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RaamaBhakthi List Archive: Message 00002 Mar 2004

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Sri:

Dear Raama BhakthAs :

SrI Raama Navami is fast approaching . As a moderator of
Raama Bhakthi List , I have not focused much on this list lately .
To make amends , I will start afresh and post a few articles on 
the significance of Raama Bhakthi during this SrI Raama 
Navami season .

Today , we will study the Todi Raaga Keerthanam of ThyAgarAja 
Swamigal : " PrOdhdhu poyyEnu SrI Raamuni " , where time wasted 
in this short life without praying to Raama and developing Bhakthi 
towards Him is condemned .

ThyAga Brahmam gives in excruciating detail the wasteful
and purposeless activities that people are engage in and 
how they fill their time without displaying devotion to 
Lord Raamachandra"s sacred feet for gaining their redemption . 

This is one of the Maanasa SambhOdhana Keerthanam , where 
the Saint of ThiruvayyARu has a conversation with his mind . 

The Poet-Saint gives a full account of the wasted lives led by 
the unfortunate ones without bringing Raama and Bhakthi towards 
Him in to their lives .There is a tone of nirvEdham (despondency )
in his analysis.There is a certain amount of NaiccyAnusandhAnam
( self-depreciation and listing of one's faults) . 

ThyAga Brahmam's emphasis is the need for developing 
Nithya-anithya VivEkam ( development of the discerning power
to separate the enduring values from the transient and evanescent
ones) and VairAgyam ( development of freedom to push aside
the natural inclination to go after material and sensory pleasures).

He condemns Nara sthuthi ( praising of the rich and powerful for 
selfish gains , seeking material and sensory pleasures ) . He deplores
the mindless pursuit of material and sensory pleasures in this krithi.
ThyAga Brahmam instructs these deluded souls about "ParamArtha
Prasamsaa" ( celebration of Spiritual values sanctioned by SaasthrAs) .

Pallavi: 

prOdhdhu pOyyenu SrIraamamuni
Bhuni bhajimpavE manasA 

(Meaning ): Oh My Mind ! Time is fleeting . " The tide of life 
is ebbing way ". Hurry up and seek in earnest Lord RaamachandrA's 
sacred feet before it is too late . 

Anupallavi :

NidhdhurachEta kOnnALLu vishaya 
budhhdhulachEta kOnnALLu , Oh ManasA 

(meaning ): Oh My mind ! a significant portion of life 
is lost in sleep( nidhrai). Additional portion is spent away/lost
in chasing after sensual pleasures .

There are three long CharaNams in this krithi . Let us take them 
one at a time:

CharaNam 1:

prOdhadhuna lEchi thritApamulanu narula
Bhogadi pogadi kOnnALLu patti
yEdhureethi kannathaavula bhujiyimchi
yEmi teliyaka kOnnaaLLu
mudhdhuga thOchu bhavasaagaramuna 
munigi teluchu kOnnALLu
padadhumAlina pAmara janulathO vErri
paluku lADuchu kOnnALLu Oh manasaa !

Oh My MInd! A significant portion of the life is lost (spent away) 
in flattering vain and utterly worthless persons from dawn to dusk. 
Propelled to engage in these acts of praising these vainglorious 
people known for their three taapams ( Aadhythmikam , Aadhibouthikam 
and Aadhi-dhaivikam ) , significant portion of time is chistled away
from dawn to dusk. Some significant protion of time is spent in
devouring any food like a gluttonous bull , any where in a state of stupor . 
Tossed around by the seductive waves of the ocean of SamsAra , 
one sinks to the bototm and then rises to the surface . Thus goes away 
a portion of the time in this type of struggle . Additional time is spent 
worthlessly in gossipping nonsense with the riff raff of scociety . 
Oh my mind! Life is fleeting . Hurry up and use Your time to prostrate
before Raamaa and pray to Him for Your upliftment !

We will study the 2nd and the 3rd charaNams in the next posting and 
compare the thoughts expressed in this krithi with those articulated by 
the Saint in his other krithis.

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

(To be continued) 






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