Month: March 2016

More sweet than all other sweet things; more auspicious than all other auspicious things;

the greatest purifier of all purifying things—————-

———————-The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything…………..

There was a  temple of Lord Krishna in a village . The temple was always flooded with several devotees. The mood in the temple used to be festive always . Continuous Hari naama sankirtan made the place vibrating with devotion .The  devotional  Hari nama tunes took one into  a serene mood asking for more . It was a continuous flow of elixir .

The continuous chants made the mind swoon into devotional fervor and nothing else was remembered .There was no hunger or thirst .

No desire except for just being there and feeding the soul through these ears the elixir that was abundantly poured . It was sheer bliss .

 A young man  lived near the temple  who had no belief in God . He considered devotion to be waste of time and felt that they were mere superstitions and the ones going to temples were in false illusions . He used to object them during their extended stays and  condemn the non stop hari naam sankirtan program  in the temple  .

One day , one elderly person  among the devotees in a composed mood advised the youth to realize the importance of ” Namasankeertanam”  and explained the enormous power of  chanting the Holy names  .

The youth a rationalist  asked ! OK old man does chanting your gods name fetch me food ? Does the  Holy Name take care of my well being ?? He was rude with his questions …

Yes !!! said the old man confidently !!!The youth being an atheist  demanded proofs but finally ended up in a challenge. 

The old man said ,

Look Young man ..

You  chant the Holy name for at least   12 hrs  and  see for yourself  the  change .  Be assured …. You  would be getting food  served . And in case this  does not happen  I am prepared to stop this practice of devotional service in the temple. It was a  bold statement among several devotees assembled there ….

Looking at the confidence of the elderly person the youth confided with the agreement and  said ..Ok … ..

Just 12  hours  I will chant  sunrise to sunset  ….

and thus he started chanting Lord Krishna’s Nama as advised .He was not very keen to see the old man winning the bet .He knew He will anyway win the bet and make them understand it was a waste of time .

Time was ticking ….

He thought if he had stayed  along with them or at home or at his friends place or within the limits of the village he would have been coaxed and fed saying  please have prasad etc .

He decided to go to such a place where he would not be noticed by anyone thus ensuring no habitat can see him and provide him with any  food . 

He went into  a forest and thus settled himself on one of the branches of a huge tree  confident of not being noticed by any one . He was no  doubt  chanting   mentally the Holy name   but without faith . The time  swiftly passed .He had almost engaged the mind in the Holy name synchronized  to  the temple tunes.  Used to always hear the devotional tunes  residing near the temple and thinking of the bet continously his mind was fixed  and started relishing it unknowingly . 

The sun  was about to set . He was not at all feeling hungry  .Suddenly he happened to see few men with weapons under the tree . They were looking ferocious.They were carrying some booty along with them .

One thief happened to look above and found a man relaxing He cautioned his friends . They  dragged him down from the treetop much to his resistance ..

The thieves who had dragged the youth from the treetop  roughed him up and   asked  him … So you are so smart and think we will  foolishly fulfill your plan ?

The young man was shocked . He took courage and asked   .Who ..? Me …  Plan ?  What plan ???  The thieves dragged him to  the nearby tree and said .. What made you leave that delicious food there ?

The young man was blank when he was questioned .He stammered … What Food ….Which food / where …. I am unaware ..I just came  here to avoid the villagers ..please …please believe me. He revealed his purpose of entering the outskirts and the bet with the old man  . The thieves refused to accept the young mans version.

One Elderly Thief intervened and said ..

Friends !!

This food which looks to be too delicious seems to contain poison and this young man wants to see we are dead so that he can run away with our looted jewellery .

I suspect his moves .

Let us teach him a lesson ..

Come on !!!  Please get me that food kept over there …. Saying this  two of the thieves held  the youth’s  hands, one of them opened his mouth and the other one dumped the food inside his mouth by force . The youth was helpless and was forced to eat the food.His repeated pleas were ignored and they laughed seeing his reluctance in having the food ….

After the thieves had left the place, the youth started memorizing the whole incident that had taken place in his life for the past 12 hrs . He started remembering the words of that elderly person.

It was at this point of time the youth realized that while he was doing Namasankeerthanam even thirst, hunger and other things did not affect or disturb him .

The youth had neither any sincerity, dedication, devotion nor any desire to do Namasankeerthanam. Inspite of this Namasankeerthanam proved its result.

 

Even on doing Namasankeerthanam  in the  outskirts of a village  comfortably  seated on the top of the tree without any fear, tension, and disturbance  had provided him  with food without any  personal efforts…

This entire event made the youth realize the power and greatness of Namasankeerthanam and the truth in the words of that elderly person. This developed within him a strong belief that Lord  provides a helping hand to all those who  seek HIM.

 He understood that although he had lost his bet  to the elderly person who arrived in  the form of Sathguru,he  had made him victorious in his  spiritual life. He rushed to meet the elderly person and with tears revealed what all had happened in the 12 hours time  .

The old man  pleased with the youth , addressed the gathering ,

my dear children,

It is said in Srimath Bhaagavatham 12-3-52 

“KruthE yadh vishnum ththrEthaayaam yajathO makai:

dhvaaparE paricharyaayaam kalau thath harikeethanaath”

The result that one yields in kritha yugam by doing dhyanam (meditation),

the result that one yields in thretha yugam by doing yagnam,

the result that one yields in Dwapara yugam by doing archanai (pooja) ,

the same result is derived in this kaliyugam just by chanting Lord’s Holy  Name.

Everyone  here is leading a very busy life.

One does not find time to progress in spiritual life .

The only way out is chanting the Holy name wherever you are will take you near HIM …

He continued to quote Azhwars pasurams from Divya Prabhandam ,thus making them aware the glory of Holy name

‘Aadi aadi agam karaindu isai paadi paadi kanneer malgi’…………………..
‘Naadum nagaramum nangu ariya namo narayana yenru paadu’………………..
‘Harer namaiva namaiva namaiva mama jeevanam … na gatir anyata’……………..

madhuraḿ madhurebhyo ‘pi |

mańgalebhyo ‘pi mańgalam |
pāvanaḿ pāvanebhyo ‘pi |

harer nāmaiva kevalam ||

More sweet than all other sweet things; more auspicious than all other auspicious things; the greatest purifier of all purifying things—

The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything…….

Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

Adapted from a discourse from a  advanced devotee

Pics credits : Google images and pictures shared by advanced devotees..

 

 

This divine pastime of  Swamy Parasara Bhattar the illustrious acharyar   reflects about Lord’s   concern for  him .  Bhattar was five years old and was showing signs of extraordinary intelligence for his age .His father Kooresa was once reciting the divine pasuram from Nammazhars Thiruvamozhi..

..Nedumarka….adimai……..

In this pasuram Azhwar quotes about the great  devotee saints . In the third verse the description runs as Siru-mam-manisar… .They the great saints  are small -and -great.

 Bhattar who was attentively hearing the pasuram with eagerness asked his father !

Father !!   How can a thing be both small and great ? at one and same time?

 

Kooresa  amused with his innocent question  said !

What an unexpected question from you  my child ?

It is tough to explain …However let me try to explain ..

 He continued  , My dear  Child  … Do you see our revered Acharyars ..Siriya Achan , Emberumannar and others .They are small in stature but very great in knowledge and wisdom .See how contradictory things like small and great can yet be harmonically combined in one and the same thing .

Bhattar understood  the content  from the comparision …

 Lord Ranganathar and Mother Ranganayaki were the adoptive parents of Bhattar . Bhattar used to treat them as parents  As he grew up he was taught to adore the LORD and pray .

Once Bhattar joined his friends  inside the Srirangam Temple sanctorium .  Lordships were in their retiring moments after all the bustle of the day’s worship  had subsided.

Lord in feigned anger called Bhattar ..

Bhattar obeyed ..

Lord asked him  My child !!  …Why is that you are not coming here frequently inside  as you used to do before ?

Bhattar politely  replied ..  As you are LORD of the Universe I must not disturb your precious time ..

 

Lord  again asked   OK then ………….. Why did you do it before ?

As my father and mother  advised   me he  innocently  said

Lord replied !!  

Then always think of us in this relation only ..

That pleases us more than the relationship of  a  devotee

 

Lord is more in search of our hearts than our mortal body …

Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

Pics : Courtesy Google Images

video credits : Sri Ranga padmanabhan

 

Swamy Nampillai had a very devoted disciple   Pinbazhagiya Perumal Jeeyar.

Just as Bhaktha Hanuman never wished to leave this world but repeat the holy names of LORD RAMA all through , this disciple also wished to serve his teacher all through. Nothing appealed him.

Having become a Sanyasi all that he sought was to attend on his Acharyar and listen to his nectarine discourses .He was seeking his lotus feet always .

Due to providence , once the Jeeyar took ill .

He called few of his intimate friends and requested them to pray to LORD  to give him further lease of Life .

He requested  them to recite the  nectarine pasuram  (7.4 )

” Aaziyezach  “for his  health .

The pasuram from Nammazhwar’s  Thiruvamozhi  goes like this

aaziyezach changum villumeza
thichai vaaziyezath
thaNtum vaaLumeza
aNtam mOzaiyeza  mudi paadhameza
appan ooziyeza  ulakam goNtavaaRE

The rough translation goes like this

LORD in all times, showers abundant mercy to save us.

Adorned with the lily flowers and fragrant ThuLasi  garland LORD

My father- is present so gracefully at Thirukkaditthaanam where Sri Vaishnavas, who are blessed with the invaluable wealth of performance of kaimkaryam at His Feet.

 

That is His place.

            Jeeyars associates  accordingly prayed and due to the abundant mercy of the ” LORD  Jeeyar  recovered .

 

However they entertained a serious doubt as why should  Jeeyar being a hermit and recluse should have a worldly desire to continue to live instead of seeking liberation and attaining the  lotus feet of  the Lordships  .

They approached  their Acharyar Swamy Nampillai  for an answer who in turn suggested they approach Swamy Engalazhwan .

 

Swami Engal azhwan  replied  to the  disciples .. Look my children ……

Srirangam was a itself Srivaikuntam and everyday   is a festival day and hence Jeeyar perhaps wished to witness the  splendor of the temple festivals and preferred  this bliss better  to liberation

Somehow not much convinced they approached other revered Acharyas who expressed their opinions which was more philosophical  .

All of them assembled before Swamy Nampillai and submitted the different opinions of seniors .

Swamy Nampillai  then suggested , them to seek a clarification from Perumal Jeeyar himself .

The disciples of Swamy Nampillai met the Jeeyar and told him about the various discussions that took place about his health and the speedy  recovery .

 Jeeyar expressed   !  My friends   Our  Master knew  the reason  as he was all knowing .

Anyway let me tell you I  did not seek to go to the presence of the Lord for what was paramount to me  was to serve  our master Swamy Nampillai in all ways  . 

I could not think of anything else than to fan  our Master when he walked up and down delivering a discourse after wearing the Urdhva pundram and tying up his tuft. 

Being around  for serving his lotus feet all times.

I  never wished to miss this noble service and seek heaven .

This was the only motto of my life .

Swamy Nampillai was amazed with his disciples concern.

The verse Pinpalagaraan Perumal Jeeyar in the work  of Swamy Manavala maamuni “Upadesarathinaimalai ” mentions this …

pinbazhagaraam perumaaLseeyar,

perundhavaththil anbadhuvumaRRu

mikkavaasaiyinaal-nambiLLaik

kaanavadimaigaLsey annilaiyainNannensE!oonamaRa eppozhudhum Or.

( verse 66)

Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

Pics : Courtesy : Google images

Of the five fold manifestations of the SUPREME LORD ( Param , Vyuham , Vibhavam ,  Archa and antharyami  ) , the worship able form of  Archa moorthy is easily accessible and takes one into permanent state of bliss .

The reason being Lord as Parama padha nathan is always surrounded by the divine planets and the Oceans and it  is not of easy to access for the ones residing on earth with this material body.

The second manifestation of the Lord  as ” Ksheerabdinathan”   is  in the middle of the milky ocean.  LORD graces as Ksheerabdinathan to  the demigods and the revered blessed sages . Even this darshan is not accessible with our material bodies.

The third manifestation of the LORD is what we have been celebrating as Lord Rama and Krishna  avatars  . The blessed manifestation was cherished by the great devotees of those times , the gopikas and the revered saints.

The fourth manifestation is the Antharyami svaroopam . With the blessings of Acharyar and deep contemplation of visualizing the LORD one can experience the LORD manifestation in our heart centres . However  very few have this rare privilege and mercy to succeed in such efforts and thus , even this manifestation is not in reach of ordinary people on this earth .

The last manifestation of LORD as Archa Roopam  is the abundant mercy showered on us , so as to make Himself easily available to one and all and  worship Him with our own material body.

Sri Rama  had worshipped Lord RanganAthA in ArchA form at Ayodhya . Krishna worshipped Lord Narayana in Dwaraka . Venkateshwara of Tirumala  worshipped Lord Narasimha at Ahobilam . This was to  educate us in having the great fortune to worship LORD in Archa avatara . Lord has thus made his presence in all the 106 Vaishnava Divyadesams in earth as per the wishes of several saints , Azhwars and continue to grace all the devotees .

An interesting pastime establishes the unique glory in the Archa form of worship

Once there resided a Srivaishnavite devotee  ( Vinappam Seyvaar )in a divya desam. He had mastered all the Divya  Prabhandams and was  in the transcendental mood of reciting of Azhwars pasurams all the time  . He used to worship saligrama moorthy at his house with sheer love and absolute faith . Somehow age had laid its icy hands on his faculties. His vision had almost vanished and his ears heard little.

His love for the Lord though, remained intact. His sweet ecstatic outpourings of the Azhwars always made him closer to the Lord . He always carried with him his nut wallet and had kept his Salagrama deity as his constant companion.The deity now was amongst those edible  areca nuts which he used to consume .

Due to poor sight ,  he used to take the salagrama deity into his toothless mouth  assuming it to be  areca nut and while chewing he used to realize the offense  and with utmost reverence seek  forgiveness.

He  used to take the deity out give him a holy bath , dry with his already dust laden robe, dress  him and taking the cymbals ( taalam) in his hands, sing a beautiful verse from the nectarine Tiruvaimozhi  pasurams of Saint Namazhwar and then lull the little Salagrama deity to sleep.

This confusion and the ensuing events happened almost on an everyday basis. A young Srivaishnavite who was more of ritualistic order noticed the happenings and was shocked. With rage running through his veins at such an irreverent blasphemous treatment to the Supreme Lord , he hastened to the old person and reproached him severely. He demanded that the LORD had a better place to stay . The old man obliged succumbing to guilt.

The young Srivaishnava was very happy for obtaining the Lord .He took  HIM  home and offered  a golden throne  covered with sparkling  diamonds and provided the best Paraphernalia . He then  started worshiping the LORD  enjoined for such occasions .

He was feeling elated and  as usual the ego cropped in his mind for his services  to the new lordships  .He relaxed with a thought that his  ritualistic worship was the best .

However , to his surprise the Lord appeared in his dreams on the very first night itself and commanded 

“ Ye fool! I was happy in that  areca nut wallet .

I had the rare felicity of being bathed in the nectar-like saliva of his holy mouth, very holy due to his constant chanting of the hymns of my dearest Azhwars.

I had the supreme delight in listening to the sweet verses from the divya prabandham which he warbled to me.

You have deprived me of all this happiness and subjected me the tedious trials of your formal worship.” Ensure that I reach my  areca nut wallet as soon as possible .

The  young man  was put under great apprehension by this dream. He immediately rushed  and surrendered the lordships  to the old custodian, who  gladly accepted the deity with love pouring  tears and  singing the divine  pasurams.

Nevertheless, the old story of Salagrama entering his mouth as areca  nut continued and the Lord remained in HIS  bliss always .

The Lord takes supreme pleasure in listening to the rapturous outpourings from the love-smitten and love-soaked hearts of his devotees. Such revered  devotees were  Azhwars.  

This is why  we give  lot of  importance to their verses.

Just by pretending to carry streaks of their bhakthi by chanting their  nectarine words, we receive the grace of the Supreme.

What if someone live his entire life chanting their works and serving Lord .

The mood is transcendental and  every cell vibrates with his HOLY NAME ..

Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

Pics credits : Google images