It has been a satisfying week. Varalakshmi Vratham followed by Avani Avittam and Jabam. Although the latter two have least significance to me, there is a sense of content with festive events. Specially Varalakshmi Vratham or Kaaradayar Nombu... feels like very humbling occasions. To me, it helps realize the ability to unconditionally submit and there is no greater feeling than that. On the day of Jabam we went to this Shiva Vishnu temple close by. V chanted 1008 sitting there while I finished my pradakshanams. It was surprising that the temple invited so much crowd and there was a Raghavendrar porapaadu (procession around the temple). I sure did enjoy their bhajans. What a serene feeling to sit in a temple and pray. I still cannot shut off my thoughts and pray in total silence. The inner silence, I mean. Even during prayer life's everyday clutter keeps popping in my head...!.Anyway, just felt like writing about the past peaceful week. Its Jenmashtami tomorrow and I gotta think about some bakshanam (delicacy) as Krishna's offering. Aren't all of our festivities marked around preparing special delicacies and later in the name of god, enjoy them ourselves!?! See you around.
here is something from Tagore's Geetanjali that I relished recently
Give Me Strength
This is my prayer to thee, my lord---strike,
strike at the root of penury in my heart.
Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.
Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.
Give me the strength never to disown the poor
or bend my knees before insolent might.
Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles.
And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love.
