Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Gooseberry in one's Hand

naranilan curan iyakkan nAnalan anataNan maTRu
aracanum vaNikan cUttiran allan naRpiracAri
kirakiyum vAnappirattan kETakal canyAci
niraiyinil yArumallEn nicapOta vaTivinAmE
A man, a demigod, a dog, I am not;
Nor a brahmin am I.
A kshatriya, vaishya, shudra, I am not;
Nor in one of the four stages am I.
Not a bachelor or householder,
Not a renunciant or forest-dweller.
I am none in any hierarchy.
Forms of our consciousness are we.

This verse is from Nutrirattu from "Attamalakam", a Tamil version of "Hastamalakam". The word literally means "gooseberry in the hand." It is derived from the expression: to have gooseberry in one's hand which meant in the language, to say something that is crystal clear.
It is said that once a woman who wished to take a dip in a sacred river left her infant to the care of an ascetic on the bank. Unfortunately, while the saintly man was deep in meditation the child crawled into the waters and drowned. When the mother returned and discovered the tragedy she began to wail. The spiritual man, realizing what had happened, took the body of the dead child from the river, and let his own soul seep into it. The child was revived, but it did not speak. The yogi in the boy's body saw no need to talk. Some years later, the great Shankaracharya happened to run into the seven-year mute child. The philosopher-saint asked the boy who he was, and who his parents were. Now the lad suddenly spoke, and uttered the above words of wisdom.
The life principle manifests itself in a variety of ways. In the traditional worldview they may even be as unearthly beings. Here on earth they could be humans or animals. We as human beings refer to ourselves as of this race or nation, of that creed or caste. Then again we recognize ourselves as being in different stages in life: as child or adult, as spouse or parent or grandparent.
In the midst of all these apparent differences and transformations we often forget that at the core we are all but bits of the same cosmic self.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Khwaja Mere Khwaja



Khwaja Mere Khwaja, a song from the movie Jodhaa Akbar.

Sung & Composed By A.R. Rahman:


Khwajaji, khwaja
(O saint khwaja)
Khwajaji, khwaja, khwaja ji
(O saint khwaja) ; (O saint khwaja)
Ya gharib nawaz
(The one who cherishes/soothes the poor)
Ya moinuddin, ya khwaja ji
(O Moinuddin Chisti), (O khwaja saint)
Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)
Dil mein sama ja
(Reside in my heart)
Shaho ka shah tu
(You are the king of kings)
Ali ka dulara
(Ali’s beloved)
Khwaja mere khwaja dil mein sama ja
(O saint khwaja); (Reside in my heart)
Beqaso ki taqdeer, tune hai sawari
(The destiny of the ones in despair, you have changed for the better)
Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)
Tere darbar mein khwaja
(At your door, o khwaja)
Door toh hai dekha
(I’ve seen it from afar)
Sar jhuka te hai auliya
(Your confidents/protectors/confessors bow down to you)
Tu hai Hindalwali khwaja
(You are the hindalwali Khwaja)
Rutba hai pyara
(Your status is glorious/great)
Chahne se tujhko khwaja ji mustafa ko paya
(By wishing/worshipping you Khwaja, I have found Muhammad [the chosen one])
Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)
Dil mein sama ja
(Reside in my heart)
Shaho ka shah tu
(You are the king of kings)
Ali ka dulara
(Ali’s beloved)
Mere peer ka sadka
(The alms of my old age)
Hai mere peer ka sadka
(It is the charity of my old age)
Tera daaman hai thama
(That I have come in your refuge)
Khawajaji
Tali har bala humari
(All my problems/crisis have been averted)
Chaya hai khumar tera
(Your trance is all over me)
Jitna bhi rashk kare beshak
(No matter how much one may envy (rashk) be jealous)
Toh kam hai ae mere khwaja
(Its just too less, o khwaja)
Tere kadmo ko mere rehnuma nahi chodna gawara
(Its not acceptable(gawara) , o my guide(rehnuma), to leave your feet(kadmo)now.)
Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)
Dil mein sama ja
(Reside in my heart)
Shaho ka shah tu
(You are the king of kings)
Ali ka dulara
(Ali’s beloved)
Khwaja mere khwaja dil mein sama ja
(O saint khwaja); (Reside in my heart)
Beqaso ki taqdeer, tune hai sawari
(The destiny of the ones in despair, you have changed for the better)

Rumi