Wednesday 24 May 2017

OLD AGE & DEATH vs LONG LIFE & IMMORTALITY

Surprising for a movie buff like me during my teens, I rarely watch movies now, opting to watch well made documentaries instead. My last movies were Kochadaiyaan and Baahubali, which I wanted to see for the extensive usage of CGI and visual effects. I enjoyed both these movies. I even had a desire to direct movies back then. But good sense told me to drop the idea as there are many factors that need to cooperate with you as the director - the heroes and heroines; the weather and lighting; and most of all it needs lots of funding. But the desire was fulfilled when Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal came along. Tavayogi had produced two Tamil movies before he became a Turavi, and had his fair share of problems making these movies. I began to document him and his Kallar ashram on film and then went on to include my home pujas and other numerous events related to the Siddhas. All these were uploaded in YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfeBOcJ4c3iSMKpMa6J_Jmg?view_as=public.  Seeing my videos on him, he was full of praise for me, complimenting me on being a good movie maker. In return I used to tease him saying that he was my first "Katanayagan" or Star.

When Jnana Jyothi Amma watched the live puja from AVM that I streamed on Skype, just for her upon her request, beginning from 2011, she used to ask me to sing Ramana's Akshara Mana Maalai. She would join in humming the tune on the other end, from the confines of her room in Minnesota, USA. She was the one who encouraged me, to upload this beautiful piece from Ramana, bringing me out of my private home into the public net.


Last night my daughter and wife asked me to watch the Tamil movie "Pa Paandi" saying that I would like it. True enough I liked it. I saw the sadness and pain in growing old; and abuse and neglect of senior citizens, not only in this movie but all around me; in the family circles; in the neighbourhood; the hospitals; and the old folks home. It is a sad thing to age and go through all that comes with aging - losing one's mobility, sight, and hearing; having slurred speech; not able to chew and taste and enjoy the food anymore; becoming forgetful and senile; becoming sickly; becoming bedridden, and eventually passing away. It is sad not able to do the things you did; not having the strength to do the things that you wished you could do now; and having to depend on others to help you.

"Power Paandi" decided to take hold of his life and confronted his son who treated him as a child, and abused him verbally. Paandi tells him off that old age is not about having to depend on the children but instead took to the motorway to do some soul searching.

A pertinent point is made in the movie - that the elders have always lived their lives for their kin and not for themselves. Very true. A colleague much older than me told me his desire to buy a CD player and listen to all the classical music CD's he had collected, but did not own a player as he kept postponing buying it since each time he had to spend his pay on the essentials. I told him to get it. I told him he deserved to pamper himself once in awhile. The next day he surprised me with the news that he had got the player that he had eyed on. He was extremely happy!

Another point highlighted in the movie was that old age is not about watching serials, sending their grandchildren to school and fetching them and watching the house or baby sitting while their children are out.

Those who end up in charity homes or are deserted on the streets, have a sad story to tell too. Sadly many go through these sufferings silently. For one they do not have a companion to talk too. They are ignored by their children who take care of their needs but do not have the time for them. Many chose to leave their home for the streets or orphanages, looking up to the mercy of good samaritans. Many among them refuse to return to their children's home although they have surviving next of kin.

When we extend help beyond our family and friends to reach strangers and other unfortunate souls, we begin to feel the joy in giving. What we provide for the family is a responsibility and cannot be construed as charity. While giving brings joy to us, there is some sadness in me to see these unfortunate souls each time we visit the charity homes or the streets. There is no cheer and laughter in the homes and in their lives.

In the following songs the pains of old age is depicted graphically. Pattinathar gives a rather bleak, gloomy and dark narration of old age in his song.


Jegan Shanmugam introduced two wonderful songs at AVM bhajan sessions, seeking the grace of Lord Narayana and Lord Nadeson before old age and death arrives to consume us. 


In the classic movie Vedan Kannapa, Lord Shiva comes as a mendicant to advise Kannapa Nayanar to come out of Maya and take hold of Erai immediately.


In another classic movie Savithri, we are again asked to come to the fold of Erai before it's too late.


Seeing pain and sorrow for the first time in his life, Gautama left his palace and shed his princely attires for that of a sadhu, seeking to find answers. and after years of searching found the middle way to be the most appropriate.

The Siddhas too seeked to bring an end to aging and death. They discovered the way and the secret to long life. In http://www.ancient-origins.net/human-origins-religions/incredible-powers-ancient-siddhars-001447?nopaging=1, "Another Siddhar, Bhogar (Bhoganathar), who lived between the 3rd and 5th century AD is said to have discovered the elixir of immortality."

From "Secrets of the Siddhas - Health, Longevity and Enlightenment" post on fb, Thiru R. Kuppusamy explains Ramalinga Adigal's view of Immortality. 
Immortality Explained by Vallalar.
One should ask, "Do I accept death and aging?" If you do not accept this, then do something about it and follow my example."
"Vallalar knew what the Body of the Future Man would be like. He said this impure body with all its excretions through the nine apertures in the body would be transformed into a pure body with no waste matter at all. Instead the pure body will be producing its own food called nectar. It will not rely upon external food or atmospheric air for its breath or on books for its knowledge. This pure body can last for hundreds of thousands of years in an uncorrupt manner. This pure body belongs to a Siddha.
But this is not the final body. This pure body has to be transformed into a lighter body. It is also called Space Body or Pranava Body or Omkara Body. This body belongs to the Gods and Goddesses. It is also called a Mantric Body or a Sound Body. It can be seen and heard but not touched, for it has no physical substance. It can be sensed and perceived only by the mind’s eye. This Omkara body can last for millions of years but even this is not the final body. This too could meet with death.
The deathless body belongs to God alone. It is the purest of the Pure Body. It is made up of pure light - not a physical light but a light emanating from total compassion or grace towards all beings in creation. This body is indestructible. The aim of Suddha Sanmarga of Vallalar is to attain this everlasting body of compassion."
Ramalinga Adigal and the other Siddhas have decoded life's mysteries. Let us hold on to their holy feet and pray that one day they shall come down to pass on this knowledge of immortality to us.