On Bharata Sakthi Mahakavyam of Kaviyogi Suddhananda Bharathi

 Bharata Sakthi Mahakavyam is a unique work of epic proportions in Tamil verses composed by KaviYogi Suddhananda Bharathi (my ref was 1969 edition of Suddhananda Noolagam, Yoga Samajam). The work is 1015 printed pages and the verse-lines are nearly 50,000. People who have praised this book form a long list of illustrious people. Mahakavi Bharathi, Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagavan Sri Ramana, Mahamahopadhyaya Sri Saminathaiyyar, Rt Hon Sri Srinivasa Sastry, Sri V O C Pillai, Sri V V S Iyer, Sri Rajaji, Sri Vaiyapuri Pillai, Thiru Vi Ka, Sri T K C and so on.

'A true poet is born with a vision and mission. You are such a poet. Your words spark out of the inner flame. Bharata Shakti is indeed a grand epic'. - so said Sri Rabindranath Tagore.

'We saw Bharata Sakthi. Wonderful. So deep and majestic! Iyer appreciated. We also extoll it. Iyer said that it is Mahakavya. It is a rare treasure of art and letters for Tamil. A fund of Adhyatmic reserve!' (trn mine) - so said Mahakavi Bharathi.

('பாரத சக்தியைப் பார்த்தோம்; அற்புதமாயிருக்கிறது; கம்பீரமாயிருக்கிறது; ஐயர் மெச்சினார்; நாமும் மெச்சுகிறோம். மஹாகாவியம் என்றார் ஐயர். அது தமிழுக்கு அரிய கலைச் செல்வமாகும்; அத்யாத்ம நிதியாகும்')

KaviYogi has dedicated his book to Sri Aurobindo Mother in this fashion. -

'You are my heart; you are my brain

Hail Auro--Mere supreme divine

This epic inspired by your grace

Is the story of your super race

Bharata Shakti is the voice

Of the New world of your choice;'

Annie Besant says - 'I gave you a Milton that day; I find a Milton today, In your epic of Godmen - Bharata Shakti.'

Mahatma Gandhi says - 'I appreciate your grand epic of Godmen. It seems a new Maha Bharatam'

KaviYogi translates the title of his own epic into English in this fashion - 'The Epic of God-men". And elaborating this further he is bracketing this further like - The Epic of one God, One World, and one Humanity'. He calls it 'Samayoga Vedam' in Tamil, meaning perhaps 'Veda which talks about intergrated yogas'.

There are totally five Kaandams. - 1 Siddhi Kandam, 2. Gauri Kandam, 3. Sadana Kandam, 4. Danava Kandam, 5. Suddha Sakthi Kaandam. There are in total 25+37+32+31+21 padalams, which are subdivisions.

KaviYogi says at the outset how he got the vision of Bharata Sakthi.

'In the cool hours of morning

when the early rays of the Sun

embrace the stream of Kaveri

when the flute-notes of the new age

resonate with the Pranava

Of breezes laden with new blossoms' aroma

when under the umbrella of sky

the greenish gold of nature

exudes a graceful ambrosial smile

when the bird of meditation rises high

and realises the dream of distant beyond

I saw the vision of Bharata sakthi.'

(translation mine)

And also he tells in details about the structure of the epic.

'The root is the Atma Tattva

Offshoot in the hearts of Great men

Blossomed as Yoga fruitful like Bhoga

Having the life-poorna as meaning

I sang this epic patala by patala

staying in hills, rivers, forests

temples, pond-banks and ashrams

sat I in meditative silence

and in awareness of the inner world;

revised this four times;

narrated this all in Atma Sodanai

siddhi, gauri, sadana, danava

suddha sakthi all these indicate five great stages.'

(translation mine0

His songs are resonating with sweet musics of meditation. Here some examples -

'He dances in the pleasant and ever-good hearts

just like Tillai and his dance is glorious;

He resides even in the hearts of those who deny

Let him enthuse my word and victory to Him.'

'Tune Thee my life-veena with the note

enrich with the heightening joy of art

show thee the way for the whole world

Your fame for ever Thee Tamil Vani !'

'In the philanthropic sky, in the scenes of hills and woods

in the jiggling rivers, in the encircling nature

you are pouring and pouring your poetry aloud

kindly pour it safe in my poetic heart also.'

(all three translation mine)

How from the primal 'Paazh' or entropy the creation has come about? KaviYogi's poem says -

'spiralling gyration before the beginning in the Paazh

Like the note from Yaazh the A sound wakes up the space

Living sound U makes manifest the atoms to grow

The circling M sound makes them speed up and spread.'

(trans mine)

Let us see his poems which talk about the ethos while in meditation

'Birds chirping, the breeze from the hill slopes

rejoicing fondling the tunes of falling streams

in the morning silence bloomed the sound of conch

Rare souls of inner journey assemble in meditation

and chant in unison Suddhoham in circle.'

(trans mine)

It is a rare gift to Tamil literature and it is up to us to cherish it.