Agara pooja.

 Yudhistir performs agara pooja in raja suya yagna to Sri krishna.

3 AM.

 

Today.

 "What day is it?" asked Pooh.

"It's today," squeaked Piglet.

"My favorite day," said Pooh.

Here's to hoping that your today is wonderful.

What can be done.

 Emi Sethura Linga Song - Translation

When I think

Of

Fetching some Ganges waters

And do ablutions to Lord Siva

All the fish and frogs in the Ganges

Say full-throated, “These waters are

All defiled, contaminated with (our) spittle.”

When I think

Of

Offering some milk

From the select (brown) cowherds

The young calves bellowed, “All that

Milk is contaminated with our (lips') licking.”

When I think

Of

Performing Your puja heartily

With flowers of Leucas aspera (tummi)

Crores of bees on the branches

Say, “These flowers are all

Desecrated, contaminated with our spittle.”

O The Great One, Our Superior God, Our Amorphous One

(This is a translation of the Telugu devotional song, “emi sethura linga”, an approximate one at best. In an earlier post here, I have given the original Telugu lyrics. One needs to dwell, ponder, and think on such superb songs to derive the full benefit of bhakti feeling. This devotional song is no exception. I pay my humble homage to Dr. Balamurali for a moving rendition and I bow reverentially to the anonymous composer. The lyricist has condensed the entire, “Siva-tatva” into three simple stanzas. Once while gently plucking the highly aromatic jasmine flowers,

Blessings from unknown.

 

Sri Krishna Mangalam

Translated by P.R.Ramachander

Mangala stotras are normally recited at the end of reciting several stotras or the end of singing several songs or at the end of an auspicious function. The devotee wishes auspiciousness to the Lord. Mangalam may also mean “good wishes”, or “wishes for a happy ending”.

This great Mangala stotra of Lord Krishna narrates the story of Lord Krishna in detail.

Mangalam Yadavendraya, mahaneeya gunabhdhaye, Vasudeva thanujaya, vaasudevaya mangalam., 1 

Mangalam to the chief of cowherds,

Who is the great sea of all that is good,

Mangalam to the Vaasudeva,

Who is the son of Vasudeva.[1]

Kireeta kundala braja dala kairyanmukhasriye, Sri Vathsa kaushtboth bhasi vakshase chasthu Mangalam., 2 

Mangalam to Him whose chest shines

Because of Srivathsa and Kaushthubha,

Mangalam to Him whose hair locks,

Get the shine from his crown and ear studs. [2]

Neelambudha nikasaya vidhyuth sadrusa vasase, Devaki vaasudevabhyam samsthudayasthu mangalam., 3 

Mangalam to Him who was brought in the world,

By Devaki and Vasudeva,

Mangalam to Him who is like the blue cloud,

And who lives in it like a streak of lightning[3].

Thaabhyam samprarthithayadha prakrutha bhaka roopine, Yasodaya gruham pithra prapithayasthu mangalam., 4 

Mangalam to Him who assumed the unusual form,

From being a new born babe,

Mangalam to Him who was taken by his father,

To the home of Yasodha[4].

Poothana asupayapana pesalaya suraraye, Sakatasura vidwamsi . padapadmaya Mangalam., 5 

Mangalam to Him who is killer of enemies of Devas,

Who drank the milk of life of Poothana.

Mangalam to him who with his lotus like feet,

Kicked and killed the Sakatasura[5].

Yasodha lokithe swasye viswaroopa pradarshine, Maaya maanusha roopaya madhavayasthu mangalam., 6 

Mangalam to Him who by opening his mouth,

Showed Yasodha his universal form,

Mangalam to that great God,

Who assumed a human form of illusion[6].

Thrunavarttha dhanoojasuharinee, shubhakarine, Vathsasura prabhethre cha vathsa paalaya mangalam., 7 

Mangalam to Him who killed a Rakshasa

Called Thrunavartha and brought good tidings,

Mangalam to Him who killed the Vathsasura,

And looked after his own calves[7].

Damodharaya veeraya yamalarjuna pathine, Dhathra hruthaanaam vathsanaam roopa darthresthu mangalam., 8 

Mangalam to the victorious one,

Who with a rope tied to his waist,

Broke the tree of Yamalarjuna,

Mangalam to Him who assumed,

The form of cows when they were,

Hidden by the God who creates[8].

Brhamasthuthaya krishnaya, kalleya phana nruthyathe, Davagni rakshithasesha gogopalaya mangalam., 9 

Mangalam to Him whom Brahma prayed,

And who danced on the hood of Kalinga,

Mangalam to Him who saved cows and cowherds,

From the raging forest fire[9].

Govardhanachaladharthre gopi kreedabhilakshine, Anjalya hrutha vasthranam supreethayasthu mangalam., 10 

Mangalam to Him who lifted the Govardhana mountain,

And who wished to play with the Gopis,

Mangalam to him who loved the Gopis,

Sudarshanakhya gandharva shapa mokshana karine, Sanga chooda siroharthre, vrushabhagnaya managalam., 11 

Mangalam to him who removed the curse,

Of Sudarshana who was a gandharwa,

Mangalam to him who cut off the head of Sangachooda,

And who killed the Asura who came in the form of a bull[11].

Kanthini sutha sandrushta divya roopaya sourine, Trivakraya prarthithaya, sundarangaya mangalam., 12 

Mangalam to Him , whose divine valorous form,

Made Akroora, the son of kanthini satisfied,

Mangalam to Him who was prayed by Trivakra,

And who got extremely pretty limbs[12].

Gandha malyam paratyaya, gajaraja vimadhine, Chanura mushti prana harine chasthu mangalam., 13 

Mangalam to Him who wore silk, garlands,

And sandal paste and killed the king of elephants,

Mangalam to Him who stole the life of Chanura and Mushtika[13].

Kamsahanthre Jarasandha baa mardhana karine, Madhurapura vaasaya mahadheeraya mangalam., 14 

Mangalam to Him who killed Kamsa,

And who caused the killing of Jarasandha,

Mangalam to Him who lived in the city of Mathura,

And who was the bravest among the brave[14].

Muchukunda mahananda dhayine paramathmane, Rukhmanee pariethre, cha sabalayasthu Mangalam., 15 

Mangalam to him who granted,

Great happiness to Muchukunda,

And who is the ultimate truth,

Mangalam to Him who married Rukhmani,

And who is always with the helpless[15].

Dwarakapura vasaya haranoopura dharine, Sathyabhama samedhaya narakagnaya mangalam., 16 

Mangalam to Him, who lived in the city of Dwaraka,

And wore golden chains and anklets,

Mangalam to Him who along with Sathyabhama,

Killed the asura called Naraka[16].

Banasura karachethre, bhoothanatha sthuthaya cha, Dharmahoothaya yagartham, sarmadhayasthu mangalam., 17 

Mangalam to Him who cut off the hands of Banasura,

And who was praised by Lord Shiva,

Mangalam to Him who was invited by,

Dharmaputhra for participating in the yaga[17].

Karayithre Jarasandha vadam bheemena rajabhi, Mukthai sthuthaya thathputhra rajyadhayasthu mangalam., 18 

Mangalam to Him Who caused the killing,

Of Jarasandha by the king Bheema,

Mangalam to Him who was praised by the released kings,

And the one who gave the kingdom to Jarasandha’s son[18].

Chaidhyathejopaharthre cha pandava priyakarine, Kuchelaya maha bhagya dhayine, thesthu mangalam., 19 

Mangalam to Him who stole the power of Shishupala,

And who did desirable acts to the Pandavas,

Mangalam to Him who was the cause,

Of the great luck to Kuchela[19].

Devyasthka samedhaya puthrapouthrayudhaya cha, Shodasa sthree sahasraisthu samyudhayasthu

Mangalam to Him who with his eight queens,

With his children and grandchildren,

And sixteen thousand wives lived and shined.

Ya sishta rakshanapara karunamburasi, Dushtasuraam sanrupatheen vinigruha ya suran, Kashtam dasam apanuthandarasa pruthivya, Pushtim dadadthu sahari kuladaivatham na., 21 

Let that Hari,who looks after those,

Who seek his protection,

Who is a sea of mercy,

And who relieved the bad times of mother earth,

By killing bad asuras, kings, people,

Become the god of our clan and

Grant us exuberant times[20].

The only

 NarYana is the only non changing one all else changes.. change is the only constant.

Changing days nights people places seasons everything changes. Time too.

As per texts like the Vishnu Purana, Bhagavata Purana, Garuda Purana, and the Padma Purana, Narayana is Vishnu himself who incarnates in various avatars.

According to the Bhagavad Gita, he is also the "Guru of the Universe". The Bhagavata Purana declares Narayana as the Supreme Personality of Godhead who engages in the creation of 14 worlds within the universe Brahma who is Deity of rajas-guna, himself sustains, maintains and preserves the universe as Vishnu by accepting sattva-guna. Narayana himself annihilates the universe at the end of Maha-Kalpa as Kalagni Rudra who is presiding deity of tamas-guna.

According to the Bhagavata Purana, Purusha Sukta, Narayana Sukta, and Narayana Upanishad from the Vedas, he is the ultimate soul.

According to Madhvacharya, Narayana is one of the five Vyuhas of Vishnu, which are cosmic emanations of God in contrast to his incarnate avatars. Madhvacharya separates Vishnu's manifestations into two groups: Vishnu's vyuhas (emanations) and His avataras (incarnations).[7] The Vyuhas have their basis in the Pancharatras, a sectarian text that was accepted as authoritative by both the Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita schools of Vedanta. They are mechanisms by which the universe is ordered, was created, and evolves. Narayana possesses the chatur-vyuha aspects of Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha, who evolve one after the other in the development of the universe.

One of our tribe.

 Ananthasayanam Ayyangar (1891-1978) was a veteran freedom fighter, outstanding parliamentarian, as well as a former speaker of the Lok Sabha. His full name was Madabhooshi Ananthasayanam Ayyangar 

https://youtu.be/dzH6IYoYI2M

Madabhushi Ananthasayanam Ayyangar was born on 4th of February 1891 in Thiruchanur, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.

Ayyangar completed his formal education from Devasthanam High School in Tirupati and Pachiappa’s College in Chennai, moving on to earn a degree in law from the Madras Law College in 1913. Beginning his career as a Mathematics teacher in 1912, Ananthasayanam Ayyangar turned towards the legal profession in 1915, practicing at Chitoor. Whilst pursuing a successful career in law, he longed to witness an independent judicial system in India, thus becoming an activist lawyer.

 He advocated for Indian judicial reform-argued for the judicial system to be centred on Indian conditions rather than merely importing the British practices.

 

Role in India’s Independence Movement.

He was deeply involved in the Non-cooperation movement, 1921; individual Satyagraha in 1940 and Quit Indian movement, 1942.

 

In 1934, he was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly from the Congress Party, a move to influence the British from within the government. In the Legislative Assembly, he was known for his oratory and debating skills; he took part in the proceedings and provided valuable insights on all issues.

 

Contribution to Constitution Making:

Ayyangar was elected to the Assembly from Madras province on a Congress Party ticket. In the Assembly, he actively participated in the debates and intervened in issues ranging from fundamental rights of arrested and detained persons, to the Supreme Court.

 

Later Contributions:

Ayyangar was appointed as the Deputy Speaker between 1952 to 1956 and thereafter as the Speaker of Lok Sabha from 8th March 1956 to 16th April 1962.

 

He held various positions including Delegate, Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, Ottawa, 1952; Chairman, Railway Convention Committee, 1954; Governor of Bihar between 1962 and 1967.

 

He passed away in 1978.

 

Key Writings:

His writings include 'Our Parliament and Indian Culture and Religious Thought'.

With the temperament of a Nationalist, Ayyangar’s strong interests in the freedom movement even saw him suffer imprisonment, to eventually become one of the leading figures of the Indian National Congress. He even played an instrumental role in the Non-Cooperation Movement and social activities regarding issues on untouchability, caste system and social upliftment of the Harijans, under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi. Ayyangar entered politics in 1922 as Municipal Councilor and was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly in 1934. His outstanding debating skills and remarkable performances there earned him respect and recognition, along with names like the ‘Emden of the Assembly’.

Continuously striving hard for public cause, he went on to be unanimously elected as the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha in 1952. After the demise of former Speaker Dadasaheb Mavlankar, Ananthasayanam Ayyangar then became the next Speaker of the Lok Sabha on 8th March, 1956, and was again re-elected to office during the Second Lok Sabha as well, serving his post with diligence in the years ahead. He also went on to visit China in 1956 as the leader of a Parliamentary delegation, host the first Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference in India in 1957, and preside over the CPA Conference in Canberra in 1959. His role in the Parliament saw him as an authority on the Constitution, Personal Law and Hindu Law, whilst he also effectively implemented his views on issues like Standing Committees, Bills, Adjournment Motions, and Resolutions, that have become established practices in the current parliamentary system.

In 1962, Ayyangar became Governor of Bihar and served the post till 1967. After retirement from an active political life, Ayyangar utilized his scholarly forte immensely contributing to field of education, covering various subjects, especially that of Sanskrit and Indian Culture. He also served as Chancellor of the Rishikul University and was the Chairman of the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidya Peeth at Tirupati, earlier known as the Kendriya Sanskrit Sanghathan, under whose leadership these institutions became predominant. He even has a book to his credit, named ‘Our Parliament’. For his immense contributions to the field of learning, he was bestowed with the prestigious degree of ‘Doctor of Literature’ by the Shri Vaishnava Theological University at Brindavan, in 1954.

Shri M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar passed away on 19th March, 1978. In his fond memory, The Madabhushi Ananthasayanam Institute of Public Affairs (MAIPA) was founded under his name; while recently, a life-size bronze statue of Ananthasayanam Ayyangar was unveiled at Tirupati by Maharashtra governor s m Krishna.