The process of writing Ramayanam starts...7

The process of writing Ramayanam starts...7

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continued from the last post

Story continued from the last post..

Sampathi the eagle tells the monkeys that if they are earnest, it was possible to cross the sea and find Sita.

Meanwhile by the Grace of the divine, the vulture regains its wings and strenght too..

The monkeys assemble together and discuss their strategy about rescuing Sita..

They realize that jumping across the sea over a distance of one hundred yojanas, to reach Lanka and to finding Sita and taking action would indeed be a difficult task..

Each monkey talks about the maximum distance he can jump,

but only the great veteran Jambavan and the crown prince Angada are confident about performing the feat themselves successfullly.

Even here Jambavan says that personally he could not do it because of his old age,

and as the operation was fraught with uncertainty,

the leader of the team should never embark on it.

Then the learned Jambavan declares the real solution..

During the whole discussion, Hanuman is sitting in a corner cluelessly..

Jambavan starts to describe the real capacity of Hanuman.

Hanuman , according to Jambavan is a very powerful warrior, who has fogotten all about himself and his his valour..

Hanuman is born to Anjana, a beautiful monkey lady, as the son of the wind god himself.

The child was very virulent and active even at the point of birth, and seeing the orb of the Sun, he mistook it for a ripe fruit and jumped towards it with a desire to eat it.

The anxious Indra sent his thunderbolt to stop the child.

The child was hit on the chin, and fell unconscious.

Seeing the injury of his child, the wind god just withdrew all his activity on the universe..

and all living beings started suffocating and running for their lives..

To mollify the wind god, the child ,

who was called Hanuman because of the disfigurement on his chin where he was hit by the thunderbolt of Indra,

was restored to his original strength..

The elderly God Brahmadeva blessed the young monkey with the power to withstand and remain without being affected by the onslaught of any weapons, including the supreme asthram of Brahm himself.

The child was also blessed with almost deathlessness when he was empowered by Indra to choose the time of death for himself..

The child was accorded training in all sciences, and his prime guru was the Sun himself..

(It would appear that the naughty child once played some pranks with some sages moving around and was cursed that he would forget all his prowess.. and that his confidence and verve would visit him again, when he is told about all that happened in his life earlier..)

So Jambavan's discourses restores Hanuman to his old state of power and glory.

And once his old memories are revived, Hanuman declares that he is capable of performing all that could be achieved by the most powerful beings like his own father wind god or that powerhouse of energy, the bird Garuda the son of Vinata himself..

And Lord Hanuman, assumes his enlarged form and proceeds towards the peak of Mahendra Mountain, and stations himself atop it, facing south ready to soar in the air in the direction of Lanka..

to be continued...

only one word पर्वतारोहणं covers the above incidents.. So no slokas to give for this post.

Perfection is a disadvantage

When we read a story or essay which is presented well we tend to get attracted to the contents and would carry the message to our hearts.

But we forget the author, the mind and brain that produced the piece.

For this reason, very often good writers get lesser attention than those who engage bombastic words and jarring styles.

A clever writer often commits deliberate errors of spelling diction and style too to jolt the mind of the reader.

The reader might curse the author..

But will think about him.

Perfection is a disadvantage

Even if any small and apparently worthless thing is offered to me by my devotees with full love it would be accepted by me

 

अण्वप्युपाहृतं भक्तैः प्रेम्णा भूर्येव मे भवेत् ।

भूर्यप्यभक्तोपहृतं न मे तोषाय कल्पते ॥

श्रीमद्भागवते १०।८१।३

aṇvapyupāhṛtaṃ bhaktaiḥ premṇā bhūryeva me bhavet ।

bhūryapyabhaktopahṛtaṃ na me toṣāya kalpate ॥

śrīmadbhāgavate 10।81।3

This is from the Dashamaskandham of Srimad Bhagabatham

Bhagavan Krishna, the Supreme one tells his friend Sudhama

Even if any small and apparently worthless thing is offered to me by my devotees with full love, even if the thing offered is merely the size of a tiny atom, it would be accepted by me as a huge and valuable offer of love.

On the other hand, any flashy, huge and highly-prized thing is offered to me by a person who lacks devotion, by a person who has not affection for me, that offer would never add in any way to my happiness.

What the Lord really adores is company of the devotee whose heart is overflowing with love for Krishna.

प्रेम्णा with deep love, abiding affection भक्तैः by the devotees अणु of very little quantity, of the size of a small speck..अपि even उपाहृतं offered मे to me भूरि as of huge dimension, huge quantity एव भवेत् indeed becomeअभक्तोपाहृतं when offered by non-devotee भूरि of large quantity, of huge value अपि even मे for me तोषाय for happiness न कल्पते does not become a provider, does not become favourable

അണ്വപ്യുപാഹൃതം ഭക്തൈഃ പ്രേംണാ ഭൂര്യേവ മേ ഭവേത് । ഭൂര്യപ്യഭക്തോപഹൃതം ന മേ തോഷായ കല്പതേ ॥ ശ്രീമദ്ഭാഗവതേ ൧൦।൮൧।൩

ഇത് ശ്രീമദ്‌ ഭാഗവതം ദശമസ്കന്ധത്തില്‍ നിന്നാണ്

പരമാത്മാവായ ഭഗവാന്‍ കൃഷ്ണന്‍ തന്‍റെ ചങ്ങാതിയായ സുദാമാവിനോട്‌ പറയുകയാണ്‌.

എന്നോട് മനസ്സില്‍ കരുതുന്ന ഭക്തിയും പ്രേമവും നിറച്ചു ഒരുവന്‍ എനിക്ക് സമര്‍പ്പിക്കുന്ന ഉപഹാരം അത് എത്ര ചെറുതും പ്രാധാന്യം ഒന്നും ഇല്ലാത്തതും ഒരു അണുവിന്‍റെ പരിമാണം മാത്രം ഉള്ളതാണെങ്കില്‍ പോലും അത്തരം സമ്മാനങ്ങള്‍ എനിക്ക് നല്‍കുന്ന ആനന്ദം അളവറ്റതായിരിക്കും

അതെ സമയം എന്നോട് ഭക്തിയും ശ്രദ്ധയും ഇല്ലാത്ത ആള്‍ എത്ര തിളക്കമുള്ളതും, വിലപിടിപ്പുള്ളതും വലുതും ആയ ഉപഹാരം സമര്‍പ്പിച്ചാലും അത് ഒരിക്കലും എന്‍റെ പ്രീതിയെ വര്‍ദ്ധിപ്പിക്കുകയില്ല.

ഭഗവാന് വേണ്ടത് ഭക്തനെയും അവന്‍റെ പ്രേമം നിറഞ്ഞ മനസ്സിനേയും മാത്രമാണ്. അല്ലെ ?

The process of writing Ramayanam starts...6

The process of writing Ramayanam starts...6

coninued from the last post

The army of the monkey king Sugriva are all assembled ready for action..

The detachments of forces to be deputed in various direction in search of Sita are appointed..

The logistics and geography are discussed in great detail..

The brigade appointed for search in the south is headed by the young crown prince Angada and the team includes the verterans like Hanuman the Anjaneya and Jambavan the boar.

Rama hands over his own ring to Hanuman, expecting it to be shown to Sita as a signal for recognition, if and when the team found the princess Sita.

The team bound for South, searches and searches with no result. Time is running out because Sugreeva had ordered that the search teams should report positive results within a month..

The team of Angada lands up in a maze of a cave of Riksha.. There they meet a divine nymph called Svayamprabha who helps the monkeys to get out of the cave..

But fearing that they had run out of time without prouducing any result regarding discovery of Sita, and being sure that Sugriva would not forgive them but surely punish them with death, the monkeys decide to starve to death instead of going back to Kishkinda.

They spread darbha grass on the beach and lay down awaiting death.. Angada, the crown prince is just recounting the story of Rama.. where the fight between Jatayu and Ravana while the latter was trying to abduct Sita is discussed, and the demise of Jatayu is also recalled..

At that time, an old eagle, by name Sampati, who is the elder brother of Jatayu is listening, from a nearby hill top.. In fact the eagle has alredy overheard the intention of the monkeys to starve and die, and therefore the bird is looking forward for the death of the monkeys one by one so that he could feast on the bodies..

But when he hears about Jatayu and his death, he is overcome by grief ..

(Sampati and Jatayu were brothers, the sons of the great eagle Aruna the elder brother of Garuda..

Once the two brothers had a competition as to who will fly ahead to reach the Sun..

Both started flying towards the solar orb. Jatayu was ahead, but the intense heat of the Sun made him weak and the affectionate brother Sampathi tried to protect his younger brother by shielding him from the solar scorching with his outstretched wings.

The Jatayu fell to the ground but the wings of Sampathi were burned for ever and he became incapable of flying.

He had not heard of his brother Jatayu till Angada and Hanuman refers to the demise of that bird )

Sampati informs the monkeys that he would have loved to take vengeance on Ravana for his brother’s death but he could do very little because he is too old and his wings are burnt..

However he offers them to provide whatever information he could..

He recalls that he had earlier heard the helpless cries of Sita while she was being forcibly led southwards by Ravana, but he could do nothing obviously because of physical infirmities.

Sampathi sees through the great distance across the South seas and reports that Sita was confined in captivity in a bower in the city of Lanka

( This is the turning point in Ramayanam where that Hero Anjaneya takes over.. the story will unravel itself in the coming posts.)

दिशः प्रस्थापनं चैव पृथिव्याश्च निवेदनम्॥२५

अङ्गुलीयकदानं च ऋक्षस्य बिलदर्शनम्।

प्रायोपवेशनं चैव सम्पातेश्चापि दर्शनम्॥२६

My India, my Bharatha Matha..

My India, my Bharatha Matha..

She is dear to me more than anything and everything..

if She does not smile,

if She is not happy,

if I cannot live and die too in Her bosom, then I do not exist..

Happy Independence day..

Greetings to all, my fellow Indians, and to myself..

Live long, live happily my India..

For Her I can give my body, mind, possession, life..

It is just an offering.. a tribute..Not sacrifice..

Mother, you must live long, whether anyone of us exist or cease to exist

Live for ever, in great happiness and prosperity

Long live my India.

The challenges faced by us are temporary, and sure, they would vanish soon

Days filled with brightness and only brightness would fill our life, again and again

Jai Hind

Vande Mataram..

എന്‍റെ ഇന്ത്യ എന്‍റെ അമ്മയായ ഭാരതം

അവള്‍ എന്‍റെ എല്ലാം എല്ലാമാണ്

എന്തിനേക്കാളും ഏറെ എനിക്ക് പ്രിയങ്കരി ആണ് അവള്‍

അവര്‍ക്ക് സന്തോഷം ഇല്ലെങ്കില്‍

അവള്‍ എപ്പോഴും പുഞ്ചിരിച്ചു കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നില്ലെങ്കില്‍

അവളുടെ മാറിടത്തില്‍ ജീവിച്ചു അവിടെ ജീവിതം ഒടുക്കാന്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞില്ലെങ്കില്‍

ഞാന്‍ എന്ന വ്യക്തി ഇല്ല

നന്മയുടെ, പ്രത്യാശയുടെ സന്തോഷത്തിന്‍റെ, സാഹോദര്യത്തിന്‍റെ

ആശംസകള്‍ ഈ സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യദിനത്തില്‍

എല്ലാ ഭാരതീയര്‍ക്കും എനിക്ക് തന്നെയും ആശംസകള്‍.

എന്‍റെ ഭാരതാംബ എന്നും എന്നും വാഴട്ടെ..

അഖണ്ഡയായി അജയ്യയായി

അവള്‍ക്കുവേണ്ടി എന്റെ ശരീരവും, മനസ്സും, സമ്പത്തും എന്നെത്തന്നെയും നല്‍കാം

അത് ഒരു ത്യാഗമല്ല, ഒരു കാണിക്ക മാത്രമാണ്, തികച്ചും അപര്യാപ്തമായ ഒരു കൃതജ്ഞത

അമ്മേ ഞങ്ങള്‍ ഉണ്ടെങ്കിലും ഇല്ലെങ്കിലും നീ എന്നും ഉണ്ടാവണം.

എന്നും സന്തോഷത്തോടെ, സമൃദ്ധിയോടെ..

താല്‍ക്കാലികങ്ങളായ എല്ലാ വെല്ലുവിളികളും വേഗം പോയ്‌ മറയും

കൂടുതല്‍ പ്രകാശം ചൊരിയുന്ന ദിവസങ്ങള്‍കൊണ്ട് നമ്മുടെ ജീവിതം നിറയും

എല്ലാവര്‍ക്കും നന്മ വരട്ടെ

ജയ്‌ ഹിന്ദ്‌

വന്ദേ മാതരം

𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐛𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐚 𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐢 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐬𝐢

𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐛𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐚 𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐢 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐬𝐢

𝐌𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬,

𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲.

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬, 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬, 𝐰𝐞 𝐨𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐧𝐚. 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬,

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚

𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬.

𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬

By

Ananthanarayanan Vaidyanathan

--------------------------------------------------------------

(𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓪𝓷𝓼𝓴𝓻𝓲𝓽 𝓺𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓷 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓥𝓪𝓵𝓶𝓲𝓴𝓲𝓻𝓪𝓶𝓪𝔂𝓪𝓷𝓪𝓷, 𝓨𝓾𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓚𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓶 𝓬𝓱 124
मित्राणि धन धान्यानि प्रजानां सम्मतानिव। जननी जन्म भूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी॥
६-१२४-१७
𝓶𝓲𝓽𝓻āṇ𝓲 𝓭𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓪 𝓭𝓱ā𝓷𝔂ā𝓷𝓲 𝓹𝓻𝓪𝓳ā𝓷āṁ 𝓼𝓪𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓽ā𝓷𝓲𝓿𝓪 |𝓳𝓪𝓷𝓪𝓷ī 𝓳𝓪𝓷𝓶𝓪 𝓫𝓱ū𝓶𝓲ś𝓬𝓪 𝓼𝓿𝓪𝓻𝓰ā𝓭𝓪𝓹𝓲 𝓰𝓪𝓻ī𝔂𝓪𝓼ī || 6-124-17

മിത്രാണി ധന ധാന്യാനി പ്രജാനാം സമ്മതാനിവ

ജനനീ ജന്മഭൂമിശ്ച സ്വര്‍ഗാദ് അപി ഗരീയസി

𝓪𝓼 𝓽𝓸𝓵𝓭 𝓫𝔂 𝓢𝓪𝓰𝓮 𝓑𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓭𝓿𝓪𝓳𝓪 𝓽𝓸 𝓢𝓻𝓲 𝓡𝓪𝓶𝓪)

Let us really learn at least a liitle about our Purnams and Itihasams

Many people declare aloud that our history and epics contain a lot of lessons to be learned..

They claim that the ancient texts carry treasures

But most of us who make such declarations do not know, neither care to know, what such treasure is..

Just sharing my own reaction on the issue.. posted elsewhere.

===========================

That treasure remains unaccounted like black money..

Even people who wax eloquent about such treasure hardly know what that treasure really is and what its value is.

We tend to call them treasures because some people with popularity have already said so.

Such endorsements are nice for social media. But are of little practical use in real life.

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Let us really learn at least a liitle about our Purnams and Itihasams

respect a disagreement based on individual conviction

If someone says that he disgrees with me.. out of his convictions, I have to accept it with all humility..

But if the dissent is based on some mass hysteria or some populist harangue by someone else, then the dissent is not honest or objects.. 

Why should I accept such dissent lying low..?

Even the Rakshasas or the Satan was convinced about their views.. and held on fast to such views..

We may disapprove and oppose such attitude because they are opposed to our convictions but we can respect the genuineness of their beliefs.

But what is often seen is that people take sides on considerations other than genuine conviction..

What to do?

can goats thrive under a king who is a fox?

can goats thrive under a king who is a fox?

We know that Rama had to undertake a life in the forest for fourteen years, to honour the words of his father..

Even for the exalted being that Rama was, life in the forest was quite challenging..

During his stay in the forest, Rama was lucky to get in touch with Jataayu, an elderly and noble eagle, who was a close friend of Dasaratha.

For an affectionate person like Jatayu, Rama, his friend's son was just like his own son..

So Jatayu was always available at a short distance from where Rama Lakshmana and Sita lived.

Ravana the demon king of Lanka,

intent of wreaking vengeance for the defeat and destruction of Khara, Dhooshana and Thrishiraa, the henchmen of Ravana in the Deccan area

and also the immolation of Shoorpanakha at the hands of Lakshmana,

played a deception on Rama and Lakshmana

and drew them away from the hut occupied by leaving Sita unptected and unguarded for a short while ,

Taking advantage of their absence, managed to abduct Sita away to Lanka..

While Ravana was trying to carry away Sita forcibly, in his Pushpaka the airborne chariot,

the elderly eagle soared high in the sky and accosted Ravana in a bid to protect Sita.

There was a lot of heated verbal exchange, and the following slokam is intorduced by Valmiki and a comment made by Jatayu to Ravana.

________________________________________

goats and their king fox

स्वामिना प्रतिकूलेन प्रजास्तीक्ष्णेन रावण।

रक्ष्यमाणा न वर्धन्ते मेष गोमायुनi यथi॥

वाल्मीकिरामायणम् आरण्यकण्डम् ४१-----१४

svāminā pratikūlena prajāstīkṣṇena rāvaṇa|

rakṣyamāṇā na vardhante meṣa gomāyuna yatha||

vālmīkirāmāyaṇam āraṇyakaṇḍam 41-----14

സ്വാമിനാ പ്രതികുലെന പ്രജാസ്തീക്ഷ്‌ണെന രാവണ

രക്ഷ്യമാണാ ന വര്ധ്ന്തേ മേഷ ഗോമായുനാ യഥാ

this is an advise from the wizened bird gransire Jatayu to the arrogant Ravana, who is in the process of abducting Devi Sita

But it can easily form the part of the preamble to any civilized constitution

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with a ruler who cares nothing for the welfare of his subject but remains very stern and cruel to them, the population of the country dwindles as if the subjects are goats and sheep and the ruler is a fox.

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the contemporary significance of this sloka needs no elaboration.

If our rulers just glance through such great texts,like Ramayana,

even if it from a secular viewpoint,

the earth would definitely become a better abode for all of us..

___________________________________________

Jatayu could not hold on to his resistance against the cruel and mighty Ravana,

and all he could do was to report the sad news to Rama and Lakshmana when they returned

The story goes on that Rama and Lakshmana, after heroic pursuits befitting their status and glory, defeated Ravana and regained Sita.

𝐃𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝

𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐲.

"𝐃𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝" 𝐚𝐧𝐝

"𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫.'. 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝.

I am not afraid, I have no fear, the emotion called fear never occurs to me

அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்ப தில்லையே

இச்சகத்து ளோரெலாம் எதிர்த்து நின்ற போதினும்,

அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்பதில்லையே

துச்சமாக எண்ணி நம்மைச் தூறுசெய்த போதினும்

அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்ப தில்லையே

பிச்சை வாங்கி உண்ணும் வாழ்க்கை பெற்று விட்ட போதிலும்

அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்ப தில்லையே

இச்சைகொண்டே பொருளெலாம் இழந்துவிட்ட போதிலும்,

அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்ப தில்லையே

மஹாகவி பாரதியார்

I am not afraid, I have no fear, the emotion called fear never occurs to me

Even if the people all over the universe stand as one arrayed against me,

I am not afraid, I have no fear, the emotion called fear never occurs to me

Even if all people around think that we are a class of people of trifling valu and the talk in deprecating terms about on that assumption

I am not afraid, I have no fear, the emotion called fear never occurs to me

Even if I am driven to a status in life where I have to survive and sustain my life through begging for alms

I am not afraid, I have no fear, the emotion called fear never occurs to me

Even if all the valuable things and materials that I cherish just slip out of my hands, even if I lose all that I possess

I am not afraid, I have no fear, the emotion called fear never occurs to me

( Come whatever may, I shall not lose my balance and composure.. this is the message of the great poet, Bharathiar)

അച്ചമില്ലൈ അച്ചമില്ലൈ അച്ചമെന്‍പതില്ലൈയേ

ഇജ്ജഗത്തുള്ളോരേലാം ഏതിര്‍ത്തു നിന്‍റ പോതിനും,

അച്ചമില്ലൈ അച്ചമില്ലൈ അച്ചമെന്‍പതില്ലൈയേ

തുച്ചമാക ഏണ്ണി നമ്മൈ എണ്ണി തൂറുചെയ്ത പോതിനും

അച്ചമില്ലൈ അച്ചമില്ലൈ അച്ചമെന്‍പതില്ലൈയേ

പിച്ചൈ വാങ്കി ഉണ്ണും വാഴ്ക്കൈ പെറ്റു വിട്ട പോതിലും

അച്ചമില്ലൈ അച്ചമില്ലൈ അച്ചമെന്‍പതില്ലൈയേ

ഇച്ചൈകൊണ്ട പോരുളേല്ലാം ഇഴന്തു വിട്ട പോതിലും

അച്ചമില്ലൈ അച്ചമില്ലൈ അച്ച മെന്‍‍പതില്ലൈയേ

മഹാകവി ഭാരതിയാര്‍

എനിക്ക് ഒട്ടും ഭയമില്ല എനിക്ക് ഒട്ടും ഭയമില്ല, ഭയമെന്ന കാര്യം എനിക്ക് ഒരിക്കലും ഇല്ല

ഈ പ്രപഞ്ചത്തില്‍ ജീവിക്കുന്ന എല്ലാവരും എനിക്ക് എതിരായി നിലകൊണ്ടാല്‍ പോലും

എനിക്ക് ഒട്ടും ഭയമില്ല എനിക്ക് ഒട്ടും ഭയമില്ല, ഭയമെന്ന കാര്യം എനിക്ക് ഒരിക്കലും ഇല്ല

ഒട്ടും വിലയില്ലാത്ത മനുഷ്യരാണ് നാം എന്ന് കരുതി ആളുകള്‍ നമ്മെ ഇകഴ്ത്തി പറയുകയാണെങ്കില്‍ പോലും

എനിക്ക് ഒട്ടും ഭയമില്ല എനിക്ക് ഒട്ടും ഭയമില്ല, ഭയമെന്ന കാര്യം എനിക്ക് ഒരിക്കലും ഇല്ല

പിച്ചയെടുത്ത് ജീവിതം തള്ളി നീക്കാനുള്ള ഒരു നില എനിക്ക് വരികയാണെങ്കില്‍ പോലും

എനിക്ക് ഒട്ടും ഭയമില്ല എനിക്ക് ഒട്ടും ഭയമില്ല, ഭയമെന്ന കാര്യം എനിക്ക് ഒരിക്കലും ഇല്ല

ഞാന്‍ ഏറെ ആഗ്രഹത്തോടെ കരുതി വച്ചിരുന്ന വിലയേറിയ വസ്തുക്കള്‍ എല്ലാം എനിക്ക് നഷ്ടമായാല്‍ പോലും.

എനിക്ക് ഒട്ടും ഭയമില്ല എനിക്ക് ഒട്ടും ഭയമില്ല, ഭയമെന്ന കാര്യം എനിക്ക് ഒരിക്കലും ഇല്ല

(എന്ത് തന്നെ സംഭവിച്ചാലും ഞാന്‍ സമനില കൈവിടുകയില്ല എന്ന തീരുമാനം ഉറപ്പിച്ചു പറയുന്ന മഹാകവിയുടെ വാക്കുകള്‍ )

jnaana yajna tapo yajna japa yajna...

 

jnaana yajna

tapo yajna

japa yajna...

one can strengthen oneself by all these..

and it is a contnuing process..

the yajna can go on endlessly

even if the one who performs the yajna can face temporary difficulties and even change of the form of existence ( what we call death)..

sure, jnaanam, tapas and japa are not exactly what we flaunt and tout in social media

or even in our day to day domestic and social life.

sitting in the social and mundane plane,

and practicing earnestly the daily pursuit of knowledge and penance, one many find that the plane on which he sits just dissolves and disappears...

and that he soars up to eternal bliss..

The ideas and perceptions about the presence of dead persons too vary

 

Many ideas and opinions in Hinduism are apparently contradicting one another.

The ideas and perceptions about the presence   of dead persons too vary in so many ways.

In some Vedic mantras and Upanishads it is said that some people who have done great deeds like Somayaga, Agnishtoma etc., reach some world akin to Satyaloka through Devayana.

Some others reach Pitruloka through different paths,

Some menton the world of Aryama as the rallying point for Pitrus.

I did not say Pitrus or Pretas become Devas. Someone was vehemently arguing that Piturs are not Devas.. let them be Devas or not .. That is not a subject of discussion here at all.. I just said the Pitrus too attain some status different from man on earth who alone can burn out Karmas or do Karmas.

What I said was that the dead person lived or existed in some other world according to the wealth of Karmas he performed on earth as man or woman.

This is the belief in general prevalent in Hinduism .

So there is no question of resting in peace after death.

Living in Peace or otherwise is restricted to the period when we are living on earth. There is no peace or turmoil in the world in which the departed soul lodges itself.

Secondly the earning and expiating the Karma is by the respective individual and prayer by others can do nothing to help in reducing karmas.

Even when a peson is alive on earth if a he is to receive the results of a prayer by others he should take over the phalam or the essentce of the result, by offering adequate compensation by wayvof Dakshina etc. No dead person can give any such Dakshina.

You said your forefathers have told you that you are connected with three generations of Pitrus alone.

Which forefather or which text did tell you like that. ?

The Pitrus of all generations are there. .Sapinda Pitrus sapinda pitrus lepa pitrus and so on.

The count generations can be infinite.By practice we invoke three generations. That is all.

It cannot be assumed that we are connected with three generations of pitrus alone, just because we mention them alone in Sharddhams or Tarpanams,,

You are presenting ideas which are not there.

And the ideas of Pitrus and Sraddham and rebirth etc are part of Karmakanda and Mimasa or Poorvameemamsa school.

The Moksham, the supreme soul etc., are more of vedantic or Uttarameemasa concepts.

The bhakthi school also would roughly correspond with certain ideas in Vedantam at least on Karma and Moksha.

But Karmakandam and bhakthi have many contradictions with each other.

You can accept the two with such contradictions.

Trying to create explanation to unite them on inadequate understanding is dangerous.

We can adopt Bhakti also along with Karma and try to live with both of them .

But mixing them up can be hazardous and it is unnecessary too.

My post was simply to point out that the dead person reaches a different status where peace or lack of it as understood on earth is not felt by that being.

Therefore the prayer for peace of that dead person is not necessary and it is useless too.

A dead person lying in a coffin waiting for trial and redemption or whatnot is not a Hindu idea. That idea belongs to some other faith. I am not commenting on the merits..

It is valid for those who follow that faith..

I respect that idea when they follow it.

If people are mixing up religions and importing to Hinduism ideas from some other religion that is their problem..and not mine.

And infusing ideas into Hinduism when such ideas are completely against the basic tenets of Hinduism can only confuse or even poison Hinduism.

I have to point out another fact. Rightly or wrongly people just coceive ideas about hazy matters ..ideas which are incorrect or misinterpreted. No one can clarify such ideas.

There is an element of myth and fiction too in the religion. The mythological descriptions often contradict. A wise person normally ignores contradictions in myths and accepts the essence.

After the study of Vedic practices, and related lore too, I tend to feel that Hinduism restricts prayers for the living beings alone.

And in most cases, as a pretha, pitru or some spirit, the dead person reachers a state where he or she is a sort of deva or some such being, to whom we pray..

Even in shraaddham or aparakriya mantrams,

we are usually praying to the respective spirits

and the accompanying vishve devas and the protector of shraddha the Vishnu ..

This being the case, I doubt whether anyone can pray for the dead..

If moksha is to be attained by the dead, that moksha is reached when the life leaves the human body..

and through theory of Karma,

it can be inferred that if the emancipation is not reached by the time of death,

the soul or jeeva has to assume another body,

wear out the Karma and once again attempt to attain moksha..

And so the prayer if any for Moksha seems to be possible only before death.. and preferably by the person who is inheriting the Karma..

Of course Hindu ethos are a hotchpotch and some swamiji or periyavaa may hold a different view too.

But this is what I could understand after all these years of study

we often lose even our basic resources when we are too lurid

 

उच्चैः एष तरुः फलं सुविपुलं दृष्ट्वैव हृष्टः शुकः

पक्वं शाल्विनं विहाय जडधीः तं नालिकेरं गतः।

तत्रारुह्य बुभुक्षितेन मनसा यत्नः कृतो भेदने

आशा तस्य न केवलं विगलिता चञ्चू गता चूर्णताम्॥

uccaiḥ eṣa taruḥ phalaṁ suvipulaṁ dṛṣṭvaiva hṛṣṭaḥ śukaḥ

pakvaṁ śālvinaṁ vihāya jaḍadhīḥ taṁ nālikeraṁ gataḥ|

tatrāruhya bubhukṣitena manasā yatnaḥ kṛto bhedane

āśā tasya na kevalaṁ vigalitā cañcū gatā cūrṇatām||

A parrot was living in a small tree with small ripe fruits, surviving by eating such fruits. It noticed a very tall coconut tree nearby, with huge fruits in large numbers. Thinking that this tree is very tall and is having big fruits, that parrot became very happy and was lured, and as he was limited in intelligence, the parrot hungry and eager to gobble up the large fruits, immediately flew up to the top of the tree and with all mind set in determination, tried to break the coconut fruit with his beak. Not only his desire to eat big fruits was thwarted, but his beak was cracked and pulverised too.

This tendency is not unique to a bird of lesser intellect. We human beings too often become restless with our adequate but limited resources and are lured in pursuit of apparently very lurid gains and in such pursuits, we often lose even our basic resources.

एष (नालिकेरः)this coconut तरुः tree उच्चैः very tall (वर्तते ) is (एतस्य) its फलं fruit सुविपुलं is huge and in large number (भवति) is तं that tree, it दृष्टा seeing एव immediately on हृष्टः extremely happy, thrilled जडधीः of stupid mind शुकः a parrot पक्वं with ripe fruitsशाल्विनं shalmalee tree (silk cotton tree)विहाय leaving, abandoning नालिकेरं the coconut tree गतः gone . तत्र there बुभुक्षितेन by the hungry शुकेन parrot तं that वृक्षं tree आरुह्य after climbing तस्य its फलस्य fruit भेदने in breaking मनसा with all mind यत्नः attempt कृतः made

तस्य his आशा desire न केवलं not only विगलिता अभवत् was thwarted तस्य his चञ्चू beak अपि too चूर्णतां गतं got crushed, pulverised.

ഉച്ചൈഃ ഏഷ തരുഃ ഫലം സുവിപുലം ദൃഷ്ട്വൈവ ഹൃഷ്ടഃ ശുകഃ

പക്വം ശാല്വിനം വിഹായ ജഡധീഃ തം നാലികേരം ഗതഃ।

തത്രാരുഹ്യ ബുഭുക്ഷിതേന മനസാ യത്നഃ കൃതോ ഭേദനേ

ആശാ തസ്യ ന കേവലം വിഗലിതാ ചഞ്ചൂ ഗതാ ചൂര്‍ണതാം॥

ഒരു കിളി കൊച്ചു പഴങ്ങള്‍ നിറയെ പഴുത്തു നില്‍ക്കുന്ന ഒരു ചെറു മരത്തില്‍ താമസിച്ചു ജീവിതം കഴിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു.

അത് അടുത്തുള്ള വളരെ ഉയരത്തില്‍ നില്‍ക്കുന്ന ഒരു തെങ്ങിനെ കാണാന്‍ ഇടയായി.

ഉയരത്തില്‍ തെങ്ങിന്‍റെ മുകളില്‍ ധാരാളം വലിയ കായകള്‍ നിറഞ്ഞു നില്‍ക്കുന്നതും ഈ കിളിയുടെ ശ്രദ്ധയില്‍പ്പെട്ടു.

അത് കണ്ടയുടന്‍ ആ പഴങ്ങള്‍ തിന്നണം എന്ന ചിന്തയില്‍ കിളിക്ക് സന്തോഷവും ആക്രാന്തവും എല്ലാം ഉണ്ടായി.

ഒട്ടും നേരം കളയാതെ കിളി താന്‍ ജീവിച്ചിരുന്ന കൊച്ചു മരത്തെ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചു തെങ്ങിന്‍റെ മണ്ടയിലേക്ക് പറന്നു കയറി. നിശ്ചയദാര്‍ഢ്യത്തോടെ എല്ലാ ശക്തിയും ഉപയോഗിച്ച് അത് തന്‍റെ കൊക്കുകൊണ്ട്‌ നാളികേരത്തില്‍ ആഞ്ഞു കൊത്തി.

എന്നാല്‍ കിളിയുടെ ആക്രാന്തവും പരിശ്രമവും എല്ലാം വിഫലമായി.

മാത്രമല്ല തേങ്ങയുടെ കടുപ്പമേറിയ തൊണ്ടില്‍ തട്ടി കിളിയുടെ കൊക്ക് വിണ്ടു കീറി പൊടിഞ്ഞു പോവുകയും ചെയ്തു.

ഇത്തരം ആക്രാന്തം വീണ്ടുവിചാരവും വിവേകവും ഇല്ലാത്ത പക്ഷികള്‍ക്ക് മാത്രമല്ല ഉണ്ടാവുന്നത്. പലപ്പോഴും മനുഷ്യജീവികളും ഇതുപോലെ ഒക്കെയാണ് പെരുമാറുന്നത്. അത്യാവശ്യത്തിന് ജീവിക്കാനുള്ള വകയും സൌകര്യങ്ങളും എല്ലാം ഉണ്ടെങ്കിലും അതുകൊണ്ട് ഒന്നും തൃപ്തിപ്പെടാതെ വലിയ ലാഭങ്ങളും വലിയ ഉയരങ്ങളും തേടി വരും വരായകള്‍ ചിന്തിക്കാതെ ചിലര്‍ ഇറങ്ങിപ്പുരപ്പെടുന്നു. ഈ യാത്രയില്‍ പലപ്പോഴും കയ്യില്‍ ഉള്ളതെല്ലാം നഷ്ടപ്പെടുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.

This body is just like an earthen pot

प्रतिक्षणमयं कायः क्षीयमाणो न लक्ष्यते।

आमकुम्भ इवाम्बःस्थो विशीर्णः सन्विभाव्यते॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे १८४२ हितोपदेशे

pratikṣaṇamayaṁ kāyaḥ kṣīyamāṇo na lakṣyate|

āmakumbha ivāmbaḥstho viśīrṇaḥ sanvibhāvyate||

indiśce sprūce 1842 hitopadeśe

This human body of ours is facing the process of decay and dissipation during every moment of our existence and this fact is neither seriously perceived by us, nor noticed by us with requisite concern. This body is just like an earthen pot, made of raw clay, given the shape, and not yet hardened by firing, but kept immersed in water. The water just makes the pot dissipate slowly but the deformation is not noticed by until we try to move the piece. The earthen pot under water just dissipates into mud. Likewise the human body, finally dissipates.. and becomes merged with the five elements.

From Hitopadesham

𝓴 𝓿 𝓪𝓷𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓪𝓻𝓪𝔂𝓪𝓷𝓪𝓷

प्रतिक्षणं every moment अयं this कायः body (of ours) क्षीयमाण: is getting decayed, is getting destroyed इति thus न लक्ष्यते not seen, not understood, not watched in the correct perspective अयं कायः this body अम्बस्थः kept immersed in water आम unfired, raw कुम्भ earthen pot इव like विशीर्णः dissipated सन् being विभाव्यते noticed only later

upanyanam and vedic studies

A friend raised this query...

I would like to know whether our brahmin boys, before their Upanayanam is done, can be initiated to learn and chant Rudram/Chamakam. Kindly guide me as to what our scriptures say on this. I am sorry I am bothering you, yet I am taking this liberty.

My answer

Rudram is part of Yajurvedam. Chamakam too.

A young person becomes qualified to do Veda Adhyayanam only after he is taken through the Upanayana Samskaram. In fact Gayatri is the first Vedic mantra he gets initiated through Brahmopadesham.

And learning Gayatri is treated as almost equal to studying all Vedas.

So learning parts of Vedas..including Rudram Purushasooktham etc before Upanayanam is not to be done.

A guru if he is genuine will not teach too to the non-initiates.

. But if some neo guru or some CD teaches it or if some swami or baba permits it that is not according to our Srauta Smartha dictums.

An un-initiated (before Upanayanam) boy is not a dwija..and he is not entitled to study any part of Veda.

Of course if you choose to be liberal and modern that is a different issue.

I have no business to comment on that

I am seeing that some Vadhyars and some people who have memorized some Sookthams like Rudram are teaching boys without Upanayanam.. and parents too brag about it.

But that is not according to shastras.

You will see this clearly if you read any Srauta Grihya or Kalpasootram

Some sell themselves for money and popularity.

Note..

In some cases where a person dies and a person who is duty bound to perform the last rites chanting Veda mantrams.. and if such person in un initiated.. two alternates are in vogue..

First, the cremation can be done Thooshneem... without chanting any mantram

Also, Secondly the temporary upanayanam and initiation where the Vadyar acts as guru is done.. and the person is made to chant mantrams from Veda.. And the formal upanayanam and brahmopadesham can be done later..

( The second alternative is better because pitru karyams without Vedic chanting is almost impossible for us.)

later legends

𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦. 

𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝟏𝟖 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟏𝟖 𝐮𝐩𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐮𝐱𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦.

𝐓𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞

the creator cannot afford to do that

 

Every creation of God must be indispensable for Him and He is indispensable for the beings created by Him.

This is absolutelyTrue.

The frequency at which His creations realize the interaction with the creator is just immaterial.

The truth is that He is in touch forever, without interruption, with every single creation of His in whatever state the product is.

The created one may own and acknowledge Him or disown Him off and on. 

However, the poor God, the creator cannot afford to do that.