Jul 31: First Anniversary – Rukmini Kalyanam
For any activity to succeed, be it spiritual or otherwise, we need the grace of Lord. How do we know that our activity is being blessed by Lord? The Lord’s presence can be felt in various ways, like through pleasant showers or a great Mahan comes when we undertake the activity (like Vamana in Bali’s sacrifice), or unexpectedly anything auspicious happens.
Likewise, our Friday satsangs started on August 1, 2008 and today is the first-year completion of the satsang and it happens to be on an Ashada-Friday A Friday on Ashada (Aadi) month is considered auspicious, because it is special to Lakshmi Devi. What to say of today, when it is verily Varalakshmi Puja! It is indeed a blessing.
The grace of Mahalakshmi is required to attain the Lord. In Srirangam, only after Mother’s darshan and after a big Pradakshina around the temple, can we have Lord Ranganatha’s sanctum. By the time we reach the Lord’s sanctum, it is said, that the Mother quickly goes from her place to the Lord’s sanctum and apprises of our ensuing visit and places a recommendation on our behalf to show His compassion on us! In Tirupati, Lakshmi Devi resides in the heart of Lord Balaji. Everytime a devotee comes and falls at the Lord’s feet, Mother looks at us and then at the Lord to see if the Lord blesses him. First her divine sight (‘kataksha’) falls on us. In Vaishnava Sampradaya, Lakshmi Devi’s krupa only can reach us to the Lord. Even the fact that Varalakshmi Puja precedes Janmashtami by 2 weeks shows this very fact!
We sometimes mistake that Lakshmi is the goddess of monetary benefits alone. However, that is incorrect. There are 8 different Lakshmis. Even those who wish for Moksha have to pray to Moksha Lakshmi. Let us pray to Mahalakshmi and our Sadguru Maharaj that our satsang flourish in a grand manner, and more and more devotees get an opportunity to attend satsangs.
Signifying the fact that there are 8 forms of Lakshmi Devi, In Srimad Bhagavatam, the birth of Mahalakshmi is in the 8th Canto – 8th Chapter – 8th Sloka. During the churning of the milky ocean, she appears with enchanting beauty as a lightening.
Then it mentions how everyone wants to marry Lakshmi Devi, while the mother sees that everyone has a vice if he has a virtue. There was no one other than Lord Vishnu who did not have a vice, but only had virtues. And it was only the Lord who stood without any expectations. Hence she chose Lord Maha Vishnu as her match – ‘ramaa mukundam nirapeksham iipsitam’
Lakshmi Devi wishes to to be with the Lord in every of His avatars. Another wedding of Lakshmi Devi, this time in the form of Rukmini Devi, with her consort, Lord Krishna is described in great detail. Today we shall listen to “Rukmini Kalyanam” by Gayathriji from Boston.
Following this, Gayathriji gave a wonderful talk on Rukmini Kalyanam.
We talk a lot about the necessity and importance of Satsang. We all desire. The best desire is to desire for Lord – the more we listen to the glories of the Lord, our desires for the Lord increases. Rukmini’s wedding is an illustration of this very fact.
The Lord created Dwaaraka and he ruled it. The wedding of Balarama with Revathi was also over, and it was time to get Lord Krishna married.
Bhishmaka was the king of Vidharba. He had 5 sons – Rukmi, Rukmaratha, Rukmakesan, Rukmabaahu, Rukmamaali, and a little daughter – Rukmini. She gets a lot of satsang through Sadhus in the palace. They talk about the creation of the Universe, Matsya Kurma Avatars, Dhruva Charita, Prahlada Charita, and Rama Avatar. They say, the very valorous Lord Rama has now incarnated as Lord Krishna. They talk about the Lord’s birth, Puthana Moksha, Shakatasura Vadham, Navaneetha Lila, Brindavan Lilas, Vanabhojanam, Yagna Patni Uddharana, Kaliya Moksha, Govardhana Uddharana , Murali gana, Rasa Kreeda and Kamsa Vadam. The very same Lord is now ruling Dwaraka.
Rukmini would long to marry Krishna and look at her dad. Her dad knew his daughter’s heart. The 5 sons never had a chance to have satsang, so these stories do not interest them. Her dad would think, ‘Will I be fortunate to have Lord Krishna as my son-in-law?’ The next day, in court, he expresses this wish. Everyone but Rukmi is happy about the decision. He opposes it and says, ‘Dad! Are you a lunatic? Krishna’s status is no match to us! He is pitch dark, while our Rukmini is golden. He is a cowherd. He has no education! He went to school only for 64 days! His parents were in prison! He is hiding from his enemies and lives inside the seas!’
Bhishmaka stopped him short and said, ‘You talk so because you lack Satsang. You cannot bad mouth someone because you don’t know about him. Do whatever you like.’
Rukmi decided that Sishupala, his close friend and the son of Dhamagosha (king of Chedi) was the apt match to Rukmini and he sent invitations to everyone for the wedding. Rukmini was in the ‘kanya matam’ and when she learned of this news, she was depressed and broke down. ‘Who will meet my Gopala and convey my message to him! There is just one day to go’, she thought. ‘Can I send the cloud as the messenger? No! the cloud will be busy drinking the waters of the seas. Can I send the bee? No, it will be lost in the honey of the Lord’s Vyjayanthi Mala. How about my companions? No, its not possible in a day. Mind is the fastest! So why not send it? If my mind goes to Sri Krishna, how can it ever return?’
One should not go in search of a Guru. We donot have the intellect to judge a Guru. If our thirst for God is true, the Lord sends a Guru. That was when the Guru came in the form of a Bhagavata, singing ‘Kshemam kuru Gopaala…’. Consoled, she invited the Bhagavata and the girls, after paying respects, conveyed this information.
The Bhagavata said, ‘Lord Krishna would certainly be a great suit to you. Don’t worry, these invitations are only man-made. Don’t worry about it. I am on my way to Dwaraka, I will take your message.’ The Guru takes the message of the devotee to the Lord. Rukmini wrote 7 crisp, sweet slokas as her message for Krishna.
The Bhagavata appeared at Krishna’s court in Dwaraka in no time. The Lord paid his respects and inquired. ‘I am coming from Vidarbha and I have a message from Rukmini.’, said the Bhagavata. ‘Go on, read it yourself’, said the Lord.
He read it wonderfully, just as Rukmini would herself read it for Krishna.
Shrutvaa gunaan bhuvanasundara shrunvataam te
Nirvishya karna vivarair haratonga taapam’
Rukmini debates on how she would address the Lord.
“ ‘Swami’ ? No, he would think I am saint. How about ‘raaja raaja raaja..sri..’ No. it would seem like a citizen with a petition! How about ‘Prabhu’ ? no it would mean I am a beggar expecting money. How about ‘Prananatha’? No! Krishna may think, how dare this girl address me as her saviour even before marriage!”
Finally she picks the word ‘Bhuvanasundara’ – a word that describes the sum and substance of the Lord’s beauty and prods Krishna to read further.
The letter contained answers to all of Krishna’s questions if he read the letter.
Krishna, ‘Bhuvanasundara! Hmm! Are you entranced by my looks? Do you know about my character?’
She says, ‘Shrutvaa Gunaan!’ – I have heard all about your character.
Krishna, ‘What have you heard about me?
Rukmini, ‘Your character is such that all the worldly miseries are lost by merely listening to them. Only one misery(‘thaapa’) is left behind – and that thaapa is the longing to attain Your Feet. ‘
Krishna, ‘Now that you have heard about me, have you seen me?’
Rukmini, ‘Roopam – akilaartha laabam’ – Your form is the essence of the world. The more I listen to your glories, the more I get your form in my Dhyana and that is how I have seen you.
I am not an expressive girl. I am a shy person by nature. Now I overcome my shyness and write this letter. Please understand how desperate I am to reach you, Oh Krishna! Not only me, any one who listens to your glories and gets your form in Dhyana, will long to attain you!’
Krishna, ‘You desire to attain me! Have you done enough merits to attain me?’
Rukmini, ‘poorthe ishta datta dharma’. Yes Indeed I have done all the merits. But Krishna! You are not the one that can be reached by accruing merits, are you? How can you be reached? You can be reached only by ‘aatma samarpana’ (surrendering oneself to You). Here I surrender myself. Please accept me.’
Krishna, ‘Well, If I do accept you, you are going to be in the women’s harem and I am a king. How am I to meet you?’
Rukmini, ‘My marriage with Sishupala has been arranged. In our family custom, the bride will perform Gauri Pooja before the wedding and so I will be there and you can take me from there.’
Krishna, ‘Should I elope with you?’
Rukmini, ‘Nay! Only a coward does that. You are a man of courage and valor. Please bring your bow ‘saarnga’ and defeat anyone who opposes you and rightfully take me as kanyashulkam.’
Krishna, ‘Okay, If I don’t show up at the Gauri temple on the day of the wedding, are you going to marry Sishupala?’
Rukmini, ‘I will take hundreds of births to attain you. Not in one birth shall I get wedded to anyone other than you.’
Saying so, Rukmini signs ‘-Yours Rukmini Devi’.
The Lord is extremely pleased with this surrender of Rukmini Devi, gets his chariots ready and goes to Vidarbha desa followed by Balarama.
Rukmini is dressed like a bride in a magnificent silk saree with borders of swan-designs. Her hair is beautifully plaited and decked with ornaments and flowers. Her earrings are moving back and forth. She sports a beautiful ‘kasturi tilaka’ on her forehead and wears different kinds and sizes of ornaments on her neck. Her fingers shine with finger rings and wears a toe ring on her toe. Her head is bent down and she walks at the pace of a swan, holding a lotus on one hand and her friend’s hand with the other. She gets the blessings of all elderly women there.
Suddenly, she hears the sound of Panchajanya and senses the smell of Tulsi, which gives away the fact that the Lord has arrived there to take her. At that moment, she sees the Bhagavata – her eyes well with tears of gratitude and folds her hands in respect. After all, can we ever repay a Guru who takes us to the Lord?
The princes waiting to see Rukmini are blinded by the glitter on the gems in her finger-rings. As her head bends down in shyness, her curly hair falls on her forehead. In the pretext of setting it right, she raises her forehead and her eyes meet with that of the Lord. The moment their eyes meet, the Lord takes her on His chariot and rides her away in a flash. The enemies see with awe at the divine couple. One of them shouted, ‘Hey! Krishna has taken away the bride. Let’s chase him!’ the other, still unable to come out of the awe, ‘Oh! What a wonderful sight it was!’
When Shishupala hears the news that Rukmini has been taken by Krishna, he screams at Rukmi in anger, ‘I trusted that you will get me married to her. You betrayed me!’. Rukmi waged a war against Krishna and the Yadava, but eventually loses. Rukmi, out of shame, goes to a place called Bhojagatam.
Krishna brings Rukmini to his parents – Devaki and Vasudeva. On an auspicious day, when all the Mahans, Rishis, Sadhus, Bhagavatas Devas and other elders are present, the Divine Couple are united in a wedlock, as described by Sri Narayana Thirtha in his ‘Kalyana tharangam’.
“Acharya vachanaat sarvam akarotu yadunandhanah vaachaama gocharaatmaanam vasudevasva maayayaa
Dwaarakaa nagari madhye sahasrasthamba mantape
Rathna simhasanaaroodam sagalatram jagusurah
Alokaye rukmini kalyana gopalam….
Neelamegha nibhaakaaram baalaarka samaana chelam
nilambaranujam gopa baalakam neelalakandham ”
Nishaji added something that she listened to Sri Ramuji’s speech about this: ‘When Rukmini heard Govardhana Udharanam lila, she was pretty sure the Lord will accept her, for that Lila verily goes to show that the Lord does not forsake anyone who surrenders unto Him.’
Narayananji added, ‘Our Swamiji would say that all our Puranic stories have philosophies behind them but it is not necessary to look at philosophies when it comes to Bhagavatam, for the very stories are filled with Bhakti Bhaava. Still, if there is a dry-hearted person who wants to look at philosophy behind this particular episode, there is certainly one!
Rukmini Devi represents the Jivatma which longs to attain the Paramatma and Lord Krishna is the Paramatma. The 5 brothers of Rukmini represent the 5 senses. These five senses always try to get us into worldly matters and away from God. When the quest for God is true, the Guru comes by Himself and takes the message of the devotee to the Lord. If the message is delivered by the Guru, the Lord Himself comes. We usually imagine that it is we who who have to go to temples to see the Lord. But the fact is, the Lord Himself comes right to our place and takes.
‘Rukmini Kalyanam’ is indeed the merger of the Jivatma into the Paramatma.
The satsang ended with prayers with Mahamantra Kirtan.
Jul 24: Andaal
The Nama Sankirtan was lead by Ramaniji and his family.
Narayananji from Boston talked about the significance of ‘Shravana’ as expounded in Srimad Bhagavatam in the episode of King Prithu.
In Srimad Bhagavatam, the lineage of man is being described, where the creation first starts, with Svayambhuva Manu, and Shatarupa being the first couple for procreation. They had two sons – Priyavrata and Uttanapada and three daughters Akuti, Devahuti and Prasuti. The lineage of Uttanapada starts with his son Dhruva, who performed penance when he was five years old and saw the Lord face to face. The lineage of Dhurva is mentioned in a very elaborate manner. Anga was Dhruva’s son and Vena was Anga’s son. Vena was extremely sinful and hence the Rishis, not able to stand his atrocities, cursed him to death. As there was no ruler, the kingdom was filled with dacoity and hence the rishis decided to take Vena’s corpse and churn it. When his shoulders were churned a beautiful couple – Prithu who was verily the form of Mahavishnu and Archis (form of Maha Lakshmi Devi) emerged.
Prithu was a glorious ruler. It is thanks to him that we enjoy all the natural resources on earth – he was the one who showed the way to tap the natural resources from Mother Earth. Prithu happened to be a illustrious king and was praised by all his subjects. But Prithu says that it is only the Lord Almighty that is worthy of praise. Humans are in no way, praiseworthy.
Prithu also says that our biggest enemy that cannot be pardoned is the one who wastes our time. Any one who wastes our time from thinking about the Lord is our biggest enemy.
When granted a boon, Prithu says that he would ask for a thousand ears. Even with a thousand ears, one cannot get tired listening to the glories of the Lord.
Thus the more and more we listen to the glories of the Lord we acquire Bhakti to reach the glories of the Lord. Such is the glory of Sravanam.
Aravindji from Orlando gave a discourse on life and Bhakti of Andal given the next day was Aadi Puram, the birth star of Andaal.
When we go to a store and purchase some toys and gadgets we get an instruction booklet. Even though everyone knows how to use these things we are given an instruction booklet. But what is the instruction booklet for life? The instruction booklet for life is verily the scriptures – Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, etc. The whole purpose of the scriptures is to tell us the goal of life is God Realization. So the question arises that, if God-Realization is the goal of life then who is God? What does he look like? It is said that the Lord we see in the temple is same as the one we may see once we realize Him. But since God is an unknown factor for most of us, the saints have done a great benefit by bringing the god to a specific form, which is none other there what we see in the temples. What is the proof that God worshipped this way will lead to liberation? The proof is in the life of saints. Today we are going to see the life of one such saint – Andaal.
In the temple town of Srivilliputhur lived a pious Brahmin named Vishnuchitta. He was a great Bhagavata and all he loved doing pushpa-kainkarya (offering flowers) to Lord Vatapatrasayee of Srivilliputhur. He was very strict in making sure his pushpa service to the lord was immaculate.
His only desire that was not fulfilled was his longing to have a child. One fine day in the month of Aadi (Ashaada), he went to his garden and he heard a big noise that shattered the silence of the entire place. From this emerged the goddess who resides in the heart of Sri Ranganatha; the goddess who is the embodiment of compassion with a parrot in her hand. Once Sri Vishnuchitta emerged from the shock he noticed a very beautiful girl lying on the ground. Sri Vishnuchittar named the girl Kothai (Godha) since she had a beautiful locks of hair.
Children usually imitate their parents. Thus Kothai’s one and only enjoyment was Nama Sankirtan and playing with her toys as though they were verily Lord Krishna. Every day Sri Vishnuchitta used to narrate to Kothai about the lilas of Bhagavan. As Kothai grew up, her Bhaava also grew. She started composing pasurams at an early age. [Pasurams are devotional verses sung in the praise of the Lord, which are part of the Nalayara Divya Prabhandam]
Our Guru Maharaj says that if we think about only one mantra or any one thing constantly, it will arise from our consciousness automatically after a time. All around her house Kothai had written “Krishna” everywhere around her house. Sri Vishnuchitta started noticing these things and he praised her for her Bhakti. He started narrating to her the Shthala Puranas of the various deities. One of the deities captured Kothai as no other and that was Sri Ranganatha of Sri Rangam.
As a girl growing up, Kothai started telling her father that she would marry Sri Ranganatha when she grows up. However, hearing this everyone in the village started making fun of her. They also started spreading rumors that Kothai has gone mad without understanding her Bhaava. This started upsetting Sri Vishnuchitta a lot. He tried reasoning with Kothai about how it was not feasible for the Bhagavan to come and marry her. Being completely immersed in the thought of marrying Krishna, Kothai couldn’t bear to hear these words from her own father.
As she grew older, her Bhava started getting stronger. She would start rolling in the sand claiming that it was the same earth that was covered by the Lord during His Tiruvikrama Avatar. She would see a snake and pick it up thinking it was the snake on which the Lord was rests. She would embrace fire and feel as if she had embraced Lord Krishna.
Sri Vishnuchitta got very worried about these developments. So he called a doctor to diagnose her illness. When the doctor asked her hand to check a puilse, she rebuked him that he would never understand her disease, which was Krishna Viraha (pangs of separation from Lord Krishna). Every now and then, Kothai would start crying since she could not bear everyone making fun of her and she felt the Lord did not care enough about her to understand her pain.
One fine day when Sri Vishnuchitta was reading Srimad Bhagavatam when Kothai heard him recite a sloka about the Gopis praying to Godess Kathyayani during the month of Margazi and doing a vratha (fast) in order to attain Lord Krishna. This led Kothai to consider a similar path and the outcome of this was a collection of pasurams called Thirupaavai. During this time, she had a dream that Sri Ranganatha would come and marry her. Hearing this and having no other way to convince her otherwise, Sri Vishnuchittra told Kothai that if she had such dreams then Lord Ranganatha would definitely come in person and marry her.
We saw how Sri Vishnuchitta was known for the pushpa service of the Lord. Once he prepared the garland for the Lord but had to leave urgently for an errand. During this time, Kothai in her bhaava wore the garland. When Sri Vishnuchitta came back and saw his daughter wearing the garland, his patience ran out and he considered this a sacrilege. He chastised Kothai for her act but realized he had to make a new garland. So he hurried to the garden, prepared a new garland, and ran to the temple to hand it over to the priest right on time. When the priest placed the garland on the Lord, the garland fell. After repeated attempts both priest and Sri Vishnuchitta were shocked. Then the priest heard a voice, which told him to fetch the garland that Kothai wore. So Sri Vishuchitta ran back to the house to fetch the garland and told Kothai about the incident. Kothai’s joy grew leap and bounds hearing this and she was happy that the Lord actually accepted her.
Once a woman fortune-teller came to their house and told Kothai that Sri Ranganatha himself would come and marry her. This again increased Kothai’s happiness. When Kothai offered the fortune-teller a piece of cloth, she tied it on her head like a man. This puzzled Kothai. During this time, Sri Vishnuchitta woke from his sleep and told Kothai about a dream he had. When he explained his dream, it was absolutely similar to the real incident that Kothai had just experienced with the fortune-teller who visited her. Sri Vishnuchitta said that it was Lord Ranganatha himself who came as the fortune-teller thus explaining the reason why the fortune-teller tied the cloth as a turban like a man.
On an auspicious day, in the month of Panguni on the Uttara star, a huge procession came into the village. The villagers had never seen such a big procession and hence it caught everyone’s attention. In one of the palanquins was a very handsome man the town folks ever saw. Everyone followed the procession to see where it was headed. The procession stopped in front of Sri Vishnuchitta’s house. Once Sri Vishnuchitta saw the handsome man, he realized it was Sri Ranganatha himself. He informed this to Kothai. Since Kothai was waiting for this moment, she was not at all surprised. She took her time to dress up in the most beautiful bridal garment. Then, she accompanied the Lord and both went to Srivilliputur temple and got married. After this, everyone went to Sri Rangam.
Once in Sri Rangam temple, the Lord took Kothai’s hand and walked into the sanctum. Kothai merged with Lord Sri Ranganatha.
Sri Vishuchitta, though pleased with all these events, requested the Lord with to take care of Kothai well and blessed them. Because the Lord became his son-in-law, Sri Vishuchitta is called Periaazhwaar, meaning the great Alwar.
If one reads Thirupavai, Kothai repeatedly talks about the glories of the Lord and prescribes Nama Kirtan as the easiest way to reach Him. Since she captured everyone’s heart, Kothai is called Andal.
The satsang ended with prayers and Nama Sankirtan.
Jul 17: Pattinathar
The Nama Sankirtan was lead by Aravindji from Orlando.
Srimad Bhagavatam talks of the story of a king called Muchukunda from the Solar Dynasty. Once Lord Subramanya [Deva Senapathy] wanted to take some rest and so went on a vacation. In his absence, Lord Indra wanted to take care of his army and hence requested Muchukunda to take care of his army. Being an able king, he led many battles won many wars. From the earth, he went to the heaven to wage war to assist the Devas and against the Asuras. Lord Indra thanked Muchukunda his services and let him return to earth to rule the kingdom. When he descended to the earth, things were totally different, for, one day in Deva Loka is many thousand years on earth. Indra, looking at his predicament granted him any boon that he desired. Muchukunda told him that he needed rest as he was feeling very tired and wanted to sleep for ages together and anyone who disturbs him in the sleep will be burned to ashes. So, Muchukunda was asleep in a cave, and thousands of years passed.
Once, an Asura by name Kalayavana was chasing Lord Krishna in a battle and reached the cave in which Muchkunda was sleeping. Kalayavana thought that Muchukunda was Lord Krishna in disguise and so he went and kicked him, waking him up. The moment Muchukunda woke up and saw Kalayevan, the latter was burnt to ashes. At that moment the Lord gave darshan to Muchukunda. Muchukunda immediately recognized that it was Lord Krishna and sang the praises of the Lord. When asked to request for a boon, Muchukunda said, “I shall not be foolish to ask for any more worldly boons!” He says that when it is time for the people to attain the Holy Feet of the Lord, there are some indications -
“Bhavapavadh go bramato yata bhaveth janasya thasyath chuta satsamagama
Satsangamo yaryhi thadaiya satgathou paravaresyae thvayi jayathae mathihi”
If one is bestowed with satsang, then it is a clear indication that it is indeed his last birth. It is very lucid that the Lord’s compassion has fallen on him. The moment one is associated with satsang which is the divine association with a mahatma, they develop Bhakti and that will automatically take the individual to the holy feet of the lord. Such is the greatness of Satsang.
Sriramji, from Houston talked about Pattinathaar. He started off the lecture by explaining how the Guru relieves the fear of samsara.
“The Guru makes us enjoy samsara and the life beyond by inducing the fear of samsara and then dispels the fear by making the path very easy through Nama Sankirtan. In any holy text, the crux of the text can be found in the beginning, the end and in the middle of the text. In Srimad Bhagavatam, we start off with ‘Janmadyasa..’ and end with ‘Namasankirtanam…’. The heart of Srimad Bhagavatam is Ajamila Charithra in the sixth canto.
There are twenty eight infernal regions (hells). When King Parikshit starts to wonder about these infernal regions Sage Shuka says that these are very much true! ‘Why go that far, these very much exist in our daily lives!’. Our Guru Maharaj gives a very profound example of this hell. Bull is the beast of burden in Indian villages. When the new baby bull is born, the humans do a lot of cruel things to it. It is in the bull’s fate (karma) to undergo these sufferings. Nobody can actually escape bad times.
Our Guru Maharaj actually gave a different perspective about Gajendra moksham in Srimad Bhagavatham. The elephants were lead by Gajendra (the king of the elephant herd) and they were playing in the water. They were in a way destroying the plant habitat and other aquatic habitat when a crocodile catches his feet. This is described ‘deiva choditam’ (God-orchestrated). The moment this incident happened, the immediate relatives of Gajendra started to cry and after some time, they thought that it wouldn’t take much time for the crocodile to come and catch them and hence they stepped out of the pond and watched the scene from outside!
There is a lot of impermanence in this world. One classic example is money. Money can get one a very comfortable bed but can get it bring sleep? There is one thing that is permanent in life and it is none other than our Sadguru’s holy feet. Pattinatar very beautifully says –
“Sadguru Paadhathai notram vitte iru
vaazhvai kudam kavizh neer enre ninai
Suttrathai verum sandhai koodam entre iru
Madathe! Unakku upadesam idhuve!”
Take refuge in the Sadguru’s feet. Consider the life to be a as the water in a pot (it can topple anytime). Live as if family/friends are akin to the random people whom we see in a bazaar. Oh Mind! This is the teaching for you!
Pattinathaar was born in a place where Cauvery joins the ocean. In those days people used to trade with other countries through ships and to carry out such a trade, they traveled in groups. When his son was a little older, Pattinathar decided to send him to do business. He taught him the tricks of the trade.. His son soon set out on a trade-voyage and months passed by. It was time for his return. Pattinathaar eagerly waited for his son’s arrival but his son did not come. He enquired about his son to his friends who reached safely and they mentioned that they set out in different groups and that his son was not part of that group.
Days passed by and a storm was brewing in the ocean. This stressed Pattinatar even more. He went to Lord Shiva and begged him for the safe return of his son. “I can’t care lesser for money! Even if I have to live in a hut drinking porridge, that is okay. But Oh! Lord, please save my son! I need my son back” Lord Shiva answered his prayers and his son returned safely. Pattinathaar was in a state of ecstasy and his joy knew no bounds.
His son came home and relaxed for a while. Then Pattinathaar went to his son and asked him, “Oh my son! How did the trade go? Did you make any profit.?” In reply to this, he said, “Yes Father! the trade went fine and I have a small box that I wanted to show you”. When he opened the box, he was agitated to see the box being filled with cow-dung cakes. The furious Pattinathaar asked for the money and in reply his son replied, ‘Dad! Did you not pray to Lord Shiva that you don’t expect a dime out of the trade and you simply wanted me back alive? And now you ask for money/gold?”
“kaadhu arundha oosi varaadhu kadaivizhuthu kaal”
A useless needle that has lost its ears will not come with you in the last moments of one’s life. On hearing this, Pattinatar was greatly impacted. This led him to renounce all his wealth. He sat under a tree and kept on contemplating on the one-line advice of his son. The king who was close to Pattinatar saw him in this state walked him to him and asked him if he earned anything out of renunciation! “Ithanai panni enna kandeer?”
Pattinatar aptly replied, ‘Nee nirka nan amaara idhai kandom’
While as a king, all your subjects stand in front of you, now, you are standing in front of me while I am seated! This is owing to the renunciation.
All of Pattinathar’s compositions are full of Bhakti and Vedanta. Our Guru Maharaj conveys a very beautiful point. Only if you think of the non-permanence will one be bestowed with dispassion. Dispassion is a critical secret for attaining the Holy-Feet of the Lord. Pattinathar was once walking on the road when he came across a funeral. A typical funeral scene it was, as a lot of people were crying vehemently. Pattinathar started crying louder than those people!
When inquired if he was related to the dead, he said
“Setha pinathai sutri saaga pogum pinangal ellam koodi koodi azhuvadhai kandu azhugiren!”
I wail witnessing the state of all of you, who are corpses to-die and yet lament for the loss of a just-died corpse!
All of us often have this question in our lives, “Where will I go after I die?” Our Guru Maharaj explains what happens after death. In our dreams we see ourselves. We experience things. We have our manas [mind] and feelings associated with it. For example, we dream of going to a temple and do Pradakshina to the Lord. We have intellect in the dream state. But when the dream ends, the shooksma sharira is gone and we come back to our senses. Our Guru Maharaj compares this to the life after death.
In death, the gross /physical body dies. The sookshma sharira (subtle body) [that also experienced the dream] will go to teh Swarga / Naraka depending on the merits / sins accrued in that birth, and based on the karmas, is born again.
One takes an umbrella to take shelter during the monsoon. The Divine Name that we chant is verily the umbrella that can provide us shelter after death.
If we take to dhyana/yoga/tapas, we believe in our own ability to take us to the Holy Feet of the Lord, and we are likely to fall at any stage. In Bhakti Marga, we are not dependent on the individual’s ability but only on the sheer grace of the Lord, which translates to unlimited Guru Krupa.
Yama Dharma Raja refuses to touch those devotees who have chanted the Divine Names of the Lord. This was clearly seen in the case of Ajamila! Do we need any more assurance about the potency of Nama Kirtan, than verily the God of Death?”
The satsang ended with prayers and Namasankirtan.
Jul 10: Greatness of a Guru
The Nama Sankirtan was lead by Sankarji’s family from Bay Area California.
Narayananji from Boston talked about the significance of satsang and the importance of Guru Krupa. We have learnt the fact from various discourses that human birth is indeed very rare. The main of human birth is to attain liberation. Our Guru Maharaj very beautifully says that realization is pure and pristine Krishna Bhakti. When one performs Krishna Bhakti for the sake of Bhakti which is devoid of any condition or cause then that is verily Mukti.
“Nija bhakthargalae jivan mukthargalae”
True devotees of the Lord are indeed Jivan Muktas. And true Krishna Bhakti is indeed Mukti. We can see such a Krishna Bhakti in the life-history of Prahalada, the Gopis of Brindavan. Our Guru Maharaj says that it is very difficult for the people in the age of Kali to develop that intense Krishna Bhakti. So he preaches the steps that one should follow to develop that pure Bhakti for Lord Krishna which is untainted with any desires. How is Krishna Bhakti attained? It happens only through Nama Sankirtan. So how does one develop conviction to Nama Sankirtan? It is verily through satsangs. We all know that it is very rare to get a satsang. One would need abundant Guru Krupa to be blessed with a satsang. When being part of satsang, he would get the flair of Nama Sanakirtan. By chanting the Divine Names of the Lord would instill Krishna Bhakti and when that Bhakti is untainted, it is verily Mukti.
Knowing the fact that Guru Krupa is causeless and has no time factor attached to it. It only comes by His sheer will and wish. It is due to the good merits accrued over so many births that one may be blessed with Guru Krupa. But we are all truly blessed to be in the abode of our Guru Maharaj.
Our Friday satsang is an endeavor to chant the Divine Names of the lord and to reminisce his glories.
Following this, Ramyaji from San Jose spoke on Guru Mahima thus,
Guruhoho anugraihivena puman purnaha prashantayae
Says Srimad Bhagavatham. A man attains the state of completeness only by the grace of his guru’s grace and blessings.
“Gurvilla viththai pazh” goes a saying in tamil.
“Sthothriyam brahma nishtam” says the Upanishadas. A guru is the one who is very knowledgeable in all the Shastras and has well understood its essence and follows the path shown by the Shastras and it is he who has attained Brahmanubhuti.
The Upanishads preach the path of Sharanagathi to one such guru. So how do we attain a Uttama Guru. We very well know that our efforts will be futile if we try to find a Guru ourselves. Instead of searching for a Guru, if we instead search for the Lord, we will get a Guru.
Well it is not very easy for everyone to attain a Guru just like that and it is to be said that the Lord also has certain guidelines to direct a soul to a Uttama Guru. A devotee of the highest order and for one the Lord thinks of showering his grace, for whom he decided to break the transmigration of births and deaths and having them attain Moksha, he doesn’t take those devotees to His holy Feet directly but only through a Guru. This is the Lord’s way.
If we perform the Bhakti from the bottom of our heart by abiding to the path shown by dharma, and if that unconditional Bhakti is directed towards the lord, then the Lord Himself will lead him to a Guru. We cannot find a Guru by our means. We cannot go and experiment gurus after gurus to see if he is indeed a Uttama Guru. When one gets cheated even in worldly affairs, what to talk of spiritual life? We do a business with a dear friend of ours, but we develop some ill-feelings and we develop enmity and we stop doing business. When one attains a Guru who is indeed not a true Guru, then what he loses is not just money or anything but he has wasted his entire birth. When the Guru doesn’t possess Jnana, how can he impart Jnana to his disciples? Can a blind man show another blind man the way? When that Guru itself is not going to attain moksha, how can he show the path of moksha to his disciple?
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa very beautifully once said that a small snake once desired to eat a big frog. So the snake tries to swallow a little portion of the big frog, but, that snake is not capable enough to swallow the whole frog and so after some time, both of them die. Akin to this is that fact that if one attains a guru who is not a Jivan Mukta then not only the devotee will not reach the heavenly abode but also that Guru as well.
So who is a Uttama Guru? A sadguru is one who bestows you with Gnana and Bhakti and throws you unto the Holy Feet of the Lord without your knowledge.
If you go and ask a devotee as to what his Guru was doing when he went to see Him. He would say,
Srihari charana dyana paarayanam
He was meditating on the Holy Feet of Lord Sri Hari.
Sritha jana taapa trayasam haranam
The devotee would say “I had some worries in my mind and decided to talk to him about that to find some solace. But since he was meditating on Lord Hari, and when I went and sat in front of him my mind was filled with peace”.
Aananda Bhaashpa poortitha netram
If you look at his eyes, you can experience the tears of joy in his eyes.
Since he is constantly meditating on the beautiful Lord, the Guru becomes
Adbudha roopam poolagangitha gathram
His body is so beautiful and experiences horripliation in ecstasy.
So what do we, as devotees of Sadguru do? Meditate upon this uttama guru
Sri gurum eva sadaa bhavayae… hrudayae
At another instant of time, when you ask a devotee as to what he was doing he would say
Bhagavthamrutha rasikam sumukam
Bhava bhaya banchana charitham lalaitham
He expounds Srimad Bhagavatam with great vigor. We all know that by listening to Srimad Bhagavatam the disease called samsara will be cured.
And how was he explaining Srimad Bhagavatam? The devotee says “Oh I don’t know whether it is hundredth time he is preaching Bhagavatam to his disciples.”. But every time he says, it looks like it is the first time he is discoursing on Srimad Bhagavatam and he is filled with joy and vigor when he expounds on it. He explains in a manner akin to how a teacher teaches a small child. He doesn’t show off his knowledge and only tells the essence of Srimad Bhagavatam .
After Bhagavatam what did your guru do? He would say
Srihari keerthana chaturam susvaram
Sripaduka kruta nardanam sugunam
He was singing the glories of the Lordm dancing softly.
So who is fortunate to be blessed with such a Uttama Guru
“Pratipatam ha Krishna Krishneti gayantham”
It is only for that devotee who is immersed in the thought of Lord Krishna.
Prasanna mukham bhaktha hridi nivasantham
Once you have seen such a Sadguru, you don’t have to take efforts to meditate upon this Guru. His ‘Prasanna mukham’ [pleasing face] will bring His dyana into your heart.
What does he bless his devotees who come to have his darshan
Krishna Prema vitarana seelam
His very nature is to bestow the love for Krishna which he possess to his devotees. And
Kruthartha jana gana mangala moolam
If you are fortunate enough, then you will be blessed with such a Sadguru.
Thirumoolar in thirumandiram says the darshan of a sadguru will lead the mind into a peaceful state.
“Thelivu guruvin thirumeni kanthal
Thelivu guruvin thirunamam sepal
Thelivu guruvin thirvarthai kettal
Thelivu gurvarul chinthithal dhaane”
Guru’s darshan, meditating on the guru, abiding by the guru’s words and always thinking about the guru will purify you and bestow you with Jnana,
If we take the life-history Ramana Maharishi. Ramana once had a question about death and that question in turn gripped him with fear. Through self-inquiry, he attained the Supreme State and yet came to Thiruvannamlai.
He has composed several songs on Lord Arunachaleshwara. The most popular is the Aksharamanamalai [a series of 108 songs]. His Guru was none other than Lord Arunachala –
“Kutramutrorum ennai gunamai panithal Guruvurvai ooli arunachala”
He enjoys calling that Arunachaleshwara as guru and not as Lord!
Akin to Ramana is Arungirnathar. He also did not have a Guru. He was also ordained by Lord Muruga. Of the numerous compositions on Lord Muruga, he says,
Santhatham Pantha thodaralae
Japamalai thantha sadgurunatha
Even though it was Lord Mwho gave him the Japamala, he calls Lord Muruga as the Sadgurunatha.
Uruvai aruvai uladai iladhai
Maruvai malariai maniya oliyai
Karuvai uirira kadhiya vidhiyai
Guruvai varuvai arulavai guhanae
Just like how we all have a family doctor, family deity, it is very important to have a guru.
Sant kabirdas in one of his dohas very beautifully says that “If at all both the Lord and the Guru come and stand in front of him, he would first prostrate to his Guru and then to the Lord.” There is a beautiful reason as to why he says this. A mother takes every step to bring up the child right from the first day of her pregnancy till the child becomes independent. When the child grows up and becomes very learned and earns a very respectable position in the society, the father proudly tells everybody that it is his son.
Similarly a guru, takes everyone unto his feet and bestows them with Jnana, Bhakti and Vairagya and eventually throws them unto the feet of the Lord even without their knowledge.
Koorathaazhwaar was a great devotee of Sri Ramanuja. He hailed from a place called ‘Kooram’. He used to feed a huge number of devotees everyday. His Guru Bhakti was unique. He knew no other God other than Sri Ramanuja.
Once, Lord Sri Varadaraja (of Kanchi) told Kacchiappanambi, “Why don’t you fan us in the ‘sayana gruha’, where we are locked up every night?” and Kachiappa Nambi instantly agreed. One such night, it was past midnight when the Divine couple heard a clinging noise. The Mother asked the Lord, ‘What is the noise at such a late hour?’
The Lord explained, “Our devotee Koorathaazhwaar is closing the door of his home after offering food to all the pilgrims. It is verily the sound of his doors being closed.”
At once, Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth) remarked, “Is there any dearth of Koorathaazhwar’s wealth?”
Kacchiappanambi who was listening to the divine conversation as he was fanning the Divine couple, couldn’t wait for dawn. He wanted to share this exciting news with Koorathazhwar an expected that the latter will jump in joy on learning that the Goddess of wealth had blessed him in this manner.
In the morning he rushed to Koorathaazhwaar’s home and with much joy said, “Last night the Lord and His Consort spoke about you.”
With excitement writ large on his face, Koorathaazhwaar asked, “What did they speak about me?”
When Kachiappa Nambi spoke about the Divine Mother’s remark about Koorathaazhwar’s wealth, a shadow of sorrow covered Koorathaazhwaar’s face.
He lamented, “Oh, Did they speak only this about me? Did not allude to me as a speck of dust at Sri Ramanuja’s feet? Did they speak only about my wealth? And, you have come rushing to me to tell this?” He was extremely dejected. He at once walked out of his ouse renouncing everything. Such was Koorathaazhwar’s Guru Bhakti!
The satsang ended with prayers and Nama Sankirtan.
Jul 3: Ashada Ekadasi & Guru Poornima
The Nama Sankirtan was led by Raj and Chitraji family from Sunnyvale, California.
Narayananji from Boston talked about the significance of Ashada Ekadasi. The Friday satsang was indeed very significant since it was Aashada Ekadasi, a very auspicious one. The birth star of two great vaishnavite saints is celebrated this week – Nathamuni and Periyaazhwar.
There is a beautiful Abhang that extols the glory of Ashada Ekadasi
nAmAchA bajAr paNdarI nAmAchA bajAra
nAmachagEti nAmachadEti kOtiguLam uddhAra (paNdari)
dAyIm dAyIm santhamiLAlE karitI jai jai kAra (paNdari)
AshADa kArthika yAthrA barati vittalahA saradhAra (paNdari)
gOpALa pUrim kAlA hOyI lAypukyAnchAbatimAra (paNdari)
bALakadAsA lAgali kOti tarilEm harichEm dwAra (paNdari)
Pandarpur is a marketplace of the Divine Name! By buying and selling Nama in this marketplace, one transcends crores of Janmas! Sadhu groups merrily dance and sing all around echoing ‘Jay! Jay! Vittal’ everywhere!
They undertake Pandarpur Yatra during the holy months of Ashada and Karthika to see the countenance of the Emperor Vittala! The whole of Pandarpur becomes a ‘RAsamandala’ with puffed rice, fragrances and colored powder strewn all over the place! Standing on the portals of the Lord’s temple, they sing the Divine Name of Vittala!
Tejas from Houston TX, very beautifully talked about the significance of Guru.
Ramcharitmanas states that
“binu satsanga bibeka na hoi, rama krupa binu sulabha na soi”
It is very lucid that it is not possible to gain wisdom without satsang and without the grace of the Lord, it is not possible to be blessed with satsangs.
Tuesday, the seventh of July is Guru Poornima. It is the Full Moon day of the Ashada month and the birth date of Veda Vyas, who is the author of the Puranas and Vedas. On this day, worship is offered to Veda Vyasa and the Guru.
Veda Vyasa was the re-incarnation of the Lord, and so the lord himself took an incarnation on Guru Poornima only to show the importance of the Guru to the mankind.
To understand the full meaning of Guru Poornima, we must first understand who the Guru is. Guru Gita, in the Skanda Purana states that:
Yo guru sa shivaha prokto yaha shivaha sa gurusmrutaha
Vikalpam yastu kurvit sa naro gurutalpagaha
The Guru is Lord Shiva himself and the fact that Shiva is the Guru, is reminded to us in all the Smritis. He, who makes any distinction between the two, is guilty of a great crime.
So one can proclaim that guru is none other than the Lord in human form.
However, it is a difficult task to recognize a Guru among others in this world, so Guru Gita has expounded upon this.
Gukarastam rukarovai rukarastanivardhaka
Andhakaraniroditva gururitya vidiyate
The word Guru is none other than the Brahman that swallows ‘ajnana’ (ignorance) ‘Gu’ means darkness; ‘ru’ means to remove it. So Guru removes the darkness of ignorance.
Ramcharitmanas describes the grace of the Guru:
Bandau guru pada padma paraagaa | suruchi subaas saras anuraaga ||
Amia moorimaya choorana chaaru | samana sakala bhava ruja parivaaru || (1)
sukrti sambhu tana bimala bibhooti | manjula mangala moda prasooti ||
jana mana manju mukur mal harani | kiyen tilak gun ganbas karani || (2)
Sri gur pad nakh mani gana joti | sumirat dibya drishti hiyam hoti ||
Dalan moh tam so suprakaasu | bade bhaag ur aavayi jaasu || (3)
Ugharahim bimala bilochana hi ke | mitahim dosha dukh bhav rajni ke ||
Sujahim raam charit mani maanik | guputa pragata jahan jo jehi kaanik || (4)
The splendid radiance in the lotus feet of the guru forces divinity in the mind just by his glance. It removes all the infatuation [Maya] and blesses one with eternal bliss.
So how does the Guru bestow knowledge? It is said in Ramcharitmanas –
“srigura pada nakha mani gana joti, sumirata dibya dhristi hiya hoti”
By merely thinking of the toenail of the Guru, one is blessed with his divine vision. Guru’s grace is causeless and infinite and through this causeless mercy, one can attain the Supreme Truth.
So what is Guru Poornima? It is on this day where we offer our prayers to the Guru.
Lord Rama, the master of the whole universe has illustrated the glory of the Guru and how one must worship the Guru. Ramcharitmanas says that –“
“gurahi pranamu manahimana kinha, ati laghava uthai dhanu linha..”
Lord Rama offered obeisance to His guru (Vishvamitra), and then lifted the bow with great agility.
Shabari’s life-history expains how one should offer worship to the Sadguru.
“sabari dekhi rama gruha ae, muni ke bacana samujhi jiya bhae”
When Sabari saw that Lord Rama had come to her abode she immediately recalled the words of her Guru, Sage Matanga.
Sage Matanga was Sabari’s guru. During his final moments of his life he told Sabari that the Lord would come to her ashram. Sabari faithfully and eagerly waited for years and years for the arrival of the Lord. It is to be said that she would pick fruits and flowers to offer to the Lord everyday. She never questioned the words of her Guru and prepared for the Lord’s arrival everyday, despite the fact that people around her called her insane.
So the best way to serve the Guru, and attain the Lord, is to listen to what the Guru says verbatim, just like Sabari. And what does our Guru Maharaj say? He says to merely chant the Maha Mantra to attain the Lord.
“Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare”
On account of Guru Poornima, Tejas shared some beautiful thoughts of great mahans which extolled the glory of the Sad guru.
“Let no man in the world live in delusion. Without a Guru none can cross over to the other shore.” — Guru Nanak
“Guru, God and Self are one.” - Ramana Maharshi
“ It is not necessary for you to meet your guru on the physical plane. The guru is not external”. Neem Karoli Baba
Swami Papa Ramdas says –
“Let His Name be your most precious possession,
To be His servant be your honoured status,
To feel that you are His child be your supreme privilege,
To love, adore and serve Him be the sole occupation of your Life”.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib
I am a mere insect, a worm. O True Guru, I seek Your Sanctuary. Please be merciful, and bless me with the Light of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
O my Best Friend, O Divine Guru, please enlighten me with the Name of the Lord.
Through the Guru’s Teachings, the Naam is my breath of life.
The Kirtan of the Lord’s Praise is my life’s occupation.
The prayers unto Guru in Ramacharitamanas elaborates the significance of guru
Shri Guru Charan Saroj Raj Nij mane mukure sudhar
Varnao Raghuvar Vimal Jasu Jo dayaku phal char
I clean my mind with the pollen dust of lotus feet of Guru. The mind is tainted with bad thoughts and we need some thing to clean the mind and it is only that dust that can clean our minds and bestow the four fold fruits of life (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha)..
Tejas concluded his lecture with a beautiful doha from Saint Kabir:
“Guru gobind dou khade, kaake lagoon paay
Balihari guru aapne gobind diyo batay”
If the Guru and the Lord both are here whom should I bow to first.
Glory be unto the guru, who showed the path to God. Guru is like a mother. A mother takes care of the child from the day she conceives it. She puts up with lots of difficulties and sacrifices her desires for the welfare of the child. My Guru too took me into His arms and fondled me when I was called as sinner by the rest of the world just as a mother would fondle a child. But God turned to look at me only after I was purified by the grace and love of my Guru just as a father would cherish to see his grown up child holding a high position in the society and shares none of the difficulties of a mother. ”
The satsang ended with prayers with Mahamantra Kirtan.
