Namasthe- Njanappaana 17

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Njanappaana 17Suralokathil ninnoru jeevan poi Naraloke maheesuranaakunnuChandakarmangal cheythavan chaakumbol 

Chandaala kulathinkal pirakkunnuAsuranmaar suranmarayeetunnu Amaranmaar marangal aayeetunnu

Ajam chathu gajamai pirakkunnu Gajam chathangajavum aayeedunnuNari chathu naranai pirakkunnu 

Naari chathutan oriyai pokunnuKripa koodaathe peedippicheetunna Nripan chathu krimiyaai pirakkunnu

Eacha chathoru poocha yayeetunnu Easwarante vilaasangalinganeA jeevan or soul from heaven or land of Devaas (suralokatthil ninnoru jeevan) is born as a Brahmin on earth (naralokatthil maheesuranaakunnu). People who do extremely cruel actions becomes " chandaala " or a member of a despised caste. Demons or Asuraas become Suraas or Devaas. People who are eternal or immortal or deathless (amaranmaar) are born as trees (marangal aayeetunnu) . A goat (ajam) is born as an elephant (gajam) and vice versa. A tiger (nari) after death is born as a human being (naran) and a  woman (naari) is born as a fox (oriyaai). A king who mercilessly tortures (kripa kootaathe peedippicchitunna) his citizens takes birth as a worm (krimi). A fly is reborn as a cat and all these are Bhagavaan's leelavilasam or playful divine drama.

After death, to experience the results of the residual karmaas, jeevan takes birth in appropriate womb. The passage of a soul from body to body is determined by the force of one's actions, or karma. If an individual performs good deeds, the next birth will be rewarding, and if not, the person may degenerate into a lower life form. In the above lines, Poonthaanam shows several examples of the effect of karmaas on the soul when it is separated from the body after death. A jeevan from heaven comes to earth to experience the results of his residual negative karmaas. Likewise after experiencing negative results by taking birth as beings in several thousands of species, finally a tiger, for example,  gets the life of a human being. Humans bestowed with the power of " wise discrimination " along with the grace of God,  can perform good karmaas and advance spiritually. But when a human being resorts to unkind, hurtful, and negative actions, he will again be pushed back to be born in lower life form like a worm. Poonthaanam says:  A king who mercilessly tortures (kripa kootaathe peedippicchitunna) his citizens takes birth as a worm (krimi). 

There are several examples in our puraanaas to illustrate this law of karma. A good example of how an " amara " or immortal being becomes a " maram " or tree is the story of Nalakoobara and Manigriva who were the sons of Kubera, the lord of Yakshaas or the Lord of wealth. Once Nalakoobara and Manigriva were enjoying themselves playing in a lake with women. They were intoxicated and oblivious of everything around them. Sage Narada passed by the lake during this time and the ashamed ladies immediately covered their body with clothes and showed their respect to Narada with folded hands. But both Nalakoobara and Manigriva, intoxicated with pride and drinks ignored Narada Muni. Narda Muni cursed them to become " maruthu trees " . They had to remain as trees for a very long time until Krishna as Damodara came out of Gokulam and touched them with the wooden mortar.

Another example is the story of Gajendramoksham. King Indradyumana was born as a " divine elephant " . I am quoting below the words of our own respected S.N Sastriji (from the Naaraayneeyam commentary) : " The njana and devotion which he (King Indradyumnan who became an elephant by sage Agasthya's curse) had acquired in his previous life came back to him under the stress of the suffering caused by the attack of the crocodile. He then worshipped Thee with lotus flowers plucked by his trunk, while singing continuously a great hymn addressed to the Nirguna brahmam which he had learnt in his previous life. " Even though King Indradyumna had to be born as an elephant, his residual good karmaas led him to salvation. (Also the crocodile was Huhu, a gandharvan in the previous janma.)

As a " Bhoktha " , the experiencer, one does not have the freedom of choice in experiencing the results of accumulated bad karmaas. (Bhagavaan and His naamam are the only solution to lessen or erase our suffering due to accumulated bad karmaas). But as a " Kartha " or doer, one has freedom of choice to some extent. If we have a lighted lamp, we can use it to read and enjoy a book or use it to burn and destroy the book. We have the choice to draw the life circle with Bhagavaan and His naamam as the center and kindness and love as radius of the circle. Also we can draw the life circle with " I " and " mine " as center and a combination of  kaama,krodha,,lobha moha,mada,maasthryaadi  negative qualities as radius of the circle

Poonthaanam advises us to use the lighted lamp inside us, lit by the Light of Lights, to walk through the path of Bhakthi and Naamasankeerthanam. Let us sing Bhagavaan's naamam along with Shri Poonthaanam and millions of devotees. 

Krishna! Krishna! Mukunda! Janaardana!Krushna! Govinda! Naaraayna! Hare!Achyuthaananda! Govinda! Maadhava!Sachidaananda! Naaraayana! hare!Samasthaaparaadham kshamaswa

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