|
||
|
| ||
|
Sri Hari
GURUJI SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIGAL MISSION |
||
 | ||
|
SWAMIGAL SPEAKS |
MISSION |
NÃMA BHIKSHA KENDRA |
VEDA PATASHALA |
PUBLICATIONS/PERIODICALS |
|
||
|
|
||
|
| ||
|
Sri Hari
GURUJI SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIGAL MISSION |
||
| ||
|
SWAMIGAL SPEAKS |
MISSION |
NÃMA BHIKSHA KENDRA |
VEDA PATASHALA |
PUBLICATIONS/PERIODICALS |
|
||
|
Premika Bhavanam, Chennai
Page 1 Page 2
Sri Swamigal has been rendering ‘Upanyãsam’ (discourses), in Tamizh, in Premika Bhavanam. This is being brought to you here. There may appear to be variations in the ‘tense’ of the language. This is due to the fact that great effort has been taken to maintain the original style of the ‘Upanyãsam’. Therefore, we request you to keep this in mind while reading the translated ‘words’ of Sri Swamigal.
Sri Swamigal,
"JAI JAI GOVINDA JAYA HARI GOVINDA!
"Rangesamãmpãhi! Rangesamãmpãhi! Rangesamãmpãhi! Rangapprabho! "HARE RÃMA HARE RÃMA RÃMA RÃMA HARE HARE " Yesterday we had taken up the Pãsuram ‘Undu madagalitran odãda tolvaliyan…’ In this we saw how one has to hold on to Purushãkãra and that Bhagavan should not be approached directly. If one approached Bhagavan directly, He might accept us or just ignore us (‘udãseena’). It was Ramanuja who condemned the direct approach to Bhagavãn without taking recourse to Piratti. He insisted that only through the support of ‘Thãyãr’ one should seek Bhagavãn. ‘Pandãr viraliun maitunan perpãda’ - the girls call out to Nappinai - “Since Krishna had been defeated in his night sport with you, we will use this opportunity to tease Him.” Krishna and Nappinai had spent the night in ‘prema sallaba’. They had played with the ball until they were too tired to play anymore. We can guess this by the way Nappinai is lying down on the bed, the manner in which her clothes are spread out in an indifferent way. How do we know who had won the game? Since Nappinai’s hand is holding the ball, we are aware that she must have indeed defeated Krishna. The ‘padam’ (term) used here is very charming. Krishna is not being addressed as ‘Mãyane’. Here Bhagavãn is not sung as Mãdhava, Kesava, Mãvãi pilandãnai, Mallarai mãtiya, etc. (all these speak of Krishna’s valour) but the girls say, ‘Let’s call him ‘totãnguli!’ (one who has been shamefully defeated). So, open the door. In the earlier pãsuram ‘ambarame, thanneere, chore’ they call out to Nandagopa (Krishna’s father)- “Hey! Nandagopa! you are a man of great charity. You give away food, water and clothes in charity but your son is a thief! Should such a great Nandagopa be blessed with this sort of a son? (!)”
‘Undu madagallitran’- Nandagopa is tough enough to control the ‘mada yãnai’ (the male elephants which are very powerful).
Ãzhwãr sings,
In Bhagavatam, Sukãchãrya says, ‘Kãlenãlpena rãjase rãmah Krishnascha Gokule agrustajãnubih padbhirvichakramaturanjasã’ --- very soon the child began to walk. He does not describe Krishna’s style of walking. But the Ãzhwãr describes the beauty of Bhagavãn’s walk. ‘Undu madakallitran odãda tolvaliyan’ - Nanda is controlling the elephant that is Krishna (‘Krishna enum yãnai’)! Ãndãl questions further, “Having been born to Nandagopa who is very powerful (‘parãkramasãli’- ‘odãda tolvaliyan’) you have been defeated by Nappinai!” The father has never fled the battlefield. He has the power and smartness to control hundreds of huge and powerful elephants in his palace. But the son does not possess even a little of the valour of the father (Nandagopa). Hence, this term (‘padam’) - ‘odãda tolvaliyan Nandago pãlan’ (one who does not flee from the battlefield; one who possesses powerful shoulders). But why has Krishna conceded defeat to Nappinai? It is only charming (‘rasam’) to ‘get’ defeated in the hands of women. In ‘nalangu’ ceremony in a wedding, the bridal couple plays a game of rolling the coconut. The groom usually gives in, in an act of defeat, and it is charming indeed for him to give in to the bride. If, instead he forcefully takes the coconut from her hand it instantly goes to exhibit his meanness and ‘arasika’ (one who cannot enjoy subtle feelings) manner. To feign defeat is ‘purusha lakshana’(sign of manliness). It is ‘rasokthi’ - (filled with essence of love). So, here Perumal (Krishna) on the lines of the world (‘loka riiti’) has allowed Himself to be defeated at the hands of Nappinai. So, Pirãtti is holding the ball in Her hands! So, the Mahãtmas sing the Purushãkãra - ‘Thãyãr patrri Perumal patrra!’ - One should hold the ‘Thãyãr’ to get hold of Perumal. When Mahãtmas write vyãkyãnas (commentaries) they at once draw parallels with incidents in Epics such as Mahãbaratha, Ramayana,, Bhãgavatam etc. They are reminded of similar incidents in these epics and enjoy drawing a comparison. Yesterday, we saw a reference made to the Kãkkãsura incident and Pirãtti’s attitude (‘manobhãva’) when Hanuman meets Her to inform about the victory of Rama in the battle - Vijaya Raghava. In Vãli ‘vada’ (killing of the monkey king Vãli) Rama slays Vãli with an arrow. The fallen, dying Vãli points out to Rama , “Justice is on your side no doubt. Yet, had Piratti been by your side, Oh! Rama! You would never have slain me!” The Swamy also points out later that Hanuman was a great tapasvi and brahmachãri, ‘Chollin Selvan’ - none could speak like him. Two connotations are attached to this term ‘Chollin Selvan’. One is - a person who could speak very well, ‘Vãkmi’ (one who cannot be defeated in a debate) and not just ‘Vãk Chãthurya’ (speak intelligently). None could equal him in dialogue because He was ‘Nava vyãkarana Pundit’ - well learned in the nine ‘Vyãkaranãs’. His choice of words and delivery is unparalleled. The second one is - Hanuman has said (to Rama), ‘Yatra Yatra Raghunãtha keertanam tatra tatra kritamastakãnjalim’ -- Wherever your praise is sung there will I go! He is, therefore, known as ‘Chollin Selvan’ - ‘Chol’ spoken (wherever Rama’s praises are spoken); ‘Selvan’- one who will go there --- One who will go to the places where Rama’s praises are uttered! Such a praiseworthy Hanuman inquires of Piratti, “Mother! When I came over to inform You of the Lord’s victory why did I declare to You that I would destroy the ‘rãkshasis’ who were around You in Asoka Vana?” Piratti explains, “That was because you were then Rama dãsa (the devotee of and at Rama’s service). Had you been Janakirama dãsa (Janaki is another name for Sita), you would not have uttered such words!” Hanuman had come to Rama only after Rama had lost Sita. He had been serving only Rama and had not known Sita’s feelings. Had he held Rama’s Feet as Sitarama, after coming to Sita, such a thought (of killing the rãkshasiis) would never have been born in his mind! Hence, approach Perumal through Piratti. So, Ãndãl who is ‘amsa’ of Neela Devi, Hlãdhini Shakti has come down from Sri Vaikunta to show us how to do bhakti. Therefore, ‘Thãyãrai patrri Perumal patrra’ - Seek Perumal through ‘Thãyãr’ (his consort - Piratti). It is thus advised to first prostrate to ‘Thãyãr’ before going over to Perumal’s Sannidhi (sanctum sanctorum). Next Pãsuram is ‘Kuttu villakkeriyak kottukkãl kattilmel’ - In the Upanishad there is something called ‘pariyanka viddhai’. This Pãsuram depicts this ‘pariyanka viddhai’. What is pariyanka viddhai? Now, let us say someone is lying down. We ask, ‘Where is he lying down?’ ‘He is lying in the house’, is the reply. In a room in the house is the extended reply. He is sleeping on a cot in the room is the next detail; He is sleeping on a mattress on the cot; on a silk cloth spread on the mattress. Which one is true of all these? All are true! - A room in the house, a cot in the room, a mattress on the cot, a silken cloth spread on the mattress. Our Vedanta Shastras term such details as ‘pariyanka viddhai’. Click here for Thiruppãvai (19) in Tamil ‘Kotukkãl kattilmel’ - The Swamy is reminded of Bhagavãn’s ‘sthãna’ (place) in Sri Vaikunta. The bhakti of vedantis is different. Their experiences are different. In their case, the ‘Ãtma’ rests within (‘Ãtma odunga’) and they seek ‘nirguna brahmam’ - the formless Brahman. There is no ‘pokkum varavum’, i.e. there is no going or coming. Ramana Maharishi, Maha Periyava were like this. The reference of ‘Gatãkãsa’ mixing with ‘Mahãkãsa’ is cited here. This is similar to a mud pot that contains air (space) inside and outside. When the pot breaks what seemed to have been held within now mixes with the space outside. But in reality there is no mixing of one with another. Here the pot is only a ‘upãdi’ - an illusion of a separate identity and so appears as if space had been divided/separated by a pot and on its breaking down they have been unified. So, it is ‘ajnãna’ (ignorance) that is ‘upãdi’ here - the ‘ajnãna’ that Brahman is separate. ‘Pokkum varavumil podu velli yinilarut porãttangkãtarunãchalã,’ says Ramana Maharishi. There is no world to go or attain. This is the great Advaita state (the state of being One). There are those who desire that state. Their siddhanta is separate/different. When a person does ‘upãsana’ (worship) of a devata, he attains the ‘Loka’ (world) of that devata. If a person worships evil spirits then he attains the world of evil spirits. If he worships ‘pitrus’ (ancestors) he then attains ‘pitru loka’. Likewise, a Siva bhakta (devotee) attains Siva loka, a Devi bhakta - Devi loka, Vishnu bhakta - Vishnu loka. Only if one does ‘upãsana’ (worship) of a single god does it becomes fruitful. Not otherwise. In the name of bhakti, if one worships all gods he will not attain any ‘Loka’. While following ‘upãsana krama’, one of the two kinds of ‘mãrgas’ (paths) is found to be followed by the jiva after death. One is ‘Arcchirãdi mãrga’ and the other is ‘Doomãdi’ mãrga. ‘Doomãdi’ mãrga is a path of darkness. The ‘sukshma sarira’ (subtle body) rises up (after the physical body falls) and does not get to any ‘loka’. But the jiva is taken through this dark path to hell or to the ‘pitru loka’. Such a state is suffered only by ‘pãpi jivas’ (sinners) who have not done any punya. He has no darshan of gods or any other ‘bhogyãs’ (enjoyments). In ‘arcchirãdi mãrga’ the sukshuma sarira rises up and attains the loka of the particular devata it had worshipped. As per (Vaishnava) Siddhãnta, even Adi Sankara as also the Bhagavat Gita say that ‘moksha’ means Sri Vaikunta. Leaving aside the nirguna brahmam (worship of the formless), while deeming which loka is the greatest - Pitru loka, Swarga loka, Kailasa or Sri pura it has been said that Sri Vaikunta is the highest. It is only the Vedas which is ‘pramãna’ for everything. ‘Tat Vishnoh paramam padam, sadã pashyanti soorayah’. ‘Paramam’ as in ‘Paramãcharya (the greatest Ãchãrya [Teacher]), ‘Parama boghyam’ (the highest enjoyment) means there is nothing greater than that. ‘Para Viddhai’ means highest knowledge. Based on our own likes and dislikes we deem certain things/persons to be the greatest. But this is not right. Only Shruti is ‘pramãna’ for everything. What the Vedas say as the highest is truly the highest. ‘Veda Vãkya’ means what the Vedas say. And that is the end - final. And the Vedas say ‘Tat Vishnoh Paramam padam’! ‘Narayana para brahma tatvam Nãrãyana parãh’, says the Shruti. It says that Nãrãyana is Para brahmam. ‘Tanno Vishnuve urukramah’ - the Vedas refers to the ‘Trivikramãvatãr’ of Lord Vishnu. The Vedas speak of Lord Vishnu in many places. Vishnu means omnipresent. How is this Vaikunta? We have already said that in ‘arcchirãdi mãrga’ when the ‘sthula sarira’ (physical body) falls the ‘sukshma sarira’ (subtle body) rises up. This subtle body is linked to the spinal cord of the physical body with silver like string. In the charitra of Mahãns we sometimes read that they have revived the dead. How is this possible? When the subtle body rises out of the physical body the silver like string connecting the two bodies would not have been disconnected. The subtle body tries to get back into the physical body in vain. The Mahãns can assist the subtle body enter back into the physical body. Mahãns can leave the physical bodies and move in their astral bodies. They can move from one body into another body and this is called ‘koodu vittu koodu pãyaradu’ (to leap from one cage to another - Please note that here cage refers to the cage of a body). Acchãrya (Adi Sankara) has done this. This is possible for the Mahãtmas. Arunagirinãtha and Vikramãditya have performed this feat. Even in the case of an ordinary man this sometimes happens in a state of shock. When they are suddenly jolted out of sleep, the subtle body sometimes gets separated from the physical body. It tries to get back into the physical body but in vain. Mahãtmas can rejoin it into/with the physical body! This is because they have the know-how of it! This is why we say that the dead has been revived. When the ‘prãna’ (life current) leaves the physical body it can get back provided it has not been totally cut off. But if the contact has been severed completely it cannot get back into the physical body. As soon as a person dies, the subtle body leaves the physical body. But it does not immediately go to other lokas. It tries to get back into the physical body. It can see everything around. It sees the relatives weeping, the doctor examining the body, etc. It tries to communicate but all cannot hear its language. It is a ‘manolaya bhasha’ (mental language-telepathy). Since there are no words uttered in this, it is unable to communicate with others. It, therefore, suffers immensely. It catches on to its physical body lying inert and at times goes up to the graveyard holding on to the body. This subtle body has the same kind of form as that of the physical body. It has hands, legs, etc. just as the physical body. It is ‘olli mayam’ (full of light). When a person has been doing ‘upasanã’ (worship) of a devata his physical body becomes lustrous. The physical body transforms and one can ‘see’ the difference. We say, “Look at him. He has become full of ‘tejas’ (lustre)!” The ‘tejas’ has occurred in the physical body. We say that he seems fresh like the just bloomed flower. The subtle body is also as lustrous as the physical body. When a person chants mantras, meditates on mantras his body becomes full of ‘tejas’ (full of lustre). If even this physical body made up of bones, blood and water is filled with tejas, then how bright and shining should the subtle body be? The ‘sukshma sarira’ (subtle body) of ‘upãsakãs’ (one who has been intently worshipping a particular god) becomes golden and full of lustre. The ‘sukshma sarira’ of sinners, of a ‘kãmuka’ (one filled with desires) is red in colour and persons filled with ‘tamo guna’(one of the three qualities in nature) is black. Even neurologists have tried to catch a picture of the astral body. Once or twice they have succeeded! They call it the ‘astral plane’. Today, scientists accept that there indeed is a subtle body that is golden. Any sickness or disease strikes the ‘sukshma sarira’ (subtle/astral body) first and only later the ‘sthula sarira’ (physical body) is affected. Anyone who can see the ‘sukshma sarira’ can see this and know that the corresponding part of the physical body is going to be afflicted with some disease. This is the reason that the Mahãns know what disease is going to afflict a person. In the case of an ‘upãsaka’ when the subtle body leaves the physical body after death it is full of lustre (‘tejomaya’). " Page 1 Page 2
NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyasam is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.
Radhe Krishna |
|||||
Thiruppãvai - Day Seventeen (PAGE 1) 