CMRS 6

“CMR STORY “……. Part 1 …….” THE SOIL.”

       Chapter - 5.               “ Parent-less and friend-less boy of Tirunelveli.”     [ page 1. ]

The usually quiet ‘Sanyasi Chathram’ on the banks of the river Tamiraparani at the far end of

Tirunelveli town was witnessing crowded programs, one after another, that evening.

Only fifteen minutes back, its walls and pillars were reverberating with the musical recital of

mantras and the group chanting of  rare Vedic hymns by a select group of Brahmin priests.

It was a practice session conducted by Sankara nambudiri, a special invitee from Kerala.

  

He was a young man of few words and his expertise was in the correct pronunciation of words.

The controlled frequency of sound production gave power to mantras, a fact that Nambudri -

Brahmins prided themselves about and justifiably so, because of purity in their recital.

When Nambudiri started his classes, a few weeks before, the odd presence of a lonely boy

among the priestly group surprised others but not him. Those who expected the master to take

offence and object were disappointed, unaware that prior permission had been granted.

The boy was seated by the side of his grand father Isvara sastrigal.

He was a boy of around six, small made, inwardly bright but outwardly timid looking.

His melancholy look gave the impression that the boy longed for care and affection.

Yes. He was parent-less. – Now, his very presence in the midst of priests and that too in the

evening time showed that he was friend-less too and with out any play mates.

Nambudiri knew this but what surprised him was his undivided attention to what was taught.

It was too much to expect a boy of his age to show this much devotion and focus.

The boy looked special and the teacher made a mental note of it.

Today, near the end of the session, the boy suddenly rushed out and did not return.

Every one assumed he went out to answer urgent nature’s call.  –

The session ended. - The priests left, leaving behind Isvara mama to wait for the boy.

Once the big hall became empty, the waiting crowd outside started filling the place.

After ten minutes, Isvaran became restless; worrying about the boy he called as ‘Ambi’.

He was too old to go alone searching for him and he had not told any one to look for him.

So, it was a relief when he saw his nephew Pitchumani entering the hall. - 

He waved his hand and called him to his side and started talking to him.

The day’s evening sath-sang meeting was about to commence.

 “Yato va  imani bhutani jayante, yena jatani jivanti,

          Yat prayanti abhisam visanthi.”  …………

His loud voice was enough to demand silence.

Still, Mahalinga sharma waited, giving a gap long enough for noise level to subside.

He noticed the old man sitting with his back resting on a stone pillar looking anxious.

He also noticed that his grand son, the small boy whom he always kept by his side was

absent and perhaps the reason why ‘Iswara mama’ kept his gaze fixed to the entrance.

    

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Sharmaji continued,

So, this is how,

“Taittiriya-Upanishad” defines “Isvara”

                      “ Yatova imani bhutani..…etc.. etc..…… means,

”That from which all these have come, in which all these exist and sustained and

into which all will go back, is Isvara.

The big hall of sanyasi chaththiram was now half-full with a gathering of intellectual lot.

Some late comers hurried up to take their seats.

Is not ‘Isvara’ just a name which is “Nama”?     -    Yes.  - It is.

Nama is the name but Nami is the one who has a name.

 So, here is “Isvara” who is both a Nama as well as a Nami.

There was pin drop silence, each one trying to find their own meaning of what they hear.

The name of the Lord is “Isvara” which splits in to “Is” +” Vara”.

It has two parts. – It is like,’ work’ +’ er’ = Worker.

“Is” is called ’Prakrti’ (‘ work’) and “Vara” is “Pratyaya”(‘er’)

‘Isvara’ is both the potter and the pot. – He is the pot as well as Clay.

He is the‘Singer’ and He is the ‘Song’ as well.

Sharmaji gave a broad smile, seemingly proud to have made an irrefutable point.

 If a Nami has a Nama then,

 Who is the Nami who has given Isvara his name? – 

No body! – There can not be any body.  – Do you know why?

Pin drop silence continued as Sharmaji started looking around in all directions.

Some new comers avoided his look, as though afraid that they may be asked to stand up and

answer while the regulars knew that they were supposed to keep quiet, allowing Sharmaji alone

to give reply to his own questions. – That was his style.

Who is Isvara then?   

Sharmaji saw him moving towards the entrance, helped by his walking stick and pitchai mama.

He knew that Isvara mama was obviously going out in search of his grand son.

.

Where is Isvara  now?

With a wry smile sharma said, in a low tone,

    Isvara has gone out to find the hide out of missing muruga …

Many people noticed it too.

They smiled back, pretending to like his pun and humor.

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 Out from the hall,

They stood near the pillars looking around first before getting down the steps.

Where is Ambi?   

Where has my grand son gone?  How did he disappear?

Did any of you see him going near the river? 

The worried old man kept asking this to any one who came his way.

This was in spite of his close aide Pitchai mama repeatedly telling him to be patient.

But Pitchai knew what disturbed Isvara mama.

It was his imaginary fear about Ambi getting drowned in the river Tamiraparani ,

whose floods took away the life of the boy’s parents.

Iswaran was a widower with a daughter - his only child who looked after him.

Now, he lost both his daughter and son-in-law and became the custodian of their son.

The orthodox and superstitious ladies of the neighborhood blamed the boy and his horoscope

for the sudden calamity and not allowing their own children to mingle with Ambi.

Isvaran knew that it was just a ploy to avoid taking responsibilities for the orphaned boy.

It is ok. – Isvaran could manage using paid services for his house hold.

Of course, there were helping hands of people like Pitchai.

All the same, nothing can ever compensate the parental love and care.

What frustrated Esvaran most was the unwarranted abuse meant to hurt the poor boy.

He was shocked when Ambi innocently asked him for the meaning of the word ‘thukkiri ‘.

It was then that Isvaran decided to keep his grand son by his side to shield him from the negative

vibrations emanating from words like saniyan, pisasu, kadangaran, kattela poravan  etc.

When Isvaran told this to Sankara Nambudri in private, he understood.

Later, Isvaran noticed the kind look Nambudri always gave to Ambi , even outside the class.

With these thoughts, Isvaran slowly started getting down the steps, with one hand pressing the

walking stick and another holding pitchai’s hand. –

At some distance was the river bed.  

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Sankara Nambudri just finished his santhya vanthanam and came out of the river.

He always wanted to be left alone particularly after his hectic routine of Vedic chanting.

He walked towards a banyan tree a little away that had a wide stone with smooth surface.

On the first day of his arrival, he felt an attraction to that lonely place facing the river.

Knowing that it was his preferred place to sit and contemplate, no one disturbed him there.

Sankara Nambudri came to a sudden stop.

The place was not empty today. – Even from a distance he could see that.

                                       

He walked fast to have a closer look. – What he suspected was correct.

Ambi was seated there like a statue.

He seemed to be looking at the setting sun. – It looked like that.

No. It was a blank look of an empty mind not registering any thing his eyes saw.

His lip movements revealed that he was uttering something or was it a recital of mantras?

Nambudri went very close and touched his shoulder. – He did not seem to feel his touch.

Ambi…Ambi…are you able to hear me? – No response.  – Nothing -

The boy was still and stiff like a stone.

Nambudri sat down by his side and bent his head and ears very close to his lips.

He jerked back, shocked and surprised at what he heard as recitation by the boy.

He listened carefully. – Again and again he listened. - Yes. It is real, not a dream.

Sankara Nambudri had not seen nor heard any thing like this.

This boy had fallen in to a “Trance” – Yes.  –

Such a rare occurrence!  -      How was that possible?

The shocking part came when Nambudri recognized what the boy’s lips recited.

He carefully listened to the sounds it produced and was convinced that it was a miracle only.

                                                                                                                               

By that time, Isvaran and Pitchumani moved to that place, having recognized them both

   What happened? -          

                 Oh my God. –   

                                       Is any thing wrong? –

                                                                   Is he alive or not?

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Pichchai and Isvaran were taking turns to keep shouting questions.

None of the shouts disturbed Nambudri who kept listening closely to the silent recital.

I can’t believe.  ………………..

         What you can’t believe, asked Pitchai

I can’t understand.  ……………

         What you can’t understand…..

It is impossible.  ………………..

                          What is impos…Pitchai stopped realizing that Nambudri was talking to himself.

                 It is amazing.

Seeing this Isvaran looked relieved.  -  He was curious to know what was going on.

         But he was too tired to talk and so he slowly went and sat near Ambi.

This boy is special….        Yes……..                 He is a wonder boy. ..

My God……….. Thank you……..Thank you.

Mean while, Isvaran started weeping, seeing that motionless body in sitting posture.

       

That made Nambudri notice their presence and came back to his senses.

Keeping his fingers over his lips he said,

Wait. – Don’t shout. – Ambi is alright.

There is nothing to worry.  – Please keep silent.

What is there to wait? ……….. He is lying like a log of wood.

Shouldn’t we call the doctor?

No.  - Ambi has gone in to a “Trance”, said Nambudri.

He will automatically wake up once he comes out of it.

What?   -  Did you say Trance? ….I never had heard such a name.

 Well, I will explain.   Please wait.

 Before that, can you tell me one thing?

 I am asking you both. – What your plans are for the future of this boy?

                                   

For Esvaran it looked a bit odd to see this reserved type of man enquire in this manner.

But then, he was glad to see some one like Nambudri, taking interest in the boy’s future.

He replied with out hesitation, “This boy’s future is safe only with people like you.”

What ever you say is ok with us, said Pitchai, giving a meaningful look at Isvaran.

Thank you. – I asked because, I have plans for this boy.

I will take him as my disciple and take care of him in my Guru kulam at Trivandrum.

Are you ready to send him with me when I leave this place next week?

Esvaran struggled to get up and raise his hands to bless Nambudri and thank him.

I am so relieved. – I am so happy. – God bless you.

Emotion and tiredness over powered the old man, forcing him sit again and rest.

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Sankara nambudri smiled now, with a look of relief.

Ok then. 

You asked what Trance is – well, how shall I put it?

Let me think how to explain in a simple way.

Trance is the half-conscious state without response to stimuli.

You see, there are two types and both are very rare occurrence.

One is a state of ecstasy, as in the case of maha rishis in deep meditation.

Another is a state as entered in to a medium which is perhaps this case now.

What makes you think so? – asked Pitchai finding Esvara mama half asleep.

There is reason. This boy is reciting Rig Vedic hymns not in existence and use.

It is like bird song, – It is like Gandarva Ganam

What? – Did you say gandarvas - You mean non-human Narada and his lot!

Sure. – Yes.  - I suspect so.

It sounds like Rig Vedic recital alright but certainly not the one we know of.

This must be one of the oldest of the old type. – The one with out words.

I mean the one that existed even before human speech evolved.

Pitchai blinked, unable to make a head or tail of what Nambudri was telling.

How he is connected with it is the mystery. – It is a surprise.

Nambudri continued with his analysis, to find some logic.

When the boy rushed out from the class, we thought it was nature’s call

Now it looks like a Devine call that brought him to this place.

It is the same seat that attracted me too. – I had felt positive vibrations here.

It was now Pitchai mama’s turn to start worrying.

He became very confused with what ever this Nambudri was talking about.

Considering the condition of all the three, he badly needed help.

Why not run back to the big hall and bring people?

Nambudri kept talking with out bothering to look at Pitchai.

The boy will never know what he went through when he woke up.

Quite likely, Ambi never gets into it again.  – He will never know about what happened to him.

But it is an indication of his potential.

I was the only witness to his trance and listened to his recital.

If only I had not seen and heard it, every thing would have gone unnoticed.

What does it mean?

Is it not a Devine Order that I took this boy in my custody and teach him?

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At last, Nambudri seemed to have noticed Pitchai and said,

I hope you understood.  - Any doubt.

Pitchai  helplessly nodded his head, now that he found Isvaran in sound sleep.

Ok then. - Now tell me what is Ambi’s name? – and what gothram?

    Lakshmi Narayanan, said, Pitchai and added ‘ Bharatwajar ‘

Well, if my plans materialize, well let us see.

I may some day rename his as Bharatwaja Egyanarayanan

[With eyes closed, Esvaran was listening to this conversation. – His face brightened. ]

Thatha..aaaaa………..

                      Ambi woke up with a jolt feeling a touch or some thing.

 He seemed to have felt the whirling sound, whistling past his head. – May be it was his thatha.

- The satisfied soul leaving its body and touching the boy’s head on its way to heaven.

The sudden scream made Nambudri and Pitchai look back.

They saw Ambi getting up and blinking and Esvaran sliding down to the ground.

As words spread, the sath sang abruptly ended and people came running.

The next few days, Nambudri kept Ambi close with him like what his thatha did.

Nambudri kept his distance from others and was preparing for his departure.

As expected, ladies blamed the boy for Isvara mama’s sudden demise.

As Pitchai mama described the scenes, ‘Believers’ listened with awe and with open mouth.

Skeptics commented it was a cooked up story of that Nambudri fellow.

They mischievously told the boy,

If you go with him, you will be only a servant, doing menial jobs and house hold work.

Ambi retorted the first time, with a curt reply.

With my thatha gone,

any place is better than this place where people like you live, which I leave behind.

                                                                

                                        

We also take leave of Sankara nambudri and Ambi now, but to meet again after ten years.

                         [ Next issue –    Chapter - 6   -  “ mid-sea meetings.”   ]