दैवायत्तं यतः सर्वं तस्मात्सन्तोषमाश्रयेत्॥

ईप्सितं मनसः सर्वं कस्य संपद्यते सुखम्।

दैवायत्तं यतः सर्वं तस्मात्सन्तोषमाश्रयेत्॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे ११४८ वृद्धचाणक्य

īpsitaṁ manasaḥ sarvaṁ kasya saṁpadyate sukham|

daivāyattaṁ yataḥ sarvaṁ tasmātsantoṣamāśrayet||

indiśce sprūce 1148 vṛddhacāṇakya

A quote from Vriddha Chanakya.. The works of Vriddha Chanakya were discovered in and are in wide circulation in Southern Indian States, especially in Andhra Area. It is not know whether this Vriddha Chanakya and the Chanakya, the author of ArthaSastram are one and the same. But the works othis author too contain very deep and substantial thoughts.

The meaning of the couplet is

Sure, no one would ever attain and enjoy all the comforts that his mind and heart would fondly yearn for, desire, and would love to enjoy.

So the best course of action would be realize that whatever benefits and comforts that happen in life are windfalls from the fate, and one should derive the utmost happiness utilizing those benefits to the fullest and in the best way.

K v a

Life is not a cake walk through path strewn with roses. Nice things might happen. Not to nice things too will happen. Enjoy nice things the best way, and tolerate the hiccupts with a lote of patience and tolerance. Life can move forward only that way.

कस्य for whom मनसः of the mind, of the heart ईप्सितं deeply, fondly desired सर्वम all सुखं comforts, benefits संपद्यते ? comes by, are getting accumulated ? यतः therefore दैवायत्तं received through luck, fate सर्वं all तस्मात् from संतोषं happiness आश्रतेत् enjoyed

Who will receive all the joys that are dear to his heart. Since everything depends on fate, one should resort to enjoyment

क्लीबाः हि दैवमैवेकं प्रशंसन्ति न पौरुषम्

क्लीबाः हि दैवमैवेकं प्रशंसन्ति न पौरुषम्।

दैवं पुरुषकारेण घ्नति शूराः सदोद्यमाः॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे ३९८९ अग्निपुराणे॥

klībāḥ hi daivamaivekaṁ praśaṁsanti na pauruṣam|

daivaṁ puruṣakāreṇa ghnati śūrāḥ sadodyamāḥ||

indiśce sprūce 3989 agnipurāṇe||

“दैवं पुरुषकारेण daivam purshakaarena” ..is an adage in Sanskrit with eternal relevance. Fate and serendiipty should be countered applying hard work and initiative.

The slokam is located to Agni Puranam in my persisitent reading. But I have no doubt that the same couple would be found in another dozen of texts. The message is more important that the source.

Only weaklings, only those lack manliness would just live on their life facing setbacks and misfortunes, attributing such reversals to fate or bad luck. They would ever heap praises on luck and chance. They cannot think of taking some initiative and think and talk in approval of concerted action, persistent hardwork.

However, men of character, the bold, strong persons who never turb their backs from hard labour, men with initiative, real heroes, just stand up and face the vagaries of fate, and ultimately destroy the effects of adverse fate and come out successful.

This quote is too great.. though you may think it is clched

K v a

क्लीबाः weaklings, people with no strength of mind or character, also could mean people with no manliness ( here it is not intended to look down upon unfortunate beings who are deficient in manliness for genetic reasons) हि alone दैवं एकं एव only and exclusinvely fate or chance or luck alone प्रशंसन्ति..praise पौरुषं concerted action with continude hardwork न प्रशंसन्ति..does not appove of as the path for achievemnt सदा ever, uninterruptedly उद्यमाः engaged in well directed, positive action, having infinite initiative शूराः the heroes, people with strong mind and character and initiative दैवं पुरुष कारेण labour, action applying hard work befitting a human being घ्नन्ति. Defeat, destroy.

सज्जमानामकार्येषु निरुन्धुर्मन्त्रिणो नृपम्।

सज्जमानामकार्येषु निरुन्धुर्मन्त्रिणो नृपम्।

गुरूणामिव चैतेषां शृणुयाद्वचनं नृपः॥

इन्दिस्चे स्प्रूचे ३११० कामान्दकीयनीतिसारे

sajjamānāmakāryeṣu nirundhurmantriṇo nṛpam|

gurūṇāmiva caiteṣāṁ śṛṇuyādvacanaṁ nṛpaḥ||

indisce sprūce 3110 kāmāndakīyanītisāre

A very terse advise for rulers, as prescribed in the masterly treatise Kamaandhakeeya Nitishastram. This work is by Kamandhaka, a disciple of Chanakya and came into vogue after the eon of Chanakya, has substantial similarities with Chanakyas treatise Arthasastram.

The advise, the dictum, very brief but clear and matter of fact . It has application an validity across time, race, nationality and similar considereations.

The message is

If it is seen, noticed, implied or understood by the Ministers and the Advisers of the King or Sovereign that the person wielding the ultimate power is set to perpetrate any action, if he is veering towards any policy, which is opposed to the interests of State,or Rules, which is opposed to propriety and general peach and tranquility of the state and the people, then the ministers and deputies shoud persistently advise and convince the person wielding final power and authority and prevent the occurrence of such breach or deviation.

In the matter of following the advise of the ministers or deputies in such matters, the Ruler or the Administrator should give the same weight and respect to such advice as if the words are coming straight from the great seers, masters and prceptors of the man in power. Such advices were almost binding in nture.

Maybe, even in autocracies and monarchies in our traditions, the cabinet system, the binding nature of the principle aid and advice of binding nature was an accepted norm.

We will find even in the courts of depots like Ravana, ministers never hesitated to speak out their minds and they never minced words about what was right and what was not proper..

Kva

अकार्येषु things, deeds, actions which should not be done, which are not in the interest of the king, state or people सज्जमानां if there is proposal, intention or idea or planning नृपं the king मन्त्रिणः the ministers, policy advisers निरुन्धुः should stop, should prevent, नृपः the king एतेषां their वचनं words गुरूणां from preceptors, seers, masters इव as if शृणुयात् should listen

musings 296

Is it easy to change the identity and name of a person just by sprinkling some water on his head and declaring that he shall be known by a different identity from that moment..?

I am ananthnarayana Sharma son of vaidyanatha Sharma belonging to the kaundinya Gotham presided by three sages vasishta mitravaruna and kaundinya following the sootras or laws and traditions of Apastamba and following the yajurveda shakha.

This was how I was baptised in the presence of Agni and other deities. Give me some idea how can I change my name

I cannot change my father, my Gothram and pravaram, Shakha and sootram..

The only way perhaps is to adopt formal sannyasam.. where one renounces the world, gives up everything, including his name and status, and the Guru gives him another name, life and status..

But a normal human being cannot become a sannyasi so easily..

musings 295

If there are no close relatives close friends and people who belong to our own clan community region state and even who share this beautiful earth life is meaningless.

There is neither glory or happiness.

And when we are physically or mentally down a relative or friend or a man of our place or nation would make all the difference

We indians always believed in enjoying and even suffering in close company.

Yes, when things are happy and peaceful we will even invite some minor or even major quarrels and would bicker cringe sow little jealousy and all.

But that is only the shell or skin.

Our core craves for affection and camaraderie

We pray

" let us all live for 100 autumns

Lets us see and enjoy together for hundred years

Let us be in the happy company of all for hundred autumns

Let is give happiness to others all together for thousand years

Let us all travel and explore together for hundred autumns"

This is the vedic prayer we chant every midday

Pashyema saradah shatam

Jeevema sharadah shatam

Nandaama sharadah shatam

Modaama sharadah shatam

Prabhravaama sharadah shatam

Ajeetaah syaama sharadah shatam

That tells everything that is to be told

Namaskarams

K v ananthanarayanan

musings 294

The problem with us is that we do not follow up earnestly what we plan.

There is no scarcity in delivering high sounding words, with songs to the accompaniment of drums, dining and dancing

But in every arena when it comes to execution the quality will be wanting but politicians, touts, middlemen and scandal mongers would make money and the citizens and stakeholders at grassroots level would get little benefit.

We need a change in attitude in real terms.

We have to deliver results and not mere words.

सत्यमेवेश्वरो लोके सत्यं पद्माश्रिता सदा।

कुलीनमकुलीनं वा वीरं पुरुषमानिनम्।

चारित्रमेव व्याक्याति शुचिं वा यदि वाशुचिम्॥

ayodhyaa kaande 109- 4 Rama to Jabaali

सत्यमेवेश्वरो लोके सत्यं पद्माश्रिता सदा।

सत्यमूलानि सर्वाणि सत्यान्नास्ति परं पदम्॥

Ak 109-13

श्रीमद्वाल्मीकिरामायणे

kulīnamakulīnaṁ vā vīraṁ puruṣamāninam|

cāritrameva vyākyāti śuciṁ vā yadi vāśucim||

satyameveśvaro loke satyaṃ padmāśritā sadā।

satyamūlāni sarvāṇi satyānnāsti paraṃ padam ||

śrīmadvālmīkirāmāyaṇe

Rama, during the initial lap of his sojourn in forest, is approached by his brother Bharatha and the citizens of Ayodhya with a request that he should return to the Capital and assume the positon of the emperor. Rama, who is steadfast with his resolves declines to return, before completing his stint in the forest and fulfilling the solemn promise given to his father the Emeperor Dasaratha.

During the various sessions of discussion on the issue with Bharatha and others, a senior scholar and political expert Jabali, who is basically an atheist, tries to present the idea that only material benefits and expediency should govern out actions and stiff adherence to moral laws was of no use.

Rama is in total disagreement with the views of Jabali.

The two slokas quoted above come as Rama’s views on dignified living and honesty

A person may be born in a reputed and lofty family or clan, or he may have no claims of high birth, A person may be very strong and valorous or he may be considering himself as valorous and is entertaining great pride about his status and manliness, A person may be pure and honest in absolute terms or he may be not that clean and pure.. What decided his status and his genuine worth is his character alone. Yes, it takes a lot of character and steadfastness to maintain his dignity and purity at any cost.

Truth, honesty in all dealings is the embodiment and manifestation of the Supreme beings, the All-pervading divinity. Truth is the abode of Padma, Goddess Lakshmi, who occupies a lotus and who owns the ultimate treasures like Padmanidhi. All human beings, their lives, welfare and all that they own, just exist and survive on the strength of truth. And there is nothing In this universe that is better than or loftier than an existence in the brilliant glow of truth.

Maybe, we cannot expect anything other than this from Rama the epitome of virtue and honesty. Maybe it would read like a sermon. Ultimately, it takes a lot of character to live the life of honesty even on the face of impossible adversities.

K v a

कुलीनम् born in a high family अकुलीनं वा or having no claim for lofty birth , वीरम् who is brave and strong , पुरुषमानिनम् who is genuinely proud of his existence as a manly person , शुचिं वा pure or honest लोके in this world, अशुचिं not so pure, dishonest, चारित्रमेव character alone, व्याख्याति defines

सत्यमेव truth, honesty alone only, ईश्वरः is God, the ubiquitous supreme being पद्मा goddess of wealth, the lady occupying the lotus and possessing the padmanidhi, the controller of all wealth and treasures सदा evers सत्यम् in truth, आश्रिता seeks refuge, resides सर्वाणि all beings, all things सत्यमूलानि truth as the root cause and motivator सत्यात् over and above truth , परम् supreme, ultimate ,पदम् higher state, state that one could aspire to reach नास्ति there is nothing.

समूलोन्मूलनं कुर्याद्वार्योघो मृदुशीतलः

वने प्रज्वलितो वह्निः दहन् मूलानि रक्षति।

समूलोन्मूलनं कुर्याद्वार्योघो मृदुशीतलः॥इन्दिस्चे स्प्रूचे २७१९ पञ्चतन्त्रे

vane prajvalito vahniḥ dahan mūlāni rakṣati|

samūlonmūlanaṁ kuryādvāryogho mṛduśītalaḥ||indisce sprūce 2719 pañcatantre

The advise from the classic Panchatantram is really illuminating

Even people who are very active, vigorous, intense and tough persons would spread damage while executing their avowed activities, but might spare some little portion of the booty to the victims, who, could resume their existence at least in a truncated manner. However, cold and cruel persons, who are apparently very friendly and often meek too ensure that their destructive activities are through and would see to it that nothing would be left behind in the area of their activity, and that way they would ensure that the destruction is clinically complete.

See, the wildfire spreading in the forest. The fire inundates, razes down all the tall trees with braches, leaves and trunks too.. But the fire would spare the bottom are where the roots are still there. The tree may, after sometime sprout branches and leaves and grow again.

But if the flood arrives, the water seeps into the earth, destabilized the roots of the trees, uproots the full tree with roots and washes them away to far off places. With that final strike, the life of the trees are finished once for all.

Here, the wild fire is fierce and apparently cruel too. The flood carried very cool water, looks mild and genial too.

The lesson to be learned is that we should never get carried away or lulled into confidence watching the apparent friendliness of some evil minded fellows.

k v a

वने in the forest प्रज्वलितः kindles and spread वह्निः fire दहन् in the process of violent burning, in the process of gutting मूलानि the roots (of the trees ) रक्षति spares, leaves unaffected मृदु soft शीतलः cool वार्योघः flood समूल with roots उन्मूलनं pulls out entirely upto the deep root कुर्यात् does

rudram,chamakam,rudraikadashini,Lghu Rudram,Maharudram,Atitudram

chanting the whole eleven anuvakams of Srirudram followed by eleven anuvakams of chamakam is called the sadharana rudra japam.

chanting srirudram once followed by the first anuvakam of chamakam, then the whole rudram again followed by the second anuvakam of rudram... thus continuing to chant the rudraprashnam eleven times each time followed by the successive anuvakams of chamakam is called rudraikaadashini

Eleven times rudraikadashini is called Laghu Rudram

Eleven Laghu rudrams constitute a Maharudram

and

Eleven Maharudrams constitue and atirudram..

These are the usual variations in chanting Sri Rudram.. namakam and chamakam..

Mahanyasam ..general outline

Mahanyasam ..general outline

Mahanyasam is the ceremonial invocation of lord shiva and his devatas with vedic mantras ..

the lord is invoked in kumbhas or pitchers filled with sacred water etc and also on some mandalas or cluster of materials suitable for invocation of the divine couple shiva and uma .

. In addition the person who chants rudram and chamakam worshipfully invokes the lord and all other gods in various parts of his own body through various nyasa mantrams

This nyasam alone makes him pure and eligible for chanting Sri Rudram.

Namaskaram to the divine couple uma and shankara is offered.

The lords of cardinal points ashtadigpalakas are invoked in the appropriate direction in waterpots or mandalas etc.

The detailed procedure is prescribed by Bodhayana.

The mantras would consume about one and half hours.

If it is not possible to perform mahanyasam a shortened version Laghunyasam is followed.

Nyasam..the word means reverentially and pointedly placing deities..around the main deity in kumbham .

The chanting of rudram is then done honouring the deity invoked in that kumbham.

In addition the deities are placed or invoked in various parts of the body of the one who chants Sri Rudram through anganyasam karanyasam etc.

For nyasa of each deity elaborate vedic mantras and often tantric beeja mantras are chanted.

This is a general outline.

The subject is too vast.

And the procedure can have minor variation according to local practices.

In our nitya pooja with rudram we perform only laghunyasam

नहि सममेतैरन्नदानं प्रधानम्

तुरगशत सहस्रं गोगजानाञ्च लक्षं

कनकरजतपात्रं मेदिनीं सागरान्ताम्।

विमलकुलवधूनां कोटिकन्याश्च दद्या

न्न हि नहि सममेतैरन्नदानं प्रधानम्।

कविभट्ट पद्यसङ्ग्रहः॥

turagaśata sahasraṁ gogajānāñca lakṣaṁ

kanakarajatapātraṁ medinīṁ sāgarāntām|

vimalakulavadhūnāṁ koṭikanyāśca dadyā

nna hi nahi samametairannadānaṁ pradhānam|

kavibhaṭṭa padyasaṅgrahaḥ||

Even if one makes gifts of hundreds of thousands of horses

Even if one makes gifts of lakhs of elephant and cows

Even if one arranges for gifts of vessels made of gold and silver in plent

Even if one bequeaths lands spanning from seashore to seashore to the needy on es

Even if one arranges for the gift of marriage of a crore of young girls born in impeccable families

All these would not be equal to or be match to gift of food.. Gift of food is superior to all these .

തുരഗശത സഹസ്രം ഗോഗജാനാഞ്ച ലക്ഷം

കനകരജതപാത്രം മേദിനീം സാഗരാന്താം।

വിമലകുലവധൂനാം കോടികന്യാശ്ച ദദ്യാ

ന്ന ഹി നഹി സമമേതൈരന്നദാനം പ്രധാനം।

കവിഭട്ട പദ്യസങ്ഗ്രഹഃ॥

ആയിരവും പതിനായിരവും കുതിരകള്‍ സമ്മാനമായി നല്‍കിയാലും

ലക്ഷം പശുക്കളും ആനകളും ദാനമായി നലിയാലും

സ്വര്‍ണ്ണവും വെള്ളിയും കൊണ്ട് നിര്‍മ്മിച്ച ഒത്തിരി പാത്രങ്ങള്‍ സമ്മാനമായി വിതരണം ചെയ്താലും

ഒരു കടല്‍ത്തീരം മുതല്‍ മറുവശത്തുള്ള കടല്‍ത്തീരം വരെ നീണ്ടു കിടക്കുന്ന ഭൂമി പതിച്ചു കൊടുത്താലും

ഒരു കോടി കന്യകകളുടെ വിവാഹം സമ്മാനമായി സംഘടിപ്പിച്ചാലും

അതൊന്നും അന്നദാനത്തിന്, വിശക്കുന്നവന് ആഹാരം കൊടുക്കുന്നതിന് തുല്യമാവുകയില്ല.

അന്നദാനം മറ്റുള്ള ദാനങ്ങളെക്കാള്‍ എന്നും ശ്രേഷ്ടമായി തന്നെ കരുതപ്പെടും.