BHAGAVADGITA: June 2015

Saturday, June 20, 2015

GITA 7.10

GARUDA SEVAI.

We are in Nachiarkoil, one of the 40 Chola region Divya Desams. The Lord is called Sri Naraiyurninra Nambi and Sri Srinivasan. He graces the devotees along with Sri Vanjulavalli Thayar. The river Kaveri, flows through forests, where elephants and lions fight each other. So the river carries with it, broken tusks of elephants and teeth and nails of lions. All these are brought and en route get deposited in this Kshetram. So says Thirumangai Alwar. Also are deposited pearls, gold, sandal wood and other precious trees. This shows the prosperity of the place. Today's [20th March 2008] lecture is just at the entrance of the last landing place in the stairs of the temple.

Lecturer at the entrance to the worshiping place

Sri Thayar and the Lord

As mentioned earlier, Sri Vanjulavalli Thayar is at the centre and She alone graces along with the Lord. To Her left are Sri Srinivasan, Sri Aniruddhan, Sri Pradyumnan and Sri Purushottaman. On Her right are Sri Sankarshanan and Sri Brahma. Here it is believed that Sri Brahma does the pooja and so it is customary for the Archakas, to take permission of Sri Brahma before starting pooja. The idols are very large and are made of salagrama. The Lord, thus, graces in His five forms. Utsavar is Sri Srinivasan or Sri Naraiyurninra Nambi. He is also gracing with Sri Vanjulavalli Thayar, in a wedding pose.

Sri Vanjulavalli Thayar and Sri Naraiyurninra Nambi

To marry Sri Thayar, the Lord came from Vaikuntam, riding on His vahanam Garuda. It is the belief here that prayer, for marriage of the near and dear ones, to the Lord and Garuda, will be blessed. Thursdays are very important here [the recording of the lecture was on a Thursday and the telecasting also was today, being Thursday!!]. Thirumangai Alwar narrates an episode in the pasurams on this Kshetram. There lived here, a male bee, Alavan and a female bee, Nalli, which was in the family way. Alavan wanted to fulfill the desires of Nalli, which wanted honey. Alavan wanted to please its spouse and so went in search of honey. It was evening and it started gathering honey from a lotus flower. Before it could finish, dusk set in and so the lotus flower closed its petals and Alavan was trapped inside. It could come out only next morning when Sun rose. Hurriedly, Alavan got back to Nalli with the gathered honey. Since it was inside the flower all night, it was smeared with the yellow pollens. Seeing Alavan with yellow pollens on the body, Nalli thought Alavan was with another female last night and so refused to let Alavan inside the hive! Alwar narrates this to describe the wealth of the place. When this pasuram was explained by Swami Parasara Bhattar, his disciple Swami Nanjeer, requested to clarify a point. He felt that the wife Bee appeared to be too cruel to drive the male bee Alavan, without even enquiring and summarily shutting the door. For this, Swami Bhattar replied that it was because of the peculiarity of the place. That is, this Kshetram being dominated by Sri Thayar, the law is one sided and females have the upper hand!

We also with the support of Sri Nambikkai Nachiyar, confidently approach the Lord and He will have to listen to Her recommendation!! The lesson we derive from this Kshetram is, for a happy family, only one wife and one husband are to be strictly followed. We will now see the sloka 8. From 8th sloka to 11th sloka, four slokas, convey a message. He is going to tell that the qualities which are attributed to various objects and persons, are all His. Earlier He told,

All Achits are His property
All Chits [Atman] are His property
All created cause and effects, are all His property
None is equal or above Him in any of His qualities
He is the Creator and, at the great deluge, all merge in Him
All things perceived in the Universe are supported by Him, like a thread supporting pearls and studs in a necklace.

Arjuna got a doubt here. We normally seek various things for their special qualities, like sandal paste for fragrance, fire for its ability to cook, water as it quenches our thirst, etc. Then, how Sri Krishna tells that He should be sought after for all needs? Also it is common to see that the means and objectives are different. We take a road to reach a destination. We use a vehicle for our conveyance. How then, Sri Krishna tells that He is the Means and He is the Destination? Sri Krishna replies these:

raso ’ham apsu kaunteya
prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh
pranavah sarva-vedesu
shabdah khe paurusam nrsu

O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.

"O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability of man in all humans."

Kaunteya = Son of Kunthi, [understand], aham = I [Sri Krishna] am, apsu = in water, raso = taste, sasi = in moon, suryayo = and in the Sun, prabhasmi = [am] light, sarva vedesu = in all Vedas, pranava = Pranavam [AUM], khe = in sky or space, shabda = sound, nrusu = in human beings, paurusam = man power. So Sri Krishna is the taste in water, light in the Sun and Moon, Pranavam in Vedas, sound in space and Male power among all human kind. Thus all items we see and seek them for their special qualities, are all He or His qualities only. So we have to approach Him only. Every item is mentioned and their special qualities which make us to seek them and Sri Krishna tells all are He only.

(continued)

GITA 7.9

pavvan^eerudai aadaiyaagac chuRRip* paaragalam thiruvadiyaap pavanammeyyaa*
chevvimaa thiramettum thOLaa* aNdam thirumudiyaa ninRaanpaal chellukiRpeer*
kavvaimaa kaLiRunthi viNNiyERRa* kazhalmannar maNimudimEl kaakamERa*
theyvavaaL valankoNda chOzhan chErntha* thirun^aRaiyoor maNimaadam chErmin_kaLE. (6.6.3)

SRI VANJULAVALLI SAMETHA SRI SRINIVASAN [THIRUNARAIYUR]

This pasuram is from Periya Tirumozhi. We are in this Kshetram known as Thirunaraiyur, Sugandhagiri or Nachiyar Koil. Thirumangai Alwar composed 100 pasurams on this Kshetram. He reiterates an Historical event in these pasurams. 'Kocchenganar serndha koil', 'deiva vaazh valamkonda chozhan serndha koil'. There was a Chola king Kocchenganar, also known as Cholanayanar. He faced many defeats in battles and not knowing what to do, came to this Kshetram and after bathing in the pushkarini [temple pond], prayed the Lord. He got a divine sword and with that sword he conquered all. Today's [19th March 2008] lecture is from the Pushkarini.

It is known as Manimuthaa. There lived a sage Medhavi, who meditated on the banks of this pond after bathing. His objective was that Sri Thayar should be born to him as his Daughter. Conceding to his prayers, Sri Thayar appeared as a child under a vanjula tree. The sage was very happy and brought up the Child as his daughter and christened Her as Sri Vanjulavalli. The Lord also came down as Sri Srinivasa and married Her. They grace the devotees in the wedding pose. Here, the Lord appears with a single Consort, Sri Vanjulavalli Thayar, on His right side. Once Garuda carried a diamond studded Crown -Vairamudi- and searched for a suitable idol of the Lord. One pearl fell down in this pond from that Crown and so this pushkarini is known as Manimuthaa. Incidentally, today's sloka 7 also is about studs or pearls or mani:

mattah parataram nanyat
kincid asti dhananjaya
mayi sarvam idam protam
sutre mani-gana iva

O conquerer of wealth [Arjuna], there is no Truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.

"O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread."

In the last sloka Sri Krishna told that He was responsible for Creation and obliteration of all without any exception. He also said that all chit and achit were His properties. He said these to emphasize His greatness, so that we develop devotion in Him. Also, we understand that we are all His belongings and so it is our duty to please our Master. Knowing His auspicious qualities and involving ourselves in enjoying those, become our objective. He is the Means and He is the Destiny. Dhanajaya = conqueror of wealth. Here, the Lord calls Arjuna by this name with a wink in the eyes, that Arjuna [as also we] thinks that he conquers and possesses wealth; but forgets that all are His property and nothing could be claimed as Arjuna's or our property. Matta = from Me [Sri Krishna], anyat = different, kincid = anyone, parataram = superior in qualities, nasti = is not there. None of all we see and feel, objects, persons and souls, different from Sri Krishna, not even a single item, is superior to Sri Krishna in qualities. Sri Krishna is the Supreme and superior to all, without exception. Idam sarvam = all these perceptible and Atman, mayi = in Me [Sri Krishna], mani gana iva protam = like assembly of studs or pearls, sutre = secured by a thread [in a neck lace]. Swami Vedantha Desika in his Tatparya Chandrika has commented on this with his unique intelligence. Why should Sri Krishna use this example [of pearls assembled by thread in a necklace] here. Nothing different from the Lord is superior to Him in any qualities such as Gyana, strength, wealth, Power, courage and brightness. There is none equal or superior to Him . No objects or Atman or gods. Upanishads say ' na tad samasya abhya vidat ca vrucyate'. There is no one equal or superior to Him. One of the neighboring Kshetrams is Oppiliappan Koil, aka Thiruvinnagaram. Tirumangai Alwar says oppilada Appan - Incomparable Lord. This is what is meant in this sloka also. We understand by this that our Master is matchless. We get the confidence that we are with the greatest Person, having no comparison. Here Sri Thayar is called Sri Nambikkai Nachiyar [nambikkai= confidence]. We are not the servants of some Tom, Dick and Harry; but the Most Superior Person. The Lord is known as Nambi, meaning full of qualities. Sri Thayar is full of mercy and the pond is full of sacred water. He has all auspicious qualities in abundance and complete and there is none equal to Him to possess any qualities. So we can confidently attach ourselves to Him. He says He is thread in all animate and inanimate - chits and achits - and appear as a garland or necklace. Thread supports an assembly of pearls or studs. A single thread is keeping all the pearls together. While we see all pearls and studs, we never see the thread inside. Like pearls or studs are in great number but thread being one, we are all in great number, but are all supported by a single entity - the Lord. We see the pearls but not the thread; likewise we see all the objects and persons but not the Lord. Though the thread appears to be slender and the studs appear bigger, it is the thread which supports the studs. He supports and sustains every soul.

(continued)

GITA 7.8

We have now reached an important Kshetram connected with Creation. We have seen that all Achits and Chits are His belongings. Though all creations are done by Him, there is someone to motivate Him. He creates, so that all Atman should, by practicing Karma yoga or Gyana yoga or Bhakti yoga, reach Vaikuntam and avoid miseries of birth-death cycles. That is His goodwill for Creations. In His efforts towards this noble objective, Sri Mahalakshmi Thayar is the Motive force behind. For any child the Mother's affection will be much more than Father's affection. A mother will forgive all wrongs of the child and shower her affection and bring up the child. The Lord has both Mercy and displeasure at the sins being committed by Atman. But Sri Thayar has only Mercy for us. She never gets angry at our faults. Alwars therefore, took refuge in Her mercy. They approached the Lord with the recommendation of Sri Thayar. To get Her approval and nod, the Lord creates all the Universe. This is the true meaning of Creation. Despite this, in almost all temples, the Lord is prominent and Sri Thayar is sidelined. Offerings are first made to the Lord and then only to Sri Thayar. In processions in festivals also, the Lord is in the front and Sri Thayar follows behind. But we have seen that, it is because of Sri Thayar, we are all able to approach Him and He creates this Universe for Her pleasure. Then why prominence is not accorded to Sri Thayar in temples? The Lord is called Ingitha paradheenan - that is He depends on Her nod or approval for everything. So says Swami Koorathalvan. This may be a botheration to many. But in three Divya Desam, this practice of according prominence to the Lord is abandoned, and instead, Sri Thayar is given the prominence. One is Thiruvellarai, near Srirangam, which we have already visited. Sridevi Nachiyar is predominant. Next is Srivilliputhur, aka as Nachiar Thiru Maligai. Sri Bhoodevi appeared as Sri Andal and She is Primary in that temple. The Third temple is Thirunaraiyur or Nachiyar koil or Sugandhagiri, one of the Divya Desam in Chola region.

Sri Vanjulavalli Thayar

This is neighboring Thirucherai, we visited last. In the garbagruha, Sri Thayar is in the Centre and the Lord is on the side. So, when we visit we can see Sri Thayar prominently. Here all offerings are first made to Sri Thayar and then only to the Lord. Even in procession, She is in the front and the Lord follows Her. In olden days, normally wife will take food after the husband had taken. Whenever, wife takes food earlier than husband, people used to ask whether Nachiyarkoil custom is followed?! Thirumangai Alwar has dedicated 100 pasurams for this Kshetram in his Periya Thirumozhi and the entire Periya Thirumadal is dedicated to this Kshetram only. This temple is constructed in an unique way, with first some steps followed by landing space. Then again some more steps and landing space.

Inside View of Nachiyar Koil

Thus the Lord Sri Srinivasa is gracing on a hill top. Alwar calls Him as Nambi, meaning Flawless or Complete [Poorna].

In Gita also we are progressing on steps, Karma yoga, Gyana yoga and Bhakti yoga. Invoking His blessings we will now see the 6th sloka.

etad-yonini bhutani
sarvanity upadharaya
aham krtsnasya jagatah
prabhavah pralayas tatha
Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for certain that I am both its origin and dissolution.

"All created beings have their source in these two natures [ chit and achit]. Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for certain that I am both the origin and the dissolution."

This sloka is a continuation of the last two slokas. The Lord said that all Achit, spread as eight entities, are His. Then, He further said that all Chit, that is Atman, are also His belonging. He, by sankalpam or a decision to create, creates and this is called samashti srushti. It means all are separate but integrated in a subtle form with no separate name or form. It is called nama roopa vipaga anarham. This is called samashti srushti. The Lord's body has transformed into all these achits and chits. These become the raw materials. All are in subtle form [sookshmam]. Now He says the vyakti srushti or gross creations are also His. Various names like Brahma. Shiva, Indra, Varuna, Soorya, etc., are going to be assigned to each creation. Shapes and sizes will be formed. Reptiles, birds, animals, etc., will be formed. So names and forms will be assigned to these creations. Etad = whatever [He, the Lord] told in the last two slokas, yonnini = as raw materials or cause, Sarvani = all these which are perceptible [both inanimate objects and living beings], bhoothani = these objects, upadharaya = understand as My [Sri Krishna's] belonging. So all effects or gross creations in sthoola [perceptible] forms, are His and the raw materials or cause which are in subtle form are also His. Mud or gold is raw material or cause. Pots or ornaments are effects. The Lord says the cause and effects both are His belongings. Bhootha means, all from Brahma to a small grass, which all have a name. We should here clearly note that the achit and chit, which are in sookshma form, by themselves can not transform to become the gross product like Brahma or a tree. It is the Lord by His decision or sankalpam, transforms the raw sookshma materials to the end gross or sthoola product. So He is the Prime cause and His body gets transformed into the sthoola and sookshma forms and so He is also the Effect. Aham = [such a great] I [Sri Krishna] am, krtsnasya jagata = entire Universe without any exception, prabhava = the Cause for creation, tatha = and, pralaya = for merging of all. That is, in Pralaya or great deluge, all these objects, which have a name and form, merge and are within the Lord in a subtle form. When all are formed and get a name and form, the Lord is the cause for Creation. God is the Cause and He is the end product. At every stage He is there and all are associated with Him.

(continued)

GITA 7.7

Today's [17th March 2008] lecture is from the sannidhi of Alwars and Acharyas in the temple of Sri Saranatha Perumal at Thirucherai. Nammalwar, Madurakavi Alwar, Thirumangai Alwar, Swami Ramanuja and Swami Manavala Mamunigal are gracing from here. Thirumangai Alwar desired to be with the devotees of this Kshetram and wanted to be at the feet of the devotees. In the garbha gruha we see Mother Kaveri and sage Markandeya.

Markanteya and Kaveri with Sri Saranatha Perumal

Markandeya was responsible to persuade the King of Chola to worship the Lord here for progeny. Later, their desires fulfilled, the Kings have donated large wealth and got many constructions made.

We will now proceed to the 5th sloka of Chapter 7. Sri Krishna told that [moola] prakruti, branches into Eight entities and all such Achits are His property. This moola prakruti is in the Body of the Lord and He transforms it to create the entire Universe. Here, one doubt may arise, that normally Brahma is associated with creations in this world. It is clarified that upto certain stage Sriman Narayana is the Creator and from that stage Brahma takes over, with the supervision of Sriman Narayana. This is clear from Upanishads. 'Yatova imani bhoothani jayante | yena jatani jivanti | yatra yam tam vishanti | tad vidigyastha tva | tad brahmeti| ' - "understand That as Brahmam, from Which entire Universe emerges and in Which all merge and Which is the Cause for sustaining all". Brahmam [or the Lord] first decides [sankalpam] to create and so He Himself transforms into the Universe. All the 24 entities we saw earlier are part of Him. Moola prakruti slowly gets transformed into various entities such as mahaan, ahankaram, pancha bhootham, etc. Like the seed gives rise to germination, tender shoot, branches, leaves, etc. Till all these 24 entities are created, Sriman Narayana is directly involved in the Creation. This is called samashti srushti. With moolaprakruti, bunches of Atman [jeevatman] will be sticking. All the 24 entities are all achit or without intellect [inanimate]. All the billions and billions of Atman are Chit and they possess intellect. At the beginning of the end of pralayam or the great deluge, all Atman are sticking to various achit entities in bunches. After all the 24 entities are fully developed, the Lord creates andam or a globe consisting of all the 14 worlds in which we are living. Like a potter makes a pot with the mud, water and using implements, like wheel. All Atman have to live in this andam, now they are without a body and are in bunches sticking to various entities. All Atman have certain papa/punya of past. Depending on these, each Atman takes a particular body and, are born, When we say an Atman is born, it takes a body to reside and if we say Atman dies, Atman leaves that body. Atman never disappears and is permanent entity. Brahma's work is to make each Atman to be resident in a body according to the Atman's karma. Here, Sriman Narayana is not directly involved. But He is inside Brahma to induce him to do this work and create various groups like Devas, Asuras, humans, animals, etc. This is called Vyakti srushti. So the raw materials like moolaprakruti and the 24 entities are called samashti srushti and this creation is done by Sriman Narayana. While Brahma creates the various groups like Devas, Asuras, etc., for the Atman to reside and this is vyakti srushti. Now the 5th sloka:

apareyam itas tv anyam
prakritim viddhi me param
jiva-bhutam maha-baho
yayedam dharyate jagat

Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe.

"Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another, superior energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature."

Here the Lord says all Atman are His belongings. Apara = inferior, iyam = these. Here we have to use this word to denote the 24 entities He told in the last sloka ie, sloka 4. He says that all the moolaprakruti branching to eight entities are all lower and belong to Him. He is going to tell about His higher grade property of Chit. Achit being without intellect, He has regarded it as inferior to the Chit, which has intellect. Itas tu = from all these [Achit], anyam = different, jiva bhutam = Atman , param = superior [to Achit], prakruti = entities, me = Mine [Sri Krishna's], viddhi = understand, maha baho = long armed [Arjuna]. Here He calls Atman also as prakruti, because, as told earlier all Atman are sticking to the 24 entities that constitute Achit prakruti and so the same terminology is used. Yaya = that atman, idam = this, jagat = world, dharyate = is sustained. Those atman, which sustain this universe is His higher grade property, the Lord tells Arjuna. The 24 entities are combined to make so many inanimate things in this world, like our body or the body of a bird, mountains, trees, etc. All these are sustained by atman. The Lord sustains the atman which sustains a body. So the Lord is in an atman and controls it. That atman is in a body made of 24 entities and atman controls it. Such is the complexity of Creation. Thus both Chit and Achit are His properties. He controls them, rules them, pervades them and sustains them. He is going to tell further what are His properties and now we take leave of this Panchasara Kshetram of Thirucherai.
(continued)

GITA 7.6

In Thirucherai temple, the Lord appears as Sri Rajagoplan and Sri Rama. Chola Kings were contributing to this temple in a big way. From Thanjavur, Vijayaraghava Nayak and Achutappa Nayak were ruling. They were transporting stones and other building materials, for building a temple in Mannargudi. One of their ministers, Nallavanan, was downloading one stone in every cart, in Thirucherai, for use in this temple. The Rulers in Thanjavur came to know about this, and once they made an inspection of this place to verify the complaint. The Minister did not know how to meet the situation and so he prayed to Sri Saranatha Perumal and Sri Rajagopalan. When the Rulers came, the Lord appeared as Sri Rajagopalan, just as in Mannargudi with two sages Gopilar and Gopralayar.

Tirucherai Sri Rajagopalan

The Rulers were very much pleased and so they approved the illegal tapping off building materials and sanctioned more funds and materials for this temple also. They appreciated the Minister's devotion. We can see the statues of the Rulers, their spouses and the Minister, in the temple hall.

Vijayaraghava Nayak

Achyutappa Nayak

Nallavanan

The statue of Sri Rama also is very beautiful here, and He graces along with Sri Sita, Sri Lakshmana and Sri Anjaneya, as they were in forests; that is without the Royal Crown.

Sri Vanavasa Raman

The hairdress of the Lord is something we have to note for its beauty and the flowing hair on His back.

Sri Rama's Hairstyle

Thirumangai Alwar has mentioned this idol in his pasuram.

Now we will see the sloka 4, where the Lord says all Achits are His property. [The sloka is repeated here for convenience].

bhumir apo ’nalo vayuh

kham mano buddhir eva ca

ahankara itiyam me

bhinna prakritir astadha
"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—all together these eight constitute My separated material energies."

Here prakruti means the Moolprakruti. From it Mahaan was formed and from Mahaan, Ahankaram was made. Ahankaram brances into Saatvika, Raajasa and Taamasa ahankarams. Saatvika ahankaram, gives rise to Five Gyanendriya, Five Karmendriya and Mind. Gyanendriya are the organs by which knowledge is acquired. These are eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin which respectively understand light, sound, scent, taste and touch. By these one understands an object and so they are called Gyanendriya. Karmendriyas are the organs required to perform action. These are mouth - to speak or eat, hands - to hold or take, legs - to move, Payu and Upastham [organs for excretion (and reproductive)]. Mind is the leader of these ten organs and so all together Saatvika ahankaram branches into 11 organs.
Taamasa ahankaram gives rise to Five great elements [Pancha Bhootha] and Five feelings [thanmathras]. Pancha Bhoothas are earth, water, fire, wind and space [prithvi, apu, tejas, vayu and akash]. Associated with these are five senses. They are sound [shabda], sight [roopa], scent [gandha], taste [rasa] and touch[sparsa]. Thus ten entities emanate from Taamasa ahankaram. In all we have 24 entities : 5 [gyanendriya]+ 5 [karmendriya] + 5 [elements] + 5 [senses] + 1 [mind] + 1 [ahankaram] + 1 [mahaan] +1 [Moolaprakruti] = 24. All these are Achits. We should note the intimately connectivity of some of these.

Eyes [gyanendriya]--> Sight [thanmatra]--> Fire [pancha bhhotha]
Ears--> sound --> space
Nose --> scent --> earth.
Tongue-->taste --> water.
Skin --> touch --> air.

Each element has a characteristic [like taste for water, sound for space, etc.] and this is sensed by a sense organ. Sri Krishna tells that Prakruti branches into eight, namely, 1)bhumi = earth, 2)apu = water, 3)anala = fire, 4)vayu = air, 5)kham = space, 6)mano = mind, 7)buddhi = mahaan and 8)ahankaram = ego, Me = Mine [Sri Krishna's]. By mentioning only the Five elements [Panchbhootha], all thanmatras [senses] are understood. Similarly, since mind controls theGyanendriyas and Karmendriyas, they are also included. We have counted Prakruti in the 24 entities, while Sri Krishna tells that Prakruti branches into Eight entities. Rajasa ahankaram acts to watch these, like an umpire in a game, helps in the formation of various entities.

(continued)