From around 8 pm on Christmas Eve, till 5 pm on Christmas Day, the thunderstorm that swept through left us at Southampton, Long Islands without Internet. When the storm left, there was a brief period of 10 mts when the sky opened up. I rushed outside to catch a glimpse. Here are some unedited shots from my iPhone. Message is clear – you can be without power or you can be unconnected with others socially; but you cannot disconnect yourselves from Nature.
Composer
Sadasiva Brahmendrar. (http://www.krishnamurthys.com/profvk/gohitvip/sadasiva.html)
Audio Link
Listen to the child prodigy Rahul Vellal – https://www.dropbox.com/s/96l5sppsbswgzp8/Manasa%20Sanchara%20Re%20Brahmani%20_%20Vande%20Guru%20Paramparaam%20_%20Rahul%20Vellal-TLhM9HzUiNk.mp3?dl=0
Meaning in English
Fix the wandering mind on the Supreme Being. Fix it on the one who has his hair decorated with peacock feather and whose cheeks are more glossy than a polished mirror. Fix the mind on the one who wanders around in the bosom of Goddess Lakshmi and who is like the wish fulfilling Mandara Tree fir his devotees. Be like the Chakora bird which awaits the bright moon everyday and dwell your mind on the glittering moon like face of the Lord. Fix your mind on the flautist who brings out melodious tune through his flute.
Meaning in Tamil
பல்லவி
ஆண்டவனில் நிலை நிறுத்து, அலையும் மனதை
சரணம் 1
செருமயில் இறகு சிரம் தனில் அணி
மெருகேறிய கண்ணாடிக் கன்னமுடை ….. ஆண்டவனில்
சரணம் 2
பூமகள் விரி மார் அரண் உலவும்
சேவிக்கும் அடியார் விழை தீர் தருவாம்
சரணம் 3
கமலமலர் முகமுடை நிலவெதிர் சகோரமென
மூழ்கி திளையும் மதுர குழலூதும்…. ஆண்டவனில்
Sanskrit Verses
पल्लवि
मानस सञ्चर रे ब्रह्मणि मानस सञ्चर रे
चरणम् 1
मद शिखि पिञ्छालंकृत चिकुरे महनीय कपोल विजित मुकुरे
चरणम् 2
श्री रमणी कुच दुर्ग विहारे सेवक जन मन्दिर मन्दारे
चरणम् 3
परमहंस मुख चन्द्र चकोरे परिपूरित मुरळी रव धारे
English Transliteration
pallavi
mAnasa sancara rE brahmaNi mAnasa sancara rE
caraNam 1
mada Sikhi pinchAlaMkRta cikurE mahanIya kapOla vijita mukurE
caraNam 2
SrI ramaNI kuca durga vihArE sEvaka jana mandira mandArE
caraNam 3
paramahaMsa mukha candra cakOrE paripUrita muraLI rava dhArE
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
पल्लवि
मानस – Mind
सञ्चर – traverse/wander – here it means dwell, hover
रे – Oh
ब्रह्मणि – upon the Supreme Being
चरणम् 1
मद – proud
शिखि – peacock
पिञ्छ- feather
अलंकृत – decoration
चिकुरे – the hair of the head
महनीय – glorious
कपोल – cheek
विजित – conquer
मुकुरे – mirror
चरणम् 2
श्री – Goddess Lakshmi
रमणी – delightful
कुच – bosom
दुर्ग – fort
विहारे – pleasure trip/walking around, play
सेवक – worshipping
जन – people
मन्दिर – temple
मन्दारे – mandara tree
चरणम् 3
परम-हंस – super lotus
मुख – face
चन्द्र – moon
चकोरे – chakora bird
परिपूरित – filled fully
मुरळी – flute
रव – sound/music
धारे – playing
I was amazed and wondering at the skill and passion for iPhone photography (in Facebook) of one gentleman Viorel who posted a photo of a snow flake using his iPhone 11 + macro lens ❄️
Recently we had huge amount of snow shower with gutsy winds. After the snow, I was wondering how such a tiny flake in a Star form can take shapes that one can only see and enjoy. I was reminded of the term “Powder metallurgy”, describing the wide range of ways in which components are made from metal powders. Well, Mother Nature knows this technology very well even for non metallic applications. Here are some shapes that the snow powder “star flake” takes.
Nature is simply beyond and yet within anyone’s understanding like God is. The problem for us is “You only have to see it”.
Composer
Muthuswamy Dikshithar
Audio Visual Link
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ebsclz75f7qjrnm/Madhramba%20Bhajare.mp4?dl=0
Meaning in English
Pallavi
O mind! Worship Meenakshi, the Goddess of the city of Madhura ,
the one served by Vishnu(father of Manmatha), Guruguha and others,
anupallavi
The resident of the city of Madhura, the giver of prosperity,the one who delights the hearts of Manu, Kubera etc.,
caraNam
The daughter of Sage Matanga, the one whose braid is black as a bumble-bee,the giver of fearlessness and (further) boons to Vishnu and others,the trusted one of devotees,the auspicious one, wearing fragrant products,the one who is pleased with praises offered in the Stavaraja Raga.
Meaning in Tamil
பல்லவி
மதுரை அம்மனைத் துதி ..ஏ மனமே
முத்தனும் மற்றோரும் குருகுகனும் பணியும் ………மதுரை
அனுபல்லவி
மதுரை நகர் வாழும், தயைராணி
மதன குபேராதிகள் மனமகிழும் ……..மதுரை
சரணம்
மாதங்க மகளே, தும்பிநிற குழலி
மாதவனோடு மற்றோர்க்கு அபயம் அளி மகதி
மத்தியம கால சாகித்யம்
பக்த விசுவாசினி மங்கள நாயகி
ஸ்த்வராஜ பாமாலை மகிழும் ….மதுரை
Sanskrit Verses
मधुराम्बाम् भजरॆ रॆ मानस
मदन जन्कादिगुरुगुह सॆवित
अनुपल्लवि
मधुरापुरि निवासिनिमधनिन्म्
मनुकुबॆरादि मनॊल्लासिनीम्
चरणं
मतःण्ग तनयाम् मधुकरवॆणीम्
माधवाद्यभयवर प्रदायिनीम्
मध्यम काल साहित्यम्
भक्त विश्वासिनीम् सुवासिनीम्
श्रि स्तवराजनुति प्रसादिनीम्
English Transliteration
pallavi
madhurAmbAM bhajarE rE mAnasa
madana janaka-Adi guru guha sEvita
anupallavi
madhurA puri nivAsinIM dhaninIM
manu kubEra-Adi mana-ullAsinIM
caraNam
matanga tanayAM madhu-kara vENIM
mA-dhava-Adi-abhaya vara pradAyinIM
bhakta viSvAsinIM suvAsinIM
SrI stavarAja nuti prasAdinIm
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
पल्लवि
मधुराम्बाम् – मधुरा अम्बा – Madurai Goddess – Meenakshi
भजरॆ – worship
रॆ – oh
मानस – mind
मदन – Cupid /Manmadhan
जन्कादि – father
गुरुगुह – pen name of Dikshitar
सॆवित – serving
अनुपल्लवि
मधुरापुरि – Madurai City
निवासिनि – resident
धनिन्म् – giver of (prosperity)
मनुकुबॆरादि – मनु कुबेर, अदि – Manu, Kubera and others
मनॊल्लासिनीम् – मन उलासिनीम् – Hearts, delight
चरणं
मतःण्ग – Sage Matanga
तनयाम् – daughter
मधुकरवॆणीम् – मधुकर वेणीम् – bee braid (black braid)
माधवाद्यभयवर – माधव अधि अभय वर – Vishnu, others, fearlessness, boon
प्रदायिनीम् – giver
मध्यम काल साहित्यम्
भक्त – devotees
विश्वासिनीम् – trusted one
सुवासिनीम् – auspicious one/married woman
श्रिस्तवराजनुति- श्रिस्तवराज नुति – Sristhavaraja, praise
प्रसादिनीम् – delighted/pleased
Today is the remembrance day of the legendary nightingale of music, Smt.MS Subbulakshmi. Here is my tribute in Tamil
இசை என்றால், திசை தெரிக்க ஓடுவேன்
இசை என்றால், வீசை விலை என்ன எனக் கேட்பேன் – இன்றோ
இசை இல்லை என்றால், மிசை இறங்க வில்லை
இசை என்றால் இனிமைமிகு வாழ்வு என்றேன்
இதற்கு எல்லாம் முதற்கன் நன்றி எம்எஸ் அவர்க்கே
எதற்கு என்று கேளாமல் என் காதில் விழுந்த சுப்ரபாதம்
காரணம் கேட்டு வாடி சகியே என காதில் உரைத்து
கண்டதுண்டோ கண்ணன் போல் என கவிபாடி
பெற்ற தாய்தனை மக மறந்தாலும் உற்றதேகத்தை உயிர் மறந்தாலும்
நற்றவத்தவர் உள் ஓங்கும் நமச்சிவாயத்தை மறவாதே என
நாம் வாழ நயமிகு வழிகள்தனை திருவாயால் அளித்த
நாராயனனின் நல்லாசி பெற்ற நமது இசை அன்னை எம்எஸ்க்கு
இசையில், இல்லாத என்று ஒன்றில்லை எல்லாமே நீ என கூறி
திசை எங்கும் உறையும் திருமாலின் நீ உரைத்த சகஸ்ரநாமம்தனை
தினம் உரைக்கும் யான் இன்று, மனம் நெகிழ்ந்து அளித்தேன்
உனக்கு காணிக்கையாய், ஏற்றிடுவாய் என் இசை அன்னையே
Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. In India, from time immemorial, people hung green mango, neem leaves over their doors and windows on every occasion with the faith and belief that such an act will bring in auspiciousness, good vibes and keep away ill feelings and hatred. This became a part of their way of living and practiced even today.
Now let us refresh our memory on the tradition of setting up Christmas tree. Here is an extract from https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas-trees
“Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce. It is a widely held belief that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. Walking toward his home one winter evening, composing a sermon, he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens. To recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles. Most 19th-century Americans found Christmas trees an oddity. The first record of one being on display was in the 1830s by the German settlers of Pennsylvania, although trees had been a tradition in many German homes much earlier……”
With the advent of technology, in modern days we see see plastics, glasses, electrical gadgets taking over the decorating roles.
The fact remains that setting up the tree and decorating it (lighting up as per today’s norm) is a joyous occasion for the family. Here are some pictures of the Christmas Tree at our home.
Here is wishing everyone Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
Atma Shatakam known as Nirvana Shatakam written by Adi Sankaracharya is the core of the Advaita (Non duality) philosophy. My earlier blogs on this, provided the meanjng of the Sanskrit words and the translations in Tamil. Here is a consolidation of the same in a video form.
“Now that all green leaves are shed, time to get some fashion winter clothing. White is my preferred color says the tree”.
Prabhu's Ponder 