Namasthe- Njanappaana 32

[Guest guest]

Njanappaana 32Ethra janmam prayaasappettikkaalam Athra vannu pirannu sukruthathaalEthra janmam malathil kazhinjathum Ethra janmam jalathil kazhinjathum

Ethra janmangal mannil kazhinjathum Ethra janmam marangalai ninnathumEthra janmam marichu nadannathum Ethra janmam parannu natannathumEthra janmam mrugangal pashukkalai  

Marthya janmathin mumbe kazhichu naamHow many previous lives (Ethra janmam) we struggled  (prayaasappettittu) to be born in this time(ikkaalam) and because of the good deeds done in the past ((sukruthangal) we are born here (athravannu pirannu). How many lives we would have spent in human and animal excretions, how many lives we would have spent in water (line three and four), how many lives we would have spent in mud, how many lives we would have spent as trees (lines five and six), how many times we died, how many lives we would have spent flying in the sky as a bird (lines seven and eight), how many lives we would have spent as cows and other animals before we took birth as a human being (lines nine and ten)?

The word " ikkaalam " or " this time " refers to Kaliyuga and word " athra " indicates Bhaaratham. First line says that only after several lives of suffering and struggle one gets the opportunity to be born in this Kaliyuga. Birth in Kaliyuga is considered to be very near " Moksha praapthi "  or getting salvation because even the mere chanting of naamam leads us to moksham. Poet also says that only  good deeds performed in the past make one eligible to be born in Bhaaratham. Even the inhabitants of heaven want to be born  in Kaliyuga Bhaaratha so that they can free themselves from the repeated cycle of birth and death by performing " Nishkaama Karma " or karmaas with renunciation of results. Results of the accumulated  good karmaas and bad karmaas that can be experienced by the subtle body are experienced in heavens and hells respectively. So, to take birth in Bhaaratha, one should have accumulated some good deeds in the previous janmaas, results of  which can only be experienced by a  human body born in Bhaaratha. So poet says that it is a very unique opportunity to get a life in Kaliyuga in Bhaaratha.

Before getting here, we do not know how many lives we lived as amoebas, worms and small insects in animal and human excretions. After that we may have promoted to the state of inhabitants of water. Even there, as a small fish we would have lived with fear of larger fishes. Then we might have spent miserable lives in mud in constant fear of being consumed by birds and other larger and cruel animals. Afterwards, we might have spent lives as trees suffering rain and shine and heat and cold. How many times our subtle body would have experienced the time lapse between one death and next birth? That time might have been filled with horrifying experiences in the hell owing to the sins committed. Who knows how many lives we would have spent as animals knowing nothing better than " animal instinct'? 

It is interesting to note the effect of fall from human life when compared to the effect of fall or going backward from lives of lower species. Let us take the example of a high rise building with, say, 40 storeys. Imagine fortieth storey is where Jeevathma merges with Parmaathma.

Imagine that we climbed the first two storeys and we happen to fall. The impact and momentum of the fall will be less than the fall from any higher storeys of the building or in other words, the impact will be directly proportional to the height of the building. Scriptures say that in the spiritual world also the effect of the fall from highest species, human beings are much more serious than falling from other species. The reason is that human beings are blessed with the power of discrimination or vivekam and animal species are guided only by instincts. Other living beings like trees also have no choice other than following the commands of Prakruthi or Nature. When we choose wrong direction deliberately ignoring our ever guiding conscience, repercussions are disastrous. Animals are just experiencing the results of the past karmaas and after exhausting those through several janmaas in different species and kinds, finally gets the chance to be born as a human being. Poet says that human life is so precious and sought after by souls in all other worlds that we should cherish every moment of our life and devote it for knowing God by any prescribed method. In Kaliyuga the prescribed method is Naamasankeerthanam.

In this context, it is appropriate to remember the one sloka from Mukundamala to reinforce the importance of Shri Poonthaanam's advice.Aashcahryam etaddhi manushyaloke

Sudhaam parithyajya visham pibanthiNaamani Naaraayna gocharaaniThyaktvanya vaacha: kuhaka: pathanthi " The greatest wonder in human society is this: People reject the life-giving nectar of Bhagavaan's names and instead drink poison by speaking about everything else " .

Let us chant Bhagavaan's divine names with Shri Poonthaanam and millions of other devotees around the worldKrishna! Krishna! Mukunda! Janaardana!Krishna! Govinda! Naaraayna! Hare!

Achyuthaananda! Govinda! Maadhava!Sachindaananda! Naaraayana! Hare!Samasthaaparadham Kshamaswa.SreekrishnaarpanamsthuRegards and prayers

Savitri