Miscellaneous General Topics

Bhakti

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Bhakthi</CENTER>
This world is under the control of God. God, in turn is under the control of Mantra(Divine name/word). Vedantis worship God in "Abheda Bhava"(considering themselves as one with God), while Bhaktas worship God in "Bheda Bhava"(considering themselves as separate from God).
The worshippers of Lord Shiva tend to tread the vedantic path, while worshippers of Lord Vishnu tend towards the path of devotion. Generally we see that the former are called as Shiva Yogis or Shiva Jnanis while the latter are called Hari Bhakthas or Bhagavathas. So we see that Bhakthi or devotion is best done with Lord Vishnu. Since the path of Bhakthi has Smaranam(Constant remembrance of Lord), Shravanam(Constantly hearing about Lord) and Keerthanam(Singing the names and glories of the Lord) as its major foundations, we require a deity who has beauty, who is easily approachable, who has an enjoyable legend of sports and deeds to capture our heart naturally. All this is fully manifested with SriHari. Hence the domain of bhakthi is dominated by Hari bhakthas.

If we closely study the life history of various "vedantic sages", we find that they have attained the vedantic realisation through the grace of a deity. Even those sages who declined to lean on a deity for realisation, certainly had a guru. Guru, is but a manifestation of divinity. Hence though they did not worship a deity directly, indirectly by accepting a guru, they have come to "Dwaita Bhava"(worship with duality- considering themselves seperate from God/Guru) Infact, we see that they have shown more intense devotion to their guru than that seen with upasakas(dualistic worshippers of a chosen deity).

Attaining Abheda Bhava is not possible without worshiping in Bheda Bhava-(though the amount of time and intensity of the transition may be different from case to case).

Bhakthi is a thing of beauty. It is a feeling, which can be understood by very few people. Since it is a feeling, it has no limit and we cannot really teach how to do Bhakthi!. It is a spontaneous feeling of love from the innermost depth of one's heart. A mother, naturally and without any compulsions, loves her child. Similarly the love towards God should be natural and spontaneous. We cannot induce ourselves to love God!. Pure love is known solely by the total absence of any expectation(including liberation or Moksham) from God. It is an end by itself. In this state of Prema Bhakthi(Pure love), the devotee doesn't care about any of the difficulties he faces. He does not confound worldly mundane matters with Bhakthi.

Since God-the almighty is omnipresent, upadesam(or the spiritual instruction) need not come directly through a spiritual teacher(guru) or a deity. Each and every experience in this world is a upadesam.
Though it's a well known fact that most of the saints have attained the exalted state by severe penance and austerities("Sadhanas"), it is only due to God's grace, that they had the perseverance to go in the spiritual path. To get rid of the illusory relative existence(Maya) we need the grace of God who is untainted by this Maya. Without God's grace, it is impossible to get liberated from Maya.


To React Is Easier Than To Act
Revathy.

 

Pilgramages And Its Phalas!!!

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Vãranãsi, Vrindãvan, Ayodhya, Dwãraka and Pandaripura are Kshetras filled with ‘Sãnnidhya’(Presence of the Lord). A trip undertaken, without the knowledge of the Sthalapurana(History of the Kshetra), in the company of friends in a bus or train, gossiping all the way, seeking comfortable boarding and lodging, visiting the temple as per one’s whims and fancy can be deemed only as an excursion and not as pilgrimage. When one decides to undertake pilgrimage, the Sthala purana should be learnt from a Bhãgavata or the Sadguru. Undertaking pilgrimage along with the Sadguru is the best way. To go in the company of good religious -minded people is ‘madhyama’(i.e, not as good as going in the company of the Sadguru) and all other ways are ‘adhama’(not good).
This is because it is not possible for ordinary mortals like us to comprehend the ‘Purana’ incidents that had taken place in these kshetras and the experiences of Mahatmas who had lived there in the past, in Bhakti bhãva. However, when we go in the company of a Mahãn, He explains the special features of the kshetras and enjoys it all with bhãva; as such we feel deep involvement in them. Worldly matters do not arise in our minds when we go in the company of the Sadguru or Satsang. The pilgrimage is greatly enjoyable as there is incessant Nãma Sankirtan and Pravachanãs(Spiritual discourses). Every pilgrimage should be undertaken only in this manner.
If visit to a kshetra is possible only due to punyas accrued in our earlier janmas(births) then what to speak of those who live there. Therefore, one should not hold any grudge against the demanding Pandãs(priests) and beggars in such kshetras. One should not criticize how one can call the river (running in that kshetra) holy when the gutter flows into it. Such thoughts/speech would earn GRAVE SINS.
One should deem all the residents of the kshetras as verily Sadhus. While going to and returning from a kshetra, one should perform incessant Nãma Kirtan or Nãma japa or think of Bhagavan or do dhyãna. If these are not possible one can remain in silence. ‘Poorna Phala’ (full benefit) is obtained only if the pilgrimage is undertaken in this manner.


To React Is Easier Than To Act
Revathy

 

4 Regulative principles for Srividya Bhakthi.

There are four pillars of religion: mercy, truthfulness, austerity and cleanliness. These four pillars are protected by the four regulative principles that must be observed in order to make progress in the path of devotional service. By breaking the four regulative principles, you destroy these pillars and by destroying these pillars you jeopardize your devotional service. The four regulative principles are:​

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1. Ahimsa:

No eating meat, fish, or eggs. Killing animals destroys the quality of mercy. One turns one's body into a graveyard by consuming dead animals.

​

These foods are saturated with the modes of passion and ignorance and therefore cannot be offered to the Goddess in the Dakshinachara Srividya path. A person who eats these foods participates in a conspiracy of violence against helpless animals and thus stops his/her spiritual progress dead in its tracks.

Arajaha:



No gambling. Truthfulness is destroyed by gambling. This is quite obvious. Gambling turns a person into a liar, a cheat. Gambling invariably puts one into anxiety and fuels greed, envy, and anger.


Amadhukam:

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No intoxicants, including excessive tea or coffee or cola’s.Taking intoxicants is physically, mentally and spiritually bad. It destroys the principle of austerity because the reason people take to intoxicants is that they want to avoid their suffering in the material world- they do not want to face that austerity. Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, as well as any drink or food containing caffeine, cloud the mind, over-stimulate the senses, are addictive and make it impossible to perform devotional service, which by its very definition requires some degree of austerity.

Amaithunam:



No illicit sex. Cleanliness is destroyed by illicit sex. The scriptures teach that sex is the most powerful force binding us to the material world. Anyone serious about advancing into Srividya should even minimize sex with their spouses gradually. Actually sex is a materialistic and selfish substitute for pure love. If we awaken our pure love of Goddess, the taste is so blissful that sex becomes a tasteless, trivial act that leaves one empty and unfulfilled.

Members who do not have these 4 qualities should first aim to develop them and then come to me for further guidance.Without these 4 qualities, there is no point even in talking about advanced srividya mantras. I was shocked when one person from Bangalore asked me" How can I follow Srividya path, with my wife or my girlfriends? " I thought he must have been kidding, but he was very serious and even sent me snaps of him with his girl friends and wife.I promptly deleted the email and said to him please read the 4 regulative principles for srividya bhakthi.

First, basics then go beyond!

 

Re: 4 Regulative principles for Srividya Bhakthi.

Sunkan,
Thanks for sharing this information.......it is true they emphasize 'sathva gunam' for any upasana...
1st step towards our attainment of salvation too!

sriniketan

 

Watch Live Web Telecast Of Tirumala Tirupathi

<table class="messageheader" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="label" nowrap="nowrap">Subject:</td><td> [om_namah_shivaya_group] Watch live web telecast from Tirumala Tirupathi</td></tr> </tbody></table> <form name="frmAddAddrs" action="http://address.mail.yahoo.com/yab/us?v=YM&.rand=33332&A=m&simp=1" method="post"> <input name="fn" value="Deepa" type="hidden"> <input name="ln" value="H" type="hidden"> <input name="e" value="debu7366@yahoo.com" type="hidden"> <input name=".done" value="http://us.f85.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?MsgId=1271_18278119_2700_4088_4782_0_69296_14786_1292151407&order=up&inc=&sort=date&view=a&head=b&box=Inbox&YY=98310" type="hidden"> </form> <!-- type = text --><!--~-|**|PrettyHtmlStartT|**|-~--> <!--~-|**|PrettyHtmlEndT|**|-~--> Om Sai Ram
Now you can watch 24/7 live web telecast from Tirumala Tirupathi at http://debu7366. blogspot. com/
This streaming is from Shri Venakateswara Bhakti channel and incase you are not able to view it on your computer - kindly go to www.real.com to download the latest version of real player.
Dont forget to have the sacred darshan by going to http://debu7366. blogspot. com/ You will also find at this blog everything related to Shri Shirdi Saibaba along with the live web telecast from Kashi Vishwanath Temple in which is enshrined the Jyotirlinga of Shiva and the live web telecast from Shri Siddhivinayak and Samadhi mandir in Shirdi.
Kindly fwd this message to all your friends and relatives.

"Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu
Gurur Devoh Maheshwar;
Gurur Shakshat Parambramha
Tashmai Shri Gurur Veh Namah"
May the Merciful Sri Sai Baba always shower His grace on us and our families and remove our problems and anxieties by giving us all - strength , goodluck, success and happiness with peace of mind.
Sai bhakt,

 

Re: Watch Live Web Telecast Of Tirumala Tirupathi

Dear sunkan,

Thank u so much for the info. good to know and see our fav gods.

Cheers
vaidehi

 

Re: Watch Live Web Telecast Of Tirumala Tirupathi

Dear Sunkan ma'am


Heartfelt thanks from me.I was able to see few of my favorite temples at a go.

Take care.

Regards

latha

 

Advent Of Alavandaar

Here is an interesting anecdote relating to Gayathri which I came across and thought could share it with you all.



In a kingdom in South India, there was a boy who was initiated into
Gayathri practice in a very young age as was the practice in those
days. By rigorous practice of Gayathri he attained such scholarliness
and divine knowledge, that his fame and popularity reached far and
wide. In the kingdom there was an “Aasthana Kavi†(Chief of all the
scholars of the King’s Court). He was also very well known for his
wisdom and knowledge. Whosoever scholar came to the Kingdom, he was made to face this “ Aasthana Kavi†in a scholastic war and none was able to defeat him. As time passed, he became invincible and slowly his egotism took control of him completely. He started attaching the wealth of all those scholars whosoever lost to him in the battle of knowledge. The king could not contain him and was watching helplessly, the atrocities being perpetrated on all the hapless victims who lost the “war of wisdomâ€.



A stage came when no one dared to challenge the Asthana Kavi. Some
elderly scholars went to the boy scholar (realising that he was
specially blessed by Goddess Gayathri) and pleaded with him to
challenge the Aasthana Kavi and humble him. The boy ultimately
yielded to their pressure and one day sent word to the Asthana Kavi.
The Kavi was infuriated at a small boy challenging him , so much that,
he openly rebuked his†messengers†who brought
him the message from the boy. “ How dare this small kiddo
challenges me? I will teach him a lesson for his life time," so on and
so forth.

A day was arranged for the “duel†and advance invitation sent to all
the people near and far to come and witness the marathon. As the boy
arrived at the arena in the kingdom, some people looking at the
beautiful and childlike face of the boy openly started expressing
their sympthay for him as all know about the thorough knowledge the
Asthana Kavi had and also how cruel he was. There were also others who
were prepared to bet on the side of the boy.

Well, the duel started. The kavi started pouring questions after
questions to the boy and the boy stunned all (including the kavi) by
answering every question to the satisfaction of all present. Ultimately
the turn of the boy came. And he spoke thus:

â€I will make three affirmative statements. And this Kavi should deny
them and justify such denials as correct, to the utmost satisfaction of
all present here. If he can do that I will accept my defeat and
undergo any sort of penalty/punishment that may be imposed on me. If
on the other hand he is unable to deny those statements of mine then he
should accept his defeat and surrender all his titles and this position
of “Asthana Kaviâ€.

The Asthana Kavi indeed felt happy. After all there was no subject in
the world unknown to him. There was no one better than him to argue
either way about anything. So he could deny anything said by the boy
in a trice and defeat the "child" retaining his “everlasting supremacyâ€

The boy came out with the following three affirmative statements.
"
1. The mother of this “Asthana kavi†is a
“Puthravatiâ€(Puthravati means a woman who has given birth to a progeny
as opposed to a “maladi†who has not delivered any child.)

2. This King is a Dharmavan (Dharmavan means the most righteous,
dharmic person who never commits any sin)

3. This queen is a “Pathiviratha†(Pathiviratha means a righteous
wife never having committed any act of infidelity, not even by thought)

The Asthana Kavi had to deny all these and justify his denials also to
the satisfaction of all.

The first statement, if denied would imply that his mother was not a
‘Puthravati†meaning she was childless. How could he say that when he,
the only child of his mother was right there in front of every one and
this fact is also every body's knowledge. The Asthana Kavi tried and
tried to find an answer but in vain. He could not think of a way to
deny this statement.

The second statement was “This King is a Dharmavanâ€. How could this
also be denied?! The King had been acclaimed as one of the most
righteous ruler. How could he deny that and utter a falsehood thereby!
The kavi ransacked his “scholarly bank†and could not come out with any
plausible explanation to deny this.

The last statement was 'this queen is “Pathivirathaâ€'. Oh! God! How
could he say no and invite the wrath of the King and others. What
reason or argument could he advance to substantiate a denial of this
statement.

However much the Asthana kavi tried to extricate himself from the predicament the boy had put him in, he could not succeed.
At last the Kavi started feeling that his certain defeat was nearing.
His scholastic empire built on his egoism started crumbling and he was
being humbled and humiliated. Still an element of divinity was left
in him and with tears in his eyes he prostrated before the “young boyâ€
whom he scoffed at, initially as a “childâ€.

“Forgive me learned and divine one. You have humbled me. I have learnt
a good lesson. I have lost to you. Now I am prepared to do anything
you say."

The entire crowd cheered the boy who however did not allow his ego to
take the upper hand. He did not take advantage of the situation. He
gave back to the Kavi all the honour back.

The King went to the boy with folded hands and prayed to him whether he
(the boy) could deny all the three statements and offer convincing
explanations for such denials. The boy, who had by then been named
by the King and all the others, as “Aala Vandar†( one who had arrived
to conquer and rule) readily consented and came out with his scholium
for each statement.

“
1. The first statement is “This Kavi’s mother is a ‘Puthravatiâ€. No
doubt he is the son of his mother. But he is the only son and his
mother has not given birth to any other child beside him. According to
sastras just one child does not give the status of “motherhoodâ€
(Puthravati) . One tree does not make an “orchardâ€. Similarly one
child does not confer "motherhood" (puthravati) So, in order to attain
the status of “puthravatiâ€, a woman has to beget two or more children
and one of which has to be a girl child so that a “kanya dhan†was
feasible. Therefore I deny the statement that “this Kavi’s mother is
“Puthravatiâ€

2. The second statement is “This King is “Dharmavanâ€. No doubt this
king is a righteous person and has not committed any sin . But
according to the sastras whatever sins the “Prajas†(sujects) commit,
the onus of such sins squarely rests on the shoulders of the King, he
being the ruler and one responsible for the conducts of his subjects.
Can any one say that no subject of this king is free from any sin?
Hence I deny that this king is a Dharmavan.

3. The third statement is “ this queen is a Pathiviratha.†During the
wedding rites, the bride is first married to Indra and then to Agni,
likwise to the rest of all the Five devas Vayu etc and then only
finally married to the human bridegroom. If that be so how can we say
that the queen is a “Pathivirathaiâ€.

The king and all the others (including the Kavi) were immensely pleased
with the answers, applauded the boy's wisdom and shouted in joy. A
sincere "Gayathri Practitioner" is never betrayed by Vedamatha
Gayathri

 

Efficacy Of Gayathri



Virajanand lived during the 19th century. He
was born in Mathura, the birth place of Lord Krishna. When he was a year old he lost his eyesight as he became a victim of Small-pox.

It is said misfortuness do not come in singles. Before he turned five,
he lost both his parents. Thereafter he came under the care of his
elder brother who was married. His wife did not take to Virajanand
kindly. One good thing that happened to Virajanand was that Upanayanam was performed to him at the age of seven and he was initiated to Gayathri practice.

When he was only eight, the inhospitable atmosphere at home made him
leave for Rishikesh, the holy town at the bank of Ganges at the foot of
Himalayas, along with some pilgrims. There he took refuge in an
Ashram. And “Loveâ€, he experienced there for the first time. The
Ashram mates were very kind to him and he completely forgot about his
home town. Now and then, he had chances to listen to many discourses
in the Ashram, some of them referring to the significance and glory of
Gayathri. He could not see, he could not read or write and the only
recourse left for him, he thought, was to take to Gayathri Japa and
listening to advices of elders and spiritual discourses.



He used to go the Ganges in the early morning hours, take bath in the
holy river and started chanting Gayathri, standing in chest-deep
waters. Initially he was chanting a thousand times and slowly he
increased the chanting to three thousand times a day. After a lapse of
about four years, Vedamatha Gayathri blessed him appearing in the form
of lightning. Though he was blind, he could sense the light internally
and with the blessing his inner blindness disappeared and he was
illumined.




Gayathri Devi blessed him with Divine knowledge and
enormous capacity to grasp and retain knowledge on any subject. What
ever he used to listen to, once only, got entrenched in his memory
permanently. He listened to reciting of “Vedas†once and thereafter
he became authoritative on it. At the age of fourteen he took to
Sanyas and was henceforth known as “Swami Virajanandâ€.

Once, Swami Virajanand was having bath in the Ganges when he heard
a Kerala brahmin reciting “Panini Ashtadhyayi “ (Sanskrit Grammar),
like a Mantra. He invited the brahmin to the Ashram and requested him
to recite the Panini once slowly. The brahmin kindly obliged and with
that Swami Virajanand’s study of Sanskrit Grammar was over. Later, he
contributed to Sanskrit Grammar in a great way. At the age of forty he
was acknlowledged all over Northern India, as a great scholar in
Sanskrit and Vedantic studies. His fame reached his home town Mathura
and the people of Mathura, feeling proud of him wanted to bring him
back to Mathura. They built an Ashram for him in Mathura and requested
him to stay there. He also agreed. Lot of pupils got admitted to the
Ashram for studying , Nyaya, Vedas, Vedanta and all related subjects.
The famous Dayanand Saraswathi, who established the Arya Samaj,
searched for 8 years and finally found in Swami Virajanand the proper
Guru and studied under him for four years.

Thus a virtually born-blind person achieved so much greatness, which
even well-sighted persons could not. Is there more proof required for
the efficacy of Gayathri.?!

 

Origin Of Narmada River

The last time I remember hearing the name Amarkantak was when I was in Ranchi, back in school. I stumbled upon this name again in the last ten days and went about discovering this town again. How I wish I had visited this place then, when I was geographically closer. Amarkantak is a spiritual harbour, where many have reached the dockyard of enlightenment. The peace and mysticism of this little town can only be experienced when we set foot into her sacred land.

Just glimpses of this little town dotted with potent temples can make the heart jump and wonder why we didn't realize it earlier - we live in a very beautiful country and lesser we see this stretch of Paradise the lesser we will destroy it by commercialising it.

The home of the Narmada has a lot more in store for us than what meets the eye. Recollecting the fabulous illustrations of the Amar Chithra Katha, I relived the moments of this mythological story once again!

नर्मदायैनमःप्रातः
​

In the wake of dawn
Calm reigns supreme
The waters at the Narmadakund rise
Life giving waters for the living

She originates here
Goddess Narmada gushes forth
From the very being of Lord Shiva
She rises to bless the land

Life giving waters flow
The Mother rises to shine
Protects us from venomous snake bite
Purifies our souls divine

Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh: Narmada is serene beauty that descends from heaven, from Lord Shiva's being and she descends onto the earth here at the holy town on Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh. This is the sacred place from here the great river Narmada originates and flows towards the Arabian Sea. The Narmada is one among three rivers that originate here, the Sone river originates at Sonemuda near Narmadakund in the Maikal mountains. The third river is Juhila River that originates further away.

Tripurantaka Shiva destroyed the 3 demon cities of Tripura, while they burnt down to ashes, one of the cities fell at Kailash, the ashes of the second fell at Amarkantak and Lord Shiva saved the ashes of the third city from falling anywhere. When the ashes fell here, they turned into crore of Shiva lingas, of which only one remains in the temple of Sri Jwaleshwar Mahadev, 8 kms from Amarkantak. This is called Maha Rudra Meru, one of only 2 such places with Maha Rudra Meru, the other being Varanasi.

Kalidasa is known to have visited Amarkantak and names the place Amrakoot after the beautiful mango groves that dotted this sacred land. Adi Shankaracharya is known to have come and resided by the river side and consecrated its banks, he also founded the Pataleshwar temple at Amarkantak from a clump of bamboo trees. This place is called Surajkund today.

Amarkantak has found its place in the Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Vasishtasamhita and Shatapatha Brahmana. Situated near the ancient city of Kalinga, Amarkantak is a place where Gods, Gandharvas, Asuras and Rishis have achieved divine spiritual powers. This river has its own story to tell, one that is unique and particularly different from that of the Ganges.

नर्मदायै नमः प्रातः नर्मदायै नमो निशि

नमोऽस्तु नर्मदे तुभ्यं त्राहि मां विषसर्पदः
जरत्कार्वोर्जरत्कर्वां समुत्पन्न महायशाः
अस्तीक सत्यसन्धो मां पन्नगेभ्यो अभिरक्षतु ​

नर्मदायै = To Goddess (river) Narmada;नमः = I bow; my salutations; प्रातः = in the morning;
नर्मदायै = To Goddess (river) Narmada; नमो = I bow; my salutations; निशि = during the night;
नमोऽस्तु = I bow and give you my salutations; नर्मदे = Oh! Narmada river;
तुभ्यं = to you; त्राहि = Save me; protect; मां = me; विषसर्पदः = from the poisonous snakes;
जरत्कार्वोर्जरत्कर्वां = the wife of Jaratkaru; समुत्पन्न महायशाः = people of great renown;
अस्तीक = To the sage Astika; सत्यसन्धो = One bound to speak or defend the truth; मां = me; पन्नगेभ्यो = to or from serpents or snakes; अभिरक्षतु = Let one protect me.

This is a prayer to Goddess Narmada to purify the soul as well as protect oneself from the deadly venum of Snake bite.

"Salutations to the Goddess Narmada, the river Goddess in the morning and in the evening. Oh Goddess I bow to you, I salute you, please protect me from the venomous serpents and purify my soul."

The mythology of associated snake bite goes as follows:

The Mahabharata tells the story of an ascetic named Jaratkaru, who saw some of his ancestors suspended over a deep pit, with their heads downwards on a rope of fiber which was being gradually gnawed at by a rat. On inquiring why they hung down that way, they replied saying that they were his ancestors and were brought to this state because he had not yet got a son to perform certain rites if he continued to remain childless. The rope would break and they would fall through into the pit. Jaratkaru agreed to give up his life as an ascetic and decided to marry a woman who had a name same as his. Once when he visited Nagaloka, Vasuki, the king of serpents, offered his sister Jaratkaru in marriage to the ascetic. They had a son named Astika who came to be the protector of Serpents.

Meanwhile King Parikshit(a descendant of the Pandavas) had died of a serpent bite and his son king Janamejaya ascended the throne of Hastinapura. King Janamejaya bore a deep grudge against serpents and performed the great Sarpa satra yagna that would destroy all living serpents. With the commencement of the yagna, with every spell recited within a mantra, a sarpa would fall into the flames for each "Swaha" oblation. Many serpents perished in the yagna flames, seeing the plight of the remaining nagas, the Naga king approached Jaratkaru for help. Astika was asked to go and stop King Janamejaya from continuing his sarpa satra yagna. Astika promised King Janamejaya that no serpent would venture into a place that is inhabited by people. The serpents are obliged to keep their promise by hitting their heads thrice on the ground. By the recitation of this mantra the serpent's promise comes alive that they will never attack a human being until provoked. The Goddess Narmada is invoked in this prayer to save oneself from serpents.

नर्मदायै नमो निशि

O Goddess Narmada, I bow to you by night.

​

NARMADA KUND AMARKANTAK: ORIGIN OF THE NARMADA RIVER



BY KAVITHA BROUGHT TO YOU BY SUNKAN