Sri Lalitha Devi Jayanthi

Sri Lalithambika - Thirumeeyachur, TN.

When Masi month, Pournami and Maga nakshaktra fall on the same day, it is Sri Lalitha Devi Jayanthi. This day is when both Surya from his son Saneeswara's house Kumba rasi and Chandra from Surya's house Simha rasi, have a straight seventh vision.

In Srividya upasana, ambal is worshiped in ten forms namely, 

1. Tara
2. Matangi
3. Bagalamukhi
4. Chinnamasta
5. Dumavati
6. Bhuvaneswari
7. Kali
8. Tripura Bhairavi
9. Kamala
10. Lalitha

Of this, Sri Lalitha (Tripura Sundari) avatar happened on the evening of Maga masa Pournami Tithi which is celebrated as Sri Lalitha Jayanthi. 

Worship of Sri Lalitha Jayanthi

• Dress Devi's vigraha or picture with sandal paste, kumkum and flowers.
• Worship Devi by chanting Sri Lalitha Trishati, Sri Lalitha ashtothram.
• Offer Devi sweet pongal as neivedhyam/
• Offer Tamboolam (beetal leaf and nuts) to a minimum of nine suvasinis (sumangali family women).
• In the evening after sunset, drenched in pournami moon rays, do Sri Lalitha Sahasranama parayanam.
• Those who do not know Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam can do parayanam of Soundarya Lahari or Abhirami Andhadhi.

Worshiper is blessed with a long and healthy life with all sowbhagyams

This article is translated from 'Vaithika Sri' (Tamil magazine).

Sri Rudra Roopam Dhyanam

॥ नमः शिवाय ॥

Worship of Shivalinga

The popular belief is that the Shiva Lingam represents the phallus or the virile organ, the emblem of the generative power or principle in nature. This is not only a serious mistake, but also a grave blunder. In the post-Vedic period, the Linga became symbolical of the generative power of the Lord Shiva. Linga is the differentiating mark. It is certainly not the sex-mark. You will find in the Linga Purana: Pradhanam prakritir yadahur-lingamuttamam; Gandhavarnarasairhinam sabda-sparsadi-varjitam - The foremost Linga which is primary and is devoid of smell, colour, taste, hearing, touch, etc., is spoken of as Prakriti (Nature).

Linga means ‘mark’, in Sanskrit. It is a symbol which points to an inference. When you see a big flood in a river, you infer that there had been heavy rains the previous day. When you see smoke, you infer that there is fire. This vast world of countless forms is a Linga of the Omnipotent Lord. The Shiva Linga is a symbol of Lord Shiva. When you look at the Linga, your mind is at once elevated and you begin to think of the Lord.

Lord Shiva is really formless. He has no form of his own and yet all forms are His forms. All forms are pervaded by Lord Shiva. Every form is the form or Linga of Lord Shiva.

அன்னை ஸ்ரீ ஆண்டவன் பிச்சி - வாழ்க்கைக் குறிப்பு.. ஐந்தாம் மற்றும் நிறைவுப் பகுதி

1951 ஆகஸ்ட் 28, காயத்ரி ஜபம். மரகதம்மா அன்று சமையலை தான் கவனித்துக் கொள்வதாகக் கூறி சமையல் செய்பவரை வீட்டில் உள்ள மற்ற ஆண்களுடன் காயத்ரி ஜபம் செய்ய அனுப்பினார். நைஷ்டிக பிரம்மசாரியான அவர் காபி போடுவதற்காக ஒரு பெரிய பாத்திரம் நிறைய தண்ணீரை அடுப்பில் வைத்துவிட்டு மாடிக்கு சென்றுவிட்டார். கொல்லைப்புறத்தில் உள்ள பூஜையறை முற்றத்தில் கோலம் போடுவதற்காக மரகதம்மா சென்றார். அங்கேதான் அனைவரும் அமர்ந்து பஜனை செய்வது வழக்கம். அங்கு இரு மரங்களுக்கிடையே ஒரு மேடை இருந்தது. முற்றத்தின் கதவை திறந்ததும் கண்ட காட்சியானது அவரை சிலையாக்கியது. தன் கண்களையே அவரால் நம்பமுடியவில்லை. அங்கே மேடையில் தண்டபாணியின் கையை பிடித்துக்கொண்டு சாக்ஷாத் ஸ்ரீ ரமண பகவானே தான் எப்போதும் அமர்ந்திருப்பதுபோல் சாய்ந்து உட்கார்ந்திருந்தார்.

அன்னை ஸ்ரீ ஆண்டவன் பிச்சி - வாழ்க்கைக் குறிப்பு.. முதல் பகுதி - உள்ளம் உருகுதையா பாடல்

அதிகம் அறியப்படாத ஆன்மீக துறவி அன்னை ஸ்ரீ ஆண்டவன் பிச்சி அவர்கள். முருகக்கடவுள் மீது புகழ்பெற்ற பாடல்கள் இயற்றியுள்ளார். இவர் இயற்றிய பாடல்கள் பரிச்சயமான அளவுக்கு இவரைப்பற்றி அநேகருக்குத் தெரியாது. இவர் இயற்றிய "உள்ளம் உருகுதையா" என்ற பாடல் (சென்னை காளிகாம்பாள் கோயிலில் பாடப்பெற்றது) திரு.டி.எம்.சௌந்தரராஜன் அவர்களின் தேன் குரலில் இன்றளவும் நம்மை மயக்குகின்றது.

கந்தக் கடவுளின் நினைவு நம் மனதில் எழும் மாத்திரத்தில், கூடவே அந்த அழகு முருகனைப் போற்றும் தமிழ்ப்பாடல்களும், அவற்றை உள்ளம் உருகிப் பாடிய டி.எம்.சௌந்தர்ராஜன் பற்றிய நினைவும் நம் மனதில் எழுவது நிச்சயம்! குறிப்பாக, 'உள்ளம் உருகுதய்யா...’ பாடலைக் கேட்டு உருகாத தமிழ் உள்ளங்களே இல்லை எனலாம். ஆனால், அந்தப் பாடல் உருவானதன் பின்னணியில் ஒரு சுவையான சம்பவம் இருப்பது பலருக்கும் தெரியாது.

கந்த சஷ்டி விரதம் - சட்டியில் இருந்தால் அகப்பையில் வரும்

திருசெந்தூர் ஷண்முகர்

கந்த சஷ்டி விரதம் ஐப்பசி மாத தீபாவளி அமாவாசையின் பின் அதாவது வளர்பிறை பிரதமை திதி முதல் ஆறாம் நாளான சஷ்டி திதி வரையான ஆறு தினங்களும் நோற்கப்பட்டு சூரசம்ஹார நிகழ்வுடன் நிறைவு பெறுகின்றது. அறியாமை என்னும் அஞ்ஞான இருளை அகற்றி, மெய்ஞானமாகி மிளிர்கின்ற பரம்பொருளின் முக்திப் பேரருளை அடைவதற்காகச் சைவப் பெருமக்களால் அனுஷ்டிக்கப்படும் விரதங்களுள் தலையாயது கந்த சஷ்டி விரதம்.

Sri Kasi Annapoorna and Deepavali

The Goddess of Food or the Goddess of Nourishment (Anna means food and Poorna means complete or full), Mata Parvati. always protects and bless Her devotees with food and prosperity.

Annacoot festival is celebrated in India every year after Deepavali. Annapoorna temple has a huge crowd of pilgrims on the occasion of Annacoot. Mountains of fruits, sweets and cereals are laid out before the Goddess and then distributed to the poor. Coins are distributed as Prasad to all the devotees; it is considered that whoever worship this coin will be blessed with successful and prosperous life.

The Lord and His Maya - Krishna as Vatapathra Sayee

"Why do the best of the sages reject even heavenly nectar and instead drink the water from My lotus feet?" 

Thinking in this way, Bala-Mukunda eagerly sucks His own lotus foot (contemplating on the next cycle of creation).

During the universal deluge, the Supreme Lord Narayana takes the form of a little baby floating on a banyan leaf over the dangerous torrents of pralaya jalam, the waters of cosmic dissolution. He protects all the universe and its beings by swallowing them in His tiny stomach and rests them there, while contemplating about their creation once again after the deluge by releasing the Universe and its beings from the safe storage place (viz)., His stomach.

Sri Adi Shankaracharya's Message

सदाशिव समारंबं संकराचार्य मध्यमां |

अस्मत आचार्य पर्यन्तां वन्दे गुरु परम्परां ||

Sadasiva samãrambam Sankarãchãrya madhyamãm |

asmat Ãchãrya paryantãm vande Guru paramparãm ||

Meaning: Starting from Lord Shiva, through Sankaracharya and my aacharya, the guru parampara eternally flows.

The message that is contained in elaborate discussions in the Bhashyas of Sri Shankara is often succinctly expressed in a century of verses, in ten verses, in one verse or even half a verse. He has reconciled the seemingly contradictory conclusions of the Upanishads and in the integrated view that He has presented the eternal, impersonal, consciousness Absolute is the Brahman, the one without a second. By His power which is inscrutable ( अनिर्वचनीया ) and called maya, or mitya, He appears as the universe, conditions by space, Time, etc., that are ever changing. The jiva is not different from the absolute Brahman, but due to Upadhis appears to be different and subject to limitations. The Upadhis limit comprehensions and are unreal like limitless space appearing like room space, pot space, etc.

Sage Thirumoolar

The primary source of biographical details on Thirumoolar is the Tamil work known as Periya Puranam, authored by Sekkilar. Periya Puranam is a work which gives the life stories of all the sixty-three saints (Nayanmars) of Saivism. Though Thirumoolar is a Siddha, he is popularly known as a Saiva saint of the Siddhanta tradition and hence his biography is included in Periya Puranam. The other sources are Nambiyandar Nambi’s Thirutthondar Thiruvandhadi, Umapathy Sivacharyar’s Thirutthondar Purana Saram, Swaminatha Thambiran’s Thiruvavaduturai Puranam, Dandapani Swamigal’s Pulavar Puranam and Agasthyar Vaidhya Rathina Churukkam-300. We may also find some accounts in A.Chidambaranar’s article on Thirumoolar’s biography.

Prashnottara Ratnamalika - Four Rare Qualities for Man

The following is an excerpt from the anugraha bhashanam of His Holiness Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji - Sringeri Sharada Peetham.

There are many who question if the teachings of Sri Adi Shankaracharya apply to the 21st century. His teachings are so universal that they apply for all time. Sri Adi Shankaracharya wrote Prashnottara Ratnamalika, a series of questions and answers conveying deep philosophical truths. For instance, Sri Adi Shankaracharya raises the question - what is most difficult for man to attain.

Arudra Maha Abhishekam

During 1957-59, HH Sri Mahaswami of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam was camping in Chennai Sanskrit College.  One evening, he gave a lecture on Arudra, quoting the following sloka composed by Srimad Appayya Dikshitar instantly on an Arudra day at Chidambaram in the month of Margasirsha (Margazhi in Tamil). The Thillai Dikshitars were conducting sandal-paste abhisekam to the Lord Naṭaraja in the early morning hours (3am to 6am).

தெய்வ உபாஸனை - தேவதா ரூப வர்ணனை

"உன் உபாஸனா தெய்வம் உன்னோட பேசும்" - ஸ்ரீ காஞ்சி மஹாஸ்வாமிகள்.

பொதுவாக நிர்குண, ஸகுண ப்ரம்ம உபாஸனை என்பது வழக்கத்தில் உள்ளது. தேவி, விஷ்ணு இருவரும் ஸகுண ப்ரம்ம உபாஸனையில் வருகிறார்கள். சிவபெருமானை நிர்குண பிரம்ம உபாஸனையில் ஆராதிப்பர்.

ஸ்ரீகிருஷ்ணர், ஸ்ரீராமர், நரஸிம்ஹர், இவ்வாறெல்லாம் பெருமானின் வடிவழகை மனம் குளிர உணர்வில் கண்டு வழிபடுவது ஒரு வகை.

பகவத் ஆராதனையில், உருவத்தை உள்ளத்தில் இருத்தி உணர்வை அதில் பொருத்தி அதனோடு ஒன்றி லயிப்பது ஒரு முறை. இதற்கு, அந்த தெய்வத்தின் வடிவம், வடிவழகு உள்ளிட்டவை மனத்தில் தோன்றவேண்டும்.

நாம் புறக்கண்ணில் காணும் அழகுப் பொருள்களை அகக்கண்ணில் கண்டு மகிழும் தெய்வத்துக்கு பொருத்திப் பார்த்து, உவமை நயத்துடன் உருவ அழகை தியானித்து லயிப்பது ஒரு கலை.

Sri Adi Shankaracharya Ashtottara Shatanamavali

Sri Adi Shankaracharya Ashtottara Shatanamavali is the traditional list of 108 names of Jagadguru Sri Shankaracharya that has been passed down from antiquity. This Namavali “stava” is recited daily at the Sringeri Math at the temple of Sri Adi Shankaracharya as a part of the daily Pujas.

श्रीनिवास गद्यम Srinivasa Gadyam

Sanskrit literary works are either in the form of gadyam (prose) or padyam (poetry). Gadyam is written in prose style with alternate long and short sentences with many adjectival phrases. Padyam is expressed in the form of verses with four quarters (pAdam) usually and is marked by either the number of syllables (aksharA-s) or the number of syllabic instants (mAtrA-s). Padyam uses many metres and challenges the skill of the poets.

This Srinivasa Gadyam was composed by Sriman Srishaila Srirangacharyar. The last part of this gadyam starting with ragas and closing with mangalam are not found in the original source. The TTD Vedaparayanadar Sri P.V.Ananthasayanam Iyengar included it for recital.

Bala Ramayanam or Sankshepa Ramayanam

Narada declares to Valmiki and through him to the world that Rama personifies all the ideal qualities of man.  The greatness of any poet lies in his capacity to condense and expatiate at length, at will. VALMIKI, the poet par excellence, exhibits this skill when he pens the abridged version of the RAMAYANA, which he heard from the divine sage NARADA. Starting with-lives there among men, one who is crowned with all excellence? (konvasmin saampratam loke gunavaan…)

VALMIKI goes on with his barrage of crisp and comprehensive posers enumerating the sixteen virtues to be found in an ideal person on earth; and NARADA eager to extol RAMA’S greatness to VALMIKI, relates the immortal and enduring tale of RAMA, in a nutshell of 90 slokas.

दुर्गास्तवम् Durgastavam

Arjuna Krta Durgastavam (Bhishma Parva 23: 4-16) 

This section is the chapter that immediately precedes the Srimat Bhagavadgita in the Mahabharatham.  Durgastavam is found in many recensions of the Mahabharatham, There are many versions of this stotram viz. by Dharmaraja (Virata Parvam of Maha Bharatha) before the one year of Hiding and the other by Arjuna (Bhishma Parva 23: 4-16 of Mahabharatha) just before start of the war. The version is found in the southern recension of the Mahabharatham. The version given here was by Arjuna on the order of Bhagavan Srikrishna, in order to secure victory in the great battle. The stotram is credited with the power of bestowing destruction of enemies and a long healthy life in the phalashruti. It is traditionally held that the stotram also bestows self-control, which is essential for Atma-Gyana. It is very effective when recited regularly during Rahu-Kalam for those passing through the Rahu Dasa.

Vedasara Shivasthava वेदसार शिवस्तव:

Vedasara Shiva Stotram or Veda Sara Shiva Sthavam is the Sanskrit hymns of Lord Shiva which contains the essence of the Vedas. Veda Sara Shivastavam was composed by Adi Shankaracharya and the stotra describes Lord Shiva as the formful God and formless reality.

वेदसार शिवस्तव:

पशूनां पतिं पापनाशं परेशं

गजेन्द्रस्य कृत्तिं वसानं वरेण्यम् ।

जटाजूटमध्ये स्फुरद्गाङ्गवारिं

महादेवमेकं स्मरामि स्मरारिम् ॥१॥

I remember the only Mahādeva, Who is the enemy of Smara (Kāmadeva), Who is the Lord of the animals for sacrifice, Who destroys the sins, Who is the Lord beyond everyone, Who has a cloth made from elephant-skin, Who is the best, and Who has a shaking stream of Gańgā in the midst of the matted-hair locks. ||1||

Soundarya Lahari : Is it Adi Sankara's composition?

With grateful acknowledgements to Late Shri Vidyavachaspati V.Panoli, a multi language scholar and learned in Adi Sankara literatures is reported to have prepared a well researched work on Adi Sankara in English titled “Adi Sankara’s Vision of Reality”.

 

In Acharya Panoli's opinion, Soundarya Lahari (SL) is not a composition of Adi Sankara, although that is how the popular mind has been made to believe. I give below Shri Panoli's reasons as briefly as possible, because this will be a very sensitive issue for many.

The doubt regarding the real authorship of SL has been there for centuries and debates have been going on; but a final decision has yet to come. While many people have expressed doubts on this particular item, we should also note that no one has even raised a word of doubt about the authenticity of Vaakyavritti, Upadesasaahasri, etc., as Sankara's genuine works. This is because there is no doubt about the authenticity of their contents.

In the case of SL, it has become a treasure for the Saakteyas. In addition a legend has also grown around the circumstances in which this was composed, and this myth further reinforces SL as a tantric text. But it is an irrefutable fact that Sakti- worship has not been mentioned by the Acharya anywhere in the bhashyas which contain his prime message. "It is clear to any student of Vedanta that Sakti-worship belongs to Vama-marga which has no place at all in the Advaita Vedanta of which Sri Sankaracharya was the unrivalled exponent.", states shri Panoli.

गायत्री रामायणम् (GAYATRI RAMAYANAM)

Valmiki Ramayana contains 24000 slokas divided into 7 Kandas, namely, Balakanda, Ayodhya Kanda, Aranya Kanda, Kishkindha kanda, Sundara kanda, Yuddha kanda and Uttara Kanda. The first letter of the first sloka in each group of 1000 slokas is taken from the Gayatri Mahamantra (given below) in the same sequence namely, त, स, वि, तु, व etc.,

तत्सवितुर्वरॆण्यं
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि
धियॊ यॊ नः प्रचोदयात्

The collection of these slokas constitutes the Gayatri Ramayana.
Each sloka is identified below by the
Kanda (1 for Balakanda, 2 forAyodhya Kanda etc),
chapter number within the Kanda,
and serial number of the sloka within the chapter:

निर्वाण-षटकम् nirvAna shatkam

The non-dualistic philosophy (Advaita Vedanta) has been beautifully summarized by the great Hindu scholar and philosopher Ādi Śankarācārya in just six stanzas. This famous poem is popularly known as Atma-Shatkam (also known as Nirvana Shatkam).

According to the legends, Ādi Śankarācārya, at a young age of eight years, travelled towards North India from Kerala in search of his guru. While wandering in the Himalayas, seeking to find his guru, he encountered a sage who asked him, "Who are you?” He replied with an extempore Composition (the Atma-Shatkam) that brought out the Advaita Vedanta philosophy – the essence of which is that "Nirvana" is complete equanimity, peace, tranquility, freedom and joy. "Atma" is the True Self. The sage the boy was talking to was Swami Govindapada Acharya, who was, indeed, the teacher he was looking for.