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Pure "Atma"s

From the Bhakti List Archives

vraghuna • March 2, 1998 


Dear Prapatti Groupmembers,

I had some "revelations" this weekend, and imagine that it might be 
interesting to at least a few members. (I must confess, often my revelations 
are merely old insights that everyone else has had and figured out a long 
time ago....but when it finally dawns on me, I am usually in great awe of 
having culled such a "maanikkam" from the usual rubble of thoughts related 
to saamsaaric life in the U.S....)

It occured to me that the net is a great medium for relating to each other 
as Atmas, all in search of the same Paramaatma. We are mainly known to each 
other through our  thoughts alone. It is as if our philosophy has come to 
life and all matter has turned to energy. Like our munis and rishis who 
traveled time and space, we are able to send and receive thoughts and 
prayers across the seas as electrical impulses. It matters not if a person 
is a millionaire or a hunchback, no such extraneous cover colours our 
vision, and we receive with all humility their offerings towards furthering 
us on our chosen path. (Who is to say that it is not a perfect setting for 
someone like Sage Narada to quietly acquire an id and start up a discussion 
that will end in all of us holding even more tightly to the Lotus Feet of 
SrimanNaaraayaNa... )

For those of us who "get" about 25% in the first reading/hearing of a 
Kaalakshepam, we are able to "save" thoughts/emotional outpourings without 
any name or face attached to them. Especially at the office, where if Tagore 
could see what else is on the disk-drive he would wish all the more to 
"sweep the tinsel from the room", it's a great source of strength to know 
that alongside are priceless shlokas, translations and Genuine Love... for 
the Lord, for the Acharya, for the Poetry, for other Bhaagavathaas with whom 
people share their knowledge....

It reminds me of the first time I heard that in ancient times from every 
home people did sangeetha alaapanai early in the morning, because the sounds 
merged in the air, and the combined resonance brought mangalam. It makes me 
feel swept away, as if I too am a pure particle in the light wave of Sri 
Vaishnavism...

I'm sure the above sounds like I'm not all there, but I promise I was in 
full control of my limited mental faculties when I thought of the above. 
 While in physical proximity to Berkeley, I wasn't close enough to inhale 
anything except all the Bhakti flavor from your many emails....

Kaayile Pullippathenne, kannapperumaane Ni
Kaniyile Inippathenne, Kannapperumaane
Noyile Paduppathenne, Kannapperumaane, Ni
Nonbile Uyirppathenne, Kannaperumaane

(Bhaaraatiyaar's poem relating that Krishna is the essence in the sourness 
of the unripe fruit, the sweetness of the fruit, the weakness during 
sickness, the vitality after recovery...and so on... Tagore called it "The 
Sameness of the One in the Play of the Many.."). A single email (bhakti 
post) with various mental/emotional/spiritual offerings from across the 
globe, all in the Name of the One, allows even an ordinary soul like me a 
glimpse of the same elevating experience...

Sarvam KrishnaarpaNam Astu...
Viji Raghunathan