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Thread: Subramanya Bharati: The Bhakta par excellence - 1

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    Light Subramanya Bharati: The Bhakta par excellence - 1

    Bharati was primarily a Shakti upAsaka (devotee of Shakti). He considered himself as a child of Parashakti, whose manifestation was Bharata Mata. Like sage Sri Ramakrishna, Bharati experienced the bliss of the Goddess and went into poetic trance when he wrote about Parashakti and her divine manifestations. It was Parashakti who granted him the boon of an Asukavi, a poet who sang impromptu. He was also known as a varakavi, a poet who had the blessings of God.

    Bharati's bhakti songs are always focussed on liberation. He often surprises by mixing the wordly and the transcendent. His prayers are for the welfare of the people of Bharat, their liberation from the foreign yoke and their ultimate self realization. As for himself, all he wanted from the deities was a life of uninterrupted poetic flow.

    1. A Garland in Four Metrics for Vinayaka
    vinayakar nAN maNi mAlai

    Stringing the four metrics of Tamil poetry -- veNba, kaliturai, viruttam and akaval -- Bharati sings the praise of Lord Ganesha in 40 stanzas. A sample from this garland:

    Karpaga vinAyaka namaH!
    chit-para-mouna Deva namaH! (the silent God of Original Bliss)
    Victory to the lotus feet of the Elephant Face!
    Victory to the blissful feet of the Vedic Face!
    God of Creation, Lord of ragAs,
    Indra Guru, will shine in my heart.
    Chandramouli's son Ganapati's feet
    We will keep in our thoughts.
    His qualities are many, listen as I speak to you! 4

    The inner ear opens; the inner eye shines;
    The fire appears; the vIryam (virility) strengthens;
    Can conquer every corner and plant the victory flag;
    Can take the snake in hand,
    treating poison, pain, rancor as dust
    and growing daily in life.
    Fear vanishes, Nectar crops up;
    Vidya grows, Yajna raises;
    Godliness here and now, realize! 5

    The boons I require of you Ganapati,
    I sing here, which please listen!
    With no wavering in the mind,
    with no darkness in the intellect,
    whenever I wish, I should get
    your silent, samadhi status;
    Grant me also weighty wealth*
    and a hundred years of life! 7

    [*Bharati wants a spiritual mind and intellect, and weighty wealth in the same breath! His life was mostly steeped in utter poverty, with no idea of what to do for the next meal, until his Goddess, at the very last moment, sent him help through a friend or admirer. And he would happily share the meal he got thus, with everyone around him, including the birds and animals! So the desire for immense wealth is to satisfy the needs of his family, and his desire of giving it to others, so he could be free to pursue his poetic flow without hinderance.]

    The dharma is to control oneself,
    ease others' sufferings, want others' welfare,
    and praise the One that manifests Itself
    as Vinakaya deva, Vel-holding Kumara,
    Narayana, the One with the River-borne tresses,
    and what the residents of other countries name,
    Allah, Jehova, and such forms of Love,
    the Goddess of Wealth, Bharati, Uma Devi.
    These four are the dharma of life for everyone;
    its fruits are four: dharma, artha, kama, moksha.
    Grant me the skill to rule myself,
    ManakkuLa Vinayaka! The Head of Heavenly Vedas!
    If I get the skill to rule myself,
    all other fruits will follow.
    Grant me a steady heart Ganapati Deva,
    so I shall live a happy life
    with the only work of surrender to your feet
    and pray for happiness of all that lives. 8

    Hard to define, rare to grab,
    the heavenly Thing that spreads as many lives,
    the innate Life that guards the world,
    Shakti that is self-resplendent,
    Shakti kumaran and Chandramouli,
    bow to Its form with bhakti bhava,
    with the core of Aum upright in mind,
    trained in Tantra that guards my shakti,
    humble to all, mightier than any,
    loved by all, pleasing to any,
    I wanted to live. O my Mind!
    If you regard this deeply,
    probing again and again,
    simmering and filtering,
    and then to teach what is found,
    getting trained to attain siddhi,
    if you help me with what you can,
    I shall erect a shrine of gold for you!
    O my Mind! You need to let me live such life,
    so don't move through the rut;
    Sing the praise of Shakti Kumaran! 12

    Our job is kavita (poetry), serving the nation,
    and be never tiring for a moment -- Uma's dear
    son Gana Nathan will take care of our progeny!
    So my Mind, go about these three tasks. 25

    I dared to speak about the unspeakable,
    I dared to ask for boons never asked for.
    The people on this earth, birds,
    beasts, creatures, grasses and roots, trees,
    Let all these by my act, relieved of distress,
    be unified in a life of happy togetherness,
    and this you grant me Deva Deva!
    Standing amidst the JnanAkAsa (the sky of knowledge),
    I should proclaim, "Let love and patientce rule the world;
    Let distress, bondage, discease and death all be gone!"
    And You would get this into your holy ears,
    and say with compassion for me, "Let it be so!"
    Grant me this boon this day at this time
    Adi Mula, Shakti Kumara, Chandra Mouli!
    The Eternal Thing I bow to your feet. 32

    Do tapas, do tapas, my Mind! If you do it,
    You get what you aim for. -- But then
    there is no tapas greater than love.
    Those who has love are happy by nature. 37

    Hail the Fate! Hail Vinayaka!
    Hail the Pathi (Lord)! Hail Parama!
    Adore the God who removes decadence!
    Adore the Goodness that shows a new way!
    Adore the Lord that grows your knowledge!
    Adore the root Shakti that turns into
    iccha, kriya and jnana! (will, deed and knowledge)
    Hail the Lord with the crescent moon!
    Hail the Blemishlessness that fills with fullness!
    Hail the Transcendent past the three Times!
    Hail Shakti Devi and bow to her!
    Hail Victory! Hail Valor!
    Hail Bhakti! Hail for all times,
    the Truth! Hail the Drive!
    The way to Devas is only through
    good qualities, O my people of the world!
    To flawlessly erect the krita yuga,
    I have taken a vrata (a vow).
    Hail the pair of feet of the victory-giver,
    the resplendent Lord Vinayaka! 40

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    Re: Subramanya Bharati: The Bhakta par excellence - 1

    Today (11th Dec) is the 125th birthday of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharati.

    Sri Krishna is popularly known as KaNNan in Tamil. Bharati was a bhakta of Sri Krishna. He composed a poetic drama called Paanchaali Sabadam (The Vow of Paanchaali) based on the gambling episodes of Mahabharata.

    Bharati worshipped KaNNan in many bhavas: as a friend, mother, father, servant, king, disciple, satguru, child, lover and husband. A unique feature of his bhakti was that he envisioned KaNNan in female form as KaNNamma and worshipped her in many of these bhavas.

    The following song was adopted with great success for the Tamil film MaNamagal (The Bride) whose chief role was played by the great film artiste Padmini. That this song, sung by Smt. M.L. Vasanta Kumari and Sri Sundaram is everyone's favourite even today, speaks of its popularity. The English translation is molded to fit to the popular tune. The three stanzas that were not adopted for the film song are given at the end.

    02. Kannamma, My Child

    Such a little parakeet -- Kannamma!
    So much a heap of wealth!
    Lessening my sorrows -- in this world
    you came to elevate us! 1

    A child, who is a fruit -- Kannamma!
    The golden portrait that talks!
    To take up and embrace -- before me
    toddle O my honey! 2

    As you come racing -- Kannamma!
    My heart becomes composed!
    As I see you dance and play -- my soul
    embraces you! 3

    When I sniff your top -- my pride
    grows taller than before!
    If people applaud -- and praise you
    My frame, it vibrates! 4

    When I kiss you on cheeks -- my heart
    goes mad as if it's drunk;
    When I embrace you -- Kannamma!
    I go so crazy! 5

    Tears if they flow from your eyes -- in my heart
    it gushes as streams of blood!
    Aren't you the pupil of my eye -- Kannamma!
    My life isn't it yours! 7

    If your face turns a bit red -- my mind
    becomes a lot confused;
    If I see your front to crease -- my heart
    is in distress! 6

    Lisping and talking -- Kannamma!
    you dissolve my sorrows!
    With jasmine-like laughter -- my
    malice you vanquish! 8

    All the refreshing tales -- like you
    will the pages recount to me?
    In exuding love -- is there a
    god that is a match to you? 9


    03. A Wholesome Veena

    Make a wholesome veena -- and
    throw it to rot in the dust?
    Tell me, Shivashakti! -- me
    you have created, with flaming intellect;
    won't you give me the strength, for
    this world to live a useful life?
    Tell me, Shivashakti! -- make me
    live as a burden to this land? 1

    Like a ball thrown with force -- I asked for
    a body that goes with the mind;
    I asked for a desire-free mind -- and a soul
    that is fresh and shining every day;
    Even if the flesh is on fire -- a mind
    that sings of Shivashakti I asked for;
    A firm intellect I asked for,
    have you any hurdles to grant me these? 2


    04. A Supplication to Mahashakti

    Kill my lust -- or stop my breath;
    Down my body -- or slay the mind;
    Keep me in yoga -- or hash this meat;
    You who stay as One and do the Many! 1

    Tear away my ties -- or remove this burden of life;
    Clear up my thoughts -- or make this a corpse;
    Will I remain, thinking these chaff as everything?
    You who is immanent and active in everything.

    Won't my mind be calm? -- won't the lies, pride and deformity be lost?
    Won't this culm melt? -- Mother! won't the tears of bhakti gush?
    In that flood, won't this dog quench its thirst a bit?
    You who can't be described -- and immanent in everything!


    05. Praying to the Mother

    The thought should get achieved;
    Only good should be thought;
    A firm heart should be there;
    A clear intellect should be there;
    All the sins done here,
    like the snow before the sun,
    while standing before you,
    should dissolve and be gone, Mother!


    06. Song to Kaali

    You became everything, Kaali -- and filled everywhere;
    Good and bad aren't, Kaali -- all a divine sport?
    You became the five elements, Kaali -- and the five senses;
    You became the knowledge, Kaali -- transcending the senses; 1

    You've become the bliss, Kaali -- and entered me!
    Hence without you, Kaali -- will there be I?
    You've given me love, Kaali -- and virility,
    You've removed my sorrows -- and dissolved my worries. 2

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