Time Passes !

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

Dear Raama BhakthAs :

 

SrI Raama Navami is fast approaching . As a moderator of

Raama Bhakthi List , I have not focused much on this list lately .

To make amends , I will start afresh and post a few articles on

the significance of Raama Bhakthi during this SrI Raama

Navami season .

 

Today , we will study the Todi Raaga Keerthanam of ThyAgarAja

Swamigal : " PrOdhdhu poyyEnu SrI Raamuni " , where time wasted

in this short life without praying to Raama and developing Bhakthi

towards Him is condemned .

 

ThyAga Brahmam gives in excruciating detail the wasteful

and purposeless activities that people are engage in and

how they fill their time without displaying devotion to

Lord Raamachandra"s sacred feet for gaining their redemption .

 

This is one of the Maanasa SambhOdhana Keerthanam , where

the Saint of ThiruvayyARu has a conversation with his mind .

 

The Poet-Saint gives a full account of the wasted lives led by

the unfortunate ones without bringing Raama and Bhakthi towards

Him in to their lives .There is a tone of nirvEdham (despondency )

in his analysis.There is a certain amount of NaiccyAnusandhAnam

( self-depreciation and listing of one's faults) .

 

ThyAga Brahmam's emphasis is the need for developing

Nithya-anithya VivEkam ( development of the discerning power

to separate the enduring values from the transient and evanescent

ones) and VairAgyam ( development of freedom to push aside

the natural inclination to go after material and sensory pleasures).

 

He condemns Nara sthuthi ( praising of the rich and powerful for

selfish gains , seeking material and sensory pleasures ) . He deplores

the mindless pursuit of material and sensory pleasures in this krithi.

ThyAga Brahmam instructs these deluded souls about "ParamArtha

Prasamsaa" ( celebration of Spiritual values sanctioned by SaasthrAs) .

 

Pallavi:

 

prOdhdhu pOyyenu SrIraamamuni

Bhuni bhajimpavE manasA

 

(Meaning ): Oh My Mind ! Time is fleeting . " The tide of life

is ebbing way ". Hurry up and seek in earnest Lord RaamachandrA's

sacred feet before it is too late .

 

Anupallavi :

 

NidhdhurachEta kOnnALLu vishaya

budhhdhulachEta kOnnALLu , Oh ManasA

 

(meaning ): Oh My mind ! a significant portion of life

is lost in sleep( nidhrai). Additional portion is spent away/lost

in chasing after sensual pleasures .

 

There are three long CharaNams in this krithi . Let us take them

one at a time:

 

CharaNam 1:

 

prOdhadhuna lEchi thritApamulanu narula

Bhogadi pogadi kOnnALLu patti

yEdhureethi kannathaavula bhujiyimchi

yEmi teliyaka kOnnaaLLu

mudhdhuga thOchu bhavasaagaramuna

munigi teluchu kOnnALLu

padadhumAlina pAmara janulathO vErri

paluku lADuchu kOnnALLu Oh manasaa !

 

Oh My MInd! A significant portion of the life is lost (spent away)

in flattering vain and utterly worthless persons from dawn to dusk.

Propelled to engage in these acts of praising these vainglorious

people known for their three taapams ( Aadhythmikam , Aadhibouthikam

and Aadhi-dhaivikam ) , significant portion of time is chistled away

from dawn to dusk. Some significant protion of time is spent in

devouring any food like a gluttonous bull , any where in a state of stupor .

Tossed around by the seductive waves of the ocean of SamsAra ,

one sinks to the bototm and then rises to the surface . Thus goes away

a portion of the time in this type of struggle . Additional time is spent

worthlessly in gossipping nonsense with the riff raff of scociety .

Oh my mind! Life is fleeting . Hurry up and use Your time to prostrate

before Raamaa and pray to Him for Your upliftment !

 

We will study the 2nd and the 3rd charaNams in the next posting and

compare the thoughts expressed in this krithi with those articulated by

the Saint in his other krithis.

 

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

 

(To be continued)