Lyrics: Chi Udayshankar Movie: Devatha Manushya(Kannada)
Humans who are driven by likes and dislikes(Raaga and Dvesha) come across situations in life where they feel they want something or don’t want something based on their likes and dislikes. No matter what happens to such an individual the final outcome is always suffering. This is because the nature is ever changing and the only constant in the nature is change. Even if that perfect situation comes up in one’s life according to what he wants then that situation is bound to change so every pleasant situation comes attached with suffering embedded with it and every unpleasant situation by definition is suffering to such an individual.
To go beyond suffering the only way is to recognize that we are that unchanging reality that witnesses everything without attachment but it is hard to grasp for most people intellectually. Devotion is an easy way which helps people go beyond suffering by objectifying That unchanging reality as God(here in the song It is called as Raghavendra) so that people can attach to It easily through emotions. I have found this Devotional song very helpful so thought of sharing it with everyone.
ಹಾಲಲ್ಲಾದರು ಹಾಕು
ನೀರಲ್ಲಾದರು ಹಾಕು ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರಾ
ಹಾಲಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆನೆಯಾಗಿ ನೀರಲ್ಲಿ
ಮೀನಾಗಿ ಹಾಯಗಿರುವೆ ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರ
Transliteration: Haalalladaru haaku
neeralladaru haku Raghavendra
Haalalli keneyaagi neeralli
meenagi haayagiruve Raghavendra
Translation: Put me in milk or water, Raghavendra
I will live happily as cream in milk or fish in water, Raghavendra
Interpretation: Here milk stands for what we like and water for what we dislike as a humans. No matter what God desires for me I will accept it and live happily as cream in milk or fish in water because it is the desire of the God. When we put God ahead of us the happenings in this world lose their power over us. We can live happily no matter what happens in life because we are that unchanging reality. In fact the only way to live in bliss forever is when we find that we are that existence-awareness-infinity. There is no lasting joy in the changing world.
ಮುಳ್ಳಲ್ಲಾದರು ನೂಕು
ಕಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಾದರು ನೂಕು ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರಾ
ಮುಳ್ಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಳ್ಳಾಗಿ ಕಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಿ
ಕಲ್ಲಾಗಿ ಒಂದಾಗಿರುವೇ ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರ
Transliteration: MuLLaladaru nooku
kallaladaru nooku Raghavendra
MuLLalli muLLagi, Kallali
kallagi Ondagiruve Raghavendra
Translation: Push me into thorns or stones Raghavendra
I will become one with thorns or stones Raghavendra
Interpretation: As we are the unchanging existence neither thorns nor stones can hurt us. After all stones and thorns exist and so do we. So we must recognize that commonality between thorn, stone and us. That there is only the existence that is common to all three of us and that is the only truth that is beyond name, form and utility. When we recognize this reality there is no stone or thorn or the individual. There is only existence that is unchanging and that is Us. So the poet sings I will be one with either thorn or stone so push me wherever you like in this little life as it has no bearing on Me that unchanging blissful Self.
ಬಿಸಿಲ್ಲಲ್ಲೇ ಒಣಗಿಸು
ನೆರಳಲೆ ಮಲಗಿಸು ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರಾ
ಬಿಸಿಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಂಪಾಗಿ ನೆರಳಲ್ಲಿ
ತಂಪಾಗಿ ನಗುನಗುತ
ಇರುವೇ ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರ
Transliteration: Bisillale onNagisu
neraLalle malagisu Raghavendra
Bisilalalli kempagi neraLalli
tampaagi nagunagutha
iruve Raghavendra
Translation: Dry me in the sun or let me sleep in the shade Raghavendra
I will tan in the sun or nap in the shade blissfully Raghavendra
Interpretation: Here the focus of the poet goes from existence to consciousness since both are one and the same. As that unchanging consciousness that We truly are we experience both the shade and the sun. Neither shade nor the sun has any impact on Us the unlimited Awareness. So how does it matter whether the God puts us in shade or sun? Put me wherever you like and play with us however you like Oh God, I will live happily in both the sun and the shade.
ಸುಖವನ್ನೆ ನೀಡೆಂದು ಎಂದೂ
ಕೇಳೆನು ನಾನು ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರಾ
ಮುನ್ನ ಮಾಡಿದ ಪಾಪ ಯಾರ ತಾತನ ಗಂಟು
ನೀನೇ ಹೇಳು ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರಾ
Transliteration: Sukhavanne neeDendu endu
KeLenu naanu Raghavendra
munna maaDida paapa yaara taanana ghanTu
neene heLu Raghavendra
Translation: I won’t ask for only pleasantness in this life Raghavendra
who is responsible for all the past bad Karma tell me oh Raghavendra
Interpretation: Here the poet asks a rhetorical question to answer why does God put us through pleasantness sometimes and sadness sometimes. In reality it is not God who is putting us into situations that we like or dislike, it is our own Karma that decides what happens to us. In fact the question why does this happens to us already assumes causality. Once we are in the realm of time-space-causality we are in the realm of Maya. There is no point asking God for happiness in life because even God cannot change the results of our past Karma. Hence poet accepts his Karma as the debt he has taken and asks the rhetoric question to God.
ಎಲ್ಲಿದ್ದೆರೇನು ನಾ ಹೇಗಿದ್ದರೇನು ನಾ
ನಿನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಶರಣಾಗಿ ನೀ ನನ್ನ ಉಸಿರಾಗಿ
ಬಾಳಿದರೆ ಸಾಕೂ ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರಾ
Transliteration: Ellidarenu naa, hegiddarenu naa
ninnali sharaNagi, nee nanna usiragi
baaLidare saaku Raghavendra
Translation: How does it matter where I am and how I am
As long as I can surrender to you and live with you that is enough Raghavendra
Interpretation: Finally poet concludes by asking God to be with him no matter what happens in life. He doesn’t mind where he is living and how he is living, irrespective of the circumstances he asks for God to enable him to surrender to Him. When we completely surrender to God in the language of Bhakti or recognize that we are that unchanging Existence-Consciousness-Bliss we detach ourselves from this world and even the death cannot kill us. This way poet gives up all the likes and dislikes in this world fully knowing that there is Something beyond this world and only That can satisfy Him permanently. This is beautifully written as wanting to live with complete surrender as if God as His breath.
Prism of Life 