May the goddess of speech protect us..

May the goddess of speech protect us..

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A prayer from Rigvedam..

देवीं वाचमजनयन्त देवास्तां विश्वरूपाः पशवो वदन्ति।

सा नो मन्द्रेषमूर्जं दुहाना धेनुर्वागस्मानुप सुष्टुतैतु॥११

ऋग्वेदे ८-१००-११

devīṁ vācamajanayanta devāstāṁ viśvarūpāḥ paśavo vadanti|

sā no mandreṣamūrjaṁ duhānā dhenurvāgasmānupa suṣṭutaitu||11

ṛgvede 8-100-11

This spoken word as the means of expression of our great ideas and action plans and directions is inherent in all living creatures as the means of communication

( there are four types of sounds..para, pashyantee, madhyama and Vaikhari.. the Vaak here is actually perceived as the Madhyama Vani)..

This Vaak or spoken word is created by Gods..

And all living beings including men make these sounds.. some of the sounds are clear and audible and some of the sounds are unclear or not audible..

( Madhyama sounds starting from the heart region are audible.. and Vaikhari which forms subtler sounds like musical notes are also mostly in the audible range.. The para and pashyantee.. though perceptible by mind are not audible.)

That Vaak which is verily a Goddess herself is always pleased when she is praised through these words and makes us happy through the production of these words.

May she provide us copious rains and through those rains, may she cause the growth of food -grains which are our source of energy and sustenance..

May she cause the flow of milk, ghee etc, producing them as if she were verily the benevolent cow..

Praised by us, may the goddess of Vaak… bless us with all our needs in plenty..

The same Krishna Viewed in different ways. by different persons

The same Krishna Viewed in different ways. by different persons

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

मल्लानां अशनिः नृणां नरवरः स्त्रीणां स्मरो मूर्तिमान्।

गोपानां स्वजनोऽसतां क्षितिभुजां शास्ता स्वपित्रो शिशुः।

मृत्युर्भोजपतेः विराडविदुषां तत्त्वं परं योगिनां।

वृष्णीनां परदेवतेति विदितो रङ्गं गतः साग्रजः॥ १७

श्रीमद्भागवते दशमस्कन्धे पूर्वार्धे कुवलयापीठवधोनाम त्रिचत्वारिंशोऽध्याये॥

mallānāṁ aśaniḥ nṛṇāṁ naravaraḥ strīṇāṁ smaro mūrtimān|

gopānāṁ svajano'satāṁ kṣitibhujāṁ śāstā svapitro śiśuḥ|

mṛtyurbhojapateḥ virāḍaviduṣāṁ tattvaṁ paraṁ yogināṁ|

vṛṣṇīnāṁ paradevateti vidito raṅgaṁ gataḥ sāgrajaḥ|| 17

śrīmadbhāgavate daśamaskandhe pūrvārdhe kuvalayāpīṭhavadhonāma tricatvāriṁśo'dhyāye||

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A very interesting description in Srimad Bhagavatham Tenth Canto.. The Author Vyasa is very matter of fact and austere throughout the puranam in use of words.

But this situation prods even that sedate author to use hyperbole.. The imp Krishna makes him to do so

The boys Balarama and Krishna sons of Vasudeva grow in Gokulam and Vrindavan, happily playing.. Krishna is ten years now, and Balarama is elder by a year..

Kamsa, the uncle of Krishna, has got wind that the boy was growing just to annihilate him . He played so many tricks, sent so many demons to finish off Krishna in the abode of Nandagopa himself but all attempts of Kamsa failed and his plans were shattered and his henchmen all killed.

Finally the King Kamsa sends Akrura to Gokulam with an invitation to Nanda and the boys Balarama and Krishna to attend a Yajna being conducted in Mathura by Kamsa. It is not just an invitation but more of an order.. The intention of Kamsa was to murder the boys while in his own capital..

The brother Rama and Krishna reach Mathura.. They visit the yajnashala of Kamsa.. A very heavy and sturdy bow called Vishnu Chaapa was exhibited there and Krishna just lifted it, tried to tie its string, but when He tried to bend it in the proscess, the bow broke with a thunder-like noise which almost broke the heart of Kamsa.

The boys proceeded and were blocked in their progress towards the palace of Kamsa by the huge elephant Kuvalyaapeeda.. and this elephant was simply killed by krishna through blows from his fist.. And he tore off the tusks of the elephant too.

Yes, the poet in Vyasa just tells how Krishna looked like that at that moment..

=========

Here starts the Slokam.. and its meaning is..

The mallas or wrestlers Chanura and Mushtika were waiting for a wrestling bout with the boys.. For them Krishna just appeared as if he is thunderbolt in human form

The citizens of Mathura who watched Krishna found in Him the best among men who was going to finish off the tyrant Kamsa and would give them a fair and just administration

The ladies watching Krishna found him so attractive that they thought that it was the God of love Kamadeva himself walking along the streets of Mathura.

While coming to Mathura, some cowherd friends.. gopas from gokulam had accompanied Krishna.. For them Krishna was just their own lovely friend.

There were many vassal kings of ill repute attending the court of Kamsa.. for them Krishna was the strict Judge and disciplinarian who was sure to hand out punishments for their evil deeds..

The parents of Krishna.. both Nanda and Yasodha, and Devaki and Vasudeva, were anxiously watching the activities of Krishna, Rama and Kamsa.. For them Krishna was just a very small kid.. whom they loved and adored.

Kamsa the King of Bhoja was watching the progress of Krishna, from a distance, virtually hiding himself in fear.. For him Krishna was just the God of Death Yama appearing in person, ready to pounce on him.

For the not so learned persons who viewed Krishna with much respect, He appeared as the Viraat.. the material with which the whole universe was created and built up.

( For the really learned He is Narayana the Parabhrahmam)

For the learned Yogins, Krisha was the ultimate principle, the ultimate thing, the ultimate knowledge, the ultimate entity for which they had been searching all along.

For the people born in the clan of Vrishni ( Vasudevas and Krishnas own clan) Krishna was the ultimate deity, the ultimate leader ..

And thus walks Krishna towards the wrestling pit.. in the eminent company of his elder brother Balarama..

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

The elegance of this slokam tells everything about Krishna.. Every student, every devotee of Srimad Bhagavatham just adores this sloka..

Of course, later Krishna and Balarama finish off the wrestlers Chaanoora and Mushtika, the Krishna jumps at Kamsa and kills him.. Ugrasena, the father of Kamsa and the maternal grandfather of Krishna is made the King of Mathura.. Krishna later on migrates with His elder brother, parents, and his whole Vrishni clan to Dwaraka, builds up a city and rules there..

slow, sure and steady...

शनैरर्थः शनैः पन्था शनैः पर्वतमारुहेत्।

शनैर्विद्या च धर्मश्च व्यायामश्च शनैः शनैः॥

चाणक्यराजनीत्याम् २ ४९

śanairarthaḥ śanaiḥ panthā śanaiḥ parvatamāruhet|

śanairvidyā ca dharmaśca vyāyāmaśca śanaiḥ śanaiḥ||

cāṇakyarājanītyām 2 49

One should earn and save slowly and steadily

One should travel slowly and with careful planning

One should climb a mountain with deliberate slowness and caution

One should acquire knowledge with slow contemplation

One should tread the path of virtue very slowly and meticulously

and

One should exercise slowly and regularly

Another great advise from Chanakya

For a person who has set out to succeed in life through hard work, wealth usually accumulates slowly..

Suddenaffluence usually would have some unsavoury background

Journey, though thoroughly enjoyable for most people, would expose them to many unexpected situations and challenges..

Hence if journeys are made with no plans, real difficulties and damages can be the outcome.

Climbing a mountain is in most cases an inch-by-inch struggle..

That too exhausting.

If sufficient energy for the final laps near the summit are not preserved, the initial enthusiasm and hard work can go waste..

So one has to be slow and steady in climbing.

Knowledge gets absorbed and assimilated only at an optimum pace..

A lot of information can get attached to the temporary memory process even if studied without due contemplation, but such things will not cling to the mind in the long run..

The methods of proper education are really slow and steady..

The journey of life adhering to the dharma can be very tenuous..

It takes a lot of time to know what is the correct decision to be taken..

The rights of various stakeholders can conflict even in very genuine transactions..

Justice delayed may be justice denied..

But justice hurried is no justice at all..

Exercise, physical as well as mental, would have the desired impact only if performed regularly and in panned steps..

Anyone who has tried any sort of fitness plans would have realized how difficult it had been to fit into the groove..

So the slowness is prescribed in various activities for different reasons..

Slow and steady wins the race...

But it should not be on account of laziness..

Because for a lazy fellow, there can neither be a race nor rice..

unfair means..

अनिष्टाद् इष्टलाभोऽपि न गतिर्जायते शुभा।

यत्रास्ते विषसंसर्गोऽमृतं तदपि मृत्यवे॥

हितोपदेशे॥

aniṣṭād iṣṭalābho'pi na gatirjāyate śubhā|

yatrāste viṣasaṁsargo'mṛtaṁ tadapi mṛtyave||

hitopadeśe||

A warning from Hitopadesham

If we achieve even the most coveted goal through unfair and devious means , or get the most desired object from someone who is basically not favourably disposes to us, then the outcome of such achievement or the enjoyment of such object would not yield the positive effect or enjoyment.. Most often these may cause only detriment to us..

Even the Ambrosia or amrita, if it has come in contact with poison for a few moments, would cause only death and destruction later..

Even the slightest contact with poison makes even the good thing toxic.. And wrong means just destroy the good effects of any achievement..

We tend to forget this.. knowingly or unknowingly..

at least permit people to suffer on their own

A hungry man was on a visit to a place where it was announced that free food would be supplied..

He waited outside for long..

No food was forthcoming..

Evening came..

Night came too

Burning with hunger, and yet bone- tired, finally he just lied down on some fress space outside and somehow managed to fall asleep.

Some smart volunteer from the sponsors of free food finally announced that there would be no food supply that night

The smart volunteer did not stop there.

He saw the poor hungry man sleeping

He was excessively conscious of the call of his duties

He woke up the hungry man and announced

Listen to me, There is no supply of food this night

ഉറങ്ങുന്നവനെ ഉണര്‍ത്തി അത്താഴം ഇല്ലെന്നു പറയുന്നത് പോലെ.

I find a long line of friends and well wishers of that genre.

I could not find any exception..

I am really sorry to say that..

People can at least permit people to be unhappy all by themselves.

frog in the well

Remember the story of a frog.. which was exchanging ideas with another colleague... One frog lived in a well for ever, and the second one had gone around a lot.

The frog who is the hero of this story resided in a deep well all through its life, but the visitor had been jumping all around the world beyond the well too, and had finally landed up inside the well presumably for a short visit..

Of the many experiences it had while wandering around, the frog who was the guest reported to his friend about the shape and size of an elephant he had seen..

An elephant according to the visitor was too huge and its size could not be explained in words or gestures in the frog-tongue..

The permanent resident of the well, the first frog was very sure that there could not be anything anywhere which could be bigger than himself..

So he drew a lot of air into his lungs and his whole body puffed up .. and asked his friend whether the elephant could be as big as that..

When the friend replied that the elephant was far, far bigger, the frog of the well tried to increase the size of the body more and more by filling himself with a lot of air..

This happened half a dozen times..

Still the friend and visitor, the frog from the broader earth was not able to agree on the comparison of the size between the elephant and the colleague who lived in the well, albeit all his puffing up.

The occupant of the well was not ready to concede on the issue of comparative sizes

He drew in further quantities of air.. and finally it happened..

The conceited frog's body could not withstand any more intake of air, and the frog and its body just shattered like a balloon, giving a loud noise akin to burst of a cracker..

Of course with that burst, all the pride, conceity and the misery of the frog of the well was over once for all..

We see such puffed up gasbags everywhere, within us and without too..

sour grapes

मूर्खानाम् पण्डिताः द्वेष्या अधनानां महाधनाः।

वराङ्गना कुलस्त्रीणां सुलभानां च दुर्लभाः॥

चाणक्यनीति

mūrkhānām paṇḍitāḥ dveṣyā adhanānām mahādhanāḥ|

varāṅganā kulastrīṇām sulabhānām ca durlabhāḥ||

cāṇakyanīti

Learned scholars are usually the enemies of uneducated brutes.

Affluent people will find no love in the poor ones

A supremely attractive woman would have only enemies among the other ladies in the clan..

Easily available things and objects are just antitheses for the rare gems..

The enmity can be because of jealousy, because of apprehension that the endowed person would pose a threat to the less fortunate one or even because the gifted person shows off and even humiliates the lesser one..

But the divide between the haves and have nots is a burning truth.. and this has been underlined by the great scholar Chanakya..

We can always find that when a person with some knowledge which is acquired with a lot of toil and perseverance just tries to teach or apply such knowledge, those who have been lazy and uneducated create all sorts of roadblocks, for some reason or other.. Some may pay respect when the learned person is present but invariably he is heckled behind the back.. Socrates was forced to drink hemlock the poison and die just because he was learned and others around him did not like him for that reason.. The learned man would be somewhat sensible and many others could never thrive with their devious ways if such men with knowledge are allowed to operate.. So the learned persons face nemesis at the hands of brutes.

The hatred between classes with money and without money has been a part of human existence over millenniums. It is possible that the affluent ones came by the wealt by unfair means and they exploited the lesser endowed. but the divide is a stark reality..

Many revolutions, many ideologies, many schools of thought, many warring groups took shape and operated because of the divied between the rich a poor.. The enmity is a fact

God is an impish despot.. He creates so many ladies, who are all conscious of their physical appearance and attractiveness. But He created only very few of that species, who are really beautiful .. Others among them are irritated, disturbed, and perhaps feel rather cheated by God and they develop a sort of hatred for the beautiful ones.. That is understandable, but that is a fact too..

A thing, a service, a person, that is available right on call does not get the same respect as similar things which could be obtained only after a lot of request, persuasion, toil, or spending.. So the conflict between the easily available and the rare ones too is an understandable fact of life.

Only through meditation and chanting

जप्येनैव तु संसिध्येद्ब्राह्मणो नात्र संशयः।

कुर्यादन्यन्न वा कुर्यान्मैत्रो ब्राह्मण उच्यते॥

मनुस्मृत्याम् २-८७

japyenaiva tu saṁsidhyedbrāhmaṇo nātra saṁśayaḥ|

kuryādanyanna vā kuryānmaitro brahmaṇa ucyate||

manusmṛtyām 2-87

A quote from manusmriti..

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

Only through meditation and chanting.. ( japam in Sanskrit and scriptures) a brahmana should attain fulfilment in life.

There is no doubt about it. No room for two views in the matter.

He may perform other duties too.. or he may not do anything other than japam..

Still he is considered as the friend of all because his japam brings welfare to all things around

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

People who consider themselves as brahmins have deviated from Japayajna.. meditation and periodic worship of Sandhya, Savitri Gayatri, Sarasvathi etc all through their lives..

In that case, are they really friends of the world?

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

Meaning... word analysis

जप्येन through chanting and meditation एव alone ब्राह्मणः a brahmin संसिध्येत् तु should realize fulfilment in life

अत्र न संशयं अस्ति in this matter, there is no doubt.

सः he

अन्यं कुर्यात् may do other things

न कुर्यात् वा or may not do anything else

(जप्येन) ब्राह्मणः (लोकस्य) मैत्रः उच्यते for the chanting and meditation for the welfare of all the Brahmin is considered as the friend of the whole world..

offering naivedyam

When we serve food or offer naivedyam to God there should be silence. Even the parishechana mantras and the six ahutis should be done in a silent or sibilant tone and especially the names of the foodstuff offered should be chanted silently or in a low voice which would not be heard by others.

It is silly to announce that so many vadas laddus or so many litres of payasam are offered.

A basic rule about taking food In our culture is that the person who serves the food and the host who ceremonially offers the food and also the one who eats should maintain absolute silence.

Even the additional servings should be offered through gestures.

मौनेन भोक्तव्यम्

Maunena bhoktavyam.

Of course there is a practice of abishravanam अभिश्रवणं where Vedic scholars recite from Vedas, puranas etc sitting in an adjoining area while the ceremonial.feast is taking place

But we tend to announce and publicize the naivedyams with gusto..

And often the foodstuff is announced even in festival notices days in advance..

We have deviated too much from our standard etiquette.

sources of supreme comfort

संसारातप दग्धानां त्रयो विश्रान्तिहेतवः।

अपत्यं च कलत्रं च सतां सङ्गतिरेव च॥

चाणक्यनीतिः

saṁsārātapa dagdhānāṁ trayo viśrāntihetavaḥ |

apatyaṁ ca kalatraṁ ca satāṁ saṅgatireva ca||

cāṇakyanītiḥ

another gem from Chanakya

For a person who is struggling in the scorching heat of daily life of travails, three things come as sources of supreme comfort

The first is his own child

The second is his wife

And the third is,

The friendship and the company of noble friends..

A life without priorities is like a rudderless boat floating in the vast expanse of water.. Imagination gains wings, and expectation soars high when one begets a child..

A loving and supportive wife makes the difference in life

And without good friends what is life.?

where there no love, there is no way

त्यजेद्धर्मम् दयाहीनम् विद्याहीनम् गुरुम् त्यजेत्।

त्यजेत् क्रोधमुखीम् भार्याम् निःस्नेहान्बान्धवान्स्त्यजेत्॥

चाणक्यनीति

tyajeddharmam dayāhīnam vidyāhīnam gurum tyajet |

tyajet krodhamukhīm bhāryām niḥsnehānbāndhavānstyajet||

cāṇakyanīti

One should give up and refuse to follow laws and statutes if they have not element of sympathy in them

One should move away from a teacher or guru if that teacher is found to possess inadequate knowledge and skils.

One should run away from a wife, if her face is always exploding with rage..

One should never stick to relatives who have no love for him..

Laws are after all made to make the life in the society smooth and beneficial to all in a general way even if some constituents might face some disadvantages at times. In fact restrictions placed on us by the state through laws are what we the individuals have permitted the legislator to do.. a sort of social contract.. So we need not have any mercenary spirit allowing the state to be harsh and unsympathetic to us.. Of course such thoughts are possible only in mature democratic systems..

We land up with teachers and trainers with inadequate skills and capacities often being mislead by hype.. The best way in such situations is to part company with such teachers..

Of course a wife always in rage is like living in hell.. Chanakya talked of wife alone because the period he lived perhaps did not think of a woman abandoning her husband however nasty he is.. Times have changed.. A husband who is exploding in anger for ever need not be tolerated by a wife too..

Relatives who are just real thieves, or real thorns in the heels just declaring love for us in public but praying and doing all that is possible to pull us down.. need not have any place in our lives..

A great piece of Advice by Chanakya

His liberal views own law and dharma even when he lives in a time where monarchy was in vogue and democracy was not considered seriously as a political system represent a welcome change..

world analysis.

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

दयाहीनम् which is without sympathy, which is cruel

धर्मम् त्यजेत् should abandon or give up laws, social customs and practices

विद्याहीनम् who is not having knowledge and skills

गुरुम् त्यज्ते move away or avoid a teacher ।

क्रोधमुखीम् a lady whose face is filled with anger, whose primary person trait is just showing rage

भार्याम् त्यजेत् run away from the wife ।

निःस्नेहान् who are without any love,

बान्धवान् त्यजेत् move away from relatives ॥

renunciation is not escapism..

My reaction to the query of a young friend that he desires to give up and withdraw to a sort of sannyas or renunciation because he is finding the life situations so frustrating and difficult to face

----'--------------------------

"Abandoning everything and going away is prescribed normally only for those who have seen, enjoyed or suffered all the pleasures and not so pleasant duties and chores ordained by traditions and scriptures and practices.

Before giving up the sources of pleasures and pains you should have finally realized with unwavering determination that such things do not mean anything to you and that you really want emancipation from such worldly life.

Such break cannot be taken as a temporary measure..retaining the desire to come back to ordinary life after some time.

Sannyas is not a holiday trip of picnic.

Rare persons like Shankara would have gone for renunciation right from childhood.

But rarities are not to be treated as rules.

In fact one can train himself to be detached in whatever state he is.

Lifestyle is just a choice.

And a sane person is always the master of his feelings and propensities.

For this he need not go into exile or sannyas."

a perspective on Study of Sanskrit

I posted my views on Sanskrit and Indian ethos in a closed group, but I feel the issue deserved wider exposure. So I re post it here.

The person who found that Sanskrit could be used as a language for computer programming, could have done that only after having studied Sanskrit in great depth .. so he must be a Sanskrit Scholar in his own way..

The very fact that such a research has been done is evidence enough to the fact that something tangible has been done..

The knowledge of Sanskrit and the practice of chanting mantrams and performing rituals by Vadhyars of today have very little in common..

The average Purohita to day just learns something like a parrot..

Even the youngsters who claim that they have learned part of vedam. like purusha sooktham, rudram etc, just learn the chanting of these parts of the scriptures without either understanding or in most case not caring to understand even the peripheral meaning..

So to mix up the present day mamopaatha samsatha(the opening stanza in any brahmin ritualistic chant ).... with scholarship in Sanskrit is very odd..

We Palakkad iyers talk Tamil and Malayalam in our own way sometimes not knowing how to read or write such languages..

Does it mean becoming scholars?

I think I am using English Language fairly well and would have acquired knowledge even in some other vital subjects using this knowledge as the key to open the vast repertoire of materials for study..

But Sanskrit language has also in its store equally precious stock, which unfortunately the children of the language have failed to note..

Some people would have used hyperbole, in extolling the virtues of Sanskrit but we cannot say they were off the mark in bringing home a worthy point..

For a Hindu. if he is to understand where he really stands in history,unique identity as a social unit, and religion, knowledge of Sanskrit is the ultimate thing, the ultimate weapon..

. A situation has arisen where majority of Indians have no knowledge of Sanskrit..

It is a sad and disturbing fact.

And maybe people survive even without such knowledge..

That is little solace..

A human being can survive without religion, without even cultural or historic sense.

For eating food, mating and such primary human needs, one may not need any language..

Inadequacies and imperfections cannot be claimed as virtues..

Even though English language is rich in vocabulary, culture and all, we can take pride in the knowledge of language only as a foreign language..

I do not think anyone of us can ever claim English as our mother tongue or as forming the basis of our own Indian heritage and cultural growth..

Alien culture can be followed but they cannot become our culture..

One failure cannot be justified with reference to another failure.

lead me Krishna

yes, If it is ordained by Fate.. or the holy rules of Karma that I should be kicked, I shall receive the kick..

but the Divine being, who is ever merciful, although He cannot flout the rule of Karma, can always form a buffer between the leg that is kicking and my body which receives the kick.. so that the intensity of the kick is very much reduced..

In fact Krishna always does that.. and true, that is the reason for our abiding faith in him..

and millions of hands raised heavenwards will not be gratitude enough..

That is why we ask... Karuna Cheyvaan enthu taamasam.. Krishna..കരുണ ചെയ്‌വാന്‍ എന്ത് താമസം കൃഷ്ണാ Krishna, why is there so much of delay in showering your mercy..

.

The Vaishnava Sharanagathi is based on this principle.. the devotee and the Acharya on behalf of the devotee prays to Narayana and the Mother Sreedevi confessing that aparadhams have been done deserving the severest punishment, but the doer of the wrongs is not capable of surviving the full punishment..

and therefore the deities, especially the Mother should consider the case with mercy and by the intervention of the Mother, Sriman Narayana should reduce the punishment and grand Vaikuntam..

What a sublime idea..

We human beings, especially believers just place all our hopes in the infinite mercy of the Lord..

Otherwise, we are beyond any hope..

signs of class

आचारः कुलमाख्याति देशमाख्याति भाषणम्।

संभ्रमः स्नेहमाख्याति वपुराख्याति भोजनम्॥

चाणक्यनीति

ācāraḥ kulamākhyāti deśamākhyāti bhāṣaṇam|

saṁbhramaḥ snehamākhyāti vapurākhyāti bhojanam||

cāṇakyanīti

Chanakya delivers another gem.....

The way one carries out his activities, the way he presents himself, just reveals his upbringing and the family or the clan to which he belongs.

The language or dialect he speaks would easily show from which place he comes

The anxiety and agitation one shows in respect of another shows how much love is there.

The shape and size of the body clearly indicate what a person eats.

A person born and brought up in a cultured envirnoment would always reveal his class in every activity..

We know the languages and their diction varies from place to place..

For example a person from Chennai and a person from Madurai speak distinctively varying dialects of Tamil.

A man from Trichur and a man from Trivandrum and a man from Kannur all speak Malayalam, but one can detect their nativities if we just hear them speak eve for a few seconds..

One thing about love is that it makes one anxious..

When we love our friends and kin a necessary fallout is that we are anxious about their well being..

The best example is the mother..

She would be anxious about the safety of her child right from the moment it formed insider her as a foetus.. and this anxiety continues as long as she lives..

A mother of ninety years would be worrieds about the activities of her child of seventy years or more..

That is love.

.If someone talks of his love for another with eloquence but is unmoving like a rock when something happens to that another, we can easily see that the declaration of love was just an excercise for the lips of the former.

We eat and eat.. and the body gets fatter and fatter..

So the quality and quantity of the food one eats shows itself in his body..

Lead us in the right path..Agni

Lead us in the right path..Agni

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

At the conclusion of oblations to the fire in the vedic way yajnas, homams etc, we pray to Agni requesting him to lead us in the path of righteousness and also to destroy our propensities to tread the sinful path..

The mantram is from Rigvedam first Mandalam..

The mantram is also found as the concluding mantra of Isha or Ishavasya upanishad.

अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान्।

युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुरणमेनो भूयिष्ठाम् ते नमौक्तिम् विधेम॥

ऋग्वेदम् १ -१८९ - १-२

&

ईशावास्य उपनिषद् १८

agne naya supathā rāye asmān viśvāni deva vayunāni vidvān|

yuyodhyasmajjuhuraṇameno bhūyiṣṭhām te namauktim vidhema||

ṛgvedam 1 -189 - 1-2

&

īśāvāsya upaniṣad 18

Oh Lord Agni, we praise you with lots and lots of praises and nice words.

May you be pleased to lead us in the fair and righteous path for the enjoyment of all our actions and endevours.

Blessed Lord, you are knowing or keenly watching all our activities and we pray that you may be pleased to destroy our tendencies to tread the crooked or deceitful path and save us from our sins.

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

word meaning

अग्रे agne -- oh agni

अस्मान् asmaan -- us

राये raye -- to the enjoyment of fruits of our actions and attempts

सुपथा supathaa -- by the fair and right path

नय naya -- lead

देव deva -- oh lord

विश्वानि viśvāni -- all, entirely

वयुनानि vayunāni -- deeds activities

विद्वान vidvān -- knowing

अस्मत् asmat -- from us

जुहुराणं juhuraanam -- crooked ways, decietful

युयोधि yuyodhi -- destroy

ते te -- to you

भूयिष्ठां bhūyiṣṭhām -- in plety

नम उक्तिं nama uktim -- words of praise

विधेम vidhema -- we submit

A great tribute to water..

A great tribute to water..

a landmark mantram used in the process of ceremonial purification of water.. Udaka Shanti.. The mantram comes partially from Yajurveda Samhita, Brahmanams and Rigvedam too..

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति। श्र॒द्धा वा आपः॑ ।

श्र॒द्धां ए॒वारभ्य॑ प्र॒णीय॑ प्रच॑रति।

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति । य॒ज्ञो वा आपः॑ ।

य॒ज्ञं ए॒वारभ्य॑ प्र॒णीय॑ प्रच॑रति।

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति । व॒ज्रो वा आपः॑ ।

वज्र॑मे॒व भ्रातृ॑व्येभ्यः प्रहृत्य॑ प्र॒णीय॑ प्रच॑रति ।

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति । आपो॒ वै रक्षो॒घ्नीः ।

रक्ष॑सां अप॑हत्यै ।

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति । आपो॒ वै दे॒वानां᳚ प्रि॒यंधाम॑ ।

दे॒वाना॑मे॒व प्रि॒यंधाम॑ प्र॒णीय॒ प्रच॑रति ।

अ॒पः प्रण॑यति । आपो॒ वै सर्वा॑ दे॒वताः ।

दे॒वता॑ ए॒वा॒रभ्य॑ प्र॒णीय॒ प्रच॑रति ।

आपो॒वैशा॒न्ताः । शा॒न्ताभि॑रे॒वास्य॑ शुचग्ं शमयति ॥

देवो वः सविता उत्पुनातु। अच्छिद्रेण पवित्रेण।वसोः सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिः।

स हि रत्नानि दाशुषे। सुवति सविता भगः। तं भागम् चित्रमीमहे॥

Apah praNayati | shraddhAvA Apah |

shraddhAm evArabhya praNIya pracharati

Apah praNayati | yagyou vai Apah |

yagyam evArabhya praNIya pracharati

Apah praNayati | vajro vai Apah |

vajrameva bhrAtRuvyebhyah prahRutya praNIya pracharati |

Apah praNayati | Apo vai rakShoghnIh |

rakShasAm apahatyai |

Apah praNayati | Apo vai devAnAm priyamdhAma |

devAnAmeva priyamdhAma praNIya pracharati |

Apah praNayati | Apo vai sarvA devatAh |

devatA evArabhya praNIya pracharati |

ApovaishAntAh shAntAbhirevAsya shuchagmshamayati ||

devo vassavitA utpunAtu | acChidreNa pavitreNa | vasoh sUryasya

rashmibhih |

sa hi ratnAni dAshuShai suvAti savitA bhagah | tam bhAgam chitramImahe

||

om

Water is the object of great respect and adoration..

Waters indeed deserved great attention

The waters are treated with great adoration and great devotion..

Water is the object of great respect and adoration

waters are the substance of yajnas or sacrifices

Waters are treated as yajna and held with great adoration and devotion

Water is the object of great respect and adoration

Waters are verily like thunderbolt, shining with resplendence and tough

Waters are treated as the best of resplendent things, the thunderbolts and are propitiated with great adoration and devotion

Water is the object of great respect and adoration |

waters are the annihilators of Rakshasas or demons.

May the waters be adored for the destruction of Rakshasas.

Water is the object of great respect and adoration

Water is the favourite abode of the gods

May waters be adored as the favourite dwelling places of Gods alone

Waters are propitiated with adoration

Waters are verily the embodiment of all gods

The Gods, propitiated in the form of waters remain in the forefront leading us ever.

Calm and soothing are the waters.. May those waters through their soothing nature provided purity to the worshipper..

may that God Savita purify the worshipper.. may he purify through this sacred, seamless and uninterrupted acchidara may He purify us through the uninterrupted flow of effulgence in the form of the rays of the Sun who is the Vasu

May that great provider of boons Bhaga, the source of all fortune, shower all fortunes on the one who makes offerings. We seek from Bhaga, all sorts of enjoyments.

inherent merit and qulaity

नाद्रव्ये निहिता काचित् क्रिया फलवती भवेत्।

न व्यापारशतेनापि शुकवत् पाठ्यते बकः॥

हितोपदेशे॥

nādravye nihitā kācit kriyā phalavatī bhavet|

na vyāpāraśatenāpi śukavat pāṭhyate bakaḥ||

hitopadeśe||

Another gem of a subhashitam from Narayana Panditas Hitopadesham

To train or improve a person or a thing, such man or material should have some inherent suitability.. If that basic quality is absent no improvement is possible..

The meaning of the subhashitham

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

No positive result would emerge from any amount of labour and time on a material which has no inherent merit or quality.

Even if hundreds of training sessions are conducted by experts on a crane, it cannot be taught to speak or sing like a parrot..

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

This statement has various dimensions

God has created things with some basic qualities, and there can be improvement effected on them through training and hard work.. But if the material is not basically suited for the application in question then all attempts are doomed to fail..

This would mean all things are not created with the same threshold qualities.. Diligent deployment of the resources according to their suitability and flexibility is the greatest management skill that can make one the leader of men and the leader of the situations.

Many parents, when they groom their children face this problem.. Some children will have numerical talents, some literary flair, some might be endowed with sweet voice, some with theatrical leanings and so on.. But the parents often try to shape the education and career of the children by observing and comparing the activities of people all around, without seriously considering whether or not their wards would fit into certain streams or not.. They often try to put square pegs into round holes and make a mess of everything..

Often, the suitability will reveal itself sooner or later.. Just observation and some patience are all that is needed..

We see such phenomenon excessively in professions, politics...etc.. where parents try to force or groom the offspring in their own paths of activities or avocations.. Some succeed but many fail..

act diligently and with determination...

व्यसने वार्थकृच्छ्रे वा भये वा जीवितान्तरे।

विमृशंश्च स्वया बुद्ध्या धृतिमान्नावसीदति॥

श्रीमद्वाल्मीकि रामायणे-४.७.९

पाठभेद:

व्यसने वार्थकृच्छ्रे वा भये वा जीवितावधौ।

विमृशंश्च स्वयं बुद्ध्या कृतान्तं प्रहसिष्यति॥ 

vyasane vārthakṛcchre vā bhaye vā jīvitāntare।

vimṛśaṃśca svayā buddhyā dhṛtimānnāvasīdati॥

śrīmadvālmīkiyarāmāyaṇe-4.7.9

pāṭhabheda:

vyasane vārthakṛcchre vā bhaye vā jīvitāvadhau।

vimṛśaṃśca svayaṃ buddhyā kṛtāntaṃ prahasiṣyati॥

A very contemplative and poignant message we get from Valmiki Ramayanam..

If a person who is expected to be optimistic in a realistic way regulates his behaviour and actions in the right way after a very critical consideration and evalution of all the facts before him though proper application of mind, when he is faced with challenges and sorrows, when crunch of funds and resources confronts him, when he is in the grip of fear, or even when he is on the face of situations where he might foresee even loss of life then surely he will not face disappointment or failure..

In a variant of this slokam it is stated that when a wise person acts with such resolute state of mind, he would even overcome the god of death.. 

This message is of great contemporary relevance. 

We are facing a very serious threat.. a threat to our lives indeed.

We have to remain optimists and we should not at the same time push the realities of the situation under the rug

Every step we take now would be after application of our individual and collective wisdom, after following scrupulously the advises from authorities and experts whose collective wisdom is there to guide and protect us,

We should not fall prey to hearsay or false informations and rumours. 

Yes, we are faced with threat to life, we are faced with potential grief, financial challenges could confront us in the circumstance, and we are justified evern if we are reasonably afrain, and more than everything else, our lives could be under threat.. on the face of Corana or Kovid

Let us act with a clear mind, in an unqualified sense of human love and mutual co operation, realizing that our own lives and the lives of all others depend on every action taken by each of us individually and collectively.. 

Even a very minor step can prove to be irreparably fatal..

But may we act with resolution.. And may we through our resolution, score victory even over the God of death..

Fate would yield to a group of resolute living beings.. May God be with us. 

Krishna bless. 

വ്യസനേ വാര്‍ത്ഥകൃച്ഛ്രേ വാ ഭയേ വാ ജീവിതാന്തരേ।

വിമൃശംശ്ച സ്വയാ ബുദ്ധ്യാ ധൃതിമാന്നാവസീദതി॥

ശ്രീമദ്വാല്മീകിയരാമായണേ-൪.൭.൯

പാഠഭേദ:

വ്യസനേ വാര്‍ത്ഥകൃച്ഛ്രേ വാ ഭയേ വാ ജീവിതാവധൌ।

വിമൃശംശ്ച സ്വയം ബുദ്ധ്യാ കൃതാന്തം പ്രഹസിഷ്യതി॥

ഏറെ ഗഹനവും അര്‍ത്ഥപൂര്‍ണ്ണവുമായ ഒരു ഉപദേശം.. വാൽമീകി രാമായണത്തില്‍ നിന്ന്.

ശുഭാപ്തിവിശ്വാസം കൈവിടാതെയും അതേ സമയും തികഞ്ഞ യാഥാര്‍ത്ഥ്യബോധത്തോടെ യും ജീവിതം നയിക്കാന്‍ നിയോഗിക്കപെടുന്ന ഓരോ വ്യക്തിയും തന്റെ ബുദ്ധിശക്തിയും അനുഭവസമ്പത്തും എല്ലാം പരിപൂര്‍ണ്ണമായി ഉപയോഗിച്ച് തന്റെ മുന്നിലുള്ള ഓരോ പ്രശ്നത്തെക്കുറിച്ചും വിമര്‍ശനാത്മകമായി ചിന്തിച്ചുമാത്രം തന്റെ ജീവിതശൈലിയും പെരുമാറ്റവും നിയന്ത്രിക്കുകയാണെങ്കില്‍

അയാള്‍ ദുഃഖങ്ങളും ദുരിതങ്ങളും വെല്ലുവിളികളും നേരിടുകയാണ് എങ്കിലും,

സാമ്പത്തികമായ പ്രശ്നങ്ങള്‍ അയാളെ അലട്ടുന്നു എങ്കിലും

ഭീതിയും പരിഭ്രമവും അയാളെ വേട്ടയാടുന്നു എങ്കിലും

ഒരു പക്ഷെ അയാള്‍ മരണത്തെ തന്നെ അഭിമുഖികരിക്കാവുന്ന ഒരു ഘട്ടത്തിലേക്ക് നടന്നു നീങ്ങുകയാണെങ്കില്‍ പോലും, 

അയാള്‍ക്ക് പിടിച്ചു നില്‍ക്കാനും അതിജീവിക്കാനും സാധിക്കും

ഈ ശ്ലോകത്തിന്റെ ഒരു പാഠഭേദം പറയുന്നത്..

അങ്ങിനെ നിശ്ചയദാര്‍ഢ്യം നിലനിര്‍ത്തുന്ന മനുഷ്യന്‍ മരണദേവതയെപ്പോല്ലും തോല്‍പ്പിക്കും എന്നാണ്.

നാം ഇന്ന് നേരിടുന്ന വെല്ലുവിളികളുടെ പശ്ചാത്തലത്തില്‍ ഈ സന്ദേശം വളരെ പ്രസക്തമാണ്.

ഇന്നു നാം ജീവന് ഭീഷണി നേരിടുന്നു എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞാല്‍ അതില്‍ അതിശയോക്തി ഒട്ടുമില്ല.

ശുഭാപ്തി വിശ്വാസം കൈവിടരുത്. അതേ സമയം നമ്മുടെ കണ്മുമ്പില്‍ തെളിഞ്ഞുകാണുന്ന യാഥാര്‍ഥ്യം കണ്ടില്ലെന്നു നടിക്കരുത്. കണ്ണടച്ചു ഇരുട്ടാക്കിയിട്ട് ഒരു കാര്യവും ഇല്ല.

നാം ഇപ്പോള്‍ ചെയ്യുന്ന ഓരോ കാര്യവും നമ്മുടെ ബുദ്ധിയുടെയും കഴിവിന്‍റെയും പരമാവധി ഉപയോഗിച്ച് കൊണ്ട് മാത്രം ആവണം. അതെ സമയം നമ്മുടെ സമൂഹവും, നേതാക്കളും, വിദഗ്ദ്ധന്മാരും എല്ലാം അവരുടെ എല്ലാ കഴിവുകളും അര്‍പ്പണബോധവും ഉപയോഗിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് നമ്മെ വഴിനടത്തുവാനും നമ്മുടെ ജീവന്‍ രക്ഷിക്കുവാനും വേണ്ടി അശ്രാന്തപരിശ്രമം നടത്തുന്നുണ്ട്. അവര്‍ തെളിക്കുന്ന വഴിയില്‍ കടുകിട മാറാതെ നമ്മെത്തന്നെ നിയന്ത്രിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് മുന്നോട്ടു പോവുക എന്നതാണ് നമ്മുടെ മുന്നില്‍ ഉള്ള ഒരേ മാര്‍ഗ്ഗം. കിംവദന്തികള്‍ക്കും അന്ധവിശ്വാസങ്ങള്‍ക്കും നാം വശംവദരാവരുത്. 

നമ്മുടെ ജീവിതത്തിനും, നിലനില്‍പ്പിനും, സ്വത്തിനുമെല്ലാം ഇപ്പോള്‍ വെല്ലുവിളികള്‍ ഉണ്ട്.. ഒരു പരിധി വരെ ഭയപ്പെടുവാനുള്ള എല്ലാ കാരണങ്ങളും ഉണ്ട്.. അതൊന്നും നിഷേധിക്കാനാവില്ല. കൊറോണ എന്ന പകര്‍ച്ചവ്യാധി ഒരു യാഥാര്‍ഥ്യം ആണ് ഒരു വെല്ലുവിളി ആണ്, ഓരോ വ്യക്തിക്കും മനുഷ്യരാശിക്ക് തന്നെയും.

വ്യക്തമായ ചിന്തയോടെ, നിശ്ചയദാര്‍ഢ്യത്തോടെ, സഹജീവിസ്നേഹത്തോടെ, പരസപരം സഹായിക്കാനുള്ള സന്മാനസ്സോടെ നമുക്ക് ഈ വെല്ലുവിളി നേരിടാം. നമ്മുടെ എല്ലാവരുടെയും ജീവിതം നിലനില്‍ക്കുന്നതും തകരുന്നതും ഓരോ വ്യക്തിയും ഇപ്പോള്‍ എടുക്കുന്ന ഓരോ കാല്‍ വയ്പ്പിലെയും ശരിയും തെറ്റും അനുസരിച്ച് ആയിരിക്കും

ആര്‍ക്കെങ്കിലും ഒന്ന് കാലിടറിയാല്‍ അത് അയാളെ മാത്രമല്ല ഒരുപാടു പേരെ വെട്ടി വീഴ്ത്തും. 

നമുക്ക് ധൈര്യവും ശുഭാപ്തിവിശ്വാസവും കൈവിടാതെ മുന്നേറാം. 

നിശ്ചയദാര്‍ഢ്യത്തിനു മുന്നില്‍ മരണവും മുട്ടുകുത്തും.. തീര്‍ച്ച

ഭഗവാന്‍ കൃഷ്ണന്‍ രക്ഷിക്കട്ടെ.

anything may change, but Virtue should win

चला लक्ष्मीः चला प्राणाः चलं जीवित यौवनम्।

चालाचले च संसारे धर्म एको हि निश्चलः॥

चाणक्य नीति

calā lakṣmīḥ calā prāṇāḥ calaṁ jīvita yauvanam|

cālācale ca saṁsāre dharma eko hi niścalaḥ||

cāṇakya nīti

The goddess of wealth.. Lakshmi is very fickle.. so our possessions may not be with us for ever

The presence life in our body is very unsure.. It can take leave of us any moment.

The age of youth and energy in us again is not permanent.. We just move away towards old age..

So in this world which is changing for ever effecting changes on almost everything, the only thing which is ( or which should be) wthout change, which is rock solid and immovable, is Dharma.. the code of truth and righteousness.

Yes, anything may change, but Virtue should win..

may the disputes subside...

ऐकमत्यंम् भवेदेषां ब्राह्मणानां पृथग्धियाम्।

निर्वैरता च जायेत संवादाग्ने प्रसीद मे।

aikamatyam bhavet eshaam braahmanaanaam prithak dhiyaam.

nirvairataa ta jaayeta. Samvaadaagne praseeda ma..

A Vedic Prayer..

May there be unity of mind and action among the learned men or brahmins who may be very mature in thinking and may they think again and again before deciding an issue perhaps even having varying perceptions ,

(May they be of clear and mature intellect)

May all the animosity vanish and mutual amity arise.

Oh the fire of (resolution of ) disputes, may you be pleased with me.

A version Samvaadaagni prashaamyatu..

संवादाग्निः प्रशाम्यतु

meaning may the agni of disputes calm down.. is also is seen

This is chanted at the conclusion of vedic rites.. After chanting the Aikamatya sooktham.. which is also called Samvada sooktham.

The foremost being created by Gods is Agni

The foremost human being created by Gods is Agni

There is a mention in Rigvedam that the male human being created on earth was Agni and the first female was vaak or word..

and the human race which was nurtured affectionately from them had the same qualities of those two primordial parents.

So vaak or word and agni are closely connected and the entire human race inherits both these in their bodies.

त्वामग्ने प्रथममायुमायवे देवा अकृण्वन्नहुषस्य विश्पतिम्।

इळामकृण्वन्मनुषस्य शासनीं पितुर्यपुत्रो ममकस्य जायते॥ ऋग्वेदम् १ ३२ ११

tvāmagne prathamamāyumāyave devā ākṛṇvannahuṣasya viśpatim|| iḻāmakṛṇvannhuṣasya śāsanīm pituryat putro mamakasya jāyate|| ṛgvedam 1 32 11

Agni, you were created as the leader and controller of the earthly human beings, for their own benefit, and Ilaa or Vaanee was created as the female counterpart controlling the earthly beings ..Therefore the human beings grow in their race according to the original parentage of Agni and Vaak