Friday, January 18, 2019

think of Him when you depart...

अन्ते सन्तोषदं विष्णुं स्मरेत् हन्तारमापदाम्।
शरतल्पगतो भीष्मः सस्मार गरुडद्वजम्। ९९
क्षेमेन्द्रविरचिते चारुचर्यायाम्
ante santoṣadaṁ viṣṇuṁ smaret hantāramāpadām|
śaratalpagato bhīṣmaḥ sasmāra garuḍadvajam| 99

A very solemn advice by poet Kshemendra in his work Chaarucharya..
meaning
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When one's end is near, one shuld remember Lord Vishnu who is the remover of all dangers and sorrows and provider of happiness.
Remember, when Bheeshmacharya was lying in his bed of arrow with death in sight, he was constantly meditating on the one who has the eagle Garuda in his flagstaff..
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This is another instance of sage advice that one should remember Narayana, when death is near.. After all God alone can be with us to keep company when the life departs the body.

We know the story of Ajamila, a wayward brahmin who just called out the name of his favourite son Naryana when he was about to face death and the henchment of deathgod were ready with sturdy ropes to drag him away..
Just at the mention of the name of Narayana, the missives from Vaikunta came and rescued the dying brahmin.

The ultimate in Hindu philosophy and faith is
अन्ते नारायणस्मृति ante narayanasmritiH
remembering Narayana at the moment of death.

And we know how the steady and steadfast Bheeshmaacharya, who could choose his death at his will, could have the presence of the Lord, in the form of Krishna, and the Grand old man chanted the sublimest thousand names of the Lord, Vishnusahasranamam before Him and imparted the mantram to Dharmaputra, the king..
रथाङ्गपाणिरक्षोभ्यः सर्वप्रहरणायुधः
rathaangapaanirakshobhyaH sarvapraharanaayudhaH.
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Narayana is the name of the Supreme being who occupies the Surface of the ocean
Vishnu is the name of the same Supreme one who pervades everything
Garudadvaja too is His name as He has the insignia of Garuda the great Vaishnava bird in his flag. Wherever the Lord is there, Garuda too would be present..
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word analysis.

नरः a person
अन्ते at his end, when his end is near
संतोषदं one who gives happiness
आपदां हन्तारं one who destroys dangers
विष्णुं स्मरेत् should remember Vishnu
शरतल्पगतः lying atop the bed of arrows (aawaiting death)
भीष्मः the grandsire Bheesham
गरुडद्वजं सस्मार remembered the Lord who has Gardua in His flagstaff
.

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