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It's with profound happiness, joy I offer my pranams to the legend of Veena, Sri Emani Shankara Shastri Garu on the holy occasion of his birthday. As a matter of fact, such great personalities will neither have a birth nor a death. They come on to the planet Earth-- They come to the planet Earth as an advent to perform a sacred duty and offer the inborn skill to the world. This is a case with all vidwans. But in case of Sri Shankara Shastri Garu, the situation is entirely different. Though he assumed a human body and lived in a human frame, Shankara Shastri Garu is verily the advent of Paramasiva. The instrument Veena was first created by Brahma that generates a sound akin to the human voice. So it's very easy for the Veena to get connected to the audience or a listener or rasika. For Shankara Shastri Garu, Veena is more than a mother, more than a biological mother. Veena is his, uh, spiritual mother. He played with it, he played on it, he played through it. He played, played, and played not only the ancient and celestial music, but he has also demonstrated to the world that lot of experiments can be carried out through Veena if one has a skillful mind and a devout heart. He combined his mind and heart and offered his prajna to the world importing and imparting the celestial music to this world or to the world that is apparent, distinctly apparent. He lived with it. He made it a part of his, uh, what we call the altar. Veena is no different from him. He has become a synonym with it, and Veena has become a synonym with Shankara Shastri Garu. The cool breeze that always emanated from the strings enthralled the audience in India and abroad with an equal poise and ease. For anybody, for any legend or celebrity, the art and the perfection should not end with them. If a guru cannot produce a good disciple and offer to the world, the mission of the guru on this Earth is also incomplete. But in case of Shankara Shastri Garu, he has accomplished that also and gifted his daughter, Vidushi Srimati Emani Kalyani, Srimati Emani Kalyani Lakshminarayana, to the world. Whenever we listen to her strings, whenever we hear her performance or listen to it with a great intense and intent, she also transports us to ecstasies. So the world is indebted to Shankara Shastri Garu for coming onto this Earth and imparting the knowledge, imparting not a mere technical exhibition on an instrument, but it is a celestial celebration of Atma Gnana, the song celestial, or the song which is emanating or which has got its roots in the source that is Paramatma, because Shankara Shastri Garu is no different from Paramatma. I heard him when I was in Delhi. He was so liberal in playing Ragam, Tanam, Pallavi for me, and I was the lone listener in his bungalow. I cherish and celebrate those celestial moments and wish Shankara Shastri Garu bless the whole world through his, uh, daughter, Kalyani, for the propagation of this Vidya through Veena forever and forever. I join this joyous occasion to share few moments of mine that will be of a great satisfaction to me at the outset. And this is a great opportunity for me to express my gratitude to the veteran at physical level and the legend at metaphysical level and Paramatma at the spiritual level. Thank you all.
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Remembers Shri Emani Shankara shastry ji
Remembers Shri Emani Shankara shastry ji
Source: Padmini Pasumarthy on YouTube
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