Tuesday, January 28, 2014

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 13

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

The Effect of Evolving in Wisdom 13-15
1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 13


Sarvatah pani padam tat sarvatah akshi shirah mukham I
Sarvatah shruti mad loke sarvam avrutaya tishtathi II sloka 13
सर्वतः पाणि पदम् तत् सर्वतः अक्षि शिरः मुखं I 
सर्वतः श्रुति मद् लोके सर्वम् आवृत्य तिषठति I   श्लोक 13 

With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes and heads and mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere - He exists enveloping all.

A river assumes the characteristics of the sea as it flows to its proximity. Before the jivatman merges into the Supreme Brahman he gets a panoramic view and realization of the Iswara. While the multitudinous beings seem to have their own individualities, they are actually part and parcel of the cosmic entity.  There is nothing outside the pale of the Iswara. 

Monday, January 27, 2014

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 12

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

Brahman Defined - 12
1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 12

Vibheeshana awaiting Saranagathi
Jneyaym yat tat pravashyami yat jyatva amrutam ashnute I
Anadi mat param brahma na sat tat na asat uchyate II sloka 12
ज्ञेयं यत् तत् प्रवष्यामि यत् ज्यात्वा अमृतं आश्नुते I 
अनादि मत परम् ब्रह्म न सत् तत् न असत उच्यते II श्लोक 12

I shall describe that which has to be known, knowing which  one attains to immortality. Beginningless is the Supreme Brahman. It is said to be neither 'sat' or being nor 'asat' or non-being.

Indeed there is no origin for the individual self (Brahman) and for the same reason it is endless and beginningless. The shruti also declares, "the wise one is neither born nor dies" (Ka. Up 2.18). 'Matpara' means having me for the highest. It has been told, "Know that which is other than this (lower nature) which is the life-principle, to be the highest creation of mine." (7.5) By virtue of being the body of the Lord, the nature of the self finds joy in being completely subsidiary to Him. 

That which is conjoined to the quality of infinite dimension or extensiveness can be designated as Brahman. It is different from  and not circumscribable by the body. The meaning is, it is the principle which apprehends the kshetra. Shruti also declares, "He (the individual self) partakes of infinity (Sve. Up., 5.9) By its karma it is circumscribed. It assumes its infinite nature only when it is freed from the bonds of karma. The lord says, I am the ground of the Brahman, who is immutable and immortal. having attained the state of the Brahman, tranquil, he neither grieves nor craves; regarding all beings aliike, he attains supreme devotion to Me. 

It is said to be neither being nor non-being. The term being and non being cannot signify the nature of the self as it is neither cause nor effect. The self's conditions as effect and casue have arisen on account of veiling by Avidya or ignorance in the form of karma. It is not an expression of its real nature. so the terms being and non-being do not signify the nature of the self. This condition of the individual self has arisen due to karma and such a description as being or non-being are applicable to the self only in the state of bondage. Its pure form cannot be signified by these terms. 

Thursday, January 23, 2014

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 11

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

Self - culture 7-11
1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 11

Sita Rama at Tirumala
Adhyatma jnana nityatvam jnana artha darshanam I
Etat jnanam iti proktam ajnanam yat atah anyatah II sloka 11
आअध्यत्म ज्ञान नित्यत्वं ज्ञान अर्थ दर्शनं I
एतत् ज्ञानं इति प्रोक्तं अज्ञान यत् अतः अन्यतः II श्लोक 11  

Constancy in self-knowledge, perception of the end of the knowledge of truth; this is declared to be knowledge, and what is opposed to it is ignorance.

Sentimental devotion to the maker is not sufficient. Divine love ought to be seasoned by diligent inquiry into the nature of the self and non-self. Brahman is truth. All endeavours ought to be directed to the realization of this verity. Pursuit of Brahma Vidya as provided in the upanishads is the infallible means to this great end. 

All the dispositions elaborated from the seventh stanza upto this, contribute jointly to the development of wisdom, the divine eye and the intuitive faculty leadding to the realization of Brahman. These dispositions are all called Jnana because of their great and unfailing contribution to it. 

Dispositions counter to them are vanity, self-esteem, injury, revengefulness, crookedness, indifference towards the teacher, dirty habits, fickleness, self-indulgence, longing for the objects of the senses, egoism, preception of pleasure in bodily life, earthy attachment, identification of self with son, wife, home and the like, restlessness due to the occurrence of the desirable and the undesirable, lack of devotion to the maker, longing for social life and dislike for sacred studies. people inclined in these ways contaminate their minds; they do not grow in wisdom and self--knowledge

Does any good come from Brahma jnana? The answer comes 

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 10

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

Self - culture 7-11
1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 10


Mayi cha ananya yogena bhaktih avyabhi charini I
Vivikta desha sevitam aratih jana samsadi II sloka 10
मयि च अनन्य योगेन भक्तिः अव्यभि चारिणी I
विविक्त देश सेविताम् आर्तिः जन संसदि II श्लोक 10 

Unswerving devotion to Me in yoga of non-separation, resort to sequestered places, distaste for the society of men;

Mind in its entirety must be dedicated to the Lord, with a strong conviction that there is nothing else worthy of interest. The way of the devotee is never to divide and distract his mind between the Real and Unreal His constant absorptionis and ought to be in the Lord. 

A place endowed with natural beauty, pleasing and elevating to the mind, quite healthy and free from disturbance by wild animals is to be selected by the sadhaka for his residence. company of the holy ones at the initial stage  and severance from them too, at the advanced stage is a spiritual necessity to the sadhaka progressing in the path to perfection. 
The moth abandons darkness and rushes to the light of the lamp. The ant would rather give up its life than sever contact with juice. Even so the devotee is ever intent on the Lord and he has no other concern in life.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa 

Friday, January 17, 2014

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 9

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

Self - culture 7-11
1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 9

Sita Rama arriving at Ayodhya
Asaktih anabhih angah putra dara gruhadishu I
Nityam cha sama chittvam ishtan ishtopa pattishu II sloka 9
असक्तिः अनभिः अङ्गः पुत्र दारा गृहदिषु  I
नित्यं च सम चित्त्वं इष्टान इष्टोप पत्तिशु II श्लोक 9

Unattachment, non-identification of self with son, wife, home, and the like, and constant equanimity in the occurence of the desirable and the undesirable.

There are objects of senses to which a man gets deeply attached if not to the enjoyment there of. Such attachments require to be eliminated by discrimination. Inordinate identification with the son, wife and home drives one to the position  of holding them as one's own self. Ailment if any of a kin causes misery to one, due to imaginary ownership. The death of the wife or son deals a greater blow than the death of oneself can possibly render. The loss of the earthly possessions of a miser brings complete frustration to him. Such are the effects of the baneful identification with people and property that are not actually one's own forever. The rightful attitude therefore is to view all beings and all possessions as belonging to the Lord. Worldly events are prone to cause likes and dislikes in a worldly man. But the spiritual aspirant ought to practise even-mindedness in all eventualities. 
A person found it very difficult to meditate on God because of his immediate attachment to a relative. "Behold your favourite relative as God come in that form" was the advice given to him. On pursuing that attitude meditation on the Lord became easy for that person
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Thursday, January 16, 2014

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 8

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

Self - culture 7-11
1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 8

The Soul's journey from one body to the other
Indriya artheshu vairagyam anahankarah eva cha I
Janma mrityu jara vyadhi dukha dosha anudarshanam II sloka 8
इन्द्रिय अर्थेषु वैराग्यं अन्अहङ्कारः  एव च I 
जन्म मृत्यु जर व्याधि दुख दोष अनुदर्शनं  II श्लोक 8 

Dispassion towards the objects of the senses, and also absence of egoism; perception of evil in birth, death, old age, sickness and pain; 

Nature bears evidence to the truth that beings evolve surely, though slowly, from the low order of existence to the high. Evolution of the body is complete at the human level. But there are stages of mental evolution to be striven after. Man has to perfect his mind in ethical and spiritual discipline. He should not therefore stagnate at the physical plane. His ideal in life is to emerge from the earthly existence into the divine. This is best effected by detachment from the mundane and attachment to the supra-mundane. Craving for the objects of the senses gives place to holy hankering for the divine. It is egoism when man identifies himself with the body. Instead he strives himself as atman. Bodily existence is necessarily associated with birth, death, old age, sickness and pain. This evil is transcended by him who rises above body consciousness. It is in this wise that spiritual life commences for the aspirant. 
Man grows in devotion to the Lord in direct proportion to his detachment from the objects of senses
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa



Tuesday, January 14, 2014

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 7

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

Self - culture 7-11
1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 7

Panguni Uttiram Srirangam Serthi sevai
Amanitvam adambhitvam ahimsa kshantih arjavam I
Acharya upasanam shaucham sthairyam atman vinigrahah II sloka 7
अमानित्वं अदम्भित्वं अहिंसा क्षान्तिः आर्जवं I
आचार्य उपासनम् शौचम् स्थैर्यम् आत्मन विनिग्रहः II श्लोक 7 


Humility, modesty, non-injury, forbearance, uprightness, service of the teacher, purity, steadfastness, self control.

Humility  is in evidence when the sadhaka does not think of himself superior to the others. Superiority complex engenders conceit and contaminates the mind.

Modesty  marks that aspirant, as its own, who does not think or speak of the merits in his activities. All excellences emanate from the Lord. Man's laying claim to them is born of ignorance.

Non-injury  is possible to him only who beholds all beings as the manifestation of the one cosmic being.

Forbearance is the act of not being affected by the wrong done by the others. An example illustrates this position. It happens that while a man speaks his teeth hurt his lip inadvertently. For this reasonthe man does not think of knocking out the teeth which are his own. He who seeks divine relationship with all, practises forbearance with those who wrong him knowingly or  unknowingly. 

Uprightness  comes to him who harmonises his thought, word and deed  and who is intent on right conduct.

Service of the Teacher is quite essential to the spiritual aspirant. An individual unconsciously imbibes the traits of the person whom he serves. By doing physical service to the teacher, the disciples gets his holy disposition

Purity pertains  both to the body and the mind. Bodily purity can be effected with the aid of the environment, air, water and sunlight. But purity of the mind which is more important  and indispensable to spiritual life can only be effected  by mental discipline. That mind which eschews all sense pleasures as poison gains steadily in purity.

Steadfastness is his who is not mindful of the time taken for self culture. It maybe that the sadhaka has to plod through a few births before he attains perfection in any one among the many virtues that remains to be acquired by him. Unswerving perseverance is is needed to mould oneself in spirituality.

Self control is the opposite of self indulgence which dissipates the personality. Through rigid self restraint, the sadhaka grows spiritually.to reach his original state.

Monday, January 13, 2014

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 5

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

The Constituents of Kshetra - 5-6
1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 5

Tiruppavai pasuram 30

Mahabhutani aham karah buddhih avyaktam eva cha I
Indriyani dasha ekam cha pancha cha indriya gocharah II sloka 5
महाभूतानि अहं कारः बुद्धिः अव्यक्तम् एव च I
इन्द्रियाणि दश एकं च पञ्च च इन्द्रिय गोचरः II श्लोक 5

Iccha dveshah sukham dukham sanghatah chetana dhrutih I
Etat kshetram samasena savikaram udahrutam II sloka 6
इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुखम् संघातः चेतना धृतिः I
एतत् क्षेत्रम् समासेन सविकारं उदाहृतं II श्लोक 6

The great elements, egoism, intellect, as also the unmanifested, the ten senses and the one mind, and the five objects of the senses;

Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate, intelligence, firmness - the kshetra has been thus briefly described with its modifications.


The great elements - The ether, air, fire, water and the earth - these are the elements constituting the infinite universe. In their gross form  they are not equally distributed everywhere. But in their subtle state they permeate the whole universe. They are for this reason called the great elements.

Egoism - It is the cause of the five elements. The self projects the non-self and identifies itself with it. This identification is egoism. When the pure consciousness thinks of itself as the materialised consciousness, it is egoism. Intellect is the tattva or principle of determination. It is from this principle that egoism emanates. It is also known as the Mahat.

The Unmanifested is technically called avyaktam or moola prakriti. That which is in the unmodified state is the meaning of this term. This principle is the cause of buddhi or the intellect. These are all the powers of Iswara.

"Verily this divine illusion of Mine, made up of the gunas is hard to surmount," said the Lord in Chapter 7, sloka 14. He also called them "My prakriti divided eightfold," in the 4th sloka of that chapter.

The ten senses  are the eye, ear, skin, tongue and the nose forming a group known as the senses of knowledge - the jnana indriyas. The exterior world is cognised and interpreted with the aid of these organs. The other group consists of 5 organs of action - karma indriyas. They are the hnad, foot, mouth, anus and genitals.

Mind is the principle that thinks and doubts. It is therefore held as the aggregate of sankalpa and vikalpa. It functions as the background of all the ten senses. The demon Ravana with his ten heads is the personification of the mind functioning through the ten senses.

The sense objects are five in number. They are the taste, form or colour, touch, sound and smell, on which the senses feed and thrive.

The samkhya school of philosophy is based on these 24 categories or principles technically known as tattvas.

The vaiseshika school of philosophy claims that desire, hatred, pleasure and pain mentioned here, to be the characteristics of atman. But these are actually the modifications of the mind; they are the objects of experience; they are impermanent; they only reveal the nature of kshetra. As such they are classified with the kshetra. 

Desire is that form of mentation which seeks the repitition of the contact with the objects that seem agreeable to the senses.

Hatred  is that mental state which seeks to avoid with revulsion those sense objects which are disagreeable or painful.

Pleasure  is an experience that pacifies the mind and promotes sattva guna.

Pain  is a mentation that is disagreeable and disquieting.

The Aggregate is the assemblage of the various parts of the body. A machine is assembled by fixing all its parts in their places. The best and te most marvellous organic machine in the human body. In functioning at all levels is equally marvellous.

Chetana is intelligence or the power to reval and interpret. A piece of iron that comes into contact, with fire reveals the fire in its own way. Similarly, the capacity of the senses to imbibe and to reveal the characteristics of the atma is the chetana or intelligence inherent in them. Since the body is being experienced and interpreted by this intelligence, it is classified as the kshetra.

Dhrti  or firmness is the stamina to keep the body and the senses fit and active. Left to themselves they get exhausted and drift into indolence. But the resolve that emanates from within infuses fresh energy and activity into them. This particular urge is called firmness. It gives longevity to the body. Since dhrti is also an object of experience it is classified as kshetra. The items from desire to the firmness mentioned here, are the qualities or modifications of the mind stuff.

The body is classified as the kshetra in the first stanza. And it is exhaustively dealt with in these two stanzas

Why do the devotess look after this body so carefully when it is actually a combination of things perishable? Nobody pays heed to an empty package. But people carefully preserve a paper box containing precious gems and jewels. In that manner the devotees take care of the body due to its being the temple of the Lord. They cannot afford  to neglect it. All human bodies are the treasure chests containing Iswara
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

The knowledge of the kshtera and kshetrajna is not acquired by mere book learning, which only supplies empty information. Intuitive knowledge is the outcome ofthe way of living. It is further delineated.

Vaikunta Ekadasi On January 11, 2014

11th Januay is Vaikunta Ekadasi. It is one of the most important days on a hindu spiritual calendar particularly for vaishnavites.
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Here are some links that may interest you






Wishing you all a very Happy New year filled with a lot of satsang, and kainkaryam for Bhagavathas & acharyan

Thirunakshatram of NAloorAchan Pillai on January 10, 2014

NAloorAchan Pillai

Acharya                         NAlur Pillai a disciple of NAlurAn -a direct disciple of Kurathazhwan

Sishyas                        ThirunArAyaNapurathu  Ay,  
                    iLampiLichaipiLLai  and  
                    ThiruvAimozhi piLLai (did kalakshepam under NAlurAchan Pillai at the bidding of                                                     Lord Varadaraja)

Birth Month & Star         Margazhi  Bharani

Name at Birth                DhEvarAjAchAn piLLai, dhEvEsar, dhEvAdhipar and  mElnAdu AchAn piLLai

Father's Name                NAlur Pillai  (disciple of NAlurAn - a direct disciple of Kurathazhwan)

Works                            vyAkyAnams for thirumozhi and periyAzhwAr thirumozhi.



Taniyan
nAlUrAchAn piLLai’s thaniyan:
namOsthu dhEvarAjAya chathurgrAma nivAsinE
rAmAnujArya dhAsasya suthAya guNasAlinE
நமோஸ்து தேவராஜாய சதுர்க்ராம நிவாஸிநே
ராமானுஜார்ய தாஸஸ்ய ஸுதாய குணஸாலிநே

Thursday, January 9, 2014

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 4

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission

The Vehicles of Revelation - 4
1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 4

Tiruppavai Pasuram 25
Rishibhih bahudha gitam chandobhih vividhaih prthak I
Brahma sutra padaih cha eva hetu madbhih vinischitaih II sloka 4
ऋषिभिः बहुधा गीतं छन्दोभिः विविदैः पर्थक I
ब्रह्मन् सूत्र पदैः च एव हेतु माद्भिः विनिश्चितैः II श्लोक 4

This has been sung by rishis in many ways, in various distinctive chants, in passages indicative of Brahman, full of reasoning and convincing

The sages have fully utilised the sciences and arts for the revelation of the truth, which remains unaffected by the passage of time . The value of the truth does not go down for its being clothed in imperfect language. But the rishis have taken care to expound it in the most refined and appropriate  language. The precision of expression has been augmented by them with music. Accurate language is by itself appealing to its intellect. When music is combined with it, the joint appeal to the head and the heart becomes doubly effective. Music is by itself very powerful and fascinating to all beings. Wild and venomous beings are easily tamed by it. Emotion is awakened and refined by music. Bliss and sweetness are engendered by it. The rishis have sanctified both these instruments, literature and music, by utilising them for conveying a divine messages.

Literature and music become lopsided when harnessed exclusively for the cultivation of emotions.The sa ges have avoided that defect by balancing it with rigid reasoning which is another powerful instrument to arrive at the truth. Reason that is consistently followed, leads to clarification and conviction.

Emotion devoid of reason lands one in mere sentimentalism, in which many an unwary, credulous and mediocre devotee lands himself. Clarity of understanding and firmness of action cannot be expected of such a namby-pamby one. Again there is the other one given to dry and dreary itellectualism, devoid of any sweet touch of life. But a balanced personality is that in which love and understanding are well knit together.
Sage Narada was endowed with a penetrating intellect and an all absorbing divine love. Devotees ought to evolve after  his pattern
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 3

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevananda's translation of Ramanuja's  Gita  Bhashya and Swami Chidbhavananda's Bhagavad Gita, both published by Ramakrishna Mission


1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 13 - Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga - Sloka 3

Thiruppavai Pasuram 22

Tat kshetram yat cha yadrk cha yad vikari yatah cha yat I
Sah cha yah yad prabhavah cha tat samasena me shrunu II sloka 3
तत्  क्षेत्रम् यत् च यद्र्क च यद् विकारी यतः च यत् I
सः च यः यद् प्रभावः च तत् समासेन मे शृणु II श्लोक 3 

Hear briefly from me, what the kshetra is, what its properties are, what its modifications are,  whence is what; and who he is and what his powers are.

Nothing exists and nothing remains to be known outside the pale of the kshetra and kshetrajna. The vedas and vedanta philosophy  are all directed to the enquiry into these two ultimate realities. All the branches of knowledge that are so far revealed  and that are yet to  be revealed, that are conventionally divided into the sacred and secular - all of them are engaged in explaining either the  kshetra or  kshetrajna or both

The how of it is delineated in the following stanza