Within a watery bed of peace

An untouched world
So far away
In silent watery peace
Does the Lord reside
In constant meditation
The only sound heard – OM

The peace unreachable
The greenery untouched
The sound of crystal clear water
In constant bath
Draped in the ripples of life
Shimmering in the sunlight

Who carved these stones
These sacred emblems
Or did they rise out of the rock alone
Power in the air, purity in the water
Devotion in anyone’s mind
Whoever comes near

Far away from the madness called life
Far away from all the noise
In the lap of velvet green
As silvery waters flow
Cold and pure, waking up the soul
Revealing to mankind secrets unknown

Is it only for the pure hearted
The divine in His realm displays
The joys of peace and tranquility
The wonder called life unfolds
Its beauty within now touched now felt
An experience unknown, and yet so close

The cool crystal waters flow
Washing my feet, washing my soul
As I look on to see in rows
Sacred emblems lined up in stone
A vast ocean so sacred
Lies ahead untouched, unknown

The depth of faith is so strong
The world of emotions so true
The pinnacle of love felt in every drop
That flows this sacred land
Washing you in all your splendor
Bathing you in constant meditation

The water so cool and crystal clear
Purity in melted snow
Fresh, reviving, energy giving
Life giving water freely flowing
Washing away all fears
A silent mind rests in peace.

Ammavasai: Notes in the dark

The night sets in
The clouds clear
The ocean of stars
Display their grandeur.

The moon shies away
Hides within her dark veil
Leaving silence to drape
The earth below

Peace in world
A silent universe
Not a drop of light
In the space around

A moonless night
The sea calm
The wind low
The trees silent

The sound of bells
A musical note
The glowing horns
Of a gentle bull

The earth moves
The tremors felt
The bull breathes out
The basic words

The words flow in silent stream
The vibrations felt
The air holds
Feelings unsaid

The sound of water
Trickling down
The hymns pierce the darkness
The Lord bathes in milk

The ocean of purity
Fills again
Life giving water
Covers the Lord

The sounds reverberate
The Rudram rolls
The earth rumbles
The energy unfolds

The words flow out
A cloak of letters
Like droplets dance
Over His shimmering Self

The milk of knowledge
Rolls out to all
Life that we don’t know of
Killing fear within

A drumbeat heard
The cowbells roll
The mridangam resounds
In the darkness

The sound of ghunguru
Sweet sounds rise
The air moves
And the dance unfolds

A world in the dark
Refreshingly new
The Lord awakens
To protect our souls

The beat rises
The heart pounds
The sea recedes
The sand shakes

The wind challenged
The waves crash
The foam rises
The Lord descends

The power of life
The energy within
Unfolds and floods the heart
That pounds in the dark

The sun and moon
In His eyes they shine
The black waves sway
Cutting through the air

The music rolls
The Rudram recited
The drums beats rise
The wind is covered in sound

The Lord dances on
His feet he raises
A blessing that says
Fear not the darkness now!

Narasimha - From twilight to enlightenment

Shrimad akalanka paripurna shashikoti |
shridhara manohara satapatakanta ||
palaya kupalaya bhavambudhi nimagnam |
daityavarakala narasimha narasimha ||

Into the sea of black, the dark universe came to light. Brought by the death of Hiranyakashipu, the great demon slain by the Lord Narasimha Himself. Such was his form; fiery are his eyes, so terrific that the demon succumbed to Him in the twilight. There He immerses Himself into the Ocean of Knowledge, the ocean of destruction, the end of all evil.

Protector of the people, killer of the demons of the mind, Brahma reveals the power of Lord Narasimha in his Bija, in His mantra Kavacha. A kavacha that protects the body and the mind from evil. The pearls of wisdom locked in every word that falls in a garland of letters on every part of the body worshipped by the Bhakta.

"O Lord Nrisimha, the consort of Goddess Sri, the goddess of fortune. You are the death of the greatest demon. I am sinking into the ocean of birth and death, O Kripalaya, the treasurer of all mercy, please protect me.

You ripped apart the great demon with your nails. The blood that poured forth wet your heart turning it red like it was smeared with fresh Kumkum. O Lord Nrisimha, You are the shelter for all including Kamala, the goddess of fortune."

Within this wilderness of sound and sacred letters we hear yet another kind of mantra

Devah samastah khalu gopi mukhyaha |
gandharva vidyadhara kinnarash cha ||
yat pada-mulam satatam namanti |
tam narasimham sharanam gato shmi ||

"I have taken shelter of Lord Nrsimha unto whose lotus feet celestials, yogis, gandharvas, vidyadharas and kinnaras, are constantly offering their obeisances."

A part of 5 verses called the Panchamrita, it reflects the adoration of Lord Narasimha by attributing various names to him and by describing the various celestial beings who shower flowers and sing His praise.

This particular verse reflects the celestial beings like Gandharvas, vidhyadharas and kinnaras. The richness of our mythologies is reflected in dance, music, sculpture and literature. The depths of mythology are revealed in various forms of expression, those which will fit anybody's sense of aesthetics.

On the one end it clearly reflects the beauty of human emotion, the reflection of the soul, of Bhakti in the heart of the aspirant who sings in praise of the Lord Narasimha.

On the other hand, it makes me really wonder whether we are missing an entire section of reality purely based on our inadequacy to understand the "real world" around us. With such rich knowledge and explanation, such various forms of expression there was definitely a lot more to this sacred science.

There was a time when a prince waited for the sweet words of love to fall to him, to know his dear lady loved him well. And out of thin air appeared sweet pearls of love, inscribed in beetle leaf and touched his heart as an Apsara flew the skies above.

A snake hooded flower - Nagalinga flower

Click the photo to see larger view

Nature has its ways of bringing the Lord to us. Simple forms that bloom into flowers and seem to depict one of the most sacred forms known to us. The "Nagalingapoo" or Naga Linga flower is one such flower that brings the beauty of the Lord right before us.

They say the beauty of the Lord lies within a lotus, a thousand petaled lotus. Blooming out, holding the Linga within itself, sheltered deep inside housed by the flower that seems to cover it like a serpent, a multi hooded serpent.

Glowing with beauty
a flower speaks out
in the middle of the forest
God's own creation

Small wonders blooming around
singing away in the sunlight
a creation so unique
passes away unnoticed

A gigantic tree
with deeper roots
holding out delicate flowers
for the world to see

Behold this beauty
shining pink
within a pond of fragrance
filling the air

Joyous birds chirp
amidst her branches
holding out in full bloom
telling the world

The Lord appears
in various forms
some so simple
just don't look beyond

The Lord resides
in the hearts of all
displaying His beauty
through a simple flower!

The serpent king guards
in graceful curve
the very Lord Himself
Enclosed in a universal whole

Five petals hold
Love for the Lord
potent seeds with divine sound
Forever singing His praise.



















Photo courtesy for the first picture: Yan Manarsar (yan)

Part3 - Through the eyes of Goddess Kamakshi

The goddess who brings out Lord Shiva's more subdued quiet side is Kamakshi Amman, residing within her kumkum-smeared chamber seems to have the supreme power that brings to light the pleasant nature of the Lord.

Kamakshi Amman, with the moon on her crown, silently resides in her chamber, warm, pleasant and ever loving. She appears to be far away but is closest to the Lord at Kailasa. Another form of Parvati herself, Kamakshi Amman is exuberant, taking on various forms, Kali being one of them. In the silent chamber she stays, the Lord is heard in her heartbeat.

Within the walls of a temple
The silent mother stands
Dressed in all her finery
Glowing from within
She blesses the world

The crescent moon glows
On her crown across her brow
Like twinkling stars they shine
The jewelery on her glow
O mother sweet mother of mine

Within the icy abode
Of mount Kailasa she resides
The consort of the Lord
Forever on his side
Watching the world go by

The darkness of the night they kill
The crescent moon shines forth
The snake dances with a jeweled crown
The only light to behold
A loving game of dice

The ganas dance, nandi looks on
Kamakshi Amman rolls the dice of love
Sweetness from her hands it flows
Music to my ears
A coy smile, a giggle here

She brings his wild self down
She embraces him close
Forever they stay knotted in love
The sun and moon descend
Into the ocean of love below