Song 686 — Unwearied Struggle
This song arises from a mature acceptance of life’s limits rather than from resignation or defeat. It recognises that struggle is not an interruption to life but one of its permanent conditions. The turning point in the poem is not the removal of struggle, but a change in posture toward it—learning to remain within one’s limits, without constantly crossing boundaries in search of impossible control.
The song also makes a quiet but important ethical claim: we expect others to respect our boundaries, yet we often fail to respect theirs. By recalling that we too act within limits—often unknowingly—the poem invites humility rather than complaint. When struggle is approached with such awareness, it ceases to exhaust us and begins to resemble play—not because it becomes easy, but because we stop demanding from life what it never promised.
In this sense, the poem subtly echoes both psychological wisdom and spiritual restraint: freedom is not found by escaping limits, but by learning how to live and “dance” within them.
Voice of the Heart 686 — The Unwearied Struggle
I struggled on and grew so tired,
Here on this earth, even I;
I wandered on, uncomprehending,
Lost within my own state. 1
Then, in its own quiet way,
Understanding arrived;
“This,” it said, “is life’s
Enduring truth.” 2
So keeping this alone in mind,
Holding fast to it still,
I shaped it into a song,
Writing as I went. 3
Do not waste your life away,
You too—heed this call:
Accept what comes to you,
And show how to live. 4
Many will come and laugh with you,
Sharing moments of joy;
Only a few will stay beside you,
Joining you in tears. 5
Yet whoever they are,
Whatever they choose to do,
They will never cross
Their own appointed limits. 6
Remember this alone:
You did the very same to others;
Hold only this truth
Deep within your heart. 7
If you never cross the fort’s line,
Never run beyond your bounds,
But choose to dance always
Within your limits, 8
Even struggle itself will turn
Into a form of play;
Without weariness or boredom,
You can dance each day. 9
Gurukulam, July 22, 2025, 8:30 a.m.
Song 687
As I began watching videos related to psychology, I found that once you engage with a topic, countless others—both Indian and Western—begin to follow. After listening to a few Western perspectives, particularly from Stoic and Jungian traditions, I happened to watch a Tamil video by a well-trained speaker with multiple identities: physician, historian, writer, and motivational speaker.
His first video was engaging, which led me to watch the next. However, as he continued explaining more and more, he appeared to lose clarity himself—whether he realised it or not, I cannot say. He was attempting to present a new understanding of “knowledge,” largely drawn from another thinker’s writings, whom he openly credited as a turning point in his life after many years of searching.
My intention here is not to criticise him or question his viewpoint. Rather, my concern is for the listeners. Those who consume such content must remain aware of their own limitations in grasping complex and layered ideas. As the speaker himself admitted, he never remained committed to a single discipline; whenever he reached a dead end, he shifted to another path. There is nothing inherently wrong with such movement.
However, there is no guarantee that a person of this temperament will ever carry out a single intellectual or practical experiment fully—especially if its value is decided solely by personal disposition. My simple suggestion to such seekers is this: continue an experiment long enough for the experiment itself to speak, rather than letting one’s personality decide its validity. In certain disciplines—both mental and physical—unlike in social matters, one cannot afford to remain a learner of everything and a master of nothing.
Voice of the Heart 687 — What Is Good for Life
“Speak what you know,” they said,
“And help others come to know;
That alone,” they insisted,
“Is necessary for life.” 1
Yet when will the need arise
For us to truly understand
What it is that they themselves
Are saying and know? 2
Those who know are not obliged
To err when they speak;
There is no necessity
For them to go wrong. 3
And yet, when we seek to know
That very same truth,
It seems we cannot do so
Without making mistakes. 4
Whatever the matter,
From whoever we hear it,
Seeing its true essence
Is what is necessary. 5
If we act upon what
Valluvar stated so clearly,
No error will ever
Come our way. 6
Even after knowing things
With such clarity,
If we still remain like children
Who simply take things up, 7
Then whoever comes and says
Whatever they wish,
If we believe it as truth,
What escape from error is there? 8
Therefore, after listening
To the words of the wise,
We must see whether they truly
Fit and apply to us. 9
Accept what is fitting,
Let go of the rest;
Living thus alone
Is what is good for life. 10
Gurukulam, July 23, 2025, 11:20 p.m.
Comment on Song 688 — A Philosophy of Life
When I shared my BT Song 1723, Kannan responded with a poetic reflection on tattuvam (philosophy). Though he does not usually write poems, his response carried a sharp and honest insight. I found his thought-provoking lines compelling and chose to render that reflection in my own words. While the core idea belongs to him, the present version is my reworking of that thought.
The song itself examines the gap between understanding and living. It opens with a simple yet unsettling question: if we ourselves remain unclear, how can we expect others to understand us? Confusion, the poem suggests, does not arise merely from ignorance but often from pretence—when those who understand choose to act as though they do not.
It then turns its attention to a familiar contradiction: many discover a philosophy, admire it, and yet fail to adopt it in their own lives. Instead, it becomes advice for others, sermons for the town, and sometimes even a means of self-recognition. Philosophy, in such cases, becomes performance rather than practice.
The poem also exposes a subtle escape route—declaring that philosophy is impractical, or claiming that “living itself is philosophy.” Such statements may sound wise, but they can function as convenient ways to evade responsibility. In the end, the song insists on a single standard: whatever philosophy one claims, it must be carried into one’s own life. Only a philosophy that is lived, not merely spoken, has any real value.
Voice of the Heart 688 — A Philosophy of Life
If we ourselves remain
An unsolved riddle,
How can we expect
Others to understand us? 1
Even after understanding,
If we still choose to act,
The confusion of those who understand
Will only continue. 2
Many there are who never adopt
In their own lives the philosophy they saw,
Yet preach sermons and counsel
To the whole town. 3
Praised by many as philosophers,
They market themselves,
Bargaining over their own worth,
Living for the name alone. 4
Some proclaim a philosophy
That philosophy itself is useless;
Even that claim, you see,
Becomes yet another philosophy. 5
Others declare, “Living itself is philosophy,”
And with those very words,
Seek clever ways
To slip away from accountability. 6
Therefore, whatever philosophy it may be,
Let it not stop at words alone:
Take it into your own life,
And live it with your own hands. 7
Dayananda Bharati, Gurukulam, August 1, 2025, 7:00 p.m.
This is by Kannan
If the Unclear Remains a Riddle
If what is unclear stays a riddle,
How can it ever be clear to others?
Those who understand pretend not to,
The confused grow more confused,
And life itself ends—ununderstood.
Therefore—
What one has learned,
Without first taking it into one’s own life,
Is handed out as “philosophy,”
So that one’s name may endure;
Many live thus upon this earth.
They say philosophy
Does not fit practical life,
And claim that the life they live
Is itself philosophy—
Only to slip away from responsibility.
That, in truth,
Is the hidden meaning of their philosophy.
Kannan, Kodayam, August 1, 2025
Song 689— No Selfishness
No one can truly live a completely selfish life. From birth to death, we live with others—and for others. Never entirely for ourselves.
Even when someone accuses you of living selfishly—of thinking only about yourself—you can gently remind them that even this so-called selfishness carries a lesson for others. At the very least, your example may teach them what not to do: that living only for oneself ultimately leads nowhere.
Even someone like Hitler ended up delivering a message to humanity—that the world cannot afford a Hitler. Unfortunately, we continue to witness many such “Hitlers” today: those responsible for mass violence and genocide. The reasons may differ, but the results remain the same.
And yet, living the life of a Hitler is far more difficult than living like Mahatma Gandhi. Why? Because a Hitler, however outwardly powerful, cannot escape the quiet sting of his own conscience. A Gandhi, on the other hand, can live with the freedom and lightness that come from a clear and honest heart.
In a way, we are born for others—and even in death, we serve others by making space for the next generation. No matter how hard one may try, it is simply not possible to live entirely for oneself.
It may sound strange, even contradictory.
But this is the reality of life.
Voice of the Mind: 689. No Selfishness
If we live just for ourselves,
That’s no true life at all;
But to live for others—
We somehow always stall.
This alone is truth
In our human way—
Accepting it brings
A brighter, fuller day.
How many doctrines,
How many a preach!
Even numbers now
Can barely reach!
Those who lived for others
Lived for self as well;
And in that path
A joy began to dwell.
We too were born
Thinking, “This is mine”;
And much of our living
Was drawn on that line.
But sometimes we lived
With others in mind—
In their joy and sorrow,
Ourselves we’d find.
What’s left to seek
In “just for them”?
Alone for others—
What’s the stem?
And even if
That life we planned,
Whose duty is it
To understand?
So live for others,
And in that give,
Let your own life
Find peace—and live.
Then ask yourself,
“Whom did I serve?”
And gaze within
With steady nerve.
A life for oneself—
What does it mean?
Isn’t that life
For others seen?
Even when we live
With others in mind,
Our own welfare
We too find.
Accept this truth,
Let words now rest—
Philosophy stops
Where action is best.
Though this truth
May taste quite bitter,
Embrace it still—
Don’t let it wither.
However it seems,
Whatever we do,
All life is one—
This much is true.
Whether for self
Or for others you live,
Life, at its heart,
Is one gift to give.
— Gurukulam, August 3, 2025
Song 690
Generally, I do not like to pluck flowers; I prefer to let them remain on trees and plants. Yet at times, I cannot resist the temptation to “arrest” them and keep them near me. This evening, as our ashram helper arranged a beautiful flower vase, gentle drizzle began outside, accompanied by the background music of birds. Sitting near the bay window, I simply watched.
But I was no longer sure who had arrested whom—whether I had arrested the flowers, or the flowers and nature had quietly arrested me.
Humans alone possess both the desire and the capacity to arrest beauty—whether it be love, affection, art, music, thought, or nature itself. Yet while nature always remains free, we alone end up living in various forms of captivity.
This poem, however, belongs to a slightly different genre. I framed my reflections as a prologue and epilogue, arresting even my own poem between them. It was a new experience for me, but one that reflects a deep human longing—the urge to hold beauty, even to arrest God in devotion. As a Tamil saint once sang:
“பக்தியின் வலைக்குள் அகப்பட்டோனை” —
“The One who was caught in the net of bhakti.”
Voice of the Mind 690 — Nature as a Prison
The sky drizzles softly,
Fine rain gently strewn;
The birds gather together,
Raising a sweet song.
In that mind-enchanting
Evening hour,
Even the lovely flowers
Stand as if imprisoned.
To draw the mind toward them,
To hold it in their sway—
Who imprisoned whom,
And by whose hand?
Not knowing the answer,
I sink into silence;
What does Nature not do
To make captives of us all?
Gurukulam, August 4, 2025, 6:10 p.m.
மனதின் குரல் 686 சலிக்காத போராட்டம்
போராடி அலுத்தேன்
புவிமீது நானும்
புரியாமல் தவித்தேன்
என்னிலை தானும் 1
அதன்பின் புரிதல்
வந்தது தன்போல்
இதுதான் வாழ்வில்
உண்மை என்று 2
ஆகவே இதையே
எண்ணிக் கொண்டு
அதற்கொரு பாட்டு
எழுதிக் கொண்டு 3
வீணாக வாழ்வை
போக்காமல் நீயும்
வந்ததை ஏற்று
வாழ்ந்து காட்டு 4
பலர்வந்து உன்னுடன்
சிரித்துக் களிப்பார்
சிலர்மட்டும் உன்னுடன்
சேர்ந்து அழுவார் 5
ஆயினும் எவர்
எதைச்செய்த போதும்
அவரது எல்லை
தாண்ட மாட்டார் 6
இதையே நீயும்
பிறருக்குச் செய்தாய்
என்பதை மட்டும்
மனதில் கொண்டு 7
கோட்டை மீறி
ஓடாமல் என்றும்
எல்லைக்குள் மட்டும்
நின்று ஆடினால் 8
போராட்டம் கூட
விளையாட்டாய் மாறி
அலுக்காமல் சலிக்காமல்
ஆடலாம் நாளும் 9
குருகுலம், ஜூலை, 22, 2025, காலை 8.30
மனதின் குரல் 687வாழ்வுக்கு நல்லது
அறிந்ததைச் சொல்லி
அறிந்திடச் சொன்னார்
அதுதான் வாழ்வில்
அவசியம் என்றார் 1
ஆயினும் அவர்
சொல்வதை அறிந்திட
அவசியம் நமக்கு
எப்போ வந்திடும் 2
அறிந்தை எவரும்
சொல்வதில் தவறு
செய்யும் அவசியம்
அவருக்கு இல்லை 3
ஆயினும் அதையே
அறிந்திடும் நாமோ
தவறு அவசியம்
செய்யாமல் இல்லை 4
எப்பொருள் யார்யார்
வாய்க் கேட்பினும்
அப்பொருள் மெய்ப்பொருள்
காண்பது அவசியம் 5
என்று இத்தனைத்
தெளிவாக வள்ளுவன்
சொன்னதைச் செய்தால்
தப்பு வராது 6
இத்தனைத் தெளிவாக
அறிந்த பின்னரும்
எடுப்பார் பிள்ளையாய்
நாமும் இருந்தால் 7
எவர்வந்து எதை
சொன்னாலும் கூட
மெய்யென்று நம்பினால்
தப்பிக்க வழியேது 8
ஆகவே அறிந்தவர்
சொல்வதைக் கேட்டு
நமக்குப் பொருந்துமா
என்பதைப் பார்த்து 9
ஏற்றதை ஏற்று
மற்றதை விட்டு
வாழ்வது ஒன்றே
வாழ்வுக்கு நல்லது 10
குருகுலம், ஜுலை, 23, 2025, இரவு, 11.20
மனதின் குரல் 688 வாழ்க்கைத் தத்துவம்
புரியாத புதிராக
நாமுமே இருக்க
பிறர் புரிவது
எப்படி நடக்கும் 1
புரிந்த பின்னரும்
நாமும் நடிக்க
புரிந்தவர் குழம்புதல்
மேலும் தொடரும் 2
தான் கண்ட தத்துவம்
தன்வாழ்வில் கொள்ளாமல்
ஊர்ருக்கு உபதேசம்
செய்வோர் பலருண்டு 3
தத்துவ ஞானியென
பலரும் தனை மெச்ச
பெயருக்கு தன்னை
விலை பேசுதல் உண்டு 4
தத்துவம் ஒருபோதும்
கவைக்கு உதவாது
என்றொரு தத்துவம்
பேசுவோர் உண்டு 5
வாழ்வதே தத்துவம்
என்றுமே கூறி
தப்பிக்க வழிதேடும்
மாதரும் உண்டு 6
ஆகவே தத்துவம்
எதுவான போதிலும்
உன்வரை அதைநீ
கைகொண்டு வாழு 7
தயானந்த பாரதி, குருகுலம், ஆகஸ்டு, 1, 2025, மாலை 7.00
This my rendering is based on Kanna’s following original thought
புரியாதது புதிராகவே இருக்க பிறர்க்கு எப்படி புரியும்
புரிந் தோரும் புரியாததுபோல் நடிக்க
புரியாதோர் இன்னும் குழம்ப
புரியாமல் வாழ்வும் முடியும்: எனவே
தான் கற்றுக் கொண்டதை
தான் கைக்கொள்ளாமல்
தத்துவமாய்க் கொடுத்து
தன் பெயர் நிலைக்க
தரணியில் வாழ்வார் பலர்
தத்துவம் என்பது
நடைமுறைக்கு ஒவ்வாது
தான் வாழும் வாழ்வே
தத்துவம் என கூறி
தப்பிக் கொள்ளவேண்டும்
தத்துவத்தின் உள் கருத்து.
கண்ணன், கோடயம், ஆகஸ்டு, 1, 2025
மனதின் குரல் சுயநலமில்லை 689
நமக்காய் வாழ்ந்தால்
வாழ்வு இல்லை;
பிறர்க்காய் வாழ
முடியவில்லை.
இதுதான் மனித
வாழ்வின் உண்மை;
இதனை ஏற்றால்
நமக்கு நன்மை.
எத்தனைத் தத்துவம்,
எத்தனை போதனை—
எண்ணிச் சொல்ல
எண்களும் இல்லை!
பிறர்க்காய் வாழ்வோர்
தனக்காய் வாழ்ந்தார்;
அதிலும் அவரோர்
சுகத்தை கண்டார்.
“நமக்கே” என்றா
நாமும் பிறந்தோம்;
வாழும் போதும்
நமக்கா வாழ்ந்தோம்.
பிறர்க்கு என்றே
நாமும் வாழ்ந்தோம்;
அவருடன் சேர்ந்து
நாமும் வாழ்ந்தோம்.
அதன்பின் இங்கு
பிறர்க்கு என்று
தனித்து வாழ
என்ன இருக்கு?
அப்படி வாழ்வதாய்
எண்ணிக் கொண்டால்,
அதற்குக் கூட
பொறுப்பு யாரு?
ஆகவே பிறர்க்காய்
வாழ்ந்து ஓய்ந்து
வாழ்க்கை தன்னை
இப்படி முடித்து—
எப்படியார் க்காய்
வாழ்ந்தோம் என்ற
பார்வையை சற்று
நிறுத்திப் பார்.
தனக்காய் வாழும்
வாழ்வு எல்லாம்,
பிறர்க்காய் வாழும்
வாழ்வுதானே.
பிறர்க்காய் வாழும்
வாழ்வில் கூட,
தனது நலனும்
உண்டுதானே.
இந்த உண்மையை
ஒப்புக்கொள்ளு;
தத்துவம் பேசும்
செயலை நிறுத்து.
இந்த உண்மை
சற்று கசப்பாய்
இருந்த போதும்—
ஒப்புக்கொள்ளு!
எது எப்படி
ஆன போதும்,
எல்லா வாழ்வும்
ஒன்றுதானே!
தனக்காய், பிறர்க்காய்
வாழ்வதெல்லாம்
வாழ்வுதனில்
ஒன்றுதானே!
— குருகுலம், ஆகஸ்ட் 3, 2025
690 சிறையான இயற்கை
தூவானம் மெதுவாக
தூமழைத் தூவ
புள்ளினம் அதற்கு
இன்னிசைக் கூட்ட
மனதை மயக்கும்
மாலைப் பொழுதிலே
சிறையாக்கி வைத்த
அழகிய மலர்களும்
சிந்தையை வசமாக்கி
தம்வசம் வைக்க
யாரை எவரை
சிறைக்குள்ள வைத்தார்
என்பது தெரியாமல்
மவுனத்தில் ஆழ
என்னதான் செய்யாது
இயற்கை நமையாள
குருகுலம், ஆகஸ்ட்டு, 4, மாலை 6.10
Leave a Reply