GITA 8.5

GITA 8.5

SRI MARAGATAVALLI THAYAR

We are in the sannidhi of Sri Maragathavalli Thayar in Sri Kolavilli Rama temple in Thiruvelliangudi, one of thr 40 Chola region Divya Desam. This beautiful Thayar is equal in all respects to the Lord here. Thirumangai Alwar says, whoever sincerely sings the 10 pasurams on this Kshetram(Periya Tirumozhi, 4.10) will rule this world. 

A VIEW OF THE TEMPLE

On one side of the temple is the temple pond, sannidhi of Hanuman and Dwajasthambam. On the other side Alwars are there. Alwar describes the plenty of water available here.
 We will now proceed to sloka 4 of Chapter 8. In sloka 3, Sri Krishna told what is the objective of kaivalyarti and what all he should avoid. He should know mukta atma swaroopam, that is the liberated soul, as the objective. Soul is always associated with body, which is parakruti transformed; and so, unless the soul leaves the body, muktaatma swaroopam can not be realized and so this is the adyatma or the habit to be discarded. Karma is the intercourse between male and female, which results in births. As long as this action is there, it will impede attaining muktatma swaroopam and so celibacy should be practiced to reach atma swaroopam. In the 4th sloka contains the things Aiswaryarti should know in the first half and the common deeds for all the three types of devotees in the second half of the sloka:

adhibhutam ksaro bhavah
purushas cadhidaivatam
adhiyajno ’ham evatra
dehe deha-bhrtam vara

"O best of the embodied beings, the physical nature, which is constantly changing, is called adhibhuta [the material manifestation]. The universal form of the Lord, which includes all the demigods, like those of the sun and moon, is called adhidaiva. And I, the Supreme Lord, represented as the Supersoul in the heart of every embodied being, am called adhiyajna [the Lord of sacrifice]."

Deham = body, bhrtam = possessing, vara = great [Arjuna, is praised as greatest among men], so Arjuna should realize that he has been blessed with a good body in a good family. He should therefore, not waste his life but pursue noble deeds. Janaka says, while offering his daughter Sri Sita in marriage to Sri Rama, that Janaka is proud to be in the family where Sri Sita is born. Here Arjuna is a close relative and friend of Sri Krishna. Arjuna should not follow to become aiswaryarti nor kaivalyarti, to keep up the family name. Aiswaryarti means desiring to enjoy wealth. It does not mean to be a millionaire or even billionaire. These are trivial wealth. It means desiring to possess the wealth like what Brahma has, that is entire universe. Wealth of the Universe can not be easily assessed. Because this person is worshiping the Lord to get wealth and the giver, that is the Lord, has boundless wealth and mere billions of dollars or rupees , is very trivial. This person should demand wealth, by which request, the donor also will be high in esteem. Of course the main theme is not to seek the Lord perishable wealth or atman swaroopam, but serving Him for ever here and in Viakuntam. But, if there is a person wanting to enjoy wealth, then he also should know what to ask and should not limit to very meagre riches. We should also know that all these pleasures, arising from such wealth, have to be felt by the sense organs of the person desiring such wealth. Even if it is Indra or other gods, they all seek pleasures of the sense organs only. None can desire to see by mouth nor smell with eyes. So, the common pleasure sought by all these aiswaryartis , is to see with eyes, listen with ears, and so on. All these sensual pleasures emanate from the five great elements- pancha maha bhuta- we have seen earlier [space- sound, air - touch, fire - image, water - taste and earth - scent]. So these are called adi bhutam . Ksara = decaying or perishing, bhava = habit. So, ever changing and decaying these pleasures of the great elements are referred to as adi bhutam. This is the objective of aiswaryarti. Purusha = equal to Brahma, possessor of all the worlds, adi daivatam = to be like that god [ Brahma]. Now, the second half of the sloka contains the common action for all the three types of devotees. Adi yajnam = God to be worshiped by Yagna, aham eva = Me [Sri Krishna] alone. Atra dehe = all these [other gods to whom everyone thinks he is doing the yagna] are mere bodies [and the soul is Sri Krishna]. Though one may perform an yagna in favor of a particular god, we should know that those gods are mere bodies and the soul is Sri Krishna. So the Lord is adiyajna. They [all gods] get these because they are His body and not on their own. We will take leave of Sri Kolavilli Rama and Sri Maragathavalli Thayar and move to next kshetram. 

                                                                                                        (continued)

GITA 8.4

GITA 8.4

SRI KOLAVILLI RAMAN

The Lord is gracing as Sri Kolavilli Raman in Thiruvelliankudi. This Kshetram is on the highway from Kumbakonam to Madras, near Anaikkarai. It is also about 6 Kms from Thirupananthal. In the North of this place, a small stream Malli is flowing. Utsavar is called Sri Srungara Sundara. Thayar is Sri Maragathavalli Nachiyar. 

SRI MARAGATAVALLI NACHIYAR

Here, the Garuda, in front of the main sannidhi, is unique with four arms.

 Upper arms are holding discus and conch and the lower pair is folded with respects to the Lord. The Garuda also is in a pose about to get up.

SRI GARUDALWAR

 This place came up because of the request of Seven devotees. Vishwakarma was the architect for Devas and Mayan was the architect for Asuras. While Vishvakarma had constructed many temples, Mayan had a grievance that he could not construct one magnificent temple for the Lord. So, he came to this place and prayed to the Lord. After a long time the Lord appeared seated on Garuda and with discus and conch. Not satisfied with this pose, Mayan requested the Lord to apppear simpler with only bow in the hand. Along with him another seven devotees also prayed. Accepting the request the Lord appeared in wedding pose and in a reclining way . The Lord asked Garuda to hold the discus and conch. Garuda held them and was and is ever ready to return them as soon as the Lord demands them. Also, to return them he has to respectfully stand up and so Garuda is also ready to get up. He will return whenever the Lord demands them. In the 40 Chola Duvya desams , this is the only Kshetram, where the Lord appears in many colours. Utasavamoorthy appears slim as He has been bathed in milk and curd for all the Four yugs. Upper arms are holding the discus and conch. Right lower arm is in Abhaya hastha; left lower arm is placed on the left lap indicating that the devotee who falls at His feet will be protected and his sins would be reduced to knee deep. He is called Sri Sringara Sundara [Sringara = romantic, Sundara = handsome].
 We will now see the reply of Sri Krishna in the sloka 3:

sri-bhagavan uvaca
aksharam brahma paramam
svabhavo ’dhyatmam ucyate
bhuta-bhavodbhava-karo
visargah karma-samjnitah

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Indestructible atman is the superior [objective]. Natural association with prakruti to be avoided. all living beings ar the result of [male-female] intercourse to be understood"

This sloka is the reply for the first part of the question asked in the sloka 1. Arjuna asked in the first half of sloka 1, as to what the kaivalyarti has to know- which is brahmam, which is adyatma and which is karma. Kaivaalyarti is the devotee who wants to enjoy forever his own atman and nothing else; he wants to reside in isolation and does not want to be reborn. It is called muktatma swaroopam; that is, a liberated soul . It is called kaivalyam, because it is kevalam or inferior pleasure. Inferior to the pleasure an atman can have by reaching Vaikuntam and in the company of so many, serving the Lord. Whereas in muktatma swaroopam, he is alone, enjoying his own soul and so the pleasure of serving the Lord and the pleasure of being in company of so many noble Acharyas and devotees are missing; and so inferior. Kaivalyam is inferior to Bhagavallabham. Like the atman in Vaikuntam, an atman in kaivalyam also will never have birth or death; no hunger or old age. No problems of association with body or karma. It is the natural state of a liberated soul. Here the word brahma indicates atman in muktatma swaroopam and not Paramatma. Brahma = Mukta atman, parama = superior, aksharam = never decaying nor destructible. This is the objective for a kaivalyarti. He should know all the superior qualities of a liberated soul. Like the Paramatma, this liberated soul or muktatma swaroopam, will have no bondage of karma and he will be in everlasting happiness enjoying his own atman. He will have no association with prakruti - including the moola prakruti. Swabhavam = prakruti, adyatma = that which is associated with soul always but not the soul itself; that is a body. Body means entire parkruti as from prakruti only body is formed. So, Kaivalyarti should avoid body or prakruti. Svabhavam means the habit. Its habit is always to be with an atman or vice versa. Bhuta bhava = all living beings like human and animals, etc., udbhava kara = actions which enable such births, visarga = the intercourse between male and female, karma = as avoidable actions, samjina = understand. So the kaivalyarti should know that liberated soul as the objective, should try to avoid association with the prakruti and should also avoid the male-female intercourse.

                                                                                               (continued)

GITA 8.3

GITA 8.3

THIRUVELLIANKUDI TEMPLE

Today’s [30^th April 2008] lecture is from Thiruvelliankudi. Here the Lord is gracing as Sri Rama. In the four yugs this place was called by different names. In Kritha yug it was called Brahmapuram; in Tretha yug it was Parasarapuram; in Dwapara yug it was Indrapuram; and now in Kaliyug it is also called Bhargavapuram. Sri Rama is gracing in the reclining pose, which is rare. The sthala vruksham or temple tree is sevvazhai in Tamil [செவ்வாழை] or the red variety banana tree.

STHALA VRUKSHAM

 In Sanskrit it is kathali pala tree. Pushpalaka vimanam is the canopy here. Thayar is Sri Maragathavalli Nachiyar. The Lord is called Sri Kola villi Raman. Though the temple is in a small village, its fame is very great. We can get the reason for the name of this Kshetram from puranas and from Alwars’ poems. Thirumangai Alwar has dedicated the 4.10, entire decade for this Kshetram in his Periya Thirumozhi. He mentions the name of the Lord as Kolavilliraman. Velli [வெள்ளி] in Tamil indicates Sukra [Venus] planet. Indra was ruling the three worlds Bhoo, Bhuva and Suva. Emperor Bali defeated Indra and captured his entire kingdom. Indra’s mother was very much grieved and prayed to the Lord and observed certain fasting [vratham]. She was blessed with the Lord Himself being born as the Younger brother [Upendra]- Sri Vamana, to Indra . In the guise of a Bachelor and with deerskin on His shoulders, the Lord arrived at the place where Emperor Bali was performing yajna. He demanded a piece of ground measuring three steps by Him, and it was readily agreed by the Emperor. What can be that area, we might think, but the Lord is capable of doing beyond our imagination and that is what was to happen. Normally, any such grant has to be authenticated by pronouncement with water flowing from the hands. So Bali took the water pot to make the promise. His Guru was Sukracharya and he knew that the Lord had come in disguise to take away all wealth of Bali; and, to prevent that, Sukracharya in a bee form went and blocked the hole from which water was to flow to solemnise the promise. But the Lord knew the cause and so like dirt being removed in any block, He used a grass [dharba] to clear the block. It hurt one of the eyes of Sukracharya, who was in the guise of a bee, and with pain the bee fell out and water flowed, and the promise was legalised. Sri Vamana took the gigantic Sri Trivikrama form and in one step measured all the worlds and in the second step measured all the upper worlds and asked Bali as to where was the place for the third step. Humbled, Bali bowed down and offered his head for placing the third step and the Lord placing His foot on his head pushed him to live in the nether worlds. Sukracharya wanted to regain his lost eye and wandered all over. The Lord is the eye for all and so Sukracharya finally landed in this Kshetram and for 48 days –one mandala- prayed sincerely and regained his lost eyesight. The Alwar narrates this incident. This place came to be known as Thiruvelliankudi from then on, after Sukracharya. Many devotees come to this place for regaining eyesight and cure for other eye problems. Near the Lord there is a lamp called Netra deepam and is never extinguished; that is, it is lit all 24 hours, 365 days, continuously. With good eyesight, we gain more wisdom.
 Now we will see the Fist sloka of Chapter 8. The first two slokas are the doubts or questions raised by Arjuna to clarify what Sri Krishna told in the slokas 29 and 30 of Chapter 7. Now to slokas of Chapter 8:

arjuna uvaca
kim tad brahma kim adhyatmam
kim karma purushottama
adhibhutam ca kim proktam
adhidaivam kim ucyate

"Arjuna inquired: O my Lord, O Supreme Person, what is Brahman? What is the self? What are fruitive activities? What is this material manifestation? And what are the demigods? Please explain this to me."

Arjuna asks what the three types of devotees – Aiswaryarti, Kaivalyarti and Bhagavallabharti- should practice and know. Kim tad brahma = which is brahmam?, kimadyatma = which is adyatma? Kimkarma = which is karma?, Purushottama = Sri Krishna, [to be followed by kaivalyarti type of devotees]. We will see the details of reply in the later slokas. Here only the questions are posed. Adibhuta kim= which is atibhutha? Adideivamkim = which is adi deivam?, these are to be known by aiswaryarti type of devotees. These include pleasures of this world as well as in heaven. In this sloka 1, thus the requirements of kaivalyarti and aiswaryarti are sought for by Arjuna. Here brahmam is not the Paramatma, but the objective of kaivalyarti. In sloka 2:

adhiyajnah katham ko ’tra
dehe ’smin madhusudana
prayana-kale ca katham
jneyo ’si niyatatmabhih

"Who is the Lord of sacrifice, and how does He live in the body, O Madhusudana? And how can those engaged in devotional service know You at the time of death?"

Adi yagna = which is called adi yagna? Atra = here, asmin = in this, dehe = body. Body here does not mean the body of Arjuna or others; but, means all the gods and others who are all body of the Lord [He is the soul for all]. So, which is called adi yagna in these gods? Katham adi yagna = how it is called adi yagna? That is how this quality of adi yagnam has come on these gods and which is called adi yagnam. This question has to be clarified for all the three types of devotees. It is a common clarification. Prayana kale = in the last moments [of life’s journey], katam neyosi = how You [Sri Krishna] are to be worshipped?, niyatam atmaabhi = even by those who have controlled the mind and organs. All the three types of devotees, when they are about to die or when their atman is going to leave respective bodies, how are they to worship the Lord?

                                                                                                           (continued)

GITA 8.2

GITA 8.2

Ahobile garudasaila madhye krupavsat kalpitha sannidhanam|

Lakshmya samalingitha vamabagam Lakshminrusimham saranam prabathye||

By His mercy or compassion, with Sri Lakshmi on His left, Sri LakshmiNrusimha has chosen to be in Ahobilam, in the Garudasailam mountains.

We have been seeing Bhagavad-Gita for past few days from this Kshetram, Ahobilam, which is under Sri Ahobila mutt management. Thiruvellore, Adhanur, Pullamboothangudi and Ahobilam- all these four Divya desams are under the management of Sri Ahobila mutt. In the Lower Ahobilam Sri Prahlada Varada temple, Swami Adi vann Satakopa Jeer [1st jeer of the Mutt] is gracing the devotees.

ADIVAN SATAKOPA JEER

 He was born in 1378 and with the name Srinivasacharya. As a bachelor, he came to Ahobilam in his twentieth year and was blessed with ascetic life [sanyasasramam], by Lord Sri Narasimha Himself. He was given the new name Sri Satakopa yati. He lived for 80 years till 1458. The Utsava Moorthy of Sri Malola Narasimha jumped into the hands of Swami Adi van Satakopa jeer and was ordered to carry Him throughout the country. He is the main Aradhya Perumal in Sri Ahobila mutt. Now (when this lecture was made)  the 45^th Jeer is administering the Mutt. In the mutt silver mandapam, Sri Malola Narasimha [Utsavar] graces the devotees along with many other idols, like the Child Sri Krishna [worshiped by Swami Ramanuja], the Golden Sri Narasimha donated by the King of Kakatya, etc.

SRI MALOLAN IN SILVER MANDAPAM,

DOLAI SRI KANNAN WORSHIPED BY SRI RAMANUJA

 We will also listen to the speech of the present 45^th Jeer of Sri Ahobila mutt and with that, we will conclude our pilgrimage to Ahobilam. It is requested all to come and worship the Nava Sri Narasimha here. A few years back about 50,000 pilgrims visited and this rose to 500,000 last year. Authorities here are expecting this figure also to rise to One Million shortly. Though it is happy to note more devotees come here, it is also the worry of the authorities here that the natural resources and beauty of the place should be preserved. Many facilities are arranged but devotees should ensure that they do not misuse and abuse these facilities. Now, on the way from Alaghatta to Ahobilam, in about 10 Acres, a new township is being constructed. It is called Nava Ahobilam, with the Dwadasa Nama of the Lord for its twelve blocks. Transportation and simultaneous viewing by about 1000 persons are being planned. It is expected to function in the next one year. We will now be ready to go to the next Kshetram. In the last tenth pasuram on this Kshetram [senganalai ittirainjum singavel kunrudaiya…], Thirumangai Alwar says that those, who come here to worship the Lord, will find evil things do not come near them.

H.H. Sri Lakshminrusimha paduka sevaka Sri Van Satakopa Sri Narayana yateendra maha desika (45th Jeer) in his anugraha bhashanam [felicitation speech]:

SRI 45TH JEER

All Alwars had a special mention for Sri Narasimha. Nammalwar says en singappiran – My Lord Sri Narasimha. There are many pasurams in which Sri Narasimha is praised. In Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam, Sri Narasimha is addressed as Sriman [possessor of wealth] [narasimhavapu Sriman Kesava Purushottama]. It is believed that Sri Narasimha appeared in Ahobilam to protect Prahlada and kill Hiranyakasipu. Since then the Lord is residing in their Kshetram. Utsavar of this Kshetram is the main Deity in our Mutt also. Normally, people have a special attachment to their Acharyas. In that respect since Sri Narasimha was the Acharya for Swami Adi van Satakopa jeer, who was born in Thirunarayanapuram near Mysore. It is believed that staying overnight in a kshetra yields lots of punya, but a night stay in Ahobilam yields millions of times those punyas. Here, even animals worship the Lord says Thirumangai Alwar who cites Lions prostrating at the feet of the Lord. For the word ‘senganaalai ittirainjum’, in his commentary Swami Periyavachan Pillai, does not say the superficial red coloured eyes, but says it depicts the red ochre-robed Swami Ramanuja and he was blessed to propagate Visishtadwaitam through out the world. It shows that Swami Ramanuja was worshiping Sri Narasimha. By remaining in nine sannidhis spread out, the devotees’ devotion is tested. Every Acharya and ascetics

worship Sri Narasimha. Swami Parasara Bhattar praises the Sri Narasimha avatar. May His blessings be for all.

                                                                                                     (continued)

GITA 8.1

GITA 8.1

TEMPLE OF SRI YOGANANDA NARASIMHA

It is believed that the 6th Jeer of Sri Ahoila Mutt, Shashta Parankusa Yatindra Mahadesikan, is still performing pooja in the cave, where he entered in the Tamil year Aangirasa (corresponding to CE 1513), Masi month, Krishna Panchami.

Shravanam keerthanam Vishno smaranam pada sevanam

archanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma nivedanam

This is a sloka from Srimad Bhagavatham. Prahlada describes the nine methods by which one can worship the Lord, to his father. Shravanam = listening to His names and histories, keerthanam = singing His names, smaranam = continuously meditating, pada sevanam = worshiping His feet, archanam = performing pooja with fresh flowers, vandanam = prostrating to Him, dasyam = serving Him, sakhyam = developing friendliness wth Him and atmanivedanam = realizing our atman as His property. But Hiranyakasipu did not heed to this advice of Prahlada and after some years, he asked him to show Sriman Narayana in a pillar and got killed by the Lord, Who emerged from that pillar. Afterwards, cooling off His anger, the Lord came near Prahlada. This is depicted in the present sannidhi of Sri Yogananda Narasimha, the 9th sannidhi from where today's [28th April 2008] lecture is being made.

 Yogaananda can mean anandam [happiness] in performing yoga or anandam in preaching yoga. The Lord is seated in a yoga posture with legs crossed and folded and the lower two arms placed on the knees. Prahlada was taught all the yoga and raja needhi or administrative skills for maintaining kingdom, as he was to succeed Hiranyakasipu. With eyes closed, the Lord graces as He taught Prahlada. By yoga one can have the same peacefulness as at the centre of the ocean. Thirumangai Alwar describes the heat [due to the Sun] in the region, in his pasurams. But lots of comforts have been arranged presently by the Sri Ahobila Mutt, for which we have to be grateful to the Jeer.
Thirukkallam U.Ve. Sri Narasimha Raghavachaya, an eminent Vidwan of Sri Ahobila mutt had published commentary on Bhagavad Gita in three volumes and had mentioned the greatness of each Chapter by a story as told by lord Shiva to Parvati. When Parvati asked about the greatness of Seventh Chapter, lord Shiva said that this question was raised by Sri Mahalakshmi and that he would narrate the reply given by Sriman Narayana.
 Sankukarna lived in Pataliputra. He was a brahmin. Though he was well learned, he had great passion in amassing wealth. He had married three wives and wanted to marry fourth one also. One day he was travelling with a lot of gold coins. On the way, while he was resting he was bitten by a snake and was about to die. He hurriedly buried the gold coins in the ground and with the snake bite in mind, he died; and so he was born as a snake. This snake remembering the place where the gold coins were hidden, came to the place and guarded. This did not give the mental peace and suddenly he remembered the good advice given to him by a noble person and he thought he should come out of this snake body and reach nobler places. He appeared in the dreams of his three sons simultaneously and told the same to all. That they should all do good last rites to him and then come to this place where the gold treasure was hidden and where, as a snake, he was guarding. All the sons woke up and debated their dreams and afraid of the snake, they decided not to venture in this effort. But within their minds, each one schemed to grab all the wealth for himself and so without others' knowledge, each went to the place to take the treasure. But the snake would not allow them to touch. Each described he was his son, but the snake said they were to come after performing the rites. The sons decided to perform the rites but did not know what to do. Normal rites were not enough to clear the sins their father had accumulated. The solution was given by the snake itself. Snake told them to engage a brahmin, who was in the habit of studying 7th Chapter of Gita regularly [parayanam], and by feeding that brahmin, the sins could be absolved. The sons did accordingly and the snake also got a superior stage of life. Sons later took the treasure and spent it for noble deeds.
We will now begin studying the Eighth Chapter. This Chapter's essence has been condensed by Swami Alavandar in his Gitartha Sangraham. It is:

ai´svary¯aks.aray¯ath¯atmya bhagavaccaran.¯arthin¯am

vedyop¯adeyabh¯av¯an¯am as.t.ame bheda ucyate      12

Bheda ucyate =The differences  are told (in the Eighth Chapter). That is the differences among the three types of devotees. Aisvarya = those seeking wealth or worldly pleasures, akshara = everlasting or never destructible [atman] [ different from worldly matters including our body], yatatmya = real and true meaning of this [atman]; that is those kaivalyarti who want to enjoy only atman and do not want to be reborn. Bhagavaccarana = [differing from the earlier two types] The Lord's feet, arthi = seekers [of those divine feet]. Vedya = things or objectives they should know, upadeya = means to realise those objectives. These are explained in Eighth Chapter. In Chapter 7, in slokas 29 and 30, Sri Krishna made an introduction to the various knowledge, objectives and means for the three types of His devotees; but did not elaborate what they were and now in Chapter 8, He is going to give all those details. We will see all the Nine Sri Narasimhas tomorrow along with a short discourse by Srimad Azhagiyasingar of Sri Ahobila Mutt.
                                                                                                     (continued)

GITA 7.36

GITA 7.36

SRI CHATRAVATA NARASIMHA

Thirumangai Alwar says that lions would follow the tracks of elephants, and watch their movements  from behind bamboo bushes. By doing so lions would judge whether it would be possible to take on the elephants or not. Commentators say that the lions not merely see the tracks of elephants, but also judge what the elephants were upto. In case they were going to worship the Lord of Ahobilam, the lions would not harm them. In all these pasurams, the Alwar talks of elephants, lions and tigers, why? To make us understand that in this Kshetram, even animals are devoted to Him. Today's [25th April 2008] lecture is from the sannidhi of Sri Chatra Vata Narasimha. Chatra =umbrella or shade, vata = banyan tree [ஆலமரம்  ]. Here the Lord is seated but Hiranyakasipu is not on the lap. After finishing the Demon king, the Lord was in great anger. At that time two Gandharvas - Haha and Hoohoo- who excelled in music wanted to please the Lord by singing. So, the Lord, a great lover of good music, is seated listening with the left lower arm beating the metre. Nammalwar says the Lord is in ragas and metres. Right lower arm is in Abhaya mudra and the upper two arms are holding the discus and conch. 
We will conclude this Chapter 7, with the last sloka, 30, here. In this sloka He says that both Aiswaryaarti and Bhagavallabharti have to follow the three things of brahmam [objective], adhyatmam [avoidables] and karmam [means]. Also in this sloka, He is to tell certain things common to all the three types of devotees.

sadhibhutadhidaivam mam
sadhiyajnam ca ye viduh
prayana-kale ’pi ca mam
te vidur yukta-cetasah

"Those who know Me as the Supreme Lord, as the governing principle of the material manifestation, who know Me as the one underlying all the demigods and as the one sustaining all sacrifices, can, with steadfast mind, understand and know Me even at the time of death."

The first line is for the Aiswaryaarti and the rest of the sloka is about the common feature for all the types of devotees. Mam = I [Sri Krishna], ye vidu = those who understand. 'Those' mentioned here, is different from 'those' [kaivalyaarti] mentioned in the last sloka. In this sloka, He refers to the Aiswaryaarti. Aiswaryaarti should understand the Lord with adhi bhuta [आदि भूत] and adi deivam [आदि देवं]. What do these mean will be explained in due course. This part of the sloka states what the aiswaryaarti has to do. Adi yagnam is an attribute of the Lord and this should be understood by all the three types of devotees. Yajnam means yadha devapoojayam- that is all worship of God is yajnam or yagyam. It means all daily and occasional karma. This was explained earlier also. Daily sandhyavandanam and Pancha maha yagya, etc., are all deva pooja. In our daily household routines, we inadvertently kill many insects- at the grinders, broomstick, etc. To ward off any penalty for such killing we are supposed to perform this Pancha maha yagna viz deva yagna, manushya yagna, pithru yagna, brahma yagna and bhootha yagna. Performing all such yagnas and our mandatory duties are denoted by the word adhi yagnam. These are to be carried out by all the three types of devotees. Some feel that after attaining gyana marg, there is no necessity for doing our daily routines like sandyavandanam or occasional like tharpanam. This is not acceptable on two counts. Firstly, none of us has gone anywhere near Gyana marg as stipulated in Shastras. If anybody has realised such Gyana yoga, might at least ponder over whether to perform the prescribed duties. But almost all of us are not in that category and so we have to follow all these rituals. It is useless to debate whether to do those duties or not. As an example, if volunteers are called for listening to atman perhaps very, very few will turn up. But if we call volunteers for physical service like preparing garlands, or cleaning the place, many will rush in. So we are all prepared for any physical service. So karmas are always with us and we can not relinquish them. It is wrong to assume that we need not perform tharpanam or shrarddham, and mere chanting of His names is enough. Next, He says another common requirement for all types of devotees. Prayana kale = during the [last] journey. For all the three types of devotees, when about to end their life in this world. Pi = even then. Mam = I [Sri Krishna], te = they [all the three types of devotees], vidu = should know. Here when He says even when in the death bed, it means that we are to never forget Him and continue it in the last journey also. It is not correct to say that we remember Him only at the last minute and forget Him during our normal life. For prapannas [who have performed the Ultimate syrrender] are guaranteed Moksham, even if they do not remember His name in the last moments. Even the person who has reached Gyana yoga also can not avoid karma. Cetasu = mind, yukta = with this thought. Each of the three types should think this way and leave this world. Which way? is not explained in this sloka but would follow. We have seen Eight of the Nava (Nine) Narasimha.

                                                                                                    (continued)