AUM NAMAH SHIVAYA

VEDANTA DARSHANAM Oct 09

Vedanta Darshanam

Salutations to all.

This week Obama, the president of the United States, received the Nobel Peace Prize award. This is an award given to people who work for the peace of the world. But does this mean there is peace in this world? Does this mean that all the problems of the world have vanished? Does this mean that peace is as simple as winning an award through our actions? Sankara in his Brahma Sutra bhashya says that it is not so. Actions can never give us eternal bliss. Actions are born out of desires the primary desire being the desire for perfection, satisfaction and bliss. This desire for bliss itself is caused out of ignorance, the ignorance of ones own very nature of bliss. Therefore removing ignorance is the way out of all sufferings. But can ignorance be removed by action which is caused out of ignorance itself? Definitely no. Therefore only knowledge can get rid of ignorance and all our problems. This means that just by actions or awards, we cannot get bliss.

Though there are people like Obama and others doing very good actions for the entire world, trying to get rid of terrorists and trying to uplift people yet the world is in total chaos. Towns get submerged into water; earthquakes hit; terrorism is at its peak thus everything is in a chaotic situation. But a sadhaka should remember that the very nature of the world is chaos anityam asukham lokam or the world is temporary and sorrowful. Understanding this nature of the world, a sadhaka should strive for perfection through realizing blissful changeless Brahman which is the substratum of this illusory world.

The day until a sadhaka strives and achieves Brahman there will be chaos and chaos alone in the world. Even the Lord himself couldnt avoid chaos in the form of Mahabharatha war as well as when the yaadavaas killed each other. Once a person realizes that this world is just a divine play of Brahman, there will only be bliss externally the world will still be in chaos but life will be blissful at all times. As Sankara points out, nandhathi nandhathi nandhathi eva or rejoices, rejoices and verily rejoices. May we as ardent sadhakas strive to achieve that state of bliss amidst all the chaos of the world.

AUM NAMAH SHIVAYA

Oct 10th

Anukramaanika

1Vedanta Darshanam

3Guru Mahima

7Mukhya Vishayam

13Sankshiptha Vedanta

17Gitaamritham

19Upanishad Prachaaram

24Raga Varsha

26Praadeshikam

29Sthuthi

33Charitham

39Sanatana Dharma Sameeksha

42Sanskritha shiksha

45Vedanta Pariksha

48Ghatanaa

49Anukramaanika Nirdesham

Guru Mahima

Anything that we achieve in life has a set of pre-requisites to be followed before trying to achieve. Vedanta talks about the four-fold qualifications or pre-requisites to gaining knowledge as viveka (discrimination between real and unreal), vairagya (dispassion towards the world and passion towards Brahman), shamaadi shatka sampatti (the six qualities of mind shama or calmness, dama or control of sense organs, uparathi or restraint of sense organs, titiksha or forbearance, sraddha or faith in the scriptures-guru and samaadhana or tranquility) and mumukshutva (burning desire for liberation).

We saw in the last month as to the importance of devotion towards Brahman or Ishwara. We find Siva reiterating this by saying that faith in Ishwara and Guru is essential in order to gain and apprehend knowledge to its full. This is an oft-quoted famous sloka.

Yasya deve paraa bhakthih yathaa deve tathaa gurau

Tasyethe kathithaa hi arthaah prakaashanthe mahaatmanah

Who has supreme devotion to Ishwara and similar devotion to ones Guru, to such a person alone will the knowledge, about to be imparted, be fruitful.

This is quite simple to understand devotion can be replaced with the term of faith. We require absolute faith in someone who is going to guide us to the non-apprehensible Brahman. Even in worldly cases where we know the goal to be achieved clearly, we still need faith in whatever is guiding us whether it is a sentient being or an insentient entity like maps or itinerary etc.

In the spiritual path, the Guru who guides us and the goal of Ishwara (who guides us through everything in this world as the world is pervaded in and out by Ishwara) are very important our faith/devotion to the Guru and Ishwara is essential in order to achieve the goal of eternal bliss or moksha. It cannot be argued that there are people who have realized without a Guru as such people either might have followed a Guru in the previous birth or are guided by Guru not in physical form but in other forms that we are unaware of. We know that there are books that at times guides us and the authors of these books instantly become our Guru during those times. Faith in Ishwara is essential as without seeking a fruit no one does any action at all faith in Ishwara or desire for the state of Ishwara (moksha or eternal bliss) is what drives a spiritual seeker to follow the spiritual path (even as worldly people follow certain path in order to achieve certain goal).

There can be a doubt here as to whether it is very essential to know about Gurus Mahima. Though we saw as to how secretive this knowledge is, yet it may not be very important to know it. CIA is the most secretive organization in the world and this doesnt make it knowable. Siva next explains in few slokas as to the necessity of this knowledge mostly the necessity of Vedanta is by proving that moksha cannot be achieved through any others means but by Vedanta alone (tameva vidvaan amritha iha bhavathi, na anyah panthaa vimukthaye knowing Brahman alone a person attains immortality, there is no other way to liberation).

Japasthapo vratham teertham yajno daanam tathaiva cha

Gurutattvam avijnaaya sarvam vyartham bhavet priye

Chanting, austerity, penances, taking bath in sacred places, sacrifices and donations etc. are of no use without knowing about the Guru (and his Mahima).

Gurubudhyaatmano naanyat satyam satyam varaanane

Tallaabhaartham prayatnasthu karthavyascha maneeshibhih

Know that there is no truth other than the Guru and knowledge about the Guru is true knowledge; it is the duty of human beings to strive for this knowledge.

Knowing about the Guru alone can save us from bondage

Without a Guru it is impossible to tread the spiritual path without straying off and achieve the goal of moksha. Hence the scriptures say aachaaryavaan purusho veda or only a person who has a Guru will know. Bondages are caused because of ignorance the ignorance that is manifested in the form of I am the body, These people and objects are different from me etc. which are all duality (duality considered real is the essence of all manifestations of ignorance) is the cause of sorrow. Duality causes a person to either like or dislike objects (and people who are different from oneself). Likes and dislikes in turn leads to attachment and aversion. Attachment and aversion in turn leads to happiness and sorrow. Happiness and sorrow in turn leads a person to do actions in order to get rid of sorrow and always be happy. Actions lead to results and results are obviously either happiness or sorrow if results are happiness then more actions are performed in order to maintain the happiness and if results are sorrowful then more actions are performed in order to negate the sorrow, thus the never-ending chain of action and results continues (kurvathe karma bhogaaya, karma karthum cha bhunjathe man does action for enjoyment and he enjoys in order to do more actions). Action-result chain cannot be contained in one birth and hence the chain of birth-death continues (punarapi jananam punarapi maranam punarapi janani jatare shayanam again birth, again death and again in the womb of the mother). Thus a person suffers over and over again with no end to his suffering and no sight of eternal bliss.

Ignorance can be removed only by knowledge even as darkness can be expelled only by light. The ignorance of ones own very nature of Self or Brahman or Ishwara is what causes one to believe one is the body and there is duality present; this can be removed only through knowledge that non-duality alone is real and duality is just an illusion in the non-dual reality of Brahman who is our very nature of pulsating I (totally unaffected by duality). Knowledge can be gained only from a person who already has knowledge (though learning from books is possible it isnt possible to realize except for exceptions without the guidance of a Guru books are indirect knowledge whereas Guru is direct knowledge and living embodiment of books). Since Guru is the way to gain knowledge and knowledge is essential to get rid of bondage, therefore Guru is essential in order to get rid of bondage.

Guru is knowledge (Guru is Brahman)

Guru has knowledge and is a living embodiment of knowledge. Hence such Guru is himself knowledge he or she doesnt need any book-knowledge as knowledge is not an intellectual property for the Guru but a constant living experience. Even as a person who has tasted milk has experience of milk, similarly the Guru is constantly experiencing Brahman unlike an ignorant person who might have gained intellectual knowledge but no experience of Brahman (similar to a person who has known about milk but never tasted it). Such a living embodiment of knowledge is therefore the first step towards realization. Hence we find in the scriptures all seekers trying to first find an apt Guru after creating a strong desire for liberation.

Siva through making the point about essentiality of Guru is thus telling us to seek a Guru in order to progress in the spiritual path quickly. In order for a seeker to seek a Guru, it is important to understand the greatness of the Guru (till now we have seen the greatness and essentiality of the knowledge of a Gurus Mahima). Is there a way to understand the greatness of a Guru without even knowing the meaning of the word Guru? Definitely not and hence Siva gives a few meanings of the word Guru (defining the word Guru) which we will see in the next month before entering into the greatness of a Guru being elaborately explained.

Until then may we try to understand and convince our intellect about the essentiality of a Guru and before that the Gurus Mahima in the spiritual path towards eternal bliss.

Mukhya Vishayam

Last month we learnt Adhyaasa from Sankaras adhyaasa bhashya. To give a short recap, adhyaasa or superimposition is the cause of all problems in life (sarva anartha hetu). Adhyaasa or superimposition includes two terms one is drik or Brahman and two is drishya or jagat. The words that Sankara uses for both of these are atman (Self) and anatman (not-Self) along with their dharmas or qualities. Atmans dharma is sat (existence), chit (consciousness) and ananda (bliss). Anatmans dharma is naama (name) and rupa (form).

Asthi bhaathi priyam rupam naamam chethi amsha panchakam

Adhyatrayam brahma rupam jagadrupo thatho dvayam

Any object that we see in the world has five components Existence, Consciousness, Bliss, name and form. The first three are the nature of Brahman and the last two are the nature of the world.

Name and form are only illusions the examples of gold ornaments and mud pots can be remembered here.

Ghata kudhyaadhikam mritthikaa maatrameva hi

Tadvad brahma jagad sarvam ithi Vedanta dindimaa

Even as pot, wall and other objects made of mud are mud alone similarly this world is filled with Brahman thus roar the lions of Vedanta.

Initially we consider the Anatman (world) to be real whereas the Atman to be unreal. Thus their nature is inter-mixed. This is called superimposition. What would happen if we thought we have a job when we dont really have a job? It will definitely lead to sorrow and suffering which exactly happens with respect to not knowing the Atman and Anatman properly. Adhyaasa or superimposition is indescribable as the Atman and Anatman are entirely different from one another, yet they are mixed. It is impossible to figure out as to where adhyaasa came from as the Anatman doesnt even exist therefore a sadhaka should do apavaada or negation to get rid of adhyaasa.

Apavaada includes two steps first is negation of oneself to be the Anatman and asserting the Anatman to be unreal (neti neti prakriya). Second is asserting oneself to be whatever remains behind after negation which is the non-dual reality of Brahman (I am Brahman).

Apavaada I NETI NETI (not-this, not-this)

We will have to call NETI NETI as NAAHAM NAAHAM (not I, not I) as we never experience objects as this but only as I or mine.

All objects have to be negated until we reach the not-able-to-negate Subject of Self. External objects can be easily negated as not-me or not-mine by repeating again and again their very nature of being temporary. They are so temporary and hence only a fool will call them mine and stick on to them. Even as a person doesnt stick on to his dream-world possessions, similarly a sadhaka shouldnt stick on to the waking-world possessions or objects as well.

Svapna maaye yathaa dristam gandharva nagaram yathaa

Tathaa vishwam idam dristam vedanteshu vichakshanaih

Even as a dream world is seen; even as a castle in space is seen; similarly do the knowers of Vedanta see this waking world.

World or objects of the world are constantly changing whereas I am eternal hence it is easy for a sadhaka to negate the external world (negation is generally considered as external renunciation but Vedanta doesnt talk about external renunciation but internal renunciation wherein a sadhaka remains a mere witness to the activities of the world knowing that the world is an illusion like the dream world). After objects are negated, then comes the pancha koshas of annamaya or physical body, pranamaya or vital forces of pancha prana, manomaya or the mind (plus sense organs of perception), vijnaanamaya or the intellect (plus sense organs of perception) and anandamaya or temporary happiness.

Deho naaham (I am not the body)

I am not the body. The body keeps continuously changing and is subject to birth-death whereas from the day of birth till the day of death I remain the same. The height, weight etc. of the body changes whereas I am ever the same. Even at times unconsciously we use the body as this or mine rather than I.

To negate oneself as the body, Vedanta uses the logic of kritha haanih akritha abhyaagama prasangaat deho naaham or I am not the body because if I am the body then that would lead to kritha haani and akritha abhyaagama. Kritha haani means loss of whatever actions we have performed (loss of fruits). Akritha abhyaagama means getting the fruit for actions we havent performed. These two reasons have to do with re-birth. Of course there are people who dont accept re-birth it is but very simple to accept re-birth through desires. If desires are there, re-birth has to be definitely accepted as nothing that is started can be terminated abruptly. An arrow that has been shot from the bow cannot be stopped or terminated abruptly it will reach its target irrespective of whether it reaches its desired target or something else that comes in its path. Taking this example it is pretty easy to understand as to how compassionate Ishwara is able to nullify or reduce our bad actions (by changing the desired target and putting something else, which in this case is themselves, as the target). Actions and fruits are not to do with the body if we consider I as the body then the actions performed by I (in this case I is Ego or jeeva and not the Self) will end with the body. This means that whatever we actions we have performed in this birth should give us the fruit here itself which is not what we see hence loss of fruits of actions we have performed will ensue (this is against even newtons law of every action has an equal and opposite reaction which is obviously a take from the scriptural karma-phala relation(). And we are born with certain fruits like some are born in reach family and others in poor all these cannot be properly explained unless we accept oneself as not the body. In this case, we get fruits for actions we havent performed which also goes against the rule of karma that one who does karma gets the phala if this is false, then one person can take a tablet and another persons disease will vanish, Obama can do actions and Osama can get the nobel prize!

Thus I am not the body as we experience actions-fruits chain to go beyond the body. Another simple reason would be that the body is insentient whereas I am sentient the body ceases to exist, at least temporarily, in dream and deep sleep whereas I am there in both the states (reasons can be more but due to not getting carried away into writing many pages, we will stop here).

Prano Naaham (I am not the Prana or vital forces)

I am not the pancha pranas (or dasha pranas as some consider five more secondary pranas). Pranas or vital forces that help in breathing and other related activities are obviously acting due to movement or spandana as Vedanta calls it. Movement itself means a kind of change. Such change is not seen in the Self or I. Moreover prana is insentient (movement itself means it requires a sentient or changeless entity for it to move) whereas I am sentient (sentience is as simple as experiencing oneself without any other proof I as Consciousness is self-proving, self-existing and self-illuminating unlike a rock which requires a sentient being to say that it exists).

Indriyo naaham (I am not the sense organs)

I am not the sense organs sense organs are working on the behest of somebody else (which is the mind or antah karana in general). I dont work for anyone (yes, I as the Ego works for a particular company but the real I doesnt work for anyone, it is ever independent if only a sadhaka could look inside himself and seek this I the independent state would give immense bliss).

Mano naaham (I am not the mind)

The mind is sankalpa-vikalpaatmakam or that which gets into thoughts, desires etc. All these fluctuations means it changing whereas I remains ever the same. Even when one is happy and sad, the I that was happy and sad is the same. Thus it is very clear that I am not the ever-changing mind.

Buddhi naaham (I am not the intellect)

The intellect asserts things when the mind confuses. The determining intellect is not the Self as the intellect is insentient and it vanishes during the state of deep sleep (when it is not active). The Self or I is ever present and hence I cannot be the intellect.

Vishyaanando naaham (I am not the happiness derived from sense objects)

The happiness that a person gets out of worldly possessions is a reflection of the bliss of the Self. Temporarily the differences or bhedha vanishes when a person enjoys an object (though this might be as temporary as just for a fraction of a second) and that is when the bliss of the Self is experienced. But since the bliss is limited by the object (or caused by the object) therefore it is a reflection which isnt long-lasting. Such a temporary happiness is not me as I experience the achieving and vanishing of the happiness (I who experiences the happiness cannot be the happiness the subject cannot be the object).

Ahamkaarah naaham (I am not the Ego)

Though we can consider mind, intellect, ego and memory as antah karana itself but the Ego is very important for a spiritual seeker as conquering the sense of Ego is very tough. Ramana Maharshi says that the final toughest stage for a seeker is conquering the Ego or negating the Ego from the Self.

Aham ithi aatma dheeryaa cha mamethi aatmeeya dheeraapi

Arthashoonye yadaa yasya sa atmajno bhavet tadaa

The moment a person is devoid of the sense of I and mine (primarily through the Ego), that very moment he becomes a knower of the Self.

Yasya naahamkritho bhaavah buddhir yasya la lipyathe

Hatvaapi sa imaan lokaan naayam hanthi na hanyathe

That person who doesnt have any sense of Ego and whose intellect doesnt stick on to anything (sticks on adviteeya Brahman alone), such a person even though might kill the entire world he doesnt kill anyone and cannot be killed.

Out of all negations, the first of body and last of Ego are the most important as this is where most sadhakas will be stuck. Sense of body as being the Self or as being eternal is something very tough to conquer even for advanced sadhakas. Similarly Ego is that which is waiting to pounce upon a seeker with a slight opportunity (and as Ramana Maharshi says the Ego poses as our friend so it is easy for it to pounce) and hence conquering the Ego too is tough.

It is possible to conquer both the body and the Ego sense through constantly negating everything from the Self. If such constant assertion is not possible (because such assertion requires some mental purity and intellectual strength to constanly delude the deluding world and focus on the Self), then a sadhaka should try to negate these by offering it to an all-pervading cause of the world Ishwara. Such an Ishwara isnt somebody as illusory as the world (as opponents might argue) the same Nirguna Brahman becomes Ishwara depending on our thoughts of him Ishwara as the cause of the world is same as substratum of the world is same as non-dual Consciousness, all being different perspectives of the same concept. Put in Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsas beautiful words, Ishwara who is Nirguna is like the ocean or water (formless) but with the devotion of a sadhaka, the formless water takes up a form. And once the devotion melts due to the Self of Sun coming out (as a result of non-dual devotion or para bhakthi or jnaana), the form vanishes and merges unto the formless Ishwara.

Though jnaana is said to be the primary way to get moksha, it is just a difference in the way we term things jnaana means abiding in Consciousness and not just learning scriptures even as bhakthi means merging unto Ishwara and not just keerthanas. Thus all are one and the same ultimately it is just one Brahman that alone exists here. Sankara and the shastras gives us neti neti as the way to negate the obstacles or bondages starting from external world until temporary happiness (before I forget to mention, Gaudapada calls temporary happiness as rasa aasvaada which is an obstacle to realization if a sadhaka gets stuck on it the example that is normally used is when an bride-groom touches the bride, the bride as-if-experiences marital bliss though they are not really having any marital-bliss considering this temporary bliss to be real marital-bliss can be a problem in their married life). If we can find a better way to negate everything (except the Self, have to mention here as people might think that everything includes the Self which will then lead us to nothing-ness(), then Sankara as well as the shastras will be more than happy and bless us to follow it with all fervor.

Once a person negates everything from the world till temporary bliss, then what remains behind is the Self. What the sadhaka then has to do is assert onself to be the Self of the nature of non-dual Consciousness. This Apavaada II of asserting the Self will be taken up in the next month (lest the too much technical concepts and intellectual discussion either scares away seekers or gives them very little time for reflecting on it).

Until then, lets try to use the intellect to thoroughly analyze negation so that even while sleeping if somebody asks as to whether we are the body we will reply saying no, I am not the body. Even in dire situations, we will not get deluded into thinking that I am the body here thinking doesnt necessarily mean we have to starve the body as I am not the body, it just means that we shouldnt overly care about the body (as AMMA says, giving too much importance to things is dangerous and will obstruct us in achieving the goal of moksha).

Interested sadhakas can refer to the first 10 slokas (1-10) of the third chapter of Panchadashi will its commentary by Ramakrishna for detailed negation logic. Havent used quotations from Panchadashi or Sankaras bhashyas here to restrict the number of pages and to ensure not to scare away sadhakas.

Sankshiptha Vedanta

Any person who is learning Vedanta couldnt have been there without having come across the name of Vidyaranya, word meaning a forest of knowledge which clearly shows in his works. Many things about Vidyaranyas life is controversial but most people accept him to be a minister in Vijayanagara.

Vidyaranya has written many works including a dipika on the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Sarva darshana sangraha (16 systems explained and arranged in progressive order until the pinnacle of Advaita), Vivarana Prameya Sangraha, Jeevan Mukthi Viveka etc. His greatest work though is Panchadashi, the introductory yet logical prakarana grantha without reading or learning which Vedanta-learning remains incomplete. So logical and well-arranged yet each chapter of this work is independent that remembering one chapter is equivalent of remembering Brahman so what to speak about when a person remembers all the fifteen chapters of the work?

Vidyaranyas works are also special in that there are lots of quotations from the great Yoga Vasistha found in it (laghu yoga vasistha to be precise).

Let us see a brief overview of Panchadashi (it is almost impossible to cover 15 chapters or even a summary of 15 chapters of the work) now. Panchadashi as the name suggests is a work with 15 chapters in it. There is a commentary on the Panchadashi by Ramakrishna who was a disciple of Vidyaranya and Bharathi Teertha (Ramakrishna uses both his gurus who were brothers and hence it is generally contended that Panchadashi was one of the works co-authored by Vidyaranya and Bharathi Teertha).

Panchadashi is split into 3 sets of 5 chapters each. The first five chapters are tattva prakaranas (explaining concepts), the second five chapters are deepa prakaranas (lighting deeper concepts) and the last five chapters are ananda prakaranas (explaining the realized state). The first set stands of TAT and explains Brahman or Ishwara; the second set stands for TVAM and explains the Self (I or Consciousness inside us); the third set stands for ASI and explains onself to be Brahman and the experience of bliss.

Vedanta follows the Chandra-shaaka nyaaya in order to lead us from the known-world to the unknown Brahman. This is like a mother showing the moon to a child through a nearby branch and slowly leading from the nearby branch to the far moon. The child wouldnt be able to view the moon directly and hence it is essential to show the moon through a nearby branch which the child can easily see. Similarly most of the sadhakas cannot directly apprehend Brahman or any concepts about Brahman hence it is essential to take the sadhaka slowly from the external world to the innermost Self or far Brahman. Vedanta thus starts with categorization of the world and as to how the world was created. This creation-theory is a standard theory that follows sankhya way of creation. Though it may be necessary to elucidation creation-theory in detail yet what is more important for the seeker is to not get distracted into the world but focus on what is beyond the world (the creator of the world or that truth from which the world has come, in which the world resides and unto which the world merges at the time of destruction). Vidyaranya uses the first and second chapter to explain the creation theory as well as to explain duality as an illusion in non-duality (logical doubts are raised and answered sufficiently).

Once the seeker is explained the world, the transition from the world to Brahman is through the pancha kosha analysis (the five sheaths).

Guhahitham brahma yad tat pancha kosha vivekatah

Bodhum shakyam tatah kosha panchakam pravivichyathe

That Brahman which resides in the cave-heart of all beings and beyond the pancha koshas, the differentiation and knowledge of the pancha koshas is undertaken.

The pancha koshas are the annamaya kosha consisting of the physical body, the pranamaya kosha consisting of the five pranas (and the five organs of action), the manomaya kosha consisting of the mind (and five organs of perception), the vijnaanamaya kosha consisting of the intellect (and five organs of perception as these are related closely to the mind and the intellect) and the anandamaya kosha consisting of happiness which is temporary and reflection of the bliss of the Atman. Even as a sword is kept inside a sheath, similarly the Atman is deep inside these koshas. A sadhaka has to slowly go beyond each sheath in order to realize the indwelling Self of Brahman. This also signifies going beyond the bondages of the koshas (the external world and the inner world are macro and micro thereby almost equal).

In the third chapter Vidyaranya gives the explanation (detailed) about the pancha koshas and logics to show that the Self (I) is not the pancha koshas. We also find Vidyaranya answering few doubts regarding Advaita Vedanta being equated with shoonyavaada (nothing-ness). Though there may be similarities between Advaita and shoonyavaada, one believes in ONE EXISTENCE whereas other believes is NO-EXISTENCE (sadhakas interested in detailed analysis of both philosophies through critical analysis can go to http://shoonyavaadamaayavaada.blogspot.com).

Asad brahmethi chet veda svayameva bhavet asad

Ato asya maa bhoot vedhyatvam sva satvam tu abhyupeyathaam

If you say Brahman is non-existence, then you yourself will become non-existence; hence there is no knowledge or knowing and hence you have to accept yourself as existing.

Sva asatvam tu na kasmaichit rochathe vibhramam vina

Atah eva sruthih baadham broothe chaasatva vaadinah

Nobody wants to be non-existent or will consider themselves are non-existent; hence the scriptures negate the views of non-existence-followers.

After beautifully progressing from the external world to the inner Self, Vidyaranya explains a lot of beautiful extraordinary concepts in the fourth chapter Dvaita Viveka Prakarana. The concept of Ishwaras creation saadhaka and abaadhakam or helpful and posing no obstacle is explained by AMMA again and again in her speeches.

Atah sarvasya jeevasya bandha krit maanasam jagat

Therefore all problems are due to the mental creation Ishwaras creation is filled with Ishwara and hence blissful but we create an impression of Ishwaras creation in our mind (mental creation). It is this mental creation that is based on our raga-dvesha (likes-dislikes) causing trouble at all points.

The fifth chapter of Mahavakya Viveka Prakarana beautifully explains the four mahavakyas of Prajnaanam Brahma, Tat tvam asi, Aham Brahma asmi and Ayam Atma Brahma in 2 slokas each. It is interesting to note that the mahavakyas are arranged in proper order of Vedas as well as progression of the sadhaka (prajnaanam brahma is lakshana vakya giving us the characteristic of Brahman, tat tvam asi is upadesha vakya where the guru tells the shishya that he is Brahman, aham brahma asmi is anusandhaana vakya where a sadhaka contemplates on himself being Brahman and ayam atma brahma is anubhava vakya where the sadhaka experiences himself as Brahman).

An overview of the next 10 chapters of Panchadashi would require a few more pages easily(. The purpose of this brief overview is to inspire the reader to find out more about Panchadashi, learn it and contemplate on it. Hence we would stop with just an overview of the first 5 chapters.

Few contents on Panchadashi:

http://vedantatattva.org/vedanta/panchadashi.html

http://vedantatattva.org/vedanta/discussion_mp3/panchadashi.html

http://panchadasi.blogspot.com/

Gitaamritham

9.34

Manmanaa bhava mad bhaktho madhyajee maam namaskuru

Maamevaishyasi yukvaivam atmaanam matparaayanah

Word meaning

manmanaa = with mind filled with me,

bhava = be you,

mad bhaktah = my devotee,

madhyajee = one sacrificing to me,

maam = to me

namaskuru = bow down

maam = to me

eva = alone

eshyasi = you shall come

yukthvaa = having united

evam = thus

atmaanam = the Self

mat paraayanah = taking Me as the Supreme Goal

Meaning of the sloka

Fix your mind on Me; be devoted to Me, sacrifice unto Me, bow down to Me, having thus united your Self with Me, as the Supreme Goal, you shall come to Me.

In this sloka, the Lord shows us the way to realize that Ultimate Reality of Brahman which is our own very nature. The fact is that we are already Brahman of the nature of Anandam, but because of ignorance this fact is not known and hence Lord here guides us through the way to reach this ultimate goal of realizing ones own nature of Lord.

Manmanaa bhava Fix your mind on Me:

The reality is that there is only Lord present here and now. But an unprepared mind cannot recognize this fact and when the fact is not recognized then mind sees object of the world as something different from Lord and hence experiences happiness or sorrow. Unprepared mind is the ignorant mind about the real nature of the Lord. When the scriptures are learnt under the guidance of a competent Guru, the mind gets the knowledge about the real nature of the Lord. The mind then needs to get firm conviction on the knowledge gained from the study of scriptures. Whenever the mind wanders between the objects of the world, mind should have the strength to pull and direct itself towards the lord. This is what Lord says here as the fixing the mind on the Lord. By constant practice, the mind gains firm conviction on the Reality of the Lord.

Mad bhaktah be devoted to Me:

Once mind gets convinced about the nature of the Lord, the mind has to contemplate on Lord constantly. Only way to be really devoted to the Lord is to constantly thinking about the Lord and such constant thought comes naturally to a mind which is thoroughly convinced that Lord alone is present. So a devotee has to constantly contemplate on the reality of the Lord.

Madhyajee maam namaskuru Sacrifice unto Me, bow down to Me:

When actions are done with desires in the mind, we identify ourselves with the ego and hence those actions become binding actions whereas when done with the contemplation on the Reality of Lord after thoroughly convinced about the nature of the Lord, then all actions automatically gets converted as the offering to the Lord and hence such actions wont be binding actions. When actions are done with the mind fixed on the Lord, then all the results will be enjoyed also with the remembrance of the Lord. When a person offers all actions with the firm conviction on the Reality of the Lord, he also surrenders his ego to the Lord. Thus he ceases to be the doer of the action and therefore not the enjoyer of the action as well.

Maam eva eishyasi yukvaivam atmaanam mat paraayanah - Having thus united your Self with Me, as the Supreme Goal, you shall come to Me:

When we understand the real nature of Lord as mentioned in the scriptures and are thoroughly convinced about those facts, then there is no way one can remain without the thought of Lord. The mind of such a person will ever be only on the Lord, forgetting even his own individuality. In such a state there is no difference between a devotee and the Lord, he would realize that Lord alone is present here and now. That is the state of True Bhakta. When a person realizes his own nature of Lord, there will only be anandam and nothing else. And when a person always revels in Anandam, there is nothing else to achieve after that. Thus Lord says that when a person realizes his own nature of Lord, such a person will be in that state of peace, freedom etc where there is no return back.

yad gatva na nivarthanthe thadhaama paramam mama - Reaching where there is no return, that is my Supreme Abode

Upanishad Prachaaram

We will see a brief of a minor yet important Upanishad, Amrita Bindu Upanishad, in this month. This is a very small Upanishad with just 22 slokas but the concepts in the Upanishad are very deep yet to the point. Another important aspect of this Upanishad is that Sankara quotes from this Upanishad in his Brahma Sutra Bhashya and there are sloka-similarities between this Upanishad and Yoga Vasistha. Moreover many of the slokas in this Upanishad are oft-quoted in commentaries as well as discourses by Prof. Balakrishnan Nair among other jeevan mukthas. The shanthi mantra of this Upanishad is bhadram karnebhi which shows that this Upanishad is from the Atharva Veda it is also worth noting that Atharva Veda has the short yet very high Upanishad of Mandukya Upanishad to which Gaudapada acharya (Sankaracharyas parama guru) wrote a Karika (explanatory commentary in verse-form).

Very recently Swami Tejomayananda, the head of Chinmaya Mission, spoke on Amrita Bindu Upanishad (there is also a book with his commentary if I am not mistaken). The very second sloka of this Upanishad is one of my personal favorite and is to the point in explaining about the cause of all sorrows.

Since this is a minor Upanishad, we will find repetition of words or ideas from other major Upanishads this isnt fault as concepts are often repeated and that too between the Upanishads of the same Vedas, it is quite common that seers jotted down almost similar concept but in different words or in a different way (even as Uddhalaka explained Tat Tvam Asi in nine different ways to his son Svethakethu).

Problems, sorrows, suffering, lack of happiness and lack of peace all these are but natural today in lives of people. Add to these the tensions that a person is made to bear everywhere from ones office to ones home to party-places; such tensions have lead us to a state where there are very few people who dont have any blood pressure or diabetes or mental imbalance even when they are in their youth. The motto of the world which is competition and by beautifying this competition with healthy adjective has only causes us to get more and more tensed.

All the problems of life arent external the external world is the same for a suffering ignorant person and happy realized master. The Sun, the moon, the earth, the water, the objects and the people everything are the same for both the set of people. But still one suffers whereas the other rejoices in bliss. This only goes to show that problems are not in the external world but it is internal. The internal entity that causes problem is what we generally call as mind or manas. Manas is one of the four antah karanas (inner equipments) as per Vedanta (the other three being intellect or buddhi, chittha or memory and ahamkaara or ego) but here this mind can mean just thoughts that are diverse; thoughts that are based on duality and untruth; thoughts that confuse us, lead us to conflicts.

Vidyaranya aptly explains this through a story (which is explained by Sadguru Mata Amritanandamayi Devi as well). There were two friends who went to a foreign country. Their parents were sad that their children are away but still happy for them. After some time, one of the friend (lets say Siva) died. The other friend (lets say Vishnu) didnt die. This news was passed on to their parents. But there was a small mistake the news about their son dying went to Vishnus parents and Sivas parents got the news that their son is well. Thus the parents whose son died were happy but the parents whose son was alive was sad. This goes on to show that happiness and sorrow is no on the sons but it is in the mental perception of the sons (knowing in our mind whether son is alive or dead). Similarly problems are not in this external world but it is in our mental perception or mind alone. The mind of jnaanis is ever abiding on non-dual reality of Brahman and they see everything as pervaded by Brahman (or Brahman alone) thus they are ever happy. But the ajnaani sees the world as filled with duality and hence suffers due to the dual-vision.

Vidyaranya thereby concludes:

Atah asya sarvasya jeevasya bandhakrit maanasam jagat

Therefore the cause of all problems for beings is the mental-world (the perception of the world in our mind which is different for an ajnaani).

The creation of Ishwara or Brahman is filled with Brahman and hence it is sadhakam (helpful for moksha) and abaadhakam (not posing any obstacle) as Vidyaranya beautifully puts it. AMMA also always says that Ishwaras creation doesnt have any sorrow in it as it is filled with blissful Ishwara but we add our perceptions (likes and dislikes) to Ishwaras creation thereby making it sorrowful.

The Upanishad thus starts by telling that there are two types of mind impure and pure mind. Impure mind is that which is filled with desires (desires are born out of dual vision or likes-dislikes). Desires lead to actions and actions lead to more desires/enjoyment (kurvathe karma bhogaaya, karma karthum cha bhunjathe man does action for enjoyment and enjoys to do more action thus the vicious circle). Pure mind is that which is devoid of desires (Ramana Maharshi thereby beautifully defines God as desirelessness looking at Mahatmas like AMMA and others we can definitely conclude that desireless-ness will lead to immense bliss).

Manah eva manushyaanaam kaaranam bandha mokshayoh

Bandhaaya vishayaasaktham mukthaih nirvishayam smritham

Mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation; mind that craves for sensual pleasures is in bondage and the mind which doesnt run behind dual worldly objects is in liberation.

The mind which doesnt see non-duality in the world will run behind duality (it is either seeing duality or seeing non-duality if we see water in desert, we will not see desert and if we see desert we will not see water). Such a mind is the cause of bondage as sensual pleasures will make us crave for more and more this more and more will lead to another birth and thereby the cycle of birth-death continues without any end.

Since the mind that doesnt run behind dual world (but focuses on non-dual Brahman) is in liberation, therefore a sadhakas prime duty is to get such a mind. It is therefore that the Lord again and again repeats in Gita to remember him at all times (him as the non-dual reality behind the illusory world). When this prime duty is achieved, that is the supreme goal (ultimate goal) to be achieved in life.

The Upanishad after moving from the cause of the problems to the ultimate goal of bliss goes on to explain in beautiful words that state of moksha. It is neither thinkable nor unthinkable but a state beyond duality. That state is also called as Brahman Brahman is part-less, changeless, taint-less (pure) and ones own very nature of Consciousness (the I that pulsates inside us). Remembering everything to be this one entity of Brahman (including our very nature of I) is the direct way to moksha (this is in others a pure minds activity a pure mind focuses on non-dual Brahman).

What about bondage, liberation, seeker etc. in that state of moksha?

In that state there is no duality whatsoever there is only Brahman (neha nana asthi kinchana there is no duality, not even the least).

It is this non-dual only-existing Brahman that pervades the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep. It is this one Self that has seemingly become the duality the I that pulsates inside each and every being is this one Self alone.

Eka eva hi bhoothaatma bhoothe bhoothe vyavasthithah

Ekadhaa bahudhaa chaiva drishyathe jala chandravat

One Atman alone is seen as present in various adjuncts of body. It seems to be many even as one moon appears to be many when there are many buckets of water (reflection of moon in each bucket).

Even as pot-space and room-space are one with infinite space as the adjuncts of pot and room are what makes us believe that space is many, similarly it is one Brahman who seems to be many due to the adjuncts of body-mind-intellect. These adjuncts arent real they are just an illusion even as the adjuncts that one experiences during dream state.

A person who has duality in his mind sees duality and a person who has non-duality in his mind sees non-duality. Non-dual vision is true vision as this world is just names and forms (illusion) in the non-dual reality of Brahman.

In order to get a pure mind, a sadhaka has to gain and practice jnaana. Jnaana or vidyaa itself is of two types the lower and the higher. Lower of aparaa is all knowledge (except knowledge of Brahman) whereas higher is knowledge of Brahman. With knowledge a person sees this entire world as filled in and out with Brahman with lower knowledge a person sees and knows everything except Brahman and since Brahman alone gives bliss, such a person doesnt get any bliss at all.

Jnaana netram samaadhaaya chodharedvahigavat param

Nishkalam nishchalam shaantham tad brahmaahamithi smritham

With the eyes of knowledge, a person should concentrate always on oneself being part-less, motion-less and peaceful Brahman.

And the Upanishad finally ends with this beautiful sloka about the experience of oneness:

Sarva bhootaadhivaasam yadbhooteshu cha vasatyapi

Sarvaanugraahakatvena tadasmi aham vaasudevah

I am that Vasudeva who resides in everything and in whom everything resides and who blesses everyone with bliss (irrespective of whether a person wants or not but majority of people just shut the door to this blessed bliss).

It would have been clear with this very brief summarization of the Upanishad that the concepts in the Upanishad are deep and many pages can be written explaining the same. May this short summary serve as an inspiration to try to learn this Upanishad, contemplate on its slokas and thereby rejoice in bliss through abiding in Brahman.

Text - http://sanskritdocuments.org/all_pdf/amrtabindu_upan.pdf

Translation - http://www.celextel.org/108upanishads/amritabindu.html

Raga Varsha

Ahir Bhairav

This is one of the most popular of the bhairav group of ragas in Hindustani music. The poorvanga takes to Bhairav and uttaranga takes to Kafi. This ragas uses komal rishabha, shuddha gandhara, shuddha madhyam, shuddha dhaivat and komal nishad including pancham and shadjam. The madhyam is the most powerful swara for this raga

AROHANA

sa ri GA ma pa DHA ni sa

AVAROHANA

sa ni DHA pa ma GA ri sa

LAKSHANA

GA ma (GA) ri, DHA ni ri

(Bigger note in CAPS)

FILM SONGS

Albela Sajan Aayo Re (a classical song used in the movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam)

BHAJANS

AMMAs bhajan

http://vedantatattva.org/vedanta/songs/song78.html

Kaivalya Navaneetham sloka

http://vedantatattva.org/vedantagroup/Kaivalya_Navaneetham/19_ahirbhairav.mp3

Chakravakam

Chakravakam word meaning is a bird which waits for the rainfall to drink water even though its thirsty. It is the 16th melakartha raga in the 72 melakartha paddhathi. It is a karuna rasa pradhana raga. It is close to ahir bhairva in Hindustani. There are janya ragas of chakravakam which are popular like bindumalini, malayamarutam.

arohana: S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S

avarohana: S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R1 S

It is a sampoorna raga having all swaras.

CLASSICAL SONGS

Pibhare Ramarasam rasane - Sadasiva Brahmendral

Sugunamule jeppukOnti & Etula brotuvo teliya - Thyagaraja

Oru pozhudu mirucharana nEsa & Apakara Nindaipattu - Thirupukazh

Para devataye - Papanasam Sivan

FILM SONGS

Albela Sajan Aayo Re A song in the movie Hum dil de chuke sanam (Ahir Bhairav)

AMMAs bhajan

Paravashamaanu hridayam janani

Naalenchu naalekku thaan jeevitham

Praadeshikam

Jnaanappaana

Innaleyolam enthennarinjeela

Ini naaleyum enthennarinjeela

Innikanda thadikku vinaashavum

Innaneramennethumarinjeela

Kandu kandirikkum janangale

Kandillennu varuttunnathum bhavaan

Randunaalu dinam kondoruttane

Thandilletti nadattunnathum bhavaan

Didnt know what happened yesterday;

Dont know what will happen tomorrow;

When whatever is present here

Will die, dont know that as well.

Within moments of seeing someone,

The Lord makes them disappear;

Within two-four days a person is

Send to death by the Lord.

Last month we saw a verse from Hari Nama Keerthanam. This month we will see a verse from Jnaanappaana authored by Poonthaanam. There are numerous stories about Poonthaanam he was from a low-caste but this work shows his deep knowledge about Vedanta as well as his pure devotion towards Ishwara. He was a contemporary of Bhattathiri who wrote the work Naaraayaneeyam (the first sloka is dealt as part of Sthuthi section in this month).

Life is wasted in futile by majority of people through just eating, drinking, sleeping, mating and other useless activities. All the activities that we are doing now is what we have been doing for many births and do they serve the true purpose of life? Definitely no. What is the true purpose of life? True purpose of life is rejoicing in eternal bliss this is possible through realization of ones own nature of non-dual Consciousness (Brahman or Ishwara) who is the substratum of the illusory names-forms (world) that we currently perceive. Starting from the day of birth till the day of death, we spend time in futile wasting for worldly possessions and relationships. Little do we understand that this precious human birth isnt one that should be wasted (narajanma durlabham human birth is precious indeed). Human beings are one among the various species that can decide their own fate. As Katha Upanishad says, there are two paths that are available for any person at any point of time one is preyo marga or that which is attractive and second is shreyo marga or that will lead to fulfillment. Most of the times, it isnt fulfillment that we want but attraction. We will not eat in a stand-by shop on the street because it isnt attractive though many of us know that the food there is much better than the five star hotels. Once my father was in such a star hotel where he was served non-veg in a plate. He said he doesnt eat non-veg and to bring some veg item. He was brought veg item but in the same non-veg plate and the plate wasnt even cleaned. People might argue here that isnt everything Brahman? Yes, of course everything is Brahman. Just because everything is Brahman, we dont jump from a cliff we dont eat excreta. So we follow rules and restrictions everywhere. Anyway, thus majority of people fall for attraction (as Krishna says, the worldly path is attractive in the beginning but poisonous in the end whereas the spiritual path is suffering in the beginning but bliss in the end). Hardly any person is there like Nachiketha who would renounce this world in search for eternal bliss and follow the motto of rest not until the goal is achieved.

In order to make people strive towards moksha or realization by not wasting this human birth and precious time, the author in the very beginning itself speaks about futility of life (that life which we are leading and have been leading). We dont know what we were in the previous birth; we dont know what we are going to be in the future; today we see someone and tomorrow the person/thing vanishes; it is the Lord who takes everything away at his own will all these words should inspire and instigate us towards seeking moksha here and now itself.

As Sankara aptly puts it

Bhaja Govindam bhaja govindam

Govindam bhaja moodamathe

Sampraapthe sannihithe kale

Nahi nahi rakshathi dukrin karane

Seek Brahman, O mind! Seek Brahman. There is no time to be wasted as death is lurking around us.

We may say that we can get into spirituality after we become old and fulfill our duties but do we find any person who does that? At the age of 80 or 90, still there will be many desires left. Today it is our children; tomorrow it is grand-children and then grand-grand-children where will this end? And even if there is one person who wants to learn spirituality at old-age, can such a person learn? No vision; no hearing; no intellect so what good is spirituality at such an age?

Though it is very easy to try to get into spirituality, it isnt easy to stay in the spiritual path unless we have a strong will and desire for moksha. A sadhaka should try to cultivate a very strong desire for the goal of eternal bliss this will in turn help in proper sadhanas and not getting distracted by the external world.

The Lord gives the eternal rule of desire fulfillment thus:

Ye yatha maam prapadhyanthe thaamsthathaiva bhajaami aham

Whoever worships me in whatever form, I appear to them in that form.

Thus a sadhaka should always try to seek moksha and moksha alone; nothing but moksha. Only with this attitude can a sadhaka overcome all the obstacles in life and very easily achieve moksha abiding in the Self (moksha) alone is the way to eternal bliss and knowing that this bliss is what we have been seeking for births and are seeking now will help us in progressing quickly.

May these inspirational words of Poonthaanam help us in gaining a strong desire for moksha thereby achieving moksha in this very birth itself.

Sthuthi

NARAYANEEYAM a sloka

Saandhraananda avabodhaatmakam anupamathim kaaladheshaavadhibhyaam

Nirmuktham nithya muktham nigamashathasahasrena nirbhaasyamaanam

Aspashtam drishtamaathre punarurupurshaarthaathmakam brahma thattvam

Thaththaavath bhaathi saakshaath gurupavanapure hantha bhaagyam janaanaam

Word Meaning

Saandhraananda avabodhaatmakam which is of the nature of Infinte Bliss and Consciousness

Anupamitham without parallel

Kaala dheshaavadhibhyaam nirmuktham absolutely free from the limitations of time and space

Nithyamuktham always free

Nigamashathasahasrena by innumerable upanishadic statements

Nirbhaasyamaanam very well explained

Aspashtam not clear

Drishtamaathre punah but immediately on realization

Urupurushaarthaatmakam itself the highest purushartha, namely moksha

Thath brahma thattvam thaavath that very Reality, Brahman

Gurupavanapure in Guruvayoor

Saakshaath bhaathi shines in concrete form

Hantha janaanaam bhaagyam Oh! What good fortune for the people

Meaning of the Sloka:

Brahman, which is Infinite Bliss and Consciousness, which is without parallel, which is absolutely free from the limitations of time and space, which is always free from the control of Maya, which is very well explained by innumerable statements in the Upanishads, but is yet not clearly grasped (by a mere study of Upanishads) but the realization of whose identity with ones own self is what constitutes the highest Purushartha,namely, liberation from cycle of birth and death; that very Brahman is present in concrete form in the temple of Guruvayoor. This is indeed a great good fortune for the people.

Explanation:

Narayaneeyam is written by Narayana Bhattatiri in the temple of Guruvaryoor. Narayaneeyam has 100 cantos with 10 slokas in each canto. In the first canto, Bhatatiri speaks about the glory of the Lord and in the first sloka Bhattatiri speaks about the Nirguna nature of the Lord.

Sandhraananda avabhodhaatmakam which is of the nature of Infinite Bliss and Consciousness:

Scriptures describe the nature of Brahman as Sat-Chit-Anandam. Sat is that which exists beyond time and space without any limitation. Chit is that which illumines anything and everything. Brahman which is of the nature of Sat-Chit alone exists and nothing else. The objects of the world that seems to exist is the borrowed existence from Brahman. If Brahman doesnt exist, then world and its object doesnt exist. This objects of the world is known by the illumining factor of Brahman, Consciousness. Brahman alone exist irrespective of whether world exist or not. Since there is nothing apart from Brahman, Brahman is poornam or complete. Since Brahman is complete, it is of the nature of Anandam.

Anupamitham without parallel:

Brahman cannot have any comparison reason is that Brahman is ekam eva adviteeyam one only without the second. Brahman is free from all three differences meaning svagatha (internal difference), Sajaatheeya (different from other of same group), vijaatheeya (different from other of different group) bhedha. Since there are no differences in Brahman there is nothing which can be compared with Brahman and hence it is incomparable.

Kaala deshavadhibhyaam nirmuktham free from the limitations of space and time:

Brahman is beyond both space and time limitations because both space and time are created out of Brahman. Space and time are the effects from the Ultimate cause of Brahman. Space and time are also part of the creation from the Ultimate cause of the world. Brahman alone was there before creation, is present after creation and will be there after dissolution. Thus it can be inferred that Brahman is beyond all the creation, thus cannot be limited by time and space which are part of creation.

Nithyamuktham ever liberated:

Bondage is possible only when there is one or more objects to bind another object. Bondage is possible only when there is duality. If there is only one thing, bondage is not possible. Since Brahman alone exist one without the second eternally, Brahman is ever liberated.

Nigamashathasahasrena nirbhaashyamaanah by innumerable upanishadic statements very well explained:

The subject matter of all Upanishads is Brahman. All the Upanishads points to this one Ultimate reality of Brahman in various ways through stories, analogies etc so that through the study of these Upanishads one can easily realize that Ultimate Reality of Brahman.

Aspashtam- not clear:

Even though the subject matter of all Upanishads is Brahman, even though every Upanishad points out to Brahman, still words of Upanishad cannot directly describe Brahman. Taitireeya Upanishad says yatho vacho nivarthanthe apraapya manasaa sah meaning words fail to reach Brahman and even mind also cannot reach Brahman. This clearly shows that all the words do not directly speak about Brahman as Brahman cannot be spoken about.

Drshta maathre punah urupurushaarthaatmakam but immediately on realization; it is the highest goal of human, moksha:

Since words of Upanishads do not and cannot directly point to Brahman mastery in the words of Upanishad alone cannot lead a person to liberation. When that knowledge is internalized by realizing ones own nature of Self then such a person is liberated from bondage of birth and death which is the highest goal a man can get in his life.

Thath brahma thattvam thaavath bhaathi saaksaath gurupavana pure that very Reality of Brahman shines in the shrine of Guruvayoor:

After thus speaking about the Nirguna aspect of Brahman Bhattatiri says that that Brahman which he spoke about so far shines in Guruvayoor temple as the little Krishna. He says that the Brahman manifesting as little Krishna shines right in front of the eyes in Guruvayoor.

Hantha janaanaam bhaagyam Oh! What good fortune for the people

Bhattatiri says that it is the good fortune of people to see this little Krishna in Guruvayoor who stands for that Ultimate Reality of Brahman which is of nature of Infinite Bliss and Consciousness as explained in the first line of the Sloka.

Charitham

Chattambi Swami

Chattambi swamiji was a Jeevan mukta who was an embodiment of advaita philosophy . He was a man of simplicity, humility , austerity and preached samadarshanam.

Born in 1853 in kollur tiruvananthapuram to vasudeva Sharma and nagamma pillai ,Ayyapan was a intelligent boy with good memory. also called as Kunjan. Pettayil Raman Pillai Asan was impressed by his high standard and admitted him in sanskrit class and made him chattampi(monitor) of his class . He was also called Shri Vidyadhiraja Swami Thiruvadikal and Parama Bhattarasri Chattampi Swami Thiruadikal . Over the years the name Chattampi remained with him for life.

Later he had to take care of his sick mother and hence discontinued studies and worked as labourer carrying loads of brick and motor to earn a living.

Finally he left this all an organization where spiritual discourses were given and music lessons were taught.He learnt tamil vedanta sastra from Swaminatha Desikar and came back to kerala. Subbajadapatikal, an eminent saintly scholar, took Kunjan to Tamilnadu and taught him everything he knew. After four years study there he returned to Kerala.

He was immersed in spiritual practices like hapa,and dhyaana right form his childhood. Once a sanyaasi initiated him into Bala Subramaniya Mantra which he chanted many lakh times and came to be known as Shanmukhadasan at that time and attained divine powers. He even initiated his disciples later with same mantra.

After his mothers demise he roamed in kerala meeting many saints and siddhas .He learnt pranayama,yoga ,various religious texts like bible,kuran etc.He had mastery in various fields like veda, grammar,astrology,ayurveda,yoga,tarka sastra,tantra vidya tamil and Sanskrit literature. He was blessed through the Brahmatatwopadesa of a mysterious Avadhuta saint.

In 1982 swamikal met swamiji Vivekananda in ernakulam at a devotees house. They spoke in Sanskrit and swamiji asked swamikal about chinmudra and its significance.Swamikal quoting from brihadaryanka upanishad explained that when the forefinger and the index finger join touch together vibration is produced which will flow upto sahasrara elevating the person.Swamiji was impressed and wished to do discussions with me the next day of his stay there.

Swamikal had a great interest in music. He was a composer,singer and his favourite instrument was Ganjira.He was interested in acting and particularly kathakali.he was a good painter too.His yoga siddhi helped him in prophecy.

He lived an austere life with minimum possessions consitsting of Ganjira ,loincloth and a walking stick and an iron ring and old umbrella.He wandered from place to place ,donating all his property.He didnt stay at any place for long and didnt establish any ashram.

On his shastiabdpurthi(60yrs) in a meeting presided by swamiJi Dayananda .He was conferred upon the title Vidhadhiraja Theerthapada Paramabhattara.But swamikal in his usual humble way preferred to be known by his old name chettambi. He was also called Shri Vidyadhiraja Swami Thiruvadikal and Parama Bhattarasri Chattampi Swami Thiruadikal . He was acclaimed as the Supreme Rishi of Kerala. Then he was only 28 years old.

As a result of lot of tapas and brahmacharyam swamiji he got many yoga siddhis,but was reluctant to display them most times. He had the power to cure incurable diseases and make fierce and dangerous animals like cobra and tigers obey him.

He once accepted the invitation on the condition that he and his disciples would come for lunch to a devotees house. when the feast was served, dogs enters the halls and sat by the leaves and ate the food in a characteristic manner and left the room picking up their leaves and disappeared. Swamikal explained later that they were officers in their previous lives who did heinous acts like bribing .

Towards the end of his life swamikal settled down at panmana ashram just 45 min from AMMAs ashram in kollam.Many disciples used to serve him and he gave guidance and love to one and all.

He prophesied the time when he is going to leave the mortal coil. He sat in padmansana and meditatedand entered eternal Samadhi at 4 pm on 5 May 1924.His body was laid to rest at the same pace and a sivalinga was built upon that.

Among his formost disciples was Neelakanda Theerthapada, Theerthapada Paramahamsa and, Sree Kumpalathu Sanku Pillai.

With his divine knowledge and penetrating foresight he ignited the spark of knowledge in several of Indias legendary sons like Sri Narayana Guru and Swami Chinmayananda.

Sri Chattampi Swami was a family friend of Kuttan Menon father of swamiji chinmayananda.The latter was in a jubilant mood for the birth of a male child to him. Mr. Menon implored Sri chattambi Swamiji to perform the name-giving ceremony for the child.

Sri Swamiji joyfully took the child in his hands and named him Balakrishna. He also predicted a bright spiritual future for him. Swamiji was a frequent visitor to the house. He used to play with the child talking to him about the basic principles of Vedanta and such other matters which were beyond the grasp of a child of that tender age. Seeing this once the childs mother asked Swamiji as to what avail those words of wisdom to such a little child. Swamiji replied that the boy has understood all that he had said and that those words would germinate and grow into a massive understanding of what was intended.

Sri Chattampi Swami was the mentor and guide to Sri Narayana Guru in the latters formative years. He initiated Nanu, mundane name of Sri Narayana Guru, into spiritual Sadhana first by taking him to the Hata Yoga Master, Ayyavoo in Thiruvananthapuram and later to places of solitude for higher level of spiritual contemplation.The work Navamanjari that Shri Narayana Guru composed was dedicated to Chattambi Swamigal.Both these great souls were said to be very close.

He advocated the principles of ahimsa and vegetarianism and propagated the idea that living organisms have been created to be loved and not to be eaten . His book Jeeva Kaarunia Niroopanam is a masterpiece on this subject.Another book he wrote on the authority of Vedas is Vedadhikara niroopanam. He wrote another work Adi bhasha a work in tamil which speaks about greatess of tamil literature.

TYAGARAJA

Sri Tyagaraja Swamy was a great devotee of Sri Rama and one of the Trinity of Carnatic music composers along with Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri. He is one of the greatest composers of Carnatic Music or classical Southern Indian music. Sri Tyagaraja adored Sri Rama though his songs which are most popular and widely sung even today and Swamy is the epitome of humility, devotion towards Sri Rama.

Sri Tyagaraja was born in Telugu Brahmin family In Thiruvarur in the Thanjavur district of present-day Tamil Nadu on May 4, 1767 and his parents were Kakarla Ramabrahmam, Seethamma. His full name was Kakarla Tyaga Brahmam and the boy was named Tyagaraja, after Lord Tyagaraja, the presiding deity of Thiruvarur. Tyagaraja's father Rama Brahmam taught him to worship Rama daily and initiated him in Rama taraka mantra. Even as a boy, Tyagaraja composed his first song on Rama, Namo Namo Raghavaya when he was only 13 years old.

Early Life

The family was pious and devoted; which had moved from Prakasam district of present-day Andhra Pradesh during the Vijayanagara period to Thiruvaiyaru in the Thanjavur district of present-day Tamil Nadu. At 18 years of age, Tyagaraja married Parvati, who died when he was only 23. He then married Kamalamba (sister of Parvati). They had a daughter named Sitamahalakshmi, through whom he had a grandson, who died progeniless. Thus we do not have any descendant of Saint Tyagaraja. But, his tradition is kept alive by his musical disciples and their followers.

Tyagaraja had his elder brother who was primarily against to the devotion of Tyagaraja towards Sri Rama. Tyagaraja learnt initially from music scholar called Sonti Venkataramanayya. Tyagaraja considered music is the way to feel the Gods grace and love. Music and Devotion are synonymous to Tyagaraja Swami and "Is there a sacred path than music and Bhakti?". "O Mind, salute the gods of the seven notes". "The knowledge of music, O Mind, leads to bliss of Union with the Lord". Music was to him the meditation on the Primordial Sound.

Career and Works

Tyagaraja Swamy was highly influenced by great bhatkhas like Prahlada, Dhruva, Hanuman and Narada and most of his works were written in Telugu language. Tyagaraja composed two musical plays; the Prahalada Bhakti Vijayam and the Nauka Charitam. It is a known fact that Tyagaraja's works are some of the best and most beautiful literary expressions in Telugu language. Once his Guru, Sri Sonti Venkataramanayya, wanted to listen to Tyagaraja's new talent and invited him to perform at his house in Thanjavur. On this occasion Tyagaraja Swamy sang Endaro Mahaanubhavulu, the fifth of Pancharatna Krithis and is very widely popularized in Carnatic Music. This krithi is still one of the favorites of current Carnatic Music singers and learners. Sonti Venkataramanayya was immensely pleased with his disciples devotion and at his extraordinary skills in music; about which he told the king. The king of Thanjavur, Serboji Maharaja sent him an invitation to join his court and many rich gifts. Tyagaraja Swamy was not inclined to money and fame and he simply rejected kings invitation, composing another gem of a krithi, Nidhi Chala Sukhama on this occasion.

With this incident his brother became very angry at him and wanted to take his brother away from Sri Rama. He had thrown Tyagarajas idols of Sri Rama in the nearby River Cauvery. Tyagaraja, unable to bear the separation with his Lord, wandered around the places in search of his Sri Rama with out caring for any thing. One head of some pilgrimage group by seeing this intense devotion requested Tyagaraja to join his group. Thus Tyagaraja Swamy visited all the major temples in South India and composed many more songs in praise of the deities of those temples. Once he visited Tirupati, but when he went to the temple, it was closed. In sadness, he sang "Teratiyagaraadaa" and the temple officials gathered round in admiration when they saw the door opening by itself and the screen falling aside. He sang "VenkaTEsha ninu sEvimpa" in his happiness at seeing the Lord. In one incident, residents of a town used to lock their doors early in the evening due to the prowling tiger at night times. One family by knowing this, wanted to hide in a temple of the town in which attempt the family head died after accidentally falling to the temples well in the dark. Tyagaraja came to about this and prayed to Sri Rama; with out Him, his life was waste and intensely called Sri Rama to take away his life and give the life back to the deceased family head. Moved by his detachment towards his own life Sri Rama bestowed upon the life to the family head. Such is the devotion of Tyagaraja Swamy.

Tyagaraja Swamy when he lost his idol sang sadly "Endu daagi naado," Where has He gone and hidden Himself? And Swamy finally found the idols with the help of Rama Himself and sang Rara maa inti daaka. Tyagaraja attained Moksha on a Vaikunta Ekadasi. Thus Sri Tyagaraja Swamy dedicated each and every minute of his life in remembrance of Sri Rama with his songs and krithis full of boundless devotion. Having composed an innumerable number of keerthanas (songs) that explored all the possibilities within the rules of the Carnatic music tradition, Tyagaraja is truly regarded as the cornerstone of Carnatic music.

To this day, a commemorative music festival called the Tyagaraja Aaradhana is held at Thiruvaiyaru in the months of January to February every year. This is a week-long festival of music where various Carnatic musicians from all over the world converge at his resting place.

Pancharatna Krithis

While all his keerthanas are soulful, Sri Thyagaraja has outclassed himself in his Pancharatnas where he is at his greatest and perhaps touched the pinnacle of Carnatic music. Bhakthi is the very essence of his songs and melody, sahityas are more appealing with embedded spirituality in them. We recognize in Sri Thyagaraja a master spirit combining in him the bhakthi of Prahlada, the music of Narada and the vakpatutva of Valmiki. Sentiments are passionate, his reflections on music and life profound. His works therefore stand apart in the history of vaggeyakaras.

The Pancharatna Kritis are:

Jagadananda Karaka - Raga naaTTai

Dudukugala - Raga gowLa

Sadhinchene - Raga Arabhi

Kanakana Ruchira - Raga Varali

Endaro Mahanubhavulu - Raga Sri

Sanatana Dharma Sameeksha

Is there only one God or are there many Gods?

There is only one God. He can take many forms. Just as the same person becomes the officer, swimmer, chef, one who prays, player, and wears different costumes suiting each of these vocations, similarly, the one God wears the dress of Ganapathy and removes obstacles, creates this universe as Brahma and so on The same water is called by different names in different languages, but the substance remains the same.

$r> @k> @v, prNtu Anekpe[ Ty]Ivit,

Why God takes many forms?

Mothers want their children to be healthy. For this, children need to properly eat food. Compassionate loving mothers make for their children, what they like. Some may like idli, some dosa, some rice and so on All these are made of rice only. But forms vary.

Goal of all life is happiness alone and that is achieved by merging the mind in God alone. The temperament of each and every one varies. Some might like the child form of God, some the fierce form, some the devi form and so on So God assumes different forms so that His children might get attracted to Him (mind gets attracted to something which it likes) and get ultimate happiness which they are searching for outside.

emSvp> $r> SvizzU[a< ]emay Anekp< SvIkraeit,

Why are there 33 crore deities (devatas)?

For India, there is one Prime Minister. In order to assist him, there are many Chief Ministers (one for each state). In order to assist the Chief Ministers, there are lots of Ministers (of various departments such as water, electricity, air, transport etc), MLAs and MPs and their subordinates.

Similarly, God (one and only one who takes various forms of Rama, Krishna, Ganapathy, Vishnu, Parvathy, Saraswathy, and so on) is the Prime Minister of not India, but this whole universe. Naturally, He will need lots of people to assist Him in his work (creation, maintenance and dissolution of this universe). For e.g, Agni devata is the head of electricity department, Varuna devata is the head of water department and so on Thus the significance of the 33 crore deities in our Sanatana Dharma.

$r> jgt> xan-mi> #v, $r< tSy s&i-iSwit-s inyaeijta>,

Why do some of our Gods have more than two hands and more than one head?

According to Sanatana Dharma, all hands are His hands. All heads are His. Also it shows their power. They can do any work more efficiently and within less time-limit. Head indicates thinking capacity. All problems are due to improper thinking or lack of thinking. Our Gods have beautiful head/heads which denotes that they are free of any problem or fear of problem. They can tackle any situation with ease. Brahmajis four heads stand for the four inner subtle equipments (antahkarana chatushtaya mind, intellect, ego and memory).

svRSy izr> ba c $rSy @v,

What is the core book (like Bible for Christians) of our Sanatana Dharma?

Vedas are the foundation for Sanatana Dharma. All other books are based on the Vedas.

snatn-xmRSy Aixan-Nw> ved>,

Who is the founder of the Vedas?

Vedas are eternal and they come from the Lord Himself. They are the manual for the working of this universal machine and they are manifested (not created) together with the creation or universe for the efficient functioning of this universe (and become unmanifest with the universe at the time of deluge). They are revealed to Great Seers known as Subjective Scientists or Rishis as Universal Truths in their seat of meditation (Objective Scientists discover the various forces of nature and so on when their mind is calm and relaxed or in other words tuned to nature which reveals its truths to them; Similarly God reveals the Universal Truths to our Rishis when their mind is tuned just as a radio, receiving signals successfully from the transmitting station when being rightly tuned). In other words, Vedas are not human compositions.

veda> snatna>, ApaE;eya> c,

Who is Vyasa?

Veda is knowledge. And knowledge is only one. Vyasa Maharishi compiled the one veda into four parts Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda.

Hence he came to be known as Veda Vyasa. Some other names of his are Baadaraayana, Krishnadvaipayana, paaraashara. In Sanskrit the term vyasa means two things:

One who has the capacity to elaborate things (this can be seen from his work Mahabharatha- principles and lessons of life depicted in detail through stories).

One who can capture the essence of things and can shorten it (evident from his composition of the Brahma Sutras which are short aphorisms packed in them vast amount of indepth knowledge).

In olden days (in some places, nowadays), every name used to be meaningful. So when the child grows up, and understands the meaning of his/her name, and when he/she is called, he/she also contemplates on the meaning and hence imbibes the qualities of the name. How wonderful was/is our tradition!

Vyas> sarahI, iv;yivzdIkr[e d]> c,

nam namI sMbNxSy VyiTv-ivksne muo Swanm! AiSt,

Sanskritha shiksha

WHY?

But for the advertisements, we would have never got attracted towards things and run after them. This advertising department was prevalent even in early days (back to the vedic period). They used to call it maahaatmyam which is found in all texts (e.g. if you do this, youll get this benefit and so on). Let us go to the advertising department of Sanskrit.

Why do we do what we do? Often we do things mechanically without knowing exactly the reason why we are doing so. Knowing why we are doing anything

Adds beauty to the action

Brings perfection in the action

Makes the performer to love the action

Gives inspiration to others to pursue the act

Performer doesnt get bored

Lets see why we should or we may study Sanskrit.

Enhances memory!

Anything if not used, gets rusted or dusted. Same is the case with memory. So learning a new language will keep our memory fresh. Wonderful way to escape from alzheimers disease.

Purifies speech and body!

The alphabets, words etc are such that it gives lot of exercise and twisting to the tongue. So a person good in reading Sanskrit can master any language easily. Hence gives clarity of speech. Chanting of verses gives the effect of praanaayaama which purifies the naadis of the body removing blocks and thereby preventing the cause for diseases. We normally waste our energy in unwanted thinking and storing of useless things in the mind. Instead Sanskrit learning will channelise our energies in the positive direction since it also helps to learn our shaastraas which are the only doorways to infinite bliss which we all are searching for.

Is the KEY to our shaastraas!

Language of our shaastraas is Sanskrit. Translations or commentaries cannot bring out the full indepth meaning as such.

Provides entertainment at mental and intellectual levels!

Lots of poems and logical works have been written in Sanskrit which touch the mind and intellect deeply.

WHAT?

Some interesting facts about our product which is Sanskrit:

1. Great-great-great-grandmother language.

It is believed to be the mother of all languages. So is it not our right to know out grandmother? Knowing her, well find it easier to know about other languages which are her children.

2. Sweet.

Everyone, generally loves sweet. Should we not taste this sweet?

3. Logical.

Follows a particular pattern in all its aspects which makes it easier to study. Most recent discovery is that it is the best language which a computer can understand.

4. Easy.

The words easy or difficult is comparative. Here, compared to English, Sanskrit is easy. For e.g. an alphabet in English is pronounced differently in different places, an alphabet in English is written in many ways (small, capital). In sanskrit, an alphabet is spelt only in one universal way, wherever it may be. Also an alphabet can be written only in one way.

5. Language of the shaastraas.

6. Language of the devas.

If anyone wants to go to heaven, they better learn this!

7. Great gift of our Hindu culture given by our Rishis.

Aliases, petnames for Sanskrit:

Devabhaashaa, amrithabhaashaa, amrithavaani, devavaani, amaravaani, ghiiravaani.

Script (LIPI):

Sanskrit is written in Devanagari script. Other languages which are written in this script are hindi, marathi, etc.

Source:

The Lord is the ultimate source or origin of all languages. It is believed that Sanskrit originated from the Damaru of Lord Siva. Sanskrit was refined and given to us by 3 main Seers (Rishis) Panini, Vararuchi and Patanjali. Prostrations to these great Masters.

Invoking the Grace of great Masters, let us immerse into Sanskrit!!! Ready? But for that we have to wait for one month!!! Till then, Keep Smiling!!!

ana< %r< Aa'Gla;aya< ddatu,

Give answer to these questions in English.

yaejnm! AnuiZy mNdae=ip n vtRte, @tt! vaKy< kiSmn! Nwe AiSt?

Even a fool doesnt work, if not prompted by fruit! In which text does this statement come?

ikmw s?

For what purpose are we all studying sanskrit?

s