Mouli's thoughts and musics over two decades
The concept of natural dualities is everywhere. The Chinese call it the Yin-Yang. It is there in several places in Hinduism as well such as the Hari-Haran duality. The Ardhanaari duality etc.
Anyways, during one very contemplative after lunch walk, I found this to be a classical duality example.
(Shot using my blackberry and post processed using ipiccy.com)
Today I want to share a very cool piece of info, that I learnt yesterday. The days I get home early, I get to see Vijay TV’s Bhakthi program series. Some very interesting stories. All told by very well versed people. There is one gentleman who is talking about Abirami Andhadhi, and he was explaining the meaning of the name – Abirami. He split up Abirami into Abi – ramya == Now beautiful. He was explaining as to how, the Goddess is ‘Now beautiful’ always. I think that is a pretty cool thing. The ultimate example of ‘living for the present’.
For the theologically inclined – you may recognize Abirami as the Goddess of fame at Thirukadayur – and the story of Abirama battar. The battar was once meditating, entranced by the Goddess in Bhakti. The then king decided to test the battar, and asked what day it was ; and in a whim, Abirama Battar says, it is a full moon day (whereas, in actuality, it was the new moon day). As the evening approaches, Abirama battar starts composing and reciting Abirami Andhaadi, a collection of 100 verses. Towards the end, the Goddess comes to the rescue of her devotee, by tossing her nose ring (ear-ring?) on the sky, and the king sees it as the moon itself. The king realizes his mistake of doubting the battar, and asks for forgiveness.
For the naasthikally inclined (non-theological) – you may recognize Abirami as the name that Kamal keeps on mumbling in the movie Guna. Abiraaami Abiraaami.
Update: On recommendation from the CHO (chief home officer) — explanation of what andhaadi is, is also important. Andhaadis have a common feature – Each verse starts with the word in which the previous verse ends. That is pretty cool in its own right.
I keep recommending this blog’s readers to many many video talks. These are talks which have impressed me. There is one talk that I listened to today, which even moved me. This is probably the first talk, I have ever heard, where a neural-anatomist – a person who studies the human brain — talks so clearly of a feeling of nirvana. I am not sure, if Dr. Taylor has ever read the hindu texts, but what she talks about, is exactly what the vedas have been talking about. The vedas may not have talked about the left and right hemispheres, or the cerebral cortex, but it certainly talks a LOT about the atman, the feeling of all pervasiveness, the feeling of being ONE with the universe, or with the surroundings. Listen to the talk below, and see how much sense, it all makes. Brilliant. Dr. Taylor gets emotional towards the end of the talk, as she talks about her near-death experience.
[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=UyyjU8fzEYU]
As TED introduces her, “Jill Bolte Taylor got a research opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: She had a massive stroke, and watched as her brain functions — motion, speech, self-awareness –- shut down one by one. An astonishing story.”
Watch the video either in youtube (above) or directly at TED.com here. And I promise, you will not regret the 18 minutes of your time.