Life is fluid and organic. It gathers and immerses bits and pieces of culture from all over the world to create a beautiful melange.
What else can explain how a song written by a 15th-century saint in Southern India finds home at a festival in the Colorado Desert in California dedicated to rock, pop, and Indie music?
Saint Arunagirinathar lived in Tamil Nadu in the 14th century. He lost his father when he was young, and while his mother and sister were very devout, he was rumored to lead a life of debauchery. His sister used to work hard and pay him money to fund his lifestyle. People avoided his company because of his vices, and he fell deeper into this dark pit.
One day, his sister ran out of money, and he was desperate to indulge his vices. Seeing his desperation, she asked him to sell her and use the money to satisfy his urges. Suddenly, Arunagirinathar realized how selfish he had been and how much he had exploited the family that loved him.
The realization horrified him, and he ran to the nearby Murugan temple and started banging his head on the pillars. He wanted to jump off the roof when Murgan himself came to save him.
Saint Arunagirinathar went on to write some of the most sublime poetry that describes the love one can have for the divine. This poetry was compiled in a series called Tiruppukal, which is sung in parts of Southern India even today.
Here is a translation of a beautiful poem from Tiruppukal (Song 1304).
I do not wish to dwell in this illusory body,
built of the sky, water, earth, air, fire, and desires.
Enlighten me that I may praise the glory of your holy name in the wise, beautiful Tamil tongue,
O Lord of the celestial heavens who protects the Kurava woman of the sweet, child-like words
who wields the spear which destroyed the majestic hill
and wears a garland of scarlet flowers
where bees dance, seeking honey.
Sid Sriram was born in India, and his family moved to the United States when he was a year old in 1991. His mother and grandfather were trained Carnatic Music singers, so his musical journey started when he was just three years old. His mother started a music school in 1992, and he was always around it, so music seeped into his consciousness.
When Sid was three, his family was performing at UC Berkley, and he really wanted to be on stage. They assumed Sid would have stage fright at some point, but he loved music so much that he performed without a hitch.
He started developing his own music around 2008 and attended Berkeley College of Music in Boston. He remembers this specific moment in college when he wrote something that harmonized the different cultures that defined his current identity as a turning point in his life. He went on to compose and perform several amazing songs that symbolized the fusion of Carnatic and Western music.
This synchronous, all-embracing nature of life is why thousands of people swooned to the tunes of an Indian American celebrating the life of a 15th-century Tamil saint whose work diffuses devotion and love into the hearts of anyone who reads it.
We often hear the glorious stories of the various sages that have graced the Bharatvarsha and feel intimidated. Their tapasya and their discipline seem untouchable. Yet, it helps to remind yourself that a journey of a million miles begins with the first step. Take your first step with the free and incredible Vedic Sadhana app. The app helps you identify your ishta and then perform daily rituals that deepen your relationship with them. It also makes the ancient rituals and practices followed by the sages of India available to you.
