A noisier route to salvation!

knbg · Feb 1, 2012

Respected Sir,
Noisier route to salvation......the title reminded me of the regular "Kirthigai bhajanais" and "Divya nama sankeerthanams" My father used to take me during my childhood.....Listening to the "Siddhi vinaayaka swaami ki......JAI!!!!!"... immediately would take me to a different plane.....I would silently repent for the silly mistakes and pranks I had played.....little lies I had said....in my mind, and then sing together with them all.....At the end of the day I would feel, I was in the right path and Muruga had given me a new lease of life and start afresh from the next day....the impact would last for another ten days....then I would eagerly long for the next "Kirthigai".......

Sir, the Ustad Vilayat Khan incident of "Thillaana Mohanambal"......and Your concluding lines reminded me of Janaka Maharaja.......Enjoyed the post Sir......

Viswamitra · Feb 2, 2012

Dear Cheeniya Sir,

This reminded me of a story I heard. Once Naradha was very proud there is no one in the world who does namasmarana better than himself. Naradha saw Maha Vishnu giving liberation to an ordinary farmer who went through samsara's all pains and rarely prayed when he had a few minutes. Naradha stormed into the Kingdom of Lord Maha Vishnu and asked the Lord how could he provide liberation to someone who rarely prays and not provide salvation to himself. Maha Vishnu decided to teach him a lesson. He gave him a small lighted lamp in his hand and told him that he should go around the world and come back with the light in his hand.

Being an obedient disciple, Naradha was very careful not to let the light go off. He walked carefully and used his fingers to protect the light from the wind. He finished his difficult tour and came back to Maha Vishnu with pride and told him that he finished the task He gave him. Maha Vishnu asked him, "How many times you thought of me when you went around the world with the lighted lamp?" Narada responded, "Not a single time as my focus was on the lighted lamp."

Then, Maha Vishnu explained the same is applicable to the poor farmer. He had so many issues but still thought of me at least for a few minutes every day and that is why he was liberated. Naradha learned his lesson.

I presume that even the troubles and tribulations we go through every day could be considered as noises of our mind and if we could focus on the Universal Absolute despite all of that noise, it would be a victory. The music director and the young musicians who performed in a wedding are only teaching that lesson to us.

Viswa

Cheeniya · Feb 2, 2012

My dear Bhargavi
Every religion of the world has a method to create a frenzy in the followers. Hinduism believes in our noise to reach the heavens. It may be due to the fact that we believe in the primordial sound of 'aum' being responsible for the birth of this universe. We equate God with Pranava Swaroopam.

I have visited Sabari Malai for several years. At the time when the Light appears in the distant Ponnambalamedu, more than a million people chant Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa in full throated voice and that is a hair raising experience. At that moment, we lose all consciousness of our self, our material belongings and our earthly connections. The mind is filled only with a Divine feeling. This may be a momentary experience but then is that not the sole aim of religion?
Sri

Cheeniya · Feb 2, 2012

Dear Viswa
I had once visited Satara in Maharashtra where the Kanchi Paramacharya was camping to have his darshan and seek his blessings for a charity cum religious project we had undertaken. We stayed there with him overnight and the next morning after we had our food, he asked us to return to our home. We pleaded with him to let us stay for one more day as we had come all the way from Chennai to seek his blessings. It was then he narrated this story of Naradha to us. He told us that for grahasthas like us , it was enough if we chanted God's name a few times daily and that we were not expected to spend more time than necessary on religious pursuits which would mean forsaking our family's interests.

Thanks for bringing back memories of the most sacred moment of my life.
Sri

iyerviji · Mar 17, 2012

My dear Anna

A thought provoking post. I do not know how I missed this thread.It was nice to read everyone's fbs . I know I cant write like them. Reading Bhargavi's fb brought me memories of my teenage days when my father used to take me and my sister for Panaka Pooja and Divyanama Sankeertanam, Seetha Kalyanam etc. I remember after going for Divyanama Sankeerthanam whole night next day I had to give exam and during exam I could hear the jalra noise and bhajans. I was in a different world never knew I was in the exam hall.

Like Veda has mentioned its all mind set up. If we are doing something which interests us we are lost in that. Like when I am in IL I am so much involved in reading everyone's wonderful posts that I forget the whole world .

Sometimes I cant sleep when there is noise or when the sunlight is coming inside . So I close the windows and sleep. I think that must be the time when I dont get sleep.

Evertyhing depends on the environment, surroundings and the way we are brought up.

Now the house where we are staying is very silent and we do not know what is happening outside. I think at this age its a good place to stay.

Of late I dont get proper sleep in the night and during the day after 11 a.m when I am watching TV without my knowledge my eyes close and suddenly I get up. Those who can sleep anytime, anywhere are very lucky.

shyamala1234 · Mar 17, 2012

Dear Sri,

In India I always used to grumble about high noise level...whether it is traffic, temples, weddings, surroundings in which we live with the neighbours waking up their child to get ready for school, the child crying, everything. When abroad...I was once there in winter.....absolute silence, no human being seen, if a car is going it means a person is going. The clock moved slow, dead slow, simply craved for sounds and noises. My mind was so agitated. When back in India...at the Shamshabad airport as soon as I landed I felt so much of relief....people, noise all round. I was all smiling and happy. After coming home also I was so elated to hear all the sounds about which I complained before was like a music to me. Mind was at peace. Yes, I am happy to be an average middle class Indian....I don't want to stay in suburbs. I would become depressed.

Syamala

Cheeniya · Mar 18, 2012

Dear Viji
Do you know horses can sleep while standing? Even I can do it at times provided I am leaning against a wall or some such support. As Veda says, it is the mind set. If a person is brought up in noisy surroundings, he'll find it very difficult in a silent ambience. Remember the story of Prahlada? He was exposed to the chanting of 'Narayana' when he was in his mother's womb and hence refused to accept his father as superior to Narayana.

As I am growing older, my ears refuse to accept noises below certain decibel levels. As a result, I can't make out certain words spoken to me but I manage by grinning and nodding my head wisely!
Sri

Cheeniya · Mar 18, 2012

Dear syamala
People are making a lot of fuss about noise pollution these days. I would say that too much of silence is also a kind of pollution. Like you, I also feel depressed in a silent surrounding. Only silence and darkness are described as 'eerie' but nobody calls bright light or a noisy surrounding as eerie. Silence, of course, may suit some grumpy people but a majority love a little bit of noise added to their daily life!
Sri