Some verses offering namaskaras to Swami Paramarthananda

Some verses offering namaskaras to Swami Paramarthananda

By Narayanan N
धन्योऽहं कृतकृत्योऽहं नूनं  पुण्यातिरेकतः  ।

सानन्दपरमार्थस्य गुरोः शिष्यत्वसौभगम् ॥

अहेतुकदयासिन्धो! सर्वाज्ञानविनाशक ।

अहङकारविदूरात्मन् भुय़ो भूयो नमो नमः ॥

ब्रह्मनिष्ठं सदा पूर्णं सर्वज्ञानप्रकाशकम् ।

विवेकिनं महात्मानं प्रणमामि पुनः पुनः ॥

By Ranga
भक्त्या दधाति यः शिष्यः चित्ते गुरुगिरस् सदा ।
अत्र नूनम् अमुत्रापि विन्देत परमां गतिम्

Heaviest rains in a hundred years. Prayer to Surya Bhagavan from Chennai vasis

Prayer of an Advaita Bhakta

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

Kena Upanishad says

यद्वाचाऽनभ्युदितं येन वागभ्युद्यते ।
तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासते ॥ 1.5

"Brahman is that very (consciousness) which is not revealed by speech and by which (consciousness) speech is revealed," Thus you must understand. This (deity), which (people) meditate upon, is not (Brahman)

The second line of the  above mantra, repeated in five mantras can be disturbing for a devotee. The Upaasya Devata which has been worshiped is not the real Devata.

Some thoughts on the above mantra:

In the Karma Kanda and the Upasana Kanda of the Vedas and in the Puranas, an all powerful, compassionate Ishwara is introduced to us as an object of worship and meditation, worshipping whom we can fulfil our goals in life. In addition, a way of life - the yagna way of life - a life in which we contribute is also given to us. Many probe very deeply into the descriptions of the Lord given in the Puranas, the form, how that form came about, which one is a superior form etc. etc. and get lost in the same.

Acharyas, when talking of the nature of Lord, ask us not to probe too deeply into the name, form in the initial stages of our sadhanas but to focus on the sadhanas. They teach that, for the purpose of worship and to explain creation etc, a God is introduced by the Veda. They are very clear that the worship, meditation prescribed are only for refining ourselves and preparing us to go to the next stage - the stage of enquiry and probing. They are also very clear that without such worship, service activities and upasanas we cannot be ready to go to the next step. The  verses of Chapter 12 of the Gita teach this very clearly and these verses are given below the post - the five stages of Bhakti.

We have a very strong sense of ahankara and mamakara and our lives are governed strongly by our own likes and dislikes. In addition, thinking that security and happiness comes from the world, we cling on to the world, possessions and relationships. To gradually weaken this ahankara, mamakara, to reduce this emotional dependence on the world and shift to God dependence, the Puranas and the earlier portion of the Vedas introduce us to a yagna way of life and introduce a worshippable, meditateable God.

It may happen that one gets stuck to the form and get attached to a particlular form and not go further. It also is noticed that some devotees, are unable to logically accept rituals, or a Lord with a form, not understanding the temporary "Adhyaropa" aspect. They may get confused and drop sadhanas without understanding the purpose. So, it is important to note the above reason for the Veda to introduce a worshippable, meditateable Lord.

Once one is reasonably prepared, and one is ready for enquiry into the real nature of the Lord, the Veda itself says, "Come to the jnana kanda, the Upanishad".

The Lord Himself said in the Gita that karmas are required to grow internally and once you have grown internally, withdraw and come to the jnana kanda...

आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते ।
योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते ॥

... and the Mundaka Upanishad says that having examined karmas and the fruits thereof, having refined oneself, one must enquire into the nature of the Truth under the guidance of an Acharya.

परीक्ष्य लोकान् कर्मचितान् ब्राह्मणो
निर्वेदमायान्नास्त्यकृतः कृतेन ।
तद्विज्ञानार्थं स गुरुमेवाभिगच्छेत्
समित्पाणिः श्रोत्रियं ब्रह्मनिष्ठम् ॥

When you come to the Upanishad, the Veda says - "Until now, I presented Ishwara as a worshippable, meditateable Ishwara. It is only "Adhyaropa" - introduced for the sake of  beginners.  Now I  teach about the real nature of Ishwara". The Upanishad teaches us how to arrive at Ishwara by claiming as "I am that" after negating everything that is an object. We are taken step by step - panchakosha-viveka, avastha-traya-viveka and arrive at the true nature of Ishwara - Sat-Chit-Ananda Atma. This is the true enquiry we have to come to, not a very deep enquiry into the form of the Devataa you have so far prayed to in the temple, to get whose darshan, you have travelled far and made many tirtha yatras.

This is a beautiful prayer of a devotee who has known and claimed Ishwara through the Upanishad.

रूपं रूपविवर्जिताय भवते ध्यानाय यत्कल्पितं
स्तुत्यानिर्वचनीयताखिलगुरो दूरीकृता यन्मया ।
व्यापित्वञ्च निराकृतं भगवतः यत्तीर्थयात्रादिना
क्षन्तव्यं जगदीश तद्विकलता दोषत्रयं मत्कृतम् ॥

O Lord, you are without any form and I gave you form for the sake of meditation and limited you with my kalpana. You who are beyond desciption, I chanted your glories thinking I was glorifying you; actually I was dismissing your अनिर्वचनीयता glory. I went on pilgrimages, not noting that you are all pervading and I limited you. Please forgive threefold mistakes of mine.

Of course, even after seeking apology, jnani does continue to worship God, but that is more as an expression of gratitude and to teach us.

आजीवितं त्रयं सेव्यं वेदन्तो गुरुरीश्वर​: ।
आदौ ज्ञानाप्तये पश्चात् कृतघ्नत्वनिवृत्तये ॥

The second line of the Kena mantra does need deep thinking into and these are just some reflections on the same.

As mentioned above, the stages of our spiritual life - in Chapter 12 of the Gita - verses 5 to 11.

क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् ॥
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥ १२-५॥

ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः ।
अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥ १२-६॥

तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् ।
भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥ १२-७॥

मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय ।
निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ॥ १२-८॥

अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् ।
अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ॥ १२-९॥

अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव ।
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥ १२-१०॥

अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः ।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥ १२-११॥

ॐ तत् सत्

Sanskrit Appreciation Hour 1.11.15 - Panini Sutras @vinayakrajat teaches Paninian Grammar - Part 1

श्रीशारदाप्रार्थना श्रीशङ्कराचार्यविरचिता - Sharada Stotram

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः 

 श्रीशारदाप्रार्थना

Click on the links (Verse1 , 2 etc) to get the full meaning and translation

Verse 1
नमस्ते शारदे देवि काश्मीरपुरवासिनि ।
त्वामहं प्रार्थये नित्यं विद्यादानं च देहि मे ॥ १॥

Verse 2
या श्रद्धा धारणा मेधा वग्देवी विधिवल्लभा ।
भक्तजिह्वाग्रसदना शमादिगुणदायिनी  ॥ २॥

Verse 3
नमामि यामिनीनाथलेखालङ्कृतकुन्तलाम् ।
भवानीं भवसन्तापनिर्वापणसुधानदीम् ॥ ३॥

Verse 4
भद्रकाल्यै नमो नित्यं सरस्वत्यै नमो नमः  ।
वेदवेदाङ्गवेदान्तविद्यास्थानेभ्य एव च ॥ ४॥

Verse 5
ब्रह्मस्वरूपा परमा ज्योतिरूपा सनातनी ।
सर्वविद्याधिदेवी या तस्यै वाण्यै नमो नमः   ॥ ५॥

Verse 6 , 7
यया विना जगत्सर्वं शश्वज्जीवन्मृतं भवेत् ।
ज्ञानाधिदेवी या तस्यै सरस्वत्यै नमो नमः   ॥ ६॥

यया विना जगत्सर्वं मूकमुन्मत्तवत्सदा ।
या देवी वागधिष्ठात्री तस्यै वाण्यै नमो नमः  ॥ ७॥

॥ इति श्रीशारदाप्रार्थना श्रीशङ्कराचार्यविरचिता  ॥

Beautiful verses on the confluence of Alakananda and Bhagirathi at Devaprayag By Acharya @iksusara

Beautiful verses on the confluence of Alakananda and Bhagirathi at Devaprayag By Acharya @iksusara

Sanskrit on twitter - Part 9: Sanskrit Idioms

Learn Sanskrit idioms shared by Suhas and Shanti

What happens when a Jnani ब्रह्मनिष्ठ Drops His Body

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

Swami Dayananda Saraswati, attained Maha Samadhi on 23.9.15 . This led me to think about what the Shruti says about Videha Mukti. Below are some verses from the Mundaka Upanishad which clearly tell us about what happens when a ब्रह्मनिष्ठ​  drops His body.

The Shruti says that such a jnani has understood clearly that He ever was, is and will be free. He is Brahman. He is firmly established in this knowledge and description of such a jnani can be found in several places in the Gita, notably the स्थितप्र​ज्ञ portion in the second chapter. In essence, He is no more an individual, but now exists as the Total, the Lord itself. 

सम्प्राप्यैनमृषयो ज्ञानतृप्ताः

कृतात्मानो वीतरागाः प्रशान्ताः

ते सर्वगं सर्वतः प्राप्य धीरा

युक्तात्मानः सर्वमेवाविशन्ति ॥ 3.2.5

Having attained (known) this Brahman, the sages are satisfied with knowledge. Having transformed themselves ( from jivatma to 'I am Brahman'), they are free from attachment and totally tranquil.

Having totally attained the all pervading Brahman (चैतन्यम्), they become everything. That is, He is no more enclosed consciousness, but all-pervading चैतन्यम्

वेदान्तविज्ञानसुनिश्चितार्थाः

संन्यासयोगाद् यतयः शुद्धसत्त्वाः ।

ते ब्रह्मलोकेषु परान्तकाले

परामृताः परिमुच्यन्ति सर्वे ॥ 3.2.6

Through renunciation, the pure-minded sannyasis have clearly ascertained Brahman, which is the object of Vedantic knowledge. Having become one with the Infinite Brahman (while living), they resolve completely into Brahman at the time of death. (Note, their 'death' is called 'parantakaala')

गताः कलाः पञ्चदश प्रतिष्ठा

देवाश्च सर्वे प्रतिदेवतासु ।

कर्माणि विज्ञानमयश्च आत्मा

परेऽव्यये सर्वे एकीभवन्ति ॥ 3.2.7

Their fifteen parts go back to their sources. (That is the physical body merges back into the Anatma material universe, the subtle body too merges back into the subtle elements). The divine powers – i.e. the Devata  Amshas blessing the sense organs go back to their presiding deities. ( Each sense organ has a presiding deity blessing it) . The ego and its karmas all resolve into the supreme imperishable Brahman. (There is no enclosed consciousness. He is now the Total consciousness. The next mantra gives an example to explain)

यथा नद्यः स्यन्दमानाः समुद्रेऽ

स्तं गच्छन्ति नामरूपे विहाय ।

तथा विद्वान् नामरूपाद्विमुक्तः

परात्परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम् ॥ 3.2.8

Just as rivers flowing down resolve into the ocean, giving up name and form, in the same way, the Wise is freed from name and form and ‘attains’ the effulgent Brahman which is beyond Maya.

A collection of wonderful shlokas from Hitopadesa from @AshayNaik1

Sanskrit Appreciation Hour 13.9.15. The concept of शाब्दबोधः in the Shastras by Acharya @iksusara

The concept of शाब्दबोधः in the Shastras by Acharya @iksusara Understanding (born out) of a Sentence

कृष्णाष्टकम् by Acharya @iksusara

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

On Janamashtami, Acharya Ramanuja Devanathan composes कृष्णाष्टकम्

Select verses from the Bhagavad Gita in which Lord Krishna tells us about His nature

  

On this occasion of Janamashtami, am sharing some shlokas from the Bhagavad Gita, in which Lord Krishna speaks about Himself, in the first person singular. These are not all the verses in which He says "I", but a few verses that teach us about His Nature, both Absolute Nature and His Nature as the Creator and Avatara. These also include some verses teaching us right action and bhakti.

I am not giving the English translation, but the shloka reference number is given.

In Chapter 4 Lord Krishna shows us how this teaching originated and  talks about Himself as Ishwara, the Adi Guru and speaks about the Avatara principle in the most quoted shlokas of the Gita.

इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् ।

विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥ 4.1

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।

अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥ 4.7

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् ।

धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥ 4.8

In this verse of Chapter 5, Krishna tells us who He is

भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् l

सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ॥ 5.29

In the very important Chapter 7, Lord Krishna describes His Nature - telling us Who He Is - only a few important shlokas are enumerated. The whole Chapter is a description of the Lord as जगत्कारणम्

भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च ।

अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा ॥ 7.4

अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम् ।

जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत् ॥ 7.5

एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय ।

 अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा ॥ 7.6

For the first time He uses the term 'Maya" and speaks about Bhakti towards Him as a means to Moksha

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।

मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ 7.14

In this most profound Chapter 9, in almost all verses, Lord speaks about His nature. Am reproducing only some very very important verses, teaching us the nature of Ishwara and of the different orders of Reality.

मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना ।

मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः ॥ 9.4

 न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् ।

 भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः ॥ 9.5

सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम् ।

 कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम् ॥ 9.7

I am the goal, I am the way

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु ।

 मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ॥ 9.34

Verses in Chapter 10 and 11, all describe Lord's glory and one should read the entire Chapters in which Krishna talks of the various visible glories in the Universe through whcih He can be recognised and worshipped and gives Arjuna Vishwaroopa darshanam, telling Arjuna, that He has manifested as the entire Creation. Wherever we look, we see Krishna only

My favourite verses of these two chapters:

I am the very Self in you and in all beings -अहमात्मा

अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः ।

अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च ॥ 10.10

We all should know this aspect of the Lord also

कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्तः ।

ऋतेऽपि त्वां न भविष्यन्ति सर्वे येऽवस्थिताः प्रत्यनीकेषु योधाः ॥ 11.32

How do we attain Him

मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो मद्भक्तः सङ्गवर्जितः ।

निर्वैरः सर्वभूतेषु यः स मामेति पाण्डव ॥ 11.55

The below is the Mahavakya shloka of Chapter 13 and Shankaracharya writes a huge commentary on this

क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत ।

क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम ॥ 13.3

Significant verses from Purushottama Yoga - Chapter 15

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः ।

मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति ॥ 15.7

अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः ।

प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् ॥ 15.14

Why am I known as Purushottama

यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः ।

अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः 15.18

Summary of Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga in these 2 verses of Chapter 18

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु ।

मामेवैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे ॥ 18.65

 सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज ।

अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥ 18.66

Lord Krishna, giving the essence of Karma Yoga in this verse – a favourite of mine and I keep it for the end.

मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा ।

निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥ 3.30