GITA 6.17

GITA 6.17

Sri Uyyavandha Nachiyar

To get salvation the only way is to have devotion in Archa moorthy [Idols] in various temples, says Thirumangai Alwar, who is given a unique position among all Alwars. He is the one, who has composed hymns on maximum number -86- kshetrams of the 108. Also among the 108 DivyaDesam, on 47 Kshetrams, he alone has praised in his pasurams. On the balance 61 kshetrams he and/or other Alwars have sung. When he visited Thirumeyyam, he offered his composition Thirukkurunthandakam. In the end of it, he says, among others, he who has devotion to this Kshetram, gets salvation. Others do not get salvation. Tamil word for salvation is Uyyal and the name of the Thayar of this Kshetram is Sri Uyyavanda Nachiyar or Sri Ujjeevana Nachiyar. So it is evident that those who seek asylum at Her feet will be salvaged. As we enter this temple, on the left is Sri Thayar sannidhi, facing the East. Today [17th January 2008] we will pray for Her blessings and with Her recommendation [Purushakaram], we will go to the Lord. On the left the Lord is in reclining pose. Right of Him is  Sri Satyamoorthy, in the standing pose.

 On further right we can worship the Sri Varaha Perumal on the banks of the Pushkarini. East of all, is the temple pond with all over compound walls. All are below the hills and on the top of the hills are fort and other buildings giving a wonderful sight.

 To preserve this monumental structure Archaeological Survey of India is maintaining all these. Sculptures are quite famous and with Her blessings we will go to sloka 16. In the 10th sloka Sri Krishna told the need to practice yoga. In the 11th and 12th slokas, He told how the external surroundings have to be. In the next two slokas, He told how to concentrate and focus eyes to start yoga. In the next sloka [15], He told that to make meditation successful, we have to think of the suddha satva guna embodiment -subhasrayam- of His image. In the next two slokas-16th and 17th - He is going to tell about another important aid to practice yoga. These two slokas are the most important and other aids are secondary only. Now, the 16th sloka:

naty-asnatas ’tu yogo ’sti
na caikantam anasnatah
na cati-svapna-silasya
jagrato naiva carjuna

There is no possibility of one's becoming a yogī, O Arjuna, if one eats too much, or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough.

"There is no possibility of one’s becoming a yogi, O Arjuna, if one eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough."

By repeating the word 'na', Sri Krishna negates certain things. He says about our food, sleep, movements and our work. Na = no, aty = excessive, asnata = eating, yogo = yoga, asti = can not be. He who eats excessively can not practice yoga. Na ca = and also no, ekantam = continuous or altogether, anasyata = fasting or not eating. Person, on the other hand, totally fasting and does not eat altogether, also will not be able to practice yoga. Na = no, ati = excessive, svapna silasya = person dreaming [actually this does not talk about dreams, but sleep], jagrato = always awake [ without a wink of sleep] , naiva ca = also not, Arjuna = Arjuna. Persons who are habitual of excessive sleep as also persons with no sleep altogether can not practice yoga. This implies that we have to have moderate food habits and timely and required sleep only. People normally think that yoga is very difficult to perform as it involves fasting and keeping awake for longtime, etc. Sri Krishna allays all these baseless fears and makes yoga practical for all ordinary people like us. It also does not mean that we continue with our bad habits. We have to progress and move forward, by slowly and steadily eliminating our defects. It is like the recurring deposits which fetch us good returns at the end of the term. Similarly, by improving our habits in a small way, we can achieve great results over a period. Vedas never advise wrong things nor advise for our ruin. It says to take ghee to prolong life. But in the modern times doctors advise us to reduce fat by eliminating ghee. These are to be critically examined and we have to alter our food habits to make us healthier and live longer. What use is there for milk without fat? It will be like having a flower without fragrance or  diamond without lustre. We have to use the objects for their natural properties. We have to follow the footsteps of our ancestors and take food accordingly and in that moderate way. In sleep also, a person may need 2 to 3 hours of deep sleep. But he needs to have the sleep with dreams as a prelude and so normally one sleeps for 6 hours or so. Sleep is needed to recharge all our organs. According to shastras, during deep sleep our Atman is in unison with the Lord and that rejuvenates our entire system. Only when our organs remain passive with mind still awake, we get sleep with dreams. When the mind also is passive, then we get the deep sleep and it recharges all our organs including our mind. Deep sleep is also called brahmanubhavam as the Atman is in unison with Paramatman. Late going to bed and late raising are not good for health. Waking up at least by 5 a.m. is good. 

                                                                               (continued)