1. Shakti
Bharati’s “Vision” is a picture gallery of the Universe. They are portraits of the cosmic objects (Jagat Chitram). The picture gallery consists of the two worlds, the Earth and the Heavens; they display the “Joys” of the Earth and the “Divinity” of the Heavens. They are vignettes of the Joys and Divinity. They are manifestations of the infinitesimal aspects of Shakti. Bharati realized that the powers of the Divine can be achieved by the human – the light (wisdom) of the Sun, the strength and knowledge (arivu) of Indra, the energy and vigor of the Agni, the life-force of Vayu (kārru), the truth, clarity and purity of Saraswati – all these powers can be captured in the human body and mind.
The Joys:
“The World is Sweet.The Firmament in this world, the Wind, the Fire, the Water, and the Earth are Sweet.
The Sun, the Moon and the Stars in the sky are all sweet.
The Rain, the Lightining, and the Thunder are Sweet.
The Sea, the Mountain, and the Forest are sweet.
The Rivers are Sweet.
The metal, the tree, the plant, the vine, the flower, the ripe and the
un-ripe fruits – are all sweet.
The Birds, the Moving objects, all the Animals and the aquatic organisms are also good.
Men are very sweet.
The Male is good, the Female is sweet, and the Child is joy.
Youth is sweet and the Old is good.
Life (uyir) is good and the Death is sweet.”[1]
The Divinity:
“Prakriti (Shakti) is the form of Nature; the world that we see is the body of Vishnu. The soul that permeates through the body is Vishnu. . . The Vedic seers directly perceived and worshipped Vishnu, Indra, Suryan, and Rudhra. As the World is the body of Vishnu, they worshipped the World. . . The Within and the Without are One (and the same).”
As the Rishis of the Vedic period discerned the objects of Nature as their inner self, they were not afraid to confront the forces of Nature:
“A violent storm hit the Earth; the Seers stood in front them. A thousand lightning struck (the Earth) like swords; the world shook; there was a deafening noise like the planets broke into pieces. The Rishis fearlessly chanted mantras. Isn’t Nature the body of the Rudhra?”[2]
“Shakti is Infinite – limitless, endless.
It shows movement in immobility.”
“சக்தி அநந்தம் – எல்லையற்றது, முடிவற்றது.
அசையாமையில் அசைவு காட்டுவது .”[3]
“However you look at it, it is a wonderful entity which has no beginning or end. It is (capable) of breaking thousands of crores of planets with a little nose.It is so fine and minute as to paint colors, patterns, and designs in the petals of a small flower; it has the determination, strength and patience (neLNeh;ik) to wait for many, many thousands of years to originate a little flower.”
“எப்படிப் பார்த்தாலும் ஆரம்பமில்லாமலும், எப்படிப் பார்த்தாலும்
முடிவில்லாமலும் இருக்கும் அற்புத வஸ்து.
கோடானுகோடி அண்டங்களை ஒரு சிறு மூக்கினால் உடைப்பது .
ஒரு சிறிய மலரின் இதழிலே வர்ணம் தீட்டுவதற்குப் பல்லாயிர
வருடங்கள் இருந்து பழகும் நெடுநேர்மை கொண்டது ;
பெரிதும் சிறிதுமாகிய முதற்பொருள்; பராசக்தி.”[4]
The Vignettes:
“The snake charmer plays the flute.
We have heard that ‘sweet music is sorrowful’.
But, although the music of the snake charmer is sweet,
it is devoid of sorrow.
This music sounds like a scholar arguing (about something).
An eloquent speaker (nāvalan) building meaningful small words, one on top of the other.
What is this snake charmer arguing about?
“Thāna-thanda thāna-thanda thā – thana
Thāna -thandana thāna -thandana thā –
Than-danathana than-danathana thā”
He plays like this – changing it in many different ways – in winding, continuous spirals.
What is the meaning of this?
A child began to explain the meaning as follows:
‘I adorned Kali with flowers
And, a donkey has come to eat it.’
I built this body for Parashakti.
And, the disease, a consequence of sin (pāvam) has come to eat it.
I surrendered (under the feet of) Parashakti.
The disease has disappeared.
Parashakti has begun to exist in my heart as the form of light.
Hail to Her! (vāzhga!)” [5]
“The snake charmer plays the flute.
Did the music originate from the flute? Did it originate from the holes (of he flute)?
Did it initiate from the breath of the snake charmer?
It originated from his heart. It exited through the flute.
The heart doesn’t sound by itself. The flute doesn’t create music.
The heart doesn’t adhere to the flute.
The heart adheres to the breath. The breath adheres to the flute.
The flute sings.
This is Shakti’s Play (Lila).
She sings in the heart. That sounds through the holes of the flute.
Attaching the un-related objects and creating music in it – is Shakti.
The begging children make a loud cry for food.
Who tuned the flute of the snake charmer and the voice of the begging children into harmony (sruti)? – Shakti.
A man asking for jarigai (gold thread woven at the border of old silk saris) shouting and passing by, in the same sruti.
Ah! I found the (underlying) meaning (of all this)!
The same Shakti plays in the life-breadth of the snake charmer, begging children, and the Jarigai man.
The instrument(s) are many. The musician is one.
The forms are many. The Shakti is one.
Hail to Her! (vāzhga!)” [6]
[1] Bharati — Katchi: Branch 1 –“Joy”
[2] Bharati: The Poetry of the Vedic Rishis – Maruthu (The Storm) — Epilogue
[3] Katchi (Vision): 2. Shakti (1)
[4] Bharati: Articles: Philosophy — Navarathri
[5] Katchi (Vision): 2. Shakti (6)
[6] Katchi (Vision): 2. Shakti (7)
Mahakavi Subramania Bharati 