BORN IN MAYAVARAM (NOW MAYILADUTHURAI) AT VALLALAR KOIL RETTAI STREET, WHERE THE FAMOUS MEDHA DAKSHINAMURTHY TEMPLE SITUATED AND GOT THE NAME AS GURUMURTHY. I LIVE IN CHENNAI, AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT IRVINE-CALIFORNIA AND IRVING-TEXAS WHERE MY TWO SONS LIVING. THIS BIRTHDAY IS EXTRA SPECIAL FOR TWO REASONS; TODAY ALSO BEING THE GAYATHRI JAPAM, I GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANT THE GAYATHRI JAPAM CHANTED FOR 1008 TIMES, AND THE SECOND BEING THE EXCITEMENT ABOUT ARRIVAL OF GRANDKID WHICH MEANS MY PROMOTION TO THE POST OF GRANDFATHER.
I STRONGLY FEEL BIRTHDAYS TO BE REMEMBERED AS RECYCLING OF BIRTH AND DEATH,AND WE SHOULD IMPROVE OUR WAY EACH AND EVERY TIME TO COME OUT OF THE CYCLE TO REACH THE LOTUS FEET OF THE ALMIGHTY AND THAT SHOULD BE MAIN AIM FOR ALL OF US. THE PURPOSE OF EXISTENCE IS TO BE UTILIZED IN USEFUL MANNER TO BENEFIT THE DOWNTRODDEN PEOPLE.
THIS KIND OF MINDSET WAS EXHIBITED BY ONE MY BEST FRIEND TIRUVIDAIMARUDHUR MAHALINGAM GOPAL FONDLY REFERRED TO AS GOPAL, WHO HAS THE TENDENCY OF HELPING OTHERS AND ESPECIALLY DURING ONE'S CRITICAL MOMENTS. THE SERVING NATURE OF MY FRIEND GOPAL CAPTIVATED ME TO VERY GREAT EXTENT. FOR HIS CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAYS, HE USED TO VISIT
DUMB AND BLIND SCHOOL AT NUNGAMBAKKAM AND DISTRIBUTE SWEETS AND DONATE MONEY. HIS EXAMPLE MOTIVATED ME TO FOLLOW AND I ALSO STARTED DONATING TO THE ORGANIZATIONS WHICH I BELIEVED IN SUCH AS SCHOOL, RAMAKRISHNA MISSION, UDAVUM KARANGAL, HINDU MISSION HOSPITAL, SIVANANDA ASHRAM,AND ANNADHANA SAMAJAM FOR OUR FAMILY BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS WHICH MADE ME FULFILLED AND HAPPY. I PERSONALLY FEEL ONE CAN TAKE A CONSCIOUS ATTEMPT TO DO GOOD THINGS FOR OTHERS WHICH UPLIFT OUR THINKING TO SERVE OTHER PEOPLE.
ANOTHER INTERESTING POINT TO BE OBSERVED SUCH AS BIRTHDAY GREETINGS FROM FRIENDS, RELATIVES AND OUR OWN CHILDREN WILL HAVE SO MANY EXPRESSIONS AND HAS TO CAREFULLY ANALYZED WHETHER WE REALLY POSSESS THE QUALITIES AND TRY OUR BEST TO MAINTAIN THEIR EXPECTATIONS IN FUTURE. IN MY OPINION, BIRTHDAYS ARE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR DOING GOOD TO OTHERS AND CERTAINLY ONE SHOULD NOT INDULGE IN PARTIES OR CELEBRATIONS.
I STRONGLY FEEL, OUR PRESENCE SHOULD BE AN ESSENCE, AND CERTAINLY NOT A NUISANCE.
IF ONE GETS A GURU LIKE SHRI SHRI ANNA, WE WILL NOT LEAVE THIS WORLD. JANMANI JANMANI THAVA BAKTHIM - DEHI ME KRIPAYA RAGHAVA ... IS HIS FAMOUS KIRTHANAM. WITH NEARLY 1 LAC GRANTHAMS (SLOKAS) AND MORE THAN 5000 KIRTHANAMS AND 1000 HOURS OF RECORDED UPANYASAM CDS I THINK I SHOULD BE BORN AGAIN AND AGAIN TO HEAR AND SING THE PRAISE OF MY GURUNATHAL.
ReplyDeleteSAMSARAM IS NOT VICIOUS IF YOU CATCH HOLD OF THE LOTUS FEET OF THE GURU.
THAVA KATAKSHENA SARVAM PARIPURNAM.
WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY PROSPEROUS AND GRACEFUL BIRTHDAY.
Sir,
ReplyDeleteMany more belated birthday wishes. I sincerely hope you are able to enlighten the lives of many other people and elevate their purpose on this planet.
Koushik:
ReplyDeleteThanks for your birthday wishes. I really appreciate your encouraging comments in my blog and please do keep coming.
-Guru