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The Poppadum Song
Appalam Ittu Paaru
This was written by Ramana Maharshi, when he was about 29. His mother had come to stay with him on the hill. He had warned her she would have to live the life of a sadhu along with the few other sadhus who were with him, and not start a kitchen etc.
She agreed and came. Soon however, she wanted to make some papads as she recalled her son used to like these to go with his food in the 'home' days before, and so secretively she arranged to procure the necessary raw materials.
On the day she started the project, and was making the dough, she tried to induce Maharshi to join and help in the making, as he had done in the days before he left home. Maharshi would not relent and when she pleaded, he told her:" you make your papads and i will make mine"
He knew she used to like to sing tamil folk songs of high philosophic content, and so decided to compose one on the making of Appalams [which is tamil for Papads].
Refrain:
Instead of wandering this earth, wearied by longing for peace
Follow the incomparable Word of the sadguru pointing to Truth
And roll-out the Papads, and see for yourself!
Verse 1
Here encased in the five sheaths of Food, Organs, Mind,
Intellect and Sleep of blissful-ignorance
And different from them, grows the kernel, the self, the abhimaan felt as 'I'
Pound it with the wisdom-pestle of the enquiry "who am I ?"
Reducing it to powder as "not I" "not I"
Verse 2
Now mix the juice of the edible-cactus Pirandai
This is sat-sanga, the company of the elevating which removes discord
Add Jeera and Black-pepper which are Shama and Dama, equanimity and self-restraint
Toss in some salt of Uparati which is non-attachment
Round it off with Heeng which is good vaasanas, the tendencies which free us
Verse 3
With an inward-turned pestle of mind, pound away "I' 'I'
Unrelenting at its stubborn out-going disobedience
Then with the rolling pin of Shanti,
roll out on the platter of evenness
The Appalams and see for yourself!
Verse 4
Taking the bottomless vessel of endless-Mouna
With the wholesome oil of the One Self of all
Fired by the flames of wisdom's enquiring
Fry the Papad's without a let-up
Till the questioning self reaches and remains
The Source
Thus you can have the papad and eat it too!
