Selections from Bagwad Gita

1.  dharma ksetre  kuru ksetre samaveta yuyutsavah
     mamakah pandavas caiva kimkurvata sanjaya.
dharmaksetre the field of religions, Kuruksetre at Kuruksetre, samaveta gathered together, yuyutsavah desirous to fight, mamakah my people, pandavas the sons of Pandu, ca and, eva also, kim what, akurvata did do, Sanjaya O Sanjayah.
Gathered together at Kurukshetra, the field of religious activities, what, O Sanjaya, did my war inclined sons and those of Pandu do?
Sanjaya is the name of Dhrtarashtra's minister. Literally the word Sanjaya means: he whose victory is decisive. True to his name, this minister had mastery over his mind and senses. He was not given to partiality or predisposition. Truthfulness and straightforwardness were his characteristics. Because of these virtues the sage Vyasa temporarily bestowed on him, the power to cognize intutively all that took place at the war-front and he communicated them faithfully to his blind monarch. This was why Dhrtarashtra put this question to Sanjaya.
The conflict between the contending cousin groups was too sharp to be squared up. One stood for righteousness and possessed legitimate claim to the kingdom. The other was out to usurp it,  the rights of the rival, by foul means. In this circumstance war became inevitable. Dhrtarashtra knew this but blind as he was physically, in mind also he was such. He, therefore, resorted to wishful thinking. The field of Kurukshetra has had many holy sacrifices performed on it. It was therefore saturated with a spiritual atmosphere; and so there was the posibility of Yudhishthira the eldest of the Pandava brothers, being influenced by this divine atmosphere and beating a retreat into the forest in preferance to a sanguine warfare. in that case the odium of usurping the kingdom and waging an unrighteous war would not fall on his covetous and deceitful sons. this was the mental climate in which this fond question was raised by Dhrtarashtra, the embodiment of indiscrimination.

However long a stone may remain immersed in a river, it does not allow even a small particle of water to percolate into it. Even so the man steeped in worldliness does not permit any ethical or spiritual feeling gain access to his heart.


2. Karpanya dosopahata svabhavah
    prcchami tvam dharma sammudha cetah
    yacchreyah syan niscitam bruhitanme
   sisyaste ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam.

Karpanyadosopahatasvabhavah with nature overpowered by the taint of pity, prcchami I ask, tvam thee, dharma sammudhacetah with a mind in confusion about duty, yah which, sreyah good, syat may be, niscitam decisively, bruhi say, tat that, me for me, sisyah disciple, te thy, aham I sadhi teach, mam me, tvam to thee, prapannam taken refuge.
My nature is weighed down with the taint of feeble mindedness; my understanding is confused as to duty. I entreat you, say definitely what is good for me. I am your disciple. Do instruct me who have taken refuge in you.
Arjuna confesses that this crisis has driven him on to the position of a Kripana. It means that he is inclined to grieve; he has become feeble and an object of pity; it also indicates niggardliness. The Upanishad says that he who does not strive for spiritual enlightenment is a kripana. the man's  here Arjuna's confession is correct.
Referring to man's strivings the Upanishad declares.
"One thing is the good and quiet another, the pleasant; being of different requisitions, they both bind man. Holy becomes he who pursues the good, but falls the man from the goal, who chooses the pleasant."
Arjuna finds himself now at the cross-roads between the pleasant and the good. It is Preyas the pleasant, that has been blessed with in plenty all along. Learning and culture, wealth, wives, progeny, kingdom - gifts of this kind add to enjoyment. They come under the category of preyas. Arjuna comes to know now of the fact that they are of no avail to allay the agony caused by a catastrophe. He who was all along the kinsman and comrade of Sri Krishna, now becomes a disciple and supplicates for the gift of Sreyas the good. He surrenders himself to the Lord. this frame of mind is the prerequisite to the attainment of spiritual enlightenment. it is a turning point in life. The Lord takes note of it, sympathizes with him and infuses courage into him which is the dire need of the hour. The grace of the Lord is unfailing in its descent on the devotee in the hour of need. What came as Preyas to Arjuna till this critical juncture now chooses to come as Sreyas.

He who seeks to make a sacred study of the Bhagvad Gita and he who desires to translate its tenets into action will do well to chant this verse every time and to evoke in himself the attitude of self surrender seen here in Arjuna. It is a prayer complete in itself.

3. Karmanyy evadhikaraste ma phalesu kadacana
    ma karmaphala hetur bhur ma te sango stu akarmani.

Karmani in work, eva only, adhikarah right, te thy, ma not phalesu in the fruits, kadacana at any time, ma not, karma phala hetuh bhuh let not the fruits of action be the motive, ma not, te thy, sangah attachment, astu let there be, akarmani in inaction.
Seek to perform your duty; but lay not claim to its fruits. Be you not the producer of the fruits of karma; neither shall you lean towards inaction.
there seems to be an anomaly and defeat of purpose in this injunction of the Lord. Not an atom moves without a motive. Beings are all busy either to gain something or to ward off something unwanted. In the absence of such a motive no action needs be performed. But the Lord induces Arjuna not to be motivated and at the same time to be intensely active. Yes, herein lies the turning point in life from Preyas to Sreyas. Good accrues from detachment and never from attachment. Karma in itself is no evil; but it becomes so when mixed up with desire. Desire tainted karma gives continuity to the wheel of birth and death. the seekers after heavenly enjoyments are also slaves to desire. conquerors of desire are they who care not for the fruits of Karma. Freedom from desire is the real freedom. When duty is discharged untanished by desire, clarity of understanding ensues. In addition to it, efficiency increases. Karma therefore has to be performed perfectly by the aspirant unmindful of the fruits therreof.

A boat may be floating on water, but no water should be allowed to get into it. Man may live in the world, but no worldly desires ought to take possession of him.

4.  Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata
    abhyuttanam adharmasys tadatmanam sr jamyaham.

Yada yada whenever, hi surely, dharmasya of righteousness, glanih decline, bhavati is, bharata O Bharata, abhyutthanam rise, adharmasya of unrighteousness, tada then, atmanam myself, srjami manifest, aham I.
Whenever there is decay of dharma and rise of adharma, then I embody Myself, O Bharata.
Dharma is verily the karma that is conducive to man's growth and progress; what impedes them is adharma. at every time adharma prevails and prevents man's evolution, the Cosmic Intelligence embodies Itself, as a matter of course.
Having personified Himself, what does the Lord do? He proclaims:-
5. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasayaca duskrtam
    dharma samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge.
Paritranaya for the protection, sadhunam of the good, vinasaya for the destruction, ca and, duskrtam of the wicked, dharma samsthapanarthaya for the firm establishment of righteousness, sambhavami I am born, yuge yuge in every age.
For the protection of the good for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of dharma I am born age after age.
Purgation is an unfailing process of Nature. The cleansing takes place at all levels in various ways. In the agriculture field it goes on as weeding and manuring. when the wicked become more in number in the world dharma would not thrive in their midst. war, pestilence, famine and such like forces inevitabaly come in both to strike a balance of the population and to set aright the perverts.
amoung the three gunas the predominance of Rajas and Tamas aggravates adharma which threatens to topple down the social fabric. The function of the Incarnation is to induce Sattva, the chief and foremost of the three gunas into society. And along with it Dharma begins to thrive. A balance of power among the three gunas is necessary for social order to work on right lines.

A viceroy is deputed by the monarch to quell lawlessness and disorder in a distant dominion. Similarly an Incarnation is the man of authority sent by Iswara into society. he comes to put in order all lapses and deviations in the practice of dharma.

6. Ananyas cintayantomam ye janah paryupasate
    tesam nityabhyuktanam yoga ksemam vahamyaham.
ananyah without others, cintayantah thinking, mam me, ye who, janah men, paryupasate worship, nitya abhiyuktanam of the ever united, yoga ksemam the supply of what is not already possessed, and the preservation of what is already possessed, vahami carry, aham I.
to those men who worship me alone, thinking of no other, who are ever devout, I provide gain and security.
This is a sublime statement revealing the law of life at the spiritual level. In the economy of Nature the distribution of labour is benignly meted out. It is all right for the body-bound man to toil for food and clothing. But he who has completely attuned himself to the Divine loses in calibre when he brings his mind down to the mundane level. The grace of the Lord works in such a way that this downfall does not take place. In every respect the spirituality of the spiritual man is promoted.
It is ananyabhakti when the love of the jivatman for the paramatman takes away all distictions between the two.
Yoga in the context of this stanza means the provision of the means required for the devotees bodily maintenance; and kshema means the protection of what has been provided.
The baby in the womb gets its nourishment from the mother because of the state of non-seperation between the two. the boon of ananyabhakti is even greater and more consequential than this. while the mother and the baby will be seperated by time, this jivathma and paramathma will be united for eternity. the grace of the Lord unfailingly facilitates this union. While the seekers of heaven chase the phantom, the genuine devotee of the Lord gains Him, the Incomparable.
When the devotee takes one stride towards the Lord, He takes ten strides towards that devotee. Such is his grace.

7.  Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistho
    mattah smrtir jnanam apohanamca
    vedaisca sarvair aham eva vedyo
    vedanta krd vedo vid eva caham.
sarvasya of all, ca and, aham I, hrdi in the heart, samnivistah seated mattah from me, smrtih memory, jnanam knowledge, apohanam their absence, ca and, vedaih by the Vedas, ca and, sarvaih by all, aham I, eva even, vedyah to be known, vedanta krt the author of Vedanta, vedavit the knower of Veda, eva even, ca and, aham I.
And I am seated in the hearts of all; from Me are memory, knowledge, as well as their loss; I am verily that which has to be known by all the Vedas; I am indeed the author of the Vedanta as well as the knower of the Vedas.
The Lord resides as consciousness in the hearts of all. Memory of what has been done before is possible because of this consciousness. knowledge or the faculty of understanding as to how to react to the changing circumstances - this power also comes from consciousness. as the unwanted old records are destroyed, the purposeless retention in memory and the aimless fostering of unwanted knowledge -- these are all done away with because of proximity of consciousness.
the various cosmic functions and the knowledge pertaining to them put together, are called the Vedas. It is the Paramathman revealing himself as nature. Everything in nature is in its own way expressing the glory of iswara. through the things impermanent His permanency is posited. His omniscience is evinced everywhere in nature  by the things sentient and insentient. Anandam Brahman that He is Bliss. is testified by the entire Nature. His omnipotence is also attested by the Cosmos. beauty is all His,  is borne testimony to by anything and everything in the universe. To know all these verities is to know the vedas. Iswara is the knower of the Vedas. But he does not exhaust Himself in the manifest universe. A speck in Him has become all these. The truth of His being infinitely beyond Nature is Vedanta.

8. Sarva dharman parityajya
    mam ekam saranam vraja\
    aham tvam sarva papebhyo
    moksayisyami ma sucah.
Sarva dharman all duties; parityajya having abandoned; mam to me; ekam alone; saranam refuge; vraja take; aham i; tva thee; sarva papebhyo from all sins; moksayisyami will liberate; ma not; sucha grieve;
Renounce all dharmas and take refuge in me alone. I shall liberate you from all sins; grieve not.
An embodied being is also an embodiment of karma. That karma is called dharma which proves helpful to the jivathma in his godward progress. On attainment of godhood that helpful dharma itself has to be renounced, its purpose being fully served. Surrendering himself to the Lord is the culmination of all the endeavours of the Jivathma. The import of self surrender requires to be truly understood. It is not the confession of ones inability to discharge one's duty oneself. It is not a supplication for an additional help from the Lord after the mode of a troop being replenished. Self surrender is like a stream joining a rivulet, the rivulet having ita confluence with the river and the river making itself to the ocean. Self surrender is verily self fulfilment. the will of the jivathma merges in the will of the Paramathma. Karma yoga raises the sadaka to the realization of this position. this is the result of self surrender.
9.  Yatra yogesvarah krsno
    yatra partho dhanur dharah
    tatra srir vijayo bhutir 
dhruva nitir matir mama.
yatra whereever; yogesvarah the Lord of Yoga; krsnah Krishna; yatra wherever; partha Partha; dhanurdharah the archer; tatra there; rih prosperity; vijayah victory; bhuthih happiness; dhruva firm; nitih policy; matih conviction; mama my;
Wherever is Krishna the Lord of yoga, wherever is Partha the wielderof the bow, there are prosperity, victory, expansion and sound policy; such is my conviction.
this statement is one of then governing principles of Bhagvad gita here stated by Sanjaya. Moksha is the goal of Yoga and it is to be attained by the grace of the Lord. The yoga power of the Lord with the excellent manliness of Arjuna would make the impossible possible. all human effort endeavour ought to be in tune with the will of the divine.

to be continued.

MAHALAKSHMI

The four famous stotras in praise of goddess Lakshmi are Saint Yamunacharya's Chatussloki, Kurattalwar's  Sristava, Parasara Bhatta's Sri Gunaratnakosa and the Sristuti by Vedanta desikar. others too like Sri suktam and Kanakadhara Stotra too give us the Picture of the Thayar through the eyes of great seers and sages.
The first and the foremost description of Thayar is what is given by the three alvars who were blessed with the vision of the divine couple. Two of them lit lamps the third alwar Pey alwar saw the divine vision. He began to describe what he saw as

Thiru kanden ponmeni kanden tigazhum
Arutkanni niranmum kanden - serukkilirum
Ponnazhi kanden - parisangam kaikanden
Yennazhi vannan pal inru

Thiru kanden ponmeni kanden means I saw Thiru. Thiru in Tamil stands for Lakshmi or Sri.
the alwars first saw  Lakshmi and then only the Lord.
The word SRI has been interpreted in six ways in Bhagavat sastras (Pancha ratra) etimologically.
S'riyate      (is resorted to)
S'rayate     (resorts to)
S'rnoti       (listens)
S'ravayati  (makes listen)
S'rnati       (removes)
S'rinati      (makes ripe)

Mahalakshmi personifies the concept of a life of health happiness and prosperity. She is the goddess of fortune and prosperity and bestower of wellbeing and wealth. She was one of the fourteen precious items emerging from the ocean of milk with a lotus in her hand during Amritamanthana.
She is regarded as the goddess of wealth, fortune, love, beauty, Māyā, Yoga Maya, joy and prosperity. She is both the wife and divine energy (shakti) of Vishnu, one of the principal deities of Hinduism and the Supreme Being in the Vaishnava tradition. Lakshmi is often depicted with Saraswati and Parvati as forming the trinity (Tridevi). It is described that for mankind, 8 types of goals (lakshmi) are necessary according to Hinduism: spiritual enlightenment, food, knowledge, resources, progeny, abundance, patience, and success. Hence there are Ashta Lakshmis ('Eight Lakshmis'): Ādi ('primeval'), Dhānya ('grain'), Vidya ('knowledge'), Dhana ('money'), Santāna ('progeny'), Gaja ('elephant'), Dhairya ('courage'), and Vijaya ('victorious') Lakshmi.

Lakshmi is depicted in Indian art as an elegantly dressed, prosperity-showering golden-coloured woman with an owl as her vehicle, signifying the importance of economic activity in maintenance of life, her ability to move, work and prevail in confusing darkness. She typically stands or sits like a yogin on a lotus pedestal, while holding a lotus in her hand, symbolizing fortune, self-knowledge, and spiritual liberation. Her iconography shows her with four hands, which represent the four aspects of human life important to Hindu culture: dharma, kāma, artha, and moksha.

Archaeological discoveries and ancient coins suggest the recognition and reverence for Lakshmi existing by the 1st millennium BCE. Lakshmi's iconography and statues have also been found in Hindu temples throughout Southeast Asia, estimated to be from the second half of the 1st millennium CE.The festivals of Diwali and Sharad Purnima (Kojagiri Purnima) are celebrated in her honor.

भद्रैषां लक्ष्मीर्निहिताधि वाचि bhadraiṣāṁ lakṣmīrnihitādhi vāci

"an auspicious fortune is attached to their words"

Karagre Vasute Lakshmi, karamadhye Saraswati,
Karamule tu govindaha prabhate karadarshanam.

One tells this sloka on waking up and it is symbolic of seeing Lakshmi first thing in the morning making each day an auspicious beginining.

Sri or Lakshmi occupies a pivotal position in the Srivaishnava system. We have the srisuktam where Lakshmi is refered to as Sri, and addressed as the goddess of plenty, prosperity, charm and golden complexion. She is always associated with Vishnu. Yamunacharya in Chatussloki, describes her as the goddess of plenty, prosperity, compassion and supreme authority. She is so great that even the lord does not know her in full. (so too what man can comprehend a Woman). Without her grace no one can aspire for any welfare, even liberation. Other great poets who have written about her glory are Kuresa, Parasara and Vedanta desikar.
However the two school of Srivaishnavism, the Vadagalai (Nothern) and Tengalai (Southern) are sharply divided regarding the exact status and nature of Lakshmi.

Vadagalai (Vedanta Desikar.)view.                       Tengalai (Pillai Lokacarya's.) view
Sri is the mother of all jivas.                                 Sri is the mother of all jivas.
Sri is all pervasive like God.                                 Sri is atomic in size.
Sri is "isvari"(belongs to category of God)             Sri belongs to category of Jivas but she is
                                                                         superior to all jivas.
Sri is the mediator.                                              Sri is the mediator.
Sri can grant Moksha.                                         Sri cannot grant Moksha.
Sri forms the goal of human life.                          Sri forms the goal of human life.

Sri Ramanujacharya refers to Lakshmi in his Saranagathi gadya as the mother of all, the consort of Lord Narayana. "sriyam devim nityanapayinim ............ saranam aham prapadye".
She tells Hanuman;
"papanam va subhanam va vadharhanam plavangama,
karyam karunam aryena na kaschit na aparadhyati."
"A noble person must be kind even to the most abominable sinners. there is none in this world who does not err."
The concept of Sri or Lakshmi or Periya Piratti (as she is called in Tamil) is unique to Srivaishnavism and has no parallel in any other religion or philosophy in the world. Right from the Vedic times to the present days there are innumerable texts extolling her Glory her constant presence and total unity with the Lord. She being the Upaya, Upeya and also the Mediatrix (Purusakara interceding between the souls and the Supreme being.
A few extracts from the vedas and puranas to understand Goddess Lakshmi's all pervading attributes.

Laksmya saha Hrsikeso divya karunya rupaya,
Raksakassarva siddhante Vedante api ca giyate.
Hrsikesa along with lakshmi with their divine merciful forms are the protectors of the entire cosmos. From Lakshmi Tantra.

Deva tiryanmanusyesu punnama Bhagavan Harih,
Strinami Lakshmih Maitreya nanayorvidyate param.
O Maitreya! among celestials, human beings and animals there are none greater than Lord Hari among males and Goddess Lakshmi among females. Sage Parasara.
Raghavatve abhavat Sita Rukmini Krsnajanmani,
Anyesu cavataresu Visnoresa anapayini.
Sita appeared along Lord Raghava while rukmini came with Krishna so also in all other advents also she appears when he does)
Nityamesa Jaganmata Visnosriranapayini.
Yatha sarvagato Vishustadaivayam dvijottama.
Just like Visnu, she is pervading all never leaving him. she is the universal mother, O highest among Brahmins.
Sri Parasara in Sri vishnu Purana.

Ananya Raghavenaham Bhaskarena prabha yatha..   (Sri Sita in Sundarakandam)
I am to Lord Raghava what lustre is to the Sun.

From Tiruvoimoli.
Veri marada pumeliruppal vinaitirkkume.
Nin tiruvarulum Pangayattan tiruvarulum kondu nin koil siyttu.
Ahalahilleniraiyum enralarmel mangai yurai marba.
Unakkerkum kola malarppavai.
Yanyanyani yatha sukham viharato rupani sarvanitan,'
Ahnsvairanurupa rupa vibhavai ghadhopa gudha yate.
Sada tavaivocitaya tavasriya.

Yamaambhya sukhenemam dustaramhi gunodadhim,
Niscarantyacirenaiva vyakta dhyana parayanah. 
The wise sages cross the ocean of senses and human existences by clinging to Her alone( Sri Satvata samhita)

Sakrtvibhata Sarvarthi samudra parisosini,
Bhavapankapaharini,
Paranirvana dayini.
She removes the sorrows of human existence and grants eternal bliss. (Brahma Purana)

Sarvakamapradam ramyam samsararnava tarinim,
ksipraprasadinim devim saranyam anucintayet.
those who seek to surrender should constantly meditate on goddess Lakshmi who gratifies all desires and helps to cross the ocean of life and grants prayers instantaneously.( Lord Brahma.)

Vacah param prarthayita prapadyennityatah sriyam.
those who wish to reach Godhead should worship goddess Sri in a disciplined and appropriate manner. sage Saunaka.

Akarasyatu vignanam akarajnana purvakam,
Tenakaram Sriyam jnatva tnatavya bhagavan harih.
It is only after realising Goddess Sri that one could understand Lord Hari.
sreyo nahyaravinda locanamanah kanta prasadadrte,
Samsrtyaksara vaisnavadhvasu nrnam sambhavyate karhicit.
For without the grace of the darling of the heart of the Lotus eyed Narayana bliss is never possible for the souls anywhere, in this world, in the kaivalya and in moksa samrajya. (Sri alavandar in Catuhksloki)

Alamesa paritratum raksasyo mahato bhayat,
Alamasmat paritratum Raghavat raksasi Ganam.
Sita alone can protect the demonesses from destruction as well as Sri Raghava's anger. (trijata in sundarakanda)

Atma vidya ca devi tvam vimukti phala dayini.
O goddess you are the one to grant knowledge of the soul as well as the fruits of liberation. (Indra in Vishnupurana)

Sriyam loke devajustam udaram.
She grants boons bounteously and is worshipped by Gods, for getting their ends accomplished.
Aisvaryamaksaragatim paramam padam va
Kasmaicit anjalibharam vahate vitirya
Asmai na kincit ucitam krtamitya thamba
Tvam lajjase kathaya koayamudara bhavah.
Should a man merely raise his joined hands in obeisance, you are pleased to grant him wealth, eternal soul knowledge and also salvation; yet you feel you have given very little and therefore feel ashamed, what magnanimity is this pray tell me? (Sri Guna Ratnakosa)

yace kim tvamahamiha yatah sitalodara sila
Bhuyo bhuyo disasi mahatam mangalanam prabandhan.
what more should I ask? You shower, without limit or obligation, blessings aplenty, lasting, cool and auspicious! You are so generous indeed! (Sri Stuti)

Yatassatvam tato laksmih.
Where Lakshmi is there exists auspiciousness and goodness. (VishnuPurana)

Yasyaste mahimanamatmana iva tvadvallabhoapi prabhuh
Nalammatumiyattaya niravadhim nityanukulam svatah.
Your greatness is limitless, eternal and full of  bliss. Though your loving consort is omnipotent and omniscient he cannot comprehend it in entrety even as He does not know his own greatness.

Yasyah kataksa viksa ksana laksam laksita Mahesasyuh,
Sri Rangaraja Mahisisa mamapi viksatam Laksmih.
May She, Laksmi, whose single glance brings ordinary mortals prosperity true, Direct Her looks, even a mere askance, towards me and bless me too.

Pillai Lokacharya.

Once Pillai Lokacharya (1203-1311) was given a boon by the Lord, who was extremely pleased with him, that anyone connected with the Acharya would attain salvation. Pillai Lokacharya's compassion was so great that thereafter he would touch even the ants and gaze for a long time at the trees in order to gain salvation for them.

Ratha Bandha

Ratha Bandha is a type of poem known as chitra kavi. The poem written in the squares comes out in the form of a chariot. The words which are filled in each square has got a relationship with the number indicated in the square. There are only four such Ratha bandha poems. Two are in Saivite literature and two in Vaishnavite literature. The Vaishnavite Ratha Bandha poems are authored by Thirumangai alwar and Thirukurukai Perumal Kavirayar. The later has written about Nammalvar and thirumangai alwar has written about God at Thirukkudanthai. The Saivite Ratha Bandhas are written by Gnana Sambandar and Nakkirar.

The Ratha Bandha poem is in the form of a chariot. Parallel lines are drawn with the squares formed. In the squares, the words in the poem are fitted in following the number method using the numbers 1 to 7 only. Hence this type of poetry is also known as Elukurrikkai. It contains seven graded parts. In this structure the ratha is divided into two halves upper and lower. In each half there are seven rectangles cut into squares. When cutting the squares, the first part, the top has one square only. the second three squares and the third five, the fourth seven, the fifth nine, the sixth eleven and the seventh thirteen. In the upper half of the chariot each row therefore has two chambers of squares more than the preceding part as we go down from the top. The same is repeated in the lower half of the ratha the difference that the top starts with thirteen chambers and ends with a baso of only one chamber. thus the top and the bottom of the rathas have the squares in the ascending and descending orders respectively.
If you fill in the numbers in the upper half we get the following picture

1

1 2 1

1 2 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1 

1 2 3 4 5 6 5 4 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The numbers are written in such a manner that when read horizontally the ascending order and the descending order is maintained in the pattern. As for example in the fourth row the numbers that are written are 1 2 3 4. In the ascending order and the second half of that row is the descending order viz 4 3 2 1. similar is the position with reference to each row. thus the last row has numbers in the ascending order upto 7 and then descending from 7 to 1. It will be seen that the outer wings of this triangle has consistently no 1. similarly each row read downwards also has the numbers arranged in the ascending order. a closer look will make it evident that the topmost step is 1 to the power of 2, second step is 11 to the power of 2, the third is 111 to the power of 2 , fourth step is 1111 to the power of 2 and the fifth step is 11111 to the power of 2, sixth is 111111 to the power of 2 and the seventh is 1111111 to the power of 2. both in the arohana and avarohana gradations. also when the number in the steps are added they present the following pattern: 1 (1 to the power of2), 4 (2 to the power of 2), 9 ( 3 to the power of 2), 16 (4 to the power of 2), 25 ( 5 to the power of 2), 36 (6 to the power of 2) and 49 ( 7 to the power of2). In addition when we read the numbers in the outer fringe and go inwards reading the subsequent numbers in each square, it is seen that the same number is arranged almost in the form of a garland. The outer fringe has no 1 all over, the immediate inner row has number 2 arranged in the form of a garland. subsequently 3 4 5 and 6 thus giving the impression of having arranged rows of garlands. thus we see the mathamatical beauty in the structure of the poem.

1

1 2 1

1 2 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1 

1 2 3 4 5 6 5 4 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 5 4 3 2 1 

1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 3 2 1 

1 2 3 2 1

1 2 1

1

It cannot be dipicted here but squares drawn or vertical and horizontaal lines drawn will give an idea of the ratha. 

This is the Ratha bandha diagram filled with the pasuram. the arrows indicate the maner in which it is to be read.

The unique poem written extolling the perumal of Sarangapani koil is in brief.

O Perumal! It is you who created Lord Brahma who was seated on a lotus and emerged from your naval, It is you who destroyed Lanka even at the sight of which teritory the sun god and the moon god tembled with fear etc.

Olipadaitha Kanninaai va va va
Uruthi kond nenchinaai va va va
Kalipadaitha moliyeenaai va va va
Kadumai konda tholinaai va va va
Thelivu petra mathiyeenaai va va va
Sirumai kandu ponguvaai va va va
Elimai kandu ponguvaai va va va
Erupol nadayeenaai va va va
Elaiya bharathathinaai va va va
Ethirilava lathinaai va va va
Oliyilantha nattiley ninrerum
Uthaya Gnayeeru opavey va va va

The Divine world of the Alwars. PS

Between the 6th and 9th centuries a group of Vaishnava saints appeared in South India who, through their lives as well as their songs, completely changed the religious life of India. Like thesages of ancient times , whose deep spiritual experiences became the foundation of most of Indian Philosophy. The Alwars also revealed their spiritual experience in their songs, and thusispired a new path towards God. One of ecstatic love. Their love was for Vishnu in all his aspects. He who was the lord of Vaikunta was also the Lord in the temple, he dwelt in their own hearts, these saints were the first to establish an intimate human relationship with God and realized him through intense longing. Longing as their own child or their playmates or their beloved etc. giving a glimpse of their divine love.


Poets,
beware, your life is indanger.
the lord of garden is a thief,
a cheat,
master of illusions;
he came to me
a wizard with words, sneaked into my body,
my breath,
with bystanders looking on
but seeing nothing, he consumed me
life and limb,
and filled me
made me over
into himself..                                          Nammalvar.


Selections from Kulashekar alwars works.

When then will be the day of praising mayan so that my mouth will ache,
of meeting his servants there and scattering flowers at His feet
of praising Him with joyful poems in Tamiland in sanskrit.
When my heart will totally melt away on seeing the sacred face and mixing with the crowds of sages.
when dancing and looking at Him, and praising Him and melting away,
remembering Him and weeping flods of tears minds water of joy without satiation,
I sing his many qualities and join the crowd of His servants.
When I too become one of His servants, seeing them in great joy in the sacred hall of Arankam.


The madness of religious ecstasy is the human response to the madness implied in Krsna's maya. Ideal bhakti is madness and only by means of it can something of a gulf created between the bhakta and Krsna by the laters maya be bridged.

Tears flow ceaselessly
hair standing on end
they are weak with longing and desire
they sing and dance
they fall and prostrate
rising they dance again
they bow at his feet.
Father Master, Lord of Arangam
his slave they be.
they who are mad for the Lord alone
they be not the ones who are mad
All those others
they indeed are mad.

I cannot mix with people of the world who consider this corporeal life as real, My Lord! My Aranga, is all I can say. I swoon with infatuation for My Lord Mayan.

To the world I am mad.
to me the world is mad.
Alas! what use dilating on this? O Cowherd lord I call mad with love for the Lord of Arangam my master.

Would that I were a fish
inthe pure springs
of holy Venkatam
Where honuyzed blossoms
grow in shady groves
Not for me
the endless glory
of Indra's heaven
nor the company of beauteous apsaras
Nor for me the wealth
of all the earth
Nor indeed its Lordship
As a Fish
may I take birth
in Tiruvenkatam

O Lord O venkata
Would that i were a step
at the entrance
to your shrine
trodden upon by devotees
by Gods and apsaras
who crowd to worship you
O Tirumal
who destroys our sins
that grow like weeds
Ceaselessly I need to see
your lips of coral hue
may I lie
as a step
upon your threshold.

I would be anything at all
upon Tiruvenkatam
the goldenhill
where lives
or coral liped Lord
Were i to gain
the lordship of
the heavenly worlds
it moves me not
Were I to win
beauteous Urvasi
with glitttering
girdle of
Gold
little care I
Lord rather would I be
anything at all
upon Venkatam.

My recurring grief you end not
and yet apart from you
there rests for me no refuge
O, Lord of Vittuvakodu
of flower filled groves of fragrance
When enraged mother drives away her child
that child still cries for her so too am I o, Lord
O Lord who slaughtered the savage elephant
if i reach not the refuge of your feet
where else can i survive?
Like bird in mid ocean which leaves the ship
to search for shore and returns to perch on the mast
of that self same ship
so too am i o Lord.

Light of the world shining from the good city of Ayodhya
surrounded by lofty walls. Beacon of the lineage of Kings of the solar race
Hero and saviour of all the celestials! Lord of lotus eyes and dark fame
Our very own Lord without a peer! He resides in the good Chitrakuta of Tillainagar. When O when will mine eyes feast on his form.


In Heaven, on earth, in hell,
willingly will I abide
if it be your wish
O Lord who destroyed Naraka
But always
even in that moment of death
will i meditate upon your gracious feet
and put shame to
the beauty of the fresh spring lotus

Selection from the Poygai, Pudatt and Pey Alwars.

po
The solid land the Lamp
its girdling liquid main the oil
and light, the shining Sun,
and thus i shall discover the stealing stranger.

Pu
With love as the lamp bowl,
desire as its oil
with the mind melting in bliss as its wick
I have kindled the lamp knowledge its light for Narayana.

Pe
Lo Her mercy  I see
And his form of gold I see
And their sun effulgent hues blending
indeed I see Proud daring discus,
And the friendly conch I see
All this, this blessed day,
in Him the ocean hued.


Po
Alone the lord of infinite glory,
O discus wielder! they say it is true that you swallowed the earth,
the mountains the ocean the winds and space
come to think was your mouth as big as this earth

Pe
Can the world understand this wonder
the lord who reclines in the ocean deep
came as a wonder child and killed an ogress.
He conducted the great Bharatha war
and destroyed mighty kings.
And yet he cringed in fear when his mother
threatened him with a churning rod for stealing butter

Pe
Though people will call him now full of mayan
and though he may be impossible to see henceforth,
he who is sweet is inside my souil.

What is subtle knowledge?
close the doors of the senses and apply on them
the locks of discremination.
Then study the revelatory works repeatedly,
and try to understand their meaning.
gradually the ocean hued Lord will reveal himself through Yoga.

Pu
Checking the five senses inside
taking choice flowers,
their minds filled with desire for God
knowing properly, reciting and praising his names,
people of great fortume will indeed see the feet
of Him of the black ocean's colour.

Pe
My eyes call to each other look, look and rejoice in
the body of Gold of him whose chest is radiant
with ornaments and garlands,
I worship with my hands the anklets of fine gold
and sing in pans about his deeds.

Po
The lord who wields the discuss is my love, go to him, says my heart,
praise his strong and beautiful arms and offer worship says my tongue,
see the lord who dispersed the past say my eyes,
hear the praise of the necklace and garland wearing lord say my ears.


Po
His names are Hara and Narayana,
His mounts the bull and the bird
His texts the agamas and vedas,
His abode the mount Kailash and The Ocean of Milk
His works dissolution and protection,
His weapons the spear and discuss,
his hue the fire and the cloud,
and yet he is one to all.

Pe
In the streaming hillsVenkatam,
the lord my father seems to have
both mat hair and crown,
he wields both the axe and discus,
wears both a snake around his neck
and the sacred thread
Two images blend into one
what a wonder.

Pu
O devoted heart! the good and the bad know that all this is He
The earth wind fire water and space these too are he
He stands as the five senses also.

My hearts permanent residence has his feet on my head
He is the gem hued lord who destroyed the asuras chest
the first cause lord of deluge and creation
the discuss weilder,
the resident of Attiyur, Kanchi.

Pe
though he is spoken of as the wonder lord, though they say he is hard to see,
though he measured the earth and sky with his feet, he certainly remains in our heart.

the discuss wielding tulsi garland lord bears the lotus damed lakshmi on his wide chest,
like lighting on a dark cloud.
she has beautiful lotus eyes and is seated on the nectar dripping flower.
she is our refuge today and for ever.

Pu
madly raving the names of the tulsi garlad wearing lord,
my heart is set on him alone.
my tongue speeks of his glories alone,
My body worships only the lord of Venkatam
surrounded by bamboo forest O!



Selections from Tirumalisai alwar.
O lord Narayana! you may grace me today, or tomorrow, or some time later, but your grace is definitely coming, I cannot be without you. Nor can you be without me.

Who is my companion but the Lord, who is his own without a peer or superior, O Kaya hued Lord,  nobody knows you as I do. Can the whole sky be the price for my mind.

See O Heart the supreme Lord exists. Always he exists. In the heart of devotees he exists. The Lord without a peer appears before devotees like me on his own, know it.

Everywhere on the hill amid cool mountain springs, the Lord appears before his devotees who sit in the forest meditating on his feet. The Venkatam Lord is the permanent fund for gods and men alike.

Who could see Him, unless by a singular ever increasing love; blocking the passage of the vile senses and placing a wax seal upon them, and opening up a passage for the true, sense object, kindling the fine lamp of knowledge, becoming weak in the bones, melting away in the heart, and turning ripe and soft in the soul.

The cosmic order by which moving and unmoving things arise ad dissolve back into you ad come to rest in you, exists in you; similar to the ocean's nature by which it white with its waves that below and rise up in it, bellows and rises and subsists in itself.

You have the power to make my thoughts,
you have the power to break my thoughts,
You are above my consciousness,
I know you now o maya Lord
pray do not trap me once again
in the web of semi illisions O!


Pursuing through my countless births,
the lord has caught up with me now,
The lotus lord of cloud-like hue
has come to stay within my heart.
He revealed his glory form,
sonow my soul indeed is blessed,
The karmic bonds are cut away,.
the soul has found its joyous home.

Selections from Nammalvar and Madurakavi alvar.

Na
I bow to the ocean of Tamil Vedas, the vak of Sri Satakopan which gives us all. It is manna for the devotees, pleasing to everyone, and deep as the Upanishads of a thousand threads.


Ma
Kanninun Siruttambu.

Sweeter to me than the Lord
who was fettered to the grindstone
Is the blessed saint of Kurugur;
His name makes my mouth water!

I uttered his name and found great joy,'
And sought his love lotus feet as truth,
Now another Lord I know not.
Singing his songs I roam the streets.

I roam but everywhere I see
The dark lovely frame of the Kurugur saint,
Who deemed me worthy of his grace.
This is my great fortune indeed.

Worthy scholars full of wisdom
Had declared me worthless, yet
Like father and mother in one.
He made me his own, Satakopan my lord.

Then I coveted others wealth,
courted lovely damsels.
Now I have the love, what more?---
Of the golden Kurugur city lord.

Henceforth and through seven lives.
That I may sing his praise, he hathed graced me,
He that rules the great city of Kurugur
Shall never fail me just see.

Having spotted me the dark framed saint
Purged me on my past misdeeds
I shall let the eight quarters know
The abiding grace of the speaker of pure Tamil.

For those who value grace,
He graced the Tamil Vedas see,
He sang for us a thousand sweet hymns
That is the greatest grace in this world.

He put great truths of the vedas
Into simple songs and placed them in my heart.
Great seer Satakopan's  all pervading love.
Is the reward for my surrender to him.

The useless and the worthless he will repair
And put to good use every soul.
O Lord of Kurugur where sweet cuckoos haunt,
 I only seek to deserve your abiding love.

to those who seek refuge,
Madhurakavi as friend has this to say
Seek refuge in the Lord of Kurugur
For believe me Vaikuntha is here.

Na.
O dark ocean, where the lord of dark effulgence like a black sun spreading a blue glow of dark rays reclines on a serpant bed. May you live! My lord slipped out in the dark of the night. His chariot tracks brought me to your shore. Pray do not wipe out the tracks with your dark as pitch waves.

The hot tempered sun eats up the four parte earth, sucks in the juice and spits out the dry desert. O precious girl who has just crossed that region1 Celestials come down to earth and worship the Lord Krishna in

Vehka, which is close at hand. just beyond it is the fragrant nectar grove surrounded Tirutaankal. It gives rellief to one in any condition. So hold on..

From the litter of Madana's bent arrows and broken bows, she salvages the good ones. Looking like a pale creaper she retreats, but only to return. Run for your lives, ye World! she will strike death with Madana's sceptre on the fast bird rider, Asura killed lord.

The sleepless Munis who overcome the pangs of repeated births, and all others, worship the Lord without a peer or superior, who is the Lord of the celestials too, But the wonder of his coming to steal butter is beyond their comprehension indeed!

O Lord who measured the Earth! When I think of you and fall into a trance, my heart swells with you inside, my Karmas disappear. When I wake up and see reality I become a part of the vast Universe that you are! How is this? Tell me?

We here, that man, this man, the other inbetween,
that woman, this woman, that other in between whoever,
those people, these people, and the others in between
bad things, good things things to be things that were.
He became all of them that one.


He sat he stood he moved about.
He didn't sit, he didn't stand. He didn't ;lie down
he didnt move about.
He is hard to know. If you think, he has one nature
thus always is His nature my steadfast one.

Who indeed can plumb the unfanthomable mind
Of the Lord supreme who could hold the worlds seven
in his stomach, big and tough,
And repose on a tender fig leaf.
I drank and drank, without intermission, thenectar pure,
The dazzling gem, the mystic Lord of wondrous deeds.
the shepherd chief, bound and beaten by cowherds
and got my nescience, matter born severed.


dwarf,
you confuse everyone.
but make me understand:
becomig oblivion,  memory,
heat, cold, all things wonderful,
and wonder itself, becoming every act of success,
every act of good and evil,
and every consequece,
becoming even the weariness of lives,
You stand there and what misery you bring.

Oh, radiant Lord, like unto the endless rays of a black sun,
With eyes like lotus, cool and red, hands, feet and lips, all red,
Even if you appear not before me, pray, lift me on
To your lotus feet, which did span all the worlds
And from this vassal service do command.

You undying flame, sad indeed is your plight,
Your gentle soul stands withered; Burnt are you
By the desire to get the Tulasi garland, cool and bright
Worn by our Lord with large lotus eyes and lips of red hue.

After seeing Tolaivillimangalam where people
prosperous in the enduringfour Vedas dwell,
she's lost  all self- control  see she's beyond you, women;
she cries, "Lord Kannan, dark as the sea, is everything that can be learned!
she has no modesty left, she keeps rejoicing, delighted within,she melts away.

To behold you (of beauty exquisite)
Who the thousand arms of mighty Vanan smote,
This young lady of forehead bright
stands consumed by a burning desire,
But your grace on her you dont confer.


If they should merge,
that's really good:
if the two that'll never meet
should meet,
then this human thing
wilol become ourlord,
the Dark one
with the sacred bird
on his banner
asif that possible.
It will always be itself.
There are yogis
who mistake fantasy
for true release
and run around
in circles
i the world
of what is and what was
and what will be.
It takes all kinds.

Its true
even I am You
even the unberable hell
of this world
is you
this being so
what's the difference?
One may go to paradise
and reach perfect joy
or go the other way and fall into hell
yet I being I
even when I remember
I am You
I still fear hell
lord in perpetual paradise
let me be at your feet.

He who took the seven bulls by the horns
he who devoured the seven worlds
made me his own cool place in heaven
and thought of me
what I thought of him
and became my own thoughts.

My dark one stands there as if nothing's changed
after taking entire into his maw all three worlds
the gods and the good kings
who hold their lands as a mother would a child in her womb
and I by his leave have taken him entire
and I have him in my belly for keeps.

I'm the earth you see she says
I'm all the visible skies she says
I'm the fire, the wind and the seas she says
Is it because our lord dark as the sea
has entered her and taken her over?
How can i explain my girl
to you who see nothing
but this world.

He is for he cannot not be
for his men for others he is
as if he is not
our lord is here
he lives here in me
and we're done with
growing and perishing
waxing and waning
like the moon done with
knowing and unknowing
like sunshine and nightdark.

Some Selections from Periyalvar and Andal.

a story first.

Once two of Ramanuja's disciples, Mudaliyandan and Vanigippurattu Nambi went to see Lord Ranganatha in the temple. a large crowd was there then, and Mudaliyandan went as usual to stand with the brahmins. On that day however, Nambi stood over to a side with a group of cowherd woman. after wards Mudaliyandan asked him, brother why did you join the cowherd woman to pray? nambi replied We are swelled with pride, and they are humble. It struck me that the Lord would look more graciously on them than on us.

words of wisdom:
For eight months during the year work for the rainy season,
during the day for the night.
during youth for old age,
during this life for next.

Pe
For many years and everlasting years and many thousands of years and crores of hundreds of thousands of years let Thine red feet's beauty be protected! O Lord of emerald blue hue who have shoulders that vanquished the wrestlers!

Let thou along with ourselves Thine inseperable servants live for everlasting years! Let her adorning Thee as ornament residing on Thine right chest, live for everlasting years! Let the luminous blazing sharp disc in Thine right hand which is capable of annihilating foes be preserved for everlasting years. Let Thine conch whose sound pierces through the clanging din of weapons in battle be preserved for everlasting years.

Wearing the cloth which thou hast worn and discarded, taking the food remaining after Thou hast eaten, wearing the garland of tulsi that has adorned Thee and given to me, thus do we, Thine feet worshippers, performing assiduously the tasks allotted to us in whichever directions, sing eternal years to Thee who art lying on the luminous serpant, during the period of Tiruvonam.

When the Lord Sri Krishna Kesava was born in Tirukkotiyur of beautiful mansions they spilled oil and turmeric powder on one another, slushing the portico of Krishn's house.
They ran and fell, then rose and greated joyously, asking, Where is our Lord?
singers dancers and drummers everywhere thronged the cowherd's hamlet.
The cowherd folk poured out good milk, curds and ghee from rope shelf, overturned the empty pots in the portico and danced on them tossing their dishevelled hair, and lost their minds.

Hide not in the clouds
O lovely moon
if you wish to play
with my precious son
eagerly
he calls to you
my darling
his tiny hands
raised upwards
pointing to the sky
Tarry not come soon
come gleefully
O gentle moon.

O Sridhara! You say, Giving credence to complaints of others, did you not blame me for stealing their butter, and bind me by my hand to themstone mortar for all to see? If you stand there taunting me for all my deeds, the bores in your ears will seal. Come let me insert this thread, so these girls don't laugh and fun of you.

O Hrishikesa you say, If my ears inflame, what is the difference between you and those girls? Alas I bored your ears without a thread fearing it might ache your head. It is my mistake. O Lord who killed the bull Arishtanemi and the calf Vatasura. Dear as my eyes. Look all the village children go about with thread in their ear bore.

O Lord of dark ocean hue. Overturning the oil pitchers, pinching and waking up sleeping children, turning your eyelids inside out, such are the mischiefs you play. My master I will give you fruit to eat. Come, you must have your bath.

O Dame Yasoda! the child you have is a fitting partner to his brother. Like tamarind poured over a wound, alas, they gobble upthe butter, then throw the earthern pots on a rock to hear the crashing sound. Call up your son. He goes from house to house deftly doing wicked deeds. We are not able to guard against the things he has learnt, you must restrain him.

Come here come here come here, O vamana Lord, come here. O Lord Kakuthstha with dark hair and red lips, Come! O ladies!  he is hard to catch for me today! o dark lord I cannot bear to here the complaints of the neighbours. Come here to this wicked self.

The beautiful cowherd lord is adorned with peacock feathers having dark center spots, and many jewels over his properly worn yellow vestments. When he played his flute, the trees stood enchanted and rained streams of nectar, poured flowers, and  bent their upper branches in every which way he stood. Oh, the things they did in supplication.

The Fortress is Put on Guard, he says that the Lord has saved him in this world and the next and he need not have any fear: Chitragupta's verdict with the stamp affixed by Yama, King of the Southern Quarter, has been quashed, the messengers of death have fled. The Lord who reclines in the pearly ocean, Lord of enlightened sages, the ambrosial delight of devotees, has made me his. No more like old, the fortress is on guard.

Caught You now i will never let you go. Lest you disappear with your magical powers, I swear upon the lady of the lotus! You were never true to anyone. O Lord of Tirumalairunsolai, abounding in springs in which people from town and village throng to bathe and worship to rid themselves of the Karmas, O My master.

In the longing to see the place where he sleeps a pretended sleep, on the serpant which has roled out as a mattress on the white ocean, my soul gets agitated. Lacking any comfort, I sob; my hair stands on end, I shed tears, and cannot find any sleep in my bed.

The only verse where a shadow of andal has been seen in Vishnuchittan's work is:

I have but one daughter
the world hailed my great fortune.
I raised her as if
she were a goddess Sri
Lotus eyed Mal (Krishna) took her away.

An.

In ancient days
did Kumbhakarna lose to you?
falling into the jaws of death
did he perhaps bequeth to you
his profound slumber?
You slothful one, bright gem,
do not sleep, open the door.

Arise and join us
for the melodious name of Hari
reverberating through the air
has entered our souls
brought us surpassing peace.

Guard the mansion of Nandagopa, our leader, and keeper of the gate, with flags and festoons, lift the latch of the gem set doors. Yesterday the mysterious one, of shaphire blue complexion, promised to give the drum to us, the cowherd girls. We have come here in all purity to wake Him with songs. Pray, do not hinder us, O beloved one please open the twin doors, which stand closed like friendly neighbours.

We humble cowherds
eke out our days
roaming the forests,
grazing our herds.
Little lurning ours,
But ours the fortune
that you took birth in our clan
O Govinda of excellence
nor you nor we
may revoke the relationship
between us here
O supreme Lord,
we are artless children.
Forgive us for hailing you
in familiar ways.
Let your grace be upon us,
grant us our desire.
Fulfill, O song of our vow.

Very early in the morning we have come to worship You and praise Your golden lotus feet, O Govinda, be pleased to listen to the real purpose of this. having been born in the race which lives and eats by grazing cows, you should not decline homage and service from us. Note that we have not come to receive the Parai(drum) from you. We are one with you for seven times seven births, and we shall serve you and you alone. convert all our desires into a desire for you.


Selections from Tiruppan alwar.

Immaculate Lord, Primeval One,
I am the devotee of your devotees
O Spotless One,
Leader of the devas
Lord of Venkatam
where fragrant groves abound
My perfect Lord
Upholder of justice
Flawless one who abides
in the grand shrines of Srirangam
May your lotus feet
forever shine before my eyes.

Whose tall crown reached up to the worlds summit when with delight in his heart he measured the universe.
who was kakutsha (rama) with the  fierce arrows that devoured the demons when they attacked him that day;
who is the lord of Srirangam with fragrant groves to the garments tied round his waist runs my mind.
who shot a single fierce arrow that the ten heads of the king of Lanka surrounded on all sides by lofty walls fell off, after repelling him first.
Who has the complexion with oceans colour; who is the lord of Srirangam where black bees hum sweetly and big peacocks dance the zone around his holy waist abides inside my soul and swings about in it.

Thy lips have enslaved my mind. O Lord, who art a most wonderful person. holding in thy hands the beautiful conch, and the disc which is death to Thy enemies! Thy beautiful body is like the mountain green. Adorned with tulsi garland and wearing the crown of sovereignty. thou art my father residing in Srirangam which is an ornament, reclining on the serpant bed.

An infant
you lay upon
a leaf of the banyan tree
Devouring the seven worlds
you slumber upon
the serpant couch
at Srirangam
Upon your chest
there rests
a garland of rubies
a neclace of pearls
My heart lies captive
to the endless beauty
of your form
of glistening blue!
How, O how can I describe
your splendour.

He has stolen my heart
the Lord of azure hue
the cowherd boy
the butter thief
O leader of the devas
Lord of Srirangam
these blessed eyes of mine
have gazed upon
your beauteous form
Never again
may they look upon another!

Selections from Tondaradippodi alvar.

It is in His life that the idea of serving the devotees as the Lord himself first finds its expression.

O LOrd who art residing at Srirangam, O Thou first Being who dost keep the three worlds within thyself and throwest them out of thyself. By learning to repeat thy name, the senses and the sinful objects of those are restrained, and having gone beyond and in a challenging attitude we have placed our feet on the heads of Yama and his hosts.

a face with the hue of the dark mountain, lips like corals, eyes like red lotus. O Achyuta Lord of celestials, beloved of the cowherds, thus and thus I sing If I were to give up this and get a taste of Indra's power to rule over the celestials, I shall not relish it O my lord Ranganatha.

Standing in the encircleing sins, even Ksatrabandhu by uttering the three lettered name of thine (Go-vin-da), attained the highest state. Lo! even though knowing that our superb loving God of Srirangam descends to save his devotees who do this much alone, uttering His name, unheeding
men are caught up in birth.

all dwellers of this earth surrounded by the vast scented ocean, if only these men, though lacking the knowledge for praising the Lord of celestials wearing the fragrant tulsi flower garland, would but utter Srirangam, then the entire Naraka in which the senses are caught will disperse.

Seeing the Lord of the colour of the Ocean, resting on the serpant, having placed His crowned head to the eastern direction and His feet to the Western direction, His back to the North and gazing at Lanka in the southern direction, my soul has begun to melt, O Dweller of the Earth, what shall I do?

If the devotees but perceive the wonderful person in Srirangam surrounded by the waters, lying on the serpant, His chest adorned by Sri, His body like the emerald, and His broad shoulders, His eyes like pure lotuses, His lips red and mouth like coral, and His crown large and glorious, and His effulgence, they would grow vast.

If the mind from beginningless time has been going towards other things is directed towards the coral red lipped of Srirangam in submission, then it is possible for the mind to know the wonderful purpose of the resting of the emerald hued Lord in the beautiful golden Meru like temple in Srirangam.

You manifestly like those servants who express their love for your feet, though they may be born as outcastes, more than the chaturvedins who are strangers and without allegiance to your service.

O Lord of Srirangam
It's time to awake
the sun looks over
the crest of
the eastern hill
Night has departed
giving way to dawn
the morning buds open
dripping with honey
Gods and Kings
throng to your shrine
hey await you.
the trumpeting of
many elephants
the resonance of
beating drums
a sound like
the surge of
ocean waves
O Lord of Srirangam
will you not awaken
from your slumber.

The eastern winds blows softly over blossoms of Mullai wafting their fragrance everywhere. The swan pair nestling among lotus blossoms have woken up flapping their wings wet with due. O Lord of Arangam who saved the mighty elephant Gajendra from the death like jaws of the crocodile, pray wake up.

Twilight spreads all over the horizon. The little stars disappear. The tender dew moon is disappearing. Darkness disappears. Areca fronds burst spilling their golden inflorescence, blown by the wind. O Lord of Arangam pray wake up.

The sounds of the cowherd's flute and the bels of the cattle blend and spread everywhere. In the fields the bumble bees are swarming. O Lord of celestials who destroyed the Lankan clan with a bow and stood guard over the seers sacrifice! O Lord, Ayodhya's coronated King! O LOrd of Arangam my liege, pray wake up.

The birds in the groves are chirping, night has disappeared, day has broken, the sea has begun to roar with waves. The bumble bees are humming. The Gods have entered with Kadamba garlands to serve you. O LOrd of arangam worshipped by Lanka's  king pray wake up.

This here is the sun god, rider of the jewelled chariot. This here is the lord of the eleven Adityas. This here is the six faced Subramanya, rider of the peacock. these here are the Maruts and the Vasus in throngs, dancing and singing in delight crowding the great hall in front of your sanctum. O Lord of Arangam, pray wake up.

This here is the throng of celestials. These here are the great munis and maruts. This here is Indra come riding on his elephant in front of your temple. With Sundaras crowding and Vidyadharas cramping, the Yaksha are lost in contemplation of your feet. There is no place to stand. O Lord of Arangam pray wake up.

With celestials reciting sonorously, the great cow Kapila in front and a beautiful mirror held aloft, the good sages stand on their toes for a glimpse of your flame. the celestials bards Tumbura and Narada have entered. the sun has made his appearance with radiant rays. the darkness of the hall has disappeared. O Lord of Arangam pray wake up.

The air is rent with the music of beautiful one stringed instruments, drums, lyres, flutes, and cymbals. All night long the Kinnaras, the Garudas and the gandharvas have been singing songs. the great sages and celestials, the hyakshas, the charanas and the siddhas have been yearning to worship your feet. Now to grant them audience, O Lord of Arangam wake up.

See the lotus blooms in profusion. The sun has risen from the sea. Slender hipped dames  with curly locks come out of the river drying their hair and squeeze drying their clothes. O Lord of Arangam surrounded by kaveri waters, you have graced this lofty serf, Tondaradippodi bearing a flower basket, with service to devotees, O Lord wake up.

(When the soul by the holy spirit sees the Lord, there are no words to describe, which is made known only by the holy spirit, and were men to understand what the Lord is all would be transformed: the rich would despise their riches, scholars their learning, and rulers their glory and power. Every man would humble himself and live in profound peace and love. and there would be great joy on earth.)

Selections from Tirumangai alwar.

Weary was I
sad, weary and worn
sunk in deep sorrow
I sought the company of young woman
thinking only of
the pleasures they bring
I wanted to escape
I ran and ran
I discovered the knowledge,
the greatest of all,
I searched and searched
I realized
the sacred name of Narayana

I became a thief
deceitful, dishonest
I wandered hither and thither
Yet light dawned upon me
with melting heart and choked voice
your praise I sing
body bathed in streaming tears
I repeat day and night
the sacred name of Narayana.

The lord who saved the elephant in distress and lifted a mount to protect the cows against rain resides at Nangur in Tirumanik-Kudam where the river Kaveri flows into fragrant groves everywhere, and lashes out grains of gold.

The Lord whocame as a fish, manikin, swan, boar, man-lion, and horse rider, who is the universe, the orbs and all else, is my master residing in Nangur inTirumanik-Kudam amid brave warriors who put to flight the kings of the southern Pandya kingdom and the Western Chera Kingdom.

Doubt and certainty, truth and falsity, the spirit of the forms on earth and the forms themselves all these are my Lord, who resides at Nangur in Tirumanik kudam, where the Valai fish and red  Kayal fish drink the nectar spilled by lotuses and dance enhanted.

O Lord Sugriva, we salute you, Hail! We praise the name of Rama till our tongues swell. Pray tell your monkey clan not to kill us! Like entertainers, we dance the Kulamani Duram.

The world ruler your King Rama became the Lord of death for our king Ravana. Long live your Nilan. Long live your Sushenan. Long live your Angadan. We fear them and we dance the Kulamani Duram.

O those of the Rakshasa clan! come gather. If you want their anger to subside, here is all you need to say. Instead of boastful words, call Glory be to Hanuman, the powerful one from birth, and let the death givers sit and watch you dance the Kulamani Duram.

My Lord came as Nara - Narayana and divulged the sacred texts. He is also the one who packed the twin Orbs, the Earth, the Oceans, the mountains and the fires all within his stomach! And look now he is a child leashed to a mortar for stealing the cowherd dame's butter! Ca there ever be a greater wonder than this anywhere?

O Dragon fly! What do you get from hovering over blossoming flowers! Go to my Lord of Tirukkannapuram he is the Lord of the Universe, worshiped by all the celestials  come backand blow over me the fragrance of the tulasi wreath.

Water, Sky the Earth, Fire and Wind
being all this he is Lord above all.
He denies his Tulsi wreath
to my asking weeping self. He resides in Tiruvali
amid fertile watered groves.
O Pecking sharp beek crane,
learn what he intends for me.

On his own he doesn't pine for me
I alone do pine and despair.
is it right to make me thin
through the pain of fish emblem lord?
he resides in Tiruvali
Cowherd lord and King of the realm.
O Honey tongue bumble bees,
tell him of my woeful disease.

 O Heart! Bow that-a-ways and arise. What can i do to forget him? He followed me into the groves by the lake bursting with pollen, and said, Frail one! I shall never leave you, then left me. He resides in Pullani surrounded by groves of fresh blossom fragrance.

O Heart! The Lord who wields the plough and discus came as a friend and left as a deceiver; he has no compassion. He resides in Pullani by the sea, land of seperated lovers amid cool enchanting rivuletrs in the tall groves where happy bees swarm and sing. Bow that-a-ways and arise.

The spotless crescent Moon, the wave ridden ocean, the blossom fragrant breeze, and the shrill cry of Anril birds all have joined hands to break and wrench my heart. Through mist filled days, I lie sleepless. Long ago the lotus hued lord stole my senses and my well being. Alas he does not pity me considering, after all she is frail maiden. Carry me now to his abode in Kurungudi.

See, her fawn like sharp eyes
are in tears, her bangles
do not remain.
All night long she talks of
cool nectared Basil and
loses her sleep.
Forester, stealing the
curds and ghee from the closed
houses of maids,
Nanda's son, how ca n I
accept what he did to
my daughter frail!

Seated firmly without fatigue or fidgeting, bring your upper eyelids close to the lower. Subdue the five senses, fill your heart with love for the Lord alone. Let thought flow freely on that one alone. There in the effulgence emerging, you will see the lord who is body of light. Those who do so, do surely see the truth.

Tiruppaan Azhwar Amaladipiran PS

The Spotless Lord Primordial

Of the spotless Lord Primordial
The lotus feet divine
came crowding into my eyes
to make me his slaves slave
The stainless king of the gods
And to Venkatam's fragrant groves,
The spotless righteous lord
Of the sky and Srirangam,s fort.

Jubilant he measured the earth
His tall head pierced the sky
The Kakutsa whose arrows burnt
The demons of the dark
Lord of Srirangam's grooves
My thoughts all wing their way
To his red waistcloth.

At Srirangam is his snake-bed
But at Venkatam in the north
He stands on a huge hill
Monkeys leaping around
That the gods may meet him there.
It is his yellow garment
Like the twilight sky
And his lovely stomach
Which created the creator
That are the sweet life
Of my life.

The sea hued with his burning shafts
Made Lanka's ten-headed king.
For all its fort four square
First run then run with blood
And the lord of Srirangam
Humming sweet with bees
Beautiful peacocks a dance
Has let his waistband enter
My heart and walk therein.

He snapped the bonds of my past
A burden, an incubus
Made me his own and more
what fearful penance I performed
For this i do not know
It is the chest of Srirangam's lord
With its garlands and Lakshmi
That has captivated me.

The Lord of Srirangam
Its grooves haunted by lovely bees
Had come to the rescue of him
who wears the white crescent
The neck which swallowed the worlds
Orb on orb to outermost space
Entire beyond the seven hills
Behold has made me live!

Whorled conch and fiery disc
Held inhis two hands
His body stretched like a mountain,
My lord with his long head
Fragrant with basil,
The wizard set on his snake
In jewelled Srirangam
With his red mouth, behold!
has captured all my thoughts.

He tore that demon's body
That came as a horse,
The spotless lord of Srirangam
Primordial lord
Hard to acccess to the gods
His long black eyes red streaked
Stretching bright onhis dark face
have befooled me
And made me mad!

A baby on a fig leaf
Who swallowed all seven worlds
Lies now on his serpent bed
In Srirangam.
His lovely necklace of gems
And his strings of pearls
With his blue body
Endlessly beautiful
have, O wonderful!
Entered my heart and filled it.

Having seen the rain cloud hued
The butter-besmeared milklad's mouth
Of himwho filched my heart away,
My ambrosia
Lord of the Gods and of Srirangam,
These my eyes
Have no wish to see
Aught else!

FAITH revisited.

The complexity of faith ----- emphasized by Ramanuja is quiet simple to him Faith is both cognitive and emotive. It is the recurrent if not quiet unremitting self reminding of a supremacy and also a growing subservience in love. Further it sometimes manifests as loud praise and is on other occasions merely cherished consciously but quietly. It may be a wordless ecstasy wrapping one away into remoteness from the world or the active source of composure in the midst of hectic activity. For Ramanuja Faith is an integral yoga with components of worship, discrimination, meditation, devotion, surrender, steady remembrance of the Lord. He actively turns to god and a realised inability to be sustained by anything except God. God alone is the unfailing source of sustenance, the actively breaking away from things and dwelling continuously on god. Faith only makes for a godward orientation of all ones actions. Thus:
1. Faith is a continuous contemplation.
2. It implies profound humility in relation to the Lord.
3. an acceptance and persuit of God as the supreme goal.
Thus Devotion of the above kind would make one skill in action as well, as what ever he does is offered to God. naturally he will offer his best in every thing he does. he performs every task with a loving keenness as an offering to the Lord. The measure of Faith is to have even more of it. he realises that God is that platitude of all that a man's heart can rightly crave for. he realizes that the finite self depends solely on the supreme self. he then observes the maya of god and sees him in every thing and every body. and that there is no distiction between the finite and supreme self. he understands the facts of how god is omnipotent omnipresent. He sees God as the adhara for every thing. he understands the meaning of tat tvam asi. Brahman is said to be the very life breath of the self. Brahma has its root and abode in that lies in that rests on that. Ramanuja insists that the individual soul finds its completion in the higher self only. its a direct discovery of being utterly grounded in god.
For Ramanuja the concept of the body as the defect of the soul has not held any significance. in fact he is marvelled at the utility of the body to realise that Brahman. which is the most significant function the body does perform.
What if one thought there was nothing to seek as here and now he is playing the role assigned to him. he does live every instance as if for god as he feels god is with him at all times. concentrates on the present and forgets the past or future. faces life with this new vision this body this thought this mission is dedicated to God.

to be continued of course.