Theory of creativity.

I have a theory,

A man's creativity is, from the womb.

A woman's creativity, is her womb.

Rain?

Are you a harp strum by celestials?

Are you here at the invitation of trees and plants?

Do you shower ,condensed ,by the kindness of some soul?

Do you foam on your own to tame this fiery earth?

What is your brief?

What is my grief?

That you could be the tears ,

Of one, who was once here.

Concert.

Nature is a concert.

The sound of falling rain,

The sweet notes of a bird,

The gurgle of gentle waves,

The rustle of leaves,

Are her background music.

Compensations.

A drop of dew dazzled with the brilliance of a diamond !

The crushed ice's comforting lustre was that of peerless pearls!

The gentle waves sparkled with smooth silver rakes!

How lucky I was to witness all this splendour at that fraction of time!

The dew rolled down from the blade of grass dissolving the diamond.

The crushed ice melted to a puddle,philandering away the pearls.

The waves lost their silver as the sun drew them to himself as he rose higher.

I was at the right place at the right time!

The compensations of life.

Rain.

What is this mystique called rain?

Why is it so magical?

Sunrise and sun set and the air I breathe,

Are so vital to my being,

Yet not one moment do I stop in my tracks,

to give it a thought,

Feel grateful or thankful or absorb it in wonder at all!


These feelings are reserved for Rain.

Rain is enthralling like a tinkling glass curtain.

It is distracting ,

It is unpredictable,

Yet when it rains it douses all grouses.

It makes life standstill in streets as well as in forests.

Rain ,can you ever be taken for granted?

Bubbles.

The woods are lovely ,dark and deep ,
But I have promises to keep ,
And miles to go before I sleep......are the popular lines of a 19 th cent American poet that reveals his take on life.

1800 years earlier ,the Indian king ,an ascetic as well as a poet Bharathri hari has made the following observation, in classical Sanskrit on life in his treatise Vairagya sataka... .


Ayur varshantam nranam parimitam ratru

thadharram gatam|

Tasyar dasya parasya chardhamparam balatva

vridhatvyoh|

Sesham vyasdhi vi yogadhu; Khashinta sevaddhibir

niyate|

Jive ' varita ghyabudbudha saukyam kutah

praninam|


Meaning...

100 years is the life span of man,

Half of that passes in the stillness of night,

And of the half remaining , half is childhood and old age.

The remainder is spent in service , with sickness ,separation and sorrow as companions.

And where happiness in life is like bubbles blown on water!


Down south Thondaradipodi Aazhwaar a devotee of Lord Vishnu ,in 8 th cent AD has couched his view on life in the following attractive verse in Tamil


Vedanool pirayum nooru manisartham puguverilim

Padhium urangipogum,nintrathil padhi aandu

Pedhai palakan aagum pinni pasee moopum thunbam

Aadhalal piravi ve'ndhyen Aranga ma nagarullane'!

Meaning...

Though Vedas allot 100 years of life to human beings'

Half of this is spent in sleeping,

The remaining half is confiscated by the ignorance of childhood, poverty, hunger, disease ,old age and sorrow.

Therefore ,do not grant me any more births , this my plea to you,the resident of Srirangam[ vishnu]

Charmasloka.

Charma sloka is a mantra .When it is chanted with absolute faith ,it becomes the source of maintenance ,nourishment and enjoyment to 'Jiva'and also the cause of 'Moksha'.

This mantra focuses on 'Saranagathi'[surrender]as an easy' sadhan'a[way] to attain 'Moksha'[ freedom from karma and the state of ultimate bliss].

Saranagathi is an important feature of Visishtadwaita philosophy.Those who worship Vishnu along with his consort Lakshmi are known as Sri Vaishnavas. The origins of this form of worship is traced to Rigveda, Purana's, Epics, Agamas and the hymns of Aazhwars.

Sri Ramanuja ,who lived 12 th cent AD is the most important preceptor of Visishtadwaita philosophy.

Sri Ramanuja was an erudite Sanskrit scholar . He was seeped with Bhakthi[devotion] to god namely Vishnu . He is credited with having written Navarathna's or 9 gems that reveal his philosophical thoughts , his commentaries on Bhagwad Gita and Upanishads, heart stirring prayers on Ranganatha, glorious description of Sri Vaikuntam [ abode of Vishnu] and simple guidelines to devotees.

He was convinced that god was full of good attributes and was therefore worthy of worship. The corner stone of his teachings was the staunch belief in Bhakthi[ faith and devotion] and Prapathi[ surrender to Vishnu.

This simple way to ever lasting bliss and peace can be gleaned from Varahapurana, Ramayana and Gita. The three avatars of Vishnu ---Varaha, Rama and Krishna are associated in gifting mankind with this easy way to salvation.

Varaha is the third avatar of Vishnu . He assumes the form of a boar to rescue the world hidden away in deep waters by a powerful Asura.After prising the world away from the clutches of the asura , Sri Varahamoorty assures the beseeching Bhooma devi and mortals, that they need fear none , once they surrender to him .

The two slokas preached by Varahamoorthy are known asVakya dvaya. An very easy way of performing Saranagahti.They are...

Stithe manasi suswathe shariresathiyo nareh

Dhatu samye stithe smarta visva rupam cha mama ajam

Tatsam mriyamanam thu kastha pashana sannibham

Aham smarami madhbakhtan nayami param gatim


The man , who , when his mind is in normal condition , his body not shattered and elementary constituents of the body [ dhatus] are in perfect equipoise , meditates and surrenders to me [ Varaha] , who has the world as My body and Am not subject to births , as and when the man lies like a log of wood or a piece of stone in his dying moments , even if he doesn't remember me then,I will not forget or forgo this devotee of mine and lead to attain the supreme abode!

The 33 rd verse of the 18 th chapter of Yuddakanda of Ramayana and the 66th verse of the 18 th chapter of Gita enshrines the Saranagathi principle.Vishnu in his avatar as Rama and Krishna states this clearly.

In the Yuddakanda of Ramayana, Vibeeshna the pious brother of the rakashas king Ravana , implores his elder brother to free Sita and hand her over to Rama. Rama is on the verge of landing on Lanka to rescue his wife.

His plea falls on deaf ears and serves to incite Ravana to anger . He reprimands and castigates Vibheeshana so thoroughly that Vibeeshna leaves the kingdom angrily with the following words.

"O king who forever speak pleasing words are easy to find . But one speaks useful but unpleasant words , as also the one who listens to them are rare to find".

Vibeeshna decides to seek refuge inRama whom he perceives as a good man , upholder of Dharma .An avatar of Vishnu.

As he approaches Rama's camp Sugriva the chief of Rama's army has some misgivings. He thinks that Vibeeshna being the brother of the enemy must be a spy and thereby incapable of trust . However Hanuman differs and opines that a deceitful man would never approach straightforwardly and with such obvoius friendliness.

Rama heard the opinion of all and then spoke his mind thus...

Mitra bhaveena sampraatam na tyajeyam kathamcana

Dosa yadi api tasyayaat stam etad agarhitam |

By any means I donot desert any one who arrives with a friendly appearance

Even if if he has a defect

I will accept him irreproachably ,as would all good men !

Then Rama proceeds to narrate an incident from ancient scriptures

A dove received an hunter who had killed its wife , when he sought refuge under its tree , in accordance with the rules of hospitality , by inviting the enemy to feast on its flesh!

Rama then refers to sage Kandu's admonishments to kings.....

O kings , even an enemy , who forms a cup with his hollow hands , that miserable person , who is begging and seeking refuge shouldnot be turned away.

An enemy who is arrogant , but seeks protection from others ,must be protected .

If an refugee dies before the eyes of a man who is able to protect him , the former takes along all the latter's moral merits and goes.

Reputation, strength and valour is destroyed if one doesnot protect a person seeking refuge.

Then Rama gives the following assurance [ 33 verse 18 th chapter of yuddakanda]....

Sakrid eva prapannaaya tava asmi iti ca yaacate

Abhayam sarva bhuutebyo dadaami etad vratam mama|


He who seeks refuge in me just once , telling me that 'I am yours'

I shall give him safety against all types of beings

This is my solemn pledge!


According to Sri Ramanuja the 66 th verse of Bhagwadgita is the most noble verse ,out of all of the verses in that sacred text.

If an aspirant has no capacity to to perform sadhanas like Karma, Gyana ,or bhakthi yoga , he can perform this alternate and a very simple sadhana ---enshrined in the 'TheCharma sloka'.

The Charma sloka says....

Sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja|

Aham tva sarva papebyo mokshayaishyami masuchaha||


Having given up all dharmas or rites unintentionally, surrender to me [ lordNarayana] alone ,

I will release you from all sins and grant Moksha.Do not despair or grieve!



{references ---Sapthagiri,translations of KMK Moorthy of Ramayana- internet}