A Legend is no more.

We grew up on his songs. Modeled our voices around his voice. Sang his songs on innumerable stages. Won competitions with them. Hung out with friends singing them. Wooed our spouses with them. Enjoyed his refined, sophisticated, multi-layered, intelligent characters in movies. Binge-watched his YouTube series and felt deeply humbled by his own rags-to-riches story and his humbling, dignified life. Lived his life with him. Celebrated his successes, knowing that he deserved each and every ouce of respect he had garnered, and much more.

SPB influenced the lives of five generations in fundamental ways and will continue to do so, long after he has passed. He was one of the elders that represented True North in integrity, humility, talent, character, generosity and life success for us. Both Geetha and I are deeply hurt by his passing. A part of us is lost forever.

We are taught a wonderful mantra in the Chinmaya Mission from childhood:

"Om... Poornam adah, poornam idam. Poornat poornam udachyate. Poornasya poornamadaya poornam eeva avashishyate. Om shantih shanthih shantihi.????"

Translated:

Om ... 'That' (Paramatma, the universal soul) is eternal, infinite and complete. 'This' (Jeevatma, the individual life essence) is eternal, infinite and complete. From that infinite completeness, arises this infinite completeness. Like a palm-full of water drawn from the ocean, they are one and the same. When one is drawn from the other, what is drawn, and what remains, are both yet eternal, infinite and complete.

Om ... May there be peace in the universe; may there be peace around; may there be peace within.

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