Glimpses from Indian spirituality, mythology and way of life.

This is a composition on Lord Rama by Saint Purandara Dasar in Kannada language. The Saint says here:

Chant the name Rama, chant the name of Rama, chant the name of Sita rama. The chanting of the name of Rama will give whatever is sought for to those who are devoted to Rama.

Do it right now. At the time when the servants of Yama, the God of Death come to our doorsteps asking us to leave putting the noose around our neck, the chanting the name of Rama would not help.

Having spent the life in bad deeds, the chanting of Purandara vithala's name will not help us when we are leaving this world.

So, chant the name Rama, chant the name of Rama, chant the name of Sita rama right now.

The composition is on Tilang raga set to Adi Taala and is rendered by Nirmala Ramachandran.

This is a bhajan on Goddess Saraswathi, the Goddess of Learning. Composed in Sanskrit by an unknown devotee, the bhajan offers obeisance at the feet of the goddess referring to her as Bhagavati, Nada Brahmamayi and Vageswari. Bhagavati is a name that encompasses all Devi forms. As an embodiment of Divine music, she is Nada Brahmamayi. And as the goddess of speech, she is Vageswari.

The poet pays his obeisance to the goddess saying:

Victory! Victory to you, the Goddess of learning, music and the arts! We bow at Your lotus feet. Remove from us all that is impure.

The bhajan is rendered by Nithya Venkataraman.

This is a simple and interesting story relating to two gods of Hindu mythology namely Ganesha and Karthikeya. Karthikeya is popularly known as Murugan in Tamil. They are the two sons of Lord Shiva, Ganesha being the elder and Murugan the younger.

On one occasion, Sage Narada visited Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi and presented them a mango fruit. Narada suggested that they should give it to one of their sons whom they liked most. The Divine Parents liked equally both their sons Ganesha and Murugan. So they were in a dilemma as to whom they can give that fruit. Shiva set a test for his two sons. He called both of them and suggested that the one who circled the world three times and came back first would get it as a prize.

Hear the episode to know who got the prize and what is the moral of the story.

Thirumazhisai Alwar

In this episode, a brief idea is given about Thirumazhisai Alwar, one of the important Alwars of Vishnavism.

I have also brought about an audio book titled ‘Alwars-The Vaishnvie Saints’ which will be available with leading audio book-sellers like Google’s play books.

https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/VENKATARAMAN_M_Alwars?id=AQAAAEAcKRZpGM

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1530919441

https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/alwars-by-venkataraman-m

Parasurama is a well-known sage. He was born to Sage Jamadagni. While Sage Viswamitra was born in a Kshatriya family and was having brahminic energies, Parasurama was born to a Sage but was having Kshatriya energies. But strangely, Parasurama was antagonistic to the entire kshatriya race. He was also considered as one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

In this episode you will hear brief details about Parasurama and his father Sage Jamadagni.

I have also brought about an audio book titled ‘Ancient Sages of India’ which will be available with leading audio book-sellers like Google’s play books.

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/ancient-sages-of-india

https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/VENKATARAMAN_M_Ancient_Sages_of_India?id=AQAAAECcenU6-M

https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/ancient-sages-of-india-by-venkataraman-m

https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/478085404/Ancient-Sages-of-India

https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/ancient-sages-of-india/461360

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1533790027

https://www.nookaudiobooks.com/audiobook/1021931/Ancient-Sages-of-India

https://shop.authors-direct.com/products/ancient-sages-of-india

Thotakashtakam

The hymn Thotakashtakam is composed by one of the disciples of Adi Shankara. It is so called because it has been composed in the difficult but beautiful meter called Thotaka.

Anandagiri was one of the disciples of Adi Shankara. Compared to the other disciples of Shankara, he was not considered as intelligent. But Giri, as he was called, was extremely devoted to his Guru and would always engage himself in the service of Shankara. Once it so happened that Shankara was about to begin his usual morning class on the Upanishads. All the disciples had assembled but Giri was absent. It was because Giri had gone to the river to wash his guru's clothes but was still stuck up with that work. So Shankara asked the other disciples to wait for Giri's return. But another disciple named Padmapada, who was obviously proud of his scholarship, said, ‘Giri is a dull fellow. He really does’nt deserve to learn the shastras. What is the point in waiting for him to join us?'

Shankara decided to humble the pride of Padmapada and other disciples. Out of sheer compassion for Giri, Shankara blessed him with the knowledge of the shastras, making use of his supernatural powers. As a result, Giri became a learned scholar instantaneously. Returning from the river, he composed the Thotakashtakam, this hymn of eight verses in praise of his Guru, Adi Shankara. Praising Adi Shankara invoking various forms of his knowledge and virtues, Giri pleads to him in these verses by saying ‘Oh great Shankara, I take refuge in you.’

Padmapada and other disciples, who were struck with wonder, respected Giri for his knowledge and reverentially called him as Thotakacharya, because he was an adept in composing verses in the Thotaka meter.

Nammalwar and Madhurakavi Alwar

In this episode a brief idea is given about Nammalwar and Madhurakavi Alwar, two of the important Alwars of Vaishnavism.

I have also brought about an audio book titled ‘Alwars-The Vaishnvie Saints’ which will be available with leading audio book-sellers like Google’s play books.

https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/VENKATARAMAN_M_Alwars?id=AQAAAEAcKRZpGM

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1530919441

https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/alwars-by-venkataraman-m

Andal

In this episode a brief idea is given about Andal, one of the important Alwars of Vaishnavism.

I have also brought about an audio book titled ‘Alwars-The Vaishnvie Saints’ which will be available with leading audio book-sellers like Google’s play books.

https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/VENKATARAMAN_M_Alwars?id=AQAAAEAcKRZpGM

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1530919441

https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/alwars-by-venkataraman-m

Perialwar

In one of the earlier episodes, I mentioned about Saivism and Vaishnavism and that in Vaishnavism, Lord Vishnu is considered as the supreme deity. We also saw that the Alwars are a group of twelve ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu in the eighth and ninth centuries and that they are famous for their poetry in praise of Lord Vishnu and that the collection of their 4000 poems is known as the ‘Naalaayira Divya Prabhandam’. In another episode I briefly mentioned about Poigai Alwar, Bootat Alwar and the Pei Alwar who were collectively known as Mudhal Alwars.

One of the other important Alwars is Perialwar. This episode gives a brief account of Perialwar.

I have also brought about an audio book titled ‘Alwars-The Vaishnvie Saints’ which will be available with leading audio book-sellers like Google’s play books.

https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/VENKATARAMAN_M_Alwars?id=AQAAAEAcKRZpGM

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1530919441

https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/alwars-by-venkataraman-m

The story of ‘Thoppukkaranam’

Have you heard the words ‘Pillaiyar Kuttoo’ and ‘Thoppukkaranam’? People belonging to Tamil nadu will definitely be aware. They are two practices being followed in the worship of Lord Ganesha.

Whenever people do a puja or engage in any religious activities, they first start their prayer by invoking Ganesha striking their forehead with their knuckles. This practice of worshipping Ganesha is known as ‘Pillaiyar Kuttoo’. While dealing with Sage Agasthya in one of my earlier episodes, I mentioned the story as to how the practice of `Pillaiyar kuttoo’ came into being.

This present story will tell you how the practice of Thoppukkaranam came into practice.