A Return Gift From The Birthday Baby

dear sowpar,
don't worry about the delay. It's okay. In all Osho communes whenever there is death they celebrate it as a festival. I had the good fortune of translating two of Oshos books into Tamil. In one of the books he describes about the death of one of the disciples afflicted with cancer. A very touching narrative. At the same time there is nothing sad about it.

to me, accepting a death and coming to terms with it is not such an issue, but my problem is the social norms associated with it...offering condolences to people whom you don't emotionally connect with, etc....am never equipped to handle these social situations...what is the most appropriate thing to say...etc...anyway,this is digression..

That is not a digression, Sowpar. Many people are quite confused in this. I have a clear policy.
If the person had died at the ripe old age I go to the nearest of kin and talk a lot. I repeatedly ask them to narrate how the person died. But if the death had been untimely I keep quiet. I hold the persons hands and be with him for a minute. When it's time to leave I squeeze his hands and then slowly walk out of the scene.

regards,

dear brindha,
The translation idea came all of a sudden. On saturday night words were trying to get out of me and I could finish the first part in no time. But I tried several times on Sunday and Monday to complete the second part, but could not do it.
Suddenly this morning I had the words coming to me from all directions.
One thing, Brindha, all said and done, one's mother tongue is at least a thousand times more powerful than the other languages. I have been writing both in English and Tamil. But when I do it in Tamil even I could not control my tears.
I was moved when I knew that you also carry similar sentiments. Reading your nice fb, I now feel that all the trouble spent on translating the poem was worth the while.

Ithu thaan Sir namm thaimozhi thamil mozhiyin Sirapu..
Ungal aangila kavithai vaasikum bothu en kangal
Mattume vassithathu..
Aanal.. intha kavithai ..
En Ullamum Unarvugalum allava Vaasithathu....

that was a poetic expression, brindha.
love,

Originally Posted by brindhak

தொட்டுத் தாலி கட்டிய ஆசை மனைவி
அன்பைக் கொட்டி வளர்த்த எனதருமைப் புதல்வி
வாழ்க்கை கொடுத்த பெற்றோர்
வாழவைத்த ஆசிரியர்
வாழ்விற்கு அர்த்தம் கொடுத்த நட்பு
உற்றார் உடன் பிற்ந்தோர்
நான் நேசித்தவர்கள் என்னை நேசித்தவர்கள்
இவர்களை இனி நான் எங்கே காண்பேன்?



Yen Sir ippadi alzha vaikureenga......

அவர்கள் இறங்கும் இடமும் வேறு
இறங்க வேண்டிய நேரமும் வேறு
காலம் எழுதிய கணக்கு முடிந்ததும்
ஆலய மணியின் ஓசை கேட்க
அழகாய் முடியும் அவர்களின் பயணம்'

Valkaina ivolothaan Sir.... Unga 5 line sollidichi.. Ivolo thanda life... itha pruinchikama yenda ivolo prechana panreenganu.....

என் உயிரில் கலந்த உறவே
என் உயிரினும் சிறந்த நட்பே!
நிஜமாய் நேசம் வைத்தேன் எனினும்
இன்னும் அதிகம் நேசிக்க
நெஞ்சம் என்றும் நினைத்ததுண்டு
நேசம் அதிகம் இருந்தாலும்
நேரம் முடிந்த காரணத்தால்
நேராய் மேலே போகின்றேன்
அன்பாய் எனக்கு விடை கொடுப்பீர்
நெஞ்சில் என்றும் எனை வைப்பீர்

Migavum urukkamana oru Vinnapam......

Ithu thaan Sir namm thaimozhi thamil mozhiyin Sirapu..
Ungal aangila kavithai vaasikum bothu en kangal
Mattume vassithathu..
Aanal.. intha kavithai ..
En Ullamum Unarvugalum allava Vaasithathu....




Valzha Thamil.. Valarga Ungal Eluthukkal..
brindha...

dear lalitha,
let me repeat what I said yesterday. I know how much trouble you took to read this Tamil version. When you requested for an English Transliteration I was about to start work on that. But as I am travelling out of Madurai tomorrow office work was quite hectic. But before I could even start the work, in comes your fb.
I bow down to the trouble taken by you. May be if you read a dozen posts like this you will not find reading Tamil difficult at all. You know what I am going to do! When I meet you I am going to gift one of my big Tamil books (dadiyana pusthakam) and insist that you should read it. Once you finish reading it you will be a fluent reader in Tamil.

Sridhar, you have touched the core of hearts bringoing out the ultimate truth in death. I like the above verses very much. How exquistely you have compared our family to co passengers in a train and where we get down and they get down are dfferent but still we go on with our lives. The same way, losing of a dear one will have a strong scar in our mind but still life goes on waiting for none.

thanks, Lalitha. I almost used the same expression in English. But the same when used in Tamil has touched you deeply, in spite of the fact, that you found it very difficult to read. That is the power of one's mother tongue. That's the reason you should start reading Tamil soon.

love.
sridhar

Originally Posted by lalitha shivaguru

Dear Sridhar,

காலதேவதை கனிவுடன் சிரித்தாள்
'இது உனது வீடும் இல்லை
இவர் உனது ம்க்களும் இல்லை
இது நீ பயணிக்கும் ரயில் பெட்டி
இவர்கள் உன் சக பயணிகள்
நீ இறங்க வேண்டிய இடம் வந்துவிட்டது
இதோ ரயிலும் இங்கே நின்று விட்டது
நேரமாகிவிட்டது நண்பனே!
நமது வீட்டுக்குப் போக
நேரமாகிவிட்டது!
உன் வாழ்க்கை என்னும் ரயிலை விட்டு
உடனே இறங்கு! நாம் போவோம்

''என் மனைவி, மகள்,
என் சொந்தம் நட்பு?"

அவர்கள் இறங்கும் இடமும் வேறு
இறங்க வேண்டிய நேரமும் வேறு
காலம் எழுதிய கணக்கு முடிந்ததும்
ஆலய மணியின் ஓசை கேட்க
அழகாய் முடியும் அவர்களின் பயணம்'


romba aythamana ezhtugalu. How profound is your thinking but you made us cry today in the morning itself. i felt really bad that i could not read tamil but somehow, I have to read came into my mind and patiently I went thru your poem but finally I started crying.

Sridhar, you have touched the core of hearts bringoing out the ultimate truth in death. I like the above verses very much. How exquistely you have compared our family to co passengers in a train and where we get down and they get down are dfferent but still we go on with our lives. The same way, losing of a dear one will have a strong scar in our mind but still life goes on waiting for none.

என் உயிரில் கலந்த உறவே
என் உயிரினும் சிறந்த நட்பே!
நிஜமாய் நேசம் வைத்தேன் எனினும்
இன்னும் அதிகம் நேசிக்க
நெஞ்சம் என்றும் நினைத்ததுண்டு
நேசம் அதிகம் இருந்தாலும்
நேரம் முடிந்த காரணத்தால்
நேராய் மேலே போகின்றேன்
அன்பாய் எனக்கு விடை கொடுப்பீர்
நெஞ்சில் என்றும் எனை வைப்பீர்

This is a great tribute.........An ode to Death........very beautiful. You should ask some publisher to publish this.....seriously.......no jokes.

dear sridhar sir,
the osho philosophy is quite right...death becomes a cause for celebration, as it is a liberation from earthly bondage....when the soul breaks free from its mortal fetters...
nice to see that you have translated Osho into tamil...have'nt read his books myself, but know a little bit from discussions with a family friend....

Originally Posted by varalotti

dear sowpar,
. In all Osho communes whenever there is death they celebrate it as a festival. I had the good fortune of translating two of Oshos books into Tamil. In one of the books he describes about the death of one of the disciples afflicted with cancer. A very touching narrative. At the same time there is nothing sad about it.

i read both parts of the Tamil version today....as beautiful as the English one....maybe even more...Tamil seems to be more power packed...
தமிழுக்கு என்று ஒரு தனி அழுத்தம் உள்ளது....ஒரே விஷயம் தமிழில் இன்னும் ஒரு ஆழமான தாக்கத்தை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது....

Dear Sridhar,
I wouldn't say that both your English version and the Tamil one are identical. In both the poems there are beautiful lines and profound truth.In the English one, the following lines were very beautiful (pardon me, for not being able to use the right adjective, may be I have to coin a new one since all adjectives would have been exhausted by us Ilites!)-
I ask her in a trembling voice, “Is it not a journey long?
She smiles and says, “You’ve got it all wrong

“It’s not a journey but the journey’s end.
Nor is it labour; but the final rest from all your labours.”

“Where we go, it’s not a place
Nor is there the idea of ‘space’
Time and space are mental props
To make you grasp this mortal world
The props are only for the forms
Not for the substance; not for the One!
Not for God and not for Love”


The Tamil poem is beautiful too.If I put them on a weighing scale, they seem to balance each other!

வலியில் இருந்து என்னை நீ விடுவிக்க வேண்டாம்
வலியைத் தாங்கும் வலிமையைக் கொடு போதும்
வலி சாபமல்ல வரம் ம்கா வரம்
வலி வீழ்ச்சியின் ஆரம்பம் அல்ல
வலி வளர்ச்சியின் வித்து'

'அறிபவை அனைத்தும் அறிந்தபின்
அச்சத்திற்கு என்ன வேலை?
நீ மேலும் அறியச் சொல்கிறேன் கேள்

நீ என்னுடன் வந்தபின் காலம் முடிந்தபின்
வலியை உணர என்ன இருக்கும்?
உடலும் இல்லை உள்ளமும் இல்லை
உணர்வும் இல்லை

அறிவும் இல்லை அகந்தையும் இல்லை
எனில் எங்கிருந்து வரும் வலி
எதில் இருந்து வரும் வேதனை
சுகமும் இல்லை துக்கமும் இல்லை

நட்டமும் இல்லை லாபமும் இல்லை
நன்மையும் இல்லை தீமையும் இல்லை
இவை அனைத்தும் உணரும்
'நானும்' இல்லை 'நீயும் இல்லை'
ஏன் இந்த வீண் கவலை?'

Sridhar, some how I have the feeling that death can never be painful. It is the fear of death amongst us that causes the pain. If we mentally prepare ourselves for the last journey of our life I think it would be more enjoyable than life itself. An example to prove that pain is only a creation of our mind-
When all of a sudden a ball or any object comes and hits us, the pain is severe but suppose we see the object coming and we are sure that it IS going to hit us for sure, the pain is comparitively less. The same way, when we go to the doctor for an injection and we are waiting for the needle to poke in, fully aware of it and also knowing it is going to pain, then we do not experience as much pain as we would if it was administered all of a sudden. As you yourself have beautifully said,-
அறிவும் இல்லை அகந்தையும் இல்லை
எனில் எங்கிருந்து வரும் வலி
எதில் இருந்து வரும் வேதனை
சுகமும் இல்லை துக்கமும் இல்லை
When the Lord of Death approaches then we are in that state as in the above lines.
There may be not many takers for my belief about pain but again Our thoughts and beliefs is what we are made up of.
Love and regards,
Malathi

Originally Posted by varalotti

A Return Gift From A Birthday Baby!

Children’s birthday parties in Chennai follow a beautiful tradition. The child’s friends, neighbours and relatives carry gifts for the birthday child.

After cutting the cake and after a proper feast or a high tea and after some games when the friends are about to leave, the child gives them each a return gift.

I love that tradition because it ensures that every child who is part of the celebration goes home with a gift in hand.

Dear varalotti sir,
Thanks for the special gift.The routine of giving and receiving gifts in Birthday parties is indeed a good practice.The highlight is the emphasis by you on being impartial while giving return gifts.In schools the dress code is practiced to ensure that all students are equal. Your return gift is simple but a dignified one.Thanks to you once again sir.

Originally Posted by varalotti

There are some ground rules for the return gift. It has to be the same for every child. You can’t discriminate in favour of those who brought in expensive gifts for the child.

No, that is in very bad taste. And it need not be expensive. It could be as simple as a plastic whistle, a tennis ball or gift-wrapped candies.

Coming to the subject matter of discussion ,you have given a Lucelent description of a matured subject,death.

Originally Posted by varalotti

And to honour my dear GFs who gave me precious gifts, I mean kind wishes and blessings coming from the depths of their hearts, I am giving a return gift, a gift that a mofussil accountant like me can afford, a gift as simple and as mundane as the plastic whistle or a tennis ball, the same gift for all the loving hearts, a poem, once again.

Originally Posted by varalotti

Please remember, however, that this poem was not inspired by depression. Nor is it a manifestation of pessimism; it can never even be remotely described as a suicide note of a defeated person. It is the expression of the fullest happiness of a person who has lived a full life, a life of joys and sorrows, of pleasures and pains, of blessings and betrayals, of frustration and of fulfillment.

Definitely sir, the poem cannot be a reflection of the ones you listed.As I already mentioned that it was a matured subject ,the same cannot come from a pessimist,a preson suffering from depression because he may not be in a position :confused: to take the next step.

Originally Posted by varalotti

People generally avoid talking about death unless it is absolutely necessary to do so. To avoid the one thing that is most certain to happen, could either be traced to our fear, in-built hypocrisy or a mere psychological defence mechanism. Our ancient scriptures did not want us to do that.

Generally people avoid speaking about death and attach to the sentiment behind it.A strict “No” to it during important moments in life like marriage,starting a career,stepping out for a function,while praying,while traveling and the list goes on and on and on.

Originally Posted by varalotti

What is death, Tagore asked, but the short gap when God, our mother, who is breast-feeding us, shifts us from her right breast to her left. Being ignorant children as we are, we shiver at the prospect of being away from our mother’s breast even if it is for a very short while.

Now and only now, you are ready to read the poem. Go ahead. Enjoy the gift and tell me how you liked it.

A stunning explanation.

Dear sir,
I was emotionally moved on reading the poem.Your poem speaks on how you have analysed the known but hiddenaspects of life.



“What is there to feel the pain
How can you ever feel the pleasure?
When your body and your nerves
When your brain and your mind
And your ego are left behind!”

The above lines remember me of the old song “Aadi adangum vaazhkayada indha aaradi nilam….”



“Can I ever see my wife or my child?
Or my parents who gave me life
Or my teachers who helped me live?
Will I ever meet my friends?
All those people whom I loved
My brothers and sisters, of this world?”


Really sir! You have conveyed the truth and reality in a simple manner.Great Lines.Not only his mind,body are left behind but his dear ones too.



“No you won’t, in their present form
But they, when their time doth come
Will join us up over there!

When our loved ones join up in the future,we have already joined with our ancestors.


“This is not your real home
Just a carriage of a train
And these are but your travel-mates

These lines confirm the truth that life is a journey.Time to depart and finish the journey.

My heartfelt thanks for sharing the poem...

My Dear GFs,

What the hell is the connection, or the similarity between Varalotti and the Super Star, Rajnikanth?

Curious to know? Well, read, 'In a Way I'm Like The Super Star.'

And do let me know what do you think.

love,

dear sowpar,
Osho not only propounds that as a philosophy but makes it as natural an attitude towards death as our healthy attitudes towards ingestion and digestion of food. You should hear him describe the death of a few of his disciples. In Tao The Golden gate he talks of death of a cancer-afflicted disciple for a whole chapter.

i read both parts of the Tamil version today....as beautiful as the English one....maybe even more...Tamil seems to be more power packed...
தமிழுக்கு என்று ஒரு தனி அழுத்தம் உள்ளது....ஒரே விஷயம் தமிழில் இன்னும் ஒரு ஆழமான தாக்கத்தை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது....

Your words comparing English and Tamil versions have made me think deeper in to the nature of a language. At a superficial level we can say that our mother tongue is far richer and deeper than English. We can even ridicule English as a shallow language.

But that's not at all true, Sowpar. Every language has its own beauty. The Tamil version appeals to us simply because my command over English is not as good as it is over Tamil. I have not read enough English expressions to give a rich expression to my thoughts on death.

I say this because I have read Tagore's Gitanjali in English. Richard Bachs Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Maughm's stories. I had fallen in love not only with the authors but also with the language which faithfully carried to me what those great minds wanted to convey.

Maybe I should practise writing in English a little more so that my English version becomes as good as the Tamil one.

regards,

Dear Malathi,

I wouldn't say that both your English version and the Tamil one are identical. In both the poems there are beautiful lines and profound truth.In the English one, the following lines were very beautiful (pardon me, for not being able to use the right adjective, may be I have to coin a new one since all adjectives would have been exhausted by us Ilites!)-

thanks a lot, my dear friend. To get words like these from a person like you I will go on writing a hundred poems like this.

The Tamil poem is beautiful too.If I put them on a weighing scale, they seem to balance each other!

thanks.

Sridhar, some how I have the feeling that death can never be painful. It is the fear of death amongst us that causes the pain. If we mentally prepare ourselves for the last journey of our life I think it would be more enjoyable than life itself. An example to prove that pain is only a creation of our mind-
When all of a sudden a ball or any object comes and hits us, the pain is severe but suppose we see the object coming and we are sure that it IS going to hit us for sure, the pain is comparitively less. The same way, when we go to the doctor for an injection and we are waiting for the needle to poke in, fully aware of it and also knowing it is going to pain, then we do not experience as much pain as we would if it was administered all of a sudden. As you yourself have beautifully said,-
அறிவும் இல்லை அகந்தையும் இல்லை
எனில் எங்கிருந்து வரும் வலி
எதில் இருந்து வரும் வேதனை
சுகமும் இல்லை துக்கமும் இல்லை
When the Lord of Death approaches then we are in that state as in the above lines.
There may be not many takers for my belief about pain but again Our thoughts and beliefs is what we are made up of.

What you say is true. But there are some who hold the exactly opposite view too. These people say, that when you know that an injection is going to be administered, you keep on thinking about that and that increases the pain. On the other hand if an injection is suddenly inserted you dont feel the pain. Similarly when you see a ball or an object coming towards you at a great speed, you panic and the pain increases. On the other hand if the object hits you all of a sudden you may not feel much pain.
I'll give one more example. We all know a number of examples where a child falling from a great height survives the fall just like that with minimal injuries. Recently a pregnant woman travelling by a train from Chennai went to the toilet and there suddenly the child was born, and before she could realise the baby fell through the toilet hole. She screamed. The train came to a stop some five kilometres from the place of fall. They all rushed to the place to find the baby alive and kicking. The child had not felt the pain and had survived the fall because his mind had not developed enough to panic. Mind creates the pain. Radhakrishnan has said in a book that pain and pleasure are just results of habit.

thanks for the nice, profound fb, Malathi
love,