why should we go for measuring such things?

 

Atma is not a material, which we could measure as a quantity with dimensions.

When they talk of anoraneeyaan, mahato maheeyaan.. अणोरणीयान् महतो महीयान् -smaller than the anu or larger than the biggest Mahat- they do not speak of how larger or how smaller.

Sure, there are certain things, which go beyond yardsticks or measuring instruments.

They can be only felt ..

Some by the sense organs,

Some by the peripheral mind,

Some by the inner consciousness

In addition, some can be felt by only god knows what...

Nano physics or cellular spectrometry with even laser or other tinier and more coherent waveforms, would limit us at some stage.

Then why should we go for measuring such things?

We do not measure love, friendship and often-even hatred.

The entire Hinduism hinges on the two-words ऋतम् and सत्यं

 

Question put to me

Do you really believe that sprinkling of water around food with chanting of mantra will make the food amritham? Is there any scientific proof? Then it would be the easiest way to attain immortality.

My Reply

Sir, I am sure that if a person with adequate penance and honesty can easily do that.

The entire Hinduism hinges on the two-words ऋतम् and सत्यं ।

That is a matter of faith.

However, for that matter, probity and honesty too are matters of conviction and faith. To take it or not is the individual’s choice. For me the happenings and activities beyond my faith are just make-believe matters -a drama enacted to eke out the livelihood.

However, the Divine presence and its absolute potency is real for me. That is my view and I have survived six and half decades with that conviction. In addition, that faith I believe will come with me when I depart. As a Brahmin, I sprinkle water on my food with that faith. I do that when I offer naivedyam to god too.

That is good enough for me.

Ultimately the wise and unwise all go to the same place

sprinkling some water around our food before we eat is not an empty ritual

 

We talk of tamasic food affecting us and draining off our spiritual potential. Ordinary seekers like us might face such depletion of strength.

However, take the case of sage Agastya who ate the demon Vataapi whom his brother Bilva or Bilvala cooked as curry gave the flesh a dish to the sage.

Bilva was expecting the brother to tear off the stomach of the sage Agastya and come back.

Nevertheless, vatapi just burnt to ashes in the agni in the jatara of the sage.

Moreover, the incident did not affect the sage in any way whatsoever.

You know we sprinkle the food we eat with water consecrated by Gayatri and then invoke the Lord Savita, Satyam, and riram in the forenoon, ritam, and Satyam in the evening and give a coat of amrutham to the food as we start eating.

Finally, we give coat of amrutham at the conclusion of consuming food.

In addition, we treat our body as the yajna fire and offer the food as aahuti or oblation to prana, Apana, vyana, udhana, samaana.-the five pranas- and Brahma himself.

Moreover, we treat the food we eat as partaken by the Supreme Being himself and thus granting immortality to us.

This our human body is the seat of God himself.

If we realize that then no soiled or putrid food can ever contaminate us.

Just sprinkling some water around our food before we eat is not an empty ritual

right place, right son, right spouse and right disciple

 

कुदेशमासाद्य कुतोऽर्थस्ञ्चयः कुपुत्रमासाद्य कुतो जलाञ्जलिः।

कुगेहिनीं प्राप्य कुतो गृहे सुखं कुशिष्यमद्यापयतः कुतो यशः॥

चाणक्य 

 kudeśamāsādya kuto'rthasñcayaḥ kuputramāsādya kuto jalāñjaliḥ|

kugeihinīṁ prāpya kuto gṛhe sukhaṁ kuśiṣyamadyāpayataḥ kuto yaśaḥ||

cāṇakya as quoted in a ġerman compilation ṣanksrit ḻesebec

An ever-relevant string of queries from the Master Chanakya. We know Chanakya was a great Minister, Politician and administrator, and a revered teacher too. Of course, we do not have any idea how his performance in the domestic front was, because we do not have any literature available on that issue.

Chanakya asks

If a person has chosen a region or state that is dangerously full of ruffians, wayward people who have lost all sense of propriety, how can he exist peacefully, further his business or profession, and earn his livelihood?

If one is having an evil-minded brute with no manners and with no character as his son, then how can he look forward to receive his final water oblations from that fellow. The son, if he is alive after the father would not care to do the last rites. Moreover, in many cases, other people would have already handled and finished the fellow even prior to the demise of the father.

If one has chosen to land up in a wedlock with a shrew, a violent monstrous life partner, then how can he have peace, harmony and comfort at home?

And

If as a teacher or Acharya, he had the misfortune of having accepted and idiot or moron as a disciple, how can he earn good name and fame? The greatness and talents of the teacher should reveal itself to the world through the dignified behaviour and exhibition of rich knowledge by the student who grew under the master’s tutelage. If the disciple is an imbecile that will eternally reflect on the Acharya too.

Yes, these interjections are ever relevant.

K v a

कुदेशं a bad, disturbed land filled with wayward citizens आसाद्य havei reached and inhabited अर्थसञ्चयः कुतः how can one further his profession profitably and earn and accumulate wealth ?

कुपुत्रं a son who is bad, without manners, and without character आसाद्य having been forced to rear जलाञ्जलिः कुतः how are you going to receive your final water oblations after you depart ?

कु गेहिनीं nasty, shrew-like, monstrous, wife प्राप्य having joined in wedlock गृहे कुतः सुखं how can you have any peace and comfort in your home ?

कुशिष्यं having accepted and taught or still attempting to teach an idiot, imbecile, moron आसाद्य having come by यशः कुतः how can you, or the teacher ever get any name or fame or any benefit

when the evil minded person heaps scandals a even the blmishless name and fame suffers

 

वचनैर्महतां महीयसो न खलु व्येति गुरुत्वमुद्धतैः।

किमपैति रजोभिरौर्वरैरववकीर्णस्य मणेर्महार्घता॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे २७०० शिशुपालवधे

vacanairmahatāṁ mahīyaso na khalu vyeti gurutvamuddhataiḥ|

kimapaiti rajobhiraurvarairavavakīrṇasya maṇermahārghatā||

indiśce sprūce 2700 śiśupālavadhe

A very pragmatic statement from Shishupala Vadham.

The great Mahakavyam deals with the story in Mahabharatham about the unending enmity between Lord Krishna, and his cousin Shisupala, the king of Chedi. Shishupala always found vicarious pleasure in heaping insults on Krishna, and the Lord tolerated him because he was a close kin. However, the kng of Chedi exceeded all limits and finally found his nemesis at the hands of the Lord during the course of the Rajasurya Yajna conducted by king yudhishtira.

The message of the slokam

“There may not be any genuine blemish or defect found in a person of class and dignity. But when the evil minded person heaps scandal after scandal on him, his name and fame suffers, in the same way the brilliance and value of a gem would be apparently diminished or jaded when covered with mud or dust.”

Yes, such schandals, if the victim is a man of class, dignity and of great purity, would be shortlived. However, we cannot ignore the fact that cynics and trollers can cause a lot of harm.
This was what happened Lord Krishna when he had to suffer at the hands of Shishupala. Of course, the lord gave a full stop to the continued verbal abuse by his cousin Shishupala by beheading him with Sudarshana Chakram.
K V Ananthanarayanan

उद्धतैः evil, arrogant वचनैः scandals, bad workds महीयसो महतां of dignified, classy people गुरुत्वं good name, standing, fame व्येति gets diminished, gets hit न खलु? Is it not? और्वरैः of the earth रजोभिः dust अवकीर्णस्य deeply covered मणेः the valued gem महार्घता the exalted value अपैति gets pulled down किं is it not?

threats galore

 

राजतश्चौरतः शत्रोः स्वजजनात्पशुपक्षितः।

अर्थिभ्यः कालतः स्वस्मान्नित्यं प्राणार्थवद्भयम्॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे २५९८ भागवतपुराणे

rājataścaurataḥ śatroḥ svajajanātpaśupakṣitaḥ |

arthibhyaḥ kālataḥ svasmānnityaṁ prāṇārthavadbhayam||

indiśce sprūce 2598 bhāgavatapurāṇe

Every living being, especially those who have some wealth and money, should always be afraid of and be on guard about the destructive potency of the following types

From the king and his deputies and assistants they wield the power to make and mar

From the thieves and robbers, they may just take away everything without warning

From people who are inimical to a person and are waiting on the sidelines, ever alert to pounce upon the victi.

From animals and birds

From persons who come for financial help, from beggars- there would be no limits or boundaries for their wants and if one is not careful, they may just siphon off all your resources.

From vagaries of time. -- if ones time is bad, even favourable things can turn adverse

From own actions, from the attitudes, behaviour and conduct of the individual himself

Roadblocks and threats can come in every way, in every manner.

A quote from Bhagavatham

k v ananthanarayanan

प्राणार्थवत् for living beings and for affluent persons राजतःfrom the king, government चौरतः from thieves, robbers शत्रोः from enemis स्वजनात् from own kinsmen पशु four footed animal पक्षितः from birds अर्थिभ्यः from beggars, from those approach for help कालतः from vagaries of time स्वस्मात् from oneself भयं fear संभवति happens

That feeling is true, perhaps the only truth.

 

The argumentative mind, under the prodding of reason, ego and so on tries to tempt us to present cogent views.

However, that Supreme Presence overtakes all reason, and for fleeting seconds perhaps fills us and tells us, do not worry,

I am present- I am here.

That is the only truth, the only meaning of our existence.

Name and attributes for that Presence is just in our own imagination.

However, something inside, is it brain, is it mind, is it the sense organs- we cannot know-just feels and resonates to the presence of Him, or Her or It.

That feeling is true, perhaps the only truth.

an Islamic verse in Tamil

this is part of a song on that Infinite Being..

taken from an Islamic verse in Tamil

தேடும் நேயர் நெஞ்சங்களில் குடியிருப்பவன்

தேடாத மனிதருக்கும் உணவளிப்பவன்

வாடும் இதயம் மலர்வதற்கு வழி வகுப்பவன்

வாஞ்சையோடு யாவருக்கும் துணை நிற்பவன்

அலை முழங்கும் கடல் படைத்து அழகு பார்ப்பவன்

அலையின் மீதும் கடலின் மீதும் ஆட்சி செய்பவன்

தலைவணங்கி கேட்பவர்க்கு தந்து மகிழ்பவன்

தரணி எங்கும் நிலைத்து நிற்கும் மகா வல்லவன்

He who resides in the heart of those who seek Him

He who feeds and nourishes even the non seekers and and non believers

He who relieves the pains of broken hearts and makes them happy

He who gives protection to everyone with great love and concern

He who enjoys the beauty of the ocean filled with waves, which He has Himself created

He who rules over the waves and the oceans

He who happily gives everything to those who bow their heads before Him in supplication

He who is the peerless Being who spreads over the entire universe and is ever present there..

Some of the epithets are just expressions of respect and love but the definition of the Universal Being, even above all attributes is present in these lines..

It is a question of Faith laced in the sweetness of love for that universal Father..

We can love Him or we can leave Him.. it is our choice..

Or is it ?

The realization of the Supreme at its Sublimest

न तत्र सूर्यो भाति न चन्द्रतारकं नैवा विद्युतो भान्ति कुतोयमग्निः।

तमेव भान्तं अनुभान्ति सर्वं तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति॥

इति काठकोपनिषदि २-१५

na tatra sūryo bhāti na candratārakaṁ naivā vidyuto bhānti kutoyamagniḥ|

tameva bhāntaṁ anubhānti sarvaṁ tasya bhāsā sarvamidaṁ vibhāti||

iti kāṭhakopaniṣadi 2-15

This is from Kathopanishad.. chapter 2

The powers and sources of energy of this Universe fail to have any potency in the presence of that One Supreme Being the Brahman..

The Sun, Moon and the Stars are powerless.

The lightning cannot strike..

The fire we see is absolutely bereft of power in His presence..

He, the Supreme One shines forth shedding his own light..

And all things in this Universe shine just reflecting His light..

The realization of the Supreme at its Sublimest can be felt here..

तत्र सूर्यः न भाति॥ the sun does not shine there.

तत्र चन्द्रतारकं अपि न भाति॥ the moon and the stars do not shine there

तत्र विद्युतःएव न भान्ति॥ even the powerful lightning does not work there.

अयं अग्निः कुत? where can be this fire there(how can this fire show any power there?)

तं भान्तं एव सर्वं अनुभान्ति॥ Everything shines after Him who sheds that supreme lustre..

सर्वं इदं तस्य भासा विभाति। everything around just shines reflecting the supreme lustre generated by Him

a checklist of strategies that a ruler should adopt

 

बकवच्चिन्तयेदर्थान्सिंहवच्च पराक्रमेत्।

वृकवच्चावलुम्पेत शशवच्च विनिक्षिपेत्॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे २६९५ महाभारते मनुस्मृत्यां

bakavaccintayedarthānsiṁhavacca parākramet|

vṛkavaccāvalumpeta śaśavacca vinikṣipet||

indiśce sprūce 2695 mahābhārate, manusmriti

This is how a prince should go about in warfare.

Even though the fish is swimming in the stream with great speed and taking a very zigzag path in water, the Crane sitting patiently on the banks would watch with lase-sharp concentration the location of the fish, ready to scoop away the victim at the right moment. A ruler must watch the accumulation of the wealth of his adversary with the same attitude, his eyes ever on the treasury of other rulers.

Like a lion, which although very small compared to an elephant, would find adequate strength and resourcefulness even to attack a huge elephant and subjugate it, the Prince should use his skill and ernegies to muster all his strenght and act at the right moment

When a wolf is on the lookout for his victims among flock of sheep well guarded by a sheperd, it would be hovering around stealthily, watching every movement of the entire flock and the sheperd, and discover the right moment when a solirary sheep is separate from the group for some fleeting moments. The wolf will capitalize on this momentary separation, pounce upon the prey, and make a nice supper of it. The prince bent on gaining wealth too should infiltrate and take away what he can manage, in the same manner as the wolf does.

In addition, while on a combat mission, if the enemies surround the prince from all sides, when he either is in possession of the bounties or is on the verge of capture, he should use all his speed and strategies to take flight or jump, run and move in devious paths like a hare, and should avoid getting caught.

We see a checklist of strategies that a ruler should adopt by a ruler while in warfare. We can find it in Rajadharma Chapter of Mahabharatham and Mnusmriti too.

Kva

राजा the prince बक वत् like the crane अर्थान् चिन्तयेत् should ever think and meditate upon wealth सिंहवत् like the lion पराक्रमेत् should attack वृक वत् like the wolf अवलुम्पेत watch, encircle, separate and capture शशवत् like hare विनिषिपेत् च take flight too

The theory of Karma in Hinduism is not easily understandable anyway.

 

The theory of Karma in Hinduism is not easily understandable anyway.

One explanation, the most plausible one, is that what the human mind conceives as separate compartments -like this life, earlier life, and the coming life -are all viewed by the controller as a continuum. In addition, since he sees the entire string of births, outliving it from beginning to end, there is nothing amiss in meting out punishment in one life for the misdeeds of another life. In addition, the question of immediate punishment is not really material.Our life is very short, at the most a hundred years and therefore an hour or a day may count. However, in Gods clock, a day, a year a millennium, or even bigger time-slices would appear to be too tiny in comparison to the infinite time that He deals with. In this light, it is too difficult to test God's logic with the evaluation provided by our limited minds.

If one is wondering about Gods logic, it is okay.

However, usually if one challenges Gods logic, it will not be okay for him because he is breaking his head against a huge mountain. Anyway, everything is Okay by God.

We believe by sheer faith many things, which are apparently illogical, even small things in our day-to-day life.

Therefore in respect of such great issues, we cannot do anything, just for want of adequate data and inability to possess panoramic vision too ( to cover the huge time-span)

Sadly funny.

A person can choose to be what he is, what he likes himself to be.

In addition, he should let others also be just themselves; the excessive influence of Social media often interferes too much with that.

Social media often are prod us to make funny faces, and tempt us to expect that from others too.

All the personal issues and social issues were available there even without our announcements in social media, and we were tackling them adequately.

Now we put everything to vote.

It would not be surprising, it is not surprising if I am soliciting the likes or dislikes of my social media cronies as to whether I should fart or belch.

Sadly funny.

others have little time to think of us either way, favourably or unfavourably

 

Often we plan our actions not based on what is really chellenging us but based on what we just imagine as posing threats to us.

Moreover, mostly our imagination has nothing to do with facts.

Therefore, we are miserable when we need not be, and we are happy when we should not be.

Moreover, in interactions with others we just think that everyone else is always thinking of us and our actions or inactions and mentally prepare long lists and data banks about what others think of us.

However, in reality others have little time to think of us either way, favourably or unfavourably..

They have their own lives, their own anxieties and their own kitchens to cook food.

In addition, if some fellows set aside all personal affairs and just devote all their time in poking their noses into the affairs of others, they are not worth noticing.

Firstly, their own lack of attention to their own personal affairs of greater importance would destroy them eventually.

And secondly they are wrong because no one can understand the affairs of others really well, even if he is a very close acquaintance or relative..

There are limitations even in a mother's understanding the mind of her own newly born.

a lot of noise comes from empty brain

 

मौखर्यं लाघवकरं मौनं उन्नतिकारणम्।

मुखरं नूपुरं पादे कण्ठे हारो विराजते॥

नित्यनीति॥

maukharyaṁ lāghavakaraṁ maunaṁ unnatikāraṇam|

mukharaṁ nūpuraṁ pāde kaṇṭhe hāro virājate||

nityanīti||

A very well known fact underlined in the above subhashitam. All of us know that it is true. However, we tend to ignore that and we ignore it to our own detriment.

Making loud noises makes a person appear very cheap and ordinary. Silence, on the other hand, makes the same person climb up great heights.

We tie the anklet tinkling in loud chimes to our feet. However, the silent and elegant necklace adorns the neck.

Even the best among people land up absurd and funny situations in life by talking or shouting at the wrong time and in the wrong manner. Often such words we misuse or apply inappropriately would make a lot of difference in our lives and in the lives of others too.

Often, a lot of talk do happen often where such talk is not at all necessary, and perhaps is unwarranted. If the one who spoke had just kept quiet and walked off he would have been safe and secure.

We see the phenomenon of loud and empty talk without sense, but with great wealth of nonsense, in our social media transactions. Often, we are under the illusion that we gain more popularity when we talk or do the talking through the keyboard more and more. Maybe, the loud mouth may draw initial attention but if the loud mouth draws energy from a hollow brain, the outcome can be only absurdity. Moreover, we see that happening every moment.

However, it would appear that the good god has just programmed us to talk nonsense. We fall into the trap of wagging the tongue and facing ruin.

We would never learn.

Regards

k v ananthanarayanan 27-03-2019

the glory of Rudram

 

the glory of  Rudram

स्वशाखोपनिषत् गीता विष्णोर्नाम सहस्रकम्।

रुद्रंच पौरुषं सूक्तं नित्यमावर्तयेत् बुधः॥

एकाशातं यजुः शाखाः तासु रुद्रोपनिषदाम्नायते।

शतशाखा गतं साक्षात् शतरुद्रीयमुच्यते॥

वृक्षस्य मूलसेकेन शखाः पुष्यन्ति वै यथा।

शिवे रुद्रजपाद् प्रीते प्रीता एवास्य देवताः॥

अतो रुद्रजपादेव मुक्ति भुक्ति प्रसिध्यतः॥

सूतसंहिता॥

यः शतरुद्रीयमधीते सोऽग्निपूतो भवति स वायुपूतो भवति स आत्मपूतो भवति स सुरापानाद् पूतो भवति ब्रह्महत्याद् पूतो भवति॥

कैवल्योपनिषद्

svaśākhopaniṣat gītā viṣṇornāma sahasrakam|

rudraṁca pauruṣaṁ sūktaṁ nityamāvartayet budhaḥ||

ekāśātaṁ yajuḥ śākhāḥ tāsu rudropaniṣadāmnāyate|

śataśākhā gataṁ sākṣāt śatarudrīyamucyate||

vṛkṣasya mūlasekena śakhāḥ puṣyanti vai yathā|

śive rudrajapād prīte prītā evāsya devatāḥ||

ato rudrajapādeva mukti bhukti prasidhyataḥ||

sūtasaṁhitā||

yaḥ śatarudrīyamadhīte so'gnipūto bhavati sa vāyupūto bhavati sa ātmapūto bhavati sa surāpānād pūto bhavati brahmahatyād pūto bhavati ||

kaivalyopaniṣad

The primary duty of every wise person is to  study and follow

1. The Vedic Shakha ordained to Him

2.  The Upanishad according to that Shakhaa

3.   Srimad Bhagavat Gita

4.    Vishnu Sahasranamam

5     Sri rudram.. Namakam and Chamakam

6.    The Purusha Sooktham

Each of the above is great beyond words.. Explaining each of that would  take a lot of research..

I am confining to Rudram.. Sri Rudram ..Rudropanishad.. or Shatarudreeyam.

The great Veda.. the Yajurvedam has  one hundred Shakaas or branches (  we know about Shukla, Krishna  etc..)  And in every such branch  the Upanishad of Rudra is  prescribed and partakes a glorious place.  Thus what is gloriously present in all the hundred Sakhas is called Shatarudreeyam.

Sootasamhita  Says.

Just as the branches and the huge foliage remain green and healthy when the roots of a tree is irrigated with water,  when Lord Shiva  the root cause of all divinity is praised through chanting Rudram  all the  gods and divine beings would be pleased.

Therefore, only through the worship of the Lord by chanting Sri Rudram,  one would attain all physical comforts in the world and also the emancipation from worldly bonds when he departs.

Kaivalyopanishad says..

The seeker who chants and digests  Shatarudriyam  or Sri Rudram

He becomes purified as if by a fire sacrifice

He becomes purified by the air

He becomes purified  in his vital Soul.. being cleared of all the blemishes of Karma

The sins of taking intoxicating beverages is removed from him

The sins of causing death and damages to the learned persons gets removed  from him

( Of course this is stated not to justify boozing or brahmahatya.. it is just to underline the greatness of the vedic prayer to the Lord of Lords.. Mahadeva  Shambhu  Shankara..Siva)

NamaH Shivaaya..

what is the fashion of the day is good enough

 

We declare openly that Honesty, sincerity and some such virtues are great and worth living for. Some declare that they are even worth sacrificing one’s life. However, these are often vocl declarations that are just good enough when their balance tilt in our favaour.

We tend to bend and break rules when the situation becomes uncomfortable.

We tend to explain things in such a way that what is convenient for us at a moment is the greatest virtue.

The whole tragedy is that some people read, and train themselves for virtuous things in life and they are not able to throw such things away for more convenient options just because they had innocently believed that there is something called good and virtuous in life.

Moreover, that belief has become a habit of sorts for them.

If one is to survive, he has to change colours.

No colour is good or bad. Any colour that compares favourably with what is the fashion of the day is good enough.

marital bliss

 

यदा भार्या च भर्ता च परस्परवशानुगौ।

तदा धर्मार्थकामानां त्रयाणामपि संगतम्॥

मार्कण्डेय पुराणे॥ इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे २३५३

yadā bhāryā ca bhartā ca parasparavaśānugau|

tadā dharmārthakāmānāṁ trayāṇāmapi saṁgatam||

mārkaṇḍeya purāṇe|| indiśce sprūce 2353

A quote from Markandeya Puranam. A statement of eternal relevance

When a couple, the husband and wife, live in harmony, with intense mutual devotion, with compatibility in thoughts and actions, then these three important attinments visit them in a grand package of three. 1. The virtue, nobility and loftiness in activities. 2. Spiritual, moral and material gains. 3. Sustained happiness, ever pleasant feeling in the company of and union with one another.

Every couple in every slice of time knows about it. Moreover, marriages would work well only when such harmony prevails. It may seem that this is just a repetition of what everyone knows. But human nature often tends to act contrary to even very simple things which are of great use.

Anyway, a repetition is not going to harm anyone.

kva

यदा when भार्या wife भर्ता च husband too परस्पर mutual, of one another वशानुगौ compatible, harmonious in thoughts and action, वर्तन्ते remain तदा then धर्म virtue, nobilitiy and greatness in action, अर्थ spiritual, moral and material advantage कामानां happiness prevailing ever, hapinness in the union त्रयाणां all the three अपि too संगतं happy presence भवति happens.

slowly and steadily the malignancy spreads and the system is killed

Some points which should draw the attention of all sane and thinking people are that:-

Even if violence is professed on the basis of a particular faith, and it is put into action by only a very small cross section from among them, still if the kindred people do not actively resist and even root out that tendency with firm conviction, it would mean that the group as a whole is not averse to violence..

Now in human pathology, the formation of malignant cells forming cancer are subject of avid study..

There we find that even if a few cells turn malignant and if either the other cells keep quiet and/or fail in resisting the malignancy, slowly and steadily the malignancy spreads and the system is killed.. of course the malignant elements perish too..

So be it any group or sect, violence and feeling of intolerance has to be nipped out in the bud, something like Chemotherapy .. or radiation for cancer..

And the malignancy of violence should be razed out from the heart and mind..

It is meaningless to say only very few are showing extreme propensities..

Even a small spark of fire spreads and inundates everything around..

Complacency or sense of false wellness, when some parts of either the body or the social group are rotting is just inviting catastrophe...

I repeat, my view is a general one.. I am opposed to any violence, political, religious, social, intellectual and so on..

The fire, the poisonous snake, and the messiah of violence.. they are all dangerous whether they are small or big..

The final anuvakam of Chamakaprashnam

The final anuvakam of Chamakaprashnam

एका॑ च मे ति॒स्रश्च॑ मे॒ पञ्च॑ च मे स॒प्त च॑ मे॒ नव॑ च म॒ एका॑दश च मे॒ त्रयो॒दश च मे॒ पञ्च॑दश च मे स॒प्तद॑श च मे॒ नव॑दश च म॒ एक॑विग्ंशतिश्च मे॒ त्रयो॑विग्ंशतिश्च मे॒ पञ्च॑विग्ंशतिश्च मे स॒प्त विग्ं॑शतिश्च मे॒ नव॑विग्ंशतिश्च म॒ एक॑त्रिग्ंशच्च मे॒ त्रय॑स्त्रिग्ंशच्च मे॒ चत॑स्-रश्च मे॒‌ऽष्टौ च॑ मे॒ द्वाद॑श च मे॒ षोड॑श च मे विग्ंश॒तिश्च॑ मे॒ चतु॑र्विग्ंशतिश्च मे॒‌ऽष्टाविग्ं॑शतिश्च मे॒ द्वात्रिग्ं॑शच्च मे॒ षट्-त्रिग्ं॑शच्च मे चत्वारि॒ग्॒ंशच्च॑ मे॒ चतु॑श्-चत्वारिग्ंशच्च मे‌ऽष्टाच॑त्वारिग्ंशच्च मे॒ वाज॑श्च प्रस॒वश्चा॑पि॒जश्च क्रतु॑श्च॒ सुव॑श्च मू॒र्धा च॒ व्यश्नि॑यश्-चान्त्याय॒नश्-चान्त्य॑श्च भौव॒नश्च॒ भुव॑न॒श्-चाधि॑पतिश्च ॥ 11 ॥

Eka cha me, thisra cha may, pancha cha may, saptha cha may,

Ekadasa cha may, tryodasa cha may, pancha dasa cha may, saptha dasa cha may,

Nava dasa cha may, eka trimsathis cha may, tryovimsathis cha may,

Pancha vimsathis cha may, saptha vimsathis cha may, nava vimsathis cha may,

Eka trimsathis cha may, tryatrimsathis cha may, pancha trimsathis cha may,

Chathasras cha may, ashtou cha may, dwadasa cha may, shodasa cha may,

Vimsathis cha may, chatur vimsathis cha may, ashtaa vimsathis cha may,

Dwathrimasthis cha may, shat trimsas cha may, chatvarimsa cha may,

Chathus chathvarimsa cha may, ashta chatvarimsa cha may,

Vaajas cha prasavas cha pijascha kradis cha suvas cha moordha cha

Vyasniyas cha anthyayanas cha anthyas cha

Bhouvans cha bhuvanas chadhipadhis cha. 11

The celebrated commentator Vishnu Suri gives the following interpretation..

The numbers mentioned upto 33 seek the grace of the devas numbering thirty three crores.

The numbers upto 48 seek the welfare, and benefits for the living beings on this earth.

The odd numbers represent the Divinity

The even numbers represent the earthly things.

( This is the view of the commentator.. But the even and odd numbers mix up divine and mundane.. But that is a matter of interpretation as to what is divine and what is mundane.)

1.Prakruti

3.. the three gunas sattva, rajas and tamas..

5 the panchabootas.. prithviee ap teja vayu akasha

7 the five jnanendriyas chakshu shrotra jihava grana sparsha and mind or mana and bhuddhi

9 the body created with the nine holes.. two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth, the urinary outlet and the excretionary outlet

11 the ten Pranas and the suhumna

13 the major gods.

. 15 the nadis like shankini

17 the limbs of the linga shareera (endocrines?)

19 the herbs like sanjeevani

21 the 21 marma points

23 the deities presiding major diseases

25 the apsaras residing in the body as also in the heavens..

27 Gandharvas residing in the body as also in the heavens

29 vidyut devas

31 bhuvanams or planets

33 crores devas

4 purusharthas.. dharma artha kama moksham

8 vedas and upavedas four each

12 6 shastras and and six angas

16 The sixteen mahavidyas

20 Mahabhutas, vishayas like Shabdha, sthoolam and sookshmam

24 the letters of Gayatri

28 Ushnik Chandas

32 Anushtup Chandas

36 Brihatee chandas

40 Pankthee chandas

44 Thristup Chandas

48 Jagatee chandas.. belonging to the mundane world

Of course many of the numbers need more elaboration.. but such elaboration is not worthy for a Facebook post..

There are many other explanations too.

But I think this is good enough

This is not a complete interpretation..

I have not translated the final.parts of the mantra where the numerical.sequence is not considered

Regards

k v ananthanarayanan.

my priorities in life and my interests are mostly coordinated with my passions

 

For me my writings are not merely stress relievers. In fact, I consider that as an avenue to find genuine and empathetic and non-arrogant friends, --Friends, who can at least place their own friends in a level which they deserve and friends who do not put down a friend either by making intolerant, sarcastic and bombastic commends giving the suggestions that the writer is a fool . I cannot afford to have the luxury of having a friend who thinks that he is far superior and he know far better than others ( it is okay far a so-called friend to assume this attitude if he is really an idiot by normal reckoning. However then the question will arise-why should I retain his friendship at all.)

Basically I revel in a stressful life, not finding time to read, understand and study new things.- reading books, hearing discourses, making legal opinions, and so on.

Therefore, I am not here in social mrdia for stress relief of any sort.

In fact, I consider this forum too as a mouthpiece for some good messages.

For me my priorities in life and my interests are mostly coordinated with my passions. I love law, literature, science, religion, morality and many other things.

Cuisine, eating, body building, joking and making others laugh, leg pulling.etc.,-- these are not my interests or priorities-- though I used to do some funny things just for company.. However, to do that I will have to wear a mask and wear some funny costumes, which actions I abhor, and anyway I have no passion that way.

both are tecnically liars--one goes to heaven,theothrt to hell

 

ब्रूतेऽप्यन्यासतोऽप्यार्यो गुणान्दोषां स्तु दुर्जनः।

तुल्येऽप्यसत्ये किं त्वेको गच्छत्यूर्ध्वमधोऽपरः॥

शार्ङ्गधरपद्धत्याम्॥ इन्दिश्चेर् स्प्रूचे २००१

brūte'pyanyāsato'pyāryo guṇāndoṣāṁ stu durjanaḥ|

tulye'pyasatye kiṁ tveko gacchatyūrdhvamadho'paraḥ||

śārṅgadharapaddhatyām|| indiścer sprūce 2001

A noble man, a man of class would speak, especially in public, only about the good qualities and virtues of others, and this is their conduct even in the case of the worst, vile fellows. However, the wicked nasty, black-hearted fellow would find only defects and deficiencies while talking about anyone around. Yes, both are liars. The noble man is not truthful when he desists from using bad words about the nasty persons. Sure, the inveterate evil critic is spreading only lies about the good persons.

The poet wonders about the absurdity about the fact that even though both are telling lies, the noble man goes to heaven when he departs, and the wicket man makes a beeline to the hell. Is not telling lies a sureshot ticket to hell? That is the poser by the poet.

k v a

Whether there is heaven or hell, talking ill of others is not good. In addition, here the use of the word Arya is just to indicate the noble qualities of a person, and it has no racial connotations.

आर्यः noble person असतो of bad, evil fellows अपि too गुणान् virtues, merits एव only ब्रूते speaks of दुर्जनः the nasty, wicked fellow अन्यस्य of others दोषान् defects, blemishes, bad things एव alone ब्रूते talks about अस्मिन् विषये in this matter, in the case of both असत्यः lack of honesty तुल्यः एव equal किं तेन ? so what ? एकः one, the good fellow ऊर्ध्वं up, towards heaven गच्छति goes अपरः the other one, the evil, wicked fellow अधो downward, to hell गच्छति goes

when rich others gather around when indigent only ciose kin keep company

 

सम्पद्यास्ते परैः साकं विपदि स्वजनैर्जडः।

जृम्बतेऽम्भोरुहं भृङ्गैः शुष्यत्युदकशैवले॥

दृष्टान्तकलिकाशतकम्॥

sampadyāste paraiḥ sākaṁ vipadi svajanairjaḍaḥ|

jṛmbate'mbhoruhaṁ bhṛṅgaiḥ śuṣyatyudakaśaivale||

dṛṣṭāntakalikāśatakam||

When a person is active, is rising in the path of victory and having a lot of money, there would be a lot of friends and followers keeping him company and catering to all his whims and fancies. However, when his activity slows down, his wealth depletes and his productivity is declining, his own people alone would be there to give him company and support.

When the lotus is blooming and showing up its full colours, many bees would be droning around it. However, as the lotus fades, it would fall back to the water and the dirt, from which it rose.

സമ്പദ്യാസ്തേ പരൈഃ സാകം വിപദി സ്വജനൈർജഡഃ।

ജൃംബതേംഭോരുഹം ഭൃംഗൈഃ ശുഷ്യത്യുദകശൈവലേ॥

ദൃഷ്ടാന്തകലികാശതകം॥

ഒരാൾ വളരുകയാണെങ്കിൽ, വിജയത്തിന്‍റെ പാതയിൽ മുന്നേറിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുകയാണെങ്കിൽ, അയാൾ സാമ്പത്തികമായി മുന്നേറുകയാണെങ്കിൽ അയാളുടെ കൂടെ കൂട്ടുകൂടാനും അയാളുടെ ആഗ്രഹങ്ങൾ നടത്തിക്കൊടുക്കാനും എല്ലാം ഒരുപാടു കൂട്ടാളികൾ ഉണ്ടാവും. പക്ഷെ വളർച്ച മുരടിക്കുമ്പോൾ, പ്രതാപവും ഓജസ്സും എല്ലാം കുറഞ്ഞുവരുമ്പോൾ കൂട്ടിനു സ്വന്തം ബന്ധുക്കളും കുടുംബവും മാത്രമേ ഉണ്ടാവുകയുള്ളൂ.

താമരപ്പൂവ് വിടർന്നു ഉയർന്നു നിൽക്കുമ്പോൾ ഒരുപാടു വണ്ടുകൾ അതിനുചുറ്റും മൂളിക്കൊണ്ടു ചുറ്റിത്തിരിയും. പക്ഷെ അതേ താമര വാടിവീഴുമ്പോൾ അതിനു ആശ്രയം താൻ ജനിച്ച ജലവും ചെളിയും മാത്രമായിരിക്കും. വാടിയ പൂവ് ചെളിയിൽ ആണ് വീഴുന്നത്.

India without Ramayanam or Gita could not have been the same

 

True, if the content or contamination of superstition, unreasonableness, and fundamentalism is of toxic levels, it is a sign that the society and other collective structures as well as the Individual are all getting washed off in the drains..

But it is a fact that the imagery and hope provided by poetry, music, and many other emotionally uplifting things grew and got nurtured by religion, and other cults and creeds based not exactly on the sterile premises of Science and technology..

Yes, I agree, faith and dreaminess, beyond certain levels can be toxic.

However, in optimum doses they have given us many benefits.

In addition, India without Ramayanam or Gita could not have been the same.

The influence of Jesus and his message for love, which spared nothing in its soothing, touch, has made our life on this earth much more worthy.

In the name of Jesus, how much pain and suffering gets redressed and how much human care is bestowed on hapless living beings is there for all to see.

I would rather profess a judicious mixture of the Divine and the rational.

Excess of either can be toxic.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,

All play and no work makes Jack a mere toy

Attributed to Maria Edgeworth a nineteenth century Irish writer.

Ritam ऋतं and Satyam सत्यं

 

If you delve deep into the philosophy of Hinduism you would discover that we have conceived the idea of God on a wide spectrum. His attributes vary from utter mercy to extreme destructiveness.

Hinduism has its foundation in Ritam ऋतं and Satyam सत्यं--The divine law and order on the one hand and truth on the other.

The divinity will never permit its own judgement or sense of mercy to affect its adherence to Truth and Order.

Moreover, the fundamental concept of Hinduism is the theory of Karma and mercy is alien to it while enforcing the laws of Karma.

Maybe the bhakti school and their variants might profess sort of forgiveness on the part of the Divine being.

Anyway, that is not the whole Hinduism.

In Hinduism the controller, recompenses for good and bad deeds are without any fear, favour, or mercy.

Of course, we can pray for mercy.

True, a person sentenced to be hanged files a mercy petition.

various stages in philosophical thoughts

 

From cause-effect based philosophy of karma the idea of escape from the repeated cycles of pleasure and woe arose.

We call this escape Moksham.

Learned sadhakas opine that we could attain such Moksham through the paths of Karma (performing the duty ideally) jnana and /or bhakti.

Yes, we are virtually helpless according to the karma theory.

Then we can gain an escape velocity or momentum and jump away to liberation.

However such escape and Moksham are exceptional and only through a lot of extraordinary efforts alone we can attain that.

Therefore, the ordinary human being is tied hands and feet by karma.

Moreover, the knots are difficult to break

Of course, some knowledgeable sadhakas accept and acknowledge the intervention of God in this process and the degree of intervention varies there too according their philosophies.

In addition, when we start considering nyaya vaisheshika and Samkhya philosophies, which are integral parts of Hinduism we will find that cause and effect bind human existence. In addition, divine correction and interference are too rare, maybe almost nil.

Then terse and logic-bound thoughts give rise to uneasiness and we veered towards the idea of a divinity kind and forgiving on the condition of strict faithfulness and perhaps even servitude.

Ultimately, Hinduism can accept various levels of enlightenment according to the predilections of the individual adherent.

The law of natural selection applies perhaps both for friendships and enmities

 

कश्चित् कस्यचिदेव स्यात्सुहृद्विश्रम्भभाजनम्।

पद्मं विकासयत्यर्कः संकोचयति कैरवम्॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे १५८८ ६१७ दृष्टान्तकलिकाशतकम्

kaścit kasyacideva syāatsuhṛdviśrambhabhājanam|

padmaṁ vikāsayatyarkaḥ saṁkocayati kairavam||

indiśce sprūce 1588 617 dṛṣṭāntakalikāśatakam

Some persons ever remain friendly and helpful to some particular type, class of person or to some clearly and distinctly identifiable person. The persons are quite faithul and generate a lot confidence in the category of people they are helping. However, the same persons would not be friendly and benevolent to a different set of persons. At times they may do even harm to persons beyond the favoured circle.

See, when the Sun rises in the morning, the lotus, blooms wide and raises its head out of the surface of water. However the lily flowers that had bloomed and blossomed during night when the moon was shining, would just shrink and wither away as soon as the sun is sighted.

The law of natural selection applies perhaps both for friendships and enmities too.

K v a

कश्चित् some particular person, some type of person कस्यचित् of some person, of a person of some class एव alone विश्रम्भ confidence, help, succour भाजनं receiver of, capable of receiving, beneficiary सुहृत् friend स्यात् remains अर्कः the sun पद्मं the lostus flower विकासयति helps to bloom परन्तु however कैरवं lily flower, white lotus संकोचयति makes shrink

performance of riituals throught proxy

 

Some person had remarked in one Iyer group that if a person is unable to perform due to illness, he could get the rituals performed by proxy through Brahmins. A “wise” person had interjected sarcastically that he was not sure whether Shastras authorised or permitted such action by proxy.

Someone had t post was tagged to me too. However, I am not interested in joining discussions in that group at any time.

However, I found answer to this query, with an authoritative extract from Smriti Mukthaaphalam of Vaidyanatha Deekshita, where the matter is set at rest by quoting Sage Parashara. (Parashara is one the most revered rishis and lawmakers of Sanatana Dharma. His grandfather is Sage Vasishta, His father sage Shakti, His son Vyasa the Krishna Dvaipayana and his grandson Sage Shukabrahmam.

I am giving below the excerpt with my own free translation.

I think Smritis permit the power of attorney action.

आपत्काले व्रतं स्वयं कर्तुं यदशक्तः चेत् तदा ब्राह्मणैः कारयेदित्याह॥पराशरः॥ व्याधिव्यसनिनि श्रान्ते दुर्भिक्षे डामरे तथा॥ उपवासो व्रतो होमो द्विजैः सम्पादितानिवा

āpatkāle vrataṁ svayaṁ kartuṁ yadaśaktaḥ cet tadā brāhmaṇaiḥ kārayedityāha|parāśaraḥ|| vyādhivyasanini śrānte durbhikṣe ḍāmare tathā|| upavāso vrato homo dvijaiḥ sampāditānivā

Parashara says . “If in times of grave danger if one person is not able to perform the ritual himself, then it should be done through Brahmans. The aapad kaalaas, diseases, depression and sorrow due to bad habits, actions etc (Vyasana), due to tiredness making one immobile, when there is famine, when there is warlike condition with attacks from enemies all around--In such situations, fasting, vows, fire oblations and such activities can be done through the twice born or dwija.”

For a lover of Sanskrit, in India, what would count is not the money

Sadly I have realized that only if one makes a lot of publicity that he is propagating Sanskrit there will be people to sing his praise, and the partial or inadequate scholars of Sanskrit get a lot of fanfare,

while great scholars, even in Facebook etc, who have the vision and capacity but are like huge oceans which would not go in search of others to teach but would expect the seekers approaching them, never are valued ..

Kalidasa said..in Kumarasamhavam .

'न रत्नं अन्विष्यति मृग्यते हि तत्

na ratnam anvishyati mrugyate hi tat..

the valuable gems do not go canvassing and marketing themselves ,

but connoisseurs come in search...

Nothing like that ever happens in this matter ...

For a lover of Sanskrit, in India, what would count is not the money..

but the respect for the language

and the person having that knowledge

And no one ever cares for those..

I have seen this business pursued by hundreds and thousands..

watched it with a lot of despair..

I say this not to hurt anyone,,

but I write this out of my love for Sanskrit.

even robbery was an art

Our ancestors could see even theft as an art and science and they even wrote books on it

In Satarudriyam of Yajurveda we did not hesitate to address

Rudra as Taskaraanaam pathaye namo nama.. तस्कराणां पतये नमो नमः ( pranams twice to the leader of the thieves)

However, there were laws of sorts even for that art.

But what to say about the social and political and glib fellows and tax collectors of today who steal without any rules and pretend to carry the capacity to loot others as feathers in their caps..?

മോഷണത്തെയും ഒരു കലയായും ശാസ്ത്രമായും കണ്ടു നമ്മുടെ പൂര്‍വ്വീകര്‍ ഗ്രന്ഥങ്ങള്‍ വരെയും രചിച്ചു..

ശതരുദ്രീയത്തില്‍

( യജുര്‍വേദം) രുദ്രനെ "തസ്കരാനാം പതയേ നമോനമഃ എന്ന് സ്തുതിക്കാന്‍ നമുക്ക് മടിയുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല..

പക്ഷെ അവിടെയും ആ കലയിലും ചില നിയമങ്ങളുണ്ടായിരുന്നു..

പക്ഷെ നിയമങ്ങള്‍ ഒന്നുമില്ലാതെ കക്കുകയും അത് ഭൂഷണമായി കൊണ്ടുനടക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന നേതാക്കളെയും ചുങ്കക്കാരെയും കുറിച്ച് എന്ത് പറയാന്‍?

happiness and contentment

 

Happiness, and for that matter, contentment is something which just is present in our own minds and they flourish and spread if we can protect our minds from unnecessary negative impulses to the maximum extent possible.

Philosophers, thinkers, and even psychologists tend to agree that usually our minds remain in a state of happiness or contentment unless we apply negative forces to change that course

(Sounds somewhat like newton’s law of motion)

Instead, if we seek to find happiness in things that are external, in actions by way of praise or approval by others, we are in for disappointment

Two persons placed in the same situations can feel differently. One can be happy and the other miserable.

There is nothing called perfection. There is nothing called ideal.

If we start on a marathon race of 29 miles and we finish only 15 miles in the run, we can choose to be happy that we ran 15 miles. We can also choose to cry rolling all over the ground saying that we could not cover the remaining 14 miles. The choice is just ours.