By Rajiv Malik, HPI Correspondent
NEW DELHI, INDIA, January 11, 2007: A 90-minute film on one of Tibet’s greatest saint, Milarepa, was screened in New Delhi. The screening took place as a part of one week seminar entitled- Milarepa- The Yogi Of Tibet. The seminar itself was one in a series, ” Yogis, the Mystic Masters,” organized by Foundation For Universal Responsibility of His Holiness The Dalai Lama at the prestigious India International Centre from 18th – 24th December, 2006. Prior to the screening of the film, some of those who had acted in the film presented a live song and dance performance based on the songs of Milarepa before an overflow audience.
The film depicted the true story of how Milarepa, a youth from a very humble beginnings, became Tibet’s greatest saint after having been propelled into a world of sorrow and betrayal following his father’s sudden death. Destitute and hopeless, Milarepa sets out to learn black magic and exact revenge on his enemies and in this long drawn process encounters magicians, demons, an enigmatic teacher and unexpected mystical power along the way. What turned this youth into a yogi was his confrontation with the consequences of his own anger due to which some of his close relatives and friends faceddeath and also destruction of their properties. After attaining great heights in the field of black magic and using them for taking revenge, he realizes that the path chosen by him was not the correct one.
With his sadhana and effort Milarepa finally transcended the miseries of his younger life and with the blessings of his master Marpa the translator, he embarked on the path of a solitary life of meditation until he realized the enlightened state.
Photographed in the stunning Lahaul-Spiti region of Northern India, the film beautifully narrates Milerapa’s life which was full of drama and action. It also provides glimpses of his life which one finds in his songs which have been widely sung and studied in Tibet ever since and have been recorded as the Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa. Milarepa’s unfaltering faith in his master, conviction about the religious practice, amazing tolerance, superhuman preservence and final realization are a source of great inspiration to mankind even in todays’ time. His exemplary life illuminated the Buddhist faith and brought the light of wisdom to sentient beings everywhere. Wandering through the rugged terrain of eleventh century Tibet and Nepal, Milarepa guided the Buddhist practitioners through his songs of liberation.
Mrs. Raji, the spokesperson of The Foundation For Universal Responsibility of H.H. the Dalai Lama informed HPI that they propose to initiate this once-a-month series to understand and reaffirm their faith in the convictions which many of the yogis /yoginis have nurtured. The Foundation felt that the yogis and yoginis of yesteryears by their beings have left experiences which are a source of inspiration for all times to come. Through this series, the idea is to assimilate and internalize the visions, aspirations and convictions of these great masters.
According to Mrs. Raji, the Foundation proposes to follow this format to look at the lives of other masters like Lalleshwari, Guru Nanak, Ramana Maharishi, Avvaiyar, Kabir, Akka Mahadevi, Sri Aurobind, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Jnaneshwar and Lallan Fakir, to name a few.
For futher information on the film, contact: Foundation For Universal Responsibility Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Core 4 A, Upper Ground Floor, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi -110003, tel-2464 6450, fax-2464 8451. E-mail: furhhdl@vsnl.com.