Dear friends, (7) "kalandhu pEsina pEccharavam kEttu?" "kallandhu pEsina pEcchU" is a beautiful Tamil expression rich in its poetic suggestion of the Gita phraseology we saw earlier -- i.e. "kathayantascha mAm nityam" and "bOdhyanta: parasparam". AndAl's expression "pEsina pEccharavam" is an amazingly creative use of words in Tamil. It seems like tautology and sounds like alliteration. (As tautology it is akin to that familiar cyber-world term, "chat-room chatter", but it alliteratively conveys the idea that the "chatter" of milkmaids in the TiruppAvai is no "empty chatter" but "eloquent, euphonious speech" --it is "pEsina pEcchu"). "pEccharavam" immediately strikes us as being the "earnest and intimate conversation" carried on constantly by members of a 'satsangh'. They meet, they talk, they freely share thoughts and feelings and experiences of God; they ask and tell each other stories from the 'pUrAna'; they recollect scriptural passages; they compare notes on the sayings of wise men, of preceptors and their holy books? In the true 'satsangh' people make as much effort to listen as they wish to speak ("kalandhu pEsi?" and "kalandhu kEttu?" is how AndAl's expression of this idea in this verse may be read by us). There can be no "satsangh" if everyone within it wants centre-stage space for himself. A true 'satsangh' delights more in listening than in being heard; it is far keener to learn than to preach; and more eager to freely give and share than to grasp or hoard. The first ever 'satsangh' of such ideal devotees occurred in a distant period in "purAnic" pre-history. The members gathered in the deep and sylvan forests of ancient "naimishAranya" (India) around the great story-teller, Sri Soota PaurAnika, and engaged him in long, earnest conversations ("pEccharavam"). The interactive and animated discourses of "naimishAranya" eventually became sacred and exalted copy for that classic 'pUrANa' of the Vedantic tradition viz. the 'Srimadh BhAgavatham'. Even today, the truly devout ones that go on pilgrimage to "naimishAranya" swear that when they went into the deep woods and listened intently ("kallandhu kettu"), they thought they could hear within their hearts, faintly but clearly, Soota and his august "satsangh" conversing -- or "chattering" -- away happily ("kallandhu pEsi?"). That ancient "pEccharavam", that "holy chat" of "naimishAranyam" has never indeed stopped echoing, the pilgrims of today's "satsangh" keep insisting? and never will it stop echoing across the endless expanse of Time? *********** (to be continued) Regards, dAsan, Sudarshan ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Mobile: Download the latest polyphonic ringtones. Go to http://in.mobile.yahoo.com ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/XUWolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Oppiliappan-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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