Again at our year-end meeting, I made the comment after a round of questions that I have only one word for all problems in life and that is: ADJUST. What else can one do? If others cannot adjust with me, then they can leave me and walk away, but poor God; He has no alternative but to ADJUST with me. For me even the Incarnation (purna-avatara) is nothing but an ADJUSTMENT by God to reveal Himself to us. God is not limited but (un)fortunately He has to accept me with all my limitations. At least others can escape, but God cannot because:
The famous Tamil Saiva saint Manikkavasagar in ‘Pidittap pattu’ (The Decad of the Tenacious Grasp’.—G. U. Pope, The Tiruvacagam, London, Oxford, 1900, p. 291) at the end of each poem in these lovely ten poems (cling or holding fast) challenges Siva ‘Ah whither grace imparting would’st thou rise’?3 (Pope, pp. 291-297). As he rightly said in another poem ‘who is trapped in the net of bhakti’ the Lord too cannot escape from a bhakta.*
So my formula in life is to try to live in the present, learn from the past (without depending on past success), plan for the future, don’t ask the question “What if…”, trust God, and finally ADJUST and enjoy life day by day.
This is not materialism, situational ethics, Epicureanism, or egoism, but down-to-earth reality. My only motto in life is: past is past, future is uncertain, present is in your hands for you to enjoy. And those who received ‘mukti’ viz., deliverance because of the Lord, can enjoy such a life of ‘jeevan mukta’ and others have to live with their own burdens.
Gurukulam
*Bhakti Song 217 – வெட்கமாய் இருக்குதடி
வெட்கமாய் இருக்குதடி தோழி
அவன் விரும்பியே என்னிடம் செய்ததைச் சொல்ல
பாவத்தில் வாழ்ந்திருந்தேன்
பாதகம் பல செய்தேன்
பண்பையே மறந்திருந்தேன்
பணிவிடைத் துறந்திருந்தேன்
ஆயினும் எனக்கு அவன் செய்த நன்மையை
அன்பையே நினைந்து அடைக்கலம் தந்ததை–சொல்ல…
நாலுபேர் நடுவே நாணியே சென்றேன்
திகைத்துமே நின்றேன் தயங்கியே சென்றேன்
திருவடி தனிலே தாழவே வீழ்ந்தேன்
இருவிழி நீரால் பாதம் நீராட்டினேன்
அதனையும் ஏற்று என்னைப் பாராட்டி
அனைவரின் முன்னே மன்னித்து ஏற்றதை–சொல்ல…
எங்குமே கண்டாயோ எவர்சொல்லக் கேட்டாயோ
எனக்கவன் செய்ததை எண்ணியும் பார்த்தாயோ
பாவிகளைக் காக்கவே பாரினில் வந்தானாம்
பக்தியின் வலைதனிலே தானே வீழ்ந்தானாம்
என்பக்தி ஏற்றானே என்னையும் காத்தானே
எவர் சொல்லும் ஏற்காது என்னையும் மீட்டதைச்-சொல்ல….
30-12-2013 காலை. 6.00
- I feel shy
I feel shy oh my friend
To tell what He has done for me out of love
I was living in sin
I have committed several atrocities
I lost my modesty
I forsake my seva
Yet what He has done to me
The way He gave refuge out of love– I feel shy
I stood with shyness among the crowd
I approached Him with bewilderment
I fell down at His divine feet
I washed His feet with my tears
Receiving it and appreciating me
And accepting me before other by forgiving me– I feel shy
Have you seen this anywhere; have you ever heard from others?
Have you ever thought what He has done for me
They say that He came to this world only to save sinners
He was entrapped in the net of bhakti Himself
Accepting my bhakti He received me too
Not listening to others the way He redeemed me– I feel shy
30-12-2013 6.00 am.