A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

                                     

 

1.   “A very happy birthday, Mom!”  I Said.

        Recalling her memories far from days past

        Days flew by unknown so swift and fast

        A flash of memory within me spread

        Our rush through routine make us forget

        Even our promises and persons we met.

2.     Time has erased so many sweet events bygone

        A dim shadow of what we went through remained

        Of those halcyon days and what we have gained;

        Like glittering strips of fairy’s rings on dew-filled lawn

        Once more of what I said echoed within my heart

        Silence mocked at my queries, no answer I got.

3.     Her memories at once engulfed my mind

        Her jovial nature with spontaneous wit

        Her hasty temper with genial mirth and grit

        Her liberal ways with sociable nature kind

        Her special affection for bonny children male

        Her gift of music and her skill of narrating tales.

4.     So many years did lapse since she had gone

        How can I view her state with my mortal sight?

        And yet in a dreamy vision saw her phantom bright  

        She seemed quite young and fresh like blooming dawn

        Free from earthly burdens—no wrinkled face

        No shriveling tensions in her I trace.

5.     Her golden complexion beamed with red-lotus glow

        With puzzled looks I stood with confounded thoughts

        Her silent looks conveyed more than what I caught

        Like whispering waves that ebb with retreating glow

        She seemed angelic with philosophic ease

        No tantalizing tensions her bosom tease.

6.    Her looks jeered at my wishful greetings

       Like elders laughing at children’s innocent acts

       Can one measure immortal soul’s age in fact

       Free from world’s illusions and changing things?

       She seemed herself in true spiritual form

       Far above our worldly restraints, unruffled and calm.

7.   “You, silly old fellow!” she seemed to say

        Far away from our passion- stricken mortal days

        Delinked from our self-bound tottering ways

        Untouched by dualities and emotions’ sway;

        A new awakening into a new realm, 

        My birthday wishes to whom shall I convey?

8.    Death is nothing but a brief spell of sleep

       A rejuvenation of soul from stress and strain

       A liberation from earthly pulls and pain;

       A new onward journey, a joyous leap

       Into mysterious worlds of spiritual peace

       To review our acts and move onward with ease.

9.    So many births and deaths we had beyond our count

       In so many different bodies and climes

       To face so many tests and trials in different times

       To purge our innate weaknesses and surmount

       In spite of our detours and digressions vain

       To set right our path to God-a gradual gain.

10.  In spite of our blunders, God is helpful and kind

       To guide us on righteous path with generous mind

       A purpose behind our births and deaths God-ordained

       Yet still we curse our fate too blind to find.”

       She seemed to say as she vanished from my sight

       Amazed my heart fluttered like a bat in the dead of night.

                    *****************************

      27th July, 2020                            Somaseshu Gutala


  "There is a purpose in each stumble and fall."-- Sri Aurobindo
      
  " Surrender to the divine is the best emotional protection." -- Mother

             

 

A Hermit’s Prayer

                    

1)   Though multiple times I turn my rosary  round

      Thy presence divine I have not found

      What use my extensive learning profound

      Without a focused conscience clear and sound?

      Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

      Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

2)   What use this ochre-colored robes and dress!

       What use vain thoughts and philosophic guess!

       I can’t worldly grievances solve and redress

       The weight of temptations vex me and press;

       Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

       Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

3)   What use to grow matted locks and beard grey

       If I do not discover Thy mysterious way?

       Like melting cubes of ice dissolve our days

       Our worldly possessions won’t ever stay.

       Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

       Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

4)   And yet we cling to our tempting desires

       Like foolish moths that rush towards the blazing fire

       When can we get out of this fathomless mire?

       Subdue our passions and egos entire.

       Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

       Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

5)    What use to fast and pray for hours and hours?

        In silence under the darkest forest bowers

        If we can’t realize Thee and Thy godly powers

        And feel the bliss of ambrosial showers?

        Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

        Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

6)     In worldly affairs our bodies wear and tear

        Entrapped in crushing troublesome cares

        This Maya’s all-pervading veil when can we tear?

        Without Thy divine Grace and help none can dare.

        Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

        Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

7)    Great sages yielded to delusions’ hold

       Who did penance intense in fire and cold;

       My weaker instincts how can I mold

       Without Thy boundless grace and support bold?

       Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

       Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

8)    Even the lowest creatures broke off the worldly ties

       Though not well-versed, intelligent and wise

       Thy holy touch for us, a brilliant sunrise

       Thy mercy when we receive, we can’t surmise.

        Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

        Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

9)     Not due to our merits we claim Thy mercy sweet

        Like humble beggars, Thy grace we entreat

        Thy blessed touch of sin-emancipating feet

        Without Thy help our inner foes who can defeat?

        Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

        Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

10)   All our depth of knowledge, mere show—no gain

        All our rites and rituals reduce not our pain

        All these outer trappings will not restrain

        The powerful grip of six enemies main.

        Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

        Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

11)   Without devotion and patience, nothing

        Can we achieve; what use to chant and sing

        Thy thousand names and ostentatiously ring

         Bells and flaunt oneself with no sincere feelings.

         Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

         Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

12)    Let me lose my ego and sense of pride

         Let me in Thy presence ever abide

         Let me be free from these turbulent tides

         Of worldly woes,Oh God! Be Thou my Lord and Guide.

         Help me, Oh Lord! Shower Thy mercy I pray

         Lift me from ignorance and show true salvation’s way.

                  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

         15th July, 2020                              Somaseshu Gutala

Note : Maya’s hold --- According to Indian philosophy the whole world is an illusion created out of Maya ( God’s power of creation). All living creatures under the spell of Maya think this world as real and think themselves as doers. But actually the three qualities of Prakriti----Dynamic aspect of God’s creative Power--(Sattwa—positive and balanced attitude, Rajas-passion and activity and Tamas—destruction and laziness)) drive them to act according to their tendencies or karmas. Only pious people who serve God with humility and devotion will overcome this power of delusion and realize that they are not doers but silent witnesses to the apparent phenomena of this world. They will control their six inner enemies(Desire, anger, lust, pride, greed and jealousy) and with balanced mind will approach God without any desires as everything in this world is transient and subject to change. Our rituals and religious karmas only serve to some extent to cultivate a proper mindset and induce a sense of discipline to approach God with a pious mind. Mere learning of religious texts will not transform our lives unless we practise what we study. Sometimes acquisition of knowledge will produce a sense of pride and lead us astray. So one has to overcome one’s egoistic nature (Ahamkara) caused by power, wealth, beauty, knowledge and other worldly possessions and think that everything happens only due to will and power of God. Our existence is nothing without his presence and motivation. But the freedom given to us by Him should not be misused and wasted. Yet to reach such noble level is not so easy and requires repeated attempts and practice and one should not feel depressed but pursue one's path without expecting quick results.

                           *********************************

 

TECHNOCRATS

                                                      

1)    Like restless running machines they execute

          Their time-bound projects within dead line;

          A collective teamwork with no sense of mine

          Their persistent thinking sharpens them cute;

          Like soulless tools, they have been fashioned that way

          Their sense of time differs entirely from our day.

     2)     Caught in the vortex of busy office schedule

           Their feelings shrink to mechanical routine;

           Like birds with clipt wings in steel cages seen

           In slavish work they search for joy like mules;

           Only pubs and restaurants their oft frequented spots

           In malls and resorts only did they splurge a lot.

  

     3)   Their only goal to work; to work with devilish speed

           Lest they forfeit their high five-figure gain;

           The risk of pink slip spurs them to stress and strain;

           No time to pause and think, before they proceed;

           The hollow dreams they chase at once break down

           Their nerves shattered—their ambitions let down.

     4)   Inured to deadly routine they search for surprise

           To jolt them out of their tedious grind;

           In trivial acts, surprises they try to find;

           The gifts of God they miss and fail to realize

           The joy of cool composure they hardly trace

           In their fast goal-oriented frantic pace.

     5)    No time to chat with others with open mind

           No time to meet others and their feelings share

           No time to read and write, no thought to spare

           No time to live in Nature’s bosom kind

           Enslaved to tools, they wish to converse in signs

           No time to improve their style with heart-throbbing lines.

     6)    In virtual world they ever like to stay

           From their prime roots cut off in alien lands;

           They stay away from home like vagrant bands

           Estranged from tradition and righteous ways;

           About their heritage past they lost their hold

           Long lost, who cares for outdated maxims old ?

     7)      In changing world they quickly interact

           With common sentiments and feelings they view

           To mix with different races and manners new

           To grasp new techniques, tidbits and facts

           Makes them less rigid and play their role with grace;

           Though they rush like robots with hurried pace.

    8)    A global outlook with new flexible norms

           A tech-savvy outlook with practical tools

           Far from bounds of caste, sect and religious rules;

           Far from myths and ritualistic forms

           Far from fairy world of tales and festive cheer

           Suffused with morals they no longer hear.

    9)        Our homely truths still within ring like bells

           Far from home in search of work they went

           In modern ways a lot of time they spent;

           Inured to modern changes, a heavenly hell--

           With humane touch let us fill this world with peace

           Without technical help we can’t live with ease.

   10)   This world needs your fast-paced smart skills indeed.

       To unravel Nature’s mysteries within

       Knowledge with helpful goals is not a sin;

       But be not too much mechanized; we need

       New ways to peace and progress you can blaze

       Blending human values free from greedy craze.

                      ************************

     7th June, 2020                                   Somaseshu Gutala

Note: A technocrat by definition is a person well-equipped with technological skills and swiftness of execution with goal-oriented tasks. Generally they have a lot of influence in Government or in corporate field. In this poem the above term is used in a wider sense covering all persons who work in industries, and big companies. The purpose is to reveal the work pressure and tensions of their lives who have to rush with no time to think and ponder over other deeper dimensions of life. This is not to criticize or comment on their abilities and talents. Especially in this modern age we cannot live without technology and all of us are using it for our daily needs. In one sense we are all technocrats getting used to machines and gadgets. The influence of machines on our lives is immense. So many people are getting addicted to indiscriminate use of machines and electronic devices. But let us not become machines enslaving our inner personality to futile goals.

Technocrats can play a vital and useful role if they blend their skills with noble goals and do not get detached from their native roots which taught them so much and shaped their lives. Knowledge combined with wisdom and noble thoughts will make them free from their mad pursuit materialistic prosperity. So let us express our due gratitude to technocrats for their valuable contribution and sincere hard work and ask them to enlarge their visions and aspirations. As Einstein said; “Concern for man and his fate must always form the chief interest of all technical endeavors. Never forget this in the midst of your diagrams and equations.”

                           ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++