Love And Memory

When memory starts to fade and heart stops to ache,

One feels like a traitor in love.

But God’s grace is as such,

That path of life moves against every bane.

 Random Thought 65

Religion, that you follow 

Is part of your known identity.

But your true religion is

To realize your unknown identity.

Random Thought 66

Sometime I think, for heart full of love,

The dividing line of time and distance are not absolute.

In one's soul that is no bigger than a thumb,

Merging of all is possible.

Note: No bigger than a thumb is a phrase used in Upanishad. It used to express souls's pervasiveness from minute to vast.

Savita Tyagi

Contemplations on OUM ( Part 2)

Below are the two verses from Chandogya Upanishad’s first chapter that became the source of my inspiration for writing my contemplations on OUM and learning more and more through connected topics of music art and literature.

Chandogya Upanishad - Chapter 1- verse 1&2

ओमित्येतदक्षरमुद्गीथमुपासीत । ओमिति ह्युद्गायति तस्योपव्याख्यानम् ॥ १.१.१ ॥

Transliteration:

omityetadakṣaramudgīthamupāsīta | omiti hyudgāyati tasyopavyākhyānam || 1.1.1 ||

Word-for-word explanation:

Om iti, this Om, etat akṣaram udgītham upāsīta, imperishable, uplifting is to be meditated upon. hi om iti udgāyati, with Om singer ( starts Udgitha). tasya upavyākhyānam, this is being explained.

Udgitha- Part of Sama songs are called Udgitha.

Verse 1.1.2.

एषां भूतानां पृथिवी रसः पृथिव्या अपो रसः । अपामोषधयो रस ओषधीनां पुरुषो रसः पुरुषस्य वाग्रसो वाच ऋग्रस ऋचः साम रसः साम्न उद्गीथो रसः ॥ १.१.२ ॥

Transliteration:

eṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ pṛthivī rasaḥ pṛthivyā apo rasaḥ | apāmoṣadhayo rasa oṣadhīnāṃ puruṣo rasaḥ puruṣasya vāgraso vāca ṛgrasa ṛcaḥ sāma rasaḥ sāmna udgītho rasaḥ || 1.1.2 ||

2. The earth is the essence of all things, living or non-living; water is the essence of the earth; plants are the essence of water; human beings are the essence of plants; speech is the essence of human beings; the Ṛg Veda is the essence of speech; the Sāma Veda is the essence of the Ṛg Veda; and the udghītha is the essence of the Sāma Veda.

Word-for-word explanation:

Eṣām bhūtānām, of these beings; pṛthivī rasaḥ, the earth is the essence; pṛthivyāḥ, of the earth; āpaḥ, water; rasaḥ, is the essence; apām oṣadhayaḥ rasaḥ, plants are the essence of water; oṣadhīnām puruṣaḥ rasaḥ, human beings are the essence of plants; puruṣasya vāk rasaḥ, speech is the essence of human beings; vācaḥ ṛg rasaḥ, the Ṛg Veda is the essence of speech; ṛcaḥ sāma rasaḥ, the Sāma Veda is the essence of the Ṛg Veda; sāmnaḥ udgīthaḥ rasaḥ, the part known as udgītha is the essence of the Sāma Veda.

Savita Tyagi

Contemplations on OUM

Part 1

For some time I have been reading the Chandogya Upanishad. Its simple stories contain the wealth of spiritual wisdom. With some concentrated effort and meditation they become very effective and uplifting in not only bringing about spiritual revelations but also the aesthetic pleasures associated with these beautiful verses. Going deeper in our thoughts with the series of essences expressed in these verses is the kind of Upāsanā or meditation is what I think is recommended when we read these ancient stories.

After reading half way through I decided to go back to first two verses dealing with OUM. To my surprise there was so much I had overlooked earlier. The more I understood the more I was able to appreciate this simple and magnificent three letter word.

The first verse describes the word OUM as the divine symbol of Supreme reality.

The second verse describes it as the essence of manifested world and how this symbol has its supreme place in the process of creation.

I read the two verses again and again. My attention was drawn to four Sanskrit words. Learning about these four Sanskrit words took a whole new direction in understanding and appreciating what the word OUM and meditating upon it really means.

Some contemplation and research opened my understanding and I was able to derive much more pleasure from these verses.

The four Sanskrit words:

1- Udgitha- The song that uplifts you. Part of Sama Veda songs are called Udgitha. These songs are considered of highest spiritual essence, that brings one closer to the divine.

2- Udgāyati is the singer of songs.

3- Upāsanā- Though Upāsanā is translated as meditation, it is much more comprehensive in its nature. It is prayer, meditation and growing mental identification with the object of your adoration. An object that helps you develop your emotions of love and beauty. To be able to appreciate the sublime and aesthetic aspect of life improves and affects one’s external quality of life.

4- Rasa is translated as the Taste or the Essence of any object.

Rasa can best be understood as aesthetic pleasure, brought about by some external objects. In spiritual singing, in religious rituals and also in music, dance, drama etc. these Rasa bring aesthetic pleasure.

There are eight basic Rasa. The 9th Rasa Shanti was added to make Nauras (nine Rasa)

Each Rasa evokes a different emotion.

Rasa refers to the emotional undertones or essence that the author has infused into the work and that is enjoyed by the “sensitive spectator” or sahidaya, literally one “with heart,” who can relate to the work emotionally and without being detached from it.

Three stages in experiencing the Rasa:

1- Gati- movement of an emotion created by laya (rhythm)

2- Parāyan- Continuous upholding of that movement. Sometime by internal japa or external reading and chanting.

3- Avasthamba- Establishing or merging oneself completely in that emotion to derive aesthetic and spiritual pleasure.

Next time when you chant the word OUM think and contemplate of all these things. Or if you sit in Pooja adoring and anointing your favorite Murti of Bhagvanji, or in the world outside, admiring a flower, a raindrop, a soft breeze, the mountain snow or the ocean waves, think of their underlying spiritual essence and aesthetic beauty that make your life beautiful.

Savita Tyagi

Longings

Wandering among the clouds 

O! My love do you look down 

To earth with a fondness?

Do you feel a longing for life,

For it’s rich tapestry of limitless shades

Available only to earth’s inhabitants?

Moving around the vast expanse of cosmic planes

Do you miss your small home?

Filled with your laughter once it was.

A place for love and joy to share.

Here we bore the burdens of living- 

Our little sanctuary of healing.

Your shadowy presence is still all around.

I suppose the open skies charm your

Wandering spirit. 

But when the darkness falls upon infinite,

And moon and stars cuddle you in icy silence,

Does your heart long for a warm earthly hug?

“Heaven’s touch fulfills but cancels not our earth.”

Savita Tyagi

May 11th 2024

Note: the quote is from Sri Aurobindo’s book Savitri.