GITA 6.34

GITA 6.34

Sri Padmasani Thayar

lakshmyA saha hrishikEsah dEvyA kAruNya rUpayA

rakshaka sarva sidDHAnte vEdAntEpi jIyatE

 By this sloka we understand the greatness of Sri MahaLakshmi. The Lord, has Sri MahaLakshmi always with Him to protect anyone. Sri MahaLakshmi, as Sri Padmasani Thayar, is gracing as the Queen with Sri Adi Jagannatha Perumal, removing all the sorrows of the devotees and inducing devotion in them to surrender unto the Lord, and blesses along with the Lord. She has the mind so soft like the lotus flower. Her hue is like that of a lotus. She is seated on a lotus flower. Holding lotus flowers in the upper arms, She gracefully views the devotees with her lotus like eyes. She tells us not to worry and assures the grace of the Lord by Her recommendation. The lotus like right lower arm in abhaya hastha assuages our fear and the left lower lotus like arm points us Her lotus like feet. Sri Rama built the Sethu to cross the ocean. At that time, the Kings of this locality were asked by Sri Rama to maintain the temples here and so this Kshetram has been well maintained and administered by the Kings from a very long time. From circa 1600, for the past 400 years or so, Sethupathi Kings and Queens have been administering this Kshetram. They have donated many ornaments, performed many services and constructed many buildings in this Kshetram. Sethupathi means Sri Rama. The Kings and Queens are addressed as Sethupathi Raja or Sethupathi Rani, depending on whether the ruler is King or Queen. Presently Brahmasri Rajeswari Nachiar is the present Sethupathi Rani. Only when Sri Lakshmi is by the side of the Lord, He graces the devotees. We may now have a doubt in Vibheeshana saranagathi. When Vibheeshana came to surrender, Sri Rama accepted him. Normally, anyone surrendering is accepted by Sri Rama only when Sri Sita is by His side. But in this episode, She was in Lanka. If Vibheeshana had directly approached Sri Rama and got accepted, then what was the role of Sri Sita? Similar doubt would arise when Sugreeva was accepted as friend by Sri Rama. There also Sri Sita was not present. This doubt arises not only for those who study Srimad Ramayana, but even Sri Sita was having this doubt. When Anjaneya reaches Lanka as messenger of Sri Rama and meets Sri Sits, She asks how the friendship between humans and monkeys came about? The actual question is not about the friendship as such, but how this got concluded without Her presence. Anjaneya replied that the friendship was blessed by Her. How? When Sugreeva and others were hiding in Risyamuka hills, in fear of Vali, they saw Ravana carrying Sri Sita in the sky and She threw some of Her ornaments as a bundle at the monkeys. This way they all got Her divine blessings and so the friendship was blessed. Similarly Vibheeshana came here. He did not approach directly Sri Rama. Sri Sita is the incarnation of Sri Padmasani Thayar of this Kshetram. She went first to Lanka. Vibheeshana had Her Divine blessings and without that he could not have come to Sri Rama. He pleaded with Ravana to release Sri Sita and give Her back to Sri Rama. t She heard of Vibheeshana's role in Ravana's assembly and there by he obtained Her good wishes and so his surrender was accepted by Sri Rama]. Today's [11th February 2008] is from the sannidhi of Sri Thayar. The 33rd sloka is Arjuna's query. Concentration and repeated practice alone will make yoga successful. The sloka:

arjuna uvaca
yo ’yam yogas tvaya proktah
samyena madhusudana
etasyaham na pasyami
cancalatvat sthitim sthiram

"Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, the system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady."

Madhsudana = O! The Great, Who killed the demons Madhu and Kaitapa. Here Swami Vedanta Desika in his Tatparya Chandrika says that leave alone the slaying of Madhu and Kaitapa, first destroy the demons rajo and tamo qualities in us to cultivate satva quality. Samyena yoga tvaya prokta = viewing all equally as yoga was preached by You [Sri Krishna] [in the last four slokas], etasya = its [yoga's], sthiram sthtim = stable character, na pasyami = [I, Arjuna] do not see, cancalatvat = [mind] is always wavering [unsteady]. Because mind is never stable, the yoga preached by Sri Krishna can not be practiced by Arjuna. It appears to be impossible for Arjuna. To succeed, first sama darshan has to be achieved. One has to view Paramatma nad jeevatman as equal and view all Atman as equal. But in this world differences only are perceptible. We see all as different as humans, animals, trees and insects. We are habituated to see variants only. To view oneness of all Atman we need to practice yoga. We have to do meditation shutting our sense organs from all outside matters. We have to see Atman without the body. If we can do that we will realize that all Atman are equal. But the impediment is mind, and it is highly unstable. So, Arjuna feels that there are not any who could control mind and realize Atman swaroopam. OK, at least is it possible to see equality with Paramatman? This is still more difficult. In Atman mukta swaroopam alone one could realize that the knowledge of Atman and Paramatman is same as also the eight characteristics. So in both, Arjuna finds persons qualifying are rare. This, he is going to further explain in the next sloka. But with grace of the Divya Dampathi, Sri Padmasani Thayar and Sri Adi Jagannatha Perumal, even this seemingly impossible can be achieved.

                                                                                                        (continued)         

GITA 6.33

GITA 6.33

Sri Adi Jagannatha Perumal Temple. 

Today’s [8^th February 2008] lecture is from the sannidhi of Sri Adi Jagannatha Perumal. This temple is in existence even before Sri Rama. 

Moolavar Sri Adi Jagannatha Perumal

He is in the seated pose, with right hand in abhaya hastham, assuring protection and the left hand is beckoning us to come to Him –ahvahana hastham. He graces along with His consorts. The vimanam [canopy] is called swastika vimanam; one reason being it is in the shape of swastika. It is also called swastika because those who worship here are assured swasti or mangalam or all auspicious things in life. Lord Jagannatha gave darshan to Sages Pullava, Kanva and Kalava. Sage Pullava mediated here and after a long time, the Lord appeared as an Aswatta tree [peepal tree]. At the request of the sage, the Lord took the present form and is gracing. 

Sri Padmasani Thayar

Sri Utsavar

Sri Utsava Moorthy is in the standing pose and near Him is Sri Padmasani Thayar. As told earlier, there are three garbagruhas in this temple and the Lord graces in three forms in the three sannidhis. Of these Sri Adi Jagannatha sannidhi is the oldest. There was a sage Devala who used to meditate after a bath in the pond. Once seven damsels from heaven were bathing in this pond with scanty dress, despite the presence of the sage. Sage was infuriated and he cursed all of them. When the damsels prayed for pardon, the sage asked them to worship the Lord here daily and one day Sri Rama would be visiting when their curse would vanish. Thirumangai Alwar in the nayaki bhava [in the guise of a woman] says that the Lord here has stolen away her body, qualities and color. 
We will now see the yogi in the 4th stage. Sloka 32:

atmaupamyena sarvatra
samam pasyati yo ’rjuna
sukham va yadi va duhkham
sa yogi paramo matah
He is a perfect yogī who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, both in their happiness and distress, O Arjuna!

"He is a perfect yogi who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and their distress, O Arjuna!"

He is the best among all yogis – better than yogis described in slokas 29, 30 and 31. Ya = he who, atma oupamyeva = considers equal to him, sarvatra = all, pasyati = sees. Sukham va yati va dukham = happiness or sorrow. He sees all equal to him as by yoga he has erased all karma and consequent papa and punya; mind in a serene state, is with gyana fully blossomed. So he thinks he and all others are equal. With this he sees all in the same state whether affected by sorrow or by happiness. This requires some explanation. If A has a happy event in his family, another unconnected person B is not going to rejoice over it. Because A and B are different persons and not connected. Similarly the happiness or sorrow of B is not going to affect A. This is the nature in this world. But if A is in mukta atman swaroopam, where he sees all as equal to him, A should consider the feelings of everybody as his. So A should rejoice for a happy event in the family of B or anyone else for that matter. A should also brood over the sad things in the family of B and others. This is how great people would feel at hearing news good or bad of others. But what Sri Krishna is telling is a stage beyond this also. In the state mentioned when A feels for all the events of others, different from him, there are some disadvantages, though to attain that level is not easy. Even as ordinary persons, we rejoice only for happy events in our own limited circle of our family and friends and we find it hard to allot time for yoga and devote our mind on Atman and Paramatman. With difficulty we allot half an hour or so for such duties. In such a case, if we are going to rejoice over the happenings in all persons’ families, then we will have no time for yoga or for Paramatman. Sri Krishna will not preach this, as He wants everyone to get detached from the world and look at Atman and Paramatman. What Sri Krishna wants to tell here is that just as for ordinary persons, events happening in others’ families do not affect, for this yogi also, events happening in his own family should not affect him. This applies to both happy and sad events. The advantage in this is that when any such events, happy or sad, occur in one’s family, one takes it in the normal stride. So, one is able to still devote time for Atman. We see today that many children go to USA or UK and settle there. They come once in two or three years. In such families, the parents would have been devoting some time for religious and other good activities. But when their children visit for two or three weeks, all the religious activities come to a stop and they do not find even that small time for these activities. This should be avoided. It does not mean we have to ask them not to visit, but we do not skip these duties. Similarly, we cannot allot time for others’ happy or sad events and skip our duties. Just as a happy event in one’s family will not affect the neighbor, one should not be affected by one’s own family events. He sees all as equal. His circle has expanded from the small family to entire society and world. He considers all as the body of Paramatman and is unaffected by happiness or sorrow in his family or in anyone else family. To achieve this is difficult. Sage Vyasa grieved when his son Sukha left him. Even great Maharishis like Vasishta and Viswamitra could not overcome these. Drona, at the hearing that his son Aswattama was killed, became so sad that he threw away his weapons and cried in the battlefield. These are not ordinary persons and so Sri Krishna praises the yogi mentioned in this sloka as param = supreme. We can at least try for the level in sloka 29.

                                                                                                (continued)                                                                                                                                                             

GITA 6.32

GITA 6.32

Sethu Ocean

vedhavedhyepare pumsi jate dasarathatmaje

vedaprachedasatdhasit sakshat ramayanatmana

Vedas incarnated as Srimad Ramayana. Ramayana appeared to teach the greatness of saranagati [total surrender]. Saranagati means, we are unable to do anything, and we seek asylum and cling to the Lord's feet for protection. Everywhere in Srimad Ramayana one can find the principle of saranagati. Lakshmana to Sri Rama, Bharatha to Sri Rama, Dasaratha to Sri Parasurama, etc, have all performed saranagati. Crowning all these saranagatis is the saranagati performed by Vibheeshana. Vibheeshana, renouncing Lanka, flew in the sky with four companions and came to Thiruppullani, where Sri Rama and the monkey troops were camping. We are on the shores of Sethu, where he clung to the feet of Sri Rama and sought protection. This shore of the ocean is called Sethu coast, Adi Sethu, Rathnakaram, Thiruanai, etc,. From here only Sri Rama got built a bridge [sethu] so that all the troops could crossover to Lanka. It is customary to indicate the entire country of India, as 'aasethu himachalam'. Beginning from Sethu till the Himalayas, India is spread. According to Tamil culture five types of lands are there: kurunji, mullai, marutham, neydhal and paalai. Ocean and ocean adjoining lands are called neydhal. Lovers separated and languishing are characterized by neydhal. Varuna is considered as the god of seas. Varuna is here as the ocean and he also surrendered to Sri Rama here. Sri Rama starting from Dhandakaranya forests, came to Kishkinda and then travelled along south sea coast, crossing Tutucorin and Thiruchendur, came to this place, in search of Sri Sita. Instantly, abandoning Lanka, Vibheeshana came to this place where Sri Rama was seated along with Lakshmana, amidst the monkey army. Sarvaloka saranyaya Raghavaya namathmane. " I surrender and seek refuge in Sri Rama, the Supreme God and the Protector of all Universe", said Vibheeshana to Sugreeva, who communicated Vibheeshana's arrival to Sri Rama. Sugreeva was against accepting this request, while Anjaneya favoured it. Sri Rama then proclaimed that even if Vibheeshana was the brother of Ravana, who abducted Sri Rama's wife and even if he is a sinner, He would never abdicate a person surrendered unto Sri Rama:
sakruteva prapannaya tavaasmitica yatate
abhayam sarva bhoothepya tadam etat vratam mama
[Considered as Charama sloka of Sri Rama] He proclaimed, " who ever surrenders once unto My feet, I will release him from all [sufferings] and protect him. This is My vow", Sri Rama pledged from this place only. So, a bathe in this Sethu, with memory of Sri Rama, and worshiping the Lord of Thiruppullani, will guarantee His pledge that He will always protect us, if we surrender. Sri Rama accepted Vibheeshana. Then they all discussed as to how to cross the ocean, especially with millions of monkeys. Vibheeshana suggested Sri Rama to perform saranagati to the King of the oceans, Samudra Raja. Accepting this, Sri Rama surrendered and spreading darbha grass as bed and His own arm as pillow, He laid here for three days, waiting for a favourable reply from Samudra Raja. Unfortunately, Samudra Raja did not come in response. Sri Rama was angered at the neglect by Samudra Raja and so He ordered Lakshmana to bring His bow and the best of missiles so that He would dry up the entire ocean and cross over to Lanka. Rectifying his mistake, Samudra Raja immediately appeared before Sri Rama and appealed for pardon as he was thinking of ways and means to fulfill His request. Then, he suggested a method. Nala, one of the monkeys in the army of Sri Rama, had the blessings of Viswakarma, the heavenly builder. Nala was blessed with a boon granted by Viswakarma and, so stones touched by Nala would be accepted by the oceans and they will not immerse but float. With those stones, a bridge could be constructed and army would be able to cross and reach Lanka. Immediately, work was started to build a bridge of 10 yojana width and 100 yojana length. All monkeys enthusiastically brought various stones and gave to Nala and the bridge got constructed. Seeing monkeys in the construction, squirrels also wanted to join in that sacred duty, says Thondaradippodi Alwar. Squirrels drenched their bodies in the waters and rolled in the beach sands so that sand dust would stick to their bodies. Then, they went to the bridge under construction and shook away all the sand dust so that the stones laid were cemented! Alwar laments that he could not serve the Lord even the way the squirrels did. Poet Kamabar, in his epic Ramayana in Tamil personifies Lanka to a woman, suffering at the hands of Ravana, praying to Sri Rama for help with stretched arms. Sethu appears as the arms of this woman. Saiva saints Thirunavukkarasar and Thirugyana Sambandar have praised this Sethu. Pullangkadar, a poet of the ancient sanga age, was a native of this place. In the ancient poems of Agananooru, Sethu has been mentioned. After the bridge construction was completed, Vibheeshana crossed over to Lanka and then beckoned all to travel safely on the bridge to reach Lanka. Valmiki mentions the time taken for the construction. On the first day 14 yojana length was completed. On second day it was 20, third day it was 21, 22 on the fourth day and on the fifth day 23 yojana length was constructed to complete the entire construction. Sri Andal says that the Lord constructed the Sethu, but He should not destroy the small sand castles She and other girls have made. In Sri Vishnu Sahasranama it is mentioned 'aushadam jagata sethu'. So He is acting as a bridge between this loka of samsaram and Vaikuntam. Upanishads mention that the Lord is the sethu for Moksham. All descriptions about the Sethu are mentioned in sargas 21 and 22 in the Yuddha canto of Srimad Valmiki Ramayana. Not only this, Sri Rama, after killing Ravana and rescuing Sri Sita, is returning back to Ayodya from Lanka. While flying in the Pushpaka vimana along with Sri Sita and others, He points to the sethu from the sky, and tells Sri Sita that Nala constructed this difficult bridge. Henceforth, all from all the three worlds would be going to worship this Sethu. It will be known as Sethu bandham. It is so sacred that it will wash off all sins committed. By bathing or by sprinkling the water on or by staying here for three nights, many good things like bearing good children or negating the curses of forefathers would accrue. People come in crowds and get sanctified. But a request is that one should not just visit for a few hours and go away after a bath. Everyone should stay for three days and that has been the custom followed. Like Kasi and Gaya, Sethu is as much sacred. We have to imagine a scene. Sri Rama, the King in exile and the Lord, is seated here. Surrounding Him are Lakshmana, Sugreeva, Anjaneya, all monkeys and bears, Vibheeshana and his four friends. Sri Rama says aatmanam manusham manye ramam dasarathatmajam. 'Please consider Me as one among you all', says Sri Rama. That is He does not want to be differentiated. Sugreeva tells Sri Rama that though he opposed granting asylum to Vibheeshana, Sri Rama should shower on Vibheeshana all the friendliness He was showing to him and the monkeys. 

All Atman are same no matter by body they might be monkeys or bears or demons. Now the sloka 31:

sarva-bhuta-sthitam yo mam
bhajaty ekatvam asthitah
sarvatha vartamano ’pi
sa yogi mayi vartate

The yogī who knows that I and the Supersoul within all creatures are one worships Me and remains always in Me in all circumstances.

"Such a yogi, who sees all living beings in Me, sees oneness existing, remains always in Me, even in performing duties [for maintaining his body, family or society]."

Sa yogi = that yogi, vartate = lives, mayi = in Me [Sri Krishna]. We tend to be near the God while praying and thereafter we are away from Him as we are busy with our routines. But the yogi in this third stage never parts His company and is always with Him. For God we are all prakaram or body. In our body we never differentiate one limb from another or one organ from another. We consider all are important and equal. So, if we can visualise all the monkeys bears and demons as the body of Sri Rama, then there will be no differences and all will be equal. This yogi sees, sarva bhuta sthitham = existing in all living beings ,mam = Me [Sri Krishna]. When Atman is associated with a body its gyana or knowledge is shrunk or contracted. In mukta atman swaroopam, the gyana is fully expanded and flourishes to the full extent. In this expanded state all Atmans are equal, not only among themselves, but equal to Paramatman also. Ekatvam asthitaha bhajati = considers one or same with Paramatman, in this gyana expanded state. Sarvata vartamano 'pi = even if he is attending to his other routines. This yogi is always with the Lord not only when meditating but even when he is in his routine duties in the family or society. This yogi knows that all Atman are body to the Paramatman, with gyana fully blossomed, considers his Atman and Paramatman are one and the same. There is an Anjaneya temple near the Sethu. Anjaneya knows all the knowledge, power and means for any effort of ours. Sri Rama travelled on the shoulders of Anjaneya to cross the ocean and Sri Lakshmana rode on Angatha. While worshiping here after a sacred bath, let us all consider all Atman are same, as described in this sloka 31.

                                                                                                 (continued)

GITA 6.31

GITA 6.31

muNnNnam kuRaLuruvaay* moovadimaN koNdaLanNdha,*

maNnNnaNn charithaikkE* maalaagip poNnpayanNdhENn,*

poNnNnam kazhikkaaNnal* puLLiNnaNGgaaL! pullaaNi*

aNnNnamaay nNoolpayanNdhaaRku* aaNGgu_idhaNnaich cheppumiNnE.

Thirumangai Alwar has composed Periya Thirumozhi, consisting of more than 1000 verses. In that, decades 9.3 and 9.4 are devoted to Thiruppullani Kshetram. These hymns are sung by the Alwar in the guise of a lady. 'She' sings languishing at the separation oh 'her' Lover, the Lord of Thiruppullani. In pasuram 9.4.2, quoted above, 'she' says 'maalagi ponpayandhen'. Maal means mad. 'She' says she is mad after Him. He as the Dwarf Sri Vamana, begged King Bali to grant Him three feet earth and captured the entire Universe! After hearing that story, 'she' became mad after Him. Because of this, 'her' body got paled. 'She' wants the swans to fly and convey 'her' status to the Lord. When the swans wondered how the Lord would listen to them as messengers, 'she' tells them that He would certainly listen to them, as once He took avatar as Swan and so, He would have fraternity for them. The pushkarini here is called Hamsa - swan - theertham.

Pushkarini Hamsa Theertham

 Once Lanka was ruled by a King called Mali and his sons were Sumali, Jambumali, Malyavan, etc. Unable to bear the harassment of Mali and others, the gods prayed the Lord for protection. He, riding on His vehicle Garuda, destroyed the King and others with His discus -Chakra. Chakra, which was stained with the blood and flesh of the slain King and comrades, prayed the Lord to suggest a way to cleanse the stain. The Lord by a wish - sankalpa- created this pushkarini and asked Chakra to bathe to find all the stains removed. Chakra did the same and so this pond is called Chakra theertham. It is therefore, believed that whoever bathes in this pond gets his stains - the beginningless papa and punya karma- removed. We are indeed blessed to bathe in this pond where Chakra once bathed. By bathing in this holy pond we also, like the Chakra in His arm, can be near His feet and attain salvation. 
It is believed that those who bathe in Swami Pushkarini in Thirumala, will be identical to the Lord there. Identical here means in some respects only. In the sloka 30 also, this message is conveyed that the yogi in the second stage becomes similar to the Lord. In the last sloka (29), we saw that the yogi sees all others as equal to him and he is same as all others. In this sloka 30, the yogi feels, in a way, he is same as the Lord. Without the body, all souls are same and identical. Why did we get these bodies? All past karma or actions have results, punya and papa. Those have to be experienced in the same birth or in the ensuing births. Therefore, Atman needs a body in every birth to enjoy or suffer the fruits of past karma. Such births certainly have differences and they will have vast variances. One is born as bird or animal or human, and further as male or female, etc. If suppose the karmas are all spent and there is no papa or punya, then the Atman will be in its original or natural form. Such Atman will all be identical. Differences are perceptible only because of the body and a body-less Atman is mukta atma swaroopam. We were practicing yoga to know our Atman. If that is so, how by knowing one's own Atman, all other Atman are seen? It is as simple as seeing one grain of cooked rice in a pot full of cooked rice. By examining that one grain, one can conclude whether all the rice grains have all been cooked properly or not. Sri Andal also in the Thiruppavai pasuram, ungal puzhakkadai..., says that since the lotus has blossomed in the garden of the friend, who is sleeping inside with doors bolted, night is gone and day has dawned and so she should wake up and join Sri Andal. At that time the friend wonders how Sri Andal could know that the lotus had blossomed in her garden. It is because, Sri Andal has seen a lotus blossoming in Her garden, and so by this logic, all the lotus flowers in the town or village should have blossomed. Similarly, if in the yoga we could discover our Atman and see its form of gyana and ananda, then all Atman are identical and have the same gyana and ananda. But in today's [6th February 2008] sloka the yogi described is on a higher pedestal and he sees God in all Atman and in his own Atman also. Sloka 30:

yo mam pasyati sarvatra
sarvam ca mayi pasyati
tasyaham na pranasyami
sa ca me na pranasyati
For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.

"For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me."

Yo = [the one yogi] who, sarvatra = everywhere, pasyati = sees, mam = Me [Sri Krishna, the Paramatman], ca = and, pasyati = sees, sarvam = all, mayi = in Me [Sri Krishna]. This yogi sees the Lord in all and sees all in Him. Tasya = to such a person, aham = I [Sri Krishna], na pranasyami= have not been unseen, ca = and, sa = he [the yogi], me = to Me [Sri Krishna], pranasyati = has not been unseen. Sri Krishna is always seen by that yogi and Sri Krishna always sees that yogi. Essence of this sloka is that the Lord is prevalent everywhere and all are existing in Him. He is pervading in all and all are supported by Him. This is going to be explained in detail in Chapters 7, 8 and 9 . But the purpose of this sloka is that all the Atman are equal to Him and He is same as all the souls. With the body as a residence for Atman, we can not claim oneness with the Lord. But the body-less Atman - mukta atma swaroopam, has eight auspicious qualities and they are the same as the qualities of the Lord. They are like, no more stains of papa, no hunger, no thirst, no ageing, no death and completing the task determined, etc. With body, these qualities are impossible to have. So a yogi in mukta atman swaroopam sees Him in all Atman and all Atman in Him. Though this yogi claims equality in eight gunas, the Lord's unique qualities of the Spouse of Sri MahaLakshmi, powers of creation and rider of the vehicle Garuda, can never be acquired by anyone else. He will continue to be the Ruler and we, even after mukti or Moksham, will continue to be the ruled. This is the status of the yogi in second stage. 

                                                                                         (continued)

GITA 6.30

GITA 6.30

We have already visited 17 out of 18 Divya Desam of Pandya region. Only one is remaining and it is unique. This Kshetram is glorified by Sri Rama, by Sethu shore, by the bridge and by the Monkey Army [of Ramayana]. Thirumangai Alwar has glorified it. We have come to such a famous Thiruppullani.
This Kshetram appeared so many hundreds of thousands of years ago. The Lord appears in three forms here. Sri Aadi Jagannatha along with Sri Padmasani Thayar is gracing in the seated pose. Sri Dharbasayana Perumal in the reclining pose. Sri PattabiRama, along wit Sri Sita, Lakshmana and Anjaneya in the standing pose. With such three sannidhis and with the Chakra theertham or Hamsa theertham, pushkarini, Aswatta tree [Tamil- arasa maram Peepal is a popular name] as temple tree,Sethu shore in the ocean, this Kshetram is situated. How this name came to be? Sri Rama used dharba, a type of grass, as bed and rested. Grass is pul  in Tamil, and bed is aNai in Tamil, and so this place was called pullaNai, which became pullANi. In Ramayana, in Thretha yug, Sri Rama requested Samudra Raja [king of oceans] to give way to reach Lanka and retrieve Sri Sita, and He remained on the grass bed for three days . Sages Pullar, Sangar and Kalavar, were fortunate to view the Lord here and so in memory of sage Pullar, this place became Pullani. This place is surrounded by grass [dharbha] and so it was known as pul aranyam [forest of grass]. Thiru is added to this name to sanctify and so this place is called Thiruppullani or Thiruppullaranyam. We will see more of this Kshetram in the coming days. 
In the last 28 slokas the procedure for yoga was explained by Sri Krishna. Swami Alavandar has, in Gitartha sangraham, in a single sloka told the essence of Chapter 6 as:

yogaabhyaasavidhiryogii caturdhaa yogasaadhanam . 

yogasiddhiH svayogasya paaramyaM ShaShTa ucyate .. (10)

[Yogis are of four types, yoga saadhanam= implements needed to practice yoga, yogasiddhi = even if we are to slip from yoga in between, the yoga would still bear fruits and Bhakti yoga is the best among all yoga.] Upto sloka 28 we have seen the procedure for doing yoga. Selecting a conducive place, a good seat, we sit and concentrate our mind on Atman, avoiding drifting away on other matters, and enjoying in that state without bothering about other matters. The yoga is thus practiced. Now, He is going to tell that yogis are of four types and these are described in next four slokas 29, 30, 31 and 32. These persons are not identical and their superiority increases in the ascending order of slokas. Person described in sloka 30 is better than the person detailed in sloka 29, etc,. In the temple we see the tower surface is reduced as we ascend. Similarly, in the first stage explained in sloka 29, one may find large number of persons. But the number of persons available for next stage mentioned in sloka 3o, will be lesser. For the top most stage described in sloka 32, minimum persons will be available. We find more students in the primary class. This gets reduced in high school and finally in the post graduate studies we find the least number. Similarly the number of persons qualifying various stages in the four slokas will diminish as we go from sloka 29 to 32. In sloka 29 Sri Krishna mentions that the yogi views all the living beings as same. It is called sama darshanam. All the four types of yogis will have this as a common feature. Sloka 29:

sarva-bhuta-stham atmanam
sarva-bhutani catmani
iksate yoga-yuktatma
sarvatra sama-darshanah
A true yogī observes Me in all beings, and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized man sees Me everywhere.

"A true yogi observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized person sees Me, the same Supreme Lord, everywhere."

Yoga = practicing yoga, yuktatma= whoever gets involved, iksate = sees or views, sarvatra = everywhere, sama darshana = same outlook. Sarvatra means, though all are different in bodies, Atman without the body is same in all. Without the body the Atman is an embodiment of gyana [knowledge] and ananda [bliss]. This is common in each and every Atman, though the bodies in which each Atman is residing may be different. So all Atman are identical without any exception. So a yogi sees the Atman in all, and so finds all are same. Atmanam = self [yogi], sarva bhutastham = is seen in all living beings, sarva bhutani = all other living beings are seen, atmani = in self. All the Atman of all other living beings are having the same gyana and ananda, as the Atman of yogi has. and vice versa. So yogi considers himself as equal to all others and he views all others are equal to him. We should not misinterpret this sloka to mean that all Atman of others are residing in the Atman of yogi or this yogi's Atman is residing in all others' Atman. This is impossible, too. So we have to understand that the yogi sees the gyana of all Atman are equal to the gyana of his Atman. In Vishnu Purana there is a story of King Rahuguna, who wanted to learn about Atman from a great person. He traveled by a palanquin. Only three bearers were available, while to carry the palanquin four were needed. He spotted a well built person - Jatabharatha- and he was made the fourth bearer. Jatabharatha, was a yogi and was in concentration of Atman and so the palanquin jerked violently as all the four were carrying it. Irritated the King found that the jerks were due to Jatabharatha not carrying palanquin and walking properly. King wanted to correct him by punishing with a stick. The King brandishing the stick told Jatabharatha, " You are well built and strong, why are you not carrying the palanquin properly? Where do you come from and what for you came?". Jatabharatha smiled and said that he did not carry the palanquin. King was perplexed and asked him whether he did not carry the palanquin on his shoulders all these time? Jatabharatha replied that he never carried but only his body carried the palanquin. He further said that he was not well built, but his body was. Just like the King came from the womb of his mother, so also Jatabharatha came from his mother's womb. Both of them have come to expend their karma and so there was no difference between the King and Jatabharatha. [The King was flabbergasted by the knowledge of Jatabharatha, and the story further continues]. So all are same as far as Atman are considered. Such sama darshan is the level of the first type of yogi.

                                                                                                      (continued)