HARI OM ! Salutataions to All!
I am very happy and honoured to address the Parliament of the World’s Religions once again.
I sincerely thank the organisers for giving me this unique opportunity.
The Melbourne Parliament was deeply inspiring to me.
And I am sure this SLC Parliament also will be a memorable experiencefor me.
I am presenting a prayer that is celebrating its centenary year.
Ten verses to God, or Daivadashakam is a popular prayer.
It was composed by Sri Narayana Guru in Kerala - a state of India.
Sree Narayana Guru is a highly respected Saint- who brought about a great transformation in our society.
He is considered to be in the tradition of the ancient sages of India like Vyasa, Valmiki Yajnvalkya, and others.
Ten Verses to God was originally composed in Malayalam one of the many classical languages of India.
It is the language of the state of Kerala which also gave birth to great scholars and philosophers like Sankaracharya, Swami Chinmayananda and his Guru,Swami Tapovan Maharaj.
While studying about the life and work of Sree Narayana Guru, it would be worthwhile to understand the social conditions of that time.
Caste and class differences and discriminations were quite common. Basic freedom of life was denied to the so- called lower castes.
You know, they were not allowed to speak the same language, wear the same type of clothes, own good houses or travel on the same roads as the upper classes. Education was also denied to them.
The Guru was deeply pained to see how basic human freedom and dignity could be denied to one section of human beings - and that too, on the basis of caste.
If we look at world history we can see that type of discriminations have always been there.
Revolutions, campaigns and even violence were used to remove them. But Sree Narayana Guru's approach was entirely different. He did not lead any campaigns or violent movements. That is why he had no enemies.
He realized that false notions because of ignorance was the root cause behind the negative condition in society.
The only one solution was to apply wisdom to remove that ignorance. The Bhagavad Gita says -Na hi Jnanena Sadrisham pavitram iha vidyate - There is nothing as pure as wisdom. Our masters have always said ignorance is the greatest CURSE on Man.
Attainment of wisdom is the core of Indian spirituality.
Spiritual wisdom has bèen our non violent weapon. The same weapon was used by the national leaders Mahatma Gandhiji, Tilak, Vinoba Bhave and others in India's non violent freedom.movement.
Everyone knows this has been a shining example for the world.
Similarly , Sree Narayana Guru applied his deep spiritual knowledge to show that the same spirit exists in all beings. He taught people to realise their true divine nature, and showed that every one is equal. This transformation he created in individuals, led to a positive transformation in society. This indeed was the revolution created by the Guru.
Gandhi ji, Tagore and other leaders have written about the deep influence that Sree Narayana Guru had on them. They came all the way, to the little village he lived in, to be in the inspiring presence of the Guru. They were attracted by his knowledge like bees to honey in the flower.
100 years ago, he made the statement - One caste, One religion, One God for Mankind … One caste, One religion, One God for Mankind…This was a powerful and relevant statement at that period. In this age also, this advice is the ideal solution for the problems of the world. Today, religion seems to divide people instead of uniting them. It has also created a confused young generation, who are turning away from spirituality and values. You know, they are even questioning the need for religion.
I sincerely thank the organisers for giving me this unique opportunity.
The Melbourne Parliament was deeply inspiring to me.
And I am sure this SLC Parliament also will be a memorable experiencefor me.
I am presenting a prayer that is celebrating its centenary year.
Ten verses to God, or Daivadashakam is a popular prayer.
It was composed by Sri Narayana Guru in Kerala - a state of India.
Sree Narayana Guru is a highly respected Saint- who brought about a great transformation in our society.
He is considered to be in the tradition of the ancient sages of India like Vyasa, Valmiki Yajnvalkya, and others.
Ten Verses to God was originally composed in Malayalam one of the many classical languages of India.
It is the language of the state of Kerala which also gave birth to great scholars and philosophers like Sankaracharya, Swami Chinmayananda and his Guru,Swami Tapovan Maharaj.
While studying about the life and work of Sree Narayana Guru, it would be worthwhile to understand the social conditions of that time.
Caste and class differences and discriminations were quite common. Basic freedom of life was denied to the so- called lower castes.
You know, they were not allowed to speak the same language, wear the same type of clothes, own good houses or travel on the same roads as the upper classes. Education was also denied to them.
The Guru was deeply pained to see how basic human freedom and dignity could be denied to one section of human beings - and that too, on the basis of caste.
If we look at world history we can see that type of discriminations have always been there.
Revolutions, campaigns and even violence were used to remove them. But Sree Narayana Guru's approach was entirely different. He did not lead any campaigns or violent movements. That is why he had no enemies.
He realized that false notions because of ignorance was the root cause behind the negative condition in society.
The only one solution was to apply wisdom to remove that ignorance. The Bhagavad Gita says -Na hi Jnanena Sadrisham pavitram iha vidyate - There is nothing as pure as wisdom. Our masters have always said ignorance is the greatest CURSE on Man.
Attainment of wisdom is the core of Indian spirituality.
Spiritual wisdom has bèen our non violent weapon. The same weapon was used by the national leaders Mahatma Gandhiji, Tilak, Vinoba Bhave and others in India's non violent freedom.movement.
Everyone knows this has been a shining example for the world.
Similarly , Sree Narayana Guru applied his deep spiritual knowledge to show that the same spirit exists in all beings. He taught people to realise their true divine nature, and showed that every one is equal. This transformation he created in individuals, led to a positive transformation in society. This indeed was the revolution created by the Guru.
Gandhi ji, Tagore and other leaders have written about the deep influence that Sree Narayana Guru had on them. They came all the way, to the little village he lived in, to be in the inspiring presence of the Guru. They were attracted by his knowledge like bees to honey in the flower.
100 years ago, he made the statement - One caste, One religion, One God for Mankind … One caste, One religion, One God for Mankind…This was a powerful and relevant statement at that period. In this age also, this advice is the ideal solution for the problems of the world. Today, religion seems to divide people instead of uniting them. It has also created a confused young generation, who are turning away from spirituality and values. You know, they are even questioning the need for religion.
Last week, when I was at the immigration counter at JFK , the young officer asked me the purpose of my visit. I said that I was a speaker at the Parliament of the World's Religions. He asked about the parliament, what religion I represented and so on. I gave the answers to all his questions. He stamped my passport and gave to back to me with a smile. He then turned to his colleague and asked " Why so many religions?" " Hey, don't you think religion is utter nonsense? In my experience also, the young intelligent generation all over the world have the same questions.
In this scenario, the Guru's advice of 'One caste, one religion, One God ,for Mankind becomes especially relevant. ' One religion' is not Islam, Hindu, Christianity or any other. It is the RELIGION OF ALL BEINGS , from the tiny ant to Man.
One Religion, One God for Mankind is the universal mantra for Unity. The spirit of this mantra is reflected in Daivadashakam, in 10 beautiful verses to God. It is simple, but as deep as the Upanishad.
One Religion, One God for Mankind is the universal mantra for Unity. The spirit of this mantra is reflected in Daivadashakam, in 10 beautiful verses to God. It is simple, but as deep as the Upanishad.
The very popular Ishavasya Upanishad opens with the mantra "Ishaavasyam idam Sarvam, which means that “All this is for habitation by the Lord”. This poem reveals the same concept of the Universal Power, which we commonly call as God.
Before we begin the explanation of the verses, let us understand what a prayer really means. A prayer is an acknowledgement of the Universal Power that we call as God. When we offer a prayer, we do so with the knowledge that God is the one who is present in all beings . Prayer is not a means to achieve anything, it is not a request for favours, it is not begging. It is simply our salutation and an expression of our love and respect for the divine power.
My Guru, H.H. Swami Chinmayananda used to say that we stand as one family , bound to each other with love and respect. This is the spirit of the vedantic principle of “Vasidhaiva kutmbakam – The whole world is like a family.
A prayer is like a smile. That is why Swamiji used to say “Keep Smiling”!
When do we smile? We smile at those whom we know. The smile conveys that we know each other very well, that we are familiar with one another. For the realised person , the sage, whoever or whatever beings he sees-a blade of grass, a tiny ant, the sun, moon or the stars- all are familiar faces . He sees the divine in everything in nature. He salutes the Sun, the Moon, the trees, animals, the natural forces, etc with this knowledge. This is why in India, it is not strange to worship all the forces of Nature, plants and animals.
A prayer is also a remembrance. The remembrance is also to strengthen the friendship/relationship with God.
Let us now go into the explanation of the 10 verses. Actually for a thorough explanation, even 10 days may not be enough. But with only 45 minutes, I face a huge challenge !!
1 – O God, watch over us, let go not of our hands, here
Navigator you are, a steam- ship to cross the ocean of life, your feet.
The prayer begins by addressing “ Daivame! “ ( O God!). Daivam is Malayalam for God. The word root ‘Div’ means Light. God is That which is the light to all lights. A mantra in the Upanishad says “
Na tatra …. Tasya bhaasa sarvam idam vibhaati”- In Its light this entire Universe is illumined. It is this light that Gurudev addresses as God.
In the opening verse, the Guru portrays God as a navigator. He is the ship's captain, who can take us safely across the ocean of life. .A navigator is one who guides us. These days, we have all have navigators fitted into our cars and we follow it's directions to take us to our destination. Actually, all beings are born with the divine navigators within them. Every one, except man takes the guidance of the navigator. That is why only man is wandering about aimlessly, without any sense of direction.
So if we accept God as our navigator and take his guidance, we can safely cross this ocean of worldly life.
Just like a father holds his child's hands for his safety, God holds us all with His invisible hands. What will happen if he leaves our hands or if we take away our hands? That will be a big problem.
When one prays ‘O God, let go not of our hands …..’ he must be aware that all of creation in the universe is held together by God. When one loses this awareness, he lets go of God.
If we understand what this ‘hold’ is, then it is very easy to move on to the next level. Just think of how things are held together in this universe! Students of physics and chemistry will know about this ‘hold’. …The way atoms hold together… How cells hold … How matter exists as carbon, diamond, and ice…! What a wonderful holding of hands this is! What a marvelous bonding! All this is like the hand shake that we give each other. As mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita, these invisible hands entwine everything like pearls on a string. If that hold is loosened,then everything falls off. And 'Watch over us,’ means to protect everyone-not only Man, but everything in the universe.............
Before we begin the explanation of the verses, let us understand what a prayer really means. A prayer is an acknowledgement of the Universal Power that we call as God. When we offer a prayer, we do so with the knowledge that God is the one who is present in all beings . Prayer is not a means to achieve anything, it is not a request for favours, it is not begging. It is simply our salutation and an expression of our love and respect for the divine power.
My Guru, H.H. Swami Chinmayananda used to say that we stand as one family , bound to each other with love and respect. This is the spirit of the vedantic principle of “Vasidhaiva kutmbakam – The whole world is like a family.
A prayer is like a smile. That is why Swamiji used to say “Keep Smiling”!
When do we smile? We smile at those whom we know. The smile conveys that we know each other very well, that we are familiar with one another. For the realised person , the sage, whoever or whatever beings he sees-a blade of grass, a tiny ant, the sun, moon or the stars- all are familiar faces . He sees the divine in everything in nature. He salutes the Sun, the Moon, the trees, animals, the natural forces, etc with this knowledge. This is why in India, it is not strange to worship all the forces of Nature, plants and animals.
A prayer is also a remembrance. The remembrance is also to strengthen the friendship/relationship with God.
Let us now go into the explanation of the 10 verses. Actually for a thorough explanation, even 10 days may not be enough. But with only 45 minutes, I face a huge challenge !!
1 – O God, watch over us, let go not of our hands, here
Navigator you are, a steam- ship to cross the ocean of life, your feet.
The prayer begins by addressing “ Daivame! “ ( O God!). Daivam is Malayalam for God. The word root ‘Div’ means Light. God is That which is the light to all lights. A mantra in the Upanishad says “
Na tatra …. Tasya bhaasa sarvam idam vibhaati”- In Its light this entire Universe is illumined. It is this light that Gurudev addresses as God.
In the opening verse, the Guru portrays God as a navigator. He is the ship's captain, who can take us safely across the ocean of life. .A navigator is one who guides us. These days, we have all have navigators fitted into our cars and we follow it's directions to take us to our destination. Actually, all beings are born with the divine navigators within them. Every one, except man takes the guidance of the navigator. That is why only man is wandering about aimlessly, without any sense of direction.
So if we accept God as our navigator and take his guidance, we can safely cross this ocean of worldly life.
Just like a father holds his child's hands for his safety, God holds us all with His invisible hands. What will happen if he leaves our hands or if we take away our hands? That will be a big problem.
When one prays ‘O God, let go not of our hands …..’ he must be aware that all of creation in the universe is held together by God. When one loses this awareness, he lets go of God.
If we understand what this ‘hold’ is, then it is very easy to move on to the next level. Just think of how things are held together in this universe! Students of physics and chemistry will know about this ‘hold’. …The way atoms hold together… How cells hold … How matter exists as carbon, diamond, and ice…! What a wonderful holding of hands this is! What a marvelous bonding! All this is like the hand shake that we give each other. As mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita, these invisible hands entwine everything like pearls on a string. If that hold is loosened,then everything falls off. And 'Watch over us,’ means to protect everyone-not only Man, but everything in the universe.............
(to be continued........)
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