Friday, November 18, 2011

Krishna, Who can practice yoga with a body afflicted with arthritis?

कल्यतां मम कुरुष्व तावतीं
कल्यते भवदुपासनं  यया
स्पष्टमष्टविधयोगचर्यया
पुष्टयाशु तव तुष्टिमाप्नुयां॥१॥
श्रीमन्नारायणीयं चतुर्थ स्कन्धं

हे वरद यया भवदुपासनं कल्यते मम तावतीं  कल्यतां कुरुष्व।  आशु पुष्टया अष्टविधयोगचर्यया तव तुष्टिं स्पष्टं आप्नुयां।

kalyataaM mama kuruSwa taavatiiM
kalyate bhavadupaasanaM  yayaa
spaSTamaSTavidhayogacharyayaa
puSTayaashu tava tuSTimaapnuyaaM..1..
shriimannaaraayaNiiyaM chaturtha skandhaM

he varada yayaa bhavadupaasanaM kalyate mama taavatiiM  kalyataaM kuruSwa.  aashu puSTayaa aSTavidhayogacharyayaa tava tuSTiM spaSTaM aapnuyaaM.

In Sreemad Bhagavatham, the Dharmanushtaanam by the ashtaanga yoga is described in detail.  This sublime mode of upasana is dealt with concisely by Bhattathirippad  in this Skandam four of Narayaneeyam  The above is the first stanza giving introduction to the subject.

You Guruvayurappa, the eternal source of Grace, 

 please give me sufficient health (kalyata) 
 that will be required to make me fit to perform your worship through the Yoga methods.  
 May your Divine Grace be pleased to permit me to do attain your favourable disposition by following the path of Ashtanga Yogam.  ( Yama, Niyama, Aasana, pranaayaama, Pratyaahaara, Dhaarana, dhyaana and Samadhi are the eight steps in the Yoga practice and these will be described in the coming stanzas.)

For the devotee Bhattathirs, the existence in good health not for any selfish reason.. The worship of Guruvayurappan is possible by the various vidhis ( or rules) prescribed only if the devotee is in a state of good health. Krishna, Who can practice yoga with a body afflicted with arthritis?

This sloka is only a curtain-raiser and  the amazing genius of bhattathiri describing the various limbs of Ashtangayogam will unfurl in the next stanzas..


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