kailasa for all.

 

Adi Sankara, who propagated bhakti movement and showed us six types of prayers, lived only 32 years. Tamil saint Tirugnanasambandar lived half that many years; yet he is celebrated as first among equals: if you go to any Saivite temple, you will find him occupying prime position, followed by other saints such as Sundarar and Manickavasagar. In fact, Tirugnanasambandar is considered to be an avatar of Murugan, as per Arunagiri Nadhar, Vallalar and other savants, said P. Swaminathan in a discourse.

Siva temples resonate during his guru puja day. Born in Seergazhi as the son of Sivapadha Irudhayar, he attained moksha in Tirunaloorthirumanam, known as Achalpuram today. As a toddler he was blessed to have sucked gnana from Goddess Umayal, after which he started rendering poems. At three years of age, he received all graces and rendered Ammai, Appan, songs. The pasuram Thodudaya Seliyan sprang out of him spontaneously after the darshan of Siva and Umayal at Seergazhi temple. After God’s grace, Sambandar embarked on yatras to spread Sanatana Dharma. As he was still a child, and could not walk long distances, his father and other Sivan adiyars used to carry him on their shoulders as he spread bhakti among people everywhere.

When he turned 16, his parents persuaded him to get married. When Sambandar expressed reluctance, as marriage might hinder his service to Siva, his father reminded him that as per Vedas, one has to be married for the efficacy of spiritual pursuits. Sambandar agreed and his marriage was fixed with Sosthra Poornambigai of Thirunaloorthirumanam. On arrival at the venue, Sambandar prays to the presiding deity Sivaloka Tyagesan. As his wedding is conducted by the Tiruneelakanda Nayanar, the groom’s mind is in turmoil. As he circumabulated the agni with his bride, he beseeched Siva saying, “How will I serve you if trapped in family life? I only want to serve you forever.” Understanding his turmoil, Siva asked him if he was ready to enter Kailasa, His abode, along with his family. Not only Sambandar’s wife but both their parents and all the attendees sought Kailasa along with the newlyweds willingly. In order to achieve moksha in that manner, one has to be a true devotee, wanting nothing other than serving Him at all times and reaching His abode.

S M

 Swami Mudaliyandan was a Hindu Vaishnava religious figure who lived in the 11th century CE. He was a nephew of Sri Ramanuja, the codifier of the philosophy of Srivaishnavism.

Swami Mudaliyaandaan was born in 1027 CE at Pachhai Vaarana Perumal Sannidhi (referred to as "Nazarethpettai" today) in Thondai mandalam, in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India. His parents were Vaadhoola Kula Thilaka Sri Anantha Narayana Dikshithar and Naachiyaramman (Sri Ramanuja 's sister). Daasarathi, as he was named, was Ramanuja's Priya Bhagineya in the parlance of the age. Born to his service, and known as "Yathiraaja Paaduka", he enjoyed a special relationship with Emberummanaar (Ramanuja) all his life.

Having begun his learning with his father, Daasarathi would go on to become, with Koorathazhwan, a pillar of support to Emberumaanar, acclaimed by him as being identical to his thridandam - his staff of office as a sanyasi. However, Emberumaanar kept him busy in many ways, as he was a capable executive and administrator. He was later to be known as "Sriranganaatha Divyaalaya Nirvahana Dhurandhara" - the genius who organized, under Emberumanaars tutelage, the administration of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple.

As he ruled the temple staff like Senai Muthaliyaar (Sri Vishvaksena), he was given the name Muthali-Aandaan. He is mentioned in the Koyil Ozhugu, the chronicle of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, in glowing terms: "muthaliyaandaanum kurattilirunthu koyil kariyaththaiyum uLLe karuvulaka vaasalileyirunthu thirumeni upachaaraththayum, sannathiyile irunthu thiruppavaLa upchaarangaLayum udayavar niyamanappadi aaraaynthu kondu anaiththazhagum kaNdarula paNNIk-kondirunthaar". (Roughly translated as: And Muthaliyandan administered the following, according to Ramanuja's orders, the many works of the temple, the services to the Lord, and the works of the Shrine.)

Sri Muthaliyaandaan is most well known for his lapidary saying, here given in transliterated maNipraavaaLam: "oru malaiyil ninru, oru malaiyil thaavum simha shareeraththil janthukkaL pole bhaashyakaarar samsaaralanganam paNNa avarOdundaana kudalthudakkaale naam udhdheerdaraavuthomenru muthaliyaandaruLi-ch-cheytha paasuram". This is roughly translatable as follows: When a lion leaps from a mountain to another, all the creatures that live on his body go with him. Even so, when Udayavar transcended this world, all of us who

are associated with him benefit from this as well.

His descendants are now among the Acharyas of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition, and carry the title of Mudaliyandan Swami. Prominent one being his son, Srimad Vadoola Kovil Kandhadai Annan Swami, whose descendants are one of the ashtadiggajas of the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya following the Thenkalaiacharya branch.

Equal to God.

The Lord grants liberation to those who surrender to Him. They have realised that He is the upaaya (means) to liberation. In this respect, we have a lot to learn from the cows of Gokula. They had no cares in the world, for they knew Krishna was there to protect them. That absolute trust in Him is essential for moksha, said Velukkudi Krishnan in a discourse.

The cows would make their way to Brindavan to graze there. They knew the route well, and the Gopas and Gopikas just had to follow them. Similarly, all we have to do is to take the path shown by our revered Acharyas. Once breast fed babies are weaned, it is cow’s milk that they are given. Cows are equal to our mothers. That is why the cow is called gomatha. Looking after cows confers merits on us. This does not mean only cows that yield milk. It is easy to look after such cows, because we benefit from them. But even when cows no longer yield milk, we must still continue to care for them. Should we not be grateful for the milk they have given us for many years? Sadly, we think on selfish lines these days, and turn out cows, when they are past the age of fertility. This sorry state of affairs was predicted in the Vishnu Purana. This Purana anticipated what was to come and said that in future, people would look after cows only for their milk, and not because they were sacred. It is because cows are considered sacred, that go daana is significant.

In the Ayodhya Kanda of the Ramayana, we find a story of a poor Brahmin who asked Rama for help. Rama said that all he had to do was to throw the staff he held in his hand. All the cows, which came within its ambit, would be given to him. The man threw his staff, and it fell some distance away, and the result was that thousands of cows became his.

paasam prabham

 Slokam 1

Chatus Chakram Namasyaami Kesavam kanakaprabham /

NaaraayaNam ghana syaamam chatus sankham namaamyaham /

Slokam 2:

Madhavam maNi pankaabham chinthayaami Chatur Gadham /

Chandrbhaasam chatus Saarngham govindam abi samsrayE //

Slokam 3:

VishNum chatur Halam vandE pancha kinchalka sannibham /

Chatur Musalamabjaabham samsrayE Madhusoodhanam //

Slokam 4:

Agni varNam chatu: KaDgam bhaavayaami Trivikramam/

Vaamanam baala sooryaabham chatur Vajram vibhaavayE//

Slokam 5:

Sreedharam punDareekaabham chatu: PaTTa samaasrayE/

Chatur Mudgaram abhyEmi HrisheekEsam thaTith prabham//

Slokam 6:

Panchaayudham padmanaabham praNamaami arka rOchisham/

DaamOdharam chatu: Paasam Indrakopa nibham bhajE//

Slokam 7:

VaasudEvam upaasEham poornEndhyutha sannibham /

Oordva puNDrEshu iti Sreemaan nityam dhyaayeetha naamabhi//.

Old age.

 Old age, I decided, is a gift.

I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body - the wrinkles, the baggy eyes and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror, but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to overeat, to be messy, to be extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read until 4:00 am and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50s & 60s, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the bikini set. They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten and I eventually remember the important things. Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when a beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turn gray and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. 

So many have never laughed and so many have died before their hair could turn silver. I can say "no" and mean it. I can say "yes" and mean it. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day.

Author unknown 

Art Vakker

Honour by poet.

 

Singing bowl budhist.

 Relaxing attempt. 

https://youtu.be/cyhrM3lwugM