Thirupavai --26

Maale manni vanna! marghazhi neeraduvaan
melaiyaar seivanagal venduvana keitiyel
gyalathai yellam nadunga muralvan
paalena vannathu un pancha sanniyum
polvanna sangangal poyapai udaiyavane
salapa perumporai ye pallandu isaipare
kola villake kodiye vidhaname
aalin ilaaiyay ! arule lorembavai!

meaning.

Narayana! Turquoise blue hued one!
we are keeping this penance of bathing early in the cold winter months of marghazhi as was ordained by our anscestors as the means to seek boons from you ,

one who shrunk entire universe within oneself  at the time of great deluge so as to recline on the small banyan leaf , listen and grant us the following to enable us to adhere to this penanace ,
shells to blow ,that resemble your  swan like milky white conch- pancha ganya ,whose sound makes the entire world tremble , huge drums, sri vaishnavaite hymns singing groups, auspicious lamps and flag staffs.
            

Thirupavai--25

Oruthi maganai pirandu vor iravil
oruthi maganai vollithu valara
thirikilan aagi thaan theengu ninaithu
karruthai pizhaipithu kanjan vayitril
nerupena nindra nedumale unnai
arruthithu vandhom  parai tharuthi aagil
thiruthakka selvamum sevagamum yaam paadi
varuthamum theerndhu maghizhinde lorembavai

meaning;
Being born of a woman [devaki] and hidden and carted away in  a night to grow up as another woman's[ yadhoda] son ,
O infinite bhagwaan ,who lit the fire of fear in the envious kamsa belly ,we petition you to remove our worries and if you head our requests and grant us boons,
we will sing in praise of your wealth --lakshmi and her infinite wealth as well as your valorous deeds.

sloka that decribe divine nature --from gita -- chapter16.

1. Abhayam sattva samsuddir jnana yoga  vyavasthitih/
danam damas ca yajnas ca svadhyayas tapa arjavam// 

Bhagwan said --   Fearlessness , purity `of heart,stead fastness in knowledge and devotion ,control of the senses ,worship, study of shastras, austerity and uprightness.

Spiritual riches.

In my early morning walk saw a koel feeding off a slice of pressure  cooked rice placed on a compound wall of an independent and dilapidated house whilst a old woman sat reading the paper in the front porch .

The garden is left untended and the  house is badly in need or repair and coat of paint .Obviously the  elderly couple do not have the money and i often wondered at their reluctance and disinclination to sell off this property situated,plum  in a prime location , which would fetch them crores of rupees and a comfortable old age.
I got the answer.Koels never show their face .Nor do they feed on food offered by humans unlike crows and pigeons,but they were doing it here.A rarity.

The sudden burst of koels songs have always lifted my heart , solved dilemmas,with the conviction [in my very lonely life] that it is a message from beyond.

Now i can understand that old couples reluctance for material gain  .

written on 14.4.14         8.45.am

Tamil new year .--- 14.4.14

Though it is getting hotter by the day, with all the trees in full bloom,it is by far the best season in Chennai.The roads are carpeted with tiny yelow flowers fallen from trees lining the streets  whilst pink and majenta coloured flowers cover the crest of most shrubs and trees.

Neem trees of all sizes and age are dusted over by pearly white flowers and the reddish flowers that covered  the mango trees a month back  have all turned into pale green mangos.The two most important ingredients of the sweet dish the' manga pacchidi 'that is prepared on Tamil new years day that is celebertaed this 14 th .

The sweet syrupy base of this dish is made from jaggerry made from sugar cane harvested in the cool climes of month of margazhi [or december -january].
Just what is the significance of this dish?Was it an succesful attempt by our ancients  to remind themselves and succeeding genertaions that whilst embarking on a new yearit has to be borne i mind that it would be sweet like the jaggery syrupand pleasnt like the month in which it was haervested but also quite sour like the unripe mangoes that go into its making and with the unavoidable but medicine like bitterness of those tiny five petaled ivory white flowers of the neem tree ,coating it only when hot summer starts , which  is well known for its medicinal and fumigation properties,which is used for garnishing?.

The wisdom of our ancients borne out of observation of natutre and human cycle is clearly indicated by according a primary status to this sweet sour and bitter dish when we celeberate the birth of a new year.

Hope that this new year  is sweet .  I have had my fill of sour and bitterness in this life to last me the whole  of what remains of this life time as well as  beyond.

Thirupavai--24

Andri iv ulagam alandhai !adipotri!sendru angu thenilangai setrai thiral potri!
pondra sagadam udhaithai! pugazh potri!kandru kunnilai yerindhai! kazhal potri!
kundru kudaiyai yeduthai, kunam potri!
vendru pagai kedukkum ninkaiyil velpotri!
yendrendrum sevagame yethiparai kolvaan
indruyaam vandhom irange lorebavai.

Meaning.
                One who measured the world in days gone by ,praise be  to your feet!
                 You went to lanka in the south and destroyed it , praise be to your ability!
                  One who kicked to death the rakshas Sagadasuran, praise be to your fame,
                  One who flung the rakshas that took the form of a calf at the rakshas who took the form    of             a  custard apple , praise be to your sacred feet,
                  Praise be to your nature that lifted the Govardhana hill as an a umbrella in the deluge,
              Praise be to your hands that holds the spear that brings victory and destroys enimity!
              Thus praising your various valorous deeds we have come today to seek your blessings ,
              kindly condescend!

Wishing everyone a very happy Sri Ramanavami which is celeberated today. May Sri Rama shower his blessings on us.