Dharmathin vaazhvadhanai soodhu kavvum,
dharmam marubadiyum vellum
marumathai nammaley ulangam karkum,
vazhi thedi vidhi intha seygai seythaan
karumatthai maenmelum kaanbom indru,
kattundom poruthiruppom, kaalam maarum
dharmathai appodhu vella kaanbom,
dhanu undu gaandeevam athan per endran
Yesterday, I came across these words, from Bharathi’s Paanchaali Sabatham. Entirely by co-incidence I must say. It immediately prompted me to update my Facebook status with a cryptic (or not-so-cryptic) message. Too many feelings…too few words…
Loosely translated, these immortal words preach patience. They represent the eternal hope that no matter what happens, tomorrow will be a better day. When I was in college, we would get caught every other day for some silly prank. A class missed, a lie told, a fake permission slip…something. And as is the case with most college students, we were dumb enough to actually get caught. Sometimes, it would get worse than anticipated. We would be pulled up, shouted at and even punished. And again, as is the case with most teenaged girls, I would get upset. So upset that I would refuse to eat, or drink…or even talk. I would be miserable. At such times, Nandini would come up to me and say, “This too will pass.”
Today, she is not there to tell me this any more. But, the message still holds true. Kattundom…let’s be patient…poruthiruppom…let’s wait. Kaalam maarum…times will change! Sounds familiar? To me it strikes a very powerful chord. Nandini’s words in college…this too will pass… Dad’s words at the worst times of my life…kaalam maarum…times will change. Today, I realize that truer words have never been spoken. Times will change. Life will, and must, come a full circle. Today, like no other day in my life, I fully understand what it means to be patient, to wait, to bide my time and hope.
A break-up, a fight, a newly-found friend, parents, friends…even money, house, car…everything! Life definitely comes a full circle. I am perhaps being completely incoherent right now, but I don’t care. Words that were once hurled at me with a hurtful callousness are now being hurled back at those who used them in the first place. And, strangely, I don’t feel good. In fact, I wish things did not have to be this way.
The ridicule, the criticism, the pain, the unhappiness, or even the joy and the euphoria… all of them seem meaningless today. Because life, as they say, catches up with you at some point. Because times change. Because life comes a full circle. Does all this make any sense at all? Or are these just meaningless rants?
Yes as they say change alone is permanent.Everything around us keeps changing.Our feelings of childhood change when we become adults.When we become parents the transformation is complete.One becomes possessive and would like to decide what is good for the loved ones especially children.Bharathi’s Panchali Sabatham is the first voice of revolt raised by an oppressed minority;here its the woman who has been treated as a chattel or a mere property to disposed off as considered fit by the master.Bharathi’s Panchali calls the Pandavas “aannurukonda pennkal”ie eunuchs.This
is something unimaginable even now.
If you find the time please go through a poem in ‘Puranaanuru’ by ‘Pandian Kadalul Maayntha Ilamperuvazhuthi’.in which he wonders as to how the world remains unchanged in spite of so many changes taking place.Then he says its because there are people who wouldn’t take even ‘Amruth’ the elixir of life alone and they would not do anything dishonorable even if they were offered the whole world.If some act brings them fame they would not mind sacrificing dear life itself.Also they don’t strive for their own well being but for others.I am afraid I have not been able to convey the exact meaning of the poem.
Swami Vivekananda says that the essence of the ‘Gita’ is that everybody should strive to be a ‘sthithapragnan’ ie one whose inner equilibrium is not affected by things happening outside of him like success or failure, disappointments etc.I read it a long time back and do not remember the exact words.
Hope I have not said anything which may hurt your feelings.Bye
Selvan
Oh, not at all. But you know, Sthithapragna is a very difficult state to achieve. Not all of us can be like that…