Musings on Bhaja Govindham

Dear All

Hope you have heard the magical voice of (Late) MS Subbulakshmi singing a wonderful composition which was written by Adi Sankara. Hearing it from the voice of my Guru was another pheonomenal experience particularly the way he sings it with his eyes closed and enjoying himself with the depth of the meaning of this sanskrit verses.....

In fact I learnt the meaning of all the verses at least a decade back just getting lured by the way He prounces each and every word of the song !! Let me just take a sample of one particular verse for today's consumptions......

Well...too much intake of such a wonderful song can really lead to (mental) diarrohea...and I prefer you to take that sweet risk yourselves AFTER reading this one verse...and my own way of handling the interpretation......

Maa Kuru Dhana Jana Youvana Garvam
Harathi nemaashithaath kaalaha sarvam
Mayamayamitham Akhilam hithwaa
Brahmapadham tham pravisha vidhithwaa

The Literal meaning for the above verse is....

Dont get proud about your money, contacts / people and youth
Time will destroy them in a minute !!
Leaving aside the dream like worldly aspects
Better enter into the world of spirituality......

This is one of the verse I like most and keep getting reminded though there are many more such powerful verses which has deep philosophical significance...Please try the rest yourself....

On this particular verse.... please go thru' below....

People seem to recognize the impermanance of money and young age very easily.

The speed at which few Finance Companies (NBFCs) closed down during 1995-2000, IT companies post that period...and the most recent examples of recessions that was cruelly hitting many of the hapless individuals, the neighbours who did not get mangled so badly, clearly realised that money and status is not really in one's hand. Most of us these days are intelligent enough to gather wisdom from other's experiences. I consider this as "positive" comparisons which is a tremendous source of learning......!!

The third part about "youth" or "healthy body" or "beauty" too is seemingly understood by many people. This could particularly hit any individual when he sees losses of lives around him at abnormally young age due to some accident / sickness ..!! Even if are blessed not to get into a road accident ourselves or some thing happening to our near and dears (GOD Forbid), this realization is not out of bound for a person who has a glimpse of the shattered body lying in the road with palms outstretched towards the sky and his two wheeler crippled laying very close to him....(perhaps not powerful enough to take him to his FINAL destination !!). Lets leave out this too....

The middle one which is packed in betweeen these two fascinates me most....!!! YES Jana Garvam is some thing people associate directly towards people - friends and relatives and nod their heads that they understand this too like the earlier two...Not true really !! Jana Garvam is more deeper - its about the psychological advantage of having external support and ability to do many things with the support of a mass of human beings. Have you seen a newly elected MLA / MP walking differently , speaking differently....and get used to few comforts that he was craving for.....!! This is just an example, it happens to all segments of the society including the senior people in the corporate world....It needs lot of clarity to retain the semblance of sanity when we reach some height.

I would even include the good name / reputation too in this definition of JANA...because, some times one's character and reputation brings people around him...and when some disaster happens for these intangible assets, clearly its a disaster for him which will hit very deeply and disastrously. Unfortunately or fortunately, this aspect of JANA Garvam cannot be appreciated by normal people as they have never tasted lime light.

Look at a cinema herione who after proudly announcing that she is going to "quit" acting as she is getting into wedlock with a "businessman".... you find her photo and her wide grin with her "would be (he normally is not EVER BE) in all magazines which also dutifully cover snaps of her grand wedding reception (some times its done so secretive without inviting any body in cine field or press....not sure why they do things in an extreme manner !!), few months later there could be an interview in one of the magazine that she is happily settled with a wonderful person who was created by Lord Brahma just for her....and then couple of years complete silence....and then...she looks for an re-entry in the filmy world again... This craving is nothing but the JANA GARVAM according to me....!!
Same thing happens in politics...and in many areas where the VIPs trying to get back their lost glory- most of them unsuccessful though.....!! Mind you...this is also JG in action....!!

Continuing in the same breath, in spiritual realm some how these people are able to bring back their fold with much ease perhaps because they have a slightly more dedicated market.... than any other "industry".

Now guys, this posting is getting bit longer than what I anticipated but I hope its worth it. The ability to handle the lime light and the power and the associated responsibilities is not the hall mark of leader ship. Its about how we handle ourselves when we find that due to some situation (self created or thrust on us.. in any manner) that differentiates a tough mind from a brittle mind. A leader is supposed to be mentally tough and capable of springing back even if he is crushed by the circumstances in any manner. This can happen only when he handles himself and his power (and the reputation and the rewards of the recognitions...all included) with effortless ease without bragging too much about the same.

Lets keep smiling in adversary situations too....!! Thanks for reading.....

Love // Suren