A Devotee tried to save the Lord

Oh wandering Saint Glory unto you,

One with just elephant skin doesn't the weather bother you?

And then round your neck the wriggly hissing serpent,

How can one approach you without fearful intent?

And lo you are sleeping without a snore;

Will not the snake throttle your neck fair and square.?

That little child a devotee unto thou;

With so much worry and care for you.

Used a Scissors to cut the snake;

All out of love to save your neck.

What is this oh Lord Shiva;

Except your love for your Bhakta.

Shambo Mahadeva

Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam- Sri Krishna as the witness of our Mental Activity

                                                                  जय श्री कृष्ण​

Glory to our dear Sri Krishna. 

He is described as Buddhi Saakshine ( बुद्धिसाक्षिणे) in the the invocatory hymn by Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada. This calls for some discussion. In my studies I have known that the mental apparatus is classified in the following four ways:

मनस् ( Manas) , चित्त ( Chitta), बुद्धि( Buddhi) and अहंकार​ ( Ahamkaar).

These can be explained in terms of our common computer. The Computer has a RAM ( RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY). This is where all information interchange takes place. This interchange could be internal or with the outside world. This is equivalent to our MANAS in the mental apparatus. The Computer has a Hard Disk which stores all the information from outside as well as information from work done within. Our CHITTA is the equivalent of the Hard Disk, with the small difference that the Chitta has its own intelligence. Some elders also say that the CHITTA is the store house of the whole World's intelligence. Hence the CHITTA is a dynamic Hard Disk. If one is smart enough he could know about the world at large just by peeing into the CHITTA. Then comes the BUDDHI. In terms of the computer this is the equivalent of the ALU ( ARITHMETIC AND LOGIC UNIT). This is the place where the decisions are taken and calculations made. The one major difference between the Computer and us is the absence of the fourth component AHAMKARA in a computer. AHAMKARA in me represents my awareness of being me. These components exist in all of us. 

Now Sri Krishna is mentioned as Buddhi Saakshine ( बुद्धिसाक्षिणे). Buddhi is the apparatus which decides which way our mental faculties will progress. It also decides which way the bodily functions will happen. We understand that the Buddhi can control the Organs of Action and Organs of Perception only. But elders say that even the functioning of the internal organs can be controlled by using the power of the Buddhi. Hence Buddhi shows the direction we think and act. We could act on the basis of the realities of the external situation. Or we could act on the basis of the information made available by the Chitta. But the direction of action is decided by the Buddhi. Sometimes the Chitta appears to be very powerful and appears to be controlling the Buddhi. But this is not true. Only when the Buddhi repeatedly decides to be controlled by the Chitta it slowly becomes subservient to it. But again through proper decision making and resolve it can regain its power and glory. Such is the power of the Buddhi.

Hence the Buddhi is the most power instrument of the mental apparatus. It is the greatest of the mental apparatus. Sri Krishna is said to be sitting in each one us as the Saakshi or witness of this Buddhi. 

 

GLORY TO THE LORD AND HIS MOUNT

 

Sri Nandi’s upsana elders prescription is profound

So that Good Health, Wealth and Happiness abound

Most visit the Shiva Temples with all preparation and devotion

But Guru asked me to visit the Bhu temple with a view of inquisition

Who is Sri Nandi and Who is the God?

Such questions I kept asking the Mind soft and loud.

After much enquiry the Mind gives me a Glimpse

The Life force is the Lord with all magnificence

If the Prana is the God then who is His Mount?

It is our breath no doubt on all account.

While others pray to the Mount without

Spend your time with the Breath without doubt.

Lord Prana shall bless us all

I am sure He is the only one at all.

There is none others in this Universe

Only Prana, Life force is all that is.

 

Glory to the Lord and His Mount.

THE GREATEST MIRACLE

 

Kadavule Kadavule

Nee yenge Ulle

 

Manifest thyself

As a Supreme Self

 

It's Miracle that I wish to see

Only then Kadavul, you will be.

 

You could lift mountains

Or you could bless me with happiness in tons

 

Something to show you are divine

Anything small will be fine

 

Kadavul replies

 

That I'm is just an expression of your mind

Miracles however are there of every kind

 

Father looks at mother with love eternal

Mother creates you with intelligence so beautiful

 

The world is full of such mother Goddesses

Yet you yearn for miracles and bounties

 

Pay your respects to mothers et al

They are nothing but themselves Kadavul.

 

Love the mothers as Kadavul herselves

Surely happiness will abound in our lives

 

Jai Mata Di

Mother- The Goddess of Spaces

Hey Jadagamba oh Mother of Mothers

Isn't space only one of your 5 powers

 Then why is everyone after it

As if the others are usefulness bereft

 

If daughter in law wanted I would still discount

But it is mother in law who wants it on all count

From small children to older uncles

Everyone is after space relentless

None want to adjust to any changing situation

All want their freedom without any question

 

Amba says

Okay my son it is their wont

Let them have it without a taunt

Because they will come back in a situation

But don't you think they are relieved of new aspiration.

They will again go to rejoice in free air

Every such time don't you be in despair

 But final freedom is being Andhanar.

Only the path they take is curvilinear.

 Glory to Goddess Jagadamba

Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam- A discussion on Anandaa

                             जय श्री कृष्ण​ 

                                                              

Salutations to Sri Krishna the Loka Guru. Salutations to Sri Venkateswara, our living Guru. Salutations to Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada, Salutations to Sri Kanchi Maha Periyava. Salutations to Sri Sathya Sai Baba & Salutations to my parents Shrimati Rajalakshmi and Sri Viswanath Iyer.

                   सच्चिदानन्दरूपाय कृष्णायाक्लिष्टकारिणे।

                     नमो वेदान्तवेद्याय गुरवे बुद्धिसाक्षिणे॥ 1

The above sloka is from the introductory invocatory hyms written by Sri Bhagavatpada to his Bhashyam on the Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam. It starts with the world Sacchidanandarupaaya meaning one who is of the form of Sacchidanandarupa. I asked an elder the meaning of this word . He nicely said that it represents Sri Krishna or God in the form of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss. I asked back- Is Sacchidananda knowable? He replied- In the state of deep meditation one attains the Turiya state wherein he experiences the Saccchidananda Swarupa.

Clearly these answers did not satisfy my quest for knowing more about my dear Sri Krishna. I went through many commentaries and listened to the audio files of some eminent sanyaasis. One such Sanyaasi explained the first two words of Sat and Chit in simple terms. Sat means I exist. Chit means I know that I exist. I fully agreed that this made good sense. Sri Krishna is Satchit Swarupa. Okay then what about Anandaa? What could it mean? When quizzed the Sanyaasi quipped saying that we could leave Anandaa for later as knowing about it could make one very sad.

The search went on. Somewhere someone would provide an answer I thought. In the meantime I read in the Brihadaryanka Upanishad a learned conversation between Sage Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi, his wife. Herein Sage Yajnavalkya explained by saying that “ It is not for the sake of the husband that the husband is dear, but for the sake of the Self is a husband dear.". Clearly this did not make much sense. to me then. So I waited for more clarity. 

Then after a wait for about five years I chanced upon a commentary about the Sri Devi Suktam wherein the Concept of Sacchidananda was explained. Herein I got clarity about the meaning of Anandaa. I will share a couple of stories to explain the word Anandaa. 

Story 1- Radha and Mohan were a young couple in love. They were lucky to get married and went for a boat ride in the Ganga. Before they started the ride the boatman warned them that at no cost should they try to touch the water of the Ganga. Lest the crocodiles cling to the hand and overturn the boat. Both Radha and Mohan agreed and the ride started. They wanted to go alone so that they would get the privacy. After a few minutes of the ride the Radha became very shy due to the love talk of Mohan. She inadvertently started playing with the river water. And lo her hands were clutched by a hungry crocodile. There was great pulling by Mohan but of no avail. The crocodile was stronger. Mohan realised that if he pulled Radha's hand any further he could lose his life. In a sudden moment of decision making he pushed Radha into the water and escaped back in the boat to the banks. He was crying for Radha. How his most dearest Radha was dead because of his mistake. He was disconsolate. His friends and relatives kept trying to pacify him. But he wouldn't stop crying. He had decided in that moment of crisis that It was he himself that was his dearest object. Even dearer that his beloved Radha. And Lo Behold! We have he meaning of Ananda in front of us. 

SAT= I EXIST

CHIT= I KNOW I EXIST

ANANDAA= THE DEAREST OBJECT FOR ME IN THIS WORLD IS MY OWN SWEET SELF.

Even I thought- is not Anandaa an explanation/act of utter senseless Selfishness? How could one kill another being to save oneself?

But the fact that I am my dearest object or thing is also a TRUISM. How much ever one may say that I love Krishna or I love my daughter or I love my wife or I love my mother, nothing is dearer to me than my own Sweet Self. When there is a life and death situation this Self Love or Self Preservation becomes most important. 

Even an eminent Swamiji once refrained from explaining Anandaa to new students. He referred to Anandaa as one which could give great Sorrow to its knowers. Clearly this is an Advanced Portion of Vedantaa.

Then what is Sage Yajnavalkya explaning his wife Maitreyi?

For this let me share another tale. 

Story 2- I (Kannan) was about six or seven years old. Now I understood the movies. I was introduced to some movies of the then Superstar Mr. Rajesh Khanna. What did I see in those movies? Here was this man who was obedient to his parents. He was courteous to one and all. He was handsome. He could sing good songs. The neighbors doted him and this list of his positive qualities went on and on.. What was my reaction on seeing him? I wished- When I grow up I should be like him. It was here that my I sense got identified to the characters played by Mr. Rajesh Khanna. Hence whenever I saw his picture I would see them as myself. I would not stand any criticism about him. I would only think good things about him. Because He was Me and I was Him. Any event of falling in love between a man and woman is also akin to the above. The boy could see a brave and positive girl. He could identify her with his own self. Then at no cost he would dispense with his affection for the girl. Years may come and go but the oneness with the I never ceases.  Similar is the I sense identified with great leaders by some of his followers. The followers want to be like their leader. Their I sense has got identified with the leader.

Hence Sage Yajnavalkya  tells his wife Maitreyi that Kannan (that is me) loves Mr. Rajesh Khanna for his own sake not for the sake of Mr. Rajesh Khanna. 

Sage says that the lover boy loves the girl for his own sake and not for the sake of the girl. 

Sage says that the follower loves the leader for his own sake, not for the sake of the leader. 

It is virtually impossible to change this affection. This is our nature. We are Ananda swarupa. We love our self the most. In the above cases Mr Rajesh Khanna, the lover girl and the Leaders have become the Self of Kannan, the lover boy and the follower respectively. 

Taking it a little further-  Whether it is in the outside physical world or in the internal world of thoughts and dreams I am always in love with my own self at all times. Hence I am  Anandaswaroopa in every moment of my existence.  I am only loving myself in all my activities.

A friend asked me- How do you explain unhappy situations? When I asked him to be specific

he replied- How do you explain a condition where I hate someone who abused me?

I answered- This situation is also explained by my Love for myself. 

My Question: Whom do you love most? - 

His Answer: I love myself the most. 

My Question: Who is abused by the friend?

His Answer: The friend abused me- or Myself.

My Question: Even in the hatred for friend who is the most loved person?

His Answer:- It is myself.

Conclusion- Be it Love or be it Hatred our Dearest Object is our Dear Self alone. It is for the sake of the Self that we love someone or something. It is for the sake of the Self that we hate someone or something. 

Love for ourself is the COMMON FACTOR in all the activities.

I hope and pray that by the grace of Sri Krishna the readers will understand the concept I have tried to explain.

May Sri Krishna bless us all on his birthday. May we all come out of the prison of Kamsa and live happily in the family of Sri Nanda and Maa Yashoda.

Jai Sri Krishna

 ( Written on Sri Krishna Janmashtami 2021 _30/08/2021)

Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam- A Study - Sloka 1B

                              जय श्री कृष्ण​ 

                      श्रुत्वा धर्मानशेषेण पावनानि च सर्वशः।

                     युधिष्ठिरः शान्तनवं पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत ॥ 1

The first sloka of the Sri Vishnu Sahasranama says:- Having heard of all the purifying Dharmas in their entirety, Yudhishithra again questioned the Son of Shantanu( Sri Bhishma).

Does this sloka have any special meaning for us?

In the Brahmanda Purana is the famour Sri Lalitha Trishati stotram. This is a hymn of 59 slokas which contain the 300 names of Sri Lalitha Maha Tripurasundari. 

In the beginning of this hymn Sri Agaystya speaks thus to Sri Hayagriva:-

1. Oh Bhagavan Hayagriva! Oh Ocean of mercy! One full of love for his disciples! From you I have heard all that is fit to heard .

2. I have heard the most secret hymn of Sri Lalitha Sahasranama. I believe now nothing else is left to be heard

3-4: But my Lord, Even then I don't feel fully satisfied. What could be the reason for this dis-satisfaction? Is there anything else I need to know for complete satisfaction? If there is something do instruct me in that.

This introduction to the Sri Lalitha Trishati is very similar to the one seen in Sloka 1 of the Sri Vishnu Sahasranama. Despite having heard all that which is purifying in the completeness Yudhishthira is not satisfied and queries Sri Bhishma again. 

He asks Who is the One Lord of this Universe? Who is the one refuge for all?..

It is by this thrust for completeness of Knowledge that brought forth the Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam. It also brought forth the Sri Lalitha Trishati Stotram.

We are blessed to know and chant these Stotraas.

Jai Sri Krishna

Jai Mata Lalitha Devi