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An unusual concert by
Sri N. Vijay SivaSri R. K. ShriramkumarSri Manoj Siva
Date: Sunday, August 12, 2012; 6:00 PM
Venue: Sivagami Petachi Auditorium, Luz, Chennai 600018
Presented by: Ramanathan Think Foundation, Mumbai
All are welcome.
Live Webcast for rasikas outside Chennaihttp://www.hooghli.com/RTF/vijaysiva.html
Synopsis
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Vedantha – a word that frightens many of us, and a concept that leaves others awe–struck! Yet if we look closely, it reveals itself as not only a user friendly philosophy but also one that is practical – to lead a life that is both regret free and blissful – one full of Anandam.
Then, what exactly is Vedantha? It is something which
helps us to grow as human beings, to become objective,
dispassionate and free from conflicts. In other words,
a means to live a life of richness.
Essential: Blessings of the Guru A closer look at Vedantha is just not possible without the guidance and blessings of a Guru. By tradition our Gurus are not only teachers or interpreters of texts but great personalities, whose hand we hold to walk through a well trodden path that may not be familiar to us. At the Guru’s feet, we first need to surrender our ego and intellect in order to receive the light of knowledge - light that can dispel the darkness within us....for it is not the path that is dark, but our minds!
*Are many of you still wondering why ‘Sangeetham and Vedantham,?’ Muthuswami Dikshitar has a ready answer in Srinathadi in the phrase “Madhuryaganamrutha pano”. He refers to his Guru Sri Subrahmanya as one who feasts on the nectar of divine music.
Our Karnataka sangeetham is not only a vehicle for expression of Vedanthic thoughts and ideas, but also a manifest demonstration of Vedantha. When the artiste loses himself not just to the art, but to something that is indefinable, all pervading –something that can drench the singer and the listener in bliss and transport them to a plane of rare experience.
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Coming back to the Path –Vedantha. The word actually means the end to which the Vedas lead us - the final destination - a plane of serenity and equanimity through all situations in life.
The path to reach this plane, begins with karma margam and graduates to the gnana margam - leading into the final destination or moksha sadhana. Very briefly – karma margam is the path that requires us to follow the rituals and anushtanams prescribed by the scriptures. A disciplined adherence to this margam gradually polishes the mind to travel beyond the rituals and into the gnana margam.
Four- step process of Vedantha*The process of training for Vedantha is multi layered. It includes Shravanam- listening to the Guru’s interpretation and scriptures. Mananam – recapitulating and internalising what is heard. Nididhyasanam - constantly thinking about the knowledge gained and relating to it. Dhyanam-becoming oblivious of everything except the Athma. Samadhi- a state that transcends meditation where the self or Jivatma does not exist as different from supreme consciousness or Paramathma. This consummate level of existence is mentioned as a divine attribute of our Gods in many of our Devi Kritis.
Vedantha in daily life, here and now*Self knowledge, Supreme consciousness, Athma, Paramathma- all of these are abstract concepts. What has Vedantha got to offer for daily life? This will be the question uppermost in our minds within a few hours of entering the portals of Vedantha. We only need to relate to our mythological characters to understand how practical Vedantha can be. When Shri Rama is banished to the forest for 14 years,
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Lakshmana cannot digest it and is furious. Rama calms him down explaining patiently that what we are destined to receive we will, and what we are destined to lose, we never can hold on to.
Freedom from fear, freedom from emptiness*Everything is right and fine but there is a sense of loss within; an emptiness that nothing seems to fill. Don’t we all feel this at some time or other? Vedantha asks us to go back to the basics. Be in satsang. Together ponder on the qualities of the Divine and together experience ultimate truths. Nothing can dispel your emptiness better, nothing can drive out fear more quickly and completely.
Vedantha 24X7*At the micro level, on a day to day basis too Vedantha is wonderfully applicable. Who doesn’t have family problems? The philosophical answer to these is packed into a song by Purandaradasa.
Vedantha lubricates the mind with love*”It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”-Shakespeare’s most beautiful words. But lost on many of today’s generation. Suicides, murder, honour killing and more... all in the name of love!
Love in its highest form is truly representative of the soul’s yearning for liberation and when attained, it transcends the yearning and dwells constantly in the bliss of union. But it is not only the soul that seeks the Supreme, the Supreme too seeks the searching soul with equal yearning. What can be more comforting than this knowledge to support us in our love? A thought encapsulated with breathtaking beauty by a prophet of the bhakthi movement - Jayadeva.
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Vedantha - practical lessons*Training the mind to toe a reasonable line is harder than taming a mad lion! But Vedantha takes a practical route by making us discern that the mind, body and soul are distinctly different. This knowledge when acquired says Thyagaraja, makes all rituals and penance redundant.
Equilibrium according to Vedantha*Keeping our equilibrium through the crest and fall of social change or pressures is another story altogether. Thyagaraja lists all imbalances humanly possible in his master piece kriti. None of us can get past life without a few of these imbalances to our credit! So what do we do in our remorse? Adi Sankara has an answer in his profound verse.
Simply Vedantha*Even Adi Sankara was dogged by the caste feeling until he met the chandala who opened his eyes. The problem persists today even after generations of poets and philosophers decrying and denouncing discrimination. A saint whom we missed seeing and being with by less than a century-Ramalinga Swamigal- underscores a basic human equation in utter simplicity.
With Vedantha there is no failure*Two more issues that drive even the very young to violence or suicide –money and failure in exams. Monetary problems make the best of us worry and imagine the worst. What does Vedantha have to offer as solution? Thayumanavar’s plea has the answer. And Subramania Bharathi reassures us that failure as a concept is non- existent!
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Vedantha - answer to life’s big question*Banishing fear is the first and last step to salvation. Fear is dispelled only when we know the answer to that nagging question - Who am I ? And who can tell this profound Truth better than Adi Sankara!
Vedantha - utlimate leveller*Sivoham! The joy of this knowledge serves as a great leveller too and there is nothing left to renounce, sings Kudambai Siddhar in ecstasy.
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Ramanathan Think Foundation is celebrating the life and times of our father Sri N. Ramanathan.
He enjoyed great music all his life. And he was a thinker who constantly questioned things and fought ignorance.
He rejoiced in teaching us both - enjoying great music; asking questions & solving life’s problems. He struggled to conquer many of the problems all of us face. Anger, disappointment, fear and chose the path of Vedantha to seek answers.
He taught us that one can be and should be a student all his life. We benefitted by observing him in action, his stories and his questions.
Ramanathan Think Foundation’s single minded purpose is to equip young minds with the power to think, question and discern; not to be overwhelmed by the quick currents of life as they grow up.
Geetha Vedantham is our attempt to present Vedantham through immortal music - just as a mother would administer medicine to a child, mixed with honey.
We seek your blessings to continue our efforts - helping young minds to think, seek and live a life of fullness.
Ramanathan Think Foundation
