GITA 9.10

GITA 9.10

Sarvopanishado gaavo dogdhaa Gopala nandanaha

Paartho vatsah sudheer bhoktaa dugdham gitaamritam mahat

According to a sloka, Sri Krishna as a cowherd, milked the cow- upanishads, to get the milk -Gita, using Arjuna as a calf. In Gita, the greatness of Bhakti yoga is explained. Especially, in Chapter 9, the eminence of Bhaktas and bhakti yoga are stated. We are to see the 9th sloka of Chapter9 and today [19th june 2008] we are at Thiru Kandiyur, one of the Kshetrams in Chola region.

TIRUKANDIYUR

Here the Lord is Sri Harasapa vimochana Perumal and graces along with Sri Kamalavalli Thayar. 

SRI KAMALAVALLI THAYAR

This place is also called Kamala Kshetram. Here, the Kamala pushkarini, Kamalakruth vimanam, Kamala kshetram, Sri Kamalavalli Thayar and Sri Kamalanathan, make up Pancha Kamala kshetram. Moolavar is called Sri Bali Natha Perumal, as He was worshiped by Mahabali, who was begged by Sri Vamana for land. Utsavar is Sri Hara sapa vimochana Perumal. It is possible that the present name is a mutilation of Kandana + oor. Kandana means breaking. Here breaking happened or the curse, on account of breaking the neck, was removed. Kamalapushkarini is outside the temple in the front. At the back, Kapala pushkarini is there. Once lord Brahma had Five necks and lord Shiva broke one of them. This might have been done here and so, since the breaking happened here, this place was called Kandana+ oor. Another reason is, kantam means neck and lord Shiva is famous for his blue neck [Neelakantan] and so he is known as Kanti and his curse was removed and so this place became Kanti+oor =Kantiyur. Because lord Shiva broke one neck of his father lord Brahma, the broken neck skull stuck to lord Shiva's hand. So, he became Kapali, and with the dhosha [fault] of Brahmahathi [ப்ரம்மஹத்தி தோஷம்]. To remove this skull, lord Shiva wanted anyone to offer food to fill the skull. Earlier, we have seen Thiru Karambanur or Uthamar koil [near Srirangam], where Sri Poornavalli Thayar offered food to relieve lord Shiva of the skull. That place also has Bikshandar koil and a sannidhi for lord Brahma. Lord Shiva to get removed the brahmahathi dosha, came to this place [Thiru Kandiyur] and after a bath in the pushkarini, prayed to the Lord, Who removed the dosha and got the name Sri Hara sapa vimochana perumal [ஸ்ரீ ஹர சாப விமோசன பெருமாள்].

Lord Shiva told His Consort Parvati 'vishnu prasadat susroni tatra narayana sriman maya diktyam prayachita:' - ' I [lord Shiva] was relieved of curse by Sri Narayana'. Therefore the Lord here will relieve anyone of any curse or sin. One doubt may crop up in our minds. After all He is responsible for our errors and He alone removes the ill effects. So, why at all both? He resides as Antaryami in lord Brahma and in lord Shiva. Why, He should cause lord Shiva to break the neck of lord Brahma? Why should He make lord Shiva to go around to get the dosha relieved and finally come to Him and get relieved? Curse as well as relief could have been avoided. By creating a problem and by doing good to relieve, will the Lord also be subjected to good and bad actions? The reply lies in sloka 9 and further.
 Till sloka 8, in this Chapter 9, He told that by His will power everything happens in this Universe. Creation, sustaining and destruction are all by His will power. Arjuna felt that if all happenings - good and bad - are all due to His will power, will not He be affected by these activities? Will He not be accused that for some He is good and for others He is bad? Differences in living create problems. This fault is called vaishamyam. Next fault is naidhrunyam or merciless. Differences we see are due to the Lord and so He could be accused of both these faults. Answer is in sloka 9:

na ca mam tani karmani
nibadhnanti dhananjaya
udasina-vad asinam
asaktam tesu karmasu

"O Dhananjaya, all this work cannot bind Me. I am ever detached from all these material activities, seated as though neutral."

He tells Arjuna that these actions do not affect Him. Tani karmani = all these actions [like creation, destruction and sustaining], na nibhdhanti = do not affect [or, bind], mam = Me [Sri Krishna]. Here, affected does not mean involving in samsaram nor bound by karma nor produce happiness or sorrow. Because such effects are for us when we do a karma. But, not affected means the Lord can not be accused of the faults vaishamyam and naidhrunyam. Though there are differences in creations, He can not be faulted of partiality or mercilessness. Arjuna immediately asks that by saying that these faults did not affect Him, was He not escaping from the accusations? How they do not affect Him? Tesu karmasu = in those activities - that is in creation, sustaining and destruction, asaktam = [Sri Krishna has] no attachment. Because, every atman by his own actions decides his fate and re-birth. The Lord does not do anything in this on His Own. This should be very carefully understood. Many ask questions that when the Lord is responsible for all our actions, how we could be held responsible to face the results? Let us see the reply. Everyone does some karma and experiences the consequences. Our papa/ punya decide our birth. Once born with a body, the happiness and sufferings are to be experienced alternately. So karmas decide to get a body at our birth. Happiness and sorrow are to be experienced by that body. Therefore, our own karmas are responsible and not the Lord. So He creates, sustains and destroys depending on our karma. Differences are created because of our karma. Therefore, His actions are based on our karma. He has no interest in these. What is He to benefit from this creation? Bodies are given to us as a means to sublime to higher levels and reach Him. So, if we do not act in that way and go in the wrong direction, how can He be faulted? Udhaseena-vad = disinterested. That is, He is not on His own responsible for all actions. and remains disinterested.

                                                                                   (continued) 

GITA 9.9

GITA 9.9

When viewing Sri Krishna's Viswaroopam [Great grand form], Arjuna is excited and says, ' pitasi lokasyacharacharasya....'. In this Universe with moving and non-moving matter created, He is the Father. He is the Guru [Teacher]. None to equal or greater than Him. Arjuna says that He salutes such a Person. This sloka comes in the Chapter 11, when Sri Krishna exposes Arjuna to His mammoth form. This sloka aptly reflects the Lord of this Kshetram, Oppiliappan Koil, as there is none equal or greater and He is the Father. There is no father equal to this Father. Though everyone has a father, none can be a father for all. Similarly, there is none without a father. But these qualities are attributable to the Lord. He is the Father of everyone and He has no father. Father created us; father advises us on the right path; father moulds us; father is proud, if we get a good name. Here the Divine Couple is the Parents for everyone. Nammalwar says, he is not bothered whether the Lord is the Father of lord Brahma and others, but He is Nammalwar's Father, and that makes him proud. Because they are all very great people but Alwar regards himself as lowly and being a father of him and made him an Alwar, is so great. Parents also get themselves attached more to the weak child and care more for that. We also should be more considerate to physically challenged people as that would please the Lord, and this is reiterated by Alwars and Acharyas. Unlike the mortal parents, this Divine Parents are never partial to anyone. Every one of us can feel that these Parents are special to every one of us. That is what Alwar also repeatedly says as Ennappan [my Father]. Like Alwar, all of us can claim that the Lord is Ennappan. Today's [18th June 2008] lecture is from the sannidhi of Sri Ennappan.

SRI ENNAPPAN

 This Lord holds the discus in the ready-to-fly pose [prayoga chakra].

 Now we will see sloka 8:

prakritim svam avastabhya
visrijami punah punah
bhuta-gramam imam krtsnam
avasam prakriter vasat

"The whole cosmic order is under Me. Under My will, it is automatically manifested again and again, and under My will, it is annihilated at the end."

Prakrter vasat = bound by prakruti, imam =this, krtsnam = without any exception, bhuta-gramam = groups of living beings, visrijami = [I, Sri Krishna] create, puna puna = again and again, svam = my [Sri Krishna's], prakrutim = prakruti [as My, Sri Krishna's, body], avastabhya = manifests into Eight entities. We had already seen these Eight entities, in Chapter 7: [ moola] Prakruti is the raw material and it is transformed into prakruti, mahan, ahankaram and pancha tanmatras [ shabda, roopa, rasa, gandha and sparsa - sound, light, taste, scent and touch]. Such a transformed prakruti is all what you [Arjuna] see. All kings and relatives, animals and everyone without exception, are all bound by prakruti. Every atman resides in matter formed by prakruti and expends the accumulated karma as papa/punya. Atman can not remain without a body, except for a short time. Even in Vaikuntam, it takes a body to serve the Lord. But the body formed by prakruti is a result of the past papa/ punya and so, is dependent on karma we do. An Atman in a fish body can swim but can not roar like a lion and an atman in a lion's body can not swim like a fish. These activities are peculiar to the body in which an atman resides. If the same atman resides in a cat's body it can only mew and not roar like a lion. So atman behaviour is dependent on the body it is residing. So in a way, atman also is bound by prakruti. Atman thus is not independent. All these happen out of the willpower of the Lord. We will now take leave of this Kshetram.

                                                                                                              (continued) 

GITA 9.8

GITA 9.8

SRI OPPILIAPPAN KOIL

Tirumangai Alwar also has sung in praise of the Lord here in Oppilappan Koil (Periya Tirumozhi 6.1) . He says if he could get darshan of the Lord, then he does not want the life here. In Vaikuntam the Lord is known as Eka deva amrutam dhrushtva trupyanti, according to Shastras. He is embodiment of amrut and Tirumangai Alwar also says He is amudam in Tamil. It is a wonder that this Amrut, churned for amrut in the ocean. By doing, He took out an inferior amrut, capable of prolonging life, and was distributed to the devas. But the Lord took for Himself an unique and superior Amrut, Sri Mahalakshmi! Asyesana jagata : vishnupathni- Swami Parasara Bhatta says that the Milky ocean became the father of Sri Sridevi as She was obtained by churning. Such a Lord is gracing in this Kshetram with Sri Bhoomidevi, says Tirumangai Alwar. He graces as Gold, Pearl and Diamond [பொன், முத்து, மணி]. We are now worshiping Sri Maniappan.

SRI MANIYAPPAN

 The lower right arm shows protection and left arm points to His feet. Upper arms are holding discus and conch. We will now see 7th sloka in Chapter 9:

sarva-bhutani kaunteya
prakritim yanti mamikam
kalpa-ksaye punas tani
kalpadau visrjamy aham

"O son of Kunti, at the end of the millennium all material manifestations enter into My nature, and at the beginning of another millennium, by My potency, I create them again."

Here He says that with His will power [sankalpa shakti] He creates, destroys and after lord Brahma's life time, all the worlds are all dissolved and again creates when another lord Brahma's lifetime begins. He does not move any limb to do all , but everything is done by this will power. In the previous sloka He said He is supporting all by His will power. Here, He says besides support, pervading and commanding, He creates, sustains and destroys and all are dependent on Him. He addresses Arjuna as His aunt Kunti's son, so that he would listen to Him. Sarva bhutani = all living beings and objects, kalpa = Brahma's life time, ksaye =when ends. So we should note that there is end to lord Brahma also and only the Lord is endless. Other than Vaikuntam, all other Universe and all living and non-living objects are created on a particular time and destroyed at another time. So all atman, be a tiny grass or a lord Brahma or devas or animals or birds, get dissolved at the end of lord Brahma's lifetime. Mamikam = in My [Sri Krishna's] body, yanti = attain. That is, all these atman and other matters, at the end of lord Brahma's life time get dissolved and merge into the Lord's body as moola prakruti. Kalpadau = again when another lord Brahma's life time starts, puna = again, stani = all these [atman and other matter mingled in moola prakruti], visrujami = get created by, aham = Me [Sri Krishna]. So both creation and destruction are all His deeds. In Vishnu puranam, sage Parasara says that all creations, sustainment and destruction are all done by the Lord by mere thinking or will power. In Brahadaranya Upanishad there is an important portion Gargi prasnam. The sage preaches Gargi that Sun or Moon are all supported by the Lord by His will power. Initially, He decides to create the Universe. Similarly, He decides to dissolve the Universe. So, His will power decides creation, support and destroying. Layam or dissolution is talked here. Pralayam or end, is in many categories. Every living being dies and this is called Nitya pralayam or daily occurance. It affects individuals onl. We have seen that lord Brahma has one day equal to 1000 chatur yug or 1000 X 4,320, 000 [our, human] years. At the end of Brahma's one day time, the three worlds bhu, bhuva and suva are dissolved [upper worlds like maha, jana, tapa and satya lok or worlds are not affected]. This is naimittika pralayam or occasional. This lasts until the night time of lord Brahma [another 1000 X 4,320,000 years] is over. There after, again these three worlds -bhu, bhuva and suva- get created. When the Life of lord Brahma ends - that is after 100 Brahma years of 365 Brahma days [equal to 2 X 1000 X 4,320,000 human years], there is yet another pralayam. That pralayam is what Sri Krishna mentions in this sloka. At that time all the worlds, including that of lord Brahma -satya lok-  are dissolved and merge into the body of the Lord, which is moola prakruti. We have seen in Chapter 7, how this Universe and all are created from moola prakruti. [Moola] prakruti---> mahan--> ahankaram--> Pancha bhoothani--> Pancha tanmatra--> Pancha karmendriya --> pancha gyanendriya--> manas]. All these emerge from the body of the Lord during creation. In pralayam all get dissolved and there is no form or name. All will be in subtle form as contrasted from our present gross form. This happens at the end of lifetime of lord Brahma. Again when lord Brahma's life time begins, creation of all, starting from satya lok is effected. Every living being gets a body created. All creations and destructions are carried out by the Lord out of His will power alone. This pralayam is called prakruta pralayam. There is yet another pralayam, the Fourth one, and is called, Adyantika pralayam. This is when an individual soul gets Moksham.

                                                                                                 (continued)

GITA 9.7

GITA 9.7

In the pasuram 'ennappan..'(என்னப்பன்- Tiruvaimazhi, 6-3-9), Nammalwar says that the Lord is without equals. Such a Lord, Alwar happily says, has given shelter under His feet to him. By doing so, he is protected from the heat of samsaram. Shastras proclaim that He has no equals. 'Ekameva advideeyam' says Upanishad – there is no second like Him. Sri Oppiliappan is also called Sri Uppiliappan. From pushkarini, as we enter the temple, we first come across Garudazhwar sannidhi

SRI GARUDAN

. We further proceed inside. We are at the maha mandapam entrance. There was a sage Mrigandu. Sage Markandeya was his son. Markandeya meditated here for long time. He desired to have the Lord as his Son-in-law. Sri Tulasi Nachiyar was also praying the Lord to be with Him for ever like Sri Sridevi, seated permanently on His chest. The Lord appeared before Her and asked Her to go to this Kshetram and remain as a forest of Tulasi plants. Sri Sridevi, one day appeared as a small child amidst the Tulasi plants with the name Sri Bhoomi Devi. Sage Markandeya found this two year old female child. He brought Her up as his daughter. The Lord wanted to marry Her and He enacted a drama. He came in the guise of an Old Man and demanded marriage of Sri Bhoomi Devi. Markandeya was puzzled as to how to get his very young daughter married to an old person. After praying to the Lord, with his yoga power, he discovered the Old Person was the Lord Himself. But still hesitating, the sage told the Old Man that his Daughter was too young and did not know even to add salt [Tamil uppu] in the food. The Lord immediately agreed that He would not mind that and He would henceforth take food without salt. From that time He was known as Sri Uppiliappan [uppili = without salt]. Then the marriage of Sri Bhoomi Devi, incarnation of Sri Sridevi, and the Lord was celebrated. The Lord appeared in Tamil month Panguni (March-April), star Shravan, and after a lot of arguments the marriage was done in Tamil month Aippasi (Oct-Nov), star Shravan [nearly after Eight months]. But in the marriage the Lord took His usual Youth form and married Sri Bhoomi Devi. Markandeyar prayed the Lord to grace with single Wife and the Lord agreed. Both in Moolavar and in Utsavar, the Lord is with Sri Bhoomi Devi alone. Here the Lord appeared to Alwar in Five forms. Sri Ennappan, Sri Ponnappan, Sri Maniappan, Sri Muthappan and Sri Thiruvinnagarappan. Sri Thiruvinnagarappan is the Moolavar.

SRI TIRUVINNAGARAPPAN (MOOLAVAR)

 He graces as a large Icon in the standing pose with right arm in Dhana hastham or receiving the bride in marriage. Upper arms are holding discus and conch. Utsavar is Sri Ponnappan.
 

SRI PONNAPPAN (UTSAVAR)

 He also graces with Dhana hastham. In every procession the Lord is always accompanied by Sri Nachiyar. Moolavar has golden armour. Now, there is a proposal to offer Golden armour to Sri Bhoomi Devi also. To His left, sage Markandeya is also gracing. Sri Bhoomi Devi is seen with folded hands. An important work of covering the Suddha Ananda vimanam with gold, has been undertaken. All are requested to participate in all these noble works.
 Since this is Akash Nagar, the sloka 6 of Chapter 9 also is with Akash [sky] as the analogy:

yathakasa-sthito nityam
vayuh sarvatra-go mahan
tatha sarvani bhutani
mat-sthanity upadharaya

"Understand that as the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, rests always in the sky, all created beings rest in Me."

Yata = how, nithyam = always, akasam = space. We have seen earlier that in the evolution of the Universe first space is created and then Vayu [air]. Then Fire, water and finally Earth. Akash or space is infinitely large. But what is supporting this Akash? There is nothing seen as supporting space. But it is supported as many worlds are in it and move about. If space is not there we can neither imagine nor answer many questions. Earlier the Lord told that He is invisible yet supports all, by His will power [sankalpa shakti]. When Arjuna wanted clarification, Sri Krishna cites the analogy of space. Maha vayu = the great air, sarva pradha = is breezing all over. Air is breezing inside the space. Sri Krishna asks whether the space is supporting air to flow all over? So, Arjuna [ and also we] should understand that space, air and all are supported by the Lord. A bird flying is not supported by the air or the space, but by its atman, controlled by Him. Just because air is there does not make the bird to fly but its atman. If atman were not there the bird would just fall down. Therefore, every thing in this Universe is supported by the Lord as atman residing inside. Tata = similarly, sarvani = all, bhu = believe so or have faith so. People doubt the Lord supporting all, as He is invisible. But they should look at the air flow in an apparent supportless space. Many occurences in Nature can not be answered. Why and how lightning? How waves of oceans raise so much, yet are contained within the shores? Why earthquakes? How seeds germinate? Many and many are without answers, yet occuring daily. We have to have faith that all are supported by the Lord for such happenings. Being festival time near the Lord and Sri Thayar, Swami Vedantha Desika also is gracing the devotees.

SWAMI VEDANTA DESIKAN

                                                                                                             (continude)          

GITA 9.6

GITA 9.6

SRI OPPILIAPPAN KOIL

Is there anyone like Sri Krishna? Is there anyone as great as Sri Krishna? Vedas, Vedanta, Ithihasa and Puranas proclaim there is none equal to Him. He is the most Supreme and Purushottama. We are all baddhas, and Muktas are better than us. Nithyas are superior to Muktas and the Lord is better than Nityas. So, there is none equal or superior to the Lord and so in Tamil, He can be called Sri Oppili realise (ஸ்ரீ ஒப்பிலி அப்பன்). This is what we are learning in this Chapter 9. Therefore, which other place can be more appropriate than Thiru Vinnagar(திரு விண்ணகர்), the abode of Sri Oppiliappan? We are now in the sannidhi of Sri Oppiliappan or Sri Uppiliappan (ஸ்ரீ உப்பிலி அப்பன்). This is a popular Kshetram near Kumbakonam. Thousands of devotees on normal days and lakhs of devotees on Saturdays and on Shravan days, come here and worship, Sri Lavana varjita Venkatesa Perumal (ஸ்ரீ லவண வர்ஜித பெருமாள்). Four Alwars have sung in praise of this Lord. This place is also called Akasa Nagar, Markandeya Kshetram and Thulasivanam. First, we go to the Pushkarini called Ahortahra Pushkarini.

AHORATHRI PUSHKARINI

 Aho is day and rathri is night; and so, whenever one bathes in this pond, one is blessed with all benefits. Vimanam is called Suddha Ananda vimanam.

SUDDHA ANANDA VIMANAM

 The Lord here is considered as the elder brother of Sri Srinivasa of Tirumala. So, many people submit their vows for Tirumala, here itself. In Tirumala the vimanam is Ananda Nilaya vimanam and here it is Suddha Ananda vimanam. Vin [விண்] in Tamil means sky or Akash. The Lord graces as He does in Sri Vaikuntam, which is Vinnagar. There are a few Vinnagars in the 108 Divya Desams. Kazhi Sri Rama vinnagar [காழிச் சீராம விண்ணகரம் Seerkazhi], Parameshvara vinnagar near Kanchipuram, Arimeya vinnagaram and Vaikuntha vinnagaram in Thirunangur [near Chidhambaram] and Nandipura vinnagaram [Nathan koil] near Kumbakonam. But this Kshetram is called simply Vinnagaram and this is unique. Like Viraja river flowing near Vaikuntam, here Dakshina Ganga is flowing.

 We will now see the Fifth sloka in Chapter 9.

na ca mat-sthani bhutani
pasya me yogam aishvaram
bhuta-bhrn na ca bhuta-stho
mamatma bhuta-bhavanah

"And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities and although I am everywhere, I am not a part of this cosmic manifestation, for My Self is the very source of creation."

Bhutani = all living beings, mat sthani na = do not reside in Me [Sri Krishna]. In the previous sloka, the Lord told that all living beings are residing in Him and now He says just the opposite, why? We see water in a pot or ghee in a container. We think pot is supporting the water or the container is supporting ghee. Similarly, if all living beings are residing in Him, then the Lord is supporting them. But we are unable to see or perceive that, as we see a pot or container supporting the material inside. So, what the Lord implies is we can not see or perceive that the Lord is, He is supporting all living beings. The Lord is supporting all by His will or sankalpam. He can do anything and everything by mere thoughts, which we can not. This is called Sankalpa shakti or the will power. This support is not physical as pot supporting water. Me yogam aiswaram = this great will power of Me [Sri Krishna], pasya = [you, Arjuna] can see. But just now we interpreted that His support is not visible; then how can Arjuna see? If the Lord desires to show, we can certainly see, and not by ourselves by our efforts. Here, it means Arjuna can understand and realize. The mind has more power and it can realise what the sense organs can not do. Arjuna wants further explanations on this power. Bhutabrit = [Sri Krishna] supports all living beings. Support also includes commanding and pervading. The Lord pervades inside all and is able to command and support. Na ca bhutastha = But [Sri Krishna] is not supported by all these living beings. That is the living beings are not supporting the Lord nor commanding Him. Normally, we think what is inside is supported by the outside one. A flower supports the bee inside. But here the Lord though inside all, is not supported by them. He is not dependent on them. The classic example is ourselves. Our body is supported by atman inside and atman is not dependent on the body. We see the body only and never atman. A minute atman is supporting the huge body. Arjuna might see all the living beings but it is the invisible He, Who supports all. Mama atma = My [Sri Krishna's] will power, bhuta bhavana = is responsible for the creation, sustaining, destroying, growing, living,etc., of all these living beings. The Lord is the Reason or Prime factor for all living beings' various activities including their creation and destruction. His willpower does all these. All are in Him and He is in all. But He supports all and commands all. Yet, He is invisible. Thus the Lord tells His greatness in the slokas 4 and 5. Nammalwar says that when he saw the Lord here, he saw pairs. He saw the pairs not seen in this universe together: poverty and wealth, enmity and friendship, poison and amrut [elixir]. But Alwar sees all these together in the all-pervading Lord. The pasuram nalguravum (நல்குரவும்  Tiruvaimozhi 6-3-10) (pasurams on this Kshetram), therefore, conveys the same meaning as in this sloka 5.

                                                                                                    (continued)