GITA 5.20

GITA 5.20

We are at the river Dakshina Sindhu in Thirukkurungudi. Bathing ghat of this river is called Thirupparkadal. In the temple on the banks here, the Lord is called Thirupparkadal Nambi or Ksheerabdi Poorna Nathan in Sanskrit. Today's [13th December , 2007] lecture is from this temple. The Lord appears here as a Dwarf (Kural in Tamil), and so this place is called Thirukkurungudi. As told earlier, the Lord appears in Five places here and the Nambi in Thirupparkadal is the First. Nambi in Tamil means one full of [good] qualities. Corresponding female is called Nangai. The Lord is full of so many auspicious qualities that every devotee is totally absorbed in those qualities. Alwar says ' nambiyai, thenkurunkudi ninra achchempavala thigazhum thirumoorthiyai, umbar vanavar aadhiyen chothiyai, empirane! en solli marappeno". We will see the meaning of this pasuram and how this coincides with the 20th sloka we are to see today. Alwar gets into the Nayika bhava or assumes himself to be the sweet heart of the Lord and sings this pasuram. She [or he] is in deep love with the Lord. So, she is blabbering about the Lord and is ridiculed by her friends and neighbours. They persuade her to forget the Lord and mount accusations against the Lord and this pasuram answers every accusation. First they accuse, He has no qualities. But Alwar says Nambiyai, that is He is full of auspicious qualities. Then they charge that He is residing in the far off Vaikuntam. Alwar replies, no, He is here in Then Kurunkudi, just a stone throw distance from Alwar Thirunagari. But He is not beautiful and appears dark. Alwar says, no, He is so beautiful with lips resembling red corals and He, yes, though dark hued, is enchanting. His body is radiating brilliance. Rain bearing cloud is black, but brings happiness to all. Next, He is accused of having no illustrious status. After all He is after the Alwar and so He must be an ordinary person. Alwar refutes this by saying, He is worshiped by the Nityasooris or the gods of Vaikuntam. What a pride it is to be honoured like that! Such a great Person lowering Himself comes to the Alwar. Finally, He is accused of doing no good to Alwar. Refuting this Alwar calls Him as Piran, which means one who is always ready to help and support. So, en solli marappeno, how can she forget Him? Without seeing Him, even for a day one can not live - if this thought comes to anyone, then that one should be grateful to the Lord for having been blessed with such a quality! If we can always think of the Lord, then we will have no room for love or hatred for anything else in this world. This is the essence of this pasuram and this conveys the substance of 20th sloka:

na prahrsyet priyam prapya
nodvijet prapya capriyam
sthira-buddhir asammudho
brahma-vid brahmani sthitah
A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, unbewildered, and who knows the science of God, is to be understood as already situated in Transcendence.

"A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, who is unbewildered, and who knows Atman and God, has stabilized mind in it."

Brahma vid = jeevatman who has attained sama darshan and so is like the Brahman or Paramatman, brahmani sthitha = always thinking of that brahman [here Atman], sthira buddhi = unwavering knowledge [that Atman is eternal], asammudha= not thinking about the transient and destructible body. Person who has been guided by teachers about Atman's qualities and who always thinks of the greatness of Atman, attains Atman sakshatkaram. What is the eminence of such a person? Na prahrsyet = not dancing or shouting over the roof out of happiness, priyam prapya = just because he has got something to his liking, no dvijet = nor brooding over or heart broken for, apriyam ca prapya = something he got not to his liking. Because he has had Atman sakshatkaram, he is inert to anything happening be it for or against his liking. We can see that this attitude comes to us sometimes. A child likes toy, but after he has grown up same toy will not be liked by him or at least he will be indifferent to it. In cold places we may like warm clothing, but same clothes will be hated in warm places. Our likes change with time and place. Because the mind has changed. Therefore, likes for worldly matters change. By involving our mind in Atman and in God, we can avoid the so called depression, which we very frequently hear. We can steer our mind form transient and changing desires and concentrate on the eternal Atman. Atman darshan will make us not to think of anything else.

                                                                                 (continued)      

GITA 5.19

GITA 5.19

Out of the 108 Divya Desams in Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam,18 are in Pandya region.

We call the Almighty or Paramatman as Sri Vishnu and the followers or devotees are called Vaishnava. But, have we ever heard of calling Sri Vishnu Himself as Vaishnava? Yes, the Lord of Thirukkurungudi, from where today's [12th December,2007] lecture is made, is called Vaishnava Nambi. This Kshetram is at a distance from Nanguneri or Vanamamalai, which is on the route from Tirunelveli to Nagarkoil. This is also a Sri Varaha Kshetram. In Varaha purana, this place is mentioned in the story of Nampaduvan. First we will visit some of the important places around this place, but outside the temple. Here the Lord is addressed as Sri Nambi and He is gracing in Five images - on top of the hill, in Thirupparkadal, in standing, sitting and reclining postures. How Sri Vishnu came to be called Vaishnava? The Lord is called Vaishnava Vamanan and Swami Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar says ' Ruchi janaka vibhava lavanyo vaishnava vamanathilay poornam'. The stream is starting from the hills where Sri MalaimelNinra Nambi is gracing and so the stream is called Nambiaaru. 

Nambiyaaru

The spot from where today's lecture is there, the stream surrounds a circular rock, like a garland. This rock is aptly called Thiru Vattapparai. Once Swami Ramanuja was in Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum] in Kerala, to worship Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy. There the temple pooja were done by Namboodri Brahmins according to their customs. Swami Ramanuja wanted to change it. Namboodris prayed Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy to ensure that no change was done by Swami Ramanuja. The Lord's intention also was not to change and so instead of telling Swami Ramanuja not to make any changes, the Lord by a miracle shifted Swami Ramanuja, after he went to sleep, from Thiruvananthapuram to Thirukkurungudi. When Swami Ramanuja as usual woke up in the next morning he found himself on this Thiru Vattapparai. We can see Sri Ramanuja sannidhi here.

He had a disciple with him called Swami Vaduka Nambi or Andhra Poorna, who used to assist his Acharya with all errands like bringing the Thirumann and Sri Choornam. Swami Ramanuja wondering how the place got changed from Thiruvananthapuram, called for Vaduka Nambi. Since the actual Vaduka Nambi was still at Thiruvananthapuram, searching for his Acharya, the Lord of this place appeared as [duplicate] Vaduka  . This He did because the Lord was so pleased to see Swami Ramanuja spreading devotion and bhakti all over and He thought this was a good opportunity to serve Swami Ramanuja. Swami Ramanuja, not suspecting any play by the Lord, thought that his own disciple Vaduka Nambi was there and he took services of the 'Duplicate' Vaduka Nambi. To mark this incident, Swami Ramanuja and the Lord serving him as duplicate Vaduka Nambi are sculpted here and there is aTulsi plant nearby.

 Swami Ramanuja, then wanted to worship the Lord in the temple and as he proceeded to the temple, the duplicate Vaduka Nambi also followed. But just before Swami Ramanuja entered the sanctus sanctorum or Garbha gruha, the duplicate Vaduka Nambi disappeared. Swami Ramanuja then realized what all had happened and so the Lord is called Sri Vaishnava Nambi, as He served Swami Ramanuja as a disciple.

Now we will see the 19th sloka:

ihaiva tair jitah sargo
yesham samye sthitam manah
nirdosam hi samam brahma
tasmad brahmani te sthitah

Those whose minds are established in sameness and equanimity have already conquered the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless like Brahman, and thus they are already situated in Brahman.

"Those whose minds are established in sameness and equanimity have already conquered the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless like Brahman, and thus they are already situated in Brahman."

The Lord explains further sama darshan [equal view]. Arjuna thought that it might take very long time for a Karma yogi to get Atman sakshatkaram, when sama darshan would be felt. But Sri Krishna allays that fear and says in this sloka that Atman sakshatkaram and sama darshan will be reached while taking efforts in Karma yoga itself. Yesham = those living being or Atman, mana = mind, samye = in sama darshan, sthitham = get stabilized, tair = such persons or Atman [who have realized sama darshan], sarga = this created samsaram, ihaiva = in this effort in Karma yoga itself, jita = is won over. So, he, who has the determined mind to see all Atman as one and the same, conquers samsaram while taking efforts to practice Karma yoga. All great Acharyas like Swami Shankaracharya, Swami Ramanuja or Swami Madhwacharya, have all lived in this same samsaram as we are in this Kali yug. We are afraid of this samsaram, but these great persons conquered it here itself. It does not mean reaching Vaikuntam. But Sri Krishna tells ihaiva, which means that as the Karma yoga is practiced. Swan has an unique feature. It lives mostly in marsh, but its feet are so designed that they will never dip into the marsh and it will walk on the surface. Lotus leaf never gets wet in spite of being in water. These great persons also like these examples, conquered the samsaram from within. Brahma = here it means that Atman which has attained Atman sakshatkaram. It is nirdosha = blemishless. Which blemish? Related to body or prakruti or the beginningless karma, are all blemishes. Here this Jeevatman is realizing that he is different from the body and that Atman is an embodiment of Gyana, and so all Atman are equal. Therefore this Atman is blemishless. Samam = in this status Atman realizes equality of all Atman. That is why Brahma here denotes that enlightened Atman. Normally, Brahma denotes the Paramatman, because He has no blemish and for Him all are equal. Here this Jeevatman has attained that stage and so this Atman could be called Brahman. Tasmad = therefore, Te = those persons, sthitham = stabilize in, Brahmani = Brahmam. This Karma yogi while practicing and taking efforts, realizes that all are same, or has got sama darshan, and so this Atman gets stabilized in equality and , therefore, in Brahman.

                                                                                          (comyinued)

GITA 5.18

GITA 5.18

Nammalwar says that Thirumaliruncholai gets water from the clouds. In Thirukkurunthandakam, Thirumangai Alwar tells that the forest here is so dense that if the Sun rays have to penetrate, they have to take the permission of the hill. Today's [11th December, 2007] lecture is from the domain of Sri Kattazhagar temple, near Srivilliputhur. It was earlier mentioned that this place is also called Senbaga Thoppu [grove of senbaga trees]. When we see the hill behind, we remember the incident of Sri Krishna hoisting the Govardana hill to protect the people from the fury of Indra. This should induce the feeling that He protects us and we are not doing anything, but the Lord uses us as tools to do His action. If that so, we may wonder, why all these miseries for us? But we have to expend the beginningless papa/punya acquired in infinite births. These papa/ punya reduce the power of knowledge [Gyana] of atman. With such reduced or diminished knowledge, Atman resides in a body and assumes that it is the body in which it is resident and expend its papa/ punya. If good karma is done, punya is acquired and bad actions result in papa acquisition. This account is maintained and with a body, happiness for punya and miseries for papa are experienced. Therefore, Atman is natural and body is artificial or alien to the Atman. In Vaikuntam, this Atman will get a superior body - not made of this five elements [space,air, fire, water and earth] and the associated disadvantages like disease, hunger, thirst, sleep, etc. With that superior body, there is no more return to the birth-death cycles. This is called Moksham, which can be attained either by Atman sakshatkaram or Paramatman sakshatkaram.
 In Six Chapters Atman sakshatkaram is discussed. From the Seventh Chapter, Bhakti approach for Paramatman sakshatkaram will be discussed. It is like climbing two steps or climbing two hills. In the 17th sloka we saw what steps were needed for Atman darshan, viz : Determination, mindful of Atman sakshatkaram, ceaseless efforts and unwavering objective. Now, after attaining Atman sakshatkaram what type of experience we will get? This is explained in the 18th sloka:

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste] 

The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].

Sama darshan [identical view] is the result of Atman sakshatkaram. That is seeing all as equal, because Atman is same in all. Differences arise because of the body, and sans body, Atman is same in all. Gyani views all as equal. It is not simple as it appears. To reach this level one has to struggle hard. Brahmane = one who has perceived Brahman or Paramatman. Here we have to make two categories, vidya vinaya sampanne brahmane and kevala brahmane. Vidya = well learned and cultured, vinaya = humility as a result of such learning, sampanne = filled or containing, brahmane = Brahmin. Kevala = without all these learning and with no culture, but having the sacred thread on the chest to show one as brahmin. Between these two no difference should be seen. Gavi = cow, hasti = elephant, between these two also no difference should be observed. Suni = dog, sva-pake = one who eats cooked dog meat, between these two also one should not see difference. Panditha = learned persons, sama darsana = will have identical view [on all the three pairs mentioned]. Here, Sri Krishna calls the one who has got Atman sakshatkaram as Panditha, who will see no difference between educated and uneducated, cow and elephant and an animal and a person who eats that animal. Physically all are different. But to observe all are same [with respect to Atman ] is the characteristic of Atman sakshatkaram. Person who sees the pure, knowledge-full and bliss-full Atman in all bodies, is panditha. These three pairs of examples show a pattern. First is education wise difference. Second is difference by size or by appearance. Third is a creature and another who uses it as an utility. So one who discards difference due to knowledge, appearance, utility, place and time, and sees the Atman as same in all, is called a panditha, who has reached Atman sakshatkaram stage. This will be reached depending on our efforts and so it can occur in youth or old age. Sage Sukha, observed plants and animals as equal to him. When the village chief reports that the paddy cultivated in the village as equal it means the same variety has been harvested, though the quantities may vary with every farmer in the village. So differences by species, caste, culture, country or sex are body based and every Atman is identical in each of the body. Body is to expend the accumulated papa/punya, and by presuming that to be Atman, makes one to indulge in karmas that result in continuing in the birth-death cycle and undergo more and more rebirths. How can we ignore the differences that are perceptible? Yes, we can not deny the physical differences, but we have to see from a higher platform. Just as there are so many provinces in our country, which are different in language, culture and habits, but still we see all as one representing India, as single country. Similarly, here also Atman should not think the differing physical and other differences as representing Atman. If we do not do that, then we will continue to do what we are and we can not escape birth cycle and the miseries of samsaram. But to come out of this cycle, we have to consider all are having the same Atman and so all are equal. This attitude will derive peace and tranquility all over. So we have to strive for Atman sakshatkaram. Yuha gyanam is understanding all are having identical Atman and so all are equal. This is the attitude of panditha. With such persons there will not be disputes arising out of religion or caste or creed.

                                                                                                 (continued)

GITA 5.17

GITA 5.17

Maliruncholai near Srivilliputhur

Kattazhagar Sri Sundararaja Perumal

The Lord tries many ways to attract us to Him. Among them is His enchanting beauty in Archavatara. The Hills of Sri Kattazhagar are most beautiful. This is also called Shenbaga Thoppu, Dharmadri or Varaha Kshetram. In the hills three streams are flowing amidst herbal plants. So, this is a good place for health. All these plants are growing by the grace of God. According to ayurveda,our body has swasam, pittham and kabham. When all these three are equal our health is normal. But if anyone is in excess, then we get disease and the herbal plants are useful to cure those diseases. By breathing the air here, by bathing in this Noopura ganga and by devotion to the Lord here, we get good health and mental peace. We were fortunate to get the gracing of the three Azhagars - Sri Koodal Azhagar, Sri Azhagar of Thirumaliruncholai and Sri Kattazhagar, like the three streams here.

 We will now see the 17th sloka. Here He sets up a stairway for Atman darshan:

tad-buddhayas tad-atmanas
tan-nisthas tat-parayanah
gacchanty apunar-avrttim
jnana-nirdhuta-kalmasah

When one's intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation.

"When one’s intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation."

Apunar avritti is atman sakshatkaram. Because it is not-to-be-reborn. Jnana = by this knowledge of Atman, kalmasha = beginningless papa/punya which have got accumulated, nirdutha = get destroyed, and so he reaches a meritorious status and gets Atman sakshatkaram. To reach this position, one has to take efforts and Sri Krishna tells the stairway. Tad buddhaya = concentrating his knowledge in Atman sakshatkaram or resoluteness. This resolution or vow is necessary to start any work. So we have to collect lots of information about the work we want to take up. We also should know the disadvantages of those against the action we want to take up. Here we want to get Atman sakshatkaram, and so we should know the greatness of Atman and the inferiority about body. Just like physically challenged persons are resolved to achieve in life, we should have resoluteness in Atman sakshatkaram. Tad atmana = concentrating on Atman. Only a continuous thinking and pondering will overcome all obstacles. Tad nishta = by untiring efforts. For achieving anything we have to make sincere and ceaseless efforts. Once there was a guru and a disciple. One day the Guru asked him to fetch water for drinking and there was a bamboo basket only. Disciple tried to bring water in the basket, but before he could come near the guru all water got drained. He again went near the river and again tried, and all the water drained off. After a dozen efforts, the disciple got tired and told he was unsuccessful. But the guru, encouraged him saying that his efforts were never in vain and though he could not fetch water, the basket has become clean. So efforts will reward with results. Here also, the efforts will slowly eradicate the huge papa we have accumulated over infinite births. Tad parayana = by having Atman sakshatkaram as the goal and never for a moment changing or drifting away from that determination. So the steps are:

• Resolution
• mindful
• ceaseless efforts
• unwavering objective

Such a person when he does Karma yoga without aspiring for inferior rewards, will find his Gyana blossoming fully, with all his papa being destroyed, he will reach Atman sakshatkaram which will enable him to have no more births, that is, he will attain Moksham.
                                                                                            (continued)

GITA 5.16

GITA 5.16

Pancha Garuda sevai with Sri Andal on Hamsa vahanam on Tiruvadipooram Festival

Today's [7th December, 2007] lecture is from the temple of Sri Kattazhagar, near Srivilliputhur. During the Thiruvadipooram festival in Srivilliputhur, Sri Kattazhagar Sri Sundararaja Perumal along with four Lords of other temples bless the devotees from Garuda vahanam. Other Four Lords are the Lord at Thiruvannamalai [near Srivilliputhur], Utsavar in Sri Vatapathrasayi temple, the Lord of Thiruthangal and Sri Rangamannar. All the Five Lords are seated on their Garuda vahanam and Sri Andal on Hamsa vahanam. It is a rare sight.

 Now we will see the 16th sloka. In the last sloka, Sri Krishna told that Atman can not cause sorrow or happiness in others. Atman can not remove the sins of the close kith and kin nor the happiness of enemies could be prevented. Because these are all body related and the Atman changes residence in every birth. So Atman is not the doer or Atman is akartha. Akartrutva   anusandhanam has to be understood properly. If a person's child scores very little marks in the exam, the person is affected and naturally he admonishes the child, so that the child realizes and makes greater effort to score good marks next time. This person now travels in a train and seated in front of him is another family and he understands that their child has scored very badly in the exam. During the travel, this family makes friendship with the person. This friendship will cease after the parties get down at their destination and so the friendship may last a day or two only. Yet, the person never advises the child of this family for the low marks he obtained in the exam. Because, this person thinks he is with them for maximum a day or two only, and so does not want to participate in their happiness or sorrow. But with his own child and other family members, the person thinks he will be with them for , may be 60 years, and so he thinks he has to participate in their welfare and difficulties and help them. So this 'my' feeling with our own kith and kin, and an indifferent attitude with others are clearly experienced. Reason being that the kith and kin are with us for longer time, like 60 years, while others are transient and may be for a few days only. But if we impartially see and extrapolate the transient friendship, we can understand that after all the 60 years association with our kin is very small, in the total existence of this soul, which could be millions and millions of years and out of which in this birth these are our kin for 60 years or so. In fact in the last birth, the present kin might not have been related and they could have been totally different from us. So present relatives are not related to Atman but to this body only. If we consider the Atman's various births as a travel, then in this part of the journey, these are presently related, just as we had friendship with a few in our train travel. Whether I get another train journey or the present train friends are going to alight down now, will enable me to have new friends and travel goes on. Therefore, how can Atman be connected with the relatives or with the karma we do with this body? Just as we did not take any effort for the train friend's child to procure higher marks, because we thought that was not our concern. Similarly, in our action also we should be detached from the results. Does it mean that we need not take any responsibility for our kith and kin and keep aloof? Does it mean that we renounce all our duties and be away from all? We have to note very carefully that only this thought that our Atman is not connected with the kin or the karma, should be there. The thought that 'I-am-doing' has to be only discarded. But we have to continue with our duties and responsibilities as a family member or a member of the society and country. We should always remember that the basic advise in Gita is to do our duties and not run away from them. Arjuna was prevented from running away from the battlefield. In every family, all have to work as a team. But we have to perform our duties without the feeling that 'I-am-doing'. We think that we are doing the karma and that is the reason all papa/ punya affect us. By the 16th sloka Sri Krishna tells how one could get out of this thought. In Sri Vishnu Purana, sage Parashara, explains that there are three powers controlling our actions. One is the Power of Sri Vishnu, the Almighty. Second is the power of the Atman and the third is the power of avidya or karma. With the power of Sri Vishnu shakti [power], this Atman should reach the Lotus feet of the Lord in Vaikuntam. But this is prevented by the pressure of avidya. Avidya is the papa-punya collected, in the infinite births. Atman shakti is prevented from making any effort to realize its power, and join Sri Vishnu shakti, by the avidya shakti. If only this avidya cover is cleared, Atman gradually flourishes and reaches Sri Vishnu shakti. Now the 16th sloka:

jnanena tu tad ajnanam
yesham nasitam atmanah
tesham aditya-vaj jnanam
prakasayati tat param

When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nascience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime.

"When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nascence is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime."

Yesham = those Atman or creatures, atmana jnanena = knowledge about Atman or soul, nasitam = destroys, ajnanam = the beginning less papa/punya. These papa/ punya only prevent our Atman in flourishing. The gyana about the Atman destroys this avidya. In the entire Fourth Chapter, Sri Krishna has been telling the need to properly understand the Atman. The need to understand that Atman is not body and Atman is not the doer -akartrutva anusandhanam. We have to do our duties without the feeling that we-are-doing, and this way the Karma yoga is practiced and it destroys the papa/punya like a fire. Tesham = such persons [who have got the papa/punya destroyed], aditya vaj = like the Sun, prakasayati = understands clearly all or the Atman is in its original brilliance, like the Sun. Our Atman is surrounded by karma. Only because this karma is there, the Atman gets a body and could enjoy or suffer the results of punya or papa. This makes the Atman to remain in samsaram. Here only Sri Krishna told that by using the Gyana as a boat Atman crosses the samsaram ocean or with Gyana as fire, the papa is reduced to ashes. Just like the Sun having the inherent brightness, Atman has the inherent knowledge to see all in their true forms, but like the cloud blocking the Sun rays, avidya has been covering Atman and so Atman could not have that knowledge. Karma yoga like the wind blowing off the clouds and the Sun's full brilliance is realized, drives away the avidya and Atman has the Gyana restored. This gyana is param or supreme says the Lord. Atman is not the body, but now residing in the present body. Assigned duties have to be performed with the Atman gyana. Arjuna forgot his kshatriya dharma of protecting his subjects, but thought he is going to kill Bheeshma and Drona and so this advice from Sri Krishna became necessary. Because it is so difficult to bring to practice the Atman and body relationship , Sri Krishna is repeatedly advising Arjuna from various angles.

                                                                                         (continued)