Glimpses from Indian spirituality, mythology and way of life.

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

Shri Govinda Damodara Stotram

This stotram is composed by Shri Bilvamangalacharya. Krishna who is the incarnation of Vishnu has many names and the poet in this composition glorifies the name of Krishna as "Govinda, Damodara and Madhava" To mention a few:

When Dussasana caught her hair and clothing before the assembled Kauravas and Pandavas, Draupadi, having no one to support, cried out, "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

When Rama went to the forest due to his father’s order, along with Lakshmana and Sita, His mother cried, "O Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

When Sita was taken away from the forest by the ten-headed Ravana, she cried, "O Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

When the elephant Gajendra was caught by his foot and pulled into the water, he called out incessantly, "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

Though desiring to sell milk, curd, butter, etc., the mind of a young gopīka was so absorbed in the lotus feet of Krishna that instead of calling out "milk for sale," she bewilderedly shouted, "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

After waking up early in the morning, having completed their ritualistic duties, and at the end of their Vedic chanting, the best of the learned priests always loudly chant, "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

With long, matted hair and bodies purified by eating only leaves, water, and air, the sages sit beneath the trees and chant, "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

O my tongue, just always worship these beautiful, enchanting names of "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!" which destroy all the obstacles of the devotees.

At last, the poet laments saying:

Alas! Even though anyone is able to chant these beautiful names, still no one does. Alas! How determined people are for their own undoing! O tongue, just drink the nectar of these names "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

Shri Lakshmi Ashtothara Shathanama Stotram

There is an important pooja that would be performed by many women in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana and Kerala On 20th August 2021. It is called the Varalakshmi Puja or the Varamahalakshmi Puja. It is celebrated on the Second Friday or the Friday before the day of the full moon in the month of Shravana, which corresponds to the period during the months of July and August. As the name indicates, it is a festival to propitiate Goddess Lakshmi. ‘Varam’ means ‘boons’ and the boons sought from Goddess Lakshmi are the health, wealth and knowledge for the entire family.

I have presented in this episode a namavali consisting of 108 sacred names of Goddess Lakshmi. During the time of puja, this namavali is used to offer flowers to propitiate the goddess. I have also presented the Shri Lakshmi Ashtothara Shathanama Stotram which forms the basis for the Namavali.

I have also brought about an audio book titled ‘Lalitha Sahasranama Stotram’ on Goddess Lalitha Devi which will be available with leading audio book-sellers like Google’s play books.

https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/VENKATARAMAN_M_Sri_Lalitha_Sahasranama_Stotram?id=AQAAAEDcNV91kM

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/sri-lalitha-sahasranama-stotram

https://shop.authors-direct.com/products/sri-lalitha-sahasranama-stotram

https://www.nookaudiobooks.com/audiobook/1036013/Sri-Lalitha-Sahasranama-Stotram

https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/sri-lalitha-sahasranama-stotram/515954

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1562839056

Story- Yathni’s Travel to Kailash-Introduction

In the year 2012, I had written and published a book titled Yathni’s Travel to Kailash. It is a story based on Hindu Mythology. In 2019, I wrote and published an abridged version of this book. I have also brought about an audio book of this abridged version. This consists of an introduction followed by 13 chapters. I shall present this audio book now in a series of 14 episodes. In this first episode, you can hear the introduction.

Printed copies of the original book are available with me as well as in Amazon, India. The e-book versions are available in Amazon Kindle Store. The audio book of the abridged version is available with audio book sellers like Google Play.

Links to the audio book.

https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/VENKATARAMAN_M_Yathni_s_Travel_to_Kailash_Abridged?id=AQAAAEBcbkUuCM

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/yathni-s-travel-to-kailash-abridged-edition

https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/488592948/Yathni-s-Travel-to-Kailash-Abridged-Edition

https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/yathni-s-travel-to-kailash-abridged-edition-by-venkataraman-m

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1545571778

https://bingebooks.com/book/yathni-s-travel-to-kailash-abridged-edition

https://www.nookaudiobooks.com/audiobook/1026141/Yathni-s-Travel-to-Kailash-Abridged-Edition

https://shop.authors-direct.com/products/yathnis-travel-to-kailash-abridged-edition

https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/yathnis-travel-to-kailash-abridged-edition/527676

Link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092QR9HF3

Sriraama Suprapaadam

The Sanskrit word Suprapaadam means “auspicious dawn”. It is a hymn or a collection of hymns or verses which are recited early morning as though to awaken the deity. We pray to the deity immediately after getting up early in the morning and seek his blessings. There are a number of such Suprapaadms. The most well-known Suprabhaatam is the Sri Venkatesa Suprapaadam recited at Thirupathi to awaken Lord Venkateswara.

This hymn is the Suprapaadam on Lord Rama. There is no information about the author of this hymn.

Mathru Panchakam

This is a sloka composed by Adi Shankara in praise of his mother. The status of a mother is that of godhood. The Vedas declare 'Mathru devo bhava'. The Mother is extolled as the god in many of our scriptures. We are all well aware of this.

But in these five verses, Adi Shankara is not simply extolling the mother as the god or vice versa. Though a sanyasin who had renounced the world, he laments at the death of his mother and feels bad that he was not able to do the duty of a son at the time of her death.

Kulasekara Alwar.

The Alwars are a group of twelve ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu. They are famous for their poetry in praise of Lord Vishnu. In the earlier episodes I have made a brief mention about 11 such Alwars. In this episode I shall mention a few things about the remaining one Alwar namely Kulasekara Alwar.

Sage Narada

Sages are the great souls who have devoted their life, energy and experience for the welfare of the people. The Hindu way of life is deeply influenced by the lives of ancient sages.

The period of the ancient sages, according to Hindu chronology, is till the end of Dwapara Yuga, which is about 5000 years back. The Puranas project sages to more than a live figure and give them life span of thousands of years.

India has been blessed from time immemorial by the advent of innumerable sages. In the earlier episodes, we have seen about some of these ancient sages.

This episode gives a brief outlook on Sage Narada, one of the well-known ancient sages of India.

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

Tiruppan Alwar

The Alwars are a group of twelve ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu in the eighth and ninth centuries. They are famous for their poetry in praise of Lord Vishnu. Among the Alwars, the first in the line-up is Poigai Alwar, Bhudat Alwar and Pei Alwar. They are collectively called as "Mudhal Alwars" (the first Alwars). The other Alwars are Perialwar, Andal, Nammalwar, Madhura kavi Alwar, Tirumazhisai Alwar, Thondaridipodi Alwar, Tirumangai Alwar, Tiruppan Alwar and Kulasekara Alwar.

In the earlier episodes I have mentioned about the Mudhal Alwars, Perialwar, Andal, Nammalwar, Madhura kavi Alwar, Tirumazhisai Alwar, Thondaridipodi Alwar and Tirumangai Alwar. This episode covers Tiruppan Alwar.

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://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

Shiva Panchakshara Stotram

Presenting this small hymn on the occasion of Maha Shivarathri. This hymn is composed by Adi Sankara. It consists of five verses and a phalasruti. Each of the five verses extols the five letters of the Panchakshara Mantra-Na, Ma, Si, Va and Ya. The phalasruti says that reciting or hearing this hymn will enable the persons to rejoice the blissful state of union with Lord Shiva.

I have also brought about an audio book titled ‘A few hymns on Lord Shiva’ containing a few of the other hymns on Lord Shiva which you may like to hear. It is available with leading audio book-sellers like Google’s play books.

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/few-hymns-on-lord-shiva-a

https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/VENKATARAMAN_M_A_few_hymns_on_Lord_Shiva?id=AQAAAEAcdhw2EM

https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/474406294/A-few-hymns-on-Lord-Shiva

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1529867083

https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/a-few-hymns-on-lord-shiva-by-venkataraman-m

https://www.hibooks.com/discover/audiobook/few-hymns-on-lord-shiva-a

https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/few-hymns-on-lord-shiva/455949

https://www.nookaudiobooks.com/audiobook/1020415/A-few-hymns-on-Lord-Shiva

https://shop.authors-direct.com/products/a-few-hymns-on-lord-shiva