Tuesday, February 24, 2015

UNDER THE PIPAL TREE

                                                     
                                              UNDER THE PIPAL TREE


     
               


















   

       











                               1)        The temple yard with massive trees
                                     Strong pillared structures with leafy domes
                                     A spacious shelter for birds and monkeys
                                     Around which pilgrims bow and roam.
                                     Praying to thousands of black curved forms
                                     Engraved on stones, eye-catching charms.

                          2)       Devotees pray with humble hearts and stay
                                    With eyes closed, mumbling divine names;
                                    The pleasant cool breezes throw away
                                    Their worries and light Bhakti's flames;
                                    They offer rows of lights deckt with dark red
                                    And yellow powder, to snakes without dread.

                          3)       Pouring milk in streams over serpent-stones
                                    Chanting mantras in pious tones;
                                    As scents of myrrh and camphor spread
                                    Reciting prayers couples tread
                                    A festive glow surrounds the place entire
                                    With colorful blooms and lamp-lit fire.

                         4)       The priests busied themselves with rites
                                   Chanting slokas and waving lights
                                   Aspiring for booty from devotees there
                                   Tied to one place to earn their labor's share;
                                   The graceful hooded gods beseem to say
                                   Lessons of truth to those who truly pray.

                         5)       Like saints installed under the peepal trees
                                   Unmindful of weather and intense heat
                                   No venomous shapes, but divinities indeed
                                   Wish-fulfilling gods without greed
                                   Giving progeny and domestic bliss
                                          Removing time-old curse with mental peace.



                                  

     










                         6)       Round and round the devotees turned--
                                   Around the stony serpents adorned
                                   With jasmine and rose-plaited chains
                                   Tinged with saffron-mixed-yellow grains--
                                   Seeking blessings from serpent-deities
                                   For their family's health and longevity.

                        7)        The serpents shone with mysterious glow
                                   As if responding to their feelings' flow
                                   Their eyes opened wide gazed so bright
                                   Hissing blessings with hoods upright;
                                   Denizens of three worlds in various forms
                                   True ornaments of gods and nature's charms.

                       8)         Paired serpents intertwined in graceful pose
                                   Some like hydras with multiple hoods rose;
                                   Milk-tinted glistened with sleek silver shine
                                   With full-spread hoods and moon-lit eyne
                                   Upright standing on folded coils
                                   Benefactors of the sons of the soil.

                       9)         The primates viewing the devotees meek
                                   Skipped and played  hide-and-seek
                                   Leaping over the harmless serpents carved
                                   Giving no chance to mongrels starved
                                   Seizing offerings with lightning speed
                                   Shocked devotees wonder at their greed.

                       10)       Bless us, Holy symbols of creative force!
                                   Driving the diverse folds of the universe;
                                   Harbingers of bliss and mystic force divine
                                   That lies concealed in human spine;
                                   Unwind the potent forces of our mind
                                   Unfold the lotus sealed in conscience behind.


              Ref:            

              a)    Bhakti= Deep devotion
              b)    Mantras = devotional hymns with mystic power"
              c)    Slokas  =  devotional metrical verse
              d)    dark red and yellow powder= vermilion and turmeric used in worship
              e)    saffron-mixed yellow grains= rice grains mixed with vermilion and
                     turmeric powder, used in worship.
               f)    time-old curse= the burden of curse caused due to indiscriminate
                      killing of cobras by people, called naga dosha.
              g)    The lotus = In yogic terminology the lotus symbolizes 
                     spiritual enlightenment

               Note:  1)  In Indian tradition the peepal tree is considered as very sacred--
               a veritable symbol of Holy Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. 
              Generally under its branches small stone idols of gods, especially those
              of serpents, are seen in many temples. Lord Krishna also told Arjuna
              that among mighty trees, his power has assumed the form of the peepal
              tree. So people walk with devotion around this tree (Pradakshina) with
              the hope of getting blessings of this wish-fulfilling tree.

             The idols of serpents occupy a very prominent place in Hindu mythology. 
             They are considered as symbols of pro-creation and domestic bliss.
             Lord Subrahmanya (Son of Shiva and Parvathi) is worshipped in the form
             of a serpent symbolising creative force and the mystic force called 
             kundalini which lies concealed inside the spine. Many gods are shown
             wearing serpents as ornaments to indicate their mastery over this mystic
             power. This serpentine power spreads through all worlds of creation
             which is shown as multiple folds of creative force like that of the coils of
             Anantha, the lord of all serpents.   

                                      =========================                    
                                   
          25th February, 2015                                             Somaseshu G                        
                            

                                     

             

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