Articles on music, spirituality, self development and humor
KI.VA.JAGANNATHAN (MUKTI DAY: 04TH NOVEMBER 1988)
KI.VA.JAGANNATHAN known as Ki.Va.Ja, was a student of noted Tamil Scholar Sri.U.Ve.Swaminatha Iyer. Ki.Va.Ja was a Tamil Journalist, Writer and Poet. He was awarded the Sahitya Academi Award.
He has written commentary on Abhirami Andhadhi. Andhadhi is a unique kind of Tamil Poetry constructed such that the last or ending word of each verse become the first word of the next verse then making the poem a garland of verses.
What is Performing Art?
Excellent explanation by Sangita Kalanidhi R.K.Srikandan.
“ A Performing art is its simplest and most obvious form and meaning, is an art which lives only when it is being performed. That is, these arts live only in time. The sound of music lives only for the second it is created. But it leaves huge shadows of wonder and beauty and vanishes. Only a memory is left….. (the) kind of experience provided is different from emotion recollected is tranquility.
A musician’s life, vocal or instrumental, is focused on the instant of execution, because a performing art is a performing art only when it is being performed… A musician makes his body as instrument at least for the duration of the performance, for the experience and expression of spirit.”
BANGALORE NAGARATHINAM AMMAL
Bangalore Nagarathinam Ammal a devoted lady whose wealth, time and life were dedicated to Classical music and who immortalized her life by taking the initiative to construct the Samadhi of Sri Tyagaraja. With single minded devotion she did the Kumbhabhishekam on January 7, 1925. She started the annual celebrations on a firm and grand scale. Daughter of Smt.Puttulakshmi, She learnt Sanskrit, music and violin.
She composed
Sri Tyagaraja Ashtothra Namavali in Sanskrit,
Panchee Karana Bowdheeka in Tamil and Madhyapanam in Telugu.
It is said that She reprinted the telugu classic “Radhika Swayamvaram” of Muddu Palani, a courtesan of the 18th century.
She was a great musician and on her music Sri. Vasudevacharya says:
“ A queen among dancers and singers, she was an apostle of modesty. The pride of the Kannada land, she was a selfless soul and had the boons of beauty, learning and wealth in equal proportions.. her respectful demeanor in the presence of senior vidwans attracted me. She stood as though come to offer worship, never even looked up… spoke little… a divine charm hallowed her beauty.
Her style of singing was religiously classical. She had accurate layagnana. Her voice combined the melodic sweetness of a female voice the dignity of a male voice. As she had a sound knowledge of Bharathanatya, her singing had an emotions appeal. Yadukulakambhoji was her favourite. She was never afraid of any challenge from any musician.”
PRANAMS TO THE GREAT NAGARATHINAMMAL (BANGALORE)
ACHIEVEMENT
The world of achievement has always belonged to the optimist.
Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.
An achievement is bondage.
It obliges one to a higher achievement.
The achievement of your goal is assured, the moment you commit yourself to it.
Cherish your visions and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.
STRENGTH
Health is strength.
Youth is strength.
Purity is strength
Patience is strength
Perseverance is strength and
Above all Prayer is Power and Strength.
—– Swami Vivekananda.
Courage
Courage, hope and cheer, let these three occupy you in your journey;
Courage that is born of inner conviction that knows no fear;
Courage that is born of knowledge is heir to the Divine power.
Fearlessness comes through the practice of unselfishness.
When selfish side of our life dies away the nobler, bigger, braver, God-side will manifest itself.
– Swami Vivekananda.
IMAGE
Many people are in search of FORMULA for creating a good image.
A good public image is not made up of a single act of great merit.
It is the sum total effect created by the individual’s thought, action, habits, attitudes and personal philosophies.
A Smile costs nothing, but gives much. It enriches those who give it. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it, and none is so poor but that he cannot be made richer by it.
A Smile creates happiness in the home, promotes good will in business and is the cornerstone of friendship. It can perk up the weary, bring cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and is nature’s best antidote for trouble.
Yet it cannot be brought, begged, borrowed or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away.
When people are too tired to give you a smile, give them one of yours.
No one needs a smile so much as he who has none to give.
EASY AND DIFFICULT
Easy is to get a place in someone’s address book or phone;
Difficult is to get a place in someone’s heart.
East is to judge the mistakes of others;
Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes.
East is to talk without thinking;
Difficult is to refrain the tongue.
East is to hurt some one who likes us;
Difficult is to heal the wound.
East is to keep friendship with words;
Difficult is to keep it with meanings.
East or Difficult Learn to Manage.
—- Thiruvalluvar.
The story of three skulls. : Once a Raksasa appeared in the Darbar of Raja Vikramaditya with three skulls and told him that he would kill all the Pandits in his court if they were not able to select the best skull amongst the three within a week.
Vikramaditya agreed to the proposal, and at once called all his Pandits and gave them the message of the Raksasa. All the Pandits trembled with fright when they heard the message of the Raksasa. But, fortunately, there was one intelligent Pandit, Rajarama Sastri by name. He gave solid encouragement to all Pandits and told the Raja that he would select the best skull for the Raksasa without any difficulty and quickly.
After seven days, the Raksasa again appeared to the Raja’s palace. Pandit Rajarama Sastri entered the platform and said: “The skull in which this iron rod could enter from one ear to the other is the worst one. It is not worth even a farthing. That skull in which the iron rod would pass from one ear towards the mouth is the middling one. And that skull in which this rod wold pass from one ear to the heart directly is the best of all.” He then handed over the best skull to the Raksasa. the Raksasa bowed and hung his head in shame and left the Darbar. The Pandit was, of course, honoured by the Raja with rich presents of gold, shaws and cows.
MORAL OF THE STORY is that those who hear religious instructions through one ear and and allow them to pass through another ear without further thinking and practice of those valuable instructions are worthless people, like the worst skull. Those who hear the instructions through one ear and talk on these subjects at least occasionally are the middling class, like the middling skull. But, those who hear the instructions through one ear and and allow them to pass deeply into their very hears and practise them in right earnest are the best class of people, like the best skull. — Swami Sivananda
Coming again to my point, mere reading, and talking on the subject of success in life and God-realisation will not do. We will have to put into practice immediately whatever we have learnt from these stories and become an exalted Yogi or a Jnani.