Before we get into this dreaming business, let us start this episode with a startling incident.
It was an assembly of great saints, all of whom had experienced God in their own way. There were men and women who had gathered together to share their individual experiences with each other. They had also come for a serious discussion about how the society can be reformed.
That was the time when ancient Vedic religion of India was going through upheavals. People wielding the power had turned the society into a hierarchy of caste-based divisions. Religion had become the monopoly of only select few. And these powerful people were misusing religious scriptures to suppress and oppress weaker sections of the society. Women were relegated to secondary role. God was used as a tool to exploit people.
Time was 12th century. The place was Kalyana in southern India. The elderly person who was chairing the congregation was Allama Prabhu, a great saint and social reformer. There were many other saints/reformers like Basavanna, who had gathered over there.
Their dream was to bring up a fair society where everyone irrespective of their caste, irrespective of their profession, irrespective of their social standing, irrespective of their gender, was treated with the respect they deserved, with no discrimination. They also aimed at simplifying the ancient Vedic religion which had become steeped in ritualism and rigid practices. They vouched for a religion which was simple to practice and morally based, where the primary tenets were
“Lead an honest life – without cheating anyone, without hurting anyone, without coveting for what does not belong to you.
Treat everyone fairly – without looking down on anyone, without condemning anyone for their weaknesses.
Live with humility – without indulging in self-praise, without unfairly criticizing anyone.
That is the only way to please God”
“kaLabEda kolabEda husiya nudiyalu bEda
anyarige asahya padabEda
thanna baNNisabEda
idhira haLiyalu bEda
idhE namma koodala sangamanolisuva pari”
Allama and Basavanna were two of the prominent leaders of this SharaNa movement out to reform Indian society. These saints had gathered there, to exchange each other’s views, and discus their plans to establish a classless society free of evil practices.
All of a sudden, a young girl enters such a congregation of elderly men and women. She probably was in her late teens. She was impeccably beautiful. But she was completely naked, covering her entire nude body just by her long flowing hair!
Before the girl could step into the hall, Allama stopped her at the door by saying
“You there, stop! This is not the place for wayward girls like you. This is a gathering of spiritual seekers and great souls. Why have you come here?
Only chaste women are allowed here. And how dare you enter this place shamelessly, exhibiting your youthful body? Are you trying to distract the saints here?”
The girl politely replied
“Sir, I am not the kind of girl you think I am. I am also a spiritual seeker. I have come here to seek the guidance from you people. Please don’t mistake me”
Allama was not convinced. He angrily retorted
“I have heard that you are the one who has deserted her husband. This is no place for people like you. This assembly is for women who are chaste and know their role as a woman. Go back to your husband”.
The girl calmly replied
“Sir, you are mistaken again. I have never deserted my husband. I am happily married to Him right from my childhood. I am never separate from him even for a minute”.
Puzzled Allama interjects
“Who is this husband of yours that you are talking about? I have heard that you are married to the King Kaushika. And that, you deserted him”
The girl now had no option but to narrate her entire story.
Her name was Mahadevi. She was the daughter of a jeweler. Her parents were quite devout people, who had nurtured Mahadevi as a God-fearing person. Mahadevi too was very dedicated to her favorite form of God, by name Chenna Mallikarjuna – “the handsome one who shines and fragrant like a jasmine flower”.
As Mahadevi grew up as a young girl, she started imagining herself to be in love with Chenna Mallikarjuna- her beloved God. She kept thinking about him day and night. At night she used to dream about him and wake up startled and soaked in divine bliss. She narrates her first encounter with this divine lover of hers. She says
“Listen my sister, I had a dream in which a curly haired handsome youth came to our door steps, asking for alms. When he returned after having received the alms, I quietly followed him to see who he was. I gently held his hands to stop him. And Lo! I was startled to find that he was none other than my beloved Chenna Mallikarjuna!
Just a glance from him overpowered my entire body as well as my mind. I was lost to him. As he approached me, with his eyes showering love for me, I embraced him.
But alas, my dream was broken and I opened my eyes. He had gone, and Ï was love struck and bewildered.”
Let us listen to this soulful poem by Mahadevi, rendered beautifully by the well-known Indian singer S. Janaki accompanied by the amazing composer C. Ashwath and his team.
“akka kELavva naanondhu kanasa kandE
akki adake Ole thengina kaya kandE
chikka chikka jadegaLa sulipalla goravanu
bhikShake manege bandhudha kandenavvaa
mikku meeri hOhana bembeththi kai hididhenu
chenna mallikaarjunayyana kandu kaNderedenu
enna manava maarugondanavva
enna tanuva sooregondanavva
enna sukhava nobbugondanavva
enniravanE poogondanavvaa
chenna mallikaarjunanolumeyavaLaanu
akka kELakkaa naanondhu kanasa kandE
chikka chikka jadegaLa sulipalla goravanu
bandenna neredaa nOdavvaa
aatana appikondu kaLavaLadhOdhinelage
chennamallikaarjunana koodi
kaNtheredu kaLavaLagaadenelage
akka kELavva naanondhu kanasa kandE”
Allama was not at all impressed by her story. Like everyone, even Allama had heard of her marriage to the local ruler Kaushika. In that case, is this girl lying?
Mahadevi pleaded her innocence. She said that her marriage with Kaushika was just forced on her against her wish. Kaushika being a king, had tortured her parents till she succumbed and agreed to marry him.
Mahadevi married Kaushika by putting a condition that Kaushika would never approach her against her wish. Thinking that he could easily subdue Mahadevi after the marriage, Kaushika had agreed to her condition.
After marriage, Mahadevi continued to be dedicated to her divine lover namely Chenna Mallikarjuna and was always lost in his thoughts. Kaushika could bear it no longer. So, unmindful of the conditions that Mahadevi had put, he tried to force her to accept him. Mahadevi could not tolerate such a move. She felt disgusted with her own body, for the sake of which Kaushika was so mad after her. In a fit of rage, she threw out all the ornaments on her body as well as her garments, and marched naked, out of Kaushika’s palace.
Mahadevi was determined to free herself from all the attachment she had with her body. She wanted to come out of the grip of the body consciousness which traps all beings, however great they are.
But was it that easy? Can someone come out of the tangles of the world so easily? How does Mahadevi explain her struggle to free herself from the lures of the world? Let us discuss that in the next episode.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Credits:
MRT Music Bhakthi Sagara Presents: "Sree Shaila Chandrike" Audio Songs Jukebox. Sung By : S. Janaki, Music Composed By : C. Aswath, Lyrics By : Akka Mahadevi, Vachanagalu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7KI_ShNjH8
No comments:
Post a Comment