web-development – Vikshepa

Am having problems with another of the web sites for which I am responsible. It works on the SPIP CMS. I like SPIP, but there is always a problem with updates. I was a bit behind, so I did one update that broke the menus. That’s something that I was reasonably sure I could fix, so I did the next update, and that one nuked the entire site.There’s a PHP extension called sodium, that my web host, Hostgator, doesn’t permit on their shared plan.It would be necessary to upgrade to one of their VPS plans, but their prices aren’t really competitive for that.

There are 2 lessons here.

Developers always need to check that the features they want to incorporate won’t break their users’ experience, and at least give fair warning.
The days for Shared Hosting are really past.There are too many things we need to do that don’t fit into their rigid set of options.Shared hosts are good if you want to limit oneself to applications that are really mainstream, like WordPress. I should have known better than to host something like SPIP there, but, at the time, around 20 years ago, VPS wasn’t as affordable, and the knowledge about how to run one wasn’t as available.

I will try to restore the site to an earlier version, but I need to decide how to go forward.

Maybe again Kamatera, at least for that site.

Update

I managed to roll back the website to an earlier version of SPIP. The roll-back was not without issues, and it has taken a full day so far to get the site back in shape.

I finally hit on a way that I can move that site to WordPress. It will take a lot of donkey-work but I think I can do it, using site-redirects and gradual replacement of the former site with the new one.

All of this work on the community’s website has left me no time for the other sites that I manage, including this one. Here, I was in the middle of trying to set up rsync for the blog and, in parallel, configuring a subdomain for LetsEncrypt, so that I can try to install Zap; an activity-pub compatible social network.

A song

I found myself singing a song from an album I used to have, ‘The Sounds of Swami Vidyananda’. Vidyananda, a former composer of Bollywood film music (according to the album cover), was an inmate of Sivanandashram in Rishikesh. When I visited there in 1978 he would give an early morning satsang – I think there was a recital of the Gita – accompanied by the Veena.

Anyway the song that interested me is a devotional song to Bhavani (Durga). I was able to find a couple of variants on YouTube, but not as beautiful as Swami Vidyananda’s.

The song says that there is no comfort in possessions or relations: but only in devotion to the goddess Durga. I was thinking that the meaning was more monist, i.e., that worldly sources of comfort do not really exist, but this is not such a large distinction. Indeed, the poem may have been composed by Aadi Shankara, the founder of the monistic Adwaita Vedanta school of Indian philosophy.

Bhavani Ashtakam

न तातो न माता न बन्धुर्न दाता
न पुत्रो न पुत्री न भृत्यो न भर्ता ।
न जाया न विद्या न वृत्तिर्ममैव
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥१॥

Na Taato Na Maato Na Bandhur Na Daata,
Na putro Na putri Na Bhrityo Na Bharta !
Na Jaaya Na Vidya Na Vriteermameva,
Gatistvam Gatistvam Twameka Bhavani !!

Neither mother, nor father, neither relation, nor friend, Neither son, nor daughter, neither servant nor husband, Neither wife, nor knowledge And neither my occupation, Are refuges that I can depend, Oh, Bhavani, So you are my refuge and my only refuge, Bhavani.

भवाब्धावपारे महादुःखभीरु
पपात प्रकामी प्रलोभी प्रमत्तः ।
कुसंसारपाशप्रबद्धः सदाहं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥२॥

Bhavadbhavapaarey Mahadukha Bheeruhu,
Prapaata Prakaami Pralobhi Pramatah!
KuSansaara Paasha Prabhadha Sadaham
Gatistvam Gatistvam Twameka Bhavani !!

I am in this ocean of birth and death, I am a coward, who dare not face sorrow, I am filled with lust and sin, I am filled with greed and desire, And tied I am, by the this useless life that I lead, So you are my refuge and my only refuge, Bhavani.

न जानामि दानं न च ध्यानयोगं
न जानामि तन्त्रं न च स्तोत्रमन्त्रम् ।
न जानामि पूजां न च न्यासयोगं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥३॥

Na Jaanami Daanam, Na Cha Dhyaana Yogam,
Na Jaanami Tantram, Na Cha StotraMantram!
Na Jaanami Poojaam, Na Cha Nyaasa Yogam,
Gatistvam Gatistvam Twameka Bhavani !!

I do not know how to give, nor do I know how to meditate, I do not know tantra, nor do I know stanzas of prayer, I do not know how to worship, nor do I know the art of yoga, So you are my refuge and my only refuge, Bhavani.

न जानामि पुण्यं न जानामि तीर्थ
न जानामि मुक्तिं लयं वा कदाचित् ।
न जानामि भक्तिं व्रतं वापि मातर्गतिस्त्वं
गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥४॥

Na Jaanami Punyam, Na Jaanami Theertham,
Na Jaanami Mutkeem, Layam Vaa Kadachit !
Na Jaanami Bhatkeem, Vratam Vaapi Maatah,
Gatistvam Gatistvam Twameka Bhavani !!

I do not know how to be righteous, I do not know the way to the sacred places, I do not know methods of salvation, I do not know how to merge my mind with God, I do not know the art of devotion, I do not know how to practice austerities, Oh, mother, So you are my refuge and my only refuge, Bhavani

कुकर्मी कुसङ्गी कुबुद्धिः कुदासः
कुलाचारहीनः कदाचारलीनः ।
कुदृष्टिः कुवाक्यप्रबन्धः सदाहं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥५॥

Kukarmi, Kusangi, Ku buddhi, Kudasah,
Kulaacharaheenah Kadachaaraleenah!
Kudrushtih, Kuvaakya Prabandah Sadaham
Gatistvam Gatistvam Twameka Bhavani !!

I perform bad actions, I keep bad company, I think bad and sinful thoughts, I serve bad masters, I belong to a bad family, I am immersed in sinful acts, I see with bad intentions, I write bad words, Always and always, you are my refuge and my only refuge, Bhavani

प्रजेशं रमेशं महेशं सुरेशं
दिनेशं निशीथेश्वरं वा कदाचित् ।
न जानामि चान्यत् सदाहं शरण्ये
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥६॥

Prajesham, Ramesham, Mahesham, Suresham,
Dinesham Nishiteshwaram Va Kadachit
Na Jaanami Chaanyat Sadaham Sharanye’
Gatistvam Gatistvam Twameka Bhavani !!

Neither Do I know the creator, Nor the Lord of Lakshmi, Neither do I know the lord of all, Nor do I know the lord of devas, Neither do I know the God who makes the day, Nor the God who rules at night, Neither do I know any other Gods, Oh, Goddess to whom I bow always, So you are my refuge and my only refuge, Bhavani

विवादे विषादे प्रमादे प्रवासे
जले चानले पर्वते शत्रुमध्ये ।
अरण्ये शरण्ये सदा मां प्रपाहि
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥७॥

Divaadey, Vishadey, Pramadhey, Pravaasey
Jaale Chaanalay, Parvatey, Shatrumadhyae’
Aranye’ Sharanye’ Sada Maa Prapahi
Gatistvam Gatistvam Twameka Bhavani !!

While I am in a heated argument, While I am immersed in sorrow, While I am suffering an accident, While I am travelling far off, While I am in water or fire, While I am on the top of a mountain, While I am surrounded by enemies, And while I am in a deep forest, Oh Goddess, I always bow before thee, So you are my refuge and my only refuge, Bhavani

अनाथो दरिद्रो जरारोगयुक्तो
महाक्षीणदीनः सदा जाड्यवक्त्रः ।
विपत्तौ प्रविष्टः प्रनष्टः सदाहं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥८॥

Anartho Daridro Jara Rogayukto,
Mahashkeena Deenah Sada JadyaVaktrah
Vipatto Pravishtah Pranashtah Sadaham,
Gatistvam Gatistvam Twameka Bhavani !!

While being an orphan, While being extremely poor, While affected by disease of old age, While I am terribly tired, While I am in a pitiable state, While I am being swallowed by problems, And While I suffer serious dangers, I always bow before thee, So you are my refuge and only refuge, Bhavani