BT Song 1246
No experience remains permanently in our body, buddhi and even atman as long as we continue to live on this earth. Though we understood the assurance of mukti through buddhi, and experience it in our mind through reason (or theology) and when the atman lives with peace, still there is a status in bhakti which transcends all this. However a bhakta tries to experience it through physical or mental faculties, it goes beyond them all. And in our relationship with the Lord we get a glimpse of it. What I seek from the Lord is that status alone.
BT Song 1246: My Requirement
Simple English Version
When I thought
What should I ask you?
I feel that
I should not ask anything from you.
When the needs of
Body, soul, and mind
Remain the same
For everyone,
I have a
Separate need,
And I want only
To ask that from you.
I have a relationship
With you
That goes beyond
Body, soul, and mind.
When I come to you
Seeking that relationship
Which even others
Do not understand,
As You also
Join me,
I should drown in that
Ocean of bliss.
When I come out
From that ocean,
That bliss should
Continue to remain.
Though I continue
To live in this world
For the needs of
Body, soul, and mind,
The special relationship
That I have with you
Should remain
All the time.
You should
Overlord me,
Transcending the limitations
Of mind, intellect, and language.
Then I should attain
That transcending status,
Which I should
Never ask you again.
Mathigiri, 16-10-2020, 11.00 p.m.
BT Song 1246: My Requirement
Classical English Version
When I pondered
What should I ask of thee?
I felt that
I should not entreat thee for aught.
When the needs of
Body, soul, and mind
Remain unvaried
For all,
I possess a
Distinct desire,
And I seek solely
To beseech thee for it.
My bond with thee
Transcends
Body, soul, and mind,
Into realms profound.
When I approach thee,
Yearning for that bond,
Which even others
Cannot comprehend,
As Thou dost
Join me,
I should submerge in that
Ocean of bliss.
When I emerge
From that ocean,
That bliss should
Perpetually remain.
Though I persist
In this mortal realm,
Fulfilling the needs of
Body, soul, and mind,
The unique bond
I share with thee
Should ever
Abide.
Thou shouldst
Overlord me,
Surpassing the confines
Of mind, intellect, and speech.
Then shall I attain
That transcendent state,
Which I should
Never again implore of thee.
Mathigiri, 16-10-2020, 11.00 p.m.
BT Song 1247
See: Viraha bhava in Sufism
BT Song 1247: Not under my control
Simple English Version
I don’t have
Anything of my own,
My mind never
Stays with me.
Once I gave
My body and soul
Completely to you,
I never seek anything for myself.
When I am troubled,
Living alone,
There is none
To give me comfort.
The comfort
That I seek
Is never within
The reach of humans.
When I am
Seeking you,
Unable to bear
The separation,
It is only my heart
That puts stumbling blocks,
And there is no one
To do that.
Struggling with my heart
That is not in my control,
To overcome all the
Stumbling blocks it creates,
I never found the means
To reach your
Holy feet quickly and
Never leave them again.
Don’t you have mercy?
Even after seeing this,
Is it correct to find pleasure
In my frustration?
How long will you
Allow me to lament?
This is the time,
Come and comfort me.
Mathigiri, 26-11-2020, 11.30 p.m.
BT Song 1247: Not under my control
Classical English Version
I possess not
Aught of mine own,
My mind ne’er
Remains with me.
Once I yielded
Body and soul
Completely to thee,
I sought naught for myself.
When troubled am I,
Living solitary,
There is none
To grant me solace.
The comfort
That I yearn for
Is ne’er within
Human reach.
When I seek thee,
Unable to bear
The pangs
Of separation,
‘Tis but my heart
That impedes my way,
And there is none
To do so.
Struggling with my heart,
Beyond my command,
To surmount the
Obstacles it erects,
I found no means
To swiftly attain
Thy holy feet,
And cling to them evermore.
Hast thou no mercy?
E’en beholding this,
Is it right to find joy
In my despair?
How long wilt thou
Permit my lament?
This is the hour,
Come and comfort me.
Mathigiri, 26-11-2020, 11.30 p.m.
BT Song 1248
When I read the poems of Hindu bhakti saints, I feel some kind of affinity with them in their spirit of bhakti. Of course there is lots of theological difference between my bhakti and their bhakti. Even various Hindu saints belonging to different sampradayas do not agree with each other in their theological approach. But the spirit of bhakti unites them all. As a Hindu bhakta of the lord I feel the same kind of affinity with them as every beautiful gift is only from God.
BT Song 1248: Standing Beyond Limits
Simple English Version
Whatever you teach
Through anyone,
I only listen
To your voice in them.
When you give the message
Through any means,
I only hear
Your voice in it.
The teachings
Of your Veda,
Given by any other scripture,
Are all the same to me.
As you stand
Beyond the limitations of Scriptures,
All of them are
Only your voice.
Once I came to know you
Through your Veda,
I see them
Only through your Spirit.
I see all the
Blessings in this world
Only as your
Gifts alone.
All the words
That you uttered,
Coming in human form
For the redemption of humanity,
Become the common
Scripture for the entire world,
Transcending language,
Religion, and ethnicity.
Standing in a
Narrow limitation,
Reviling others’
Devotion,
Leaving such
Groups and
Transcending the limitations,
And joining in devotion,
Worshiping you
Each day
Is the real
Glory for you.
Mathigiri, 26-11-2020, 11.30 p.m.
BT Song 1248: Standing Beyond Limits
Classical English Version
Whatever thou dost teach
Through any,
I hearken only
To thy voice therein.
When thou dost convey
Thy message through any means,
I perceive only
Thy voice therein.
The teachings
Of thy Veda,
Imparted by any scripture,
Are all the same to me.
As thou dost stand
Beyond the confines of Scriptures,
All are but
Thy voice.
Once I came to know thee
Through thy Veda,
I see them
Through thy Spirit alone.
I behold all
Blessings in this world
Merely as thy
Divine boons.
All the words
Thou hast spoken,
In human guise,
For humanity’s redemption,
Become the universal
Scripture,
Transcending language,
Religion, and race.
Standing within a
Narrow boundary,
Reviling others’
Devotion,
Abandoning such
Groups, transcending limitations,
And joining in
True devotion,
Worshiping thee
Daily,
Is the true
Glory unto thee.
Mathigiri, 26-11-2020, 11.30 p.m.
BT Song 1249
According to Muktivedic theology God is independent and He does not require any other being for His existence or what HE IS. But according to Hindu bhakti tradition, as a bhakta depends upon his chosen deity, the deity also seeks his or her fellowship as Kavita Panjabi points:
…The fourth Alwar, Tirumalisai, added yet another dimension, of reciprocity, between man and god—as in much of Sufi poetry later, from Shah Latif and Bulle Shah to Amir Khusrau—brining the divine and human realms closer to each other: ‘Nayaraya, I know, as I do not exist without you, so you too cannot live without me’ (Das, Sisir Kumar. A History of Indian Literature, 500-1399: Fromm the Courtly to the Popular, New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi),.—Kavita Panjabi, Introduction: Sufism and Bhakti as Cultural Resources of Modernity in South Asia, in Kavita Panjabi, (ed.) Poetics and Politics of Sufism & Bhakti in South Asia, Love, Loss and Liberation, pp. 1-52, p. 9
Coming from this tradition I too express my bhakti through my poems in my bhakti theology.
As I too share in this rich tradition, I won’t hesitate to use similar thought to express my bhakti in my bhakti theology.
BT Song 1249: Trapped in the Net of Bhakti
Simple English Version
This slave also
Has a right
For you to know
Is good for me.
Tell me,
How is it possible
For one to remain as a Master
Without having a slave?
Try to live
As God
In this world
Without having devotees.
Then you will
Understand the truth,
Then will realize
The emptiness in it.
Once you
Get trapped in the net of bhakti,
You don’t have the right
To live alone.
Once you came
To this world seeking us (to redeem),
You also gave up that right,
And this is the truth.
You also
Don’t have any desire
To get back
What you renounced.
There is no
Limit of joy,
Once the company of devotees
Knew that.
Joining that
Company of devotees,
This slave also
Came seeking you.
Reaching you
Permanently,
I gave myself
Permanently to you.
Mathigiri, 3-12-2020, 11.00 p.m.
BT Song 1249: Trapped in the Net of Bhakti
Classical English Version
This slave too
Hath a right,
For thee to know
Is good for me.
Pray tell,
How can one remain as Master
Without a slave
To call his own?
Strive to live
As God
In this world
Without devotees.
Then shalt thou
Comprehend the truth,
Then shalt thou realize
The void therein.
Once thou art
Ensnared in the net of bhakti,
Thou hast no right
To live alone.
Once thou didst
Descend seeking us (to redeem),
Thou didst relinquish that right,
And this is the truth.
Thou too
Hast no desire
To reclaim
What thou renounced.
There is no
Bound of joy,
Once the company of devotees
Discerned it.
Joining that
Company of devotees,
This slave too
Came seeking thee.
Attaining thee
Permanently,
I yielded myself
Eternally to thee.
Mathigiri, 3-12-2020, 11.00 p.m.
BT Song 1250
J.I. Packer {in Knowing God} said that the only purpose of life is to ‘Know Him and make Him known’. The outward expression of that ‘knowing God’ is to worship Him each day celebrating the relationship in Him through Bhakti. And the inward (or mystical!?!) expression is to allow Him to live in us to celebrate this bhakti. Even in this celebration, though a bhakta writes poems to sing His praises, still it is the Lord Himself made the bhakta to sing about Him. {Already shared similar thought in Song 1163} This is well stated by Archana Venkatesan:
…playful Visnu takes Nammalvar over (visayikarittu) to sing and enjoy his own form (svarupa–rupa), his virtues (guna) and his vibhutis (realms). As we have already seen, such moments of intermitten takeover are not unusual in Nammalvar (or in bhakti poetry in general)… { Periyavaccan} Pillai chooses {in his commentary} to cite a single phrase: en mun collum, he who sings in front of me from (VII.9.2). Let us see this verse in its entirety:
What can I say? Now becoming one with me sweet life,
he makes me sing sweet songs with my own words
with his own words the lord of illusion praises himself,
the one who sings before me, the first of the three forms.{Clooney, Francis X. S.J., and Archana Venkatesan (trans.), Tiruvaymoli, Penguin Classics. Forthcoming.} (p.136)
…He speaks these words, but, equally, they are spoken to him. He stands embodied to listen—we are back where we started—and then, trickster that he is, embodies himself within the devotee to speak to him.— Nammalvar: A Hundred Measures of Time. Tiruviruttam. Translated from the Tamil by Archana Venkatesan, Penguin Books India, 2014, pp. 136-37 {emphasis original}
So I have written these bhakti songs to celebrate my relationship with the Lord. At the same time I feel that it is the Lord who made me to sing His praises. And in that relationship I am happy to remain a bhakta than claiming any other identity in life. And my Bhakti Theology gave space and freedom to express and celebrate that bhakti. I wish and hope this Indian contribution of Bhakti Theology will help the followers of the Lord everywhere to celebrate their relationship with Him by Worshiping Him and Singing His praise.
Sarve bhavantu sukhinaha;
Sarve santu niraamayaaha;
Sarve bhadranii pashyantu;
Ma kascid dhukhabhag bhavet.
May all be happy;
May all be healthy;
May all see Goodness;
May no one be unhappy.
Om! Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!
Simple English Version
BT Song 1250: You Made Me to Sing
As you made me sing,
I wrote songs.
As you gave your feet,
I worship you.
As you came and
Gave your blessed grace,
I live each day
With you.
You remind
Me
In this
Fleeing world.
You gave
Fullness of bhakti
To live,
Having this relationship with you.
You also protected me
By making me join
The company
Of your devotees.
As one day
This earthly life will end,
You will provide
Eternal life with you.
To wait
Eagerly for that day,
You will
Prepare me.
But oh my Lord,
In the remaining days,
You made me
Sing your praises.
Therefore, you will
Grant your grace each day
To sing your praises
And celebrate you.
Mathigiri, 12-12-2020, 11.30 p.m.
Classical English Version
BT Song 1250: You Made Me to Sing
As thou hast made me sing,
I penned songs.
As thou gavest thy feet,
I worship thee.
As thou camest and
Bestowed thy blessed grace,
I live each day
With thee.
Thou dost remind
Me
In this
Fleeting world.
Thou hast given
The fullness of bhakti
To dwell,
In this bond with thee.
Thou also safeguarded me
By leading me to join
The company
Of thy devotees.
As one day
This earthly life shall cease,
Thou wilt grant
Eternal life with thee.
To await
Eagerly that day,
Thou wilt
Prepare me.
But, oh my Lord,
In the days that remain,
Thou hast made me
Sing thy praises.
Thus, thou shalt
Bestow thy grace each day
To sing thy praises
And celebrate thee.
Mathigiri, 12-12-2020, 11.30 p.m.
BT Song 1246 தேவையானது
எதைக் கேட்பதென்று
எண்ணிடும் போது
ஏதுமே கேட்காமல்
இருந்திடத் தோணுது (1)
உடல், மனம், உயிரின்
தேவைகள் அனைத்தும்
அனைவர்க்கும் பொதுவாய்
இருந்திடும் போது (2)
தனியொரு தேவை
எனக்கு உள்ளது
அதை மட்டுமே உன்னிடம்
கேட்டதென்று தோணுது (3)
உடல், மனம், உயிரின்
உணர்வினைத் தாண்டி
ஒருவித உறவு
உன்னிடம் உள்ளது (4)
அவைகளை உணரா
அந்த உறவு
அடிக்கடி நாடி
வந்திடும் போது (5)
என்னுடன் நீயும்
இணைந்திடும் அந்தப்
பேரின்ப நிலையில்
அமிழ வேண்டும் (6)
மீண்டும் எழுந்து
வெளிவரும் போது
அந்தப் பரவசம்
தொடர வேண்டும் (7)
உடல், மனம், உயிரின்
தேவைக்காக
உலகில் தொடர்ந்து
வாழும் போதும் (8)
தனித்து என்னிடம்
தேடி வந்து
கொண்ட உறவு
நிலக்க வேண்டும் (9)
மனம், மொழி அறிவின்
வரையரை கடந்து
முழுமையாய் நீஎன்னை
ஆட்கொள்ள வேண்டும் (10)
அதன்பின் உன்னிடம்
அதை மீண்டும் கேட்காத
அனுபூதி அடைந்து
வாழ வேண்டும் (11)
மத்திகிரி, 16-10-2020, 11:00
BT Song 1247 என்வசம் இல்லை
எனக்கென ஒன்று
என்னிடம் இல்லை
என்மனம் என்வசம்
நின்றதும் இல்லை (1)
என்னுடல் ஆவி
உனக்கெனத் தந்தபின்
எனக்கென ஒன்றை
நாடவும் இல்லை (2)
தனித்திருந்தே நான்
தவித்திடும் போது
தேறுதல் சொல்ல
யாருமே இல்லை (3)
நான்தேடும் தேறுதல்
தருவ தென்பது
மனிதர்வசம் என்றும்
இருந்ததும் இல்லை (4)
பிரிவின் துயரம்
தாங்க இயலாது
பேதையென் உள்ளம்
உனை நாடும் போது (5)
இடையினில் நின்று
தடைகள் தருவதும்
என்மனம் இன்றி
மற்றவர் இல்லை (6)
என்வசம் இல்லாத
மனதோடு போராடி
அதுபோடும் தடைகளைத்
தாண்டி ஓடி (7)
விரைவாக உனது
திருவடி அண்டி
விலகாது வாழும்
வழிகாண வில்லை (8)
என்நிலை கண்டும்
இரக்கம் இல்லையோ
நான்கொண்ட தவிப்பில்
சுகம்காணல் முறையோ (9)
எதுவரை இன்னும்
புலம்ப விடுவாய்
இதுவே தருணம்
வந்து அணைப்பாய் (10)
மத்திகிரி, 26-11-2020
BT Song 1248 வரையறை கடந்தவன்
எவர்மூலம் எதை நீ
சொல்லி தந்தாலும்
அதன்மூலம் உன்மொழி
நானும் கேட்கிறேன் (1)
எனக்கான செய்தியை
எதன்மூலம் தந்தாலும்
அதிலுள்ள உன்குரல்
மட்டும் கேட்கிறேன் (2)
உன்மறை கூறும்
உபதேசம் தன்னை
எம்மறை கூறினும்
எனக்கது ஒன்றுதான் (3)
மறைகளின் வரையறை
தன்னையும் கடந்திட்ட
உனக்கவை எல்லாமே
உன்மொழி மட்டும்தான் (4)
உன்மறை மூலமே
உன்னையும் அறிந்தபின்
உன்னாவி கொண்டு
அவைகளைப் பார்க்கிறேன் (5)
உலகினில் உள்ள
நல்லவை அதனைத்தும்
உன்வரம் என்பதை
நானும் உணர்கிறேன் (6)
மானுடம் உய்ய
மனுவாய் வந்து
நீசொன்ன அனைத்து
வார்த்தைகள் யாவும் (7)
ஓர்இனம் மொழி
மதங்களைக் கடந்து
உலகிற்கே பொதுமறை
ஆனதே உண்மை (8)
குறுகிய எல்லைக்குள்
நின்று கொண்டு
பிறரின் பக்தியைத்
தூற்றிக் கொண்டு (9)
வாழும் மனிதரின்
கூட்டத்தை நீங்கி
எல்லைகள் கடந்த
பக்தியில் இணைத்து (10)
அனுதினம் உன்னைப்
போற்றிப் பணிந்து
வாழ்வதில் மட்டுமே
உள்ளது மேன்மை (11)
மத்திகிரி, 26-11-2020, 11:30 p.m.
BT Song 1249 பக்தியின் வலையில் அகப்பட்டாய்
அடிமைக்கு ஒரு
உரிமை உள்ளது
அதனை நீ அறிவது
எனக்கு நல்லது (1)
அடிமை இன்றி
ஆண்டையாய் இருப்பது
எவ்விதம் என்று
நீயுமே சொல்லு (2)
பக்தரே இன்றி
பரம்பொருள் என்று
பாரினில் நீயும்
வாழ்ந்து பாரு (3)
அதன்பின் நீயும்
உண்மையை அறிவாய்
அதிலுள்ள வெறுமையை
நிச்சயம் உணர்வாய் (4)
பக்தியின் வலையில்
அகப்பட்ட பின்னே
தனித்து வாழும்
உரிமை இல்லை (5)
பாரினில் எம்மைத்
தேடிவந்த பின்
அதனையும் துறந்தாய்
என்பதே உண்மை (6)
துறந்த ஒன்றை
மீண்டும் அடைய
உனக்கும் கூட
விருப்பம் இல்லை (7)
அதனை அறிந்த
பக்தர் கூட்டம்
அடைந்த ஆனந்தத்திற்
கெல்லையும் இல்லை (8)
அந்த அடியவர்
கூட்டத்தில் இணந்து
அடிமை வந்தேன்
தேடி உன்னை (9)
நிரந்தரமாக நான்
உன்னை அடைந்து
என்றும் தந்தேன்
உனக்கு என்னை (10)
மத்திகிரி, 3-12-2020, 11:00 p.m.
BT Song 1250 பாடிட வைத்தாய்
பாட வைத்ததால்
பாடல்கள் புனைந்தேன்
பதமலர் தந்ததால்
தொழுது கொண்டேன் (1)
நாடி வந்து
நல்லருள் தந்ததால்
நானும் வாழ்கிறேன்
நாளும் உன்னுடன் (2)
உருண்டே ஓடும்
உலக வாழ்வில்
ஒவ்வொரு நாளும்
என்னுடன் இருந்தாய் (3)
உன்னுடன் உறவு
கொண்டு வாழ
பக்தியை நிறைவாக
என்னுள் தந்தாய் (4)
உன்னை நாடிடும்
அடியவர் குழுவில்
என்னையும் இணைத்து
எப்போதும் காத்தாய் (5)
என்றோ ஒருநாள்
புவிவாழ்வு முடிய
முடிவில்லா வாழ்வை
உன்னுடன் தருவாய் (6)
அந்நாளின் வரவை
ஆர்வமாய் எதிர்பார்க்க
அதற்காக என்னையும்
ஆயத்தம் செய்வாய் (7)
ஆயினும் அதுவரை
எஞ்சிய வாழ்வில்
ஐயநின் புகழ்பாட
என்னையும் வைத்தாய் (8)
அதன்படி கொண்டாடி
அனுதினம் உனைப் பாட
அளவற்ற அருளையே
அனுதினம் அளிப்பாய் (9)
மத்திகிரி, 12-12-2020, இரவு 11:30
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