BT Song 1161
See Missionaries and Orientalists
BT Song 1161: Thy Gift
I shall say,
“Thank thee for
All the blessings
Thou hast bestowed upon me.”
Thou madest me
Born in India
And helped me understand
Its grandeur.
Thou arranged
So many arts and literature
And gavest me the chance
To know some of them.
Thou also told me
That all the good things
Are but thy gifts.
Thou helped me
Accept all the noble things
Of this land
As thy gifts.
Thou gavest me
Opportunities each day
To realize thy grace
Through them.
More than that,
By being born a Tamilian,
Thou helped me
Sing thy glory in Tamil.
Thou also helped us
Declare that:
“Mother and Motherland
Are greater than heaven.”
In our daily lives,
Thou gavest us
The chance
To serve them.
When I think
Of such blessings,
Both mine eyes
Fill with tears.
As thy grace
Joins with them,
It makes me
Immerse in an ocean of joy.
Mathigiri, 3-1-2020, 11.50 pm.
BT Song 1161: Your Gift
I will say
Thank you for
All the blessings
That you have given to me.
You made me
Born in India
And helped me understand
Its greatness.
You arranged
So many arts and literature
And gave me the chance
To know some of them.
You also told me
That all the good things
Are only
your gifts.
You helped me
Accept all the noble things
Of this land
As your gifts.
You gave me
Opportunities each day
To realize your grace
Through them.
More than that,
By being born as a Tamilian,
You helped me
Sing your glory in Tamil.
You also helped us
Declare that:
Mother and Motherland
Are greater than heaven.
In our daily life,
You gave us
The chance
To serve them.
When I think
About such blessings,
Both my eyes
Fill with tears.
As your grace
Joins with it,
It makes me
Immerse in the ocean of joy.
Mathigiri, 3-1-2020, 11.50 pm.
BT1162
Again, I got severe back pain and was unable to do even regular work. But as there was no alternative, I managed to do work slowly. I didn’t tell my mother about it to avoid worrying her about my health. So, when I sat for my meditation this night, I told the Lord that despite small physical ailments (due to old age), He helps me enjoy everyday life in Him. As I began to think about it, I wrote this song thanking and worshipping Him.
BT Song 1162: Nothing Lacks
There are no
Shortcomings in my life.
There is no shortage
Of thy love.
Though small troubles
Befell the body,
There is no trouble
In mine heart.
There is no hesitation
For me to proclaim
That thou art the reason
For this.
How many blessings
Thou hast bestowed upon me!
How much mercy
Thou hast shown me!
Thou upheld me
Thus far
With compassion
As thy devotee.
Though the years
Pass by,
Moving from days to weeks
And weeks to months,
Thy love
Remains the same,
Yesterday, today,
And forever.
Immersing each moment
In thy love,
Wetting thy feet
With mine tears,
Saying, “This sufficeth; this sufficeth,”
I shall sing,
Remembering thy compassion.
Seeing a content life in thee,
I shall live each day
Worshipping thee.
Mathigiri, 8-1-2020, 11.50 p.m.
BT Song 1162: Nothing Lacks
There are no
Shortcomings in my life.
There is no shortage
Of your love.
Though small troubles
Came to the body,
There is no trouble
In my heart.
There is no hesitation
For me to proclaim
That you are the reason
For this.
How many blessings
You have bestowed on me!
How much mercy
You have shown me!
You upheld me
So far
With compassion
As your devotee.
Though the years
Are passing,
Moving from days to weeks
And weeks to months,
Your love
Remains the same,
Yesterday, today,
And forever.
Immersing each moment
In your love,
Wetting your feet
With my tears,
Saying, “This is enough; this is enough,”
I will sing,
Remembering
your compassion.
Seeing a content
life in you,
I will live each day
Worshipping you.
Mathigiri, 8-1-2020, 11.50 p.m.
BT Song 1163
We don’t have a private god. But we can have private time with God. And all that a bhakta interacts with her bhagavan in that private time is a mystic experience that she need not and cannot share with others in public. Because all that she babbles in that intimate relationship with the Lord is beyond her comprehension. Even if she tries to articulate it, it is not possible for her. And her realization that even the sing that she does is not by done by her but the Lord is doing it unto himself. Nammalvar says yes. The following points will highlight this:
…He {the commentator Periyavaccan Pillai} tells us that as Nammalvar grieves for a pointless life on this terrestrial realm, Visnu responds that it is to sing of him as he would in Vaikuntha that he lives here in the world (p.135) of play, the lila vibhuti. To prove this very point, cunning, 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)…Pillai chooses 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.— Archana Venkatesan, Nammalvar: A Hundred Measures of Time. Tiruviruttam. Translated from the Tamil by Penguin Books India, 2014 pp. 136-37 {emphasis original}
…Immersed in each other, the poet and his deity speak in boisterous multivocality, their many selves porous and permeable to each other….—ibid. p. 138
BT Song 1163: Our Private Time
All that we speak in private,
Can we proclaim it to the world?
Why need others listen to them?
Should I ask thee about it?
Millions of things
We converse,
Can we explain them all?
What we babble in intimate time,
Can we share with the world?
As the intoxication of devotion fills my head,
I come to thee babbling like a madman.
Taking all those babblings as praises,
Thou too listen with hairs standing on thy body.
Meanwhile, joining me,
Thou singest thy own praises.
As the separation between God and devotee disappears,
Thou comest and minglest with me.
How much we dance, holding hands!
How much we sing, clapping hands!
We both immerse in joyful bliss,
Mingling with each other without separation.
As time and days stand still,
We forget the need to count them.
As the present and future disappear,
Without other thoughts, we become one.
By what name should we call this relationship?
How to explain it?
When there is no need for this,
Why should we tell the world?
Mathigiri, 10-1-2020, 11.15 p. m.
BT Song 1163: Our Private Time
All that we talk in private,
Can we proclaim it to the world?
Why do others need to listen to them?
Do I need to ask you about it?
Millions of things
We talk about,
Can we explain them all?
What we babble in intimate time,
Can we share with the world?
As the intoxication of devotion fills my head,
I come to you babbling like a mad person.
Taking all those babblings as praises,
You too listen with hairs standing on your body.
In the meantime, joining me,
You sing your own praises.
As the separation between God and devotee disappears,
You come and mingle with me.
How much we dance, holding hands!
How much we sing, clapping hands!
We both immerse in joyful bliss,
Mingling with each other without separation.
As time and days stand still,
We forget the need to count them.
As the present and future disappear,
Without other thoughts, we become one.
By what name should we call this relationship?
How to explain it?
When there is no need for this,
Why should we tell the world?
Mathigiri, 10-1-2020, 11.15 p. m.
BT Song 1164
I had a wonderful five-day respite from (Tamil) mega serials from the 14th to the 19th. I enjoyed those five days as I didn’t have to listen to some TV serials that my mother watches during the weekdays. Thanks to the Pongal celebration. On Sun TV, where my mother watches serials, they replaced them with films for five days (14th to 19th). As my mother (or I) never watches any movies, I watched some interesting programs on B.B.C. about health, National Geographic about animals (these days I avoid political debates on news channels), and some classic music programs on DD Bharati.
I feel shy to say this, but this is the reality: I hate TV serials. The way they show all kinds of domestic violence—particularly one woman against another woman, hate, conspiracy, etc., is too much for me. Fortunately, my mother now watches only two or three serials. But as I exercise and then do kitchen work to prepare dinner (6:30 to 7:30 pm), I am forced to listen to two serials. After dinner, I will go to my room, close the door, and put in earplugs to play some Carnatic music and then work on the computer to avoid listening to the other two serials from 8:00 to 9:00. Though I persuaded my mother to give up watching TV serials, it didn’t work. To my shock, even several men also watch these TV mega serials. I cannot stand them. For her, that is the only pastime in the evening. Fortunately, she has reduced her time now. In the past, she used to watch two serials in the morning, two in the afternoon, and from 5:30 to 10:30 in the evening. As there was no one to talk to her or books or papers to read, watching serials was her only pastime. But back then, as we lived in the ashram, I didn’t have to listen to them as she would sit and watch them in the TV room while I did work in the kitchen or read or wrote in her room after closing the TV room door. But here in Mathigiri, I cannot avoid listening to them as she increases the volume due to her hearing problem.
I am not accusing my mother or blaming her. But for me to have a meaningful life, not only a so-called spiritual life but even a regular one, both our bodies and others with whom we live should cooperate with us. Otherwise, we cannot have a meaningful life on earth. Anyhow, as I enjoyed the five days without TV serials and thinking about the ordeal which will begin tomorrow, I wrote this song.
For me, any spirituality at the cost of the body, which is a beautiful gift from God, is artificial. Overindulgence is both a sin and a crime (against the body). But celebrating the body and maintaining it is an essential part of a healthy life on this earth. That is why Thirumular said that as we take care of the body, we take care of the atman also:
“If people perish in the body, they will perish in atman also
They will never receive true wisdom
Knowing the art of taking care of my body
I took care of it and thereby my atman also.”
—Thirumandiram by Thirumular, song 724, a free translation by me
உடம்பார் அழியில்on உயிரால்or அழிவார்
திடம்பட மெய்ஞ்ஞானம் சேரவும் மாட்டார்
உடம்பை வளர்க்கும் உபாயம் அறிந்தே
உடம்பை வளர்த்தேன் உயிர்வளர்த்தேனே
— திருமந்திரம், மூலமும் தெளிவுரையும், அ. மாணிக்கம், சென்னை, வர்தமான் பதிப்பகம், 2003, ஆறாம்பதிப்பு, song 724, ப. 436
BT Song 1164: I Took Care of My Body (Classical English Style)
On one side, the body doth not cooperate,
On the other side, people doth not aid,
When caught betwixt them,
We must live in silence.
No matter the ideals we hold dear,
Though we long to achieve them,
Even if time and place are favorable,
Both body and others must assist us.
Why did Thirumular proclaim,
“By tending to my body, I tended to my soul”?
He spake of the harmonious bond
Betwixt body and mind.
Philosophies that elevate the mind
At the expense of the body are of no use.
As the body wanes, the heart too withers.
None can deny this verity.
God bestowed this body upon us
With a purpose divine.
Once we sanctify our body as His temple,
He shall dwell therein.
If others too lend their aid,
There is no greater spirituality.
When both body and people cooperate,
Our soul shall attain the pinnacle of bliss.
Mathigiri, 19-1-2010, 11.00 p.m.
BT Song 1164: I Took Care of My Body
On one side, the non-cooperating body,
On the other side, non-cooperating people,
When caught in between,
We should live silently.
No matter the ideals we have,
Though we long to accomplish them,
Even if time and place are right,
Both the body and others should help us.
Why did Thirumular say,
“By taking care of my body, I took care of my soul”?
He spoke of the cordial relationship
Between body and mind.
Philosophies that promote the mind
At the cost of the body are not useful.
As the body diminishes, the heart becomes depressed.
No one can deny this truth.
God did not give us this body
Without a proper reason.
Once we make our body his temple,
He will dwell in it.
If others also cooperate,
There is no greater spirituality.
When both body and people cooperate,
Our soul will see the end of bliss.
Mathigiri, 19-1-2010, 11.00 p.m.
BT Song 1165
The only miracle that God continues to do in my life is to allow me to remain still as His bhakta and to worship Him by singing songs, despite my unchanging nature.
BT Song 1165: Thy Miracle
I should remember
The miracle thou dost perform,
Thinking that my heart
Sings thy praise every day.
The way thou redeemed us
After creating and protecting
Is not a miracle
That I know.
All these
Are thy responsibilities,
I understand that well.
Redeeming me and making me
Thy servant
Is also not a miracle.
As thine eyes saw me
Before I was formed in the womb,
Thou didst that,
I understand this too.
Till this day,
I remain steadfast in thee.
This is also not a miracle,
I realize this too.
I remember
Thy promise
To protect me
Till the end.
After doing all this,
Thou knowest well
That my nature
Has not changed completely.
Giving the blessing
To remain thy devotee
And making me sing thy praise
Is the real miracle.
Mathigiri, 20-1-2020, 11.00
BT Song 1165: Your Miracle
I should remember
The miracle you do,
Thinking that my heart
Sings your praise every day.
The way you redeemed us
After creating and protecting
Is not a miracle
That I know.
All of these
Are your responsibility,
I understand
that well.
Redeeming me and making me
Your servant
Is also
not a miracle.
As your eyes saw me
Before I was formed in the womb,
You did that,
I understand this too.
Till this day,
I remain steadfast in you.
This is also not a miracle,
I realize this too.
I remember
Your promise
To protect me
Till the end.
After doing all this,
You know well
That my nature
Has not changed completely.
Giving the blessing
To remain your devotee
And making me sing your praise
Is the real miracle.
Mathigiri, 20-1-2020, 11.00
BT Song 1161: உனது ஈவு
எனக்கு நீ செய்த
மாபெரும் நன்மையை
எண்ணி நானும்
நன்றி சொல்லுவேன் 1
இந்தியத் திருநாட்டில்
பிறக்க வைத்தாய்
இதன்னரும் பெருமையை
புரிய வைத்தாய் 2
எண்ணிலாக் காவியம்
கலைகளை அமைத்தாய்
அவைகளை அறியும்
வாய்ப்பை அளித்தாய் 3
நலமான யாவும்
நீதான ஈவு
என்பதை எனக்கு
எடுத்து சொன்னாய் 4
இத்திரு நாட்டின்
நலன்கள் அனைத்தையும்
நீதான ஈவாய்
ஏற்ற வைத்தாய் 5
அவைமூலம் உனது
கிருபையை நினைக்க
அனுதினம் எனக்கு
வாய்ப்பை அளித்தாய் 6
அனைத்திலும் மேலாய்
தமிழனாய் பிறந்து
ஐயனே உன்புகழ
பாட வைத்தாய் 7
பெற்ற தாயும்
பிறந்த நன்நாடும்
விண்ணிலும் மேலென
விளம்ப வைத்தாய் 8
அனுதின வாழ்வில்
அவருக்கு சேவை
செய்த வாய்ப்பை
எனக்கு அளித்தாய் 9
இந்த நன்மையை
எண்ணிடும் போது
எண்ணிரு விழியும்
நீரை சொரியும் 10
அத்துடன் உனது
கிருபையும் சேர
ஆனந்தக் கடல்
மூழ்க வைக்கும் 11
மத்திகிரி, 3-1-2020, இரவு, 11.50
BT Song 1162: குறையில்லை
குறை என்ற ஒன்று
ஏதுமே இல்லை
நீ கொண்ட அன்பிலே
குறையேதும் இல்லை 1
உடலிலே சிறுசிறு
துன்பங்கள் வந்தும்
உள்ளத்தில் எவ்வித
ஊனமும் இல்லை 2
இதற்குக் காரணம்
நீதான் என்று
சொல்ல எவ்விதத்
தயக்கம் இல்லை 3
எத்தனை எத்தனை
நன்மைகள் செய்தாய்
என் மீது எத்தனை
இரக்கம் கொண்டாய் 4
பக்தன் என்று
பரிவு கொண்டு
பாங்குடன் என்னைத்
தாங்கி வந்தாய் 5
நாட்கள் வாரம்
மாதமும் ஓட
வருடங்கள் எத்தனை
உருண்ட போதும் 6
நேற்று இன்று
நாளை என்றும்
நீ கொண்ட அன்பு
மாறவே இல்லை 7
கண்ணோடும் உன்
அன்பிலே திளைத்து
கண்ணீரும் வழிய
பாதத்தை நனைத்து 8
இதுபோதும் இதுபோதும்
என்று கதைத்து
என்றும் பாடுவேன்
கருணையை நினைந்து 9
நிறையுள்ள வாழ்வு
உன்னிலே கண்டு
கும்பிட்டு வாழ்வேன்
அனுதினம் பணிந்து 10
மத்திகிரி, 8-1-2020, இரவு, 11.50
BT Song 1163 நமது அந்தரங்கம்
அந்தரங்கமாக நாம் பேசுவோம் அனைத்தையும்
அரங்கத்தில் வந்து சொல்ல ஆகுமா
அடுத்தவர் கேட்டு அவசியம் எத்தனை
அதையும் உன்னிடம் கேட்டு வேண்டுமா 1
ஆயிரம் உண்டு நமக்குள் பேச
அதற்கான விளக்கம் தர இயலுமா
நெருக்கத்தில் இருவரும் உள்ளார்கள் எதையும்
ஊருக்கும் உலக்குக்கும் சொல்லக் கூடுமா 2
பக்தியின் போதை தலைக்கு ஏற
பித்தனைப் போலவே பிதற்றி வந்தேன்
பிதற்றிய அனைத்தையும் போற்றலாய் எண்ணி
புளங்கிதம் அடைந்து நீ கேட்டாய் 3
இடையிடை நீயும் என்னுடன் இணைந்து
உன் புகழ் தன்னை நீ பாடினாய்
பக்தன்—பரமன் என்கிற பேதம்
நீங்கியதால் நீ என்னுடன் இணைந்தாய் 4
இருவரும் கைக்கோர்த்து என்னமாய் ஆடினோம்
இருவரும் கைதட்டிப் பலவிதம் பாடினோம்
இருவரும் ஆனந்தக் கடலினுள் மூழ்கினோம்
இடையொரு பிரிவின்றி ஒன்றாகக் கூடினோம் 5
காலமும் நின்றிடு நேரமும் நின்றிடு
நாட்களை எண்ணிடும் அவசியம் மறந்தோம்
நிகழ்காலம் வருங்காலம் எல்லாம் மறைந்திட
வேறெந்த நினைவின்றி ஒன்றாகக் காலந்தோம் 6
எதைச் சொல்லி இந்த உறவை அழைப்பது
எப்படி இதற்கு ஒரு விளக்கமும் தருவது
அதற்கானது தேவை இல்லாத போது
எதற்காக இதைப் பற்றி ஊருக்குக் கூடுவேன் 7
மத்திகிரி, 10-1-2020, இரவு, 11.15
BT Song 1164 – உடலை வளர்த்தேன்
ஒத்துழைக்காத தேகம் ஒருபுறம்
ஒத்துவராத மனிதர் மறுபுறம்
இரண்டுக்கும் இடையே மாட்டிக் கொண்டால்
சத்தம் போடாமல் காலத்தை ஒட்டணும் 1
என்னதான் இலட்சியம் நமக்கிருந்தாலும்
அதை நிறைவேற்ற ஆசை கொண்டாலும்
காலமும் நேரமும் கூடிய போதும்
தேகமும் மனிதரும் அதற்கும் உதவணும் 2
“உடம்பை வளர்த்தேன் உயிர் வளர்த்தேனே”
என்றே மூலர் எதற்காகச் சொன்னார்
உடலுக்கும் மனத்திற்கும் உள்ள தொடர்பை
பக்குவமாக எடுத்து சொன்னார் 3
உடலை ஒடுக்கி மனதை வளர்க்கும்
தத்துவம் ஏதும் கவைக்குதவாது
உடலும் ஒடுங்க மனதும் ஒடுங்கும்
உண்மையை எவரும் மறுக்க இயலாது 4
காரணம் இன்றிக் கடவுளும் கூட
மேனியை நமக்குத் தந்திட வில்லை
மேனியை அவனது கோயிலாய் மாற்ற
குடிக்கொள்ள அவனும் தயங்குவதில்லை 5
அதற்குப் பிறரும் ஒத்துழைத்தாலே
அதுபோல் ஆன்மீகம் வேறேதும் இல்லை
மேனியும் மனிதரும் இணையும் போது
ஆன்மா காணும் ஆனந்த எல்லை 6
மத்திகிரி, 19-1-2010, இரவு, 11.00
BT Song 1165 – நீ செய்த அதிசயம்
நீ செய்யும் அதிசயம்
நினைப்பது அவசியம்
அதையெண்ணி என்மனம்
துதிக்குது உனை தினம் 1
படைத்து காத்து
மீட்டது எல்லாம்
அதிசயம் அல்ல
என்பதை அறிவேன் 2
அவைகள் அனைத்தும்
உனக்குள்ள கடமை
என்பதை நானும்
புரிந்து கொண்டேன் 3
என்னையு மீட்டு
தொண்டனாய் மாற்றி
வைத்ததும் கூட
அதிசயம் அல்ல 4
கருவினில் தோன்றும்முன்
உன்கண்கள் கண்டதால்
நீ யதைச் செய்தாய்
என்பதை உணர்ந்தேன் 5
இதுவரை உன்னில்
நிலைத்தும் நிற்பது
அதிசயம் அல்ல
என்பதை அறிந்தேன் 6
இறுதி வரையில்
காப்பேன் என்று
வாக்கு நீ தந்ததை
நானும் நினைந்தேன் 7
இத்தனை நீயும்
செய்த போதும்
என்குணம் மாறாமல்
இருப்பதை அறிந்தும் 8
பக்தனாய் வாழும்
பேறும் தந்து
பாட வைப்பதே
நீ செய்யும் அதிசயம் 9
மத்திகிரி, 20-1-2020, இரவு, 11.00
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