Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Godavari

Goda the name evokes a noble idea in the mind. repeating it has a purifying effect as it drives away evil thoughts and makes us prepared to receive the Lords grace.
Godavari is one of the greatest rivers that meanders through 900 miles in South India. Rising at Tryambakam near Nasik the river has several legends associated with it.
Sage Gautama who performed tapas to expiate the sin of accidentally killing a cow. The pleased Siva brought down Ganga on the Brahmagiri hill near Trayambaka and the waters resuscitated the dead cow, absolving Gautama of Go-hatya. the Stream came to be known as Godavari  meaning also as the best of rivers rich ever green and prosperous the seven sages of the Indian puranas are closely associated with several places on the pathway of Godavari. 
From Dowleswaram the Godavari flows as two streams called Gautami and Vasista to join the Bay of Bengal at Yanam and Narasapur.
On the banks of this great river did Rama and Sita spent their happiest moments. Agastyar directs Rama to Panchavati when he decides to move further south. On reaching Panchavat on the banks of Godavari they are mesmerized by the beauty of Nature. The changing seasons bring forth various comforts and pleasures. 
Kalidasa in his Ramayana has Rama Pointing out Panchavati to Sita as they fly back in the Pushpaka vimana  from Lanka to Ayodhya. QUOTE RAMA "I REMEMBER RETURNING FROM HUNTING AND RESTING WITH MY HEAD ON YOUR LAP IN THE GARDEN ON THE GODAVARI BANK. THE COOL BREEZE FROM THE RIVER USED TO LULL ME INTO PLEASANT SLEEP AT ONCE"
Kamban describes  Godavari as a decoration of Mother Earth.
a noble poem. 
The divine river Kadavu aaruappeared to be welcoming the Ayodhya royalty with lotuses and Lillies. At the same time the gushing waters seemed to be sorrowing for the fate of the princely three wander as homeless ascetics. Romantic thoughts breeze through the minds of Sita and Rama as they watch the birds and animals and the sand banks on the river.
The crafty V D weaves the greatness of Godavari  to that of Goda devi saying just like her beauty generosity love compassion and grace the river too has all these qualities. the flow of Thirumozhi and Tirupavai from verse to verse he says is just like the gentle waves of the river Godavari.
Samudravati:
Savitri
Angee:
Mahee:
Mahah:
Dharanee:
Surasarih:
Ihahvyapinee;
Suraguna vyathishtah: 
Jalasayinee:
Sriyandhara:
Adho parisati:








































Monday, February 27, 2017

45 songs on Therezhundur.

Once Thirumangai alwar s in the course of his pilgrimage landed in the town Therezhundur. he asked the people for the name of the presiding deity of the temple. when he was told it was Devadirajan he thought that it was a temple for Indra and therefore did not visit the temple while passing through the town. Perumal wanted the Alwar to visit and sing a few pasurams in his praise. well he can do anything it so happened the Alwar could not pass by for he felt his leg very heavy as if it was made of metal. dejected he expressed his inability to walk and thought of God later he visited the temple and on seeing Perumal Devadirajan he understood what had transpired and to make up for his earlier unintended error he sang 45 pasurams on the Lord here. this is one of the five Krishna Kshetrams the Lord is seen having four hands.


Sunday, February 26, 2017

twice born but unaware of the plot within.

There are two mothers for the seeker. One is the gayathri manthra
through which one becomes dhvija, meaning twice-born and the other is
the ashtakshara manthra through which he becomes qualified for moksha.








Nammalwar says that he is unaware of the plotting going on within him by the senses that are trying to divert him from his only goal in life to serve the Lord and be engrossed in him all the time.
Mind is a strange worker. example if one sees only good and makes it a habit to do so your mind will after a while get habituated to pick only the good. one must remember that there is plenty out there and one has to be selective to pick only the good to train the mind. this became all the more relevant yesterday during the class where a story was repeated by the teacher. he had said the same story a couple of years before and the words you wont believe were just the same. the same sentence and the same example. 
this for me was a repetition as when young we had this Madhav Maharaj who used to stay in our house when ever he came to town and that particular time he asked us to play some recording from his previous bhagvad saptha. it so happened we played one tape and that happened to be the same section which he had narrated that day and he too was surprised as to how he had picked up the same example even the words were almost similar. the way the story was narrated this was in Gujarathi. yesterday was Tamil irrespective of language the mind processes the idea and stores info so it is very important to feed the mind only positive thoughts and experiences. the more positive one gets the better it is so make it a habit. it is tricky to train the mind but trained it can be. 

Friday, February 24, 2017

Thirumangai mannan Ceaser.

The well known story of how Thirumangai alwar waylaid rich persons near Thirumanam kollai and by diverting the taxes which he had collected in his area as a chieftain was feeding thousands of vaishnavite saints every day. The King got to know of this and put him behind the bars inside the temple. even today the priest point out the place where he was imprisoned. When he was in the Prison the Perumal appeared in his dream and told him that the sum equal to the money that was diverted by him would be found concealed in the bed of the river Vegavati near Kanchi. God asked him to reclaim that money and render unto Ceser what belonged to Ceser. Thirumangai alwar acted accordingly and got his release from the prison.
After this incident Thirumangai alwar prayed to the Lord to make him a vaishnavite so as to enable him to cross the last hurdle before marrying Kumudavalli. Perumal agreed to become his guru. The idol of Perumal in the Garba griha is seen with his two hands holding the Shanka and chakra as if to imprint the shanka and chakra on his disciple and perform the Samashrayam ceremony. Perumal here thence forth came to be known as Nambi

Mark of a wise man.

Aatmajnaanam samaarambha stitikshaa dharmanityataa
Yamarthaannaapakarshanti sa vai pandita uchyate.
That one is wise who does not deviate from the higher goals of life, rooted as he is in self knowledge, endeavour, forberance and adherence to dharma.

Yasya krityam na vighnanti sheetamushnam bhayamsatih
Samriddhirasamriddhirvaa sa vai pandita uchyate.
That one is wise whose actions are not obstructed by cold, heat, fear, love affluence or poverty.

Naapraapyamabhivaanjhanti nashtam nechchhanti shochitum
Aapatsu ch na muhyanti sa vai pandita uchyate.
That one is wise who does not hanker after the unattainable, who does not worry over what is lost and who faces calamities without losing his senses.

Nischitwaa yah prakramate naantarvasati karmanah
Avandhyakaalo vashyaatmaa sa vai pandita uchyate.
That one is wise whose endeavors are preceded by a firm commitment, who does not take long rests before the task is accomplished, who does not waste his time and who has control over his mind.

Na hrishyatyaa masamnnaane naavamaanena tapyate
gaango hrada ivakshobhyo yah sah pandita uchyate.
That one is wise who does not rejoice when honoured does not become dejected when dis-honored and is not swayed by emotions under the mot trying circumstances.

Artham mahaantamaasaadya vidyaamaishwarya me va vaa.
Vicharatya samunnaddho yah sah pandita uchyate.
That one is wise who even after acquiring great wealth, learning or control over others goes about his job without being conceited in the heart.




Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Sapta Kanya.

Ganga, Yamuna, Sindhu, Kaveri, Godavari and saraswati were playing on the slopes of Vindhya mountains when a Gandharva by name Visvavasu happened to pass that way. He bowed to them in a reverential manner and continued on his errand. but the girls were girls and a dispute arose they decided to catch the culprit on his return journey and clear their doubt { To whom amongst them did he show his respects to} Lo Behold Visvasu was cornered in the evening on his return journey and was broached with their very important question. He of course cunning as ever left them in a greater confusion by saying it was meant for whoever was the greatest amongst them. the competition boiled down to ultimately between Ganga and Kaveri for they both laid claim to be the greater one. They decided to approach Brahma who narated to them the story of the origin of Ganga. 
Now Kaveri could not accept this and she did severe penance and Brahma appeared once again and as he was pleased he said now she had the equal status with Ganga. but Kaveri could not take this so she continued to want an ever greater status than Ganga so Brahma advised her to go to Sara kshetram sit under the arasa maram on the banks of sara puskarini and pray to perumal and her wish would surely be answered.
She did severe penance and on the day of full moon in the month of thai Maha vishnu manifested before her as a child. she held the child close to her and knew that it was the Lord and so desired he appear in his true swaroopa. the Lord is said to have appeared sitting on Garuda and accompanied by sridevi and Neela devi adorning the shanka and chakra. He also appeared in his dasa avtara before her.
Kaveri asked the Lord for three boons. one to continue to stay in sara kshetram, she requested moksa for every one and thirdly to be recognized as superior to Ganga.  this was also assured when the Lord came to reside in Srirangam. Kaveri was thus greater to Ganga. There is a small sannidhi for Kaveri on the banks of the sara tank under a peepul tree. 

Thiruchcherai Mannargudi temple connection..

Alagiya Manavala Nayaka who was ruling at Tanjore was engaged in the construction of the Rajagopala swamy temple at Mannargudi in Tanjore dist. Due to non avalability of the special kind of stone for the construction, the king made alternate arrangements to have the stones carried form outside the district. But unknown to the King his minister Narasa Bhoopalan who had a special interest in renovating the Saranath temple in Tiruchcherai ordered that one stone from each cart be off loaded at tiruchcheri. By this small diversion he was able to renovate the tiruchcheri temple completely. But as usual the king got to learn of this and wanted to investigate this himself. When Narasa Bhoopalan came to know of the kings visit he acted fast and knowing the kings great Love for Rajagopala he installed the idol of the Lord Rajagopala with his consorts in the Front mandapam before the Lords idol of Tiruchcheri koil. The King was very pleased he sanctioned the expenses for the complete renovation of the temple.Thus today we find a small sannidhi for Rajagopala swamy in the Tiruchcheri temple.
This is the only Vaishnavite temple where the Lord is seen with his five consorts as he is seen in Vaikunta holding a lotus flower in his right hand. 
Sri devi represents Earth, Bhoomidevi represents Vayu, Neela devi Aaksa, Sara nayaki represents Water, and Mahalakshmi seated on his chest represents Fire. Thai Poosam is celebrated in this temple which is a unique feature for a Vaishnavite temple.