May Guruvayurappan make the new year great for you

My pranams to you all. My greetings and best  wishes that Guruvayurappan may fill the new year with his bounty for all of us.

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

The Lord started creation with the hep of his own Maaya.

एवं च द्विपरार्धकालविगता वीक्षां सिस्य्क्षात्मिकां
बिभ्राणे त्वयि चुक्षुभे त्रिव्भुवनीभावाय माया स्वयं।
मायातः खलु कालशक्तिरखिला धृष्टं स्व्भावोऽपि च
प्रादुर्भूय गुणान् विकास्य विदधुस्तस्याः सहयक्रियाम्॥३॥
श्रीमन्नारायणीये दशकं ५

एवम् द्विपरार्ध काल विगतौ च त्वयि सिस्यक्षात्मिकां ईक्षां बिभ्राणे सति त्रिभुवनीभावाय मया स्वयं चुक्षुभे। मायातः खलु कालशक्टिः अखिल्ल्दृष्टं स्वभावः अपि च् प्रादुर्भूय गुणान् विकास्य तस्याः सहायक्रियां विदधुः।
evaM cha dwiparaardhakaalavigataa viikSaaM sisykSaatmikaaM
bibhraaNe twayi chukSubhe trivbhuvaniibhaavaaya maayaa swayaM.
maayaataH khalu kaalashaktirakhilaa dhR^iSTaM swbhaavo.api cha
praadurbhuuya guNaan vikaasya vidadhustasyaaH sahayakriyaam..3..
shriimannaaraayaNiiye dashakaM 5

evam dwiparaardha kaala vigatau cha twayi sisyakSaatmikaaM iikSaaM bibhraaNe sati tribhuvaniibhaavaaya mayaa swayaM chukSubhe. maayaataH khalu kaalashakTiH akhilldR^iSTaM swabhaavaH api ch praadurbhuuya guNaan vikaasya tasyaaH sahaayakriyaaM vidadhuH.

The absence of the distintion between Vyaktha and Avyaktha (clear and unclear.. something akin to the triple point in thermodynamics)  and the details of such existence in recounted in this stanza. You Guruvayurappa, you remains in the condition of perfect introspection for two paradhas.. each parardha is nearaly ten raised to eighteen years..)  and then you exalted mind had a desire for creating things.. then the Maya inherent in you  became agitated herself to convert herself  as the three universes.  In that Maaya, manifested time, the discrimination of good and bad, and  all seen and unseen qualities which consitute the apparent universe now.  You simply divided and enhanced the three Gunas, Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas and just stood as a witness lending a occsional helping hand to your own maya.

Again this is an intricate thought process which if is to be expanded  would cover pages and pages for description. but the essential life of Narayaneeyam is Bhakthi and Leela of Guruvayurappan.  This is only a curtain raiser.
The Lord started creation with the hep of his own Maaya.

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

to continue the cosmic cycle for ever.

कालः कर्म गुणाश्च जीवनिवहा विश्वं च कार्यं विभो
चिल्लीलारतिमेयुषि त्वयि तदा निर्लीनतामाययुः।
तेषां नैव वदन्त्यसत्त्वमयि भो शक्त्यात्मना तिष्ठतां
नो चेत् किं गगनप्रसून सदृशां भूयो भवेत् संभवः॥२॥
श्रीमन्नारायणीये दशकं ५
विभो तदा कालः कर्म्मगुणाः च  जीवनिवहाः कार्यम् विश्वं च चिल्लीलारतिम् एयुषि त्वयि  निर्लीनतां आययुः।  अयि भोः शक्त्यात्मना तिष्ठतां तेषां असत्त्वं न एव वदन्ति।  नोचेत् गगनप्र्सूनसदृशां तेषां भूयः संभवः किं भवेत्।
kaalaH karma guNaashcha jiivanivahaa vishwaM cha kaaryaM vibho
chilliilaaratimeyuSi twayi tadaa nirliinataamaayayuH.
teSaaM naiva vadantyasattwamayi bho shaktyaatmanaa tiSThataaM
no chet kiM gaganaprasuuna sadR^ishaaM bhuuyo bhavet saMbhavaH..2..
shriimannaaraayaNiiye dashakaM 5
vibho tadaa kaalaH karmmaguNaaH cha  jiivanivahaaH kaaryam vishwaM cha chilliilaaratim eyuSi twayi  nirliinataaM aayayuH.  ayi bhoH shaktyaatmanaa tiSThataaM teSaaM asattwaM na eva vadanti.  nochet gaganaprsuunasadR^ishaaM teSaaM bhuuyaH saMbhavaH kiM bhavet.

Guruvayurappa, during that long period of deluge, you were engaging yourself in  simple contemplation of your own inner being, In you, the all pervading master,  time and all good  and bad deeds which form the karma and the three gunas of sattwa raja  and tamas, and all groups of animate and inanimate beings  simply dissolved
My lord, are the three gunas, time etc are all in a way illusory like the flowers formed in the sky  (perhaps by the fleeting white clouds).. but through your maaya they manifest and exist in a frame of reference created by your exalted chit.

The idea is very difficult to comprehend.  We humans live in a frame of reference which for us is very real. I cannot say my eyes, ear, speech or hunger ar mere illusions..Then I may have to say that even my death will be only an illusion.  But the Universal soul by its on powers of will, makes everything, time, discretion, tendencies and the physical appearance of the beings at micro and macro levels, illusory during the Pralayas and then again runs the drama of the apparent world  for some eons, again returning to pralaya... to continue the cosmic cycle for ever.

This part of Narayaneeyam is entirely speculative and in fact tries to describe something which cannot be comprehended by anyone who is existing in the universe under the spell of Maya.  But when  covering such a great work one cannot afford to skip these parts also.

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

Things started happening from that nothingness.

व्यक्ताव्यक्तमिदं न किञ्चिदभवत् प्राक् प्राकृतप्रक्षये

मायायां गुणसाम्यरुद्धविकृतौ त्वय्यागतायां लयं।

नो मृत्युश्च तदामृतं च समभून्नाहो न रात्रेः स्थितिः

तत्रैक्स्त्वमशिष्यथाः किलपरानन्दप्रकाशात्मना॥१

श्रीमन्नारायणीये दशकं ५

प्राक् प्राकृत प्रक्षये मायायां गुणसाम्य रुद्ध विकृतौ त्वयि लयं आगतायं सत्यां व्यक्थाव्यक्तं इदं किञ्चित् न अभवत् तदा मृत्युः च अमृतं च न समभूत्। अह्नः स्थितिः न। रात्रेः स्थितिः न। तत्र त्वं परानन्द प्रकाशात्मना एकः अशिष्यथाः किल।

vyaktaavyaktamidaM na ki~nchidabhavat praak praakR^itaprakSaye

maayaayaaM guNasaamyaruddhavikR^itau twayyaagataayaaM layaM.

no mR^ityushcha tadaamR^itaM cha samabhuunnaaho na raatreH sthitiH

tatraikstwamashiSyathaaH kilaparaanandaprakaashaatmanaa..1

shriimannaaraayaNiiye dashakaM 5

praak praakR^ita prakSaye maayaayaaM guNasaamya ruddha vikR^itau twayi layaM aagataayaM satyaaM vyakthaavyaktaM idaM ki~nchit na abhavat tadaa mR^ityuH cha amR^itaM cha na samabhuut. ahnaH sthitiH na. raatreeH sthitiH na. tatra twaM paraananda prakaashaatmanaa ekaH ashiSyathaaH kila.

The fifth dashakam of Naraayaniiyam starts to describe the saga of genesis of living beings in the universe as per the Indian concept. The great poet bhattatiri has drawn inspiration from Srimad Bhagavatam and from Upanishads and Aaranyakas to recount in detail the process of creation... the story will unravel in the stanzas to come.

"In the ancient time of deluge, the divine Maaya or illusion was rendered functionless because the three qualities of all beings..sattwa, rajas and tamas were present in equal quantities in everything and that Maaya simply dissolved in You Guruvayurappa, and with that the universe in macro (sthoola) or micro (sookshma) forms became absent or irrelevant. In that period there was no death, and was there no emancipation..There was no day, nor any night.. In that period you were the one and alone and in supreme bliss on yourself you remained as the embodiment of effulgent light and sat chit aananda."

A situation similar to this can be found in the Naasadiiya Sooktham of Rig Veda,

Things started happening from that nothingness.  http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/2010/09/from-nothingness.html   this is the link to naasadeeya sooktam
also see  https://kanfusion.blogspot.com/2019/01/nasadiya-sukta.html

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

kalau samkeerthya keshavam

तपः परं कृतयुगे त्रेतायां ज्ञानमुच्यते

द्वापरे यज्ञमेवाहु दानमेव कलौ युगे॥

यत्कृते दशभिर्वर्षैः त्रेतायां हायनेनतु

द्वापरे तच्चमासेन ह्यहोरात्रेण तत् कलौ॥

ध्यायन् कृते यजन् यज्ञैः त्रेतायां द्वापरेऽर्चयन्।

यदाप्नोति तदाप्नोति कलौ सङ्कीर्त्य केशवम्॥

tapaḥ paraṁ kṛtayuge tretāyāṁ jñānamucyate

dvāpare yajñamevāhu dānameva kalau yuge||

yatkṛte daśabhirvarṣaiḥ tretāyāṁ hāyanenatu

dvāpare taccmāsena hyahorātreṇ tat kalau||

dhyāyan kṛte yajan yajñaiḥ tretāyāṁ dvāpare arcayan 

yadāpnoti yadāpnoti tadāpnoti kalau saṅkīrtya keśavaṁ

The best way of reaching higher aims in life in the Krita yuga (Satya yuga) was to do hard penance. In the Threta Yuga one had to achieve emancipation through concerted acquisition of Knowledge. In the dwapara yuga, the same results were obtained by doing yagas and yajnaas. But in Kali Yuga one can attain great merit just by engaging oneself in philanthropic acts like making gifts and helping the needy and hapless.

What one gained by doing good things in tens of years in Kritayauga, what he did in one six month period in threta yuga and what one did during a month will have identical effect as to one does in a day and night in Kaliyuga. ( A note of caution.. this should apply to good acts as well as bad)

Another advice on yuga dharmas... what one gets by contemplation on the supreme in Krita Yuga, what one gets by elaborate rituals and sacrifices in threta yuga, by engaging in long poojas and archanas in Dwapara Yuga, one can attain in Kaliyuga by the chanting of the holy name of the Lord Kesava in Kaliyuga... Namasankeertanam is the path of Kaliyuga for elevation to heaven.

further thoughts on dharmas

The greatest authorities of Dharmasaastraas are eighteen in number.   Manu, Brihaspati, Daksha, Yama,  Yajnavalkya, Gautama,Prachetas, Paraasara, Angiras, Samvarthaka, Shataatapa, Likhita, Shukra, Atri, Vishnu, Shankara, Aapastambha, and Haritha.

Bohaayana, Aapastamba, SatyaashaaDa, Traahyaayana, Agastya, Shaakalya, Ashwalaayana, Saambhaveeya, Katyaayaana  are the nine poorva suukthaas. Vaikhanasam, Saunakeeyam, Bharadwajam, Agrniveshyam, Jaimineeyam, Mathrunyam, Maadhyandhinam, Kaundinyam, and Kausheetakam  are the apara sootraaas.

The Kausheetaka and Aaswalayana Sutras are attached to Rigvedam..  Bhodaayanam, Aapastambham, Bhaaradwaajam, SatyaashaaDam, Vaikhaanasam... these five sutras  are attached to Krishna Yajurvedam.  Shukla yajurveda has a sootra called Katyaayanam, and Samaveda encompasses Traahyaayanam and Jaiminiiyam

 The fundamental belief if Dharmasaastras is that the Rishis who have discovered the laws have ordained the proper conduct.  What they call Dharma is so and if they have probhibited  anything categorically, it is adharma.

वेदोऽखिल धर्ममूलं स्मृतिः शीले च तद्विदां।

आचारश्चैव साधूनां आत्मनः तुष्टिरेवच॥

vedo'khila dharmamūlaṁ smṛtiḥ śīlee ca tadvidāṁ|

ācāraścaiva sādhūnāṁ ātmanaḥ tuṣṭirevaca||

The root source of Dharma is the the four Vedas.  The Dharmasastras, and the local habits  or precedents  also are valid insofar as they are not in conflict with the dictats of Vedas.   The ceremonies and observations   followed by the noble are also part of dharma and the litmus test for dharma is that it should give delight to the self.

Ultimately, the aacharyaas have always permitted amendments to the rules after very strict and impartial evaluation of the pros and cons of a particular rule.

wish you a merry christmas

God sent his only begotten Son to take upon himself all the sins of we mortals and wash them away in his holy blood. There is no sacrifice greater that this ever.  It is His birthday.  Let us greet each other...

--

Radha saw her Krishna

राधावदनविलोकनविकसित विविधविलास विभङ्गं
जलनिधिमिवविधुमण्डलदर्शन तरळिततुङ्गतरङ्गं
हरिमेकरसं चिरमभिलषित विलासं
सा ददर्श गुरुहर्षवशंवदहृदयमनङ्गविलासं॥१॥
हारममलतरमुरसि दधतं परिलम्ब्य विदूरं।
स्फुटतरफेनकदम्बकरम्बितमिव यमुनाजलपूरं॥२॥
श्यामळमृदुलकळेभरमण्डल परिहितगौरदुकूलम्
नीलनळिनमिव पीतपरागपटलभरपरिगतमूलं॥३॥
तरलद्ऱ्इगञ्चलचलनमनोहरवदनजनितरतिरागं
स्फुटकमलोदरखेलितखञ्जनयुगमिव शरदि तटाकं॥४
वदनकमलपरिशीलनमिळितमिहिरसमकुण्डल शोभं
स्मितरुचिरुचिरसमुज्ज्वलिताधरपल्लवकृतरतिलोभं॥५॥
शशिकिरणच्छुरितोदरसुन्दरसकुसुमकेशं
तिमिरोदितविधुमण्डलनिर्म्मलमलयजतिलकनिवेशं॥६॥
विपुलपुळकभरदन्तुरितं रतिकेलिकल्ल्भिधीरं
मणिगणकिरणसमूहसमुज्ज्वलभूषण्सुभगशरीरं॥७॥
श्रीजयदेवभणितविभवद्विगुणीकृतभूषणभारं
प्रणमत हृदि विनिधाय हरिं सुचिरं सुकृतोदयसारं॥८॥
श्रीजयदेवकृते गीतगोविन्दे अष्टपदी २२
rādhāvadanavilokanavikasita vividhavilāsa vibhaṅgaṁ
jalanidhimivavidhumaṇḍaladarśana taraḻitatuṅgataraṅgaṁ
harimekarasaṁ ciramabhilaṣita vilāsaṁ
sā dadarśa guruharṣavaśaṁvadahṛdayamanaṅgavilāsaṁ||1||
hāramamalataramurasi dadhataṁ parilambya vidūraṁ|
sphuṭataraphenakadambakarambitamiva yamunājalapūraṁ||2||
śyāmaḻamṛdulakaḻebharamaṇḍala parihitagauradukūlam
nīlanaḻinamiva pītaparāgapaṭalabharaparigatamūlaṁ||3||
taraladigañcalacalanamanoharavadanajanitaratirāgaṁ
sphuṭakamalodarakhelitakhañjanayugamiva śaradi taṭākaṁ||4
vadanakamalapariśīlanamiḻitamihirasamakuṇḍala śobhaṁ
smitarucirucirasamujjvalitādharapallavakṛtaratilobhaṁ||5||
śaśikiraṇacchuritodarasundarasakusumakeśaṁ
timiroditavidhumaṇḍalanirmmalamalayajatilakaniveśaṁ||6||
vipulapuḻakabharadanturitaṁ ratikelikallbhidhīraṁ
maṇigaṇakiraṇasamūhasamujjvalabhūṣaṇsubhagaśarīraṁ||7||
śrījayadevabhaṇitavibhavadviguṇīkṛtabhūṣaṇabhāraṁ
praṇamata hṛdi vinidhāya hariṁ suciraṁ sukṛtodayasāraṁ||8||
śrījayadevakṛte gītagovinde aṣṭapadī 22

Geetagovindam of Jayadeva is the description of  the strange and sweet relationship of Radha and Krishna, full of  yearning for each other and at the same time a saga of self-mortification through separation from one one another for frivolous causes with all eagerness to  get united.. they seem very far from each other when they are near and they are so close to each other when they are separated.  It is also the yearning of the seeker for the ultimate being sought after, the search of prakriti and purusha to unite with each other  and make the universe perfect.... 

The twenty-second Ashtapadi is where after a lot of lovelorn reprimands and anxious  separations Hari the lover and Radha his dearest, meet one another.  How that Radha saw Hari in that state of near fulfilment is the content of this Kalyana Ashtapadi. 

That Radha saw Hari  whose only desire at that moment was to get united with her.. the moment He was awaiting with eagerness for a long time now..His only object of love at that moment was Radha.. on seeing her face, He is alternately subjected to myriad  emotions like disability to move, sweating,  raising goose pimples and so on..it like the ocean raising all its waves towards the full moon at the moment of tide.

He wore a long garland full of pearls that made   His pitch-black body resemble the river Kalindi which  is very murky and black but shines with pure white foam on its surface. 

He shone like a black lily flower with dark and soft petals which was partially covered by a yellow silken cloth resembling  yellow hued spores of that dark flower. 

His dark pair of eyes were just wandering fast left to right having glimpse at the attractive face of Radha.. and he looked like a lake with a pair of Khanjanika birds swimming blissfully over its waters.

His face was like a red lotus ( for a dark face like His to become red like a lotus should definitely mean the intensity of his yearning for Radha), flanked by two earrings which shone like two suns and His lovesome lips were tremulous with the insatiable desire for union with  His love...Radha

He was adoring his hair with pure white flowers  and it gave an impression of the rays of moon peeping out of the covers of dark cloud.  His face shone like the moon which had just come out fresh from out of a cover of dark clouds. 

And to top it all, the  lord of the whole universe in His excited state of mind in full expectation of an ideal communion with Radha, was totally  bereft of any boldness... completely given to sweet anxiety of expectation.. Radha saw him adorned in all the valuable gems and other embellishments, eager to take possession of the real gem he yearned for .. Radha

This tribute of Jayadeva to the eager expectation of Krishna in His union with Radha is an additional ornament  offered to Hari. 

Let offer pranams to  that Hari whose beauty is enhanced by the nearness of Radha and is further enhanced by the tribute of this Jayadeva.

love for nature

One of the four slokas in the fourth Act of Abhijnaanashaakuntalam--
all the four  slokas constitute the quartet of the most sublime creation in Sanskrit Kavyaas...

kaavyeshu naatakam ramyam tatra shankuntalam matham shaakuntale chaturthongaH tatra sloka chatushtayam... 

which touched the vitals of my softest feeling is this

पातुं न प्रथमं व्यवस्यति जलं युष्मास्वपीतेषु या
नादत्ते प्रियमण्डनापि भवताव् स्नेहेन या पल्लवं।
आद्ये वः कुसुमप्रसूतिसमये यस्याः भवत्युत्सवः
सेयं याति शकुन्तळा पतिगृहं सर्वैरनुज्ञायतां॥
कालिदासमहाकविकृते अभिज्ञान्शाकुन्तळे चतुर्त्थे अङ्के
paatuM na prathamaM vyavasyati jalaM yuSmaaswapiiteSu yaa
naadatte priyamaNDanaapi bhavataav snehena yaa pallavaM.
aadye vaH kusumaprasuutisamaye yasyaaH bhavatyutsavaH
seyaM yaati shakuntaLaa patigR^ihaM sarvairanuj~naayataaM..
kaalidaasamahaakavikR^ite abhij~naanshaakuntaLe chaturtthe a~Nke

Shakuntala is scheduled to leave for the abode of Dushyanta, her husband. Her foster father Kanva is utterly desolate.. even the hermit as he is, he is not able to endure the pangs of separation.. he wanders around the plants and trees which Shakuntala had tendered with affection for all her life.. He addressed them and say,
"You the plants and trees of this hermitage, give permission and blessings to Shakuntala who is leaving for her husband's house.. You know, she never ventured to drink water before your roots were all watered and your thirst was quenched. For a young girl growing up in the hermitage the natural adornments could be only your tender leaves. But out of very deep love for you, she never could bring herself to pluck even a tender leaves of yours although her natural desire to adorn herself attractively was immense. When any one of you sprouted a new and fresh flower, she was so happy that it was like a joyous festival for her. That Shakuntala is leaving you for ever today."

A lover of plants and trees and mother nature can utterly realize the affectionate bond between that beautiful young child Shakuntala, who herself looked like a bright wild creeper and the plants of the hermitage which were to her like her own siblings, or children.
I feel a greater lover of nature than Kalidasa was never born.. There are so many examples, but to me this is the best.

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