The great king and the blind beggar

The great  king and the bling beggar

 

Retold  by

P.R.Ramachander

 

A king and his minister  went for a walk  in  the town,

They sat  a  fruit hanging on climbr  and a blind man near it,

King asked  the blind man  , whether  it is a Cucumber,

But he said. It is  bitter  cucumber  which make people vomit,

King did not believe in him  and made his minister  ear it,

The minister  started vomitimg  uncontrollably ,

Blind man said, near that  fruit there is a  tree with octave leaves

Ask your minister eat  it , minister ate  , and he was cured,

King asked , “your  are  blind  , how did you know?”

Blind man said, In a locality like this   , no one will ,

Leave a cucumber tp hand  and God will have medicine near,

All trouble some plant, King became clad and gave him a token

To eat in a small  way  side  shop in the town

 

A trader of diamonds brought  a heap of diamonds to sell,

King was not sure whether  it is real  or  fake,

King Called  Minister and he told king to call  the blind man,

The blind man came took all diamonds and put them in hot sun,

Later he took, felt them one by one andhe said those few are real,

The trader  ran away  and king asked  him  , how he knew,

He said , real diamonds  do not become hot , King gave him another token

 

The son of  the king  wanted  to get  married  , and all,

Kings  in  nearby kingdoms  offered  their daughters

King was confused and called  the minister who called the blind man,

He said , leave neigbouring kingdom  and choose  daughter  of next kingdom,

When asked why , he said, , then next kingdom ,

Will be between your kingdom and your relatives kingdom,

And he will be scared .so no border  problem no war,

The  give  again gave  one  more token to him

 

After some  time the king  summoned the blind man,

To his confidential chamber  and asked  him when they were alone

“All people  in this  kingdom   say , I am a beggar’s son,What do ou say?”

The blind man said  “you are,” king got  angry and asked “Why?”

He said”First  I told you about  bitter cucumber  , you were pleased,

And gave me a tokebn.Had you been king  you would have  given your ring,

Next  I identified   the real diamonds  and again  you werpleased

And gave me a token, had you been a king , you would have  given few diamond,

Next I gave  you method to get a trouble less king , You were pleased,

And gave me a token, had you been a king , youwould given me  few villages.

Your generosity  never went up more than a token in way side stall,

The king became greatly ashamed  and hung his head,

 

The beggar said , You money, your riches  and your positions ,

Does  not determine what you, but your thoughts  clearly say”

 

Complains galore , till…….

Complains  galore , till…….

 

By

P.R.Ramachander

 

(I read a  similar  piece  in Hindi,Thanks to that author)

 

One devotee was daily complaining  to god

 

1.When I wake  I do not get  coffee in your world

2.My wife  does not give  good breakfast  in  world

3.The  day  is  very cold and no good sweater  in your world

4.There  is no rain  in the last month  in your world

5.My  wife never  obeys me in your world

6.My  children  do not  obey  me in your world

7.Every thing  is  very costly  in your world

8.The  government  is useless  in your world

9.My friends  do not treat me properly  in your world

10.I could not get  air ticket  on day  I wanted  in your world

11.When I go to the temple  priest does not treat me properly

 

Suddenly there  was voice from sky,

 

Sorry son about all that , I will  call you back  to my heaven

 

Then  devotee  started telling

 

Oh God  , I  will never  complain  from now on in your world.

I am very happy here .Do not call me back 

Why my village is called Chelakkara ?

 Why my village  is called Chelakkara  ?

 

Compiled from different sources

P.R.Ramachander

 

1,It seems Tipu Sultan wanted to Plunder Anthimalan Kavu and  he came  up to the other  shore of Bharatha Puzha   and asked some one where rich village is. He got a reply” ചെല്ല് അക്കരെ(chel akkara) " ie “go to the other shore  “ and they started   calling it  Chelakkara

 

2, It seems   roads of Chelakkara   was full of ചേലമരങ്ങൾ (A tree like banyan- Ficus tsjahela)  and it was called Place of Chela trees-Chelakkara

 

3,It seems one king distributed ചേല to  the poor women of the village and it was called  Chelakkara

 

4. ചേല് (chelu)   is a word indicating beauty  , Kara  were places were  Nairs lived.So it was called ചേലക്കര ie pretty village

 

5.It seems there was a small stream called ചോല(Chola)  and it was called Chelakkara

6.Chela also means Sari  and Kara is border .It could mean as pretty as sari border

Oh my dear Potato

Oh  my dear  Potato

 

Translated  by

P.R,Ramachander

 

(Post of  Ms Seetha Narayanan  put in my own words .Thanks to her)

You hid yourself inside,

Increased  the cost  of Dosa

And became   the masal dosa,

Oh Potato  you are great

 

You  stood  bside Poori ,

And did become  Poori masala,

You hid   yourself  inside Maida,

And you beca,e  Samosa

 

You went  inside a poori,

Aong with other  things and became pani poori

And  made  thin and fried in oil,

You became  golden  chips

 

You became friends with peas and became Podi mas

You  made partnership  with chana flour and  became Koottu

You became friends  with Pav and chillies and became Vada Pav

And taking incarnation  you are  become bonda  and Bajji

 

Though  the doctors  warn us  not to take you ,

Because  you who are  solid  will cause Gas,

Without  you, most  of the people  of the world,

Cannot  spend   a  day  with joy and Happiness

 

 

சிற்றின்பம் vs பேரின்பம் Earthly pleasures vs Divine pleasures

 சிற்றின்பம்  vs  பேரின்பம்   Earthly  pleasures vs Divine pleasures

 

By

Kidambi Srinivasan

 

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

 

In tamil literature  and philosophy  there are lot of references to Chithinbam and Perinbam. Literally translated it means, small pleasures  and big pleasures.Chithinbam is commonly understood as sexual pleasure and Perinbam, godly pleasure. I found a great write up about what they are by Sri Kidambi srinivasan in https://kidambisrinivasan.wordpress.com/  and I felt that  this great knowledge should spread  .Here is an attempt

 

 

Earthly  pleasures (சிற்றின்பம்)	Divine pleasures(பேரின்பம்)
Attracted  by creation	Attracted by creator
Enjoying  creation	Worshipping creation
Seeing  creation as creation	Seeing God in creations
This life is by me	This life is by God
Thinking  I am the body	Thinking I am the soul
Getting peace  and joy temporarily	Getting peace and joy permenantly
Doing everything for  yourself	Doing everthing for God
Thinking  I am doing	Thinking  God is doing
Finding joy in outside happenings	Finding forever joy inside
Never getting satisfied in the joy we get	Not desiring   for anything
That which hides  permanent spiritual joy	That joy which is beyond temporary earthly joys
That which makes body   related with mind	That which merges  mind with soul
Sorrow in form of joy	That which appears as sorrow but leads to joy
God  is somewhere else	God is everywhere
That which gives weakness  sickness, sorrow and death	That which gives  great  life without death
That  which gives fear instability suspicion and criminal feeling	That which does not have fear, stable and pure
When small things make you happy	That which makes you dissolve in limitless godliness
That which makes use of others	That which makes you sacrifice  for others
That which is limited and will end	That which is unlimited  and is foever
That which reduces your wisdom	That which makes  wisdom shine
If we worship only  beauty	That which makes ugliness  and prettiness same
That which is done for purpose	That which is done without bothering  for purpose
That which is sweet first and bitter next	That which is bitter first   and sweet next
That which is improper   and without mercy	That which is full of mercy and very proper
That which sees everything as body	That which makes you see  everything as soul
That which gets joy from sense organs	That which goes beyond   sense organs
If mind wanders in this world only	If mind attains God
That which makes fear  of death	That which wins over death
If you exist within mind	If you go beyond mind
If you see things as different	If you see  everything as one
If you see as part	If you see as whole
If you  are  proud	If we forsake pride
If yiu find pleasure in flesh	When you loose yourself in love
When man gets enjoyment from wemon	When Man salutes  a woman
The joy you get at sleeping time	That joy  which is there even after you sleep
The joy which can be  given by living beings	That joy which can only be given by God
That which is about world	That which is about God
Not seeing comfort of others	Not seeing our own comfort
The joy without  joy	That joy of joy
That which is liked  by ignorance	That  which is liked  by wisdom
When you become glad  after  getting	When you get glad after  giving
That which makes you loose strength	That which becomes strength
That which leads to attachment	That which is detachment
That which changes and jumps	That which does not change and is stable
That  which is temporary	That which is permanent

Soul is God!!!!

Devi Mahathmyam and me –a bond of Sixty seven years

Devi Mahathmyam and me –a  bond of Sixty seven years

      Right  from child hood  I was  interested in Hindu prayers. The first  prayer  that  I learnt   with meaning was sri  Krishna Karrnamrutham, because my Father  was extremely fond of that  book.Ilater learnt to chant Vishnu  Sahasranamam and Lalitha Sahasra namam

  When I was  17 , I got  admission in  Annamalai university. My eldest uncle (Sri A.P.Naganathan was running a hotel in Vridhachalam,.It was one hour journey  from Chidambaram And I used to go almost  every month  to be with my Mama , mami , their one son and three  cute daughters.I became very close to them all.I do not how many times they left “Kai(will not speak) “  and how  many times made it Pazham

My mama was extremely religious,His father in law , one rama Sastri  of Palghat  taught him, how to chant Devi Mahathmyam.Daily   after lighting lamp, he used to chant  few chapters.Since I had also a book , I joined  him whenever I visited them.Seeing I was chanting well , Mama taught me the meaning of slokas and How  to chant that great book. Every navarathri , my Mama  would  do parayana of the entire book.Every Navarathri , I used to go  and join him.

When this Navarathri  I daily chanted  the complete  Book in the mornings and chant Lalitha Sahasranamam  in the evening .Every day , my eyes used to fill up  thinking about my very affectionate Mama and Mami and Sivan, Lalitha , Gita and Parvathi who used to make my life  a real heaven

I am sure  My Mama  would  be blessing his own Raja , Raja Thatha

The unalterable affection

The unalterable  affection

 

By

Mu.Mubarakh

 

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

 

She who taught me,
who was stammering

To speak properly

 

She who taught  me

Who was stumbling while walking,

To walk majestically like a king

 

Knowing that I will not tolerate hunger,

She who feed me  the last morsel,

That she had kept for her

 

She who controlled  others,

Who jeered  at me that I am black,

By the great weapon of affection

 

She who did not use gold,

To dress herself up ,

But mortagaged it,

And used it for my studies

 

During festival days ,

When she used to buy new dress for me,

She who hid the hole  in her cloths and lived

 

She who considerered me as her  soul,

Though she had very many dear relations

 

She who used to get deeply upset,

When I get fever,

After  getting drenched in rain

 

She who lived thinking about me,

In whichever place I lived

 

Though time can change  ,

Each  and every thing ,

Some how it is not able,

To change  only mother’s affection

 

திக்கி திக்கி பேசிய என்னை

திக்காமல்

பேசக்கற்றுக்கொடுத்தவள்,

தட்டுத் தடுமாறிய படி

நடந்த

என்னை

கம்பீரமாய் நடக்க வைத்தவள்,

பசி தாங்கமாட்டேனென

தெரிந்தும்,

தனக்காய் மிச்சமிருந்த

கடைசி

உணவையும் பறிமாறியவள்,

கருப்பென

கேலி செய்தவர்களை

அன்பென்ற ஆயுதம் கொண்டு

அடக்கியவள்,

தங்கத்தை

அலங்காரத்திற்காய் பயன்படுத்தாமல்

என்

படிப்பிற்கான அடமானத்திற்காய்

பயன்படுத்தியவள்,

பண்டிகை நாட்களில்

புத்தாடை வாங்கும் போதெல்லாம்

தனது கிழிந்த ஆடையை

மறைத்து வாழ்ந்தவள்,

எத்தனையோ

உறவுகளிருந்தாலும்

உயிராய் கொண்டாடியவள்,

மழையில்

நான் நனைந்தால்

காய்ச்சல் வந்ததாய் துடிப்பவள்,

எந்த ஊரில் நான்

வாழ்ந்தாலும்

என் நினைவில் வாழ்பவள்,

காலம் எல்லாவற்றையும்

மாற்றிவிட்டாலும்

அம்மாவின்

அன்பை மட்டும் மாற்ற முடியாமல்

தோற்றுப் போகிறது!

மு.முபாரக்

Thamaso ma Jyothir Gamaya-A Kolu

 Thamaso ma  Jyothir Gamaya-A Kolu

From darkness let us go to light

 

Kolu by 

Meera  Venkatesan

Humble effort  to understand

By her Appa-Raja Thatha

 

The doll exhibition (bommai kolu)  mainly  of gods,

Started  in the south  perhaps,

To remove darkness by light

And remove  ignorance  by  knowledge

 

An effort  has been by my  daughter Meera

To search for reasons why Gods,

Killed  Asuras and  to throw light,

On the need  for those  Asuras  to disappear,

She finds that  negative  emotions ,

Made them to do bad  things and Gods had  to take action

 

Gods did   set right  innate  quality of Humans,

Ignorance, anger  , pride , cruelty and possessiveness

Invincibility as well as  chararacters  acquired  by them

Like Deciet, blind loyalty, taking revenge and distraction.

By killing living beings called   Asuras,

Who preferred to move   about at night.

But  blind modern day asuras  invented by human beings,

Like   the cell phone and gluttony  of junk foods,

Possibly would make   the gods  in heaven  would be puzzled.

 

1.Ignorance

Lord  shiva  due to his  many sage  devotees,

Decided to do  a vigorous dance  for them only

At that  time there  was an immortal asura ,

Called Muyalaka  who was spreading ignorance to everyone,

Lord  Nataraja put him below   his feet  and danced on him for ever,

So that ignorance  cannot  be spread  by that asura

 

2.Anger

God  shiva  and  goddess parvathy ,

Did create  a great son called  Ganesa

At that  time  when there  was  a asura called Anala,

Who due  to his short temper killed  people like fire,

And Ganesa swallowed the fire (anala) and Dhurva grass cooled him

 

3.Pride

God dathathreya was  the trinity  of gods  rolled in to one

And he had a wife “anagha  Lakshmi”, who was three  goddesses  rolled in to one

At that time  there  was a head stong  and proud Asura  called Jampa(pride)

And no one  could defeat  him and the  devas  requested Anagha  Lakshmi to do it

She simply met Jampa and requested him to lift her  and keep her on his head,

And he did, and when the head strong man took wealth(Lakshmi) on his head , he was destroyed

 

4.Cruelty

As asura called soora padman got the boon ,

For living almost  forever and started  showing his cruelty

To every one and when he started  troubling Indra’s wife,

Her son in law , lord subrahmanya started  fighting with him,

And unable  to win that asura became a mango tree,

The lord cut it in two  and made one part as his vahana peacock,

And other part in to a cock , which he kept on his flag.

 

5.Possesivenes

   There was asura  called  Hayagreeva  who,

Wanted  all the Vedas  only himself, stole it,

And hid at the bottom of the ocean  and the great God,

Took the form of fish went down there and killed that Asura but ,

By the time the pralaya (Final deluge has  started ,

The God  in the fish form swam with Vedas and Manu

And put  them in a safe secure place till water  receded

 

6.Vengence

, The Mahishasura  was  killed  by Durga,

And his sister  Mahishi did thapas  and got a boon

That she can be killed  only  by son of Vishnu and Shiva,

When she  started  taking vengeance  on devas,

Lord Ayyappa the the son of  Lord Shiva and Vishnu killed her

 

7.Invincibibility

   Mahisha a Rakshasa  with a bison head

Did great penance  to God  and got a boon,

That no male   can kill him and he had,

Capacity  to change  his form in various ways,

And so he   thought  that all  worlds were his,

The devas prayed to  Goddess  Durga to kill him

And after a great fight she killed him

 

8.Deceit

There  was a great  pot bellied  sage ,

Called Agasthya  who was requested,

To go south by  Lord Shiva  and on the way

Were two cheating  asuras,Vatapi and ilwala.

The sage was hungry and ilwala,

Fed  him the cooked Vatapi,and thought

As usual  when he calls him Vatapi will come out

But agasthya ordered digestion of food  hehas taken and vatapi was digested

 

10..Blind Loyalty

The very huge  and very strong  Kumbhakarna ,

Was the  yonger  brother of Ravana and

He advised him to  give back  Sita to Rama and surrender.

Ravana did not hear it  and Khumbakarna  went to sleep

Ravana  started loosing the war and woke up kumbhakarma,

He went to fight knowing it was wrong and he fought

Due to his blind loyalty and he  lost his life

 

10.Distraction

Kamsa   wanted to kill baby  Krishna who was death for him

He sent  an asura called trinavarthha who had  the form of whirl wind

In the lap of Yasoda Krishna became  heavy and she left her down,

The whirl wind  Trinavartha  carried the baby  but as the baby grew in weight,

He had  to drop  him on the ground  and die

 

11 Blind Modernism

Even about 50 years  back most  of us, used to

Spent our  time on useful pursuits and when

WE wanted to speak to another  it was  by a visit,

And when we  wanted  to eat  good food , our mummy is to cook.

The Asura  android phone makes us talk  all 24 hours

And Asura  junk food, makes  us eat unhealthy food

I do not know which God will come to destroy them?