Kuvempu's Poem: O Nanna Chetana

Great poets Tagore and Kuvempu have given us a glimpse of the eternal through their poems. Their poems are offerings of praise and deep devotion to the divine, infinite power ..that power which creates the seasons, that power which causes sap to rush up every tree in the spring.

Poet Kuvempu

Meaning: "O nanna chetana" is a call for absolute freedom from all shackles that binds a man down. Shackles of the body and the mind. The poet calls on his spirit to rise beyond forms, images, identities and philosophies that arise from our associations with country, religion, caste and creed that are passed down from generations. When these limiting thoughts and narrow walls and boundaries are broken down, we stand pure, uncontaminated and free as nature created us! Our spirit will be free to roam like the wind that blows all over the earth. O nanna chetana, aagu nee aniketana .. O my spirit, be free, be eternal!!


O nanna chetana, Aagu nee aniketana!
(O my spirit, Transcend all boundaries!)

Roopa roopagalanu daati, Naama kotigalanu meeti, Edeya biriye bhaavadeeti,
O nanna chetana, Aagu nee aniketana!
(Transcend all forms, Transcend all identities, Even as sentiment pierces the heart, O my spirit,  Transcend all boundaries!)

Nooru matada hotta thoori, Ella tatvadelle meeri, Nirdigantavaagi aeri,
O nanna chetana, Aagu nee aniketana!
(Blow away the chaff of a hundred castes, Transcend the limits of all philosophies, Rise beyond the horizons, O my spirit, Transcend all boundaries!)

Elliyoo nilladiru, Maneyanendu kattadiru,Koneyanendoo muttadiru,
O anantavaagiru!  O nanna chetana, Aagu nee aniketana!
(Do not stop anywhere, Do not be bound by narrow walls, Never be content in reaching the finite,O be eternal, O my spirit, Transcend all boundaries!)

Ananta taan anantavaagi, Aagutihane nityayogi,
Ananta neen anantavaagu: Aagu, aagu, aagu, aagu,
O nanna chetana, Aagu nee aniketana!
(The eternal always remains eternal, A yogi becomes eternal, You are eternal, be always eternal: Be, be, be, be eternal, O my spirit, Transcend all boundaries! )

Soul Searching: What do we search for?

Call it soul searching. I've been searching for a long time with a restless heart. We search because something is missing. We know not what it is that is missing. So we search hither and tither.

The search in the depth of our being is a longing to find our place in this universe. To find our life's destiny. The search is really a yearning to go back to where be belong. To our mother, to our home which is nothing other than nature and our mother earth. Living in cities for generations, removed from the touch and feel of our mother, we are hopelessly lost in unnatural environments and we search for our bearings.

When we truly understand how our life is entwined with everything in this earth, we see peace. The search is over and understanding begins. Here is a quote from a native american chief which I thought was apt. We are now living in a time when everything in nature is alien to us. We humans have set ourselves apart from everything else on earth. We do not belong like every other creature does and that is why our heart longs to return.

The time will soon be here when my grandchild will long for the cry of a loon, the flash of a salmon, the whisper of spruce needles, or the screech of an eagle. But he will not make friends with any of these creatures and when his heart aches with longing he will curse me. Have I done all to keep the air fresh? Have I cared enough about the water? Have I left the eagle to soar in freedom? Have I done everything I could to earn my grandchild's fondness? -Chief Dan George-(1899 - 1981)

On Work and Art

An action that is a result of effort is work
An action that is a result of love is art. Love is effortless.
The end result of effort is always a mediocre version of that done with love.

All that a mother does for her children is effortless for her because it is a labour of love.

Nature is my only temple

In the midst of nature, I am nourished, soothed and made alive again.The autumn rain, the crisp air, the wet leaves in all colors and hues, the gulls and the geese .The hushed trees, the overflowing streams, the carpet of leaves, the stillness of the forest. In silence, I walk and that is my only prayer.  

Poem. My dear

Many a times I have told you
You were born a rare gem
A dew drop in this cosmic chaos
Still, content and complete

Many a times, you have shown me
The way through the maze that life is
The right way to live
The right things to say and do. 

Many a times, you have shown me
The beauty in ordinary things
Perfection in the mundane
The joy in the smallest of things

Many a times you have taught me
The value of patience, an unhurried pace
Of kindness and tenderness
Of boundless love and affection

You are music without a discordant note
Thank you, thank you for this journey ..