Your Favorite Sloka And Why ?

There are many slokas I feel a deep connection with. Here are a few :
1) Yam labdhva chaparam labham manyate naadhikam tathah |
Yasmin sthitho na dukhkhena Guroonaapi vichaalyate || (Gita 6:22)

That knowledge, after winning which, he does not deem anything else as greater than that:
And established in which, he is undeterred by the heaviest of sorrows....

Here Krishna, in a single sloka explains why Atma Jnanam has to be the most cherished thing for us all. p

 

Here is one from Bhagavatham...

Yah praapya maanusham lokam muktidwaaram apaavrutham |
Gruheshu Khagavat saktah Tamaaroodhachyutham viduh ||

That person who, after attaining this human world, with the doors of liberation opened up, is intoxicated by family-related matters, like in the story of the Sparrow, is to be considered as one who has fallen after reaching a great height after much toil.

- those who have played the game of snake and ladder, can perceive the tragedy of it

 

Another one I like very much, again from Bhagavatham.

Yam pravrajanthamanupethamapethakruthyam
Dwaipayano virahakaathara aajuhaava
Puthrethi tanmayathayaa taravobhinedus
tam sarvabhoothahrudhayam munimaanathoasmi
I bow down to that sage, who ran away, uninitiated, at the time of his upanayana initiation ceremony, and following whom, Dwaipayana (Vyasa) cried pitifully My Son!!, unable to bear separation from him, to which the entire living beings, plants and animals inclusive responded, since he (that son of Vyasa) had, by then attained union with the Atma that resides in everyone's hearts.

 

The basis of the above sloka is a little known story from the Mahabharata. I will briefly mention it here. Sage Vyasa in his old age had a son by name Suka. When Suka attained the age for conducting his upanayana, Vyasa requested lord Shiva to become the Guru. Shiva tried to dissuade Vyasa, saying that the consequences would be painful. But Vyasa was adamant, so lord Shiva agreed to the wishes of his devotee. However, just when the ceremony is to start, Shuka got Brahmajnana. In the ecstasy of the bliss of Brahman, he ran away from the place. Deeply aggrieved, Vyasa followed him crying Shuka, Oh My son!!in a pitiable voice. But Shuka who had attained union with Brahman and hence could not perceive the differences that our impure minds make us see, replied "Bho!" in acknowledgment of having heard his father, but did not stop. Since Shuka had attained union with that all pervasive Brahman, the entire universe echoed his response to Vyasa. On the way where Suka was running, there was a river where some apsaras were bathing. Suka, was running naked, but the apsara ladies didnt bother to cover themselves. Following Suka, after a while, sage Vyasa reached the place. Hurriedly the ladies picked up their dresses and covered themselves. The sage then asked them, you didnt do this while my youthful son was running this way sometime ago, but when you saw me who am now old and decrepit, you do this. May I know the reason? Then the apsaras replied to him, Suka who has attained Brahmajnanam has gone beyond ordinary bodily differences, while you still feel yourself a body, and hence have dehabuddhi. Hence we followed the rules of this world, when you came here.

 

Vakratunda Mahakaaya
Suryakoti Samaprabha
Nirvighnam Kuru Mey Deva
Sarva Kaaryeshu Sarvada

Meaning:The Lord with the curved trunk and a mighty body, who has the luster of a million suns, I pray to thee Oh Lord, to remove the obstacles from all the actions I intend to perform.
This is one of my favorite slokha.....

 

Pujyaya Raghavendraya Sathya Dharma Rathayacha
Bajatham Kalpa Vrukshaya Namatham Kamadehnave

This is my fav sloka. Its ingrained in me very much. Whenever I feel like saying it I would say it continuously. No Reason. He is our family Guru and I naturally got attracted. Had a spiritual experience in his Mutt for the very first time.