We were invited to participate in a Puja (prayer) gathering at Subhash M. residence in Pembroke on Sunday 2007 April 15. Subhash and his charming wife Prabhaji were celebrating the arrival of their first grandchild (Diya Jyoti). Diya Jyoti was born one month ago to Avanish & Nisha (proud parents) . Avanish is the eldest son of Subhash/Prabhaji. Many Congratulations to the new parents.
This was also the day when Subhash crossed the magic line of 65 years in age. Many Congratulations!
I was asked to prepare something for the Puja (blessings for the young one and also some words for the Senior).
Well it so happened that Subhash/Prabhji’s newly wedded younger son (Rahul) and his wife (Sangita)had also come from Boston for the occasion. Many Congratulations to the newly wed.
My conversion to Pujari status came inadvertently as I perfomed blessings Sutras (Hindu prayers to Gods) -all in English. The appropriate Sutras fell in my domain from search in the Internet to varIous Hindu websites and accidently picking up right Sutras for the occasion.
I also developed a Couplet/Poem for the baby. This is embedded in the text below which I delivered at the Puja.
This is a day full of pride and joy for which we all offer heartfelt thanks to our GODS ( Sankar, Vidhnu & Brahma ) and their incarnates over the millennia in the land of Bharat.
First, on behalf of all of us who are present in this assembly, I like to congratulate Avanish & Nisha for recently becoming parents to lovely Diya Jyoti. We also congratulate Subhash & Prabhaji for promotion to becoming proud grandparents.
I am so pleased to see Rahul and his wife, Sangita also here to-day. They have travelled from Boston. Our Congratulations on your recent wedding.
A new baby brings excitement and energy in a household. Diya Jyoti represents a continuum in the Mehta family chain. Our prayers are that she brings wonderful omens of good fortune and success to the whole family.
A Couplet/Poem (by Pravin Shah)
A baby”™s love is freely given.
Diya Jyoti”™s heart bears no preconceived prejudices
She is pure and innocent in her chuckles and smiles.
A baby”™s love is freely given.
Diya Jyoti brings hope, love and joy to all
She is an epitome of calm and cheer in our lives
A baby”™s love is freely given.
Thank you Lord for our precious little one
Help us to relish the blessings you have given us
A baby”™s love is freely given.
Amen
In Indian/Hindu tradition, when baby is born the father will set up a Sacrificial fire for worshipping and offers oblations with the following mantras
” Bringing you up as my daughter in this home of mine, may I be able to maintain a thousand people! May the Goddess of fortune never desert the children and the animals from the child’s line! I mentally transfer to you the vital force that is in me. If I have done any thing wrong – too much or too little in this ceremony, may the all-knowing benevolent Mystic Fire make it just right for me!” “I put the Earth into you, I put the Sky into you, I put the Heaven into you, I am putting the whole of Earth, Sky and the Heavens into you, my child!”
According to Grihya-sutras, the father murmurs the chants near the ears of the child:“I administer to you, O my child,
The wisdom of the honey, and of ghee
Blessed by god Savitru, the bountiful.
May you live long, under God’s protection,
For hundred autumns to come!”
After a month the baby is presented to the sun, as the sun (god Savitru) is seen as a very important astrological phenomenon and a reflection of God.
Om ! Shanti ! Shanti !
I also would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Subhash for attaining that magic line of 65 years in age. On behalf of all of us here, we wish Subhash the best of everything for the day but also for many more years to come.
The following poems I wrote earlier, I believe are appropriate for the occasion. I believe lots of inner struggle goes in our minds at the time when we attain mature age
Destiny
Meandering thru life
Picking up this and that
Bobbing high and low
Going sideways
Here I am wondering where I am
What for and why?
Kids have flown the coop
Empty quiet living room
Internet contact to the world
Just meandering thru life
Someday my ship will arrive
That I guess is the destiny.
Pravin Shah
THE MAGIC LINE
The 65 years of life age is the magic imaginary line
That imaginary line of dependence to independence
65 years of life rushed by with some ups and some downs
This is the license to be grumpy, grouchy and irritable
An air of conquer and “I don”™t care” attitude
Sit at home and collect my CPP, OAS & free medicines?
Fewer taxes to governments for this and for that
The hidden traps unseen when crossing over the magic line
Retirement takes you away from colleagues and friends
The old abode suddenly becomes too large to manage
Your kid”™s memory is still intact though they left the coop
The struggle to decide where to move drives you mad
Downsize, remove clutter, have a hobby goes the refrain!
Organize family records, photos and memories for simplicity
Be smart and have financial plans to spend pension money
Go travel, go to Mexico, go to sun, run from the snow and cold
A constant clamor to go for vacation from friends and neighbors
Loneliness of retirement and senior years loom large
Mental and physical ailments become the daily grind
Well, going over 65 years is not that magic line or is it?
To establish priorities and clarity of purpose is the panacea
Remove past grudges and accept the world as it is
Keep your humour and daily exercise
Establish a spiritual bondage with the world and the Creator
AMEN
The crossing of magic line is made meaningful by the timely arrival of Diya Jyoti. I believe Mehta”™s ship has arrived with the baby”™s chuckle and smile. Many more will come to enhance their destiny. The first born, a little bundle of joy, will navigate their lives till kingdom come. Subhash, we pray for your happiness, fullness in life and a great journey from here to eternity. Enjoy your 65th.
Pravin & Jackie Shah