I never become tired of sharing my views, often quoting from scholars. Every time I read, I get more important information that endorses my view: the very concept of God that we created—either through our scriptures or even our own consciousness—defies all our attempts. Several times, I am tempted to drop not only the word ‘G-O-D’ but also its equivalent in any other language in favor of my favorite word ‘GURU’ for my personal use. Of course, I respect and acknowledge others’ right to keep this term or any name to celebrate their relationship with Him, Her, It, or none of these names and forms.@ As I read about one such point, I wrote this song, BT Song 1113. Though I usually do not share my poems in most of my articles and only provide the number for others to refer to if they are interested, here I would like to share the song both in the original and in translation at the end. Here is what Jackson says:
Hinduism both is and is not polytheistic; though multiplicity of the sacred is there, the One is also sung in the Rig Veda and the oneness of the deities is explored in the Upanishads, which are about the one all-pervasive divine consciousness which is the ultimate reality….All religions use a variety of symbols for the sacred, but Hinduism….has less fear of using a variety of specific vivid images of the sacred than most religions….Jews, Muslims and Christians may sometimes idolize things subconsciously: a book, a sacred place, authority, a religion. They might eschew visual images but claim that one seemingly abstract name—concept is God. Iconoclasm at its most (p. 12) conscious is an attempt to remind men that God is always beyond; yet celebrating a multitude of divine forms, none of which can fully pin down the infinite God, makes the same point. The Muslim device for prayer which consists of the ‘one hundred most beautiful names of God’ also shows wisdom about the necessity of keeping in mind some concepts of divine multiplicity—reality’s various aspects and nuances—as well as the ultimate oneness. (italics original)— William J. Jackson, Songs of Three Great South Indian Saints, New Delhi, Oxford University Press, (1998) Paperbacks 2002, pp. 12-13
My readings always challenge my conception and concept of God. But when I sit before Him, my spirit, going beyond my intellect, finds some solace in His presence. The nameless, formless God, taking pity on my condition and need, willingly came to remain within the limits of my intellect. Though He transcends every name and form, He also accepted the name by which I prefer to call Him. As Sri LTJ well said, “The Object of worship sanctifies the method of worship,” God also sanctifies the name which we give to Him. But when we fail to communicate it properly, our soul worships Him in spirit.
Revised, Gurukulam
28-6-2024
@…According to the nature of the occasion and mood, Guru Naanak selected traditional terms used by Hindus and Muslims to invoke God, such as Allaah, Khudaa, Rabb, Rama, Govinda, Harii, and Muraarii. But it is Guruu Kaa Sabad, or the Guru’s word (a divine voice mystically heard within the human heart), that reinvigorates the spiritual sensitivity of the devotee. This is the mysterious Ism-i A’zam (the Great Name) of the Sufis. A meditation upon the essence of the naam (divine name) is the real naam simaran (holding the divine name in remembrance) or naam japan (repetition of the divine name) and not mechanical repetition of the name of God. This is sufi zikr par excellence. The creative activity of the Supreme is His hukam (the divine ‘order’), the counter part of rizaa (divine will) in sufi terminology.— S.A.A. Rizvi,The Wonder that was India, Part II, Rupa & Co., (1997), Calcutta, 1997, Six impression, p. 365
Revised, Gurukulam
28-6-2024
BT Song 1113 Stands Beyond Limits
Buddhi not understanding
Heart not experiencing
Anybody can say in words
Thousands of things
How am I going to share
About God
Who came and
Dwells in my heart
Though we understood
Through the Veda
Still we didn’t find
The way to express about Him
However we share
By forming words
There is no let-out
For the inner experience
When I lived
Not even knowing
What actually
Is my requirement
He came voluntarily
And dwells silently
In my heart
Not even sharing about it
The one who
Transcends all religion
Still voluntarily accepted
My limited heart
When I asked who came within me
‘Who are you’?
‘I am the Lord of mukti
Which you sought’ he responded
Though people
Utter thousands of names
For God
Who does not have any name?
He became Muktesan
For me as he gave
The deliverance
Which I was seeking
God who is
Without any name and form
Accepted that name
For my sake
Though I worship him
By uttering that name
Still he stands
Beyond my buddhi and heart
Therefore unable to
Share much about it further
I will worship him
Only in my spirit
Mathigiri, 24-07-2019, 11:10 p.m.
BT Song 1113 எல்லை கடந்தவன்
அறிவும் புரியாது
மனதும் உணராது
ஆயிரம் கூறலாம்
வார்த்தையில் யாவரும்
என்னுள்ளே வந்து
குடிகொண்ட இறைவனை
எவ்விதம் கூறுவேன்
வார்த்தையில் நானும்
வேதத்தின் மூலம்
விளங்கிய போதிலும்
வெளிச்சொல்லும் வழியோ
இதுவரை அறியோம்
எண்ணத்தை எழுத்தாக்கி
எப்படிக் கூறினும்
உள்ளூரும் உணர்வுக்கு
வடிகாலும் காணோம்
என்தேவை எதுவென
எனக்குத் தெரியாது
எதையோ தேடி
நான் வாழ்ந்த போது
அவனாக முன்வந்து
அதைக்கூடச் சொல்லாமல்
அமைதியாய் உள்வந்து
குடியும் கொண்டான்
மதங்களின் எல்லைகள்
கடந்து நின்றவன்
மனதின் எல்லையுள்
விரும்பி வந்தான்
வந்த நீ யாரென்று
நான் கேட்ட போதிலே
நீ தேடும் முக்தியின்
ஈசன் நான் என்றான்
ஆயிரம் நாமங்கள்
அவனியோர் கூறினும்
ஒருவித நாமமும்
இல்லாத இறைவனை
தேடிய விடுதலை
நாடி தந்ததால்
முக்தியின் ஈசன்
எனக்கு ஆனான்
பெயரின்றி உருவின்றி
விளங்கும் இறைவனும்
எனக்காக அப்பெயர்
ஏற்றுக்கொண்டான்
அதைக்கூறி நானும்
அவனை தொழுதாலும்
அறிவுக்கும் மனதுக்கும்
அப்பாலே உள்ளான்
ஆகவே இனிமேலே
அதைக்கூற இயலாது
ஆவியில் மட்டுமே
நான் தொழுவேன்
மத்திகிரி, 24-07-2019, இரவு, 11.10
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