Secular Song 461
Poor tongue which is blamed for all our angry words. At the end it is the power of anger which controls our entire personality when we burst out shouting when provoked. We all know about it. When we are provoked, anger overcoming us never allows us to think of the consequence of our own choice. One remedy for this is to reduce the very talk. A talkative person is one who often gets trapped in the net of anger as one talk leading first to debate and finally ending up with argument and fight. Anger provoked by vain talk makes us burst. No doubt in it that silence is gold, even platinum and we all need to develop the art of silence to control our anger. The vow (vrta) of silence which our Indian tradition and several other spiritual traditions (by several mystics in other parts of the world) @ promoted this as the best antidote for vain talk.
Notes
@.
…Iamblichus (Vita . Pythagorae 72.94 {Life of Pythagoras}.7 = DK {Hermann Diels, Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker. Rev. by W. Kranz} claims that new members were required to keep a five-year silence, and Hippolytus asserts that they “remained in silence sometimes three years, sometimes five years.”{Trans. Milton C. Nahm, Selections from Early Greek Philosophy (New York: Appletion-Century Crofts, 1964), p. 53} Such a long silence suggests a goal beyond the guarding of information. Palladas (AP {Apud (found in or quoted by) X.46) says that Pythagoras taught his followers to practice (p.178) silence because he had discovered “that this potent drug brings tranquility.” The Palatine poet Socrates says that Pythagoras’s students were “concentrating deeply upon silence and the eternal discourse of their souls.”— Thomas McEvilley, Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies, Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, (2002), First Indian Edition, 2008. pp. 178-79
Another practice which is found in India in a different scale than in the ancient Near East is religious silence. While the new temple was being built in Gudea’s city of Lagash, prohibition against noise were in effect throughout the city. In ancient Athens, one did not speak on top of the Acropolis. … Among the Indian orders such a vow is usually undertaken for a year, sometimes for a lifetime. This practice may have existed as early as the tenth book of the RgVeda (X.136), where the Muni is referred to as “ecstatic with silence.”—ibid. p. 270
In BU, III.6, where there is a dialogue on Brahman, the position is finally reached where the questioner is told that Brahman is ‘a divinity about which further questions cannot be asked’, and at this the questioner ‘holds her peace’ (upararaama). This is, of course, in perfect agreement with the employment of the viaremotionis in the same texts, where it is said that the Brahman is ‘No, No’ (neti, neti), and also with the traditional text quoted by Sankara on VedantaSutras, III.2.17, where Baahva, questioned regarding the nature of Brahman, remains silent (tuusniim), only exclaiming when the question is repeated for the third time, ‘I teach you indeed, but you do not understand: this Brahman is silence’. Precisely the same significance attaches to the Buddha’s refusal to analyze the state of nirvana. [Cf. avadyam, ‘the unspeakable’, from which the proceeding principles are liberated by the manifested light, RV, passim.] In BG, X.38, Krsna speaks of himself as ‘the silence of the hidden ones (mauna … guhyaanaam), and the gnosis of the Gnostics’ (jnaanamjnaanavataam); where mauna corresponds to the familiar muni, ‘silent sage’. This is not, of course, to say that He does not also ‘speak’, but that his speaking is simply the manifestation, and not an affection, of the Silence; as BU, III.5 also reminds us, the supreme state is one that transcends the distinction of utterance from silence—‘Without respect to utterance or silence (amaunamcamaunamnirvidya), then is he indeed a Brahman’. When it is asked further, ‘By what means does one thus become a Brahman?’ the questioner is told, ‘By that means by which one does become a Brahman’, which is as much as to say, by a way that can be found but cannot be charted. The secret of initiation remains inviolable by its very nature; it cannot be betrayed because it cannot be expressed—it is inexplicable (aniruktam), but the inexplicable is everything, at the same time all that can and all that cannot be expressed.—The Vedic Doctrine of ‘Silence’, in, Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, Perception of The Vedas, edited by Vidya Nivas Misra, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the arts, New Delhi, Manohar, 2000. p. 228.
Secular Song 461 அளந்து பேசு
வார்த்தையைக் கொட்டிக் கொண்டு
வம்பில் மாட்டிக் கொண்டு
திண்டாடித் தெருவில் நின்றால்
வேடிக்கை பொருளாய்ப் போவோம்
கோபத்தால் சொன்னேன் என்று
கோபத்தில் சொன்ன பின்னே
கோபமும் குறைந்த போதும்
சொன்ன சொல் மாறிப்போமா?
ஆத்திரம் கண்ணை மறைக்கும்
அறிவையும் மழுங்கச் செய்யும்
அவசரப் பட்டு வீணாய்
வம்புல மாட்டி வைக்கும்
சின்னதாய் உள்ள போதும்
செய்திடும் பெரிய வேலை
நரம்பு அற்ற போதும்
நா செய்யும் நாசவலை
பேசிடும் முன்னே நமக்கு
தெரியாமல் இதுவும் இல்லை
பேசிய பின்னால் அதையே
உணர்ந்து பயனும் இல்லை
பேச்சைக் குறைத்துக் கொள்ள
பிறர் கேட்க ஏக்கம் கொள்ள
அளந்து நாம் பேசினாலே
அமைதியாக வாழ்வும் போகும்
மத்திகிரி, 3-8-2018, இரவு 10.30
461Talk with measure
We will become a laughing stock
When get trapped with too many words
And get entangled in many things
If we pour down so many words
Can we call back our words?
Which we uttered in anger
And try to excuse by saying
That we have done because of anger
Anger will blind our eyes
It will darken our intellect
It will make us get entangled in trouble
Very quickly
Even though the tongue
Is very small and
Is made without any bone
It will bring havoc in life
Not that we don’t know this
Even before we talk
But there is not use
Realizing this after we have talked
The life will go smoothly
When we talk with measure
And try to reduce them as much as possible
Making others to long to hear it from us
Mathigiri, 3-8-2018, 10.30 pm.
Secular Song 462
Again a regular struggle within me between my mind and buddhi. I often claim that everything is the work of the brain and there is no separate entity called mind. But when I sit quietly I realize that there is something beyond my brain which even directs or controls it. Is it my mind or my buddhi (intellect) or my atman? I know that no concept of the human psyche is going to give a final and convincing answer to this. For me it is left to each individual to analyze this complex nature of our personality and come out with her own solution rather than accept others’ view on it. This song again reflects one such struggle within me in which both my mind and brain engage in a tug up war in which my atman gets trapped. When I cannot resolve this problem the advice of my mind is to keep quiet rather than become a teacher to others.
Secular Song 462 வேறு வழியில்லை
சொன்னதைச் சொல்லியே
ஏமாந்து போனேன்
சொல்லாமல் விட்டால்
சோர்ந்து போவேன்
புதிதாகச் சொல்லிட
இல்லாத போதும்
அறிந்ததை சொல்ல
வந்தேனே நானும்
சொல்வது எதையென்று
யோசித்த போதிலே
இதையே சொல்லென
என் மனம் சொன்னது
எதையென்று நானும்
அதை கேட்ட போது
எனைப் பார்த்து மீண்டும்
ஏளனம் செய்தது
“உன்எண்ணம் இன்னும்
உன்வசப் படவில்லை
ஊருக்கு சொல்லிட
உன்னிடம் சரக்கில்லை
எதையும் சொல்லிட
அதிகாரம் உனக்கில்லை
ஆயினும் உளறலை
நீயுமே நிறுத்தலை”
இப்படி என் மனம்
சொன்னதின் பின்னாலே
வாய் மூடிக் கொள்கிறேன்
வேறு வழியில்லை
மத்திகிரி, 3-8-2018, இரவு, 11.30
Secular Song 462 No other alternative
I am deceived by me
By repeating what I have already shared
But I will become depressed
If I don’t share it again!
Though there is
Nothing new to share
Yet I again I try
To share what I know
When I was thinking
What to share
Then my mind instructed
To share this alone
When I questioned
About it
It again
Mocked at me
“Your thoughts
Are not yet in your control
You don’t have anything
To share (to others)
You don’t have
The right to share to others
Till you didn’t stop
Your babblings”
Once my mind
Rebuked me like this
I keep quiet
What else can I do?
Mathigiri, 3-8-2018, 11.30 p.m.
Secular Song 463
When other’s views are imposed without giving space for the opponent’s views then truth pays a heavy price for such one way traffic in life. Politicians know this art well. But this is not limited to politics alone. Even in everyday life, when one tries to justify her own views, at least in her mind there is no space or respect for the opponent’s view, though she might pretend to listen. For a smooth life not only the opponent’s view should be listened to but respected though we may not agree with it.
Secular Song 463 கருத்துத் திணிப்பு
அடுத்தவர் கருத்துக்கு
ஆடணும் என்று
அவசியம் இங்கு
ஏதுமே இல்லை
அடுத்தவர் பார்க்க
வாழணும் என்றால்
நிச்சயம் அதுவும்
சாத்தியம் இல்லை
பிறருடன் வாழத்தான்
உலகில் பிறந்தோம்
பிறருடன் உழைத்து
உலகில் வாழ்ந்தோம்
பிறர் சொல்லிக் கொடுக்க
வாழ்வினில் வளர்ந்தோம்
பிறருடன் பகிர
நாமுமே பிறந்தோம்
ஆயினும் நமக்கென
எண்ணமும் உண்டு
அதையும் மதிக்க
தெரியணும் நன்று
பிறரது கருத்துக்கு
இடமும் அளிக்கணும்
நமது கருத்துக்கும்
மதிப்பும் கிடைக்கணும்
ஒரு தலையாக
இருக்கும் போது
உண்மைக்கு அங்கே
வழியும் ஏது
இதை நாமும்
அறியும் போது
கருத்து பகிர்வுக்கு
இடமும் உண்டு
திணிப்பை தவிர்த்து
கருத்தைப் பகிர்ந்து
ஒன்றாய் இணைந்து
வாழ்வதே நன்று
Mathigiri, 7-8-2018 10.30
Secular Song 463 Imposing one’s view
There is no need
For us to dance
According to the
Opinions of others
It is not possible
For us to live
Just for the sake of
Others to see
We born in this world
Only to live with others
And we live with others
Only by toiling along with them
We grew in life
As others taught us
And we born
Only to share with others
But we too have
Our own opinion
And we should know
To respect it
We should give
Space for other’s opinion
Similarly, one’s own opinion
Should be respected
If opinion remains
Just a one way traffic
Where is the scope
For truth in it?
When we
Understand this
There is hope for
Exchange of opinions
Avoiding imposing views
And sharing opinions
Living together
Is good for all
Mathigiri, 7-8-2018 10.30, p.m.
Secular Song 464
One of the old age scenarios is the pressure that comes both from within and outside. Several times some objective incidents not having any personal effect on us might help temporarily to forget the pressures from within. It is drawing a big line to make the next one short. But when both of them join together, our situation becomes very pathetic. As people in old age have more time to think and contemplate on them, they suffer more than others who are busy with other activities which help them to relieve some pressure from within.
Secular Song 464 நெருக்கடி
உலகத்தில் உண்டு
பலவித நெருக்கடி
உடலையும் மனதையும்
வருத்திடும் அடிக்கடி
அதையே எண்ணினால்
வந்திடும் அசதி
மறந்திட முயன்றால்
செய்திடும் பெரும் சதி
உடல் தேவைக்கு
தேடிடும் போது
மனதும் தந்திடும்
தனிவித நெருக்கடி
இரண்டையும் எதிர்கொள்ள
முயன்றிடும் போது
உயிரும் போடும்
நமக்கு சவுக்கடி
நெருக்கடி இத்தனை
நெருக்கிடும் போது
தப்பிக்க வழியென
ஒன்றுதான் உள்ளது
நெருக்கடி தருவது
எதுவெனக் கண்டு
அதற்கே தரணும்
நெருக்கடி நன்று
புறம்பே நெருக்கடி
வந்திடும் போது
தப்பிக்க அங்கே
வழியும் உண்டு
அகத்தே அதுவே
வந்திடும் போது
எப்படி தருவது
அதற்கே நெருக்கடி
இதற்கு மாற்று
உள்ளது ஒன்று
அகம் புறம் இரண்டையும்
ஒன்றாய் இணைக்க
ஒன்றுக்கு ஒன்று
போட்டியாய் மாற
மறையும் நமக்கு
சற்று நெருக்கடி
ஆயினும் இரண்டும்
ஒன்றாய் சேர்ந்தால்
‘ஐயோ’ ஆகும்
நம் கதி
மத்திகிரி, 8-8-2018, மதியம், 2.30
Secular Song 464 Pressures
Many pressures
Are in the world
They will often trouble
Both body and mind.
If we continue to remember them
We get depressed
If we try to forget them
They will conspire against us
When we are seeking
For the need of the body
The heart will give
Its own trouble
When we are ready
To face both of them
The soul will
Take its whip
When all kinds of pressures
Are pressing us
There is only one way
To escape from them
Finding which one
Gives more pressure
We should try to give
Pressure to it
When there is pressure
From outside us
There is a way
To escape from it
But when the pressure
Is within us
How to give
Trouble to it?
But still there is
One alternative to this
When we manage to make them to compete
One with the other
As they will fight
With each other
Our pressure might
Comedown a bit
But if they all
Join together
Then our condition
Will become worst
Mathigiri, 8-8-2018, 2.30 pm.
Secular Song 465
Relationships need commitment and friendship needs nurturing. In both we lost (தொலைத்த) some and many got lost (தொலைந்த) on their own. But not knowing the real reason we often search for other things than the lost (தொலைத்த) and get lost (தொலைந்த) relationship. As long as we never begin to search what we actually lost, we won’t both get lost and lose relationships.
I tried to translate தொலைத்த as the one we lost on our own and தொலைந்த as those which get lost on their own. I am not sure whether I managed to translate them properly. Unless this difference between which we lost and those which get lost on their own, one cannot understand this poem and the thought.
The main point is this: unless we try to seek the relationship which we lost due to our own temperament, those which went on their own won’t come back. This is truer with relatives than with friends.
Last year we were excited as one of our close relatives planned to come and visit us (particularly my mother) for nearly 40 years. They came and met. Once they went back, in order to revive that lost relationship I tried my best to keep in touch with them by sending several Whatsapp messages and photos. But there was no response from them in any form. After six month there was only one phone call that too from the senior most person. The young generation didn’t show any interest to keep in touch with us back. I won’t blame them as they never knew or met us before. The same happened with one of my shishyas’ children. As my mother wanted to see his photos, in spite of my several messages he never responded by sending his present picture.
As I was thinking about it, I realized that we lost some relationships due to our temperament and some got lost on their own. Unless we try to trace back what we lost we won’t restore back both kinds of relationships. This is the background of this poem.
Secular Song 465 தொலைந்தது எது
தொலைத்து கொஞ்சமோ
எப்படிச் சொல்ல
தொலைந்தவை கொஞ்சமோ
எவையென்று சொல்ல
உடலுக்கே உழைத்ததால்
உள்ளத்தை தொலைத்தேன்
உள்ளத்தின் தேவைகாய்
எண்ணத்தை தொலைத்தேன்
எண்ணத்தின் எண்ணத்தில்
என்னையே தொலைத்தேன்
இறுதியில் இவற்றோடு
வாழ்வையும் தொலைத்தேன்
எனக்காக வாழ்ந்து
உறவைத் தொலைத்தேன்
உறவுக்காய் வாழ்ந்து
ஊறினைத் தொலைத்தேன்
ஊருக்காய் வாழ்ந்து
உலகினைத் தொலைத்தேன்
உலகுக்கே வாழ்ந்து
அனைத்தையும் தொலைத்தேன்
போனது போகட்டும்
இனிவாழ்வோம் என்று
புறப்பட்ட போது
ஒன்றையும் காணேன்
என்போல் தொலைத்தவர்
அனைவரும் தேட
அவரோடு சேர்ந்ததால்
இதுவரைக் காணேன்
அதன்பின்தான் ஒன்று
தெளிவாகப் புரிந்தது
அனைவரும் தொலைத்தது
எதுவெனத் தெரிந்தது
தொலைத்த அனைவரும்
பொருளினைத் தேட
தொலைத்தது பொருளல்ல
நபரெனப் புரிந்தது
தொலைத்ததை தொலைந்ததாய்
எண்ணியே தேடினால்
கிடைக்காது எவருக்கும்
இது புரியாதவரை
தொலைத்ததைத் தேடாமல்
தொலைந்ததைத் தேடினால்
இரண்டும் கிடைக்காது
எவருக்கும் இறுதிவரை
மத்திகிரி, 8-8-2018, இரவு, 10.30
தொலைத்த உறவை தேடாதவரை தொலைந்த உறவு கிடைக்காது
Secular Song 465 Which get lost?
How can I tell?
What I have lost
How to tell
Which get lost on their own?
I have lost my heart
As I toiled for my body
And for the need of my heart
I lost my mind (thoughts)
I lost me
Even in my own thoughts
Finally, along with them all
I have lost my own life
Living only for me
I lost relatives
Living for relatives
I lost others
Living for others
I lost the world
Living for the world
I lost everything
Finally, when I thought
Gone is gone
Let me begin to live again
I couldn’t find any one of them
As I too joined
With those were searching
All which they have lost
I couldn’t find any of them
Then alone
One thing become clear to me
Finally, I realized
Which one we all lost?
As all of us
Were searching material things that we have lost
I realized that it was people
And not material which we have lost
If we search thinking
What we lost is the same as what get lost on their own
None will get them both
As long as we do not understand this
Instead of searching
Which we lost
But only search which get lost on their own
Till the end we won’t get both of them!
Mathigiri, 8-8-2018, 10.30 p.m.
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