Simple work in watercolors completed last week. The idea is adapted from a photograph which I found on the net.
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
Elephant in jungle- watercolor painting
Simple work in watercolors completed last week. The idea is adapted from a photograph which I found on the net.
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
"Lift" your spirits and "elevate" your thoughts!
There is something about a lift ("elevator" for the American reader) which cuts the most gregarious of individuals to size. The moment he enters the lift, he is suddenly tongue tied and a caricature of his former chirpy self. Like the rest of the bovine individuals in the lift, he stands transfixed, his eyes downcast, his head hung low and his arms limply clasped at the waist. It's almost as if everyone in the lift is attending some funeral service- gone is the mirth and merriment. Conversation even between chums comes to a grinding halt- they stand like dummies, as if unrelated to each other and to humanity at large! The silence hangs uncomfortably as the floors go by and you heave a sigh of relief as you get out of the lift into environs... hopefully more sunny!!
Occasionally, you are joined in the lift by someone who is still busy on his cell phone. Though it always picks your curiosity to overhear someone else's cell phone conversation, it is rarely juicy- at least what's discussed in the confines of the lift. You are suddenly assailed with names and relationships- "bunty", "pinky", "daadu" and "chaachu" which make absolutely no sense to you. You wish this cross talk would end...... and it thankfully does. The cell phone signal strength drops and it finally loses breath and our speaker is struck with a sudden panic attack. The lift reverberates with frantic shouts of "hello", "hello", "can you hear me?"...and "mausiji", "mausiji!!" in increasing decibel levels till he finally gives up. He ruefully comments on "airtel" or some other service provider for the lousy service and spends the rest of the time in the lift fiddling with his cell-phone to initiate the conversation once more. But then, he forgets... the lift permits no conversation. The funereal atmosphere returns and rightfully so.
The dog is man's most faithful friend. He might be the owner's best friend all right, but the canine breed simply doesn't inspire the same bonhomie in the rest of us. We have a morbid fear of dogs and detest their proximity. The feeling is mutual and the dog views us with equal suspicion and unfriendliness. When ties are so openly strained, sharing the lift space with a dog and its even more intimidating owner....is verily an interminable ride through hell! The dog seems to single you out for its special attention - it hovers around your ankles, sniffs and licks your toes. You try hard not to make eye contact with him... even as he looks at you..unfazed.. straight in the eye. You hold your breath, clench your teeth in fear (which the dog unfortunately interprets as an open act of aggression), repent for your sins, say your last silent prayer.....and hope.. hope that this nightmare will come to a close, but the lift ride ain't ending any time soon!
The lift is not without its comic moments. As the door is about to shut, there is always that last person outside who chooses to stick some protruding part of his anatomy or an appendage like a briefcase and hopes that the door will open to let him in. I actually accosted one bloke who stuck his foot in... on what he would have done had the lift door jammed his foot. "Dude! Had the door shut on my foot, I would have simply let go of my shoe!" was his prompt reply.
Then, there are others who cannot find room in the current lift. They don't have the patience to wait for the next one too. Invariably, they press the button too soon. The lift door elaborately opens...with a flourish... and reveals the same occupants who are still held hostage!
Kids will be kids... they press every floor button inside the lift and eject out of it... leaving the rest of the occupants high and dry. We now have a passenger train which huffs and puffs and halts at every wayside station leaving our patience running really thin. Like the old grandma's tale which says that a "pencil eraser can be made with a mixture of pencil shavings soaked in milk", there is a theory that every lift is equipped with that magic button which will transform this passenger train into a veritable TGV express, which will go in one sweep from the top floor to the bottom without stopping on any floor. There have been many who have tried this option....with little success. Worse, in their exuberance, they accidentally moved their finger to a floor button which was left unselected by the kid, which will now register this fellow's signature!!
I agree that it is terribly confusing.. As you wait for the lift, you have 2 buttons- to go up or down. You are standing on the lowest floor and need to go to the top floor. The visual display shows that the lift is on one of the top floors. "Which button should you press?"... is a perennial riddle. If you press the button to "go up", someone comments, "Dude! The lift is already at the top. You need to bring it down. Press the 'go down' button!" If you press the "go down" button, there is an opposite irritated reaction - "Saar! You need to go up. Why would you press the 'down' button? It will now go to the basement parking lot!"
Some lifts in Chennai are equipped with a double grilled door. The moment you get inside the lift, you need to close both the doors (without jamming your fingers), for the lift to spring to action. An audio prompt is intended to educate us. It screams, "Daivu seidu kadavai moodavum. Please close the door... daivu seidu kadavai moodavum... please close the door!" Chennai and its weather can challenge the most sturdy. A lift with a double door and a relentless audio prompt takes the challenge to a different level. The voice somehow provokes you... especially when you have registered the request and are taking pains to attend to it. Like Arjuna angrily lashed out at the "ashariri-vaak" (divine voice) in that famous Yaksha Prashna episode of the Mahabharata, you have half a mind to punch the person with that voice... right in the solar plexus.
But..like the Yaksha, the voice taunts you even more.. "daivu seidu.... Please close the door!... Please close the door!"
In exasperation, you give up and shout.... "If YOU shut up, I will definitely shut the door.. and I will do it faster!!!"
Occasionally, you are joined in the lift by someone who is still busy on his cell phone. Though it always picks your curiosity to overhear someone else's cell phone conversation, it is rarely juicy- at least what's discussed in the confines of the lift. You are suddenly assailed with names and relationships- "bunty", "pinky", "daadu" and "chaachu" which make absolutely no sense to you. You wish this cross talk would end...... and it thankfully does. The cell phone signal strength drops and it finally loses breath and our speaker is struck with a sudden panic attack. The lift reverberates with frantic shouts of "hello", "hello", "can you hear me?"...and "mausiji", "mausiji!!" in increasing decibel levels till he finally gives up. He ruefully comments on "airtel" or some other service provider for the lousy service and spends the rest of the time in the lift fiddling with his cell-phone to initiate the conversation once more. But then, he forgets... the lift permits no conversation. The funereal atmosphere returns and rightfully so.
The dog is man's most faithful friend. He might be the owner's best friend all right, but the canine breed simply doesn't inspire the same bonhomie in the rest of us. We have a morbid fear of dogs and detest their proximity. The feeling is mutual and the dog views us with equal suspicion and unfriendliness. When ties are so openly strained, sharing the lift space with a dog and its even more intimidating owner....is verily an interminable ride through hell! The dog seems to single you out for its special attention - it hovers around your ankles, sniffs and licks your toes. You try hard not to make eye contact with him... even as he looks at you..unfazed.. straight in the eye. You hold your breath, clench your teeth in fear (which the dog unfortunately interprets as an open act of aggression), repent for your sins, say your last silent prayer.....and hope.. hope that this nightmare will come to a close, but the lift ride ain't ending any time soon!
The lift is not without its comic moments. As the door is about to shut, there is always that last person outside who chooses to stick some protruding part of his anatomy or an appendage like a briefcase and hopes that the door will open to let him in. I actually accosted one bloke who stuck his foot in... on what he would have done had the lift door jammed his foot. "Dude! Had the door shut on my foot, I would have simply let go of my shoe!" was his prompt reply.
Then, there are others who cannot find room in the current lift. They don't have the patience to wait for the next one too. Invariably, they press the button too soon. The lift door elaborately opens...with a flourish... and reveals the same occupants who are still held hostage!
Kids will be kids... they press every floor button inside the lift and eject out of it... leaving the rest of the occupants high and dry. We now have a passenger train which huffs and puffs and halts at every wayside station leaving our patience running really thin. Like the old grandma's tale which says that a "pencil eraser can be made with a mixture of pencil shavings soaked in milk", there is a theory that every lift is equipped with that magic button which will transform this passenger train into a veritable TGV express, which will go in one sweep from the top floor to the bottom without stopping on any floor. There have been many who have tried this option....with little success. Worse, in their exuberance, they accidentally moved their finger to a floor button which was left unselected by the kid, which will now register this fellow's signature!!
I agree that it is terribly confusing.. As you wait for the lift, you have 2 buttons- to go up or down. You are standing on the lowest floor and need to go to the top floor. The visual display shows that the lift is on one of the top floors. "Which button should you press?"... is a perennial riddle. If you press the button to "go up", someone comments, "Dude! The lift is already at the top. You need to bring it down. Press the 'go down' button!" If you press the "go down" button, there is an opposite irritated reaction - "Saar! You need to go up. Why would you press the 'down' button? It will now go to the basement parking lot!"
Some lifts in Chennai are equipped with a double grilled door. The moment you get inside the lift, you need to close both the doors (without jamming your fingers), for the lift to spring to action. An audio prompt is intended to educate us. It screams, "Daivu seidu kadavai moodavum. Please close the door... daivu seidu kadavai moodavum... please close the door!" Chennai and its weather can challenge the most sturdy. A lift with a double door and a relentless audio prompt takes the challenge to a different level. The voice somehow provokes you... especially when you have registered the request and are taking pains to attend to it. Like Arjuna angrily lashed out at the "ashariri-vaak" (divine voice) in that famous Yaksha Prashna episode of the Mahabharata, you have half a mind to punch the person with that voice... right in the solar plexus.
But..like the Yaksha, the voice taunts you even more.. "daivu seidu.... Please close the door!... Please close the door!"
In exasperation, you give up and shout.... "If YOU shut up, I will definitely shut the door.. and I will do it faster!!!"
Friday, 15 March 2013
Another pencil work....
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Sunday, 3 March 2013
Water-colour portrait of Ramana Maharishi
Bhagawan's eyes are the most beautiful. There is a distant, yet compassionate feeling in them. Mine is but a feeble attempt to capture his expression!
His face is like the description of the Supreme in the Upanishads.. "na chakshushaa gruhyatey... naapi vaacha"- It is impossible to "see" the Supreme with these eyes, neither is it possible to describe "It" in words...! How true!
Sunday, 24 February 2013
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Arunachaleshwara at Tiruvannamalai
Just returned from Tiruvannamalai. The trip gave the much needed impetus to look up a few related topics. In particular, listened to Muthuswami Dikshitar's kriti on Arunachaleshwara. Some random thoughts on this kriti.....
Dikshitar has composed a kriti on each of the "pancha bhuta kshetras". "Arunachala naatham" in the raaga Saaranga is the kriti we want to discuss here. Before going to this kriti, a brief background to these pancha bhuta kshetras and their significance is given here.
Pancha bhutas:
The concept of the Lord as "vishvarupa" is unique to Hinduism. The Lord is not only the creator, but also "appears as the very creation". The pet example that the Upanishad gives.... is that of a spider spinning a web- "yathornanaabhi srjatey grhnnatey cha" - the material that the spider uses for the web.... does not come from outside. It comes from within itself.
So too, for this universe, He is the maker, He is the material too.
Scripture describes the creation of the universe in stages- first the "five elements: space, air, fire, water and earth" (pancha bhutas) are manifest and these elements combine in various proportions to form the "elementals" and finally this visible, tangible universe (pra-pancha).
Thus, the visible universe is the Lord alone.... with the five elements serving as the basic raw material. We can remind ourselves of two well known quotations here:
"etasmaat jaayatey....kham vayur jyotir aapah prithvi vishvasya dhaarini" -Mundaka Upanishad.
From that Lord (etasmaat) are born (jaayatey).. kham (space), vayu (wind), jyoti (fire), aapah (water) and prithvi (earth).
"tasmaad vaa etasmaad aatmanah aakaashah sambhutah. Aakaashaad vaayuh, vaayor agni, agner aapah, adbhyah prithvi" - Taittireeya Upanishad
From that Lord, space (aakaasha) is born (sambhutah). From space, wind. From wind, fire. From fire, water. From water, earth.
After introducing the pancha bhutas, the Mundaka Upanishad rounds up the discussion by saying that this visible universe is the Lord alone. "Purusha eva idam vishvam"
Shiva as ashta-murti:
Sometimes, instead of taking 5 elements, scripture divides the entire creation as "eight-fold"(ashta murti). Here, the five elements are taken and beyond that, three more are included: the sun (standing for all heavenly bodies in the cosmos), the moon (standing for the "time" principle) and the "life principle", the "jeeva"- representing all living beings.
The reason we want to look at the "eight fold creation" instead of "pancha bhutas" is because Shiva is normally personified as "ashta murti bhrit" and hence relevant for our discussion about the kriti "Arunachala naatham".
Where do we find this "8-fold division"?
"jagata eeshadhi yukta sevanam, ashta murti bhrit deva pujanam"- Ramana Maharishi's "Upadesha Saaram". (May you serve the world with the idea that the Lord alone is manifest as the world in his "8-fold form").
These 8 are actually enumerated in Adi Shankara's Dakshinamurti stotram:
"bhur-ambhaamsynalonilombaram-ahar naatho-himaamshu-pumaan"- This universe is the Lord alone appearing as bhuh (earth), ambhas (water), anala (fire) anila (wind), ambaram (space), ahar naatha (sun), himaamshu (moon) and pumaan (living beings).
Finally, the Shiva Mahimna shloka gives a unique name that Shiva has for each of these 8.
"Bhava-sharvo-rudra-pashupatir athogra-sahamahaan tathaa bheemeshaanaav-iti yad abhidhaanaashtakam"- Shiva's 8 fold-names (abhidhaana-ashtakam) are "Bhava", "Sharva", "Rudra", "Pashupati", "Ugra", "Sahamahaan", "Bheema" and "Eeshana".
(Note that the 8-fold division is found in the Geeta too. The pancha bhutas are mentioned as building blocks of this world, but the other 3 are slightly different. "bhumir-aaponalo-vaayu-kham-mano-buddhir-eva cha, ahankaara iti yam mey bhinna prakritir ashtadhaa"- chapter 7.)
In keeping with this tradition, we have 5 temples for Lord Shiva in Tamil Nadu, one for each element:
At Chidambaram, Shiva is worshipped "as space".
At Kalahasti, Shiva is worshipped "as wind".
At Tiruvannamalai, Shiva is worshipped "as fire".
At Tiruvaanaikaaval, Shiva is worshipped "as water".
At Kanchipuram, Shiva is worshipped "as earth".
With this background, we can look at the kriti "Arunachala naatham" which describes Shiva as "Arunachaleshwara" at Tiruvannamalai.. where Shiva is manifest "as fire".
Pallavi:
arunaachala naatham smaraami anisham apeetakuchaamba sametam
I always (anisham) meditate (smaraami) on "arunaachala naatha" who is with (sameta) Devi who has the name "apeetakuchaamba".
Two stories have to be remembered in the context of this kshetra- one about Lord Shiva and the other associated with Devi.
The story of Arunachaleshwara:
This story is well known and finds a mention in the Skanda Puraana. Brahma and Vishnu had an argument as to who is superior. Shiva appears before them in the form of a fire pillar which stretches to infinity above and below. Brahma takes the form of a swan and tries to touch Shiva's head. Vishnu takes the form of a boar and goes in search of Shiva's feet. Both accept defeat and their pride is humbled. They request Lord Shiva to be available to all devotees. Shiva accedes to their request. The fire pillar cools down to form the Arunachala mountain. While Mt Meru and Mt Kailash serve as Shiva's abode, Shiva is actually "present as Arunachala mountain itself". As fire is red (aruna) and it is now available as a mountain (achala), Shiva is called "Arunachala" here. Hence, "arunaachala naatha" smaraami.
At the back of the sanctum of every Shiva temple, we can see this episode carved. Shiva has a special name "lingodbhava murti" in the context of this story. But the significance of Tiruvannamalai is that this important incident actually took place there.
The story of Devi:
In a playful mood, once Parvati covered Shiva's three eyes. The sun, the moon and fire being Shiva's 3 eyes, the world was plunged in darkness and the creation met an untimely end. (Note how both stories are related to "fire" and "light" and ultimately its relationship to this kshetra where Shiva is worshipped as the fire principle). Parvati realized her mistake, but by then, it was too late.
Parvati decided to atone for her act. Shiva instructed her to go to Kanchi and meditate under a special mango tree. He tested Parvati by trying to wash away the sand Shiva Linga that she was worshipping on the banks of the River Kampu, but Parvati was up to the task. Shiva was pleased and asked Parvati to proceed to Arunachala and take the blessings of Sage Gautama with the promise that he would once more be with her at Arunachala.
Thus, Parvati finds her way to Arunachala and gets companionship with Shiva once again (as apeetakuchaamba). Another aspect about this story is that the two khetras- Prithvi kshetra where Shiva is worshipped as Ekaamreshwara (Lord of the special mango tree which bears a single fruit) and Agni kshetra (Tiruvannamalai) are related.
Thus, sthala puranas across temples and spanning different geographical locations have a common thread.
Anu pallavi:
smaranaat kaivalya prada charanaaravindam
Lord Shiva grants moksha (kaivalya) to those who meditate (smarana) on his lotus feet (charanaaravindam).
A popular verse says that a person gets moksha by being born at Tiruvarur (jananaat kamalaalaye), by passing away at Kashi, by thinking about the Lord at Arunachala (smaranaat Arunachalam) etc. Hence, the usage of the word "smaranaat" by Dikshitar here.
A verse in Adi Shankara's Vivekachudamani says:
"vastusiddhir vichaarena na kinchit karma kotibhihi"- Moksha is attained only through "shaastra vichara" and never through any other means. How do we reconcile Dikshitar's line with the above quote?
The Lord's feet (charanaaravinda) always symbolize the shaastra, scripture. One foot stands for aparaa vidya (all supporting sadhanas) and the other foot stands for paraa vidya (the primary sadhana, which is brahma-vidya - shaastra vichara). Hence, regardless of the number of heads Gods have (Kartikeya has 6 heads) and the number of hands (e.g. 12 hands), Gods are always portrayed only with two feet because they represent the two scriptures (aparaa vidya and paraa vidya).
tarunaaditya koti sankaasha chidaanandam
The One who is as brilliant as a crore rising suns (koti tarunaaditya) ..... and the One who is available as consciousness (chit) and happiness (aananda).
This line reminds us immediately of the description of the vishvarupa in the Geeta:
"divi surya sahasrasya bhaved yugapad uttithaa"- exactly the same metaphor! Krishna's cosmic form was brilliant... as if a thousand (sahasra) suns (surya) had risen together. In that context, we interpreted this line as follows: The cosmic form is dazzling because galaxies, stars, suns- any light anywhere in the universe is the Lord alone. The same meaning can be taken here too.
A question may be raised that the above quotation was for Krishna. How can we borrow that for Shiva? As Paramacharya amusingly observes in one of his discourses, though Krishna showed his cosmic form, he repeatedly uses the word "Ishwara"- pashya mey yogam aishwaram. Moreover, Krishna's cosmic form was not a benign one at all. It was verily Rudra's form as Krishna himself says- "kaalosmi loka kshayakrit pravriddah" (I am verily the Time principle (kaala tatwam), with destruction as my sole purpose!).
In any case, we have a description of Shiva's cosmic form in Shri Rudram- "sarva vyaapinam ishaanam rudram vai vishwarupinam" - Lord Rudra is all pervading (sarva vyaapi)
Hence, "tarunaaditya koti sankaasha" stands for "vishvarupa Shiva".
"Chidaanandam" stands for "arupa Shiva" where the Lord exists in his "absolute form" (without reference to creation) as "sat-chit-aananda".
karunaarasaadi kandam sharanaagata sura brindam:
The One who shows karuna (compassion) on groups of Devas (suras). Notice the choice of words in this kriti: arunaa, smaranaa, karunaa, sharanaa... and later...aparnaa. Arunaa-karunaa are familiar rhymes which remind us of other works:
(1) arunaa karunaa tarangitaaksheem... (Dhyaana shloka in Lalita Sahasranama)
(2) karunaa kaachid arunaa (Adi Shankara's Saundaryalahari).
Of course, both the quotes are used in Devi's context, whereas here, Dikshitar uses it for Shiva.
Ok, so when did Shiva show compassion to hosts of Devas? In fact, around Arunachala, we have the Agni Lingam, Indra Lingam, Yama Lingam, Kubera Lingam, Varuna Lingam etc. as well as tirthas associated with each devata. Each devata had some problem which was relieved after he propitiated Lord Arunchaleshwara. There is an elaborate account given in the Arunachala Puranam.
Charanam:
apraakrita tejomaya lingam:
We have seen this- Dikshitar specifically mentions that this is "agni kshetram" by stating that the linga is tejomaya. It is also "apraakrita" (divine, extraordinary) in keeping with its origin... which we've seen in the story mentioned above
atyadbhuta kara dhrita saarangam:
Lord Shiva is depicted with a deer (saarangam) in his hand (kara dhrita). He is the pashupati- who is the Lord of all beings. Deer here stands as an upalakshanam for all creatures. We can recall the following dhyaana shloka from Shiva Sahasranama:
vande shambhum umaa patim sura gurum vande jaagat kaaranam
vande pannaga bhushanam mriga dharam vande pashunaam patim
Mriga is the same as saaranga. Sometimes, mriga/saaranga is used for the mind... just as the deer flits from place to place, so does the mind.... The Lord helps us to master our mind when we surrender unto him. This meaning can also be taken.
The raaga-mudra (Saaranga) is also embedded here. This is of course Dikshitar's speciality.
aprameyam aparnaabja bhringam:
Aprameyam has many meanings- all of which can fit for Lord Shiva. Shiva is the indescribable, especially as vishvarupa. Hence apreyam. Also, as sat-chit-aananda, in His essential nature, he is never the object of any pramaanam (instrument/source of knowledge). Hence, aprameyam. We can take any number of quotations for this. One from the Kena Upanishad for aprameyam is "na vaak gacchati no manah" (Cannot be described in words, neither can be conceived as a concept in the mind).
Aparnaabja bhringam:
Parvati (Aparna) is compared to a lotus (abja) and Shiva is compared to a bee (bhringa). Parvati observed severe austerities to propitiate Lord Shiva. In one of them, she stopped even eating leaves (parna). Hence, she got the name "aparna". Paramacharya specially mentions Kalidasa's Kumaarasambhavam where the name Aparna is explained.
Note that in the Arunachala story as well, Parvati performed austerities at Kanchi and at Arunachala. Hence, the choice of the name "Aparna" here.
The simile used here is interesting. Typically, Devi is compared to a bee and Shiva to a flower. We have Lord Shiva as Mallikaarjuna at Shrishailam. In this temple, Devi is called "Bhramaraambika". He is the mallika (jasmine) blossom and she is the bee (bhramara).
In Adi Shankara's Kanakadhaara Stotram too, the same simile is used. "Bhringaanganeva mukulaabharanam tamaalam". Lord Vishnu is the tamaala tree, Mahalakshmi is the bee (bhringa).
In a role reversal here, which is unusual, Dikshitar compares Devi to a lotus and Shiva to a bee!
aarudhottunga vrisha turangam:
The One mounted on a bull, Nandi- vrisha. We can recall Shri Rudram- "namo babhlushaaya"- babhlu or babhru refers to a bull. We have seen this in other keertanas. A bull stands for dharma, moral order. The Lord is in the form of "dharma" and hence mounted on a bull.
viprottama vishesha antarangam:
The One who is specially manifest in the minds (antarangam) of saintly people (viprottama).
"veda paathena viprasyaat" is the traditional meaning of a "viprah", the one who is an expert in the veda-paatha. However, in a generic way, we can take a viprah to mean a cultured, saintly person.
The Lord is present in all minds as the witness-consciousness. However, in a saintly person, He is "more evident".
The Arunachala kshetra is associated with numerous saints. Sage Gautama (whom we saw earlier in the story) instructed Parvati herself. Hence, he can be taken as "vipra-uttama". In addition, the Tamil saint Tirugnyaanasambandhar's visit is specifically mentioned in the Arunachala Puranam. He can also be taken as the vipra-uttama here.
Moreover, saints like Arunagirinathar and in more recent times Ramana Maharishi (who was of course after Dikshitar) are also vipra-uttamas. The Lord is specially manifest in all these people.
veera guru guha taara prasangam:
The one who is dear to the heroic Kartikeya. Kartikeya's valour (veera) is legendary as "deva senapati" and needs no elaboration.
Kartikeya is also intimately connected with "fire" and hence relevant for our discussion on this "agni kshetra". The Amarakosha gives 3 names for Kartikeya: "Senaani", "Agni bhuh" and "Guhah".
Kartikeya was born from 6 sparks coming out of Shiva's eye. Hence, he is called "agni bhuh"- one born from fire.
Also, Kartikeya is the "light of consciousness" in our own mind. Hence, he is called "Guhah". The mind is called "guha" or cave because like a cave, it is dark. We need the light of consciousness to enliven the mind and to "light up each thought" and thereby convert each thought into a "live experience". Hence, as consciousness, we have a special name for Kartikeya- "Guhah". We have the following quote from the Mundaka Upanishad which explains this:
"aavihi sannihitam guhaacharan naama"- Consciousness (aavihi) is intimately present (sannihitam) in our mind (guha).
Dikshitar's mudra "guru guha" is present here.
swapradeepa mouli vidruta gangam:
The One who holds the Ganga on his head. This is well known. Ganga stands for the brahma-vidya parampara- which flows in an unbroken stream originating from the Lord Himself... down to us. The Ganga is perenial, flows from a higher level to a lower level and refreshes and cleanses us. So too, Brahma vidya. The teaching tradition is unbroken, comes from the guru to the shishya and cleanses us by removing the impurity of agnyaana and granting moksha. Hence, the comparison with Ganga.
swaprakaasha jita somaagni patangam:
The One who is self-evident (swaprakaasha) and who is superior to the sun, the moon and fire (patangam-soma-agni).
Dikshitar ends this kriti with the Upanishadic description of the Lord (Brahman) in his Absolute Nature as "consciousness" present in our own mind. We can recall the famous verse from Mundaka Upanishad which is used in daily aarti:
na tatra suryo bhaati na chandra taarakam
nema vidyuto bhaanti kutoyam agnihi
tameva bhaatam anubhaati sarvam
tasya bhaasaa sarvam idam vibhaati
The simple meaning is that "we use the light of the sun, the moon, the lightning, the fire.. to help us to know the objects in this world. They illumine the objects for us. But none of them can illumine the subject, the Self, the consciousness."
It is like trying to see the "make of the battery inside the torch" using the light of the torch... in a dark room! So too... the consciousness- It can never be illumined using any light, any instrument. It is aprameyam.
But quickly, Dikshitar adds "swaprakaasha" - meaning "it *need not* be illumined... because it is self-evident".
To prove that we have eyes, we do not need to "see" our own eyes. The fact that we are seeing any object... is proof for the presence of eyes. Hence, swaprakaasha. So too... with the consciousness...Every experience that we have, is proof for the presence of consciousness. We do not need a "special experience" to "experience consciousness".
Dikshitar uses both words "aprameyam" and "swaprakasha" in the same kriti and follows the traditional method of Brahma-Vidya teaching.
We have similar quotes in the Geeta too:
"na tad bhaasayate suryah na shashaanko na paavakah (Chp 15)" - Surya, Chandra (moon, called Shashaanka here) and Agni (paavakah) cannot illumine the Self, the consciousness... the same three that Dikshitar has used here.
Also, "jyotishaam api tad jyotihi (Chp 13)"- IT is the light of all lights. Every source of light sheds light on some object or the other and makes the object known to us. But the source of light itself is recognized ultimately through the "light of consciousness". Without the "light of consciousness", all other sources of light become meaningless. Hence, "jita somaagni patangam" here.
Rhyme in this kriti:
A final note on the rhyme used in this kriti- It is called "antya-praasa" where the final syllable rhymes in each sentence. The kriti is replete with this usage. Look at the Charanam. We see the sentences ending with "lingam", "saarangam", "bhringam", "turangam", "antarangam", "prasangam", "gangam" and "patangam"!!
Hyderabad Brothers singing this kriti:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFmaVReLFi8
Dikshitar has composed a kriti on each of the "pancha bhuta kshetras". "Arunachala naatham" in the raaga Saaranga is the kriti we want to discuss here. Before going to this kriti, a brief background to these pancha bhuta kshetras and their significance is given here.
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| Father's ink drawing of the temple based on Silpi's work |
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| Father's ink drawing of deities based on Silpi's work |
Pancha bhutas:
The concept of the Lord as "vishvarupa" is unique to Hinduism. The Lord is not only the creator, but also "appears as the very creation". The pet example that the Upanishad gives.... is that of a spider spinning a web- "yathornanaabhi srjatey grhnnatey cha" - the material that the spider uses for the web.... does not come from outside. It comes from within itself.
So too, for this universe, He is the maker, He is the material too.
Scripture describes the creation of the universe in stages- first the "five elements: space, air, fire, water and earth" (pancha bhutas) are manifest and these elements combine in various proportions to form the "elementals" and finally this visible, tangible universe (pra-pancha).
Thus, the visible universe is the Lord alone.... with the five elements serving as the basic raw material. We can remind ourselves of two well known quotations here:
"etasmaat jaayatey....kham vayur jyotir aapah prithvi vishvasya dhaarini" -Mundaka Upanishad.
From that Lord (etasmaat) are born (jaayatey).. kham (space), vayu (wind), jyoti (fire), aapah (water) and prithvi (earth).
"tasmaad vaa etasmaad aatmanah aakaashah sambhutah. Aakaashaad vaayuh, vaayor agni, agner aapah, adbhyah prithvi" - Taittireeya Upanishad
From that Lord, space (aakaasha) is born (sambhutah). From space, wind. From wind, fire. From fire, water. From water, earth.
After introducing the pancha bhutas, the Mundaka Upanishad rounds up the discussion by saying that this visible universe is the Lord alone. "Purusha eva idam vishvam"
Shiva as ashta-murti:
Sometimes, instead of taking 5 elements, scripture divides the entire creation as "eight-fold"(ashta murti). Here, the five elements are taken and beyond that, three more are included: the sun (standing for all heavenly bodies in the cosmos), the moon (standing for the "time" principle) and the "life principle", the "jeeva"- representing all living beings.
The reason we want to look at the "eight fold creation" instead of "pancha bhutas" is because Shiva is normally personified as "ashta murti bhrit" and hence relevant for our discussion about the kriti "Arunachala naatham".
Where do we find this "8-fold division"?
"jagata eeshadhi yukta sevanam, ashta murti bhrit deva pujanam"- Ramana Maharishi's "Upadesha Saaram". (May you serve the world with the idea that the Lord alone is manifest as the world in his "8-fold form").
These 8 are actually enumerated in Adi Shankara's Dakshinamurti stotram:
"bhur-ambhaamsynalonilombaram-ahar naatho-himaamshu-pumaan"- This universe is the Lord alone appearing as bhuh (earth), ambhas (water), anala (fire) anila (wind), ambaram (space), ahar naatha (sun), himaamshu (moon) and pumaan (living beings).
Finally, the Shiva Mahimna shloka gives a unique name that Shiva has for each of these 8.
"Bhava-sharvo-rudra-pashupatir athogra-sahamahaan tathaa bheemeshaanaav-iti yad abhidhaanaashtakam"- Shiva's 8 fold-names (abhidhaana-ashtakam) are "Bhava", "Sharva", "Rudra", "Pashupati", "Ugra", "Sahamahaan", "Bheema" and "Eeshana".
(Note that the 8-fold division is found in the Geeta too. The pancha bhutas are mentioned as building blocks of this world, but the other 3 are slightly different. "bhumir-aaponalo-vaayu-kham-mano-buddhir-eva cha, ahankaara iti yam mey bhinna prakritir ashtadhaa"- chapter 7.)
In keeping with this tradition, we have 5 temples for Lord Shiva in Tamil Nadu, one for each element:
At Chidambaram, Shiva is worshipped "as space".
At Kalahasti, Shiva is worshipped "as wind".
At Tiruvannamalai, Shiva is worshipped "as fire".
At Tiruvaanaikaaval, Shiva is worshipped "as water".
At Kanchipuram, Shiva is worshipped "as earth".
With this background, we can look at the kriti "Arunachala naatham" which describes Shiva as "Arunachaleshwara" at Tiruvannamalai.. where Shiva is manifest "as fire".
Pallavi:
arunaachala naatham smaraami anisham apeetakuchaamba sametam
I always (anisham) meditate (smaraami) on "arunaachala naatha" who is with (sameta) Devi who has the name "apeetakuchaamba".
Two stories have to be remembered in the context of this kshetra- one about Lord Shiva and the other associated with Devi.
The story of Arunachaleshwara:
This story is well known and finds a mention in the Skanda Puraana. Brahma and Vishnu had an argument as to who is superior. Shiva appears before them in the form of a fire pillar which stretches to infinity above and below. Brahma takes the form of a swan and tries to touch Shiva's head. Vishnu takes the form of a boar and goes in search of Shiva's feet. Both accept defeat and their pride is humbled. They request Lord Shiva to be available to all devotees. Shiva accedes to their request. The fire pillar cools down to form the Arunachala mountain. While Mt Meru and Mt Kailash serve as Shiva's abode, Shiva is actually "present as Arunachala mountain itself". As fire is red (aruna) and it is now available as a mountain (achala), Shiva is called "Arunachala" here. Hence, "arunaachala naatha" smaraami.
At the back of the sanctum of every Shiva temple, we can see this episode carved. Shiva has a special name "lingodbhava murti" in the context of this story. But the significance of Tiruvannamalai is that this important incident actually took place there.
The story of Devi:
In a playful mood, once Parvati covered Shiva's three eyes. The sun, the moon and fire being Shiva's 3 eyes, the world was plunged in darkness and the creation met an untimely end. (Note how both stories are related to "fire" and "light" and ultimately its relationship to this kshetra where Shiva is worshipped as the fire principle). Parvati realized her mistake, but by then, it was too late.
Parvati decided to atone for her act. Shiva instructed her to go to Kanchi and meditate under a special mango tree. He tested Parvati by trying to wash away the sand Shiva Linga that she was worshipping on the banks of the River Kampu, but Parvati was up to the task. Shiva was pleased and asked Parvati to proceed to Arunachala and take the blessings of Sage Gautama with the promise that he would once more be with her at Arunachala.
Thus, Parvati finds her way to Arunachala and gets companionship with Shiva once again (as apeetakuchaamba). Another aspect about this story is that the two khetras- Prithvi kshetra where Shiva is worshipped as Ekaamreshwara (Lord of the special mango tree which bears a single fruit) and Agni kshetra (Tiruvannamalai) are related.
Thus, sthala puranas across temples and spanning different geographical locations have a common thread.
Anu pallavi:
smaranaat kaivalya prada charanaaravindam
Lord Shiva grants moksha (kaivalya) to those who meditate (smarana) on his lotus feet (charanaaravindam).
A popular verse says that a person gets moksha by being born at Tiruvarur (jananaat kamalaalaye), by passing away at Kashi, by thinking about the Lord at Arunachala (smaranaat Arunachalam) etc. Hence, the usage of the word "smaranaat" by Dikshitar here.
A verse in Adi Shankara's Vivekachudamani says:
"vastusiddhir vichaarena na kinchit karma kotibhihi"- Moksha is attained only through "shaastra vichara" and never through any other means. How do we reconcile Dikshitar's line with the above quote?
The Lord's feet (charanaaravinda) always symbolize the shaastra, scripture. One foot stands for aparaa vidya (all supporting sadhanas) and the other foot stands for paraa vidya (the primary sadhana, which is brahma-vidya - shaastra vichara). Hence, regardless of the number of heads Gods have (Kartikeya has 6 heads) and the number of hands (e.g. 12 hands), Gods are always portrayed only with two feet because they represent the two scriptures (aparaa vidya and paraa vidya).
tarunaaditya koti sankaasha chidaanandam
The One who is as brilliant as a crore rising suns (koti tarunaaditya) ..... and the One who is available as consciousness (chit) and happiness (aananda).
This line reminds us immediately of the description of the vishvarupa in the Geeta:
"divi surya sahasrasya bhaved yugapad uttithaa"- exactly the same metaphor! Krishna's cosmic form was brilliant... as if a thousand (sahasra) suns (surya) had risen together. In that context, we interpreted this line as follows: The cosmic form is dazzling because galaxies, stars, suns- any light anywhere in the universe is the Lord alone. The same meaning can be taken here too.
A question may be raised that the above quotation was for Krishna. How can we borrow that for Shiva? As Paramacharya amusingly observes in one of his discourses, though Krishna showed his cosmic form, he repeatedly uses the word "Ishwara"- pashya mey yogam aishwaram. Moreover, Krishna's cosmic form was not a benign one at all. It was verily Rudra's form as Krishna himself says- "kaalosmi loka kshayakrit pravriddah" (I am verily the Time principle (kaala tatwam), with destruction as my sole purpose!).
In any case, we have a description of Shiva's cosmic form in Shri Rudram- "sarva vyaapinam ishaanam rudram vai vishwarupinam" - Lord Rudra is all pervading (sarva vyaapi)
Hence, "tarunaaditya koti sankaasha" stands for "vishvarupa Shiva".
"Chidaanandam" stands for "arupa Shiva" where the Lord exists in his "absolute form" (without reference to creation) as "sat-chit-aananda".
karunaarasaadi kandam sharanaagata sura brindam:
The One who shows karuna (compassion) on groups of Devas (suras). Notice the choice of words in this kriti: arunaa, smaranaa, karunaa, sharanaa... and later...aparnaa. Arunaa-karunaa are familiar rhymes which remind us of other works:
(1) arunaa karunaa tarangitaaksheem... (Dhyaana shloka in Lalita Sahasranama)
(2) karunaa kaachid arunaa (Adi Shankara's Saundaryalahari).
Of course, both the quotes are used in Devi's context, whereas here, Dikshitar uses it for Shiva.
Ok, so when did Shiva show compassion to hosts of Devas? In fact, around Arunachala, we have the Agni Lingam, Indra Lingam, Yama Lingam, Kubera Lingam, Varuna Lingam etc. as well as tirthas associated with each devata. Each devata had some problem which was relieved after he propitiated Lord Arunchaleshwara. There is an elaborate account given in the Arunachala Puranam.
Charanam:
apraakrita tejomaya lingam:
We have seen this- Dikshitar specifically mentions that this is "agni kshetram" by stating that the linga is tejomaya. It is also "apraakrita" (divine, extraordinary) in keeping with its origin... which we've seen in the story mentioned above
atyadbhuta kara dhrita saarangam:
Lord Shiva is depicted with a deer (saarangam) in his hand (kara dhrita). He is the pashupati- who is the Lord of all beings. Deer here stands as an upalakshanam for all creatures. We can recall the following dhyaana shloka from Shiva Sahasranama:
vande shambhum umaa patim sura gurum vande jaagat kaaranam
vande pannaga bhushanam mriga dharam vande pashunaam patim
Mriga is the same as saaranga. Sometimes, mriga/saaranga is used for the mind... just as the deer flits from place to place, so does the mind.... The Lord helps us to master our mind when we surrender unto him. This meaning can also be taken.
The raaga-mudra (Saaranga) is also embedded here. This is of course Dikshitar's speciality.
aprameyam aparnaabja bhringam:
Aprameyam has many meanings- all of which can fit for Lord Shiva. Shiva is the indescribable, especially as vishvarupa. Hence apreyam. Also, as sat-chit-aananda, in His essential nature, he is never the object of any pramaanam (instrument/source of knowledge). Hence, aprameyam. We can take any number of quotations for this. One from the Kena Upanishad for aprameyam is "na vaak gacchati no manah" (Cannot be described in words, neither can be conceived as a concept in the mind).
Aparnaabja bhringam:
Parvati (Aparna) is compared to a lotus (abja) and Shiva is compared to a bee (bhringa). Parvati observed severe austerities to propitiate Lord Shiva. In one of them, she stopped even eating leaves (parna). Hence, she got the name "aparna". Paramacharya specially mentions Kalidasa's Kumaarasambhavam where the name Aparna is explained.
Note that in the Arunachala story as well, Parvati performed austerities at Kanchi and at Arunachala. Hence, the choice of the name "Aparna" here.
The simile used here is interesting. Typically, Devi is compared to a bee and Shiva to a flower. We have Lord Shiva as Mallikaarjuna at Shrishailam. In this temple, Devi is called "Bhramaraambika". He is the mallika (jasmine) blossom and she is the bee (bhramara).
In Adi Shankara's Kanakadhaara Stotram too, the same simile is used. "Bhringaanganeva mukulaabharanam tamaalam". Lord Vishnu is the tamaala tree, Mahalakshmi is the bee (bhringa).
In a role reversal here, which is unusual, Dikshitar compares Devi to a lotus and Shiva to a bee!
aarudhottunga vrisha turangam:
The One mounted on a bull, Nandi- vrisha. We can recall Shri Rudram- "namo babhlushaaya"- babhlu or babhru refers to a bull. We have seen this in other keertanas. A bull stands for dharma, moral order. The Lord is in the form of "dharma" and hence mounted on a bull.
viprottama vishesha antarangam:
The One who is specially manifest in the minds (antarangam) of saintly people (viprottama).
"veda paathena viprasyaat" is the traditional meaning of a "viprah", the one who is an expert in the veda-paatha. However, in a generic way, we can take a viprah to mean a cultured, saintly person.
The Lord is present in all minds as the witness-consciousness. However, in a saintly person, He is "more evident".
The Arunachala kshetra is associated with numerous saints. Sage Gautama (whom we saw earlier in the story) instructed Parvati herself. Hence, he can be taken as "vipra-uttama". In addition, the Tamil saint Tirugnyaanasambandhar's visit is specifically mentioned in the Arunachala Puranam. He can also be taken as the vipra-uttama here.
Moreover, saints like Arunagirinathar and in more recent times Ramana Maharishi (who was of course after Dikshitar) are also vipra-uttamas. The Lord is specially manifest in all these people.
veera guru guha taara prasangam:
The one who is dear to the heroic Kartikeya. Kartikeya's valour (veera) is legendary as "deva senapati" and needs no elaboration.
Kartikeya is also intimately connected with "fire" and hence relevant for our discussion on this "agni kshetra". The Amarakosha gives 3 names for Kartikeya: "Senaani", "Agni bhuh" and "Guhah".
Kartikeya was born from 6 sparks coming out of Shiva's eye. Hence, he is called "agni bhuh"- one born from fire.
Also, Kartikeya is the "light of consciousness" in our own mind. Hence, he is called "Guhah". The mind is called "guha" or cave because like a cave, it is dark. We need the light of consciousness to enliven the mind and to "light up each thought" and thereby convert each thought into a "live experience". Hence, as consciousness, we have a special name for Kartikeya- "Guhah". We have the following quote from the Mundaka Upanishad which explains this:
"aavihi sannihitam guhaacharan naama"- Consciousness (aavihi) is intimately present (sannihitam) in our mind (guha).
Dikshitar's mudra "guru guha" is present here.
swapradeepa mouli vidruta gangam:
The One who holds the Ganga on his head. This is well known. Ganga stands for the brahma-vidya parampara- which flows in an unbroken stream originating from the Lord Himself... down to us. The Ganga is perenial, flows from a higher level to a lower level and refreshes and cleanses us. So too, Brahma vidya. The teaching tradition is unbroken, comes from the guru to the shishya and cleanses us by removing the impurity of agnyaana and granting moksha. Hence, the comparison with Ganga.
swaprakaasha jita somaagni patangam:
The One who is self-evident (swaprakaasha) and who is superior to the sun, the moon and fire (patangam-soma-agni).
Dikshitar ends this kriti with the Upanishadic description of the Lord (Brahman) in his Absolute Nature as "consciousness" present in our own mind. We can recall the famous verse from Mundaka Upanishad which is used in daily aarti:
na tatra suryo bhaati na chandra taarakam
nema vidyuto bhaanti kutoyam agnihi
tameva bhaatam anubhaati sarvam
tasya bhaasaa sarvam idam vibhaati
The simple meaning is that "we use the light of the sun, the moon, the lightning, the fire.. to help us to know the objects in this world. They illumine the objects for us. But none of them can illumine the subject, the Self, the consciousness."
It is like trying to see the "make of the battery inside the torch" using the light of the torch... in a dark room! So too... the consciousness- It can never be illumined using any light, any instrument. It is aprameyam.
But quickly, Dikshitar adds "swaprakaasha" - meaning "it *need not* be illumined... because it is self-evident".
To prove that we have eyes, we do not need to "see" our own eyes. The fact that we are seeing any object... is proof for the presence of eyes. Hence, swaprakaasha. So too... with the consciousness...Every experience that we have, is proof for the presence of consciousness. We do not need a "special experience" to "experience consciousness".
Dikshitar uses both words "aprameyam" and "swaprakasha" in the same kriti and follows the traditional method of Brahma-Vidya teaching.
We have similar quotes in the Geeta too:
"na tad bhaasayate suryah na shashaanko na paavakah (Chp 15)" - Surya, Chandra (moon, called Shashaanka here) and Agni (paavakah) cannot illumine the Self, the consciousness... the same three that Dikshitar has used here.
Also, "jyotishaam api tad jyotihi (Chp 13)"- IT is the light of all lights. Every source of light sheds light on some object or the other and makes the object known to us. But the source of light itself is recognized ultimately through the "light of consciousness". Without the "light of consciousness", all other sources of light become meaningless. Hence, "jita somaagni patangam" here.
Rhyme in this kriti:
A final note on the rhyme used in this kriti- It is called "antya-praasa" where the final syllable rhymes in each sentence. The kriti is replete with this usage. Look at the Charanam. We see the sentences ending with "lingam", "saarangam", "bhringam", "turangam", "antarangam", "prasangam", "gangam" and "patangam"!!
Hyderabad Brothers singing this kriti:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFmaVReLFi8
Saturday, 22 December 2012
1:45 to 2:25 pm class
"Why are you sweating like a pig? Go and wash your face!" Ms Marie screamed. That was just the excuse Sridhar needed to get out of class. He took his time to walk to the toilet towards the end of the corridor. As he walked down the corridor, he peered through the windows of other classes and grinned at his friends. They looked just as bored- and now a tad envious that Sridhar should be freed from captivity..at least to go to the toilet!
The period after lunch- from 1:45 to 2:25 pm was the longest and the most wearisome. Time seemed to come to a standstill and just wouldn't budge. It was compounded if it was the History and Civics class. Ms Marie was a veritable "shruti box" (metronome)- her voice maintained the same pitch all the time.. with little deviation. Hitler may have conquered country after country in Europe during the Second World War. Ms Marie betrayed no excitement whatsoever. She read through those passages in the same drone which she reserved for enumerating the powers of the "Zilla Parishad". The only time she raised her voice was to send someone to the toilet!
Toilets were invariably smelly. The urinals did not flush and reeked. It was difficult to hang around the toilet for more time than it deserved- perhaps, it was by design! Sridhar though.. took his time. Even the present environs seemed a relief from the monotony of class. The wash basin tap matched his mood and squirted water..barely... in a trickle. He washed his face, scrutinised the graffiti on the wall for some time and with great reluctance trudged back to class.
There was no dramatic change in the class proceedings. The time read "2:03" by the watch. Sridhar yawned. Ms Marie had covered just one more paragraph- she had moved on to the "formation of panchayats". It didn't matter to the students. They amused themselves in their own ways. Students seated close to the windows were considered the luckiest. They looked out at Khalsa College- an imposing building on the other side of the road where college students hung around in groups. Life was colourful and "happening" across the road.
An occasional crow... perched at the window sill and jolted the students from the stupor of the class with a shrill caw. Sridhar held the opinion that crows always suffered from a sore throat gauging by the cracking nature of their voice!
The back benches boasted of students who kept themselves busy...munching- surreptitiously of course. Their front pockets bulged with a packet of "supari" which they bought from "Kaalia"- the hawker outside school. As Ms Marie briefly looked down at her book, Dinesh took a pinch of supari and stuffed it into the corner of his mouth. The rest was rather easy...he rested his hand on his chin and appeared to pay rapt attention to the class...as he worked on the supari. As Ms Marie looked down at her book again, he reached out for the next pinch...
Students made tall claims which couldn't be exactly verified- Rocky claimed that he had gobbled an entire "vada pav"- an eatmeat which could shame the hamburger in volume.... right in class! Valentino boasted that he read the latest Sportstar magazine- cover to cover.. by strategically placing it in the lower recesses of his desk, just beneath the History textbook! Mehernosh amused himself with his watch- the sunbeam reflected off his watch and made interesting patterns- which he directed either at the ceiling or at one of his friends on the far side of the class. There was one occasion when he tried to shine it at the teacher....Pandey sir, and had his ear pinched. He didn't make the same mistake again!
Sridhar was busy. It looked suspicious- after all no one worked with such focus! The electric bell rent through the air exactly at 2:25 and brought the class to a close... eventually! Everyone crowded around Sridhar's desk. Sridhar blew the wooden filings off the "divider", quietly put it away in his Camlin Compass box and glowed with pride. There was a collective gasp as we viewed Sridhar's handiwork. On the wooden desk, right under the nose of the teacher, he had carved this most exquisite bas-relief. It was a tombstone with a cross at the top- in 3D...which seemed to spring out at us! In neat calligraphic handwriting, the tombstone had these words inscribed- "In memory of all those who died in class... out of boredom! RIP!"
It said it all.
The period after lunch- from 1:45 to 2:25 pm was the longest and the most wearisome. Time seemed to come to a standstill and just wouldn't budge. It was compounded if it was the History and Civics class. Ms Marie was a veritable "shruti box" (metronome)- her voice maintained the same pitch all the time.. with little deviation. Hitler may have conquered country after country in Europe during the Second World War. Ms Marie betrayed no excitement whatsoever. She read through those passages in the same drone which she reserved for enumerating the powers of the "Zilla Parishad". The only time she raised her voice was to send someone to the toilet!
Toilets were invariably smelly. The urinals did not flush and reeked. It was difficult to hang around the toilet for more time than it deserved- perhaps, it was by design! Sridhar though.. took his time. Even the present environs seemed a relief from the monotony of class. The wash basin tap matched his mood and squirted water..barely... in a trickle. He washed his face, scrutinised the graffiti on the wall for some time and with great reluctance trudged back to class.
There was no dramatic change in the class proceedings. The time read "2:03" by the watch. Sridhar yawned. Ms Marie had covered just one more paragraph- she had moved on to the "formation of panchayats". It didn't matter to the students. They amused themselves in their own ways. Students seated close to the windows were considered the luckiest. They looked out at Khalsa College- an imposing building on the other side of the road where college students hung around in groups. Life was colourful and "happening" across the road.
An occasional crow... perched at the window sill and jolted the students from the stupor of the class with a shrill caw. Sridhar held the opinion that crows always suffered from a sore throat gauging by the cracking nature of their voice!
The back benches boasted of students who kept themselves busy...munching- surreptitiously of course. Their front pockets bulged with a packet of "supari" which they bought from "Kaalia"- the hawker outside school. As Ms Marie briefly looked down at her book, Dinesh took a pinch of supari and stuffed it into the corner of his mouth. The rest was rather easy...he rested his hand on his chin and appeared to pay rapt attention to the class...as he worked on the supari. As Ms Marie looked down at her book again, he reached out for the next pinch...
Students made tall claims which couldn't be exactly verified- Rocky claimed that he had gobbled an entire "vada pav"- an eatmeat which could shame the hamburger in volume.... right in class! Valentino boasted that he read the latest Sportstar magazine- cover to cover.. by strategically placing it in the lower recesses of his desk, just beneath the History textbook! Mehernosh amused himself with his watch- the sunbeam reflected off his watch and made interesting patterns- which he directed either at the ceiling or at one of his friends on the far side of the class. There was one occasion when he tried to shine it at the teacher....Pandey sir, and had his ear pinched. He didn't make the same mistake again!
Sridhar was busy. It looked suspicious- after all no one worked with such focus! The electric bell rent through the air exactly at 2:25 and brought the class to a close... eventually! Everyone crowded around Sridhar's desk. Sridhar blew the wooden filings off the "divider", quietly put it away in his Camlin Compass box and glowed with pride. There was a collective gasp as we viewed Sridhar's handiwork. On the wooden desk, right under the nose of the teacher, he had carved this most exquisite bas-relief. It was a tombstone with a cross at the top- in 3D...which seemed to spring out at us! In neat calligraphic handwriting, the tombstone had these words inscribed- "In memory of all those who died in class... out of boredom! RIP!"
It said it all.
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