Saturday, January 01, 2005

Balamaniamma, Nithya Chaitanya Yathi

Balamaniamma was a great Malayali poetess (mother of Kamala Das). In her biography, penned by her daughter Sulochana, she says:

Standing at this point of no return, I realize the softness beneath my feet, the sweetness of the fruits received, even the occasional bitter ones only served in facilitating the removal of frailties. There has been no darkness in the paths traversed, the only shadow having been that of the ego. The injuries borne were only when in the strife to march ahead, others were trampled upon inadvertently.

Guru Nithya Chaithanya Yati :
Guru Nithya Chaitanya Yati - a disciple of Nataraja Guru- used to take claases in Philosophy in the American University. The following is a micro extract from his autobiography: There is no need to look down upon the body in order to attain spirituality. Nothing that has penetrated the consciousness as a conviction can ever be destroyed. When our earthly existence comes to a close, our minds too cease to be. All the thoughts, ideas, memories that we have nurtured and cherished are also erased. Hence the concept Eternity holds no hope for me. The mind being transient, I do not see the necessity to establish any truths in its recesses. Truth is the wisdom to differentiate the transient and the permanent. In fact it is the touch stone of concepts like Beauty, Love, Justice, Compassion. It is this awareness that imparts clarity of perception, that helps me conduct my daily life, my various relationships in harmony and serves as a guide in my life.

The above translations are imperfect, may I be excused.

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