A Short New Composition

To the one who plays the magic flute, the one called Keshava.
My mind is always focused on you, chanting your many names and thinking of you always.
I can hear the strain of a flute in my most desperate times, comforting and divine.
I relish the sight of you, you with the peacock crown.
Whose eyes are full of love, you peer at me from your stone form, always caring for your devotee.
The love of Radha, Meera and of the entire universe, sustainer of life we greet you in many forms.
The faces of God in this human existence are many but truth is one. All is that and all are one. 

My Rant on Tradition in Religion (Written December 2008)

In many churches, temples and cathedrals across the country I have noticed the same terrible phenomenon happening over and over again.  Tradition and ceremony have taken the place of true worship in many religious orders. Tradition is not a bad thing it allows us to remember the ways of our ancestors. It gives us a base to launch from in our own spiritual journey. Though in many ways we have forgotten why we do these ceremonies of worship.  Many of the most sacred sacraments have lost there extremely profound meanings. 

Take the idea of the Holy Communion, in which the miracle of transubstantiation is meant to take place. In my own church and in other church’s I have attended it seems as though we are simply repeating that which we have done since we were taught as children, while never even thinking of the wondrous miracle that has happened or even the deeper meaning; what the actual ceremony signifies. I personally do not believe in transubstantiation. I believe this sacrament is a symbolic memorandum for Christ and the price he paid for Christians. This is still an extremely profound and spiritual ritual. Another example, in my home church we used to take the beginning of services to pray and reflect on God. Though, if you look around very few are doing anything but falling into a drowsy state. The only one, it seems, who is doing any reflecting or making any prayers is the preacher.    Are we worshiping god or are we simply repeating the motions in a blur of forgetfulness.           

If you were to ask the average churchgoer anything of the scriptures that wasn’t as superficial as a story that had been drilled into them since childhood, they probably would not be able to answer you. To ask them the deeper meaning of it or even if they saw any metaphors or morale’s in the story would appear to be a waste. As it would seem that we would want to know as much about our religion as we could, this does not appear to be true among the masses. In my experience I have met many who had read the Bible but had retained none of it. None of its incredibly intricate storylines, hidden meanings morals and metaphors. They then believe that reading it once is good enough and think little of it for the rest of there life as a “Christian.” I have seen Ministers preach the most ludicrous messages and then I have seen the masses follow that message without even a thought. No thought to read the passages yourself and gain your own understanding of the text. It is written that no other can face the God almighty for you but you on judgment day and I have a feeling he’s not going to accept the excuse “But I was told this.”  One must think for themselves. We cannot become sheep among the wolves. I do not wish to say that all Christians are of this sort. On the extreme you have Christians who read there bibles and pray everyday. These are good people for the most part though there are those that would use the scripture against the Christians who have become sheep. 

I have seen many examples of a single, charismatic person who had read and thought about the scripture and had then twisted it for their own means. In the story where Satan took Christ to the pinnacle of the mountain Satan was able to use the Holy Scriptures against Christ. He shaped them for his own will. Lucky for us Christ knew his stuff.  We must do the same. We are meant to at least attempt to become Christ-like. If we read and know the scriptures we cannot fall pray to these wolves in sheep’s clothing.  It is in this way that pure tradition is a bad instance, it numbs us, in a since, it allows us to become comfortable in our routine of going to church on Sunday and simply following what the preacher has us do without question.  There are many very good preachers and ministers but at the same time it is written that one must beware false prophets. So I repeat the statement, are we truly worshiping god or are we simply repeating the motions in a blur of forgetfulness. 

Disclaimer- I am not going after only Christians in this post but at the time I had written this I had not enough experience to say it is true of other religions which I know understand to be sadly true. 

My Rant on the Topic of God in Schools (Written October 2008)

OK, first of all, I really could have cared less about the group “Put God Back in Our Schools” but then my little sister joined and I realized I had to say something.

 First of all, Christians must understand they are not the only religion in the world. I know that the normal reply I would get to that is “But we follow the true religion... etc.” For one thing, there is no way for anyone of any religion to say that they follow the “true” religion. All Christians may say any other faith is false and that any other god is false. If that’s your belief that’s fine, but you cannot prove it. No matter how many scriptures you quote or any stories you tell cannot prove that Christianity or any other religion for that matter is true. It is simply a matter of the heart and a matter of faith. People around the world have just as much faith in different god’s as a Christian in the USA would have. Just as many miracles have been performed through other religions as have been done through Christianity. 

My point is that it’s fine if you want to put God back into schools but it cannot be only the Christian god. If you place the Ten Commandments in front of a school, then why not a couple quotations from the Baghavad Gita, or the Quran? You have to see it from the point of view of the other 5 billion people in the world. If you were Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, or any other number of religions and you went to school everyday with a  thousand other people telling you that every belief you had were wrong and you were going to hell simply because you were different how would that feel. Maybe to put it in a better perspective, if you, as a Christian moved to another area where there were primarily Muslim or Jewish students  and you went to school and everyone laughed at you because you were different and told you were wrong. How would that feel?

I know most Christians believe that you must “save” the heathen masses from fire and brimstone but to tell you the truth most of the rest of the world just doesn’t care or believes that they are already saved and what right do you have to tell people who follow there religion perhaps more faithfully than most Christians that they are going to hell because of what they believe in?

One of my biggest issues is that most Christians (I’m not saying all just most) have no idea about any of the other religions, philosophies, or ideas in the world. If you’re working so hard to convert someone at least no a little about the other person’s religion so you don’t look like another “dumb American” in front of the world.  

I know that only of a couple of years ago I might’ve agreed with you but since then I have seen the rest of the world and have thought hard about what is right and what is wrong and forcing your religion onto children that may be of different faiths by putting up ten commandments or even having a Christian prayer is wrong for the minority of students of different faiths.  This creates inequalities among people and that invariably is wrong.  So if you want to put God back into the school system, that’s fine with me. Just don’t put only a Christian God. Legally you’d have to cater to any other religion that was also present at that school anyway, so just a warning, be prepared to put up a lot of different monuments and not just the Ten Commandments. 

I’m sure I’m going to get a ton of hate mail after I post this. Just please be mature adults and remember that you aren’t the only people in the world.   

Disclaimer: I know I didn’t address the issues of Atheistic beliefs in schools but that is a whole other post. 

A Few Short Verses Composed Out of Love and Devotion

I sit out this night watching a moon of crimson so deep the waters of the nearby pond are afire with its clear reflection. The stars are all alight as the moons fiery beauty has taken the place of the hot summer sun. The lilting sounds of a flute drift over the lakes and grasslands to my ears. It is then that I see the exceedingly sweet form of the flute player appear in a grassy clearing; his body, dark in color and a perfect dreamlike form. The flutes tune is intoxicating and summons Radha, the lord’s eternal consort to him from the darkness. Her skin was so fair and her movement supremely graceful. She met him in the center of the clearing, her devotion clear. Eight other girls appeared; Krishna’s gopi’s, twirled and danced around the divine couple to the flutes sweet sound. It was then I saw my lord dance, eight new Krishna’s appeared for the eight gopi’s and they danced the maharaas. My heart fained at this vision, Madhava’s forms moved in out, interweaving with the gopi’s with the divine couple enshrined at the center of the dance. The moon sat high in the sky now and it seemed that even the heavens rejoiced at the Lord’s lila as the moons light seemed fixed on the dancing figures.  Radha lay on Krishna’s arm as he played for the dancers. The flutes notes felt more like tangible love than mere music. Then, as quickly as the breathtaking vision had come it began to fade. The dancing forms all disappeared into the darkness until only Radha and Krishna were sat alone in the grove. Then even those sweet forms evaporated into the darkness and back into reality I was pulled away from my lord but as I looked back at the moon, which had become a light blue, I saw my Lord Krishna smiling at me.

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Oh sweet Krishna, one who is enshrined in Radha’s heart.

Oh Shyama, we are the Gopi’s that hear your flutes call.

Madhava, oh dark one, your call is intoxicating pulling us ever nearer to you.

Your skin remains the color of the spring storm cloud.

Your gaze, one of playful love, is one in which the entire universe exists.

Your face shines as the full moon on a clear dark night.

We call to you oh Keshava.

We beg for your company lord.

You are in all hearts and minds.

Even the thought of you is like a tangible love, enfolding us in your protection, giving us sustenance.

Oh, Vrindavina Krishna make this devotee as your gopi who is waiting for even the slightest glimpse of your sweet form and sees the enchanter of hearts in every flower and tree.

Oh, Narayana Krishna, destroyer of ignorance and the embodiment of love, bless your servant.

The name Krishna is as pure joy on the lips.

The name Madhava is as magic to the ears.

The name Narayana is as a crest of protection to his devotees.

Repeat the name Hari, Keshava, Krishna Murali.

Jai Sri Krishna

Jai Radhe-Shyam

Radha ramana Hari Gopala Hari

Jai Sri Hari

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Om Namoh Narayanaya

Sri Narayana, mahavishnu, you who are the protector of our world and the sustainer of our existence; your forms are many but always you show the true path of dharma and righteousness.

Om Matsyaroop namaha, protector of the first humans

Om Kurmaroop namaha, base of the holy mountain

Om Varaharoop namaha, savior of Bhumidevi

Om Vamanaroop namaha, the Brahmin boy who asked for only three steps of land and covered the universe

Om Parasuramaroop namaha, the warrior sage who created Kerala

Om Rajaramaroop namaha, beloved of Sita ma and Hanuman, maharaja of that golden city Ayodhya

Om Krishnaroop namaha, one who gave the greatest gift of the lord’s song

Om Buddharoop namaha, the essence of ahimsa

Om Kalkiroop namaha, we await your return, Oh Vishnu, to our world

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Sleep my dear one, let the gentle breezes put you to rest.

We put you to bed but you are never truly asleep.

Ever watchful, you who are always in our hearts never leave the sides of your devotees. 

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Dark one, diviner of hearts, hear our songs to you

Songs filled with love and devotion.

Madhava, grant us your boon, the sight of your beautiful form.

We long to see you Lord Krishna, why do you hide from us?

You have turned us into Gopi’s from Vrindavin, lovelorn and wondering.

Always we search for you lord and yet you are in all things.

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                Oh Bhagawan, whether as the sweet mother, the gentle father or as the fierce protector your beauty shines as a light against the darkness of ignorance.

                All things, when put in your names proceeds without issue

                The water offered to you becomes sweet healing nectar and the food becomes amrita

                Oh Ananda Antaryami, omniscient and omnipresent, who is the whole of our universe and sustainer of the three worlds, I prostate to you.

                I bow to your lotus feet.

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                Rains come to you test Radha as she runs to her love

                They flow as thunder crashes and nature’s malhar springs forth

                She moves fearlessly, focused upon her lord

                The rains and violent winds force her to prove her love

                Her heart beats strong as she races to meet her other half for without one the other is incomplete

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Some call you Ishwar, some Allah, and some God.

You exist with different names but are one.
Whether it is a Muslim, Hindu, or Christian who cries out your names it is still you who responds.
One who does not differentiate or segregate; you are who we call divine.

Your followers exist in different forms and pray in different ways.
Whether it be the sound of a blowing conch and ringing bells, the sound of the Muzens call to prayer or a quiet church hymnal; you take joy in all these things and all are devoted to you.  

Whether poor or rich, strong or weak, old or young, you do not differentiate between your devotees.
Your judgment and compassion are boundless and the same for each of your children and yet your forms are many.

The loving mother Goddess Durga, the strong protector Hanuman, the doting and loving father of the Christians you are all these things and yet still the singular source of all.

Some call you Ishwar, some Allah, and some God.

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I hope you all have enjoyed these few verses composed for no reason except devotion.

Best wishes to all of you.