Glimpses from Indian spirituality, mythology and way of life.

Pratah Smarana Stotram

This stotram is a Morning Prayer composed by Sri Adi Shankara on the Supreme Spirit. It consists of only three verses in which the mind, speech and body of the individual are sought to be dedicated to the Almighty. In these verses Adi Shankara sets forth the quintessence of Advaita-Vedanta.

As we all know, the dawn is the most important time in everyday life. The first thoughts, words and actions of the day greatly influence the life of every individual.  If we think of the divine in early morning, it will profoundly influence spiritual illumination.

Brahman is the Ultimate Reality. It is existence-consciousness-bliss (Satchitananda). It is the Self shining brilliantly in the heart. It is Turiya that which is the reality of the three states of experience namely the states of waking, dream and deep sleep and is beyond them. Shankara states that at dawn he remembers that he is not a cluster of elements but is this Reality.

Brahman eludes categorization. It is not within the limits of ideas and words. Hence Brahman is indicated in the negative way, as `not this’, `not this’. So, in the next verse Shankara states that at dawn, he sings the praise of that Brahman which is unattainable by mind and speech, but by the grace of which all words shine. Whom the scriptures declare through the words 'not this’, 'not this’ and is stated to be unborn and unchanging.

The elements that constitute the world are but illusory appearances on the basic Reality. Just as a person in the dark mistakes a rope as a serpent or a garland, this world is but an illusion. As the sun of wisdom rises, these illusions disappear and the goal of life is reached. In the last verse he says that at dawn he bows to this Supreme Brahman which is called the Highest Self which is beyond darkness.

The phalasruti states that he who reads these three verses at the time of dawn achieves the supreme spiritual goals.

This is the sixth episode of the story titled ‘Yathni's Travel to Kailash’. The first episode was published on 5th August 21. The second, third, fourth and fifth were published on 3rd September 21, 15th September 21, 22nd October 21 and 16th November 21 respectively.

Mukundamala

The Alwars are a group of twelve ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu. They are famous for their poetry in Tamil known as Pasurams in praise of Lord Vishnu. In the earlier episodes I have made a brief mention about these 12 Alwars. Kulasekara Alwar is one of these 12 Alwars.

Kulasekara Alwar was a king. He was also a great scholar of Tamil and Sanskrit. He was a king of great valour and captured various other kingdoms. But, Lord Vishnu wanted him to lead a spiritual life. So, on one fine day the king got irritated for leading a luxurious life. He thought that he should lead his life by being useful to others and at the same time he should spread the devotion to Lord Vishnu. He composed 105 paasurams called ‘Perumal Thirumozhi’.

This hymn ‘Mukundamala’ is the one composed by him in Sanskrit. The hymn essentially describes Lord Vishnu as a garland and Lord Vishnu’s several names and attributes as beads of this garland.

I have also brought about an audio book titled ‘Alwars-The Vaishnavite 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://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/alwars

https://shop.authors-direct.com/products/alwars-the-vaishnavite-saints

https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/475349545/Alwars-The-Vaishnavite-Saints

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

https://www.hibooks.com/discover/audiobook/alwars

https://www.nookaudiobooks.com/audiobook/1020729/Alwars

https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/alwars-the-vaishnavite-saints/457324

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

This is the fifth episode of the story titled Yathni's Travel to Kailash. The first episode was published on 5th August 21, the second on 3rd September 21,third on 15th September 21 and fourth on 22nd October.

Diwali, also called as Deepavali is one of the most celebrated and important festivals of India. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, meaning “row of lights.” ‘Avali’ means row and ‘Deepa’ is light.

Generally, the festival lasts for five days from the 13th day of the dark phase of the lunar month of Ashvina to the second day of the light phase of the lunar month of Karthika. This corresponds to late October and early November according to the Gregorian calendar. Diwali occurs on the darkest day of the lunar month, which is the day of the new Moon. It is customary to light small earthenware lamps filled with oil called diyas and decorate the house on that day.

Observances of Diwali differ depending on region and tradition. There are multiple religious stories across several faiths. So, the meanings that people associate with Diwali may vary. In broad terms, however, it often represents the victory of light over darkness.

This talk gives a brief introduction to the festival.

This is the fourth episode of the story titled Yathni's Travel to Kailash. The first episode was published on 5th August 21, the second on 3rd September 21 and the third on 15th September 21 .

Mahalayam or Pitru Paksha

The period from 21stSeptember to 6th October of this year is one of the important one in the Hindu way of life. It is known as Mahalaya Paksha or Pitru Paksha. The Taitriya Upanishad says that the universe evolved out of Brahman, the ultimate reality. Although Brahman is a man’s innermost self, man is not conscious of it because the Self is hidden by various sheaths called koshas. These sheaths are five in number. The first is annamaya kosha – the outermost sheath which is gross physical sheath produced from food which we eat. Next is pranamaya kosha – the vital breath (prana) which pervades the physical sheath. Then the manomaya kosha – of the mind. Thereafter the vijnanamaya kosha – of the intellect or wisdom and lastly, the innermost ananda maya kosha – the sheet of bliss or Ananda. 

An individual is considered to be composed of three bodies. The gross body (Karya sharira) is the first outermost sheath. The next three sheaths form the Sukshma Sharira and the final sheath is the causal body (Karana Sharira). The Sukshma sharira and the Karana sharira are subtle in nature. They contain all the vital functions and keep the gross body alive. After the death of a human being, the gross body dissolves into the gross elements of the earth, which are basically the earth, fire, water and air. The scriptures say that the subtle bodies still remain even after death and go to the subtle or ethereal realm along with the soul. In other words, our ancestors are living in a subtle form in another realm of this universe. This realm is called as Pitru Loka. The scriptures say that when the sun enters the zodiac sign of Virgo, these ancestors who are in their subtle form would leave this subtle and ethereal realm and come and reside in their descendants' homes on earth for a fortnight.

Since the elements like earth and water is absent from their body, the subtle body of the ancestors is not materially tangible. Those who have faith in the scriptures believe that the ancestors would come invisible to their houses. The scriptures advise us to offer oblations to them and propitiate them. Certain procedures have been prescribed in this regard. That is what the Hindus follow and do. The ceremonies performed indicate the love, affection and gratitude that the descendants have for their ancestors.

I have also published an audio book titled ‘Paradise comes to Mylapore’. Though primarily the book talks about the area of Mylapore in the city of Chennai in Tamilnadu, the story is based on Mahalayam. The link for this book is given below.

https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/VENKATARAMAN_M_Paradise_comes_to_Mylapore?id=AQAAAECc32uf5M

https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/485863452/Paradise-comes-to-Mylapore

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/paradise-comes-to-mylapore-1

https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/paradise-comes-to-mylapore-by-venkataraman-m

https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/paradise-comes-to-mylapore/489945

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1542016343

https://www.nookaudiobooks.com/audiobook/1024788/Paradise-comes-to-Mylapore

https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781664959897

This is the third episode of the story titled Yatni's Travel to Kailash. The first episode was published on 5th August 21 and the second on 3rd September 21.

This contains the procedure for the ensuing Ganesha Chaturthi Puja on 10th September. 

This is a hymn of Praise on Lord Ganesha composed by Adi Sankaracharya. 

Sankara says ‘I praise Lord Ganesha, the leader of Shivaganas and the son of Lord Shiva’.

What type of a deity is Ganesha? Sankara says that with the snake garland shining over his belly, He appears pleasing with the sounds of the small bells across His body. His lotus-feet is reverberating to the dance of shiva tandava in rebellious ways. His face is resplendent hearing the sounds coming out from the strings of the veena. He has a resplendent trunk stem and a temple. There is a shiny flow of juice from the trunk temple. He wears a trickling garland of fragrant flowers with bumblebees hovering around.

He is shining like the blood-red inner new shoots of the rose flower during the morning red light. He has a large belly and an elephant tusk. He is adorned by a colorful shining garland of diamonds and jewels and is adorned at the forehead by streaks of the diamond-like moon. Ganesha is an incarnation for providing mercy, comfort, and benevolence to the people.

Sankara says ‘I praise that Ganesha, Who is the beginning of the universe, pure, and free from differences. He is beyond the qualities, pure bliss, formless, and is beyond everything. He is the Omkara, is the creator of illusions, and whom eminent Puranas glorify with songs of praise.

Sankara offers salutations to that great Ganesha, Who provides happiness and bliss, Who is peaceful, Who creates and destroys the world, and Who has immeasurable sportivity.

Sankara says ‘O Ganesha, Who is the root of the world, Who is the son of Lord Shiva! Accept my salutations and bless me.

In the phalasruti Sankara says that those who wake up early in the morning and recite with devotion this hymn of praise will get all their desires fulfilled. They will also attain Vaak-Siddhi namely the power in which spoken wishes get fulfilled. With an optimistic tone, Sankara asks, what can be difficult when Ganesha is happy?