc. They wanted someone who could be a part of the group. I agreed and when people listened to me, they said I have a good voice and wanted me to start learning Carnatic Classical music. I did enroll and learn for an year, but that was an utter failure because of irregularity and lack of bhakti.

So, occasional singing to friends and at home became regular, but when someone asks me to sing, I always fear that I will forget the lyrics midway. This has always prompted me to find out more about the way I sing; I found out that I am concentrating only on the way I sing and on the words that are to come next because of the constant fear. So, after a song, all I remember is that out came the words, I listened, and liked the way they sounded!!! That is all purely ego. That was my mistake, I did not concentrate instead on the meaning of those words and the experience they bestow on me when they come out!!!

From the past few times, I have consciously tried to experience the songs and the fear of failing seems to be receding. All I had was the experience of singing but not experiencing it :-)

Just yesterday, we (Akila, Bavi and me) visited my sister's (Bavi's) friend's home and her Father asked me to sing. As I was rummaging inside as to what I should present Sooraj Ki Garmi Se came up. Just at that moment, Bavi suggested the very same song!!! I started out experiencing it and it just came out well, but out of fear, I stopped after singing just one para!!! This just illustrates to me that I should just surrender and enjoy the experience. Uncle (Bavi's friend's Father) showed me a CD that was produced by them and a song sung by Keeravani (M.M.Kreem) touched chord Bandavaru ondhu dina marali hogale bekalla!!!

I've wondered at how Bhatta, Prasad and Radha can remember all the songs they sing, well, now I know.
Jai Sadguru Ramana.

To Death :-)

death, i know you are there
waiting round the corner
to spring a surprise on me!
just like those innumerable times,
but, wait, there'll come a time
when I will not be there and
you'll be the one to receive.

Jai Sadguru Ramana.

Baala Maami - our Guru!!!

Radhe Krishna! is how Baala Maami greets one and all and beams out a blissful smile that drenches you in affection. She is the Guru for my granny. Baala maami heads the Sri Jayadeva Gita Govinda Bhajana Mandali in Malleshwaram that's running from 1950!!! Yes, 1950 it is!!! My granny used to diligently be a part of the Saptaaham (7 days) so much so that over 40 years of participation went past her!!! It was a major festival for all the people in the mandali. Granny used to take her daughters here and natually, my Mother also was a part of it. Granny used to take us also along with her many a times and my Sister became a darling of the masses for her enthusiasm with which she participated. Over a period of time, our participation took a major hit with Granny's age and her enthusiasm did not suffuse our beings. So, from a few years now, we have just been visiting Baala Maami to invite her to marriages or some occasions. Just an year before Granny passed away, she wanted to meet Baala Maami, so, Mom and me took her to Malleshwaram and what a meeting it was between them!!! They recounted many years of joy immersed in devotion to their dear lord Krishna.

Yesterday, we went to meet Baala Maami to invite her for my sister's marriage. Baala Maami instantly recognized my Mother, and then me!!! I am one of the fortunate few who has gotten her affection :-) Akila and Girija Aththai were new to Baala Maami though Aththai has participated in the bhajans a few times. Baala Maami was so excited that she made us sit there and recounted some of the days with Granny!!! She also complained that we no more participate in the bhajans, but, we promised we will be regulars from now on. She asked us to sing bhajans and said "Kannan innikki ungalukkaaga maalaioda kaaththirukkaan. Avan azhaippu illaammal yaarum vara mudiyaadhu". Translates to - Lord Krishna has been awaiting your arrival here with the garlands around him. Without his call, no one can come!!! So Girija Aththai, who has a gifted voice started off with a Sri Purandhara daasa kriti on lord Krishna. Then, Maami asked me to sing and I started with Govinda Ninna Naamave Chandha again by Sri Purandharadaasa (I did not do well with the Taala :-( ). We all sang Alai Paayudhe and then I sang 2 more bhajans that I learnt recently Muralidhara Murahara Natavara where I stopped after 2 lines and Maami started the lines I forgot and beamed up her usual smile and I started after her!!! And then I sang Hey Murali Sridhara Radhe Krishna Radhe Shyam. Maami was very happy to see us all and so were we!!! She blessed us all, gave us prasadam and what else do we need. As we were taking leave of her, Maami shouted out Mom's name and said "I am very happy to see you all" and we reciprocated the same!!! She said Radhe Krishna and we took leave. Akila was very happy to have met Baala Maami. Maami also said that I have a good voice and good devotion which is due to poorva sukrutha (good deeds done in the past!!!).

If you meet Baala Maami you will see Indru Maami too, who has been serving her Guru from a very long time. She takes care of a lot of things there. Indru Maami also knows my Granny and Mom. Indru Maami served Milk to us all after which Baala Maami asked us to stay back and have dinner!!! Imagine having dinner with our Guru!!!

Oh! I almost forgot, I was so excited there that I wanted to show Sri Ramana's picture to Maami and she became excited to see it too!!! Maami said that the visitors just before us were Ramana devotees!!! Indru Maami was also excited to see Sri Ramana's picture. Akila had another photo of Sri Ramana that she gave to Maami who put it on a shelf where everyone can see him!!! Need we ask for more bliss?

My Granny used to make us all sit together in Chikkamagalur and make us learn Hanuman Chalisa. Her devotion has passed on to us, in whatever little amounts!!!

Pranams to the Holy Feet of Baala Maami.
Radhe Krishna!
Jai Sadguru Ramana.

Nothing Ever Happened...

I just finished reading Volume 1 of Nothing Ever Happened, a 3 Volume series on Sri Poonja Maharaj, by Sri David Godman. What a journey it has been!!! Papaji (as Sri Poonja Maharaj is known to his devotees) speaks about his life, how he met his master Sri Ramana Maharishi, how he got to meet many of his devotees and the experience of his devotees under Papaji's influence. it was so gripping that one of the places i read the book was the railway station while i was waiting to receive my cousin and her family!!! i got a full one hour there!!! Papaji was the love in the hearts of all people he met. i was surprised to read that he spent some of his time in Chikkamagalur, one the places that i've been visiting since my childhood.

Here is a link where Sri David Godman talks about how this book was made: http://www.davidgodman.org/interviews/rs1.shtml

My profuse thanks to Bhatta for lending me the beautifully printed book. i put a cover for it so that the book remains as new as possible. Bhatta says that he will remove that, but says i can use it for Volume 2!!! But, i must say that one reading of the book is just the beginning. And of course, many tons of thanks to Sri David Godman!!!

Another thing that i did was to re-read the chapter on Papaji's meeting with Sri Ramana while i was sitting in the beautifully constructed Sri Ramana Seva Trust. i sat in front of the beautiful & majestic marble idol of Sri Ramana. This place is on the Bangalore-Hosur highway after Attibele going towards Hosur. What a beautiful place that is. it is open from morning 7 to evening 7 all 7 days a week!!!

i just wonder, how would it be to meet a living master?
Jai Poonjaji Maharaj, Jai Sadguru Ramana.