Tuesday, December 1, 2009

GODHEAD: PENPORTRAIT – II


kaitavam chemmai karumai veLumaiyumaiyaay
meypoy yiLamai mudhumaipudhumai pazhamaiyaay
cheydhathiN madhiLchoozh tiruviNNagar chErndhapiraan
peydhakaavu kaNDeer-perundhEvuDai moovulagE
(6.3.5)

He is both the crooked
and the straight
the black
the white
the truths
the lies
youth and age
the ancient and the new:
our Lord lives
in Vinnakar
strong-walled well-made city
and his grove there
is the triple world
of the gods
(Translation: A.K. Ramanujan)


munnaip pazhamporuTkum munnai pazhamporuLE
pinnaip pudhumaikkum pOrththumap peRRiyanE
(tiruvembaavai - 9)

You the ancient who had been in existence before the universe came into being! You have the quality of newness which is more modern than even that of the new entities which appeared later!

God created the universe. This statement implies that He existed even before the moment of creation of the universe. Simultaneously, He posses the quality of youth too.

Besides his three biological brothers, Rama had named three other persons as his brothers. These were Guhan, the forest chief; Sugreeva, the prince (later the King) of the Vanaraas (monkeys) and Vibhishana, Ravana’s brother. According to Valmiki Ramayana (Sanskrit) and Kamba Ramayana (Tamil), all the above were elder to Rama. His three biological brothers were born at intervals of only one day each in between. But still according to our national tradition, terming one younger or elder does not depend on one’s age, but on one’s capabilities. In this view, Rama was regarded as elder bother to all the above six brothers. Following the same practice, again, Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam has given Vridha (elderly) as one of the epithets of God.    

Being all three worlds
and nothing
beig desire
being rage
being both the flower-born Lakshmi
and anti-Lakshmi
black goddess of ill-luck
being both honour and shame
our lord
lives in Vinnakar
city named Sky
which the gods worship lovingly
and in my evil heart
he lives forever
flame of flames.
(6-3-6 Translation: A.K. Ramanujan)

God is the principle of continuity between opposites and differences. God out there in the universe is also in the temple as he is in the devotee’s heart. He is at once the other, the indweller, and the icon. Like one’s mother tongue, he is everywhere, accessible. He is one’s own thoughts (1-8-7).

Thursday, November 12, 2009

GODHEAD: PEN-PORTRAIT

The present-day town of Oppiliyappankoyil was called TiruviNNagar during the Alvar’s period. The figure in this shrine is described by the Alvar in the following poem:

nalkuravum, chelvum, naragum, suvarggamum aay,
velpagaiyum, naTpum, viDamum, amudhamum aay,
palvagaiyum parandha perumaan ennai aaLvaanai,
chelvam malgu kuDith tiruviNNagark kaNDEnE
(6-3-1)

My lord who’s both dearth and plenty
hell and heaven friendship
enmity venom and sweet ambrosia
my ranging various lord:
I saw him there in ViNNagar
city named Sky city of rich houses
(6-3-1) (Translation: A.K. Ramanujan)

The Lord is characterized by His muraN (contrariety.) The Alvar lists the paradox of the Lord’s all-inclusive inexpressible nature: joy-sorrow; confusion-clarity; punishment-compassion; heat-shade; virtue-sin; meeting-parting; remembrance-forgetfulness; that which is-that which is not; not this-not that; sin-righteousness; red, black and white; truth-falsehood; youth-age; old-new; joy-anger; fame-obloquy; hot sun-cool shade; littleness-greatness; narrowness-spaciousness; those that move-those that stand still; all-not of all! (6-3-2, 4, 5, 6 & 10). He is responsible for all the good and the evil of the world. This firm belief is indeed difficult to resist. Two emphatic statements appear frequently in the Alvar’s poems. One is that Vishnu is both Brahma (Creator) and Siva (Destroyer). The other one is listing of contrary qualities and affirming that all these are He Himself.

He is neither man nor woman...
He is beyond our ken,
He is this and not this,
He comes in the form one desires
If only one turns to Him.
And yet that may not be His form
It is very difficult indeed to describe Him
(2-5-10) (Translation: A. Srinivasa Raghavan)

Even the Alvar, the author of tiruvaay mozhi, reputed as the essence of the Vedas, struggles to fully describe God. “I do not have the ability to find words to describe Him,” says the Alvar in (3-4-2).
To go beyond semantic limitation, the Brahma Sootram, in an extraordinary effort, adopts the method of saying that Brahmam is this; not only this, but much more than this, etc. Likewise, the Alvar speaks here in abstract terms, defining God in the only way human speech can, negatively, as immeasurable, inscrutable, beyond definition and the human ken, beyond space and time.

uLan enil uLan avan uruvam ivviruvugaL
uLan alan enil avan aruvamivvuruvugaL
uLanena ilanena ivai guNamuDaimaiyil
uLan iru tagaiyoDu ozhivilan parandhE
(1-1-9)

If you say He is within,
He is,
And all these are His forms.
If you question it,
Why, all these shadows
Are His shadow.
But He is, He is,
With these twin attributes,
Being within, being not within,
He is.
(1-1-9) (Translation: A. Srinivasa Raghavan)

The Alvar asserts here that whether one says He is or He is not, He is in both these twin states of being or not being, a revolutionary declaration! With these twin states He exists in all times and all places. The Alvar (as interpreted by later theologians) saw God in three forms: Avatara (descent, incarnation).The deities in temples represent the archa (the worshipable) form of God. Antaryami (the inward controller) form refers to the divinity that dwells in every embodied soul. The three forms are continuous with each other, express different aspects of the divine. God has made Himself easily accessible to one and all by His presence in the visible form of idols in temples. In this form, He resides with His full complement of qualities or character. And yet, one should remember that God is beyond the idols. If one should attain God, one should think beyond His mere idols.

yaavaiyum yavarum taanaay
avaravar chamayam dhOrum
toyvilan pulan aindukkum
cholapaDaan unarvin mUrththi
aavichEr uyirin uLLaal
aadhumOr paRRilaadha
bhaavanai adhanaik kooDil
avanaiyum kooDalaamE
(3-4-10)

He is everything. He is every human being. He is not affected by the religion of any one. One has to go beyond the five physical senses and search in one’s inner consciousness. If one can become completely dis-attached, then, one can become mentally aware of Him. (3-4-10)

We can see one day the cloud-dark figure of the God with the discus in His hand (Vishnu). Which is that day? We are not able to see that figure of God today; nor can we ever perceive it with our physical eyes. But we can become conscious of that figure of God if we turn to our inner mental vision. (peria tiruvantati: 28).

Sunday, October 25, 2009

HOW FAR TO GOD

Nammalvar (literally ’our Alvar’) holds the first place among the Alvars. His “Tiruvaaymozhi” is hailed as the essence of the Vedas & Upanishads. There are 108 Vaishnava (devoted to Vishnu) shrines considered sacred places of pilgrimage. Nammalvar has sung about some of these. Most of these shrines are in the south of India, many in Kerala. According to tradition, God came from the various temples to give the Alvar darshan (vision).
tentiruppErai: The image in which God is represented in this temple is called makara neDumkuzhaik kaadar (one who wears long ear ornaments shaped like a fish.) It is in a sitting pose. Here God, being an apotheosis of beauty, revealed to the Alvar his entire beauty of form (saundaryam.) The Alvar lost to this beauty his visible senses such as eyes and ears. In its turn, the Alvar’s non-perceptible mind (originator or seat of thoughts) too became extinct at the Lord’s feet. This is described in the following poem:

izhanda emmaamai siRattuppOna en nenjinaarum angE ozhindaar (7-3-4)
Here, Garuda, Vishnu’s vehicle-bird, is not exactly opposite the sanctum; but in a slightly adjacent place. Following poem describes:

vEdha oliyum, vizhaa oliyum, piLLaik kuzhaa viLayaattoliyum aRaa (7-3-1)
According to the Alvar, the Lord, mounted on His vehicle Garuda, is on a grand procession in his mind. He has no regard for vaikuntam (heaven which is God’s final gift), or for the ocean of milk, nor even for the solar constellation. On the other hand, He takes up for His residence the minds of His greatest devotees. The Alvar wonders at His extreme grace – the Lord of all the worlds, for instance, living as the child Krishna among the simple cowherds of the jungle and allowing Himself to be tied to a wooden mortar for, of all things, stealing butter (3-1-1). In the Alvar’s own words,
veLLaich churi changoDu aazhi Endi,
taamaraik kaNNan en nenjinooDe
puLLaik kaDaakinRa aaRRaik kaaneer;
en chollich chollugEn,
annaimeergaaL?
(7-3-1)
Let us pray to Him to grant us at least a miniscule part of the Alvar’s devotion and his firm faith in God.



My lord
who lives in the city of names
came here today
said he’d never leave
entered me
filled my heart
(10-8-2) Translation: A.K. Ramanujan
“City of names” is tiruppErnagar. pEr could mean either “name(s)” or “great.” pErnagar could also be “great city.”

kiLar oLi iLamai keDuvadan munnam
vaLar oLi mayOn maruviya kOyil
vaLar iLam pozhilchUzh maalirunchOlai
taLarvu ilar aagil chaarvadu chadire

(2-10-1)

Youth is flashy and it lasts only for a short period. Before the youth stage gets past, it is prudent if one approaches Tirumaaliruncholai where the temple of Vishnu is located.

varagunamangai: varam means the highest (best). Vishnu’s consort in this shrine is known by the name: varagunamangai (one who has the best of qualities of grace and mercy towards devotees.) The statue of Vishnu in the sanctum sanctorum is in a sitting pose. This place has the reputation of conferring liberation (moksha) to one and all. Irrespective of his past deeds, if one approaches this shrine with a blemish-less mind, his last days will be fulfilled ones.

sreevaikuntam: The main statue in this place is called vaikuntapathi. It is in the same standing pose as the Master of Heaven (vaikuntam) Himself, with the thousand-headed serpent adiseshan serving as His umbrella. This figure also goes by the name, choranaathan.

tiruppulingudi: Where the small fish wriggle in the fields and cowries move under the coral spreads in the river. Vishnu in a reclining position is the main shrine. The specific name given to this image by the Alvar is kaai china vendan, meaning one who punished evil perpetrators.
The Alvar says that he is in a nearby town; If only God would give him a shout, will he (Alvar) not come running and join in serving the Lord along with his two consorts, Sree Devi (Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth) and Bhoo Devi (Goddess of Earth)? Among the three poses of the Lord, the reclining pose commends the highest respect. As the legend will have it, the temple priest’s (archaka) daughter reminded Sri Ramanuja (who established the visishtaadwaita system of philosophy) of this particular poem by the Alvar:
vaDiviNai illaa malar magaL –
maRRai nilamagaL pidikkum mellaDiyai
koDuvinaiyEnum piDikka nee oru naaL
koovudhal varudhal cheyyayE

(9-2-10)
The figures of God in the last three shrines taught the Alvar the quality of bhOgya paaka twarai (the keenness to know whether tasty food is ready to eat). As the preparation takes time, one changes from standing to sitting to reclining pose, as in these shrines! God is easy of approach to those whose mind is filled with intense devotion towards Him. For others, the King of Dwaraka will be far, far away. Let us fill our minds/hearts with full love for Him and try to be within audible distance to Him!
Note: Geography of these localities needs clarification.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Blessings to God Himself

This year, the Tamil month of Purattasi (corresponding to Asvija) runs from 17th September,2009 to 17th October,2009. It is believed that Tirupati Sri Venkateswara revealed himself to the devotees on the day in this month having the star Sravaranam; hence its importance. The month is observed by fast, prayers etc., especially on the first, third and fifth Saturdays.

Besides his two mothers Devaki and Yasodha, Sri Krishna may be said to have had a third mother as well, namely Periyaalvar. Alvars are the inspired saints who had composed devotional hymns in Tamil on Vishnu. These hymns are being recited in the temples and temple processions in South India even now. The term alvar means “to immerse, to dive, to sink, to be lowered, to be deep.” (Zha is a unique letter, found only in Tamil alphabet). Hence, instead of azhvar, we may, for our present purpose, follow the more usual spelling, alvar.

Periyaalvar sang about Sri Krishna as an infant and a child. These songs presented a pen picture of Krishna’s childhood pranks and other events. These were so graphic that they gave rise to a new poetry category known as Pillay Tamizh (infant/child version Tamil literature). The poet envisages himself as Yasoda herself and invites the readers to participate in the doings of the mischevious child Krishna.

Pallandu pallandu pallayirathaandu

Palakodi noorayiram

Mallanda thintholh manivanna un

Sevadi sevvi thirukkappu

(1-1-1)

Your colour is that of green emerald. You conquered and won the bout against (Kamsa’s) wrestlers. Let the beauty of your red-coloured feet have limitless protection for countless periods.

(Periyaalvar)

The Alvar’s deep devotion made God very dear and near to him; this emboldened the Alvar to invoke blessings on God Himself. In this paasuram, Periyaalvar has envisaged the supreme God who is beyond space and time, coming down to the time-bound universe. Lest this cause Him any injury, the Alvar blesses Him to remain protected till the end of the endless time-phenomenon. Perhaps this is the justification for a devotee venturing to bless God Himself!

In the next Paasuram (1-1-2) he cites a long list of entities to be blessed along with God – Your own obedient devotees, Lakshmi who resides in Your heart, Your disc, Your conch, may all these too remain blessed for all time.

Paasuram (1-1-3): If any good happenings occur for the master, the servants (devotees) carry loads of earth; if any auspicious events befall the master, then also they carry loads of earth and celebrate the inauguration. Likewise they (the servants) rejoice at weddings at the master’s family as if these had taken place in their own family. We offer these two rights to those devotees and invite them to join with us and bless the conqueror of Lanka (reference is to Sri Raama).

Paasuram (1-1-4): Before your body falls to the ground (before you die), if you are so inclined, breaking out of the bonds, you devotees who sing the name Naarayana loudly for all to hear , join with us speedily and bless Him.

Paasuram (1-1-6): For seven generations (my father, grand-father, great-grand father etc), we have been Your obedient servants (devotees).

Thiruvonath thiruvizhaavil

Andhiyampodhil ariuruvaagi

Ariyyai azhitththavanai

Pandhanai theera pallandu pallaayirath

Thaandu enrhu paadudhume

(Periyaalvar)

You killed Hiranyakasipu (a demon) in the evening of the day of the star Tiruvonam (reference to Sri Narasimha). Let us bless Him so as to relieve His tiredness!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

List of Articles Published

Please visit http://sanskritdocuments.org/articles
and read following articles by P N Ramachandran

AmritaMoksha.doc, published on 26.01.2006 (on liberation)
IsvaraBhakti.doc, published on 25.04.2006 (on intense devotion)
Music_Peace.html, published on 12.09.2006 (on music)
Ananda Bliss.html, published on 09.10.2006 (on Acme of bliss)
Jnaanaambika.html, published on 26.01.2008 (on spiritual knowledge)
SharaNam.doc, published on 27.04.2008 (on total refuge)
BrahmamFromNoneToAlltheAttributes.pdf, published on 13.12.2008 (on nirguna/saguna Brahmam)
Best wishes

Monday, March 23, 2009

GOD’S EYES

Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam calls the Devi (Divine Mother or Mother-Goddess) as Vaama Nayanaa (one who has beautiful eyes). In many places the Sahasranamam repeatedly gives importance to the God’s eyes. This is due to the reason that She takes care of her devotees by the grace of a mere glance of her eyes. The same colour, the same musical themes and the same form apply both to the Devi as well as to Sri Vishnu. That is why she goes by the names of Naaraayani, Padmanaabha Sahodari (Padmanabha’s sister).

There is a traditional belief that the Devi’s eyes as well as Sri Vishnu’s eyes both keep their sight roaming constantly. This is described in his songs by Sri Tiruppaanaalvaar (a saint/devotee). Sri Alvar describes from foot to head Sri Ranganatha Swami of Srirangam (a well-known temple town in Tamil Nadu). Again, tradition prescribes that masculine deities are to be described from foot to head, while feminine deities are to be described from head to foot. Thus the description in Sri Sankaracharya’s Soundaryalahari commences from the Devi’s hair. Accordingly Sri Alvar sees the God’s chest and going up, attempts to describe His eyes.

But Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam and Sri Alvar both find it equally difficult to describe God’s eyes in full. The Sahasranamam uses the terms ‘One with a thousand eyes’, and ‘One whose eyes do not blink and keep permanently open’. Her eyes are similar to those of the fish and hence her title, ‘Meenalochani’. All these terms do not complete the picture.

Sri Alvar too attempts to describe God’s eyes using various terms. How are those eyes? Not only were they black. They were bright as well. Moreover red lines had red lines crisscrossing them. Such eyes were roaming about, looking here and there.

Kariyavaagi, pudai parandu
Milirndu, sevvari odiya
Periya vaaya kangal ennaip
Pedamai seydanave
(Tiruppanaalvaar, paasuram 8)

How many word pictures for those eyes! Black eyes, large eyes, eyes with light red lines, bright eyes. Additionally they were viewing one and all happenings around. Sri Alvar regrets that his own eyes had not seen the God’s eyes of above multi-description.




Narayana has the same form as Narayani and like Her; He too is always on the lookout for his devotees everywhere. Thus numerous attempts to completely describe God’s eyes remain unsuccessful.

Drusaa draghee yasyaa
Daradalita neelotpalaruchaa
Daveeyaamsam deenam snapaya
Krupaya maamapi Sive
(Saundaryalaharee, sloka 57)

Sri Sankaracharya has described the Devi’s eyes in ‘Soundaryalahari’ and Sri Kanchi Mahaswami covers this in his discourses. The Devi’s sight extends to cover the entire universe which is her creation and to whom she stands in the place of Devine Mother. The sight stretches longer and longer to fall upon even those standing very far who may seem ineligible for the Devi’s mercy. The eyes resemble half-closed, not fully open blue lotus flowers. These are cool like the wet blue lotus flowers. Her long eyesight, blue eyes, cool eyes – hence the apt comparison with blue lotus. “Please include me too in the flood of Your far stretching merciful sight”, thus Sri Acharya prays. “This act will not cause you any harm but will confer immense benefit on me and make me blessed.” He cites the instance of the full moon light, which falls equally on royal palaces as well as on forests.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Narayana Verma

Please link with
http://meerasubbarao.wordpress.com

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Narayana Verma & Lakshmihrudaya

Above are available in kannada. If required, please send email request to

Thanks and best wishes