Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Phalastuti. of the Ayudhams of Maha Vishnu.

If the hymns of the five weapons of Maha Vishnu are read in the morning all sorrow fear sins are removed and joy conferred on the reciter is the belief.
Pancha Janya:
A mighty asura lived inside a conch. Sri Krishna and Balarama were students in the ashram of Sage Sandeepani. On the eve of completing their education, an asura named Pancajana carried away the sages son who was bathing in the Prabhasa teertha. The asura kept the child captive inside the conch where he lived. The sage was grief striken. He asked his disciples to bring back his son as Guru Dakshina. Krishna and Balarama went to the banks of the river and prayed to Varuna. when Varuna appeared Krishna appraised him about the situation and asked him for assistance. Withthe help of Varuna Krishna and Balarama killed the asura Pancajana and got back the sages son. Krishna took the conchin which the asura lived as a momento, and the name panchajanya coined. (10th skanda Bhagavata)
Nachiar Tirumozhi has ten stanzas devoted to the beauty of the Panchajanya.and how envious she was of the conch which was so close to the Lord. beautiful verses.
Vishnu Purana describes how the Child Dhruva who had started a penance hoping for kingship asked God for Moksha when the Lord lovingly touched him with the Panchajanya on his cheek.
Kaumodaki.
The club is known as Kaumodaki, this was given by Varuna to Vishnu Kaumodaki or The Mace of Vishnu represents spiritual, mental and physical strength, which has a tendency to be quite overwhelming at first. 

The name Gada has a lot of history that comes along with it. Gada was the name of a mighty demon who once brought much terror upon humanity. Many legends tell about how terrible Gada was, but he had one flaw that was quite easy to take advantage of. It is said that despite how horrible Gada was, he could also be quite charitable. Gada never refused a request that was asked of him no matter how ridiculous the request might have been. My creator, Vishnu, disguised himself as a poet of sorts, also known as a Brahmin. The disguised Vishnu approached Gada and requested that Gada lend his own bones to him. Gada ripped himself apart at the seams to deliver his bones to Vishnu. Vishnu then took these bones and fashioned for himself one of the most grand maces of all time. This mace is called as Kaumodaki. Due to the fact that the mace was created from the bones of Gada the word Gada came to permanently mean mace in sanskrit.
Kaumodaki was created in order to protect humanity. There is nothing that it cannot conquer. This is why the mace has often been compared to the element of time. Time is always moving and can never be stopped. Time itself is unconquerable just like Kaumodaki. (found in the Adi parva chapter of Mahabharatha)
Nandaka
The sword of Maha Vishnu. Brahma performed a sacrifice on the banks of the Ganga at the peak of Mount Mahameru.  asura Lohasura came to disturb the sacrifice. immediately a male being came into existence from the meditation of brahma, he paid homage to the devas and brahma the devas blessed him he immediately changed into a sword. as he was blessed and welcomed by the devas he came to be known as Nandaka one who gives joy. 
Lohasura was an asura with a blue complexion with a thousand hands he whirled his hands and scattered the devas. Maha vishnu then used the sword to cut off his hands. thus Nandaka helped Vishnu.
Saranga.
Saranga is Vishnu bow. as seen in the Visvaroopa darshanam in the battle field. this is said to have been made by Brahma and presented to Vishnu (Krishna)
Sudarsana.
the discus. the sun god married the daughter of Visvakarma by name Samjna. She could not bear the radiance of the sun and complained to her father,  who put the sun through a machine and decreased its radiance. out of the dust produced by rotating the sun in the machine, Visvakarma is said to have made the discus weapon, the aerial chariot Pushpaka, the trident of shiva and the lance of subramanya. (vishnu Purana)
The forest Khaandava was burning, Indra showered rain on that fire. the god Agni gave sudarshana to lord Krishna and the Ghandeeva bow to Arjuna to fight against Indra. Sudarshana had the power of completing the task and returning to the owner. The Srivaishnava community endearingly and reverentially call it Chakrattalvar.( alwar means one who is deeply in love with God)

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

double your reading ability in ten days.

One Million words.
It has been estimated that a college student, or an average man in a position of average responsibility may be expected to read up to at least one Million words in a single week. Its best to start now.
Get a watch with a sweep second hand and begin timing  yourself. your reading must not be a burden but simply you should learn how to handle it. When ever the world has made new demands new methods have been developed to deal with the situation. you can master your reading by following it will help you to get to the core of the article, to evaluate the central idea, recognise details and to spot faulty or in consistent processes. at the end you will become a rapid and effective reader. But you have to practice. Best times of course is around 3 A.M in the morning.( I must mention an science exhibition i went to in Helsenki where they monitored eye fixation as you passed in front of the stall and gave a graphical picture to tell you what your eye saw while you walked and viewed the stall as you came to the end of the stall. it was amazing the picture the mind actually does not see everything the eye does.)
When your eyes move along a line, they do not travel in a single smooth sweep, but in a series of stops and starts called eye fixations. the more eye fixations you make on a single line the more longer it takes you to read it.
the first reading technique is phrase reading. do you read word by word or do you read phrase by phrase. you should remember a single word are rarely significant by themselves. but take on meaning only with context in the group.
the best way to train your eyes to read phrases is to practice space reading. i.e. rather than focusing your eyes directly on the print, lift them so they focus slightly above the line; allow your eyes to relax and spread your span of vision over several words so that you are reading a whole phrase at a time rather than a single word. this can also be practiced by making a hole in the center of a card and placing the reading material at about fourteen inches distance from your eye try reading it through the hole of the card. you will be able to count the eye movements you make while reading. also you could use the card to move faster and faster through the page while you repeat read you will be astonished how much progress you can make in a single day. Once you have understood what you have read move on, sometimes we unnecessarily spend  more time than is required even on understanding the sentences and  by practice this regression could be avoided. next step is to read not only word groups but meaningful word groups. look for the units of thought in a passage you are reading. you could box the thought units by a pencil mark. soon you will develop the awareness of logical phrase structure. practice this every day. the above two techniques have already helped you to become a faster reader.
Next step is Indentation. 
Say when you focus on the first word of the sentencehalf of your vision span you will notice is on the blank space before the word same also as you end the sentence. try and manipulate the card movement a few words within the line of print. that way you can control eye span better. but never skip words. but train to read nothing but words. you could at first draw two light lines vertically on the page for eye fixation a few words before the line begins and so to before the line ends surely your speed has improved by now. 
key word reading.
once you have mastered the art of phrase reading next is to (you have already marked the phrases by pencilyou will notice as you read the passage faster and faster you will concentrate on only the key words that ring out the meaning in the passage. key word and eye swing exercise over a passage will help.
you would now have developed a smooth reading rhythm and also reduced the number of stops your eye makes on each line of print.
happy reading.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Thiru Kudalur (Aduthurai Perumal Koil)

Chola Nadu divya Desham the Moolavar is known as Vaiyam Katha Perumal also Jagat Rakshakan seen standing facing east with a prayoga chakra in His hand. the Utsavar is also know as Jagat Rakshakan but he holds a sceptre in his hand. The Goddess is known as Padmasini as also Pushpavalli. Chakra theertham Kaveri nadhi. the Vimanam is Suddha Satva Vimanam and Sangamuga kshetram. This is the only other temple with the name Kudalur as here the devas along with Nandaka Munivar and other rishis joined to worship Perumal. in tamil the word Joined is referred to as Kooda. there are a few stories interesting connected with this place.
Two stories of the generous and devout King Ambarisha, Nandakar rishi, Kaveri river, Devout Parrot and Rani Mangammal.

todays pasurams (w)

SreematE rAmAnujAya namaha
pattAm pattu
eTTAm tirumozhi 
tirumangai  AzhwAr  identifies himself with a gOpi who is in love with kaNNan. She is angry because He fails to come as He promised, at the appointed time and place. When He comes very late she gets angry at Him and says He had been with another girl. She asks Him not to come again. 
This tirumozhi is similar to kulaSEkara AzhwAr’s ‘Er malar poonguzhal’ and nammAzhwAr’s minniniDai maDavarhaL. 
1.         kAdir   kaDippiTTu kalingam uDuttu
tAdunalla taNNanduzhAi koDaNindu |
pOdumaruttu puramE vanduninreer
Edukkiduven iduven iduvennO || One || 
kAdir   kaDippiTTu
Wearing beautiful earrings
kalingam uDuttu
and a beautiful dress
tAdu nalla taNNanduzhAi aNindu koDu
wearing a fresh tuzhasi mAla having lots of pollens
pOdu maruttu vandu
coming her very late
puramE Edukku ninreer
why do You stand outside the door?
idu  en idu  en idu ennO
What is this?
kADir  kaDippiTTu— When  He  was small yaSOda wanted to pierce the ears to put kuNDala. But He refused  to  do  so. She  pleaded  ‘kESavanambee!  unnai  kAdu  kutta  AipAla  peNDuhaL ellArum vandAraDaikkAi  nAn  tirutti  vaittEn’  ‘makara  kuzhAi  koNDu  vaittEn  veyyavE  kAdil   tiriyai iDuvan’  ‘ikkaDippiTTal  iniya  palAppazham  tandu  aNi  mulai  uNNa taruvan’ ‘Sottam nambee ingE  vArAi.’  Still  He  refused  to  have  His  ears  pieced. Then later on His friends used to tease Him ‘Sunai   kAdazhahiyar’   ‘viDukAdazhahiyAr’.  Then   He   agreed  to  let  pierce  the  ears  and  wear kuNDalas. 
kalingam   uDuttu—  nachchinArkkiniyar     interpreted   the   word   kalingam   that   occurs   in    Siru pANATTruppaDai as the upper garment (a shawl worn round the shoulders). periyavAchchAn piLLai in the pASura of tirukulaSEkarAzhwAr as the tuvarADai (a red shawl) . 
tAdu nalla taNNanduzhAi koDu aNindu—He comes wearing cool fragrant and fresh tuzhasi mAla and kalinga  in  order  to  please  her  by His appearance and give an excuse saying because He had taken so much interest in dressing up before  coming  here He was late (hiding the fact He was with another gOpi) and thereby pacify her anger. 
Edukku puramE vandu ninreer—Since  gOpi  is  really  angry  and  won't  talk  to  Him, He is standing outside the door hanging His head. 
idu en—You have beautiful ears. Why should You wear ear rings and come late? 
idu  en—You  are  very charming even if You are dirty (pooNi tozhuvinil pukku puzhudi aDainda pon mEni kANa peridum uhappan). Thus why should You take time taking bath and dressing up? 
iduvennO— Your  body  is  already  naturally  fragrant. Why should You say i take time to wear tuzhasi mAla etc., i like You more if You come as You are. 
Edukku—When  i  am very hungry and want food immediately what use of getting it very late?  Likewise You come now when i  was  pining  for You since a long time. You keep Your tuzhasi mAla to Yourself, Your kalinga and kAdir kaDippu all to Yourself. You enjoy Your beauty Yourself i don’t want You. 
2.            tuvarADaiyuDuttu  orucheNDu Siluppi
                        kavarAhamuDittu kalikkachchukkaTTi |
            SuvarAr kadavin puramE vandu ninreer
                        ivarAr iduven   iduven iduvennO || Two || 
tuvarADai uDuttu 
You wear on Your hip a yellow coloured peetAmbara
orucheNDu Siluppi
rotating a flower ball in Your hand
kavarAha muDittu
tying Your hair in a bunch
kalikkachchukkaTTi
tightening the waist band
SuvarAr kadavin puramE
outside the door standing against the wall
vandu ninreer
You come and stand
ivarAr
Who are You?
idu  en idu  en idu ennO 
In  the  last  pASura  His  wearing  a  shawl  was  indicated . Now she says He is wearing a peetambara. Perhaps  He  had it ready with Him in His hand. When  she  was  not  attracted  by  the  dress  that  was described earlier He wears His famous peetAmbara and stands outside with in her sight. Even then she is not pacified. When  He  came, He  came with so much enthusiasm swirling a bunch of flower in His hand (as a mark of  enjoying her) looking as if He is ready to dive into the pool of pleasure. But as soon as He saw  her  mood,  He  stopped  near  the  door. He  prepared  Himself  to  enter  in  by tightening the belt and  tying  His  hair  up. She  would  not be lured by His actions nor His looks. When she says ‘kadavin puramE ninreer’. He takes it as a  word  of  admission  and  tries  to  get  in. She immediately asks Him angrily idu en idu en idu ennO! 
3.            karuLakkoDiyonruDaiyeer tanippAheer
uruLaSahaDam adu urakkil nimirtteer |
maruLaikkoDupADi vandu illam puhundeer
iruLattu iduven?  iduven? iduvennO ?   || Three || 
 karuLakkoDi onru uDaiyeer 
You have a garuDa flag
tanippAheer ik
and You are an expert rider
urakkil
when You were sleeping
uruLa SahaDam adu
that cart haunted by an asura was shattered into pieces
nimirtteer
then You kicked it
iruLattu
in the night
maruLa
to enchant women
pADi koDu vandu
You sing
illam puhundeer
and enter my house.
idu  en idu  en idu ennO 
The girl  continues  to be angry. ‘Oh! You are a great man indeed! You have a garuDa vAhana! You are an  expert  rider! You  are  great  hero  for You can  kick a cart to pieces even while sleeping! You are a good singer singing and whistling songs  coming  to  the houses of gOpis to woo them. i know You don’t care for me nor love me. Why do You come here  singing a song and entering my room? How dare You do this to me! Go away! 
4.         nAmam palavumuDai nAraNanambee
tAmattuLabam miha nAriDuhinreer |
kAmanenappADivandu illam puhundeer
Emattu iduven?  iduven? iduvennO ?   || Four || 
nAmam palavum uDai nAraNa nambee
Oh! nArAyaNa! You have thousands of names
miha nAru
highly aromatic
tuLabam tAma 
tuzhasi mAla
iDuhinreer
You wear
kAman ena
like manmatha
pADi vandu
You come here singing
Emattu
in the night
illam puhundeer
You enter my house
idu  en idu  en idu ennO 
nAmam  palavum  uDai  nAraNa  nambee—Oh! nambee! You have thousand names in sahasranAma. But there are names for You in AyarpADi that You  are  the dAsa of this girl, dAsa of that girl and so on. Thus there is no end to Your names. 
tAma tuLabam miha nAriDuhinreer—You say You have  to  me  to have samslESha afflicted by great love for me. But how come the tuzhasi mAla You are wearing look fresh, green and fragrant. Shouldn’t it be losing its freshness and fragrance out of the heat generated by love?  This  alone  is the proof that You are a fraud and Your love i fake. Therefore go away! 
Emattu idu en—Emam  means  night  and guard. If it is the former it is interpreted as Why do You come here at this time of night? How could You leave that gOpi with whom You were all this time (sarcastically she  remarks).  If  it  means  ‘guard’  when  there  are  so  many people to guard me, how can You come daringly at this time 
5.         SuTTrum kuzhaltAzha SurihaiyaNaittu
maTTrum pala mAmaNi pon koDaNindu |
muTTram puhundu maruval Seidu ninreer
eTTrukku iduven?  iduven? iduvennO ?    || Five || 
kuzhal
Your locks of hair
SuTTrum tAzha
hang round Your neck
Surihai aNaittu
carrying a sword
maTTrum pala mAmaNi pon aNindu koDu
and wearing differed kinds of ornaments made of precious gems and gold
muTTram puhundu
coming to my house
maruval Seidu
smiling sweetly
eTTrukku ninreer
why do You stand here?
idu  en idu  en idu ennO 
SuTTrum  kukzhal  tAzha—In  the  second  pASura  she  said  ‘kavarAha  muDittu’ ;  Now  she says Suttrum  kuzhal  tAzha.  kaNNan  changes  His  hair  style somehow to woo her. He unfolded the knot and  lets   it  hang  around  His  shoulders. (kaLivaNDengum  kalandArpOl  kamazh  poonguzhalhaL tadandOLinmEl miLira ninru viLaiyADum). 
maTTrum pala mA maNi pon koDaNindu—He  had  come to her house well dressed and wearing lots of ornaments. She  says  ‘i  know  Your  ways  of  wooing  gOpis. You look charming and handsome no doubt. But i won't  let You  in  since  You  had spent this night at some other gOpis house and come here very late.  Didn’t  You   promise  You  would  come  here  only?  Why  do  You  stand  outside  with an enchanting smile on Your lips? (muruval seidu ninreer) go wherever You want to. i don’t prevent You. 
6.         AnAyarum Aniraiyum angozhiya
koonAyadOr koTTravillonru kaiyEndi |
pOnAr irundAraiyum pArttu puhundeer
EnOrhaL munnen iduven? iduvennO ?    || Six || 
AnAyarum
gOpAlas (shepherds)
Aniraiyum
and the herds of cattle
angozhiya
leaving them
koonAyadOr koTTra vil onru
a curved bow signifying aiSwarya
kaiyEndi
carrying in Your hand
pOnAr irundAraiyum pArttu puhundeer
You entered after watching who is going out and who is coming in
EnOrhaL mun en      
why do this in front of Your enemies?
Oh!  mahAnuBAva!  i  know  that  You care little for us. All You care for are the gOpAlas and herds of cattle. You  love  them  very much.  Then why should You come here? You think it is below Your dignity to seek and meet girls like us. Therefore You pretend to go for hunting. You carry Your bow and arrows and stealthily walk here looking here and there. We don’t want You. What do You gain by coming here? (adu  kaNDu  ivvoor  onru  puNarhinradu)  There  are  only  enemies here. And there is dishonour by meeting and talking to us! Get lost! 
7.         mallEporuda tiraL tOL maNavALeer
allE arindOm num manattin karuttai |
sollAdozhiyeer SonnapOdinAl vAreer
ellE iduven?  iduven? iduvennO ?   || Seven || 
mallE
The wrestlers
poruda
are killed by You in the fight
tiraL tOL maNavALeer
Oh! maNavALa! You have strong arms
num manattin karuttai
Your intensions
allE
last night itself
arindOm
we knew
sollAdozhiyeer
You never fail to say what time You come
SonnapOdinAl vAreer
but You never come at that time
ellE
Alas!
idu  en idu  en idu ennO 
Oh! maNavALa! i know Your intensions. Yesterday You proved what a cheat You are. You always fix the time of appointment but never keep Your word. Alas! fool as i am i believe every time what You say and keep waiting for You. i never learn the lesson! i believe You each time  and  get  cheated unfailingly. Alas! i am a fool! Go away! Don’t ever look at me! 
8.         pukkADaravam piDittATTum punideer
ikkAlangaL yAm umakku EdonrumallOm |
takkAr palar dEvimAr SAlavuDaiyeer
ekkE iduven?  iduven? iduvennO ?    || Eight || 
pukku
Jumping in to the lake
ADaravam piDittu
catching serpent kALiya who has uplifted hoods
ATTum
shook Him with anger
punideer
Oh! pariSuddha! (pure)
ikkAlangaL
now
yAm umakku Edonrum allOm
we are nothing to You
takkAr palar dEvimAr Sala uDaiyeer
You have lots of divya pirATTi’s
ekkE
how unfortunate!
  idu  en idu  en idu ennO 
Oh! punida!  You dived into the lake where kALiya, the venous serpent lived, caught him and danced on his hoods. To  You,  we are very insignificant. Of course there are many deserving mahiShis willing to do kainkarya to You and they  are  innumerable. Why  should  You  bother about us who are simply gOpis? Ah! This is very unfortunate of us indeed? 
 9.            ADiyaSaindu AimaDavAroDu nee pOi
kooDikkuravai piNai kOmaLa piLLAi |
tEDi tirumAmahaL maNmahaL nirpa
                        EDi iduven?  iduven? iduvennO ?  || Nine || 
tirumAmahaL
periya pirATTi
maNmahaL
Boomi pirATTi
tEDi nirpa
keep searching for You
kooDi ADi aSaindu kuravai piNai
neglecting them You go with gOpis
nee pOi AimaDavAroDu
join their groups, dance with them and perform joyously rAsakreeDa
kOmaLa piLLAi
Oh! Handsome one!
idu  en idu  en idu ennO 
tEDi tirumAmahaL maNmahaL nirpa—periya  pirATTi  and  Boomi  pirATTi,  the  divine consorts of Him,  are  searching  for Him everywhere. He is in AyarpADi playing rAsakreeDa and singing with them! This gOpi starts to  narrate  further  what  He did during rAsakreeDA, He suddenly puts His hand on her mouth and says ‘hush’! Astonished at His act, she cries to her friend ‘EDi, idu en, idu ennO?’ 
‘karu  malar  koondal  orutti  tannai  kaDaikaNittu  AngE  orutti  tan  pAl  maruvi  manam vaittu maTTroruttikku  uraittu  oru  pEdaikku  pOi  kurittu  purikuzhal  mangai  orutti  tannai  puNartti avaLukkum nee meyyanillai marudiruttAi! un vaLarttiyODu vaLarhinradAl undan  mAyai  tAnE’ kulaSEkara AzhwAr The perumAL tirumozhi expresses similar idea. 
10.       allikkamalakkaNNanai angOrAichchi
elli pozhudooDiya ooDal tirattai |
kallin mali tOL kaliyan Sonna mAlai
Solli tudippAravar dukkamillarE   || Ten ||           
alli kamala kaNNanai
About kaNNa pirAn whose eyes are like lotus full of pollens
angu  
in tiruvAippADi
Or Aichchi
a gOpi
elli pozhudu
at night
ooDiya
showing her love anger
ooDal tirattai
about what she spoke to Him
kallin mali tOL kaliyan
tirumangai ahzwar who has shoulders stronger than mountain
Sonna mAlai
this garland of words sung by him
Solli
those who sing
tudippAr avar
and praise emberumAn
dukkam illarE
are devoid of duhKa
tirumangai  AzhwAr  sing  these  pASuras  with  the  words  of  a  gOpi  who  was  angry  with kaNNan. kaNNan  liked  her  all  the  more  since  He  knows  the  anger is praNaya rOSha (due to love). This is  revealed  by  the  word  ‘alli  kamala  kaNNan’  tiruvaLLuvar  says  in  tirukkuraL ‘puttalil   pulattEl nADuNDO  nilattoDu  neer  iyaindannArahattu’—When the girl has praNaya rOSha  with  her  lover, and has samslEsha with Him  like  water  is absorbed in the land. There is no better world which can give her more pleasure’ uNalinum uNDadoral inidu kAmam puNardalin ooDal inidu’.