गायन्ति देवाः किल गीतिकानि धन्यास्तु ते भारतभूमिभागे

गायन्ति देवाः किल गीतिकानि धन्यास्तु ते भारतभूमिभागे।

स्वर्गापवर्गास्पद मार्गभूते भवन्ति भूयः पुरुषाः सुरत्वात्॥

विष्णुपुराणे २-३-२४

gāyanti devāḥ kila gītikāni dhanyāstu te bhāratabhūmibhāge|

svargāpavargāspada mārgabhūte bhavanti bhūyaḥ puruṣāḥ suratvāt||

viṣṇupurāṇe 2-3-24

A quote from Vishnupuranam.. one of the major puranas..

Meaning

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The divine beings in the heaven are singing..

"Those who are living in that part of earth which is called Bharata are really lucky and endowed with merits beyond imagination..

It is the only land from where the occupants can work and gain either the comforts of heaven or alternately they can work for emancipation from the cycle of births and deaths.

Even Gods, when they have to take birth on the face of earth for various reasons would choose only Bharata as the place where they would be born and would live and thrive..

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Our Bharatham is sweet, and great.. A man of Bharath would always would live here in this Bharath alone, and if he were to be born again, he would choose again to be a Bharathiya..

And when we read that sentiment recorded in an ancient and revered text, that would only reinforce our love and commitment for this land of ours.. although no such reinforcement is really needed..

I love my Bharath..my mother India

ഗായന്തി ദേവാഃ കില ഗീതികാനി ധന്യാസ്തു തേ ഭാരതഭൂമിഭാഗേ|

സ്വര്‍ഗാ പവ ര്‍ഗാസ്പദ മാര്‍ഗഭൂതേ ഭവന്തി ഭൂയഃ പുരുഷാഃ സുരത്വാത്||

വിഷ്ണുപുരാണേ ൨-൩-൨൪

മഹാപുരാണങ്ങളില്‍ ഒന്നായ വിഷ്ണുപുരാണത്തില്‍ നിന്ന്

അര്‍ഥം

സ്വര്‍ഗ്ഗവാസികളായ ദേവന്മാര്‍ ഇങ്ങനെ

പാടുന്നു

ഭൂമിയില്‍ ഭാരതം എന്ന പ്രദേശത്തില്‍ ജീവിക്കുന്ന മനുഷ്യര്‍ ഭാഗ്യവാന്മാരാണ് . ആര്‍ക്കും ചിന്തിക്കാന്‍ പറ്റാത്ത വിധം അത്രയധികം പുണ്യം ചെയ്തവര്‍ ആണ്.

എന്തെന്നാല്‍ ആ ഭൂഭാഗത്തില്‍ വസിക്കുന്ന ജനങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് മാത്രമേ സ്വന്തം ആചാരക്രമങ്ങളും നിഷ്ഠയും കൊണ്ട് സ്വര്‍ഗ്ഗത്തിലെ സുഖങ്ങള്‍ നേടുവാനോ അല്ലെങ്കില്‍ സ്വന്തം ജ്ഞാനവും വൈരാഗ്യവും കൈമുതലാക്കി ജനനമരണങ്ങളില്‍ നിന്ന് നിരന്തരമായ മോക്ഷം പ്രാപിക്കുവാനോ രണ്ടും സാധിക്കുകയുള്ളൂ

ദേവന്മാര്‍ പോലും ഏതെങ്കിലും കാരണത്തിന് ഭൂമിയില്‍ അവതാരം എടുക്കുമ്പോള്‍ സ്വയം ജനിക്കുവാനും, സന്തോഷത്തോടെ ജീവിക്കുവാനും ഈ ഭാരതഭൂമിയെ മാത്രമാണ് തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുന്നത്.

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നമ്മുടെ ഭാരതാംബ ധന്യയാണ്. മാധുര്യം നിറഞ്ഞവള്‍ ആണ്. ഭാരതഭൂമിയുടെ മകന്‍ ഇപ്പോഴും ആ നാട്ടില്‍ മാത്രമേ ജീവിക്കാന്‍ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുകയുള്ളൂ. നമുക്ക് വീണ്ടും ജന്മം ലഭിക്കുകയാണെങ്കില്‍ വീണ്ടും ഈ ഭാരതത്തില്‍ തന്നെ ജനിക്കണം . ഭാരതീയനായിത്തന്നെ ജനിക്കണം

അതീവ പുണ്യകരവും ബഹുമാന്യവും ആയ ഒരു പുരാതനഗ്രന്ഥത്തില്‍ നിന്ന് ഇത് വായിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ഏറെ അഭിമാനം തോന്നുന്നു. ഒരു പുസ്തകത്തിലും എഴുതിയില്ലെങ്കിലും നമുക്ക് നമ്മുടെ ഭാരതമാണ്‌ ജീവനേക്കാള്‍ വലുത്. പക്ഷെ ആ വികാരം ഇങ്ങനെ പ്രതിഫലിച്ചുകാണുമ്പോള്‍ ഒരുപാടു സന്തോഷം തോന്നുന്നു.

ഭാരതാംബേ അവിടുത്തെ ഞാന്‍ സ്നേഹിക്കുന്നു.. ജീവനുതുല്യം.. ജീവനേക്കാള്‍

Nakshatra for birthday or date of birth as per Western Calendar?

I happened to see a post making a query as to whether we should celebrate our Nakshatra Birthday ( the birthday as per India Calendar), or the birthday as per the English Calendar , cutting cakes and all..

I could sense a tinge of disapproval in the query about Hindus following the English birthday..

My frank view on the matter is as below

English birthday decides many factors of our life..

from the date of birth to the date of death..

getting birth certificates to death certificates..

Superannuation,

attaining major-hood,

becoming a senior citizen and so on..

So it is definitely an important landmark..

There is nothing wrong in following that as the staple crossing mark every year..

In addition, for religious purpose, for Ayushya homams(fire oblations) and shanthis (expiatory chants and rituals) we can and we adopt the Soura maasam(the solar months..medam,edavam etc) and Nakshatram

(Ashvathi to Revathi)..( of course some follow Chandra Masam.. and specify the thithis too.. Rama Navami or Janma Ashtami are examples)

Is there any strict rule that one should not celebrate two birthdays? No

Further, scriptures of ours may say the birthday falls on a Nakshatram in a month.. like Rama born on Punarvasu in Mesha or Chaitra ( there are many schools on this issue..Kolla varsham and Saleevahana Sakaabdam Vikrama Shakabdm, Kaliyugabdam.. and so on..give varied spans for months)...

But no Veda or Shastra has prohibited celebration of English birthday..

It is a complete Loukika Karyam (unconnected with religion..)..

Cake cutting is also of that category..

We need not be too strict either way..

musings 287

naatakaantham kavithvam..നാടകാന്തം കവിത്വം .. नाटकान्तं कवित्वम् as one goes ahead in search of reason, orthodoxy just peels off one's psyche.. like the dead skin of a snake..

in the realm of thought, each person is all alone..

one cannot wait for the approval, nor shun away from the disapproval of others..

True, the state of clear thinking avoiding prejudices may not be the last destination..

It is only a stage..

Maybe there are some sources or destinations for one to dissolve with the Supreme Being..

But if it happens, and if at all it happens, the individual who journeyed towards that Ultimate being will not come back to report what he experienced..

Tad VishnoH paramam padam..തദ്‌ വിഷ്ണോ പരമം പദം तदविष्णोःपरमंपदं

I just call it Vishnu only because it can be called by any name, and at the same time it has no name whatsoever..

musings 286

Everything has its own role and function in this world..

Some functions are apparent on the surface, and they draw attention, invite praise and often receive very severe criticism too

But many staple functions are very methodical, silent and persisitent.. Such fucntions just go on without getting any notice

Take the case of a plant.

It gives out flowers.. The flowers are soft, wear makeup, they are fragrant, and they attract bees too.. But they wither away within a day

There are fruits, the fruits pregnant with seeds.. They attract gourment birds, animals and humans with their aroma and taste, because they know that only through sacrifice of their own bodies they could ensure that further plants of their own species could sprout..

There is the root, no one cares about it.. The roots have no beauty.. But they have the duty to keep the plant alive. They have to incessently ferret the soil for water and nutrients.. They have to dig into the earth to any extent to find the sustenance for the whole plant, the trunk, leaves, flowers and fruits.. If no nutrient is available, no water is availabe, still they would send up whatever they have.. and they would keep the plant alive as long as they live.. But who would care a hoot about the root ?

The poet writes.. He creates sublime muses. But he goes unnoticed. The singer just reads the poetry in his own her voice.. but gets all the accolades

A faceless academic strains his eyes and burns his midnight oil, and creates learned dissetations.. often they are copied and plagiarised and in social media they are invariably subjected to cut and paste.. The academic or scholar is ignored but the copyist and the thief are praised

Of course that seems to be the laws of the nature, the law of the Kali age,

However, if the roots refuse to draw water and nutrients, the plant would die

if the obscure lyricist refuses to write, no singer can sing with elan

If some obscure scholar, author or academic with some originality does not produce articles, the copyists would never be able to cut and paste and shine ..

Better to remember this..

Reserve some kind thoughts to the original plodder

Do not presume that what is apparent need be real

We can choose to wink at the pretenders.

But we must spot them and try to put them at the proper slot they deserve.

punarjanma, moksham

a very valid question raised by a very deeply learned friend

Human birth is the nearest point one can try to realise moksha and shirk off the cycle of birth and death. When a person , especially a close relative or friend, passes away we pray that let his/her soul merge in the Brahman. We daily pray so during food " Brahmani me aatmaa amritatwaya'.

When a girl in the family becomes pregnant, some people tend to bless by saying that let the grand father/ father in law or mother ( or some such close relative not alive) be reborn. Is it not against our belief or prayer. Why should the departed soul get into the cycle?

My views on this

Let us take it this way.. If the person is steadfast towards realization of the Brahmam, and attain Mukthi, his path is clear.. No desire to the contrary by way of either blessing or curse is going to affect him.. But by some chance, the Karmagati in this life is not clear enough to fetch him the mukthi, is it better that he is reborn in the same environs and continues his purusit towards mukthi from the point where he left.?. In such cases, the blessings from elders and the family might do him a lot of good.

.

Human desires, blessings and evan curses are just expressions of human mind.. But sometimes in rare cases such minds would have reacahed such exalted states that such desires or curses would come true.. However, such cases are rarest of the rare..

In fact even in the case of the most exalted persons with sadhana, a directed and purposeful or sakama thought or curse, even when it materializes would deplete the accumulated tapas or the potential spiritual energy of the person at some exalted spirituals stage, and he becomes mere human with karma once again..

This happend to sage Visvamitra again and again

May be the Gods representing the supreme being are exceptions.. because, they will not deplete have their powers depleted through granting boons..

But even they would suffer, like Brahma in many cases, Shiva in the case of Bhasmasura etc..

Secondly, the explanations of life phenomena through Vaidic view following path of yajna etc,, that result in giving blessings like the grandson being reborn as grandson, and the theory of path of Jnaana which carries one to Moksha are basically at variance.. Yajnas prescribed by Vedas are just ladders to enjoyment in heaven, and once the merits gained are used up, the people who went to heaven will have to return to this earth to resume their toils here.. In that case a wish or blessing that he may come back and start as a human in the same family might do him good.. He can, in fact, be reborn as a worm or a piece or grass or a snake or a donkey or a bacteria

And these rules do not apply for the once who are relieved from the cycle of birth and death through Moksham..

Niether blessings nor curses really matter to them.

In the name of spirituality and hinduism and brahminism so many false messages are floating.

In the name of spirituality and hinduism and brahminism so many false messages are floating.

Another trend is false translation on an estimate basis. presuming meanings and ideas that are not presented or even implied or remotely intended in the original text..

This result is ..conveying of very wrong messages.

And blatant lies are floated as anecdotes on the lives of our Revered gurus.

Instead of doing good to the community and society such things would make our community and culture as very cheap and deceitful.

People can keep quiet instead of doing such misrepresentation.

And the very wise followers who really know nothing but who want to show off share and forward such things without even reading.. lock stock and barrel.

I confess that I too present a slokam or two in these columns

. But before posting I refer to all possible and available sources. and resources.

And to carry out a translation of a Sanskrit or Vedic mantram even in a crude way it takes hours and hours of labour. References to texts, and modern libraries and traditional lexicons like Shabda Kalpadrumam, Vachaspateeyam,Nighantu, Amaram and so on.

And bhasyams of great masters like Shankara and Sayanaachary and Bhattabhaskara among others.

So I get genuinely uneasy when I see such destructive trends.

I cannot help it.

God is a business for some.

God is a showpiece for some.

God is a vehicle for gaining cheap and undeserving popularity for some.

It is just moral ethical and spiritual degradation.

When I see such things I feel like running away

But I keep coming back too because there are a set of genuine friends for me here..and I cannot find them elsewhere

Regards

K v ananthanarayanan

ॐ मित्रस्य चर्षणिधृतः श्रवो देवस्य सानसिं

ॐ मित्रस्य चर्षणिधृतः श्रवो देवस्य सानसिं सत्यं चित्र श्रवस्तमं मित्रो जनान् यतयति प्रजानन् मित्रो दातार पृथिवीमुत द्यां मित्रः कृष्टीः अनिमिषाभिचष्टे सत्याय हव्यं घृतवत् विधेम प्र स मित्र मर्तो अस्तु प्रयस्वान् यस्त आदित्य शिक्षति व्रतेन न हन्यते न जीयते त्वोतो नैनम् हो अश्नोत्यन्तितो न दूरात्॥

om mitrasya carṣaṇidhṛtaḥ śravo devasya sānasiṁ satyaṁ citra śravastamaṁ mitro janān yatayati prajānan mitro dātāra prithivīmuta dyāṁ mitraḥ kṛṣṭīḥ animiṣābhicaṣṭe satyāya havyaṁ ghṛtavat vidhema pra sa mitra marto astu prayasvān yasta āditya śikṣati vratena na hanyate na jīyate tvoto nainam ho aśnotyantito na dūrāt||

ഓം മിത്രസ്യ ചര്‍ഷണിധൃതഃ ശ്രവോ ദേവസ്യ സാനസിം സത്യം ചിത്ര ശ്രവസ്തമം മിത്രോ ജനാന്‍ യതയതി പ്രജാനന്‍ മിത്രോ ദാതാര പൃഥ്വീമുത ദ്യാം മിത്രഃ കൃഷ്ടീഃ അനിമിഷാഭിചഷ്ടേ സത്യായ ഹവ്യം ഘൃതവത് വിധേമ പ്ര സ മിത്ര മര്‍ത്തോ അസ്തു പ്രയസ്വാന്‍ യസ്ത ആദിത്യ ശിക്ഷതി വ്രതേന ന ഹന്യതേ ന ജീയതേ ത്വോതോ നൈനം ഹോ അശ്നോത്യന്തിതോ ന ദൂരാത്॥

From Sandhya upasana mantram found in Yajurvedi

I am praising the fame of that Mitra, the fame that is eternal and truthful, wonderful and thrilling and picturesque

That Mitra who is the Supreme one (Sun) who is the friend and benefactor of one and all

That Mitra who is the up-lifter of the intellect of the learned and the pious people

That Mitra who is the ultimate receptacle of our ceremonial worship

That Mitra who can perceive everything with equanimity and could see everything, recognizes the ordained functions of every living being and engages the beings in their respective functions.

That Mitra protects this earth and that sky

That Mitra, remains awake and alert all the time without interruption and enables the human beings on the earth to shine forth in their functions.

Unto that Supreme, eternally truthful being, may we offer cooked rice mixed with ghee

Oh Mitra, the human being who observes fasts, rituals and observances and serves you through them, becomes always blessed with the most effective results in the endeavours in which he is engaged.

Oh Mitra, the one who is protected by you cannot either be killed or destroyed by anyone, nor can he be defeated by anyone.

Oh Mitra, the person who is thus protected by you will not be affected by sins which happen near him, or sins that happen far away from him..

The Suryopaasana Mantram during prayer to Madhyaahnika Sandhya

The Suryopaasana Mantram during prayer to Madhyaahnika Sandhya

As per Yajurvedam

आ सत्येन रजसा वर्तमानो निवेशयन्नमृतं मर्त्यं च हिरण्ययेन सविता रथेनादेवो याति भुवनाविपश्यन्।उद्वयं तमसस्परि पशयन्तो ज्योतिरुत्तरम्। देवं देवत्र सूर्यमगन्म ज्योतिरुत्तमम्। उदुत्यं जातवेदसं देवं वहन्ति केतवः।दृशे विश्वाय सूर्यम्। चित्रं देवानामुदगादनीकं चक्षुर्मित्रस्य वरुणस्याग्नेः। आप्रा द्या वा पृथ्वी अन्तरिक्षम्। सूर्य आत्मा जगतः चक्षुषश्च। तच्चक्षुर्देवहितं पुरस्तात् शुक्रमुच्चरत्। पश्येम शरदश्शतं जीवेम शरदश्शतं नन्दाम शरदश्शतं मोदाम शरदश्शतं भवाम शरदश्शतं शृणुयाम शरदश्शतं प्रब्रवाम शरदश्शतं अजीता स्याम शरदश्शतं। ज्योक्च सूर्यं दृशे। य उदगान्महतोर्ण्णवाद्विभ्राजमानस्सरिरस्य मध्यात्स मा वृषभो लोहिताक्षस्सूर्यो विपश्चिन्मनसा पुनातु॥

ā satyena rajasā vartamāno niveśayannamṛtaṃ martyaṃ ca hiraṇyayena savitā rathenādevo yāti bhuvanāvipaśyan।udvayaṃ tamasaspari pasyanto jyotiruttaram। devaṃ devatra sūryamaganma jyotiruttamam। udutyaṃ jātavedasaṃ devaṃ vahanti ketavaḥ।dṛśe viśvāya sūryam। citraṃ devānāmudagādanīkaṃ cakṣurmitrasya varunasyāgneḥ। āprā dyā vā pṛthvī antarikṣam। sūrya ātmā jagataḥ cakṣuṣaśca। taccakṣurdevahitaṃ purastāt śukramuccarat। paśyema śaradaśśataṃ jīvema śaradaśśataṃ nandāma śaradaśśataṃ modāma śaradaśśataṃ bhavāma śaradaśśataṃ śṛṇuyāma śaradaśśataṃ prabravāma śaradaśśataṃ ajītā syāma śaradaśśataṃ। jyokca sūryaṃ dṛśe। ya udagānmahatorṇṇavādvibhrājamānassarirasya madhyātsa mā vṛṣabho lohitākṣassūryo vipascinmanasā punātu॥

ആ സത്യേന രജസാ വര്‍ത്ത മാനോ നിവേശയന്നമൃതം മര്‍ത്യം ച ഹിരണ്യയേന സവിതാ രഥേനാദേവോ യാതി ഭുവനാവിപശ്യന്‍।ഉദ്വയം തമസസ്പരി പശ്യന്തോ ജ്യോതിരുത്തരം। ദേവം ദേവത്ര സൂര്യമഗന്മ ജ്യോതിരുത്തമം। ഉദുത്യം ജാതവേദസം ദേവം വഹന്തി കേതവഃ।ദൃശേ വിശ്വായ സൂര്യം। ചിത്രം ദേവാനാമുദഗാദനീകം ചക്ഷുര്‍മിത്രസ്യവരുണസ്യാഗ്നെഃI ആപ്രാ ദ്യാ വാ പൃഥ്വീ അന്തരിക്ഷം। സൂര്യ ആത്മാ ജഗതഃ ചക്ഷുഷശ്ച। തച്ചക്ഷുര്‍ദേവഹിതം പുരസ്താത് ശുക്രമുച്ചരത്। പശ്യേമ ശരദശ്ശതം ജീവേമ ശരദശ്ശതം നന്ദാമ ശരദശ്ശതം മോദാമ ശരദശ്ശതം ഭവാമ ശരദശ്ശതം ശൃണുയാമ ശരദശ്ശതം പ്രബ്രവാമ ശരദശ്ശതം അജീതാ സ്യാമ ശരദശ്ശതം। ജ്യോക്ച സൂര്യം ദൃശേ। യ ഉദഗാന്മഹതോര്‍ണ്ണവാദ്വിഭ്രാജമാനസ്സരിരസ്യ മധ്യാത്സ മാ വൃഷഭോ ലോഹിതാക്ഷസ്സൂര്യോ വിപശ്ചിന്മനസാ പുനാതു॥

Meaning

That glorious and resplendent Sun is shining in the tallest position in the sky with a glow that cannot be substituted with that of any other shining object

That sun is proceeding in the sky with his journey in his golden chariot, covering the whole universe, enabling in that journey the deathless Gods as well as the mortal humans on earth to performed their avowed duties and engage themselves in their activities.

He is the witness for all that transpires in this universe.

We, who are seeing the glorious resplendence of the Supreme Being that is the Sun,

The Sun whose position is higher than anything else in the Sky

The Sun, whose glory is greater that anything else,

On that Sun, we take refuge

That Sun is the most established among all the Gods

That Sun who is shining with a glow without comparison

We declare with conviction, for the knowledge of all

that the orb of the Sun carries in itself the greatest glories emanating from the Vedas and therefore emanates the most benevolent and praiseworthy glow.

May we be able to see the Supreme Being in the Solar Orb

That Supreme being is the source of infinite energy found in all gods.

That Supreme Being is the source of strength for Mitra, Varuna and agni

That Supreme being pervades all over, filling the whole of earth, sky and heaven.

That Supreme being is present and inherent in all things that are moving, and that are immobile

The Supreme being is the eye of the universe, the source of all learning and knowledge that could be gained

That Supreme being who is the embodiment of purity

That Supreme being raises in the sky right with the dawn

That Supreme being is the essence of Parabrhma praised by the Vedas

May we see him for long periods of hundreds of Sharats or autumns

May we live for hundreds of autumns in his benign presence

May we live with the happiness of having sons, grandsons and large families for hundreds of autumns

May we be blessed with all the objects and things that would give us happiness for hundreds of autumns

May we progress from strength to strength in our happy existence for hundreds of autumns and remain humble devotees of that Supreme Being (the Sun)

May we live for hundreds of autumns hearing the glories of that Supreme Being

May we be blessed with the capacity to speak good and nice words about the Supreme Being, for hundreds of autumns

May we remain alive and undefeated by others for hundreds of autumns..

न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन

न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन

नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यम् वर्त एव हि कर्मणि॥३--२२॥

श्रेमद्भगवद्गीतायां

na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana

nānavāptamavāptavyam varta eva hi karmaṇi||3--22||

śreemadbagavadgītāyāṁ

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The Blessed Lord Sri Krishna Says in Gita..

Oh Arjuna, I have nothing left in this world which I should perform as if it were my bounden o duty..

There is nothing in this world which is achievable that I have not already achieved.

Still I remain in action, I do my karma..

The Lord remained as a Karmayogi because He being the Supreme person of the age when he manifested on earth, if He did not set Himself as an example and remained lazy and inactive, others also would be tempted to follow the path of inaction..

But for us the lesser mortals, the satisfaction can come from only a sense of contentment..

The Blessed Lord had the capacity to achieve anything He deemed fit, but we have our own limitations..

If we set our targets at achievable limits (अवाप्तव्यं) then alone we are likely to have a reasonable satisfaction that we have really achieved something..

For us the ordinary humans, remaining in action alone can keep the body and mind alert and active..

Here the law of inertia speaks.. every material body remains in a state of rest or of uniform motion unless it is acted upon by an external force to change that state.. ( Remember Newton)

Usually we are in a state of mental and physical inertia.. see how difficult it is to get out of bed..?

Usually our role models are Kumbhakarna or Rip van winkle..

It is said that Winston Churchill, during his World war days, used to mark all the instructions he issued with the handwritten caption..

"ACTION THIS DAY "